Hi All,
After an exciting trip to Uran yesterday, I had an opportunity to visit Uran today (23rd Oct’04) again with some top Naval officers including Vice Admiral Mr.Krishnan, Mumbai.
Mr.K.B.Singh had organised a birding trip for the naval officers to the naval base at Karanja & JNPT mudflats around Uran. About 20 people including some very enthusiastic kids were present for the introductory birding session.
The naval ship took us from Lion gate (Opp. Hornbill house) at 6.00 am to Karanja. The naval base here is not only beautifully maintained but also turned out to be very rich in birds and plants.
An introductory talk by K.B.Singh set the pace and mood for the ever so willing group, almost all of whom were new to birding. A short walk along the naval base yielded many interesting bird species including a pair of common grey hornbills, spotted owlets, small minivets, shikra & Common Iora to name a few. The group was very receptive and the kids in particular were very fast to grasp whatever was delivered to them.
Further towards the JNPT mudflats we saw Marsh harriers, W.T.Kingfishers, Blue tailed bee eaters and egrets from the navy bus……. K.B. was also so dedicated to show the birds that he was stoping the bus for every bird seen, giving an impression of a wildlife safari from bus (Just kidding …..).
The bird numbers though were not as encouraging as yesterday (No Pelican & Flamingos) yet the species were well represented with plenty of Black winged stilts, Coots, Egrets, Glossy Ibises, Black tailed Godwits. The group watched with admiration the beauty of Pied avocets and their delicate upturned beaks, the handsome stance of the Grey and Purple Herons, the greenish bronze sheen of the glossy Ibis…The group was even surprised when they were informed that the ducks migrate from such distant places and are the highest & fast fliers.
The return journey gave an opportunity for a revision and the group came up with flying colours and were surprised that in a matter of couple of hours, so many different birds were seen …… I was sure the group had developed SENSITIVITY towards nature.
Here is the complete list of birds reported today during the trail.
1) Black Drongo
2) Barn swallows
3) Spotted owlets
4) Common grey hornbills
5) Small green bee eaters
6) Common Ioras
7) Baya weaver nests
8) Red whiskered Bulbuls
9) Red vented Bulbuls
10) Common Mynas
11) Pied starlings
12) Red Munias
13) Roseringed parakeets
14) Alexandrian parakeets
15) Purple rumped sunbirds
16) Purple Herons
17) Grey herons
18) White throated Kingfisher
19) Glossy Ibis
20) White Ibis
21) Cattle egrets
22) Intermediate egrets
23) Little egrets
24) Large egrets
25) Western Reef egrets
26) Black tailed Godwits
27) Red Shanks
28) Green Shanks
29) Common Sand Pipers
30) Marsh Harriers
31) Brahminy kites
32) Shoveller ducks
33) Common Coots
34) Plain Prinias
35) Tailor Birds
36) Small Minivets
37) Black winged stilts
38) Pied avocets
39) Shikra
40) Long tailed shrikes
41) Blue tailed bee eaters
42) Red wattled Lapwings
43) Gull billed terns
44) Magpie robin
45) Purple moorhens
46) Little ringed plovers
47) Little cormorants
48) Lesser whistling ducks
49) Little stints
50) House crow
51) House sparrows
As we are aware that there are many such Army and naval bases that because of strict patrolling and protection has turned to be excellent places for wildlife to thrive and Karanja Naval base was no exception. It was good to see people from the armed forces sensitised towards nature.
Meanwhile…….
Happy Birding
Addi The Birde
* Many thanks to K.B.Singh, Vice Admiral Mr.Krishnan and all others for giving an opportunity to explore an excellent new place for birding.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Friday, October 22, 2004
Uran-Rosy Pelican sighting (22.10.04)
Hi Birds,
Rosy Pelican in Uran...........You Belive?
Well this is what we saw in Uran yesterday ( 22nd Oct'04). As I have written in my previous mails, Uran never fails to excite in every visit. Every time you go to Uran, there is something different.
I along with Mr.Amit Gupta (Bnhs Memb.) thought of utilizing the morning of Dushera Holiday. Initially many others had planned to join us, but couldn’t make...poor fellows....they missed all the action (Shashank, Amar, Pragya...you there?)
The migratory birds are all there now with the addition of various species of ducks, Aguila Eagels and wagtails that were absent probably a week ago (Last went on 13th Oct'04). Total 87 species. The highlight was of course a lone Rosy or Great white Pelican, Broadbilled sandpipers, Wigeons, Blue tailed beeeaters (Probably on their passage migration) and Pied Kingfisher.
