Knob-billed Ducks, Sarus Cranes, Herons and Painted Storks spotted at the Sultanpur National Park, Gurgaon

It was with a nagging feeling of doubt of finding any birds that I decided to spend my free Saturday visiting the Sultanpur National Park. It had opened a good fortnight before the usual date in October. While most of the migratory birds were yet to arrive (such as Shovelers, Sheldon Ducks and Ferruginous ducks), the mostly resident birds such as the two pairs of Sarus Cranes were present. The Knob-billed ducks were there, squatting on the grass submerged in water. They had trampled upon the grass making it look as if a larger animal had done it!

The Common Pond Heron seemed least bothered to see me, and the Painted Storks were busy carrying twigs and other stuff to build their nests with. Incidentally, I was able to spot a couple of Sarus Cranes serenading and  I got a perfect cross in one of the snaps.

Painted Storks though are quite common enough, and they seem to be clacking with their beaks, flying around with twigs in their beaks, busybodies but great to photograph while flying.

The stork that you see in the photograph above was photographed even as it passed by, a few stalks of grass obscuring part of it.

This is the same stork with a twig in its beak meant to build a nest. Painted Storks can be found in abundant numbers at the Sultanpur National Park, so much so that you might end up taking more snaps of them than the other species!

Bitterns and Common Pond Herons too can be found in large numbers at the Sultanpur National Park. The Heron in the above snap seemed quite comfortable in my presence. It remained on the log even after I'd passed it.

Amazing Snaps of Ibis, Herons and Egrets at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon

Feels great to see a Cattle Egret take a good shake before starting its day in the morning at the Basai Wetland in Gurugram. 

A lone White Ibis looks at me with curiosity even as an Egret peeps from below. Egrets and Ibis seem to tolerate each other fairly well!

As I said earlier, Egrets and Ibis seem to have a fairly good relationship with each other. Moreover, they seem to be fairly at ease with human beings around!

A Red-Naped Bronze coloured Ibis stands before a White Black-headed Ibis at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon. Both of them belong to different families but live in close proximity to each other.

A Heron peeps into the water for a meal of fish. Herons are quite commonly found in the wetland of India. They are tolerant of human beings.

A Bee-eater preens itself at the Basai Wetland in Gurgaon. Bee-eaters can be found in great numbers on the outskirts of the town.

A Purple-Heron soars high in the sky over the Basai Wetland. Purple Herons are quite common wherever there is water on the surface. They happily consume fish and other amphibians, frogs and snails.

Celebrating the Gracefulness of Flight

This Blog post is dedicated to the beauty of flight as captured at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary and the Basai Wetland in Gurugram. Both of the locations offer excellent opportunities for birders and wildlife photographers to capture some of the most beautiful moments of birds and their manoeuvers while flying in the air. 

One Foggy December Morning at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Gurgaon

Asian Antelope (Female)

Brrr, it is very cold, the fog shrouds the entire National Park in mystery! All of a sudden, creatures emerge on the path ahead of you and you wonder what the heck, was it worth it visiting the National Park in such foggy conditions! But then, I guess you would agree it was worth it after looking at the rather ethereal and surreal images I was able to capture on one foggy Saturday dawn at the Sultanpur National Park. We all look for pin sharp images, (me included) but then taking photographs that look like paintings seems to be an opportunity not to be missed.

Asian Antelope (Male)

A Heron takes to the air

Egrets Warming up in the early morning sun

The early morning fog and the winter sun rising slowly into the sky gives everything an almost dreamlike quality. It seems as if you are stepping into a fairy-tale world, something that one might not even have dreamt about in this mechanical world. It has become very important today, to be able to connect with nature in all its forms. My Saturday visits to these wetlands give me enough food for thought in any case, a much-needed break from a hectic work culture.

A mixed lot of birds, an egret, cormorants and a duck

It is scenes such as these that get your creative juices flowing. I just hope that the Government and other organisations and the common man realise how important these oases of nature are for all of us. The Basai Wetland, much closer to Gurgaon is another Lost Paradise.

A Painted Stork waiting for the sun

As the world becomes more and more predictable and patterned, it is pleasant surprises such as these that give you zeal and zest for life and all the challenges it can throw at you. The early morning in the best time to see the birds and antelopes in their most peaceful forms, not startled, cackling creatures leaping to the skies in alarm!

Yes, there is gracefulness in birds and animals when they are at peace in their surroundings. National Parks and Sanctuaries need to be treated with great respect. These Sanctuaries should not be places for boisterous people out for a good time, people who are as loud as they can be, carrying with them the mad cacophony of the cities from where they come!

Asian Antelopes peering through the mist

Egrets and Weavers at the Basai Wetland

The Basai Wetland never ceases to surprise you each time you visit it! What if no one cares about it, nature has a way of gracing what will one day become yet another address in the real estate boom! While the authorities turn a blind eye to what might be one of the last treasure troves of Gurgaon, naturalists and birders keep visiting the wetland even as the water drains out and people continue to denude the Waterland of its fish. I have seen dead birds entangled in strings stretched between poles and yet our wildlife officials ignore this. However, a more pleasant image is provided by the Moorhen, Cattle Egrets and Streaked Weavers that throng the place long after the migratory birds have flown away.

Streaked Weavers abound in the Basai Wetland. The birds can be found flitting from tree to tree, often looking for food in the underbrush. In the above snap, the one with food in its beak was doing a flypast even as the one on the stalk of grass was looking on! I thought they were Munia birds, but then I guess I was wrong!

The Little Green Bee-eater is commonly found flying around, perched on tree branches and in this case one of the poles from which strings were attached. Bee-eaters are active little birds and they don't let you approach them from close. Thankfully, the zoom lens helped me get a snap of one. Bee-eaters eat insects when Bees are not around.

Egrets are graceful birds and they are equally graceful in flight! I was able to get a snap of one while it was wading in the water with a reflection thrown in! As long as there is water, these birds will keep visiting the wetland.

The Moorhen might be a common sight close to wetlands, lakes and ponds. The muted yet contrasting colours of this one made it a compelling subject. Moorhens are waders and they feed on insects, worms, grain and paddy. Generally found in pairs or flocks, this one decided to do a solo walk.

The Indian Pond Heron is a common sight at the Basai Wetland. It can be founding standing rather still on the ground in the bushes.