One fine morning of Saturday,my inner bird explorer decided to make its grand return equipped with my brother-in-law’s I ❤️ Goa T-shirt, scandal-sized sandals,and a heroic spirit that barely survived Mumbai’s local trains.
From Cotton Green to Malad I journeyed through humanity in its densest form shoulder-to-shoulder, sweat-to-sweat, dream-to-dream.
I walked to the bus stop through the fish market full of fresh fish flavours.I hopped onto BEST Bus No.271 a vehicle clearly designed to test the limits of human spine endurance through its legacy of at least 100 years from condition.The road was less of a surface and more of a topographical challenge.After enough bumps to qualify for a roller-coaster license.
I reached Erangal stop then walked for 300 m to reach the famous 1575 AD. church built after the arrival of Vasco Da Gama.Then seek blessing of Omkareshwar.
to go on bare rocks in the right side where my prize awaited "the Common Ringed Plover"prancing gracefully like it owned the place.Along with some of my close fellow birders - Ritesh Bagul,Alok Bhave,Avinash Bhagat,Shahid Shaikh and Neha mam.(कल के बिछड़े हुए हम आज मिले).
Just as I raised my camera to capture the glorious bird BAM !my battery died.(Ye kya hua kaise hua kyu hua)A tragic betrayal.But my hero of the day, Shahid,appeared with a fully charged Nikon battery (tu to dev manus nikla re). Thanks to him,I managed to click some stunning shots the plover framed beautifully against splashing waves that looked straight out of a travel magazine(if you ignore the plastic bottles floating nearby).
The Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) is a small migratory shorebird that visits India mainly during the winter months. It breeds in northern Europe and migrates southwards to warmer coasts like Africa but in between they halt as passage migrants in coasts including parts of India such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and coastal Tamil Nadu. This bird is often seen on mudflats, sandy beaches, saltpans, and tidal shores, feeding on small insects and crustaceans. It has a distinct black breast band, brown upperparts, white underparts, and an orange bill with a black tip. Compared to the Little Ringed Plover, it lacks the yellow eye-ring and appears slightly larger. In India, it is considered an uncommon winter visitor, sometimes overlooked among mixed shorebird flocks.
We rewarded ourselves with Solkadhi from home tangy, refreshing, and slightly sandy.Feeling ambitious,we set out to another beach in search of the Oystercatcher because someone tortured it for photography and it decided to stay away from the spot for the day,but the only thing catching anything was our half-functional AC while returning back in car.
Parched and exhausted,we ended our expedition with tender coconut water, the elixir of tired and dehydrated birders.Sweet, cool,and perfectly timed.
Finally,I took a train back from Goregaon to cotton green where a Ticket Checker suddenly appeared like a jump-scare.My mini heart attack ended only after I found the ticket hiding safely in my bag.Sweet relief freedom,once again!
Moral of the story is Birds are rare, buses are bumpy, and adventures are guaranteed especially when you wear borrowed clothes and travel with a camera that loves drama. 🕊️🌴😂.
