Sunil Bohi is the name of my boatman friend from Kumbhargaon who took me two times – one in the evening (5 pm) and the second time early in the morning (7 am) to Flamingos’ Point (5 km from Kumbhargaon) to watch and capture images of beautiful residents as well as migratory birds.

Sunil works as a boatman at Ujjani Dam (60 km from Kumbhargaon) Backwater for Agnipankha Home Stay (run by Sandip Nagare – Bird Guide) for the last 10-12 years. Sandip Nagare is his Godfather. Sandip taught him all about the birds.

He enhanced my knowledge too about birds during the boat trip.

Where there is a swamp, you will find more birds, especially Flamingos’ because they have lots of materials to eat such as algae. The more they eat algae, the more the pink color on their skin increases.

Less is the water, the more you will see Flamingos’.

Greater Flamingos’ have pink color inside their wings but Lesser Flamingos’ have pink color inside as well as outside of their wings.

There are approx. 200-250 different types of birds in-around Kumbhargaon (Bhigwan).

Grey Heron, Little Egret, Great Egret, Little Cormorant, Common Coot, and many more are resident birds.

Four types of hunter birds arrive here such as Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, and Peregrine Falcon who prey on smaller birds. Peregrine Falcon flies at a speed of 360 km per hour.

Flamingos (originally from Siberia) arrive at Kumbhargaon (Bhigwan) from Rann of Kutch (Gujarat). Rann of Kutch is Flamingos’ nesting point.

Flamingos arrive in hundreds around November/December and stay till April/May. They sleep on one leg at night and lay eggs only once a year.

As sunsets, you will see hundreds of Rosy Starling birds. In the daytime, they feed themselves at Jowar (Sorghum) fields and in the evening hours arrive at Ujjani Dam Backwater to drink water.

Boating job for tourists starts from October/November till April/May. After April/May most boatmen catch fish in Ujjani Dam backwater. Chilapi fish found in Ujjjani Dam backwater is the best to eat. It is available at Agnipankha Home Stay.

Fantastic. What a piece of information. Thank you, Sunil. Thanks a ton.