Near Hetavde dam 29 July 2007

Start time: 6:45 am from Vashi
Stopovers: Nerul lake on palm beach road, Kilegoathan
Location: On road to Ransai off Uran road

First we stopped at the pond near Nerul where Julius showed us the hunting pattern of Indian Cormorants.I also have a video will upload later.

Nerul lake full of indian cormorants , atleast 200.

Fishing in a group

We also got a good sight of a brahminy kite flying past.

Then next stop was at kilegoathan.
Where we say a few cormorants, Common kingfisher and 2 bronzewinged Jacanas

Bronze winged jacana mostly on his nest at kilegoathan

Then we proceeded on the road to Uran and took a left at a point where the road leads to Ransai.
Some distance on this road we see a board of Hetavde dam and just next to it is an open space, with a small shelter , mostly to be converted to container yard.

The trail starts from here and taking the left trail we reach the top of the hillock.

At the start of the trail itself as Julius had mentioned we heard a peacock call and then saw a male and 2 females sitting on a tree on the hillock.
It was the first time i was seeing a peacock in wild near Mumbai.
(It is there in SGNP but I have not been lucky enough to see it yet)

Tawny-bellied Babbler

 

Birding spot

On road to Ransai dam

Life on the rocks

Glory Lilly

Great Orange tip on Glory lilly

Grey breasted prinia

Happy birders

Black shouldered kite hovering

Red wattled lapwing at kilegoathan

List of birds:
1) Grey breasted prinia (very very vocal)
2) India peacock
3) Malabar whistling thrush
4) Spot billed ducks
5) Indian cormorants
6) Brahminy kite
7) Indian robin
8) Red wattled lapwing
9) Lesser whistling ducks( 2 flying)
10) Cattle egret
11) Common kingfisher
12) White throated kingfisher
13) Laughing dove
14) Spotted dove
15) Black shouldered kite
16) Mystery bird
17) Bronze winged jacana

Mahul May 2007

This was a trip initiated by Mr Julius who had explored a few weeks back this route to go near the flamingoes.

10 of us met at the 261 bus stop at Mahul goan and then proceed to the Mahul goan jetty at around 3:30pm.
The low tide was at 3pm so when we reached the jetty the water was pretty shallow.
We first went in 2 small fishing boats to a bigger motorised boat

From the jetty itself we could see a sea pink on the mud flats.

We were in the water for around 2 1/2 hours and in this we could see a lot of flamingoes from near.
Also had a lovely sight of 1000 flamingoes flying over us as they were coming from the sewri side to the areas at Mahul where still there were still lot of mud flats exposed for them to feed.
We also could see many other waders and sea birds like Sand plovers, terek sandpipers, oriental white ibis, large egret, whiskered tern, little tern, redshank, etc.

Here are a few photos of the birds and the birders.

Oriental white ibis



Pond heron



Serwri landscape


Julius and Jacob



Great egret






Big flock of flamigoes coming from sewri



Flamigo flocks












Gull billed tern




Birders

Talawe April 2007

We started the walk at around 7:30 am.

First at the pond on the right we saw the little cormorant and sandpipers.
On the left there was some water collected which had little ring plovers and lapwings.
Also there was a paddy field pipit flying around carrying small grasses to build nest.



Terek sandpiper


Paddy field pipit




Sand plovers



Little stint



Sand plovers and Curlew sandpipers



Eurasian Golden oriole


Ashy crowned sparrow lark (male)






Ashy crowned sparrow lark (female)


Little ringed plover


Teminck's Stint