Useful Publications:-
There are a few publications you can download,Sri Lanka Endemic Birds, Sri Lanka The Leopards Island, Sri Lanka National Parks and Reserves (2nd edition), The Primates of Sri Lanka, Leopards and Other Wildlife Of Yala, Birds of Sri Lanka - A Pictorial Guide and Checklist, Butterflies of Sri Lanka and Southern India, Dragonflies of Sri Lanka and Southern India, Butterflies of Sri Lanka, The Gathering of Elephants. While most of these publications are not right up to date they are useful.
3/2/2018
Arrived at Columbo Bandaranaike International airport at 12.00 midnight from Singapore. We were to be met at the airport but after 30 minutes nobody appeared so we ended up getting a taxi to our hotel the Tamarind Tree Hotel arriving at 1.30am. This was the only glitch in the entire holiday.
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| Tamarind Tree Hotel |
Day 1 4/2/2018
Up early after at least 4½hrs sleep! Met the rest of our tour party of which four were friends, Mary, Peter, Chris and Andrew, two others were Sally and Fiona plus Mike and Jenny, 10 of us which was just the right number. To get an overview of Sri Lanka and it’s wildlife and flora click this link here. Anyway back to birding!
We met at 6.15 to go birding around the grounds and to familiarise ourselves with Sri Lanka birds. We did know a few species and families from our Malaysian travels but there was a lot to learn. The Red-backed Woodpecker Dinopium psarodes (also known as Lesser Sri Lankan Flameback) we saw was previously a sub-species of the Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense, (also known as Black-rumped Goldenback, Black-rumped Woodpecker, Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Golden-back, Lesser Goldenback, Ceylon Golden-backed Woodpecker, Ceylon Red-backed Woodpecker, Golden-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Flame-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Flameback) but now considered a full Sri Lankan endemic species. No wonder we got confused, we may still be confused! Best and most unexpected bird was an Indian Golden Oriole, a migrant species. Other good birds were Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Long-billed (Loten's) Sunbird and Pale-billed Flowerpecker.
1 Spotted Dove
2 Asian Koel
1 Crimson-fronted Barbet
2 Brown-headed Barbet
1 Rose-ringed Parakeet
1 Indian Golden Oriole
1 Black-hooded Oriole
1 White-bellied Drongo
1 Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
5 House Crow
1 Red-vented Bulbul
1 Oriental Magpie-Robin
24 Common Myna
1 Pale-billed Flowerpecker
1 Purple-rumped Sunbird
1 Long-billed Sunbird
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| Purple-rumped Sunbird |
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| Black-hooded Oriole |
After the birding experience it was time for the food experience at breakfast, a mixture of western and Sri Lanka cuisine, very nice. From here we boarded the bus to travel to our next destination at Habarama about 180km North-East, this took nearly 5 hrs. We did stop along the way to observe a few birds and to have a comfort stop. The route took us through coconut and teak plantations and a few seemingly chaotic towns. We arrived at our destination The Other Corner (TOC), which is close to the main road but you would not know it as once over the wooden bridge from the car park you are in a different world.
Treed grounds with accommodation chalets scattered among them and the sound of many bird species greeted us. We were met at the reception for a traditional “Ayubowam” greeting ceremony, holding hands, lighting candles followed by an iced tea drink. We were lucky to have the bottom floor of a new chalet but the downside was that we missed out on the Orange-headed Thrush. Some of the group saw this bird without leaving their room!
We ordered lunch and were soon birding the grounds by 1.00pm with Upali pointing out birds at a rapid rate. Small Minivet, Jerdon’s Leafbird and Asian Brown Flycatcher were good sightings around the grounds before we had a quick look at Lake Habarama from the bund wall at the front of the property. Here we saw Little Grebe and good comparisons between Little and Indian Cormorant, 20 species in 40 minutes.
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| Asian Brown Flycatcher |
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| TOC Accomodation |
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| White-bellied Sea-Eagle |
1 Little Grebe
3 Little Cormorant
6 Indian Cormorant
1 Oriental Darter
2 White-bellied Sea-Eagle
6 Pheasant-tailed Jacana
4 Red-wattled Lapwing
2 Crested Treeswift
4 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
2 Sri Lanka Woodshrike
1 Small Minivet
2 Black-hooded Oriole
2 Barn Swallow (White-bellied)
2 Plain Prinia
9 Oriental White-eye
1 Asian Brown Flycatcher
2 Jerdon's Leafbird
1 Thick-billed Flowerpecker
4 Purple-rumped Sunbird
5 White-rumped Munia
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| Pheasant-tailed Jacana |
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| White-throated Kingfisher |
2 Cotton Pygmy-Goose
1 Indian Peafowl, male
2 Little Cormorant
2 Indian Cormorant
2 Oriental Darter
1 Spot-billed Pelican
3 Great Egret
2 Brahminy Kite
6 Grey-headed Swamphen
4 Red-wattled Lapwing
7 Pheasant-tailed Jacana
2 Whiskered Tern
2 Spotted Dove
1 Orange-breasted Pigeon
11 Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon
1 Crested Treeswift
1 Stork-billed Kingfisher
2 White-throated Kingfisher
3 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
2 Coppersmith Barbet
2 Brown-headed Barbet heard.
2 Brown-capped Woodpecker
17 Alexandrine Parakeet, flyover
2 Rose-ringed Parakeet
1 Common Iora
1 Small Minivet
1 Orange Minivet
2 Black-hooded Oriole
8 Barn Swallow (White-bellied)
3 Red-vented Bulbul
1 Grey-breasted Prinia
6 Ashy Prinia
4 Tawny-bellied Babbler
1 Indian Robin
1 Oriental Magpie-Robin
3 Baya Weaver
1 White-rumped Munia
2 Scaly-breasted Munia
Looked for Indian Pitta, which we heard and Orange-headed Thrush, which we dipped again. After a very good evening meal we had bird call and an early night to bed after a great days birding.
