Sultanpur has more than just birds

The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary (also known as the Sultanpur National Park) is just 15 km away from the millennium city of Gurgaon near Delhi. 

The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

The Bird Sanctuary is a habitat for local birds as well as migratory birds that come all the way from far off places like Siberia. 

A Purple Heron in flight

But the place should not be associated with birds only. I was surprised to see that several turtles were nesting there (difference between a turtle and tortoise is that turtle live in water and tortoise on land. Also the shell of turtle is shiny black whereas the tortoise may be dull in colour). 

A turtle at the Sultanpur National Park

Initially I could see only something shining so I thought either it is a reflection of the sun against the water or some bird nesting. It was only when I used my camera zoom that I realised that on the hay mounds in the water the shiny objects are turtles. It goes without saying that there were fish also in the water body as I did see one Pond Heron picking up a fish. 

Nesting turtles at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

Also there are several Nilgai (An Asian Antelope or Blue Bull) in the sanctuary. There was one bunch of more than ten female Nilgai (a female Nigai is brown in colour) who were very playful.

Seems I was an attraction for these Nilgais at Sultanpur!

I was able to see the Nilgai racing past me at very close quarters. 

Two racing Nilgai

The two males (males are bluish in colour and hence the name Nilgai) remained aloof and did not mix with the herd or with each other! What was surprising was that these antelopes were very comfortable in crossing the water body. Till now I had never seen them in water.

A male Nilgai. Also see a peacock in the left corner & a Heron behind the Nilgai

The best time to visit the park is in winters as that is when the migratory birds come in big numbers. Also the park is closed in summers for some time to allow the birds a safe nesting period.

Also read:
This is also Gurgaon: The Sultanpur National Park