The ferry from Mumbai to Alibaug is usually just the way to the beach. But if you stand on the deck with a camera on a winter morning, the crossing becomes a small birding trip of its own. Gulls follow the boats, rest on the water in long lines and wheel over the harbour in the haze. These are our photographs from one crossing.
Early Morning at the Jetty
We reached the jetty before the first ferry. The harbour was soft and grey, the boats were lined up along the shore, and the sun came up as a red disc through the haze over the docks.
Gulls Over the Harbour
Gulls are winter visitors to the Mumbai coast. From about November to March, they gather in the harbour, on mudflats and along the shore. From the jetty and the deck, you can watch them glide low over the water, turn sharply and drop to pick something from the surface.
Flocks on the Water and the Mudflats
Away from the boats, gulls rest in groups. Some float in neat lines on the calm water near the jetty. On a shallow mudflat we found a big crowd of them standing shoulder to shoulder, and when something disturbed them the whole flock lifted off together.
At the edge of the water, a lone egret stood perfectly still in the shallows, ignoring the noisy gulls around it.
Out on the Open Water
Once the ferry leaves the harbour, the birds thin out. A few gulls follow the boat for a while, then turn back. What is left is the long white wake behind the ferry and the grey line of the coast ahead.
Tips for Photographing Gulls from the Ferry
- Travel between November and March, when the gulls are here.
- Take an early ferry. The light is softer and the birds are more active.
- Stand at the back of the deck, where gulls follow the wake.
- Use a fast shutter speed, 1/1600s or more, for birds in flight.
- Please do not feed the gulls. Snacks thrown from boats are bad for them and teach them to depend on people.
More from Alibaug
Read Birds at Kihim Beach, Alibaug, our first gull photos from the ferry and One-Day Alibaug Trip from Mumbai.
Questions People Ask
When can you see gulls in Mumbai?
Mainly in winter, from about November to March, when they visit the Mumbai coast, the harbour and nearby mudflats.
Can you see birds from the Mumbai to Alibaug ferry?
Yes. In winter, gulls follow the ferries and rest on the harbour water. An early morning crossing is best.