Day 2 5/2/2018
Breakfast at 6.30 and a search for the elusive Orange-headed Thrush, which did not make an appearance however we did see Green Imperial Pigeon and a family of Brown-capped Babbler.
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| Green Imperial Pigeon |
2 Spotted Dove
4 Green Imperial-Pigeon
3 Brown-headed Barbet
3 Red-vented Bulbul
2 Brown-capped Babbler
Left just after 7.30 and once on the main road we immediately saw a couple of Malabar Oriental Hornbill fly over and land in a tree. The bus screeched to a halt and everyone got to see these birds. We stopped along the way to Mannar for a comfort stop and saw some Sri Lanka (Celylon) Swallow plus a few other species flying around.
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| Green Bee-eater |
2 Little Egret
Then further on we had Black Drongo just past Tirappane.
1 Rose-ringed Parakeet
Further along the Kandy - Jaffina Hwy we had a few more birds including a Shikra (small falcon like raptor) perched beside the road, other birds seen were foraging beside the road, perched on powerlines or soaring overhead.
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| Indian Roller |
1 Asian Openbill
1 Great Egret
6 Little Egret
1 Crested Serpent-Eagle
1 Crested Hawk-Eagle
1 Shikra
1 Indian Roller
1 Ashy Woodswallow
We also stopped to check out an odd eagle, which did not have a crest, it was thought at the time it could have been a Changable Hawk Eagle but this has yet to be confirmed.
About 16 km before Mannar we stopped at Giant's Tank, where we had the great experience of seeing an estimated 8,000 Asian Openbill along with other good birds including 100 Spot-billed Pelican, 8 Glossy Ibis, a few Painted Stork, some shorebirds and a Paddyfield Pipit.
6 Garganey
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| Painted Stork |
We did see a Eurasian Hoopoe on the powerlines along the way, which was a bird we were particularly hoping to see. We were looking forward to staying at Palmyrah House as we had met the owner of the accommodation, whilst we were running Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge here in Australia a few years ago. He is an avid birdwatcher and photographer and has built this very comfortable eco accommodation. The construction is up to very high standard and local resources have been used where possible. The local Palmyrah tree has been used in the construction of the floor and supporting pillars and the leaves have been dried and used in constructing the boundary fence. The location is in a great birdwatching area with a wetland adjacent aswell as the nearby shorelines of Mannar Island, which attract many shorebirds and migratory waders. Other wetlands are not far away and the sides of the causeway into Mannar from the mainland are a fantastic area.
One thing that is quite noticeable is the African Wild Donkey, which roam around the island and in the town. They are descendants of those brought over by Arabian traders very many centuries ago and introduced to Sri Lanka from Somalia. A fuller summary of the donkey’s history can be found here.
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| African Wild Donkey |
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| Jerdon's Bushlark |
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| Jacobin (Pied) Cuckoo |
2 Indian Pond-Heron
1 White-breasted Waterhen
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
1 Pied Cuckoo
20 Asian Palm-Swift
2 Eurasian Hoopoe
1 Common Kingfisher
2 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
1 Indian Roller
2 Black Drongo
1 Jerdon's Bushlark
1 White-browed Bulbul
2 Plain Prinia
1 Indian Robin
1 Paddyfield Pipit
Mid-afternoon we set out to tour the area. First up we stopped at the wetland next door, good waders here, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were particularly good to see.
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Birding at the Wetland |
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| (Common) Ringed Plover |
1 Brahminy Kite
1 White-bellied Sea-Eagle
8 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
2 Pacific Golden-Plover
1 Lesser Sand-Plover
7 Ringed Plover
1 Little Ringed Plover
6 Ruddy Turnstone
1 Little Stint
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Common Greenshank
3 Wood Sandpiper
17 Common Redshank
Next we headed to Mannar and stopped near Erukkalampiddy at some mudflats, lots of Common Redshank here.
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| Common Redshank |
1 Western Reef Egret
1 Brahminy Kite
12 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
8 Lesser Sand-Plover
2 Greater Sand-Plover
30 Common Redshank, estimate.
Then it was onto the causeway to look for flamingos. Upali found a group estimated at 300 way off in the distance but with scopes we could clearly see what they were.
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| Grey Heron |
300 Greater Flamingo, estimate.
1 Painted Stork
1 Grey Heron
1 Great Egret
20 Brown-headed Gull, estimate.
After this excitement we kept going across the causeway onto the South Coast Road where the low vegetation was punctuated by small wetlands. Stopping at one we had two Grey Francolin, great bird, plus a few ducks and waders.
