Pay a visit to the Sewri mudflats of Mumbai to catch the wintering flamingos before they fly away for their summer home. The mudflats lie on the eastern edge of south Mumbai. Watch the pink-feathered birds relentlessly scouring the marshy land for food. After all it is the carotenoid obtained from their diet of algae and shrimps that gives them the lovely pink colour.
You can always visit the place on your own. But an outing with the city’s nature conservation organisation, BNHS-India (bnhs.org) will help you know more about the birds, including how to distinguish between the greater and lesser flamingos, their feeding habits, the migration, etc. Also, the BNHS expert naturalist will help you to identify other waders in their breeding plumage.
The BNHS Flamingo Watch on April 16 and 30 is probably your last opportunity to catch the birds before they depart until next winter. Registration charges are ₹100 for members and ₹200 for non-members. You have to report outside Sewri Railway Station at 7am. The programme will conclude by 9am. The jetty at Sewri serves as the observation point. There is no shade and it can be hot, so remember to carry caps/umbrellas and drinking water.
You can reach Sewri railway station, which is on the Harbour line, from CST, Andheri and Navi Mumbai. If you are travelling by road, cross the level-crossing from Sewri West, which is close to the station or you can use the bridge at Wadala or Reay Road to the MbPT road to reach Sewri railway crossing. For details, send an e- mail to bnhs.programmes@gmail.com