The first time I went to see these magnificent beauties, I filled my fuel tank, drove some 100-odd kilometres, paid a fisherman to take us up close in his boat and picnicked the whole afternoon in a ganne ka khet. That was some ten years ago. The place was Bhigwan and the experience was surreal to say the least. That was the time when the travel agents had still not ‘invented’ the flamingo walks and flamingo sighting tour plans. Life was simple with the only commercials involved being the tip to the boatwala and the snacks we bought. Little did I know then that a couple of years later I would become neighbours with these very flamingos. That they would be dining in my backyard each day and flying above my head in waves every evening. Being around them for 8-9 years now, they started to appear like ghar-ki-murgi (in a few clicks they resemble the murgis too), till swanky cars from Mumbai started flocking our NM with their big over-shoulder zoom lenses and tall and lanky teenagers-like tripods. The many pictures in many FB groups and Insta pages inspired and pushed me to get my own flamingo shots- of pink and white and very pretty birds. But these hungry-as-a-Labrador birds royally refused to lift their heads for some good pictures. Besides, they aren’t that pink too, some are murky grey and the others prefer to remain ugly and dirty oblivious to the many cameras staring at them.
Here are some up-close moments with the flamingos of NM. Had to maintain a safe distance to not scare them away or rather keep myself safe. Imagine if they decided to shoo us away, they clearly outnumbered the humans there. I waited for them to take flight, they usually leave this pond by 6:00 pm but today they wanted to hang around till late I guess. I had my household chores to do, so I left. Left them alone to gorge to their hearts’ content. They would soon leave for more comfortable and abundant surroundings to return by the end of the year.
Au revoir, flamingos!
#flamingo #birds #NaviMumbai
