First Impressions on visiting the Sultanpur National Park after almost two years

When I visited the Sultanpur National Park yesterday, I half expected to see locked gates ( this had happened many times earlier as unlike Keoladeo, Bharatapur, and many others, the Sultanpur National Park had remained shut for more than a year and a half). Fortunately, the gates were open and in I went, at about 7:35 a.m. in the morning. One of the major changes that I noticed this time was the mention of the words, 'Ramsar Wetland'. On doing some research I learned that a Ramsar Wetland is a wetland designated to be of international importance and such sites are protected under the strict provisions of the Ramsar Convention of wetlands. I wish however, that such provisions should also be given to unrecognized wetlands such as the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon, which has seen steady deterioration in recent years. 

However, returning to the topic in hand, it was definitely a unique moment to return to the National Park after almost a couple of years. The noise made my the birds was noticeable, more so than in the pervious years. It looks like the absence of visitors had made the Painted Storks bolder and bolder, as a result of which they had made their nests low down on the branches of the trees, closer to the ground than I could have imagined was possible. There was a nest of Painted Storks right above the head of one of the visitors at the park, and she wasn't even aware of its presence.

It could be seen that the chicks of the Painted Storks had little in common with their parents in terms of the colour of their plumage. The Painted Stork chicks, fluffy balls of white were distinct with a rather dark plumage around their beaks, almost making them look like dark, Woolly necked storks! It was therefore, a fine sight to be able to get a look into the nests of the Painted Storks, rather like peeping into the living rooms of a family!

I was also able to spot a pair of Juvenile Sarus Cranes at the Park. Unfortunately, they were too shy and I could barely get a few shots of them before they retreated into the scrub. Another surprise spotting was of a couple of, what I assume to be a pair of juvenile Foxes. These too, scampered away into the brush before I could get a closer look at them. 

Another welcome spotting was that of a Shikra that afforded me enough time to photograph it and another was a Hoopoe that turned its head this way and that way, affording me a good look at its rather regal crest. Also spotted were the ubiquitous Asian Antelope or the Neel Gai, the local Cattle, Parrots and of course Babblers and Kingfishers. Spot billed Ducks were definitely hatching their eggs, and I was able to spot a mother sitting on a nest of eggs. She was so busy and engrossed with preening herself that she did not spot me in the brushes. I retreated quietly not wanting to disturb her, though I wonder if other visitor to the Park will be considerate enough! 

Besides these more visible birds, I was able to spot a greater Coucal away in the branches of the keekar trees. Unfortunately I was not able to get a good shot of the same because of the poor visibility caused by the smog in the air.

Somebody told me that my posts did not have my photograph in them so I decided to take the help of my mobile phone to take a selfie of myself.