Seagull Diaries – II

“Birds from Australia” – that’s what the locals call them! They are none other than the Seagulls. White, slender and chirpy on a cold wintery morning. We Mumbaiikars are one lot know for resilience and crowd camaraderie. Similar to our characteristics, these birds too come each morning in flocks and entertain us with their chirpy tales. Furthermore, they even feast on fried snacks which they pounce upon just like the way we do on unhealthy stuff.

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With all the above similarities, no wonder we share a mutual respect. They migrate during the winter season along the coast & fill you with delight. We are one simple lot who get pleasure in smallest of the things hence the seagulls are indeed a huge thing for us. The local’s chest fills with pride as they tell me how these birds come each morning and fill them up with delight. As to how public flocks in numbers to get a glimpse of these migratory species even if it means getting up early on a chilled wintery sunday morning. Having a cup of hot chai with our famous vadapav in other hand as one savors the high pitch of these birds – that’s the ultimate bliss. Taking selfies with our guests(In India, guests is often given the status of a God) to savour for a lifetime.

Personally, I am not sure how long this migration would continue. Having photographed them over the years, I have noticed now they arrive just in a single shift a day as opposed to twice a day. The numbers though huge are still relatively less compared to the previous years. Wish we could be more considerate and not feed them with the fried savories which harm them in the long run for our own pleasures. The best way to enjoy is to just rise up and pay them a visit which will leave you with a blissful experience and tons of memories for a lifetime. Let’s preserve them in our souls(cameras too if need be) and take a step to providing them with an environment which will help them visit us in even greater numbers the next year and so on. Let there be a time when they can feel, they are not merely “Birds from Australia” but “Natives of India”!

Romancing the Seagulls!

Amidst a sea of black, there was white. From far off, white dotted the sea of black. On closer inspection, it bought immense delight & even surprise on the faces of onlookers. Some commented the new comers to be from Australia. The local vendor had a gala time weaving stories & charging premium for the yellow gathias. It was time of “Seagulls”. They hit the Mumbai coast a few weeks ago much to dismay of the pigeons who were ignored by locals.

The seagulls as per the chana vendor(bird food vendor) arrived everyday early morning around 7AM & sat around till the sunset. In evening, large number of people flocked around to catch a glimpse of these white birds & they left no stone unturned even in feeding them. From little kids to elderly, everyone was fascinated by these small white wonders. Clicking away on mobile or trying to take selfie as they feed them.

I made the most of this opportunity and returned with the following pictures. Armed with a Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS & Canon 60D, I ventured near the coast for a few days. Each day was a unique experience in itself. Ofcourse, I had the challenge to work around the slow autofocus of my lens. I had adequate reach but the lens slow focus meant I missed a lot of shots. That also meant I had to take ample shots to have the good ones. It was all about patience & finding the perfect angles. There were even moments where I was equally tempted to swap on my wide angle zoom lens as at times, the seagulls flew really close.

Seagulls Arrive!