Visual cage for birds

Now Navi Mumbai may have its own atlas of birds. Dr Arun Kurhe, a bird photographer and a practicing family physician, has been trying to capture the beauty of native and migratory birds that visit the green cover of Navi Mumbai. After regular observation and photography of five years, the bird enthusiast, along with his doctor-wife Dr Minakshi Kurhe, has been able to create a bird atlas, which documents around 100 bird species on the mangrove area near Palm Beach road in Nerul. Locals and bird experts claims that in the absence of a proper documentation of birds in the mangrove sites of Navi Mumbai, such collection will help in better understanding of the ecosystem of the wetlands.

Since 2013, the couple has been going on regular walks near mangrove area of Palm Beach Road, Nerul, when they started clicking pictures of the different varieties of the birds that are found in the area. “Now we have a collection of 100 birds in our atlas. We wanted to create a data of biodiversity of birds in Navi Mumbai which will help the locals in identifying the species easily,” said Dr Arun. 

Arun, who is also the president of Navi Mumbai Doctors Foundation, stated that experts have recorded around 200 species of birds in Navi Mumbai. “It is fascinating that half of the species recorded in Navi Mumbai, could be seen in this particular mangrove area. It sheds a different light on how important are these wetland sites,” he added.

Among the 100 species documented, the bird photographer also managed to record rare and near threatened species like Vigor’s sunbird, Pheasant tailed jacana, Rudy turnstone, and Black-headed ibis. During this span of five years, they have also captured jackals, snakes and mongoose in lenses in the wetland site behind NRI complex, also known as Talawe wetland. 

“When looking at such scenic surroundings, it is very fun to see the birds, waiting for the fish to sit on the edge of the pond, drying the wings, plunging into the water to catch hold of fish which also houses several ducks. The sand piper, waiting to hunt the fish in the pond in its full glory, could be seen with a staggering number of birds in the sky,” says the doctor.

Dr Minakshi emphasised that such green areas provide the benefit of ‘forest bathing’, which is desired in other countries. “Areas with a wide biodiversity like this can have useful effect on our body. The serenity of the nature helps in reducing mental stress and blood pressure related health problems, increases concentration thereby creating positive energy. We should embrace such green covers,” she says. 

Locals have welcomed the efforts of the couple and have decided to conduct bird sighting in the area regularly. “The atlas is of utter importance especially when our pristine lakes and wetlands are under threat of reclamation. It will not only create awareness among citizens but will also help bird experts for future studies of such areas,” said Sunil Agarwal, resident of NRI Complex, Nerul.