Now this is not exactly a travelogue out of the city but what else can it be for an excursion to a place within your own city and for a purposeful time with the pink birds. Yeah many may have seen/heard the news that flamingoes have started flowing into Sewri mudflats and we couldn't resist the urge this morning. I sorely miss my Good Old Minolta roll SLR with the 300 zoom which has become a showpiece right now even if having the 300 zoom for such things and have to do with the Panasonic P&S these days. So the pics are not great but the experience is and worth every moment spent out there.
As usual, had decided to start early morning to catch the sunrise with flamingoes flying into the mudflats. Again, as usual, ended up starting late latif and ended at Sewri Jetty around 10:15 AM. There is different charm in catching the sunrise with them as they start flocking in. But we started when they had settled in on the Sewri mudflats. So anybody planning a visit here plan for a good amount of time from sunrise till as much as you want packed with some foodies to keep your energies up, but without disturbing the pink birds.
Many would be familiar with the Sewri mudflats and its whereabouts where flamingoes and other birds migrate for the Indian winter season.
For those who do not know, here is a small info on the Sewri mudflats. Sewri mudflats are the mangrove marshy lands besides the Sewri Jetty where you can find quite a few huge commercial carriers being repaired every now and then.
The route from Priyadarshini, Chembur (A) through Wadala (in front of IMAX Cinema) to Sewri Jetty (B) is as below, courtesy Google Maps with Satellite imagery. I would advise to go by the Sewri station signal route as that is the good wide route, presently which has metro and FLO work going on but which still doesn't hamper a good drive.
The following gives the concrete road from Sewri station signal (A) to the Sewri Jetty (B). Mind well, if you are coming upto here (A), it is better to take this route as this is well-done concrete road unlike the very bad unhygienic road through the village. Even for trekkers this is a good route even if a bit longer than through the village.
As you reach Sewri Jetty (B), you should park upto the point of (B) not beyond. At this point the Jetty pier begins and shows the mudflats on either side. The one on the right side is more even more approachable as you can walk upto the water over the uneven concrete slabs and stones laid out there and enjoy a closer view of the birds.
You can walk over the concrete jetty pier where you may find huge container ships lined up for repair works. You can even walk up on decks of these ships if they have ladders laid there, which we do mostly. If you can get access to the ship decks, you can get some fantastic sights of these birds.
The time to have these sights is ofcourse when it is low tide so the birds can settle on the mudflats. So before going there, check on the low/high tide times. The best time IMO is ofcourse the sunrise low tide time with all the morning hues in the skies with the fleets of the birds flocking in from the horizon. You could also catch good moments at the evening low tide times.
From here on you start enjoying the sights and keep your camera handy not to miss any precious moments.
The mudflats start showing up on either side. This is the Left Side Mudflats.
Wrecks of boating ships lying around on the shore of Left Side Mudflats
Onto the Right Side Mudflats
Coming up more...although it may seem repetitive but you just don't feel enough