MD & CEO Dr (Hon) S Senthil Kandeepan spent an enchanting morning in the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary on the outskirts of Delhi. And here are the glimpses he brought back.
Sultanpur being a wetland is a great place for waders. Here, a pair of common coots wade tranquilly, feeding in the waters.
A grey-headed swamphen rests on a patch of vegetation growing in the midst of the water. With long toes and legs, swamphens are built for walking on floating vegetation as they go about looking for food.
A knob-billed duck, sometimes also referred to as the comb duck. It’s called so because of the outgrowth that the male has on its bill, as is evident in this image (if you’d zoom in). Fairly common and one of the largest duck species, it is found in many parts of Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Another duck, the common pochard, is a beautiful winter migrant. The one on the left in this picture is a female, while the other two are males, easily differentiated by their deep-chestnut heads.
A painted stork carries a leafy branch; nest material with which it will build its little dwelling to hatch eggs and raise young in the breeding season.
An intermediate egret preens itself on a mound. These common but beautiful birds stalk fish in shallow waters with infinite patience, often standing and moving slowly for hours on end.
A black-headed ibis lands on an island inhabited with more ibises, while northern pintails dabble around. A winter morning in Sultanpur is an excellent way of reminding yourself of the magic of nature and its rejuvenating qualities.