1 Wood Sandpiper
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Red-wattled Lapwing
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1 Garganey
10 Northern Shoveler
3 Northern Pintail
4 Grey Heron
1 Great Egret
1 Little Egret
1 Eurasian Curlew
1 Black-tailed Godwit
50 Marsh Sandpiper, estimate -
2 Saunders's Tern
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| Little Egret |
We then had a slow journey in the twilight back to Palmyrah House for a 30 minute break before an excellent dinner at 7.30. Afterwards bird call highlighted another great days birding.
Day 3 6/2/2018
Up Early for a 6.15am start birding around the grounds. Good birds here were Green Imperial-Pigeon, Greater Coucal, Indian Pond Heron, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Jerdon’s Bushlark and Zitting Cisticola.
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| Indian Pond Heron |
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| Zitting Cisticola |
1 Little Cormorant
1 Indian Cormorant
1 Spot-billed Pelican, flyover
1 Intermediate Egret
1 Indian Pond-Heron
1 Black Kite, flyover
1 Brahminy Kite, flyover
1 White-breasted Waterhen
30 Brown-headed Gull, estimate, flyover
1 Gull-billed Tern, flyover
1 Caspian Tern
1 Spotted Dove, flyover
2 Green Imperial-Pigeon
1 Greater Coucal
1 Grey-bellied Cuckoo
6 Asian Palm-Swift
1 Eurasian Hoopoe
8 Rose-ringed Parakeet, flyover
1 Brown Shrike
1 Black-hooded Oriole
1 Black Drongo
6 House Crow
1 Jerdon's Bushlark
4 Red-vented Bulbul
1 Zitting Cisticola
3 Indian Robin
2 Oriental Magpie-Robin
5 Common Myna
Back for breakfast before heading off at 8.45 for a mornings birding. Started off at the adjacent wetland where we had good views of Indian Roller and a variety of waders.
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| Little Egret |
4 Little Egret
6 Cattle Egret
30 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian),estimate.
3 Pacific Golden-Plover
3 Red-wattled Lapwing
3 Ringed Plover
15 Black-tailed Godwit
9 Common Sandpiper
8 Marsh Sandpiper
8 Wood Sandpiper
6 Common Redshank
5 Brown-headed Gull
6 Indian Roller
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| Terek Sandpiper |
1 Grey Heron
1 Great Egret
1 Grey Plover
1 Lesser Sand-Plover
5 Eurasian Curlew
3 Ruddy Turnstone
1 Terek Sandpiper
3 Common Greenshank
4 Marsh Sandpiper
2 Wood Sandpiper
20 Brown-headed Gull, estimate.
1 Pallas's Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Heuglin's)
21 Gull-billed Tern
46 Caspian Tern
30 Crested Tern, estimate.
100 Lesser Crested Tern. estimate.
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| Great Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Caspian Tern and Brown-headed Gull |
On the drive from the North-East corner we saw four Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark (2 male, 2 female).
Another wetland on the road back to the hotel produced many ducks and a few waders including a Small Pratincole. By now it was mid-day and very hot, the sparse shelter under a tree was not enough to keep us cool so we headed back to the hotel for lunch.
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| Brahminy Kite |
200 Garganey, estimate.
2 Northern Shoveler
100 Eurasian Wigeon, estimate.
30 Northern Pintail, estimate.
1 Indian Cormorant
1 Brahminy Kite
10 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
2 Greater Sand-Plover
2 Ruddy Turnstone
20 Marsh Sandpiper, estimate.
1 Small Pratincole
6 Asian Palm-Swift
After lunch we had a break as it was too hot to go birding, instead we relaxed in the air conditioning! Later in the afternoon some of us got back on the road to check out a few more areas, a few remained behind to test out the swimming pool. Once again we stopped at the very productive Mannar Causeway and had better views of the flock of Greater Flamingo, still through the scopes.
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| House Crow |
200 Greater Flamingo, estimate.
3 Great Egret
6 Little Egret
2 Indian Pond-Heron
1 Eurasian Spoonbill
1 Grey Plover
2 Whimbrel
1 Eurasian Curlew
6 House Crow
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| Pin-tail Snipe |
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| Blyth's Reed Warbler |
1 Pin-tailed Snipe
1 Wood Sandpiper
Our final destination along this road was Paalavi Tank, adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes Statue, Grey-headed Swamphen, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Long-tailed Shrike and Rosy Starling were good sightings as were all the other waterbirds. We saw an Indian Silverbill, which nobody else saw as they were looking out of the other side of the bus at a Pin-tail Snipe!
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| Grey-headed Swamphen |
17 Lesser Whistling-Duck
1 Grey Heron
1 Cattle Egret
7 Indian Pond-Heron
2 Grey-headed Swamphen
14 Pheasant-tailed Jacana
1 Green Bee-eater
3 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
24 Rose-ringed Parakeet
1 Long-tailed Shrike
1 House Crow
1 Blyth's Reed Warbler
100 Rosy Starling, estimate.
1 Indian Silverbill
Day 4 7/2/2018
A quick look up the driveway of Palmyrah House gave us good views of four Grey Francolin.
On the bus at 6.30am for the mornings birding. First stopping off at the nearby wetland, not so much variety of waders today.
