Sri Lanka Part 2: 8th - 10th January. Yala

The big one! Following the long drive we enjoyed an excellent meal in the superb Jetwing Yala. Incredible location. The following morning we were up for our first safari at 5.30a.m. and into the landrover, with our driver, Ari. A great guy to have as driver: knowledgeable, interesting and a patient and good driver, sometimes in very trying circumstances. Ari had picked us up from the airport and been there, on time, each day for our journeys. Our guide, Aloo drove the land rover and was most knowledgeable.
The sun was not up as we headed into the Reserve but we could make out shapes in the early morning mist. A malabar hornbill passed us as we noted good numbers of waders around a waterhole populated by sunken water buffalo. Not many chances to take photos, but we would return this way on our way out.
Basically, the bird life was incredible. Everything I had expected to see was ticked along with all the resident mammals and reptiles apart from the elusive leopard.
Really, all I can do is show the photos and list the stuff as it would be endless recording each sighting. However, a few highlights: the beeaters were spectacular, the elephants with babies were memorable and just the density of birds amazing.


lesser whistling duck, spoonbill, common tern (I think) black winged stilt and marsh sandpiper.

black headed ibis



indian robin

blue tailed beeater

brahminy kite

brahminy kite

brown shrike

another brown shrike

black winged stilt

changeable hawk eagle

chestnut headed beeater

common sandpiper

large croc

even larger croc

green beeater.

Aloo rapidly cottoned on to my interest in trying to see as many birds as possible and also my attempts to get some good snaps. Hence we stopped many times, and surveyed the distant trees for other birds that I couldn't photo. Soon, the sun was up and we enjoyed so many great views, with elephants, mongoose, wild pigs, hares, many lizard/iguana sp, crocodiles, buffalo, spotted deer and silver jackal.

elephant rock, Yala National Reserve

elephant family

 black tailed godwit, spoonbill, black headed ibis

another splendid green beeeater

 



marsh sandpiper

grey langar

hare

house crow

indian hoopoe

indian hoopoes

We left the safari at 11.00 as the heat meant that many of the birds and elephants took cover in the shade. After a few hours back at the hotel pool, we set off again for another visit at 3.30, until dusk (6.15.) More amazing sights as we ventured into the other part of the park that is open to the public. In all there are 5 blocks of which Blocks 1 and 3 are open. We stopped off at the beach where there is a moving memorial to those that lost their lives in the park on 26th Dec 2004, the tsunami. Evidence as to the damage it caused was all over the park, where trees had been snapped  about 5 foot above the ground. Such was the salination damage that little has regrown.
Views of Elephant Rock were had as another highlight occured, 5 indian hoopoes, followed about a minute later by our only view of an indian roller. Excellent stuff.

indian pond heron

indian roller

lesser whistling duck

1st bird in pre dawn mist. Unmistakable malabar hornbill

mongoose

monitor

sri lankan green pigeon

pacific golden plover




Jerdon's bushlark

painted stork

another painted stork

peacock

We eventually returned to the hotel in the dark, very happy with our day. I had taken over 350 photographs,so plenty of editing and some deleting was required that evening. Again, following a wonderful meal we prepared for our final journey, to Galle, Jetwing Lighthouse for our last 6 days.

displaying peacock

purple heron

red wattled lapwing

something large!

scaley breasted munia

silver jackal

solitary bull elephant

great thick knee at sunset



another bull elephant and spotted deer

spot billed pelican

spot the elephant

spotted deer

sri lankan green pigeon

On our drive to Galle, Ari was now pointing out birds as we drove along the coast road. New birds added were black eagle and the rare lesser adjutant stork,
In all, Yala is one of the most fantastic wildlife places I have ever visited and certainly worth the long drive to get there.

malabar hornbill

Sri Lankan junglefowl (The national bird)

Wader competition: name these waders.

water buffalo

wild pigs

yellow billed babbler

yellow wattled lapwing.

paddyfield pipit

Updated list:
barred buttonquail, sri lankan junglefowl, peacock, lesser whistling duck, painted stork, asian openbill, black necked stork, black headed ibis, lesser adjutant, eurasian spoonbill, (10 sp) indian pond heron, grey heron, purple heron, cattle egret, great egret, intermediate egret, little egret, spot billed pelican, little cormorant, indian cormorant,  (20 sp)brahminy kite, black eagle, changeable hawk eagle, white breasted waterhen, pheasant tailed jacana, great thick knee, yellow wattled lapwing, red wattled lapwing, pacific golden plover, kentish plover, (30 sp) lesser sandplover, black tailed godwit, common redshank, common greenshank, marsh sandpiper, common sandpiper, curlew sandpiper, gull billed tern, whiskered tern, little tern,(40 sp) common tern, spotted dove, orange breasted green pigeon, sri lankan green pigeon, green imperial pigeon, rose ringed parakeet, chestnut winged cuckoo, asian palm swift, crested treeswift, house swift, (50 sp) indian roller,blue