The pond opposite to the JNPT Police station yielded Pied Avocets, Broadbilled sandpipers (Had
a very good close scope views) that were feeding along with Marsh & wood sandpipers, Black winged stilts, Black tailed Godwits, Little stints, Red & Green shanks, Ruffs (see photo-Right is non br. plumage & Left is partial br. plumage). Also saw Common coots with juveniles (with white under neck), Common teals, Shovellers, Gargeny teals, Grey Herons, Plenty of Glossy Ibises. A number of Marsh Harriers were seen flushing the birds. A sparrow hawk (with the gular stripe very clear) was seen loitering among trees.
A flock of about 25 ducks were looking place to land and circled for quite some time. In flight one of the duck showed clear white patches on wing. Since they were circling in a regular beat, I managed to catch them on the scope which confirmed the ducks to be Wigeons with the male, having that wing wing patch….They however didn’t settle and moved far away.
Amit was driving his santro, when we saw a huge flock of Grey herons, Great and Intermediate egrets, Spoonbills and White Ibises far away where we had seen the first Flamingos and Painted storks in the previous visits, when Amit pointed out that there was a very large white bird amongst the Egrets, after a careful scan thro’ our binocs the large bird turned out to be a pelican. I literally jumped out from the car, grabbed the scope and pointed towards the bird… and there it was …A great white or Rosy pelican feeding amongst the Egrets and spoonbills…Probably a first record for Mumbai region ?(comments from experts please). Suddenly all the birds flew towards us…..with the R.Pelican looking like a giant. It flew far away and then came back again and started soaring high up. A flock of about 200-250 greater flamingos also passed us….But we were so engrossed with this Pelican that the Flamingos got a second preference from us.
Some juvenile Brahminy kites and a short toed Snake Eagle gave company to the Pelican on the top.
Excited…. we moved towards the JNPT training centre that is situated in a forested hill some 2 Kms away hoping to find more ducks in the marshes surrounding the hill. We were not disappointed as, from the view point (an excellent spot where one can observe birds from above) we could see hoards of ducks roosting/ feeding in the waters. Apart from the ducks already mentioned there were some Bronzewinged Jacanas, Little grebes, Coots, Spotbilled and Lesser whistling ducks. A steepe Eagle gave us close view and from this point we could also spot about c3 Curlews far away on the sea shore.
Some other birds that were spotted included Western reef egrets (dark phase), small green bee eaters, Spotted & laughing doves, Red & Spotted munias, Collard stone chat, Oriental skylark, Rufous tailed lark, Citrine wagtails, Blackbreasted & Baya weavers, Shikra, Pond & Purple herons (after a long time) Common blue & white throated kingfishers, whiskered & gullbiled terns, Black & Brownheaded Gulls, Black drongo, Little & Indian cormorants, Open billed storks ( No Painted storks this time), Little & cattle egrets, Kentish plovers, Purple moorhens, L.T.Shrikes, Indian & Magpie robins, Blyth’s reed & greenish warblers, Ashy & Plain prinias, House & Palm swifts, Barn, Wiretailed & Red rumped swallows………..
While returning back we again visited the Pelican spot. The fellow was seen preening along with some Grey herons. While the Rosy Pelicans are a common sight in Gujarat and in North, this bird seemed to be a straggler to our region (A friend of mine informed, that they have been sighted in eastern Maharashtra once by Mrs. Shailaja Grubb.….May be this fellow was lured by the birds here to visit the rich habitat of Uran?).
Today (23rd Oct’04) again I had an opportunity to bird in Uran with some top Naval officials.....Courtesy Mr.K.B.Singh. However the Pelican was not seen. I will put up a separate list of birds seen today.
The high tide seems to be the right time to visit Uran as the waders in particular move towards higher mudflats when they do not find place along the shores……..and with so many birds turning up here, I hope to see lot of people move from their High tide (High tension human environs) to Uran Mudflats (Low tension nature environs).
Meanwhile……
Happy Birding
Addi The Birde
Rosy Pelican in Uran...........You Belive?
Well this is what we saw in Uran yesterday ( 22nd Oct'04). As I have written in my previous mails, Uran never fails to excite in every visit. Every time you go to Uran, there is something different.
I along with Mr.Amit Gupta (Bnhs Memb.) thought of utilizing the morning of Dushera Holiday. Initially many others had planned to join us, but couldn’t make...poor fellows....they missed all the action (Shashank, Amar, Pragya...you there?)