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| Cattle Egret |
1 Great Egret
8 Cattle Egret
1 White-breasted Waterhen
30 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
3 Common Redshank
3 Brown-headed Gull
12 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
3 Black Drongo
7 Common Myna
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| Eurasian Curlew |
Then back through Mannar again observing one of the many introduced donkeys, which was again standing in the middle of a roundabout, not sure if it was the same one we had been seeing each time we had passed by! Stopped at the same wetland beside the Medawachiya Highway we had been to the day before. More Black-winged Stilt with Yellow-wattled Lapwing and a Common Kingfisher being good sightings.
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| Black-winged Stilt |
It was now time to return to Palmyrah House for a late breakfast before going back out again onto the road to Mannar to call into the Mannar Wetlands. Plenty of ducks including Garganey Spot-billed Pelican and the highlight an Oriental Honey-buzzard.
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| Garganey |
50 Eurasian Wigeon, estimate.
5 Painted Stork
3 Little Cormorant
35 Spot-billed Pelican
16 Grey Heron
1 Oriental Honey-buzzard
50 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
3 Whiskered Tern
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| Eurasian Marsh Harrier |
2 Black Kite
1 Eurasian Curlew
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| Booted Eagle |
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| Booted Eagle |
A small detour onto the Thiruketheewaram Road to check out a flooded area beside the road produced a few birds including 3 Pin-tail Snipe.
2 Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
8 Yellow-wattled Lapwing
3 Pin-tailed Snipe
4 Eurasian Collared-Dove
1 Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, 1 male
1 Scaly-breasted Munia
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| Scaly-breasted Munia |
Back along the Navathkuli-Karativu-Mannar Highway we saw a Yellow Bittern hiding in the reeds beside the road. Back to Palmyrah we had dinner and bird call. Lindsay heard a Jerdon's Nightjar calling at the back of our accommodation so we did some spotlighting to find it but we did not see it.
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| Yellow Bittern |
6.30am start to bird the Palmyrah grounds and adjacent wetland. Then headed across the road to look in the area between the road and coast. Plenty of birds in the area but nothing new for us but better looks at some species, after 2hrs went back for breakfast.
1 Eurasian Spoonbill, flyover
1 Black Kite
3 Brahminy Kite
2 White-breasted Waterhen
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Brown-headed Gull, flyover
1 Eurasian Collared-Dove
13 Asian Palm-Swift
3 White-throated Kingfisher
6 Blue-tailed Bee-eater
14 Rose-ringed Parakeet
1 Brown Shrike
2 Black Drongo
30 House Crow, estimate.
1 Jerdon's Bushlark
2 Red-vented Bulbul
1 Zitting Cisticola
1 Ashy Prinia
1 Indian Robin
2 Brahminy Starling
8 Common Myna
4 Scaly-breasted Munia
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Zitting Cisticola |
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Indian Pond-Heron
1 Black Kite
Black-winged Stilt (Eurasian)
Red-wattled Lapwing
Ringed Plover
Common Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Whiskered Tern
Greater Coucal
White-browed Bulbul
Yellow-billed Babbler
Common Myna
Purple Sunbird
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| Yellow-billed Babbler |
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| Wood Sandpiper |
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| Red-wattled Lapwing |
Gargany
Northern Pintail
1000 Asian Openbill estimate
1 Purple Heron
14 Glossy Ibis
Eurasian Spoonbill
1 Grey-headed Fish-Eagle
50 Brahminy Starling
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| Asian Openbill |
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| Grey-headed Fish-Eagle |
Continued on stopping at a hotel to use the facilities and another stop to pick up bananas. Arrived at TOC and was allocated a cabin next to the Orange-headed Thrush site. We decided to walk down town, which according to a nameless person was only 200 m. away. After 500m we gave it away as it was warming up and the town was not in sight! Back to TOC for some afternoon birding in the grounds and up on the bund wall. Plenty of birds as usual, good views of Sri Lankan Green-Pigeon, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Red-backed Woodpecker and Plain Prinia .
8/2/2018 The Other Corner, Mawatha, North Central Province
2 Lesser Whistling-Duck
1 Indian Peafowl
6 Little Cormorant
12 Indian Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
1 Intermediate Egret
2 Brahminy Kite
2 White-bellied Sea-Eagle
5 Grey-headed Swamphen
1 Red-wattled Lapwing
2 Pheasant-tailed Jacana
1 Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon
1 Green Imperial-Pigeon
1 Malabar Pied-Hornbill
1 Stork-billed Kingfisher
4 Brown-headed Barbet
1 Black-rumped Flameback
8 Rose-ringed Parakeet
1 Black-hooded Oriole
1 Indian Paradise-Flycatcher adult male
1 Plain Prinia, carrying food
1 Asian Brown Flycatcher, flyover
1 Oriental Magpie-Robin
2 Pale-billed Flowerpecker
1 Purple-rumped Sunbird
1 White-rumped Munia
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| White-bellied Sea-Eagle |
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| Stork-billed Kingfisher |
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| Plain Prinia |
Our bags were packed for an early get away before a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast, which included Hoppers. The Hoppers are basically bowl-shaped pancakes made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk - other ingredients such as eggs were added for breakfast. We did have some time after breakfast to do last minute birding. Lindsay found a Tickle's Flycatcher at the elusive Orange-headed Thrush site, it hung around long enough for everyone to get good views. Alas the Orange-headed Thrush did not make an appearance so we had to leave without seeing it.
