Thane: In addition to bringing citizens a much needed respite from the heat and pollution levels, the monsoon showers have also attracted flocks of winged monsoon beauties to the green pockets of the city.Be it the evergreen and deciduous green spaces such as the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) or the creek fronts and mangrove stretches, environmentalists, bird watchers and avifauna experts are seeing an inflow of a variety of migratory monsoon bird species in various parts of the region.Because of the tropical monsoon climate, the western regions, including Thane, Mumbai and Tungareshwar, see a lot of migratory birds flying here during their breeding season. Environmentalists pointed out that the very sight of some of these birds is a sign of the actual onset of monsoon."Over the past few weeks there have been many sightings of monsoon migratory birds, including the oriental dwarf kingfisher, Africa's black and white pied crested cuckoo, the grey billed cuckoo, the Indian pita and other such monsoon migratory birds in the hilly deciduous stretch of SGNP. The sighting of the hawk cuckoo is one the indicators of the arrival of the monsoon," said Raju Kasambe, a bird expert and member of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).Meanwhile, avid bird watcher and avifauna expert Avinash Bhagat, added, "During this season, the forest areas are abundant with insects, which is the primary diet for birds. They come here to breed as they have plenty of food available for themselves as well as their fledglings. Sighting of birds, including the pied crested cuckoo, the common hawk cuckoo, the oriental dwarf kingfisher and the Indian pita are common in the Parsik hills, Yeoor and Nagla range forests as well as the Thane creek area during this season is common. While the population of these birds is not as high as last year at the moment, it should pick up once the monsoon starts in full swing."As these nature enthusiasts have already started planning trails and treks to help citizens explore this beauty of nature, many forest officials urge them to keep green spaces litter-free."This is the season for nature trails as citizens can actually study the vibrant flora and fauna in the various ranges of SGNP. However, tourists end up littering the green spaces, thus causing harm to the health of animals here who may consume it. Citizens visiting the forest should refrain from this and the groups guiding them should keep this in check," said an SGNP official.

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