The migratory birds are all there now with the addition of various species of ducks, Aguila Eagels and wagtails that were absent probably a week ago (Last went on 13th Oct'04). Total 87 species. The highlight was of course a lone Rosy or Great white Pelican, Broadbilled sandpipers, Wigeons, Blue tailed beeeaters (Probably on their passage migration) and Pied Kingfisher.
The pond opposite to the JNPT Police station yielded Pied Avocets, Broadbilled sandpipers (Had
a very good close scope views) that were feeding along with Marsh & wood sandpipers, Black winged stilts, Black tailed Godwits, Little stints, Red & Green shanks, Ruffs (see photo-Right is non br. plumage & Left is partial br. plumage). Also saw Common coots with juveniles (with white under neck), Common teals, Shovellers, Gargeny teals, Grey Herons, Plenty of Glossy Ibises. A number of Marsh Harriers were seen flushing the birds. A sparrow hawk (with the gular stripe very clear) was seen loitering among trees.A flock of about 25 ducks were looking place to land and circled for quite some time. In flight one of the duck showed clear white patches on wing. Since they were circling in a regular beat, I managed to catch them on the scope which confirmed the ducks to be Wigeons with the male, having that wing wing patch….They however didn’t settle and moved far away.
Amit was driving his santro, when we saw a huge flock of Grey herons, Great and Intermediate egrets, Spoonbills and White Ibises far away where we had seen the first Flamingos and Painted storks in the previous visits, when Amit pointed out that there was a very large white bird amongst the Egrets, after a careful scan thro’ our binocs the large bird turned out to be a pelican. I literally jumped out from the car, grabbed the scope and pointed towards the bird… and there it was …A great white or Rosy pelican feeding amongst the Egrets and spoonbills…Probably a first record for Mumbai region ?(comments from experts please). Suddenly all the birds flew towards us…..with the R.Pelican looking like a giant. It flew far away and then came back again and started soaring high up. A flock of about 200-250 greater flamingos also passed us….But we were so engrossed with this Pelican that the Flamingos got a second preference from us.
Some juvenile Brahminy kites and a short toed Snake Eagle gave company to the Pelican on the top.
Excited…. we moved towards the JNPT training centre that is situated in a forested hill some 2 Kms away hoping to find more ducks in the marshes surrounding the hill. We were not disappointed as, from the view point (an excellent spot where one can observe birds from above) we could see hoards of ducks roosting/ feeding in the waters. Apart from the ducks already mentioned there were some Bronzewinged Jacanas, Little grebes, Coots, Spotbilled and Lesser whistling ducks. A steepe Eagle gave us close view and from this point we could also spot about c3 Curlews far away on the sea shore.
Some other birds that were spotted included Western reef egrets (dark phase), small green bee eaters, Spotted & laughing doves, Red & Spotted munias, Collard stone chat, Oriental skylark, Rufous tailed lark, Citrine wagtails, Blackbreasted & Baya weavers, Shikra, Pond & Purple herons (after a long time) Common blue & white throated kingfishers, whiskered & gullbiled terns, Black & Brownheaded Gulls, Black drongo, Little & Indian cormorants, Open billed storks ( No Painted storks this time), Little & cattle egrets, Kentish plovers, Purple moorhens, L.T.Shrikes, Indian & Magpie robins, Blyth’s reed & greenish warblers, Ashy & Plain prinias, House & Palm swifts, Barn, Wiretailed & Red rumped swallows………..
While returning back we again visited the Pelican spot. The fellow was seen preening along with some Grey herons. While the Rosy Pelicans are a common sight in Gujarat and in North, this bird seemed to be a straggler to our region (A friend of mine informed, that they have been sighted in eastern Maharashtra once by Mrs. Shailaja Grubb.….May be this fellow was lured by the birds here to visit the rich habitat of Uran?).
Today (23rd Oct’04) again I had an opportunity to bird in Uran with some top Naval officials.....Courtesy Mr.K.B.Singh. However the Pelican was not seen. I will put up a separate list of birds seen today.
The high tide seems to be the right time to visit Uran as the waders in particular move towards higher mudflats when they do not find place along the shores……..and with so many birds turning up here, I hope to see lot of people move from their High tide (High tension human environs) to Uran Mudflats (Low tension nature environs).
Meanwhile……
Happy Birding
Addi The Birde
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