2 Small Minivet
1 Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
5 Oriental White-eye
1 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
2 Thick-billed Flowerpecker
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| Tickle's Blue Flycatcher |
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| Sigiriya Rock |
We stopped short of the main tourist area to check out a wetland beside the road. Whilst there was not many birds here we did get to see our only Wooly-necked Stork of the tour. From here we wandered down to the Sigiriya gardens, which are at the foot the rock. Upali set up his scope and we had a view of a Brown Fish Owl in a tree hollow - Upali had been here before! Grey-bellied Cuckoo and Crimson-fronted Barbet were also good to see. A common Iora adult with three recently fledged young was also a nice sighting.
9/2/2018 Sigiriya Rock and Water Gardens, Central Province
6 Lesser Whistling-Duck
3 Sri Lanka Junglefowl
1 Woolly-necked Stork
3 Indian Pond-Heron
1 Brahminy Kite
3 Grey-headed Swamphen 2 adult, 1 immature
2 Pheasant-tailed Jacana
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
1 Spotted Dove
1 Grey-bellied Cuckoo
1 Brown Fish-Owl, in tree hollow.
1 Green Bee-eater
1 Crimson-fronted Barbet
4 Common Iora 1 adult, 3 recently fledged young
3 Black-hooded Oriole
1 Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
2 Red-vented Bulbul
1 Grey-breasted Prinia
1 Jungle Prinia
1 Indian Robin
1 White-rumped Shama
1 Thick-billed Flowerpecker
1 Purple-rumped Sunbird
1 White-rumped Munia
1 Tricolored Munia (Black-headed Munia).
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| Purple-rumped Sunbird |
After spending most of morning here we drove to Danbulla, 30 minutes away, where we found a bakery to buy a few goodies for lunch. We had previously stopped to fuel up and get a few bananas from a roadside stall. Then we arrived at the suburbs of Kandy to be greeted with a seemingly chaotic scene. Cars, trucks, buses and tuk tuk’s (3 wheel motorised rickshaws) jostling for road space resulting in a giant traffic jam.
We traveled to the lovely Peradeniya Botanic Gardens on the outskirts of Kandy. The gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan Royalty but now it is open to the public. The gardens cover 60 hectares making them the largest botanic garden in Sri Lanka. We managed to do some birding dodging the showers of rain. Saw a troupe of Long-tailed Macaques and good birds including Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot, Alexandrine Parakeet, Crimson Flanked Barbet and Hill Myna.
9/2/2018 Kandy--Royal Botanic Gardens (Peradeniya), Central Province
Indian Pond-Heron
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Spotted Dove
White-throated Kingfisher
Brown-headed Barbet
Sri Lankan Hanging-Parrot
Alexandrine Parakeet
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Common Iora
Black-hooded Oriole
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Red-vented Bulbul
Yellow-billed Babbler
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Southern Hill Myna
Common Myna
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| Black-hooded Oriole |
Then back to the hotel for a smorgasbord dinner.
Up for a 6.30am breakfast before getting onto the bus, saw two Black-crowned Night-heron roosting in a tree beside the Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake) as we were leaving the Swisse Hotel. A short trip took us to the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary (Royal Forest Park of Kandy), a 257 acre historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in Kandy. We wandered through the forest seeing more good birds, Asian Openbill with a freshwater mussel, Crimson-backed Flameback, Layard’s Parakeet, Brown-breasted Flycatcher and Cinereous Tit, formally a sub species of Great Tit but now a separate species.
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| Cinereous (Great) Tit |
1 Asian Openbill
2 Spotted Dove
2 Crimson-fronted Barbet
2 Yellow-fronted Barbet
2 Crimson-backed Flameback
4 Alexandrine Parakeet, flyover
3 Rose-ringed Parakeet
6 Layard's Parakeet
2 Orange (Scarlet) Minivet (m and f)
6 House Crow
2 Cinereous (Great) Tit
1 Yellow-browed Bulbul
2 Square-tailed Bulbul
4 Sri Lanka White-eye
1 Brown-breasted Flycatcher
1 White-rumped Shama
2 Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
8 Southern Hill Myna
1 Pale-billed Flowerpecker
1 Purple-rumped Sunbird
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| Asian Openbill |
3 Cattle Egret
2 House Sparrow
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| Indian Pitta |
Returned to the hotel for a smorgasbord dinner, tried not to eat too much! Then back to the room to get organised for a 4.45am start the next morning.
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| Searching for Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Dull-blue Flycatcher and Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush. |
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| Dull-blue Flycatcher |
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| Sri Lanka Bush Warbler |
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| Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush |
1 Sri Lanka Junglefowl, heard.
2 Barn Swallow
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| Hill Swallow |
On the way back down to Nuwara Eliya we stopped at a roadside tea house for tea and spicy snacks as well as an area to do some birding. Found some good birds including Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon, Brown-breasted Flycatcher and a pair of Kashmir Flycatcher.
11/2/2018 PBC Hwy, near Toppass, Central Province
1 Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon
3 Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon
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| Yellow-eared Bulbul |
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| Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler |
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| Chestnut-backed Owlet |
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| Torque Macaque |
6.30am breakfast and off to the lowlands. We wound our way down the road passing terraced hillside where it looked like mainly vegetables were being grown. Reached Ravana Falls for a morning snack stop, rice rolls and coffee. Wandered down to the falls before getting back onto the bus but we did not get far before some sharp-eyed person yelled out raptor, which bought us to a standstill and spilling out onto the road. It was a Black Eagle soaring overhead. Then back on the bus to continue the 2 hr journey to Pannegamuwa Lake. Best bird here was two Great Thick-knee.
