Friday 30 May 2014

Powai Lake, Mumbai, May 2014

Powai Lake was my outing of choice in Mumbai this week. 7kms from the airport, it was the easy option on a trip that has an inconvenient schedule. We didn't get out of the airport until nearly midday which is not a good time to brave the traffic to Borivali  and the heat of India in May is not conducive to long walks. All in all an early evening stroll along the promenade at Powai was the best prospect.


As usual, water birds featured strongly. The Ardea family was particularly well represented with egrets, herons and pond-herons easily seen.


Bronze-winged Jacanas, Purple Gallinules and White-breasted Waterhens picked through the floating weed that had piled up against the near bank.


The sky was filled with Black Kites and House Crows. A few Whiskered Terns were seen towards the west end of the lake.
For the first time in my experience, the peninsular park (Google Earth ref; 19 07 18.25N 72 54 06.58E) was open. It extends for about 100m into the lake and allows a better view and an improved light angle as the sun sets.


I have seen crocodiles in the lake before now and was concerned to see local chaps wading in the water, fishing.


List for Powai Lake;

Lesser Whistling Duck 4, Indian Spot-billed Duck 4, Little Cormorant 15, Grey Heron 1, Purple Heron 6, Great Egret 25, Intermediate Egret 4, Little Egret 30, Indian Pond-heron 8, Black-crowned Night-heron 5, Black Kite 25, White-breasted Waterhen 1, Purple Swamphen 6, Red-wattled Jacana 1, Bronze-winged Jacana 8, Whiskered Tern 8, White-throated Kingfisher 3, House Crow 250, Ashy Prinia 5, Oriental Magpie Robin 1, Common Myna 40, Asian Pied Starling 15, House Sparrow 5.

Visit the dedicated India page for more posts from Mumbai, including Sanjay Ghandi National Park.

Birding, Birdwatching, Mumbai, India.
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