Over 30 members of the Mumbai BirdWatchers Club began birding in the New Year with a very enjoyable BirdWalk at Karnala this morning.
Thomas Mann may have famously remarked that "Time has no divisions to mark its passage; there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols".
However, to birds' enthusiasts the completion of earth's orbit around the sun and beginning of a new revolution is very apparent. It was also much in evidence at Karnala this morning. After a hiatus, the resident birds are beginning to shed their inhibitions and prepare for the breeding season ahead. Getting ready for challenges of the new cycle of life that's about to begin, there was much frolicking about and singing by the resident birds in the forest; much like us humans, I thought, who too celebrate the arrival of the New Year by burying unpleasant memories into dustbins of time, with hopes of better future and the promises of new beginnings. Please excuse my anthropomorphism, beginning of each new cycle in the natural history of birds also proves to us the triumph of life!
Meeting at the Car Park, we split into two groups – one proceeding along the Harial Trail, while I joined the other half who walked the length of the Mortaka Trial. Later, after over three hours of birding we met each other again and exchanged notes before proceeding our own ways. Both groups were very satisfied with their morning's birding. Each group also chanced upon a couple of nice mixed hunting flocks that provided much excitement.
One mixed hunting flock that we saw close to the aviary had Ashy, Bronzed & Greater Racket-tailed Drongoes, Large Cuckoo-shrikes, Black-rumped Flamebacks, Small & Scarlet Minivets, Golden Orioles, Verditer Flycatcher, Gold-fronted Leafbird, Thick-billed Flowerpeckers, Greenish Warblers et al. An Oriental Honey Flew overhead at the same time. The excitement and looking up into the top canopy for so long a time here also gave a "Warbler Neck" to many of us!
A little earlier, just when we started the walk amongst the morning symphony of Puff-throated Babblers, Crimson-backed Sunbirds and others, we also heard the loud calls of the Malabar Whistling Thrush. Confusing at first, because its seldom heard outside the rainy season, the doubts were set to rest when the bird flew and crossed the road just ahead of us – iridescent blue in its wings shining bright. None of us saw or heard the White-rumped Shama today, but the calls of Greater Racket-tailed Drongoes – the great mimics that they are – reminded us much of the Shama, we felt.
Later, moving along trail we came across a couple of more mixed hunting flocks and Rufous Tree-pie, Paradise Flycatchers, Black-naped Monarchs, Brown-headed Barbets, Black-hooded & Black-naped Orioles, Common Iora, Crested Serpent Eagle, Common Woodshrike, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroats, calls of Indian Scimitar Babblers etc were added to our growing birdlist for the day. The other group had similar sightings including Red-throated & Asian Brown Flycatchers, Sulphur-bellied Warblers etc being the notable additions.
Many of us repaired to the nearby Kamat Restaurant at the outskirts of the park to enjoy an unhurried breakfast before heading back home. My co-passengers in the car – Nitin, Samar & Mohina joined me in appreciating a pair of Aquila eagles, quite likely Steppe, soaring low near Kalimboli. Surely, 'an icing on the cake' of a very well spent and enjoyable Sunday morning!
The above are highlights from my personal experinces of this morning. I am sure others who attended the BirdWalk today would have their own thoughts to share. Please do post them as I am sure we will all enjoy reading them very much
The other programmes of MBwC in January are another forest BirdWalk on 21 January at Tungareshwar and a birding Boat trip to Elephanta Island on 26 Jan. Details have been posted earlier. Please send a mail to mumbaibirdwatchers@gmail.com for registration or for any other queries.
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