Lesser Whistling-Duck
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| Great Thick-knee |
It was then off to book into our accommodation at Hibiscus Gardens Hotel , Tissamaharama and have lunch. Had time to catch up on some sleep before we took off again at 3.00pm. Upali had three young boys checking out locations for owls in the area, a call from him confirmed they had found them. We duly met up with them and they guided us through the back ally’s and gardens and riverside to show us 2 Indian Scops-Owl, 2 Jungle Owlet and 1 Brown Fish-Owl, which took off down the river before we got a good look. No problem the boys knew where it went so we followed and got good looks without disturbing it any further.
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| Jungle Owlet |
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| Indian Scops Owl |
Lesser Whistling-Duck
Black-headed Ibis
Eurasian Moorhen
Whiskered Tern
Green Imperial-Pigeon
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| Mugger Crocodile |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Black-headed Ibis |
Left the hotel with our packed breakfast just after 5.00am to rendezvous with our Mahindra 4 x 4 safari jeeps at a temple. From here they took us to the Yala National Park. It was absolute chaos at the approach to the park entrance with safari jeeps as far as the eye could see jostling for position. Eventually got into the park at 6.20am and started to look for birds. We did see plenty of birds despite the presence of so many jeeps, mainly looking for Leopard, Sloth Bear and Elephants. Good views of Crested Serpent-Eagle, Crested Hawk-Eagle, Orange-breasted Pigeon, Crested Tree Swift, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Malabar Pied-Hornbill and Streaked Weaver. In addition our jeep saw a distant Leopard over the sea of other jeeps, Elephants, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, a huge Indian Python and a few Ruddy Mongoose.
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| Yala Traffic Jam |
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| Asian Elephant |
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| Leopard |
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| Crested Hawk-Eagle |
Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Asian Openbill
Painted Stork
Little Cormorant
Spot-billed Pelican
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Indian Pond-Heron
Eurasian Spoonbill
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Crested Hawk-Eagle
Brahminy Kite
White-breasted Waterhen
Grey-headed Swamphen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Whiskered Tern
Spotted Dove
Orange-breasted Pigeon
Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Greater Coucal
1 Pied Cuckoo
1 Asian Koel (1F)
Brown Fish-Owl
Asian Palm-Swift
Crested Treeswift
Malabar Pied-Hornbill
Green Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
White-browed Fantail
Yellow-billed Babbler
Indian Robin
Common Myna
Purple Sunbird
Paddyfield Pipit
Streaked Weaver
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| Brown Fish-Owl |
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| Malabar Pied-Hornbill |
Back for lunch and a Black Eagle flying over, a Blue-faced Malkoha and two Asian Koel. The afternoon was spent at Palatupana Salt Pan an internationally recognised area for migratory waders (shorebirds). Being off the tourist route we had the place to ourselves and were rewarded with some great birds such as Great Thick-knee, Kentish Plover, Pied Kingfisher and a Western Yellow Wagtail. Also seen were two Saunders Tern in a flock of Little Term, they showed a much larger area of black in the flight primaries than the Little Tern.
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| Eurasian Spoonbill |
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| Pied Kingfisher |
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| Lesser Sandplover |
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| White-naped Woodpecker |
Then another visit to Debarawewa Lake, where we had good views of Purple Heron, Lesser Yellownape and a Shikra.
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| Purple Heron |
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| Shikra |
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| White-breasted Waterhen |
Another early start at 5.30am to meet the safari jeeps for a visit to Bundala National Park, nowhere near as frenetic as Yala NP. Stopped at the information viewing platform to look over a small wetland. First bird we saw was a Black Bittern, what a great start. This was followed by lots of good birds including Black-crowned Night-Heron, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Watercock and Indian Thick-knee. Stopped at the information viewing platform to look over a small wetland. We also saw one Pale Sand Martin, perched on powerlines with Barn Swallow for a good comparison. It had a brown-breast band and distinct notched tail when it flew. No tail streamers, no red around the face and throat as in Barn Swallow. We also saw Philippine Shrike, which is considered a sub-species of the Brown Shrike and a regular winter migrant to Sri Lanka. The taxonomy of these species is still trying to be resolved. Philippine Shrike has an overall lighter colour, grey nape and crown with more noticeable rufous rump whereas the Brown Shrike has a brown crown and nape.
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| Viewing Platform |
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| Brown (Philippine) Shrike |
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| Indian Thick-knee |
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| Chestnut-headed Bee-eater |
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| Barn Swallow |
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| Painted Stork |
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| Spot-billed Pelican |
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| Rose-ringed Parakeet |
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| Rose-ringed Parakeet |
The Yellow colour mutation of this wild Rose-ringed (Ring-necked) Parakeet did not prevent it from socialising with the normally coloured birds.
Adjacent to Bundala NP is the Hambantota Salt Pans, this extensive area of evaporation salt pans attracts huge numbers of migratory waders (shorebirds). We were not disappointed with such good birds as 6 Ruff, 9 Red-necked Phalarope, Kentish Plover, Green Sandpiper and a Western Osprey. Lots of other waders to challenge our identification skills!
