A photograph of flamingos at Sewri last year when the population observed was higher

Pradip Patade can't put a number to his observation. But, the 50-year-old who runs the Marine Life of Mumbai page on Facebook and conducts weekly walks to acquaint Mumbaikars with the thriving life on our coastline says that in the last few weeks the population seen at the Sewri mudflats has been far fewer than what's considered normal. In fact, Patade, a former human resource professional, says he has been coming to Sewri as an avid birder for the last 10 years and this is the first time that the population of the pink birds that have made the creek the most popular winter destination in Mumbai among nature lovers, has dropped. That the site will, by the end of the year, witness immense construction activity for the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project has also alarmed Mumbai's birders who fear that flamingos, having lost a safe habitat, will fly away from Sewri.