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Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Naturetrek Tour Report 10 - 25 November 2012 Report compiled by Dmmithra Samarasinghe Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Leaders: Dmmithra Samarasinghe (Dammi) Local Naturalist Saman Abeysinghe (Summy) Local Naturalist & Archaeologist Participants: Michael Bowen Susan Bowen Angela Hughes Roger Hughes Colin Wilkinson Margaret Wilkinson Kenneth Knowles Barbara Knowles Carol Wood Roger Morton Sylvia Morton Frances Gregor-Smith Helen Hawkins Michael Hawkins Ann Mellor James Fulton Day 1 Saturday 10th November Outbound to Colombo Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Colombo from London Heathrow. Day 2 Sunday 11th November KATUNAYAKA – ANAVILUNDAAVA – PUTTLAM - ANURADHAPURA All sixteen group members were welcomed by Palitha, Dhammi and myself at the airport. Having sorted money matters we loaded the luggage, and set off for Anuradhapra, our destination for today. Coming out of the airport, we met our first bird, Common Mynah, and then a pair of Grey Necked Crows. As we proceeded, we added Spotted Dove, Large-billed Crow, Barn Swallow, White Throated (Breasted) Kingfisher, Cattle Egret, Rose Ringed Parakeet, and Brahminy Kite to our list. Passing busy urban areas, we started to travel through coconut (Cocos Nucifera) plantations and paddy (Oriza sativa) fields. Passing Chilaw, we had a rare sighting of a pair of Ashy Woodswallows, and an Indian Roller perching on a wire. In the paddy fields we counted some more frequent birds such as Intermediate Egret, Blue Tailed Bee-eater, Asian Open-bill, Red Wattled Lapwing, White Breasted Waterhen, Indian Pond Heron and Black Headed Ibis of whom we had more clear views later in Anavilundaava Ramsar wetlands. Once we reached the wetlands in the hot mid-day, we spent about an hour there bagging Spot Billed Pelican, Indian Cormorant, Little Cormorant, Indian Darter, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Crested Serpent Eagle, Purple Swamphen etc. All the group members were hypnotised by the beauty of the lotus flowers dotted all over the reservoir. © Naturetrek November 13 1 Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report We also saw several species of butterflies such as Small Grass Yellow, Plain Tiger, Small Grass Yellow Orange Tip, Indian Crow, Lemon Emigrant & Crimson Rose. We then went to a restaurant near Puttlam for our first comfort stop. The kind staff served us with bananas and biscuits with tea and coffee. We headed towards to Anuradhapura, stopping at two reservoirs on the way - Mahathabbowa and Nochchiyagama, where we could not add new species other than a Black Drongo perched on a wire. By about 2.30 pm, we checked in at the ‘dinner table’ at the hotel and enjoyed a tasty meal. At 4pm Dhammi lead the group around the Nuwarawewa reservoir and the backyard of the hotel. For this evening, our new birding highlights were Red-vented Bulbul, Oriental Magpie Robin, Black Hooded Oriole, Yellow Billed Babbler, Rosy Starling, Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Brown Morph), Large Cuckoo-shrike, Brown- headed Barbet, endemic Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill, Pied Kingfisher, Little Swift, Asian Palm Swift, Rock Dove, Common Tern, Whiskered Tern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Little Cormorant and Great Cormorant. We met at the lobby at 19h00 to complete the species checklist, followed by the dinner at Miridiya Hotel, Anuradhapura. Other wildlife highlights were: Butterflies: Blue Mormon, Danid Egg-fly, Common Emigrant, Small Salmon Arab. Mammals: Indian Palm Squirrel, Toque Macaque, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Indian Flying-fox. Day 3 Monday 12th November Anuradhapura World Heritage Sites, Maha Kanadarawa & Mihintale Our pre-breakfast birding in the hotel garden was well rewarded with a clear view of an Indian Pitta, one of the most sought-after beauties. Green Imperial Pigeon, Asian Koel, and Greater Coucal were the new additions to our list. Though the high water level did not support as much birdlife as in Anavilundawa wetlands yesterday, we could further count some newcomers such as Lesser Whistling Duck, Little Grebe, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, and Black-winged Stilt. Then we continued along the tank bund where we bagged Asian Brown Flycatcher and Purple Sunbird. After breakfast, we visited the five main monasteries in Anuradhapura. At, Maha Vihara complex the group was split in to two. Dhammy lead eight of us for birding around the Mahamevuna gardens. I lead others to the Sacred Bodhi Tree, Brazen Palace, the refectory, great Ruvan-veli sthupa and rejoined the group who were having a good view of a young Black-rumped Flameback. We all were pleased by the acrobatic efforts taken by the youngsters in a troop of Grey Langurs. After visiting key sites of Isurumuniya & Thuparama Temple, Abhayagiri & Jethawana Monastery complexes, we returned to our hotel for lunch. At the famous Samadhi Buddha Statue in the Abhayagiri Complex, we were lucky to witness a nest-building Malabar Pied Hornbill. By 14h30 in the afternoon, we travelled further north to reach Mahakanadarawa reservoir, one of the largest stores of water in the north-central province. En-route, we had a quick whistle-stop at the Nuwarawewa Reservoir. During the brief stay of 45 minutes in the breeze, we added some dry-zone forest species such as White-browed Bulbul, Ashy Prinia, Plain Prinia, Zitting Cisticola, Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Green Leaf-Warbler. 2 © Naturetrek November 13 Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report We then continued to Mihinthale Sanctuary, once regarded the “Cradle of Buddhism” in Sri Lanka. The setting sun stopped us from further birding after ticking the new species of Coppersmith Barbet, Crested Tree Swift, Blue-tailed Bee-Eater, Small Minivet, Common Wood-Shrike, Common Iora and Indian Robin. We reached our hotel for cool dip in the pool by 18h30. We then met at the lobby of the Miridiya Hotel, Anuradhapura at 19h00 for the checklist, briefing and dinner. Day 4 Tuesday 13th November Anuradhapura to Sigiriya; Sigiriya Sanctuary Our early morning birding started with the endemic Sri Lanka (Pompador) Green Pigeon, followed by Black Bittern, Painted Stork, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Gull-billed Tern, Saunders Tern, endemic Alexandrine Parakeet, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Purple-rumped Sunbird, and Long-billed Sunbird. After breakfast, at 09h00, we set off for Seegiriya. On our way, we had a 30 minute stop at Thirappane where we saw a White-bellied Drongo and many water-loving previously seen species in sizable numbers. We enjoyed a few more short waterside-stops at Maradankadawa area for clear views of previously seen species including a Black-crowned Night-Heron, before reaching our hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, at 14h30, we set off for Sigiriya to try our luck in the then prevailing bad weather. First, we scanned the forest patch along the moat eastwards from the large southern entrance to the fortress, where we had good views of Common Kingfisher, White-browed Fantail, Common Tailorbird, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Large-billed Leaf Warbler and Brown Shrike. Then, we were transported to the northern gate area, where in drizzle we walked along a gravel road through the sanctuary and an open area adjoining to the paddy fields. Having seen a good view of a Jerdon’s Leafbird, we went to the Magic Pool area. On the way we had a good view of a Peregrine Falcon. We were fortunate to bag: Orange-headed Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, White-rumped Shama, and Dark-fronted Babbler being the most sought after dry zone forest species. We returned late in the evening, meeting at the lobby in the Hotel Sigiriya at 19h00 for the checklist and briefing which were followed by dinner. Day 5 Wednesday 14th November Climbing Sigiriya fortress (morning), birding around the moat and in the sanctuary A few of us participated in our pre-breakfast walk which was rewarded by a Brown-capped Babbler and Jungle Prinia. As we were enjoying our meals, the Sigiriya Rock was playing hide & seek with us in the mist. From the restaurant we had a very long observation of a Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher. Only eight of us dared to count the steps with me at the rock fortress, while others thought of scanning the forest patches around the moat in the Sigiriya sanctuary with Dhammi. While we were exploring the pleasure gardens, mirror wall, paintings, palace complex and the post Kashyapa Monastery Complex with their real hidden values and architectural marvels, Dhammi and his team had good views of Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Golden-fronted Leafbird and heard a call of Greater Flameback. After reassembling the group, we returned to our hotel for lunch. © Naturetrek November 13 3 Sri Lanka - Wildlife & History Tour Report There was not much in our afternoon session because of the weather. We scanned the same areas we did in the afternoon yesterday. When we were passing the western entrance area we were amused by a troop of Grey Langurs. Our birding highlights were Black-capped Bulbul, and Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher. We met at the lobby in the Hotel Sigiriya at 19h00 for checklist, briefing and dinner. During the night we heard a call of an Oriental Scops Owl. Day 6 Thursday 15th November Sigiriya to Kandy, presentation at Luck Grove Spice, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens & Cultural Dances The morning birding was curtailed because of showers. Therefore after breakfast, we left hotel heading towards Kandy, the last stronghold of the order of our kings. On our way, we visited a spice garden where they a presentation about spices and some facts about Ayurveda, the science of our life and its well-being. We reached our hotel for lunch.
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