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| Birding at Hambantota Salt Pans |
14/2/2018 Hambantota Salt Pans, Southern Province
Painted StorkLittle Cormorant
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Eurasian Spoonbill
1 Osprey (Western).
Grey Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Lesser Sand-Plover
Greater Sand-Plover
Kentish Plover
Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Black-tailed Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
6 Ruff
Curlew Sandpiper
Little Stint
9 Red-necked Phalarope
Marsh Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Small Pratincole
Brown-headed Gull
Little Tern
Caspian Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Crested Tern
2 Pied Kingfisher
Barn Swallow
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| Osprey (Western) |
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| Kentish Plover |
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| Little Stint |
We returned to the bus in the jeeps and headed off to our next destination Uda Walawe stopping along the way to pick up some fruit. We arrived at our destination and checked into the Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort. It was grand, not like our usual hotel stays which are a bit more down market! Despite being an up market resort they did not deal in A$ so we could not change any money. The only dealt in $US, £ sterling, € euros and Japanese yen. Had a 30 minute break before traveling to Undawalawe National Park to pick up our jeeps. Plenty of Elephants in the park along with more great birds such as Jungle Prinia and Sirkeer Malkoha plus great views of two Hoopoe hopping around on the ground.
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| Eurasian Hoopoe |
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| Eurasian Hoopoe |
Beside the birds we also saw Torque Monkey, Gray langur (Hanuman langur), Spotted Deer and lots of Water Buffalo. The jeeps took us back to the resort, where we had a welcome shower before a smorgasbord dinner.
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| Grey Langur |
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| Water Buffalo |
Painted Stork
Little Cormorant
Indian Cormorant
Oriental Darter
Spot-billed Pelican
Grey Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Black-shouldered Kite (Eurasian)
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Crested Hawk-Eagle
Brahminy Kite
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
White-breasted Waterhen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Greater Sand-Plover
Ringed Plover
Marsh Sandpiper
Whiskered Tern
Spotted Dove
Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon
Sirkeer Malkoha
Eurasian Hoopoe
Malabar Pied-Hornbill
Indian Roller
Coppersmith Barbet
Alexandrine Parakeet
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Jerdon's Bushlark
Barn Swallow
Red-vented Bulbul
Jungle Prinia
Plain Prinia
Indian Robin
Common Myna
Purple Sunbird
Western Yellow Wagtail
Richard's Pipit
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| Black-shouldered Kite (Eurasian) |
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| Sirkeer Malkoha |
Another early start, up at 5.00 and away by 5.15am to meet up with the jeeps to get into Udawalawe National Park. Once we got over usual chaos to get in we quickly lost most of the other jeeps as they were intent on tracking down Elephants. We headed down different tracks seeing Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, two Barred Buttonquail (m&f) on the road, Sri Lankan Swallow, Indian Swiftlet and three White-tailed Iora (also known as Marshall's Iora). These birds had broad white tertials, which stood out giving an appearance of two stripes in the wing. Black cap in male rather than black cap extending onto the back as in Common Iora. A good mammal sighting was a Golden Jackal slinking across the road and into the undergrowth and more sightings were had of Mugger Crocodile. Peacocks were particularly spectacular as they fanned out their tails to display to the peahens. They did not look quite so elegant up in the trees with their long tail hanging down though. We stopped to have our breakfast overlooking a wetland that had many birds in and around it as well as Water Buffalo and Elephants. Continued looking for birds until about 11.00am before we got back on the bus.
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| Barred Buttonquail (m & f) |
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| Barred Buttonquail (m) |
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| Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark |
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| Coppersmith Barbet |
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| Indian Peafowl |
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| Sri Lanka Swallow |
Called into the carpark at the Elephant Transit Home to see an Indian (Collared) Scops Owl roosting in a tree before heading to Sinharaja.
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| Indian Collared Scops Owl |
It is about 65km to Sinharaja from Udawalawe along a very windy road through the mountains, which took around 2hrs. We stopped along the way to get lunch snacks. Arrived at Sinharaja Birders Lodge and checked into our basic but adequate accommodation. Had a rest before walking down the road to the Blue Magpie Lodge and stopping here to bird their grounds. Good birds seen here included Crested Tree Swift, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Plum-headed Parakeet, Golden-fronted Leafbird and white morph Indian (Asian) Paradise Flycatcher. Also had an Oriental Garden Lizard.
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| Oriental Garden Lizard |
Spotted Dove
Asian Palm-Swift
Crested Treeswift
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Yellow-fronted Barbet
Brown-capped Woodpecker
2 Plum-headed Parakeet (m & f)
Small Minivet
White-bellied Drongo
Indian Paradise Flycatcher
Red-vented Bulbul
Yellow-browed Bulbul
Oriental White-eye
2 Golden-fronted Leafbird
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
White-rumped Munia
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| Indian Paradise Flycatcher |
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| Crested Treeswift |
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| Sri Lanka Frogmouth |
The jeeps then drove up the narrow rocky track to the park gates at 1100m, had a rain shower along the way. At the gates we were met by our National Parks ranger who guided us along the track to a research station in a rainforest clearing. Birds along the way were challenging as they usually are in the rainforest but with our eagle eyed ranger and Upali we found many good birds including Sri Lanka (Crested) Drongo, Malabar Trogon, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, White-throated (Legge’s) Flowerpecker and tantalising glimpses of Spot-winged Thrush. Near the research station we looked unsuccessfully for the Scaly Thrush. We did however find a highly venomous Hump-nosed Viper, also known as Merrem's Hump-nosed Viper, which I nearly trod on, luckily the ranger saw it and pulled me back also a Green Garden Lizard. A great view was had of a Palm Squirrel before going back to the gate for our packed lunch, which was delivered to us.
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| Green Garden Lizard |
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| Hump-nosed Viper |
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| Giant Forest Millipede |
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| Black-tipped Flashwing |
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| Celon Tree Nymph |
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| Palm Squirrel |
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| Sri Lanka Junglefowl |
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| Ashy-headed Laughingthrush |
After lunch we started along the track again and saw a female Green Garden Lizard digging a hole to lay her eggs in, nearby was an endemic Hump-nosed Lizard, (also known as Hump Snout Lizard or Lyreshead Lizard) clinging to the side of a tree.
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| Hump-nosed Lizard |
It started to rain when we were about ⅔ way to the research station so decided to go back to the park gate. However before the rain we did see Red-faced Malkoha and White-faced Starling. The Green Garden Lizard had finished digging the hole and was laying eggs on our return back to the gate, where the rain turned monsoonal. Once it eased off the jeeps picked us up. We returned to the park office in the rain before sheltered on the veranda to watch the feeder. A Grey Hornbill came in to entertain us. Then it was back to the lodge for dinner.
16/2/2018 Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sabaragamuwa Palata (afternoon)
Asian Emerald Dove
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| Asian Emerald Dove |
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| Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill |
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| Sri Lanka Spurfowl (m) |
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| Spot-winged Thrush |
After this excitement we all went outside, where we saw a Green-billed Coucal in the vegetation, a Sri Lanka Blue-Magpie, White-faced Starling and Sri Lanka (Hill) Myna. Then we had our packed breakfast with tea from the lady of the house. This is a great example of eco-tourism, the owners of the property making some money to supplement their small income, which in turn is benefiting the continued preservation of the habitat for the birds.
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| Green-billed Coucal |
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| Yellow-browed Bulbul |
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| Spurfowl House Birders |
Great mornings birding once again. Back down to the Lodge in the jeeps to collect our luggage. Saw 1 Yellow-fronted Barbet, 1 Square-tailed (Black) Bulbul, 1 Grey Wagtail as we were boarding the bus for the next destination, Kitulgala.
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| Yellow-fronted Barbet |
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| Kelani Ganga River from Kitulgala Rest House |
Birded around the grounds seeing Stork-billed Kingfisher on powerlines over the river, Layard’s Parakeet feeding in a tree plus Square-tailed (Black) Bulbul and Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot coming into a feeder.
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| Square-tailed (Black) Bulbul |
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| Yellow-billed Babbler |
Day 15 18/2/2018
Cattle Egret
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| Red-backed Woodpecker |
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| Black-hooded Oriole |
After breakfast we drove a short distance to the Police Station and birded along the road, passing several houses and ending up at a guest house under construction. Once again missed out on a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, which some of the group saw. So continued along the road passing a small shop and hearing a familiar bird call, closer inspection reveal a cage in a backyard that was full of budgerigars! Found Tickles Blue Flycatcher, Crimson-fronted Barbet and the best bird of the morning a Black-backed (Oriental) Dwarf-Kingfisher, which everyone got to see well. We then went back to a cleared area to watch for raptors thermaling above the mountains. Saw 2 Oriental Honey-buzzard, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Shikra and Brahminy Kite. Whilst waiting for the raptors we noticed a Chestnut-backed Owlet going into hole in palm tree, probable nest, good views were had of this bird.
18/2/2018 Kitulgala (General), Sabaragamuwa Palata
2 Oriental Honey-buzzard flyover
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| Oriental Honey-buzzard |
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| Tickell's Blue Flycatcher |
After lunch we went down a narrow road leading to the Maskeliya Oya (a tributary of the Kelani Ganga River) to the location, where the filming of "Bridge on the River Kwai" took place. There is now a Hydro-electric project being built here now. Despite this there were plenty of birds in the roadside vegetation, including Lesser Yellownape sub-species Picus chlorolophus wellsi, Green Warbler, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Long-billed Sunbird and our first sighting of a Black-capped Bulbul (also known as Black-headed Yellow Bulbul or Black-crested Bulbul).
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| White-bellied Drongo |
19/2/2018 Kitulgala Rest House, Sabaragamuwa Palata
1 Asian Openbill
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| Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot |
Then breakfast before getting on the bus to leave at 8.15 am to go to the excellent Tamarind Tree Resort, where the tour had begun. Started off along winding roads through rubber plantations and small towns but as we neared Colombo the towns became larger, until it was one giant suburb. Called into the Tamarind Tree Resort to use their facilities then headed further into the suburbs. Some of the group wanted an opportunity to do some souvenir shopping so we stopped at a tourist area. We found a nice restaurant for lunch before we all met up and went back to the Tamarind Tree Resort. Later in the afternoon some of us went for a bird walk around the resort, nothing new but good looks at Brown-headed Barbet, Black-rumped Flameback (Lesser Flameback) and Small Minivet.
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| Small Minivet (m) |
4 Purple-rumped Sunbird
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| Purple-rumped Sunbird (Juv) |
Caught a 10.00pm flight out of Colombo to Singapore, then back to Cairns.
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