I have been carving out time from my work schedules to follow my hobby of bird-watching. This time, though, when the Flamingo Festival was organised by the Natural History Society (BNHS) on Saturday 5 March 2016, I almost did not make it. But after really flexing my schedule, I did join hundreds of bird lovers who flocked to Mumbai’s Sewri-Mahul wetlands to watch thousands of flamingos in their natural habitat.
The pink flamingos are a delight to watch. Their pinkish hue comes from the pigment in the shrimp and algae they feed on. I am told that 20,000 flamingos visited Sewri last year. The leggy creatures reach the Sewri jetty around November, and stick around until the monsoon arrives in June.
Sadly, it could be the last time these birds will visit Mumbai in such large numbers. If construction on the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link begins later this year, as is expected, their migratory routes might change.
I am glad I managed to reach on time this year.