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

Airoli - March 2007

Map of the places we visited in Airoli in relation to the station.

My first visit to Airoli and I was surprised by the variety of bird life

that can be seen.
It reminds me of the habitat as near TS Chanakya.

We started with the marshes near the sector 17.
The tide had still not started coming in so there were few waders.
We saw here the little egret, pond heron, common redshank, greenshank,

marsh sandpiper, white breasted waterhen , red wattled lapwing and black

tailed godwith in breeding plumage.

Then we headed towards an open ground a few meters ahead under the expert

guidance of Mr. Julius.
It was a huge ground with around 300+ black kites sitting on it.
It was an amazing sight.


We had stopped just before that as we saw a lot of bird activity.
There we saw the white cheecked bulbuls,


common kingfisher, ashy and plain

prinias, yellow eyed babbler.


In the open areas there was a small pond on the edge of which we saw a

white breasted kingfisher perched on a stone and a long tailed shrike.



Along the side is a trail on the left of which there are marshes again.
There again where nearby we could see the yellow eyed babbler at a very

close distance.

Few distance ahead in an open area we could see a large group of small

birds. They were red munias.


There were also a huge number of laughing doves on the ground and trees

with black drongos.


Another big flock of birds landed on the ground nearby and we were amazed t

o see atleast 10+ yellow wagtails.



This is the first time I had seen so

many yellow wagtails together.

Later we saw a lone oriental skylark , Hoopoe and a field pipit




Crossing the ground we advanced towards the creek where we got to see a lot

of waders.





In between at a small water hole we saw a lone sandpiper after a detailed

discussion and studying its flight it was confirmed that it was a green

sandpiper ( in flight green sandpiper's black underwings can be seen while

in wood sandpiper it is white. Also wood sandpiper has yellow legs)


Also we came across an ashy crowned sparrow lark and pied bushchat.


All in all it was a very satisfying bird watching.

Bird list
1. Red whiskered bulbul
2. White cheeked bulbul
3. Little egret
4. Cattle egret
5. Pond heron
6. Common redshank
7. Greenshank
8. Marsh sandpiper
9. Common sandpiper
10. Green Sandpiper
11. Black tailed Godwit
12. Black winged stilts
13. Stints
14. White breasted waterhen
15. Clamarous reed warbler
16. Blyth's reed warbler (heard)
17. Ashy prinia
18. Plain prinia
19. Common kingfisher
20. White breasted kingfisher
21. Red munia
22. Long tailed shrike
23. Yellow eyed babbler
24. Common babbler
25. Ashy crowned sparrow lark
26. Field pipt
27. oriental skylark
28. Yellow wagtail
29. Black kite
30. Little cormorant
31. Hoopoe
32. Northern shoveller
33. Pied bushchat