2012-01-22 Bhandup

Last few days morning had been very cloudy, foggy and very cold (of course Mumbai very cold :-)) so we had decided to meet at Bhandup pumping station at 7:30am.

Me, Ritesh, Abhijeet, Rohit and his brother Asim were the members of todays birding trip.

As we reached the sun was already up but it was still very dull as it was unable to penetrate the thick layer of fog.

On the road the pumping station saw a kingfisher, spotted dove and grey heron.

As we reached the other side of the pumping station on the Meswak plants to the left we saw a flock of baya weavers and scally breasted munias.

We decided to move ahead on the road to the end of the road.
At the end of the road in the water were spot billed ducks. The trees around this places were full of golden orioles and a single rose ringed travel.

Rose Ringed Parakeet

There were atleast 5-6 individuals with 2 males and other females and juvelines.

Golden Oriole

A clamorous reed warbler was creating a very big noise, 
Barn swallows were flying around,
Ashy prinias were hopping around,

Ashy Prinia

a pair of Bhardwaj giving us the lucky start,
a grey heron on the top of a tree and
painted stork flying by.

Painted Stork

High above in the sky were a flock of ducks flying which turned out to be Pintails.

Pintail

Just as we were about the turn around there was a huge commotion on the water.
2 Marsh Harriers were scanning very low and the other birds were disturbed.

Eurasian Marsh Harrier

Got some good views of the harrier in flight and then sitting on a bush nearby.

Eurasian Marsh Harrier

From there we headed back to have a look at the waders in the water body.
Before reaching there we encountered a Rui plant infested with aphids.

Aphids  on Rui pod

Infested Rui plan with cotton coming out of the pods

At the junction where the side road to the water body meets the main road we saw a flock of atleast 15-20 baya weavers and a flock of 5-8 white cheecked bulbuls.

White Cheeked Bulbul

White Cheecked Bulbul

White Cheecked Bulbul

White Cheecked Bulbul

In the water body there were cormorants, redshanks, wood sandpiper, common sandpiper, Gulls, a caspian tern, gull billed tern, grey heron.

Grey Heron

And also saw a Eurasian spoonbill flying overhead.

Eurasian Spoonbill

On the ground there were red avadavats and in the mangroves were white cheeked bulbuls and clamorous reed warblers and mongoose.

Ruddy Mongoose

It was a wonderful morning photographing White cheeked bulbuls and observing many golden orioles!!