Mumbra Hills

The hills of Mumbra are visible to everyone commuting on the Central Railway, beyond Thane. At the top is a temple dedicated to Mumbra Devi, goddess of the local people.

The temple is easily accessed by rough hewn, steep stairs which reach right up to the entrance. From the summit, one can have a panoramic view of the Thane Creek and the railway lines, both leading to Dombivli and Kalyan, the trains appearing like tiny worms inching their way ahead.

 

Over most of the way up to the temple, trees form a shady canopy which is really appreciated if one is making the trip in the summer. The entire hill range is lightly forested and home to various bird species. An ideal time to make the trip would be in the morning, before 10.00am.

Tailor birds, warblers, sunbirds can be spotted. We also spotted the Malabar Laughing Thrush (I admit I am not very sure about its identity). One can also spot the Laggar Falcon and the more common Pariah & Brahminy Kites.

Cattle Egret

The birds are common all over the country. A familiar sight to all of us is the presence of large flocks of these birds in the company of grazing cattle, on the lookout for disturbed insects.
Sexes are alike, however in the breeding season, the male develops a orange-brown hue over the head and neck.
 

It is distinguished from the Little Egret (see label: Egret) by its beak, which is yellow and not black.

Name	Cattle Egret
Alternate name(s)	Not known
Size	Common crow
Occurrence	Near open grasslands and cultivated fields
Status	Very common
Distinct features	Overall white plumage with long yellow bill and black legs.
Male/Female	Alike

Rainfall

monsoon (noun): the period of rainfall in the Indian  subcontinent, approximately from June to early October

                          

That dictionary entry does not really satisfy one's curiosity, does it? It tells you only what the word "means". It does not tell you "what" the word means. It is a reference to the events that cause the advent of the rainy season in the Indian subcontinent, which affects all of  us. Normal rainfall in the season has a positive bearing on the economy of the entire region. 

Most of us know this. For those who don't, a layperson's explanation follows...

The Indian subcontinent is the only area that has a time period in which there is rainfall, while many regions of the world have to keep track of the period in which there is no rainfall. Greater north-south and east-west geographical extent plus altitude variations are the special features of the subcontinent leading to varying levels of rainfall.

Causes
There are many causes for the advent of rainfall, which may appear to be disconnected but are direct reasons for the same. The summer season heats up the subcontinent and hence, the ever-moving column of air above it. The air becomes less dense, that is, it starts occupying a larger volume than earlier, though the total amount of air remains the same. This creates a low-pressure area in the subcontinent.

The Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal do not get as hot. (Land gets hot faster than water.) So the air above them, too, does not heat up much. The air pressure here is more as compared to that over the land. So, air follows its general tendency - that of moving from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. As it moves towards the landmass, the air above the water bodies collects moisture. It precipitates or condenses in the form of rainfall on the subcontinent. However, for precipitation to take place, the moisture laden clouds have to come into contact with cooler air on land, which in turn depends on the forest cover and altitude.

That is the perfect set-up. 

Disturbance   

Human activity can disturb this setup by causing deforestation and pollution.

The air column over the subcontinent is being replaced by carbon-dioxide and methane. Methane absorbs twenty times as much heat from sunlight as does carbon-dioxide. The air over the water bodies tries to equalize the air pressure as soon as the difference occurs and moves over the subcontinent too soon, causing irregular or scanty rains.

If this part of the world suffers from seasonal changes, so will the other regions. World climate is interrelated and inter-dependent. Also, pollution caused in one country can affect another and make all regions suffer. So, we have another good reason why pollution should be reduced. 

Pond Heron

Very commonly seen in the vicinity of marshy ponds, water bodies and near paddy fields.
It is a dull grayish-brown bird of the size of a common crow.

 

It stands motionless in shallow water or on the banks waiting for small frogs, fish and insects and then swiftly picks them up with its long bill.

It merges perfectly with the background when it stands still, however in flight its wings are conspicuously white.

 

Location: Bhandup Mangroves

Name	Pond Heron
Alternate name(s)	Paddy Bird
Size	Common crow
Occurrence	Near marshy ponds and water bodies
Status	Very common
Distinct features	Grayish-brown with brown streaks on head, neck and upper body; white abdomen and long yellow legs.
Male/Female	Alike