Flaming-oh !!

Bird lovers rejoice !! This one’s for you. 

Sewri bay, a relatively unknown, and rather unattractive, area of Mumbai is home to the very attractive flamingoes during October to March every year. Whether you’re a bird lover or not, this place is definitely one of the prettiest sights you would ever see in Mumbai.

The best time to arrive here is early in the morning between high tide and low tide and just before sunrise, which, by the way, is also a must-see while you’re here. You might have to be a little patient for the flamingoes to arrive. But when they do, the beautiful pink (some are even blackish-brown) flamingoes make for an arresting sight. However, what is not pretty is to see these birds feeding in the water that is littered with plastic bottles and all kinds of garbage. Appearing alongside the murky brown mudflats, the flamingoes momentarily make the dirty bay look wonderfully spectacular.

You not only get to see the flamingoes here, if you’re lucky, you might even spot Kingfishers, Seagulls and Parakeets. If you’re a genuine bird-lover, this would be enough reason for you to jump out of bed and head to Sewri the very next morning. Even though these pretty birds of a feather flock together, it would be a good idea to carry your binoculars because they might be a little further away.

                                             

If you wish to go Flamingo Spotting, you can take the harbour line train to Sewri and then take a taxi to this mudflat near the Colgate factory. If you’re worried about how to get there, fret not. The BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) organizes flamingo spotting tours regularly and you can get in touch with them. They have a flamingo watch lined up on February 6, 2011.

Get ready folks with our binoculars in hand and let’s go Flamingo Watching.

Until next time, Quirk up. 

BNHS Website: http://cecbnhs.wetpaint.com/

- Master Gayu Panda