When the water has receded Alibagh Beach has the largest
stretch of sand, with horse-carts giving tourists rides in the water, all the
way up to Shivaji’s Kolaba Fort. Lots of food stalls and bathers so the number
of birds is less.
Like the famous Orinthologist, Salim Ali, one needs to go to
Akshi and Nagaon beaches to do some serious bird-watching. Akshi is about 3 km
and Nagaon 7 km from Alibagh beach. The latter being approached through a
fishing village will majorly affect your olfactory senses but you can also see
the Khanderi and Undheri Forts from here.
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| Dunlin, Calidris alpina |
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| Western Reef Heron, Egretta gularis |
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| Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea |
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| Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii |
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| Kentish Plover,Charadrius alexandrinus |
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| Western black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa |
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| Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos |
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| Kentish Plover,Charadrius alexandrinus |
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| Wire-tailed Swallow, Hirundo smithii |
Seeing the Wire Tailed Swallows perched, for a change on a dry piece of wood on the Akshi beach, and not circling above,
was an unusual sight.
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| White Bellied Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster |
The white sands of Kihim beach, 11 km from Alibagh, makes it
a popular bollywood movie locale as also that of getaway weekend homes of the
rich and the famous of Mumbai. But the Black Headed Gulls are everywhere. They are winter migrants to these parts and are currently in their white headed avatar. Towards the end of their stay they start molting and the characteristic black heads will appear.
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| Black Headed Gulls, Larus ridibundus |
Check this for sound effects!
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| Gull pellet on the beach |
The last is the Versoli Beach between the Forts of Khanderi
and Undheri on one side and Kolaba on the other. The fishing boats of the
Koliwada ie the fishermen’s village are ever present. In the trees growing alongside the Versoli Beach one can see some interesting bush birds too. For instance I always find these green pigeons dozing in the afternoons.
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| Yellow footed Green Pigeon, Treron phoenicoptera |
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| Hermit Crab |
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| Crab Art ! |
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| Fishermen and friends |
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| Birding is great!! |
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