Our morning drive brought us to the Araliya Green Hills Hotel by around 11am. The temperature here was much lower than the last few days without very high humidity. The climate was a relief and it seemed that we'd need the warm tops packed for chilly evenings after all.
After a short break we would meet Lakshma and be driven to the nearby Victoria Park, where he had a spot for Pied Thrush.
It was rather busy in the park and unsurprisingly we didn't find the Pied Thrush, a rather shy and easily flushed bird. We did however see our first Forest Wagtails and some other beautiful species.
We moved on to Hakgala Botanical Gardens, not at its best for blooms at this time of year but still attractive to foraging flocks of birds.
We connected with one flock and had excellent views of the birds just above our heads, then found another flock further into the park.
In the afternoon we were down to go to Bomuru Ella. We walked a track along a water course that swiftly dropped away leaving tree top level much closer to the track. Indian Blackbird was seen here. Chris also got Scimiter Babler. We then walked the grounds of one of the Jetwings hotels. This gave opportunities to photograph some common species but there were no new species to be found.
The next day we were up early and back in Victoria Park trying to see the Pied Thrush. It had been seen just before we got there, but failed to reappear over the next 15 minutes or so. We took a few steps back and tried to leave the area clear for it to return to its favoured area. This was difficult as we couldn't control where another person looking for it walked. Chris got a brief flight view but I never saw it.
We then travelled to Yala, stopping on the way at a hotel with rather unkempt grounds where two Brown Wood Owls were resident in the woods.
We continued our journey to Yala where our guide made contact with some lads who had some local info on some birds that we never could have found on our own. While arrangements were made we checked out some tanks, seeing Yellow Bittern and Grey-headed Swamphen.
The next day we began a series of jeep safaries into nearby national parks and we started at Bundala. The sun was just coming up as we entered the park and we started with Great White, Intermediate and Little Egret all together in the view finder.
The park closes at 6pm and an hour or so before we noticed a queue of jeeps and cars.
We watched for a while, then it set off towards the jeeps, crossing the road right by us.
He sat for a while, watching Chital in the nearby brush, but decided against hunting and retrieved an old kill, watched by a wild boar and a Peacock.
Back after lunch and there was a bird on the wire to identify.
After a short break we would meet Lakshma and be driven to the nearby Victoria Park, where he had a spot for Pied Thrush.
It was rather busy in the park and unsurprisingly we didn't find the Pied Thrush, a rather shy and easily flushed bird. We did however see our first Forest Wagtails and some other beautiful species.
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
Brown-breasted Flycatcher
Common Tailorbird
Oriental Magpie Robin
Scaly-breasted Munia
Brown Shrike
We moved on to Hakgala Botanical Gardens, not at its best for blooms at this time of year but still attractive to foraging flocks of birds.
We connected with one flock and had excellent views of the birds just above our heads, then found another flock further into the park.
Black Bulbul
Himalayan Buzzard
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Bearded Monkey
The next day was an early start for the Jeep ride up to Horton Plains.
The view to the south of the island at dawn
First stop was a known spot for Whistling Thrush. We watched the opposite bank for a long time, waiting for the male, but it didn't show. But Chris spotted a skulking bird, right shape, right size, grovelling along the waters edge no more than a metre in front of us. We both saw it, although obscured by vegetation, but Chris was able to see the blue shoulder panel indicative of female Whistling Thrush.
View across Horton Plains - invasive plant species,
Gorse and Bracken, are a problem
Sambar Deer
We drove a short track, hoping to pick up some more species before embarking on the walk - that we didn't expect to produce much as we'd become accustomed to seeing little in thickly vegetated areas.
Female Pied Bushchat
Male Pied Bushchat
We were right about the walk being a bit light on birds. Lots of White-eyes and Chinese tourists with not too much else. Both were quite noisy.
Sri Lankan White-eye
Alpine Swift and and Hill Swallow were also added to the species list.
Hill Swallow
Yellow-eared Bulbul
In the afternoon we were down to go to Bomuru Ella. We walked a track along a water course that swiftly dropped away leaving tree top level much closer to the track. Indian Blackbird was seen here. Chris also got Scimiter Babler. We then walked the grounds of one of the Jetwings hotels. This gave opportunities to photograph some common species but there were no new species to be found.
Red-vented Bulbul pair
Spotted Dove
The next day we were up early and back in Victoria Park trying to see the Pied Thrush. It had been seen just before we got there, but failed to reappear over the next 15 minutes or so. We took a few steps back and tried to leave the area clear for it to return to its favoured area. This was difficult as we couldn't control where another person looking for it walked. Chris got a brief flight view but I never saw it.
Kashmir Flycatcher
We then travelled to Yala, stopping on the way at a hotel with rather unkempt grounds where two Brown Wood Owls were resident in the woods.
Brown Wood Owl
In the car park a few birds were picking through low vegetation and we got excellent views of Scimitar Babler. Then we saw a White-bellied Drongo with an extensive area of white on the breast and belly.
Scimitar Babler
White-bellied Drongo
We continued our journey to Yala where our guide made contact with some lads who had some local info on some birds that we never could have found on our own. While arrangements were made we checked out some tanks, seeing Yellow Bittern and Grey-headed Swamphen.
Yellow Bittern
Grey-headed Swamphen
Collared Scops Owl
First we were taken to see an owl that had taken up residence under the eaves of a house.
Jungle Owlet
Then we tracked down a Jungle Owlet in someone's back garden. This was a known site where the bird tended to move around quite a bit. Consequently, we ended up finding this for ourselves and our trackers, without the benefit of binoculars, confirmed from our photoes that we'd seen the intended bird.
By now the light was failing and our views of Brown Fish Owl were little more than a silhouette against the rapidly sinking sun. The tree was on the other side of a river so an alternative view was impossible, but at least this was a species that had been seen before.
Brown Fish Owl
A trio of egret species
We started off with some waterbirds.
Watercock
Indian Thick-knee
Greater Thick-knee
With the odd mammal putting in an appearance.
Black-naped Hare
Our driver knew the park very well and found some good species for us.
Jerdon's Bushlark
Ashy-crowned Sparrow Larks
Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Kentish Plover with colour ring fitted at Bundada
Painted Stork
'Animals are the true owners of the jungle.
Make it your purpose to save their lives'.
In the afternoon we set off to Yala, known for having the greatest concentration of Leopard worldwide. Birds were still our focus, but the drivers have a good communication network so any good opportunities to Leopard shouldn't be missed.
Juvenile Brahminy Kite
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Mugger or Marsh Crocodile
The park closes at 6pm and an hour or so before we noticed a queue of jeeps and cars.
A male Leopard had been spotted resting up in the shade.
We watched for a while, then it set off towards the jeeps, crossing the road right by us.
That was the end of our first Yala game drive. A better view of Leopard was unlikely.
We were back the next day, picking up new species before we'd accessed the main park area.
Tawny-bellied Babbler
Indian Pitta
Some interesting rock formations to check over for birds and animals
Lesser Whistling Duck
There were a lot of Peafowl in the park and this displaying Peacock was especially
wonderful to watch. The hen also appeared quite taken with him.
Ruddy Mongoose
Kangroo Lizzard
Crested Hawk Eagle - juvenile
One of the many colourful lorries on Sri Lanka's roads, although a lot are much older,
more faded and possibly less roadworthy.
A heavy shower during lunch time - glad we
were undercover and not in the open sided jeep.
First year Shikra
Grey-necked Bunting, 3rd for Sri Lanka.
Found while waiting for tickets to enter the national park.
Asian Koel
This cow looked quite friendly, but we had to reverse quickly when she came towards the vehicle - she was blind in the right eye and behaved erratically when not positioned sideways on to the jeep.
Orange-breasted Green Pigeon
Common Hoopoe
A herd of Chital, or Spotted Deer
Green Bee-eaters taking a dust bath
Green Bee-eaters
Common Iora
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Malabar Pied Hornbill
Curlew Sandpipers
Brackish lagoon by the dunes
In the dark, as we returned to our hotel, the temple was most stricking