After a good night's sleep, I woke up to a bird's call. It was 5:30 on a cold and misty morning. After a hot sip of tea, we entered the park with full enthusiasm. We were welcomed with the Egyptian vultures perched on a beautiful dead bark of a tree. Made few images here and proceeded further, just as when we witnessed a beautiful and moody sunrise. The park gate opens at 6:30 AM and it was extremely chilly, to my bones it felt like 10 degree centigrade. After about 30 minutes since the sunrise, the temperature slightly gets warmer and that's when we can relax a bit!

Had a small chat with the director of the park. He asked me to fill out the feedback form about the park facilities and rickshawallahs that would help him in improving the facilities of the park. Most importantly, my regards to the pedaled rickshaw wallahs. Without them, my birding and bird photography wouldn't have been possible. They carry the weight all over the place, help you locate and identify the bird! I term them as one of the best birders available in India.

This park, being the world heritage site, would have lost the status had there been no rains this year. God forbid!
During the dry days it was - no water, no birds, no food for the rickshawallas because of reduce earnings. It was the choice between the wheat fields and the birds. Sadly, it was wheat fields that received the water. It was amazing this year that it rained and its a treat to watch these birds coming back.

After a small chat with the director, had fantastic sightings of yellowfooted green pigeons and the Indian jackal. Though I missed making some good portraits of jackals, it was a treat to see them for the very first time. As I proceeded further towards the 'Sapan mari', another famous place for teals and ducks, there was a dusky horned owl's nesting site where the male had done a kill and was waiting to take it to the nest. Despite we waiting for about 30 minutes, the owl didn't take off from the place it had perched. As I reached the Sapan mari, the mood was excellent to make some back lit images of the comb ducks that had perched in a beautiful perch in the middle of the marshland.

Towards the second half of the day we proceeded further just as when we spotted the Sarus crane pair. That was the most defining moment of the trip. My fellow friend Shivakumar L initiated the stalk towards the pair and myself and Ashwin followed. The most defining moment came when I made an image of the Sarus crane with my 300mm lens at minimum focusing distance. The pair was very approachable and we were gifted with the best images. My trip was half done once I got those pictures to end the second day.

Birds:

Egyptian Vultures - 2
Yellow footed pigeons - many
Spotted owlets
Dusky horned owl
Painted storks
Eurasian spoon bills.
Black headed ibis
Painted storks
Teals - thousands
Egret - small and intermediate
Oriental Darter
White throated kingfishers
Brahminy starling
Large gray babblers
Rufous treepie
Black redstart
Common Hoopoe
Saurus cranes
Indian Roller
Pied bushchat
Spotted doves
Comb ducks
Black shouldered kite
Black necked stork
Indian spotted eagle
Pond heron
Common crow
Marsh harrier
Cormorants
Oriental Magpie Robin - Male, Female
Small minivet

Mammals:
Jackals
Nilghai - male and female
Wild boar
Common Indian mongoose

Amphibians:
Turtle
Tortoise