For almost six months, I planned to visit a nature crafted, tree laden landscape, not far from where I stayed.
A place away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
on the velvet smooth Farukh Nagar-Gurgaon Road, Haryana
Looked forward to spending a day of pure natural exploration.
Should be within the natural reserves, will have the sounds of both flora and the fauna, we would bask in the sun, let the breeze caress, and breathe in fresh air to soar the blunt senses.
Equipped with my DSLR camera, I hopped into my car and, amidst a puff of smoke, set off 27 km northwest of the city of Gurgaon.
Sprawling Wetlands
The spacious park, spanning 1.43 square kilometers, is home to a rich diversity of 250 bird species and extensive wetlands that draw migratory birds.
Visitors might also spot nilgai, blackbuck, and sizable snakes, if lucky.
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, India
I hope you accompany us to explore the raw nature 😊
The sun had climbed high, and the forest cover started to offer shades of green, brown and grey.
Our Avian friends
After parking, we set off.
Every bush, tree had a bird perched on their branches. At times, I had to tiptoe, not to scare the birds away. We started off with a kingfisher.
The Wetland birds
Broken tree branches, bared trunk and half submerged trees formed majority of the park.
the elusive fish at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
As we started walking along the unmetalled road, we came across islands that were completely filled with overgrown trees.
A cacophony of shrill cries rang out over the broken islands.
Painted Storks
at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Haryana
they swayed on the branches at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
the air and made a perfect landing on the trees
Wood Storks
Stealthily we approached a large protruding tree. High above over the jagged branches, a pair of juvenile storks rested, soaked the early morning sun.
Their eyes were half closed.
ones, a branch below at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Bird droppings had made the trees white. Spots of green leaves peeped through the white and grey branches.
These storks were quite big, the large feathers vigorously moved around, and the birds puffed them up, making them look bigger than they were.
pulled down to ward off the sun at
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
After having a date with these big birds, we moved deeper into the sanctuary in search of other birds.
Blue Heron
To our right, we came across a very slender but sharp looking bird.
It had a razor-sharp focus, perhaps homing on a fish or a snail. These birds constantly foraged.
through the swamp at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Little Grebe
A wide stretch of water shimmered in the distance. A very colorful small bird caught our attention.
The short yellow beak was in stark contrast to the tuft of deep orange feathers on its hood.
Western Swamphen
waters at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
A blueish purple bird with a short but red downward beak moved around and went on picking.
Like most of the other birds, it went on scouring its surrounding.
Birds can constantly eat. Wonder where they stuff in such a small frame 🕊️
its next food morsel at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
A bird, feathers pulled back behind an extremely pointed head and long beak slowly advanced. It was clear its single gaze was on a distant fish
Blue Heron
Blue Herons are large wading birds that roam around river or swamp shores.
We set off to explore 🌍
Great Egret
Sound of flapping wings, and splash of water made us turn. The lake nearby presented a site to behold.
A milky white Egret brakes midair and comes into land.
at the Sultanpur bird sanctuary
Lesser Whistling ducks
Yonder, over the water’s edge we saw a patch of land sticking from the swamp water.
A large number of birds were grooming. Perhaps I saw a collection of Lesser Whistling ducks.
on an island at Sultanpur
Eurasian Coot
On our right, another water body accompanied us.
Little blackish blue birds bobbed up and down.
at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Coots are always seen in large numbers.
With little or no disturbance, they take off, creating a huge ruckus and fly away by a shorter distance to settle again.
Nilgai
Quite often than not at Sultanpur you will come across Nilgai, rummaging through the shrubs.
They are known to be the largest antelope of the Bovidae family.
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Our neck started to pain as we turned from right to left to see more birds.
Common Moorhen
We came across Common Moorhen.
They were merrily grooming themselves and looked for morsels of food on a spot of land floating on one of the innumerable water bodies.
glowed under the mid-day sun
Topography
Deep forest with huge trees, were found at any direction we starred.
It was a world of birds, and anyone who loves birds, is bound to have a field day.
Riot of colors
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
As we wrapped our day of bird adventure, the sun also had tilted westwards.
The view outside was spectacular. Mustard and paddy fields coexisted under a harsh blue sky.
Amidst this serene haven, we heard the orchestra of chirps, calls, that filled the air, as colorful birds from distant lands found refuge in this tranquil water bodies.
Visit this place and enjoy the companionship of the variety of birds. Hope you enjoyed our tour 😍
Inference
- You can find Observation Towers: These are watchtowers and hides for birdwatching, providing excellent vantage points to observe the birds in their natural habitat.
- Trails and Walks: Well-marked trails for walking and exploring the sanctuary.
- Interpretation Center: An educational facility offering information about the birds and the ecosystem.
- It is a Ramsar site
| Distance from Gurgaon to Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary | 27 kms |
| Best time to visit | December through early March |
| Timings | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM (Closed on Tuesday) Time Required : 2-3 hours |
| Parking | The park has its own parking |
| Pocket pinch | Entry Fee : Indians – INR 5 Foreigners- INR 40 Camera- INR 10 Video Camera – INR 500 INR 2 Per Person for Child |
| Places to visit | Gol Bavdi 7.5 km away Shikhar Adventure Park 6.8 km away Leisure Valley Park half-hour drive away Sheesh Mahal 7.8 km away Rangmanch Farms 3.4 km away |
SPITFIRE GAUTAM 