When Vaibhav called me to come and guide the residents of a gated community on a bird walk in Madivala kere, I was very happy to do so. So off we went to the kere at 4pm. I first got a photo of him with the bird board that

Brickwork India

had put up. The photos of the waterfowl are all by him and Dr Sanjeev Managoli, a paediatrician who manages to follow his passion for birds and contribute to the birding community, too.

We met up with an assorted group of adults and children.

Sangeeta Kulkarni, who became a friend when we were neighbours, several years ago, is fourth from right. She’s the CEO of Brickwork, and definitely I’d call this organization the custodian of the lake.

Here’s Vaibhav, explaining a few points about migratory birds:

Here are some of the birds that we saw (very few…I was concentrating on answering questions and showing the birds, not clicking them!)

(Spot-billed Pelican, migrant)

Spot-billed Duck, resident)

(Grey Heron, looking to the left, and Great Egret, looking to the right)

(Litle Egret)

Here’s the bird doing a little “umbrella fishing”, a kind of feeding behaviour that I documented with Painted Storks in my write-up on Citizen Matters,

here

Of course, I also told them a little about the trees and plants around such as the beautiful seed pods on the Mahogany trees:

And the beauty of the Tabebuia avellenidae blooms,heralding the hot weather:

The Forest Department personnel came to keep an eye on us too:

It was growing late, the last load of tourists going boating was returning…

And the sun was sinking low.

So we wound up the walk and dispersed, having enjoyed a pleasant evening upon one of the few remaining lakes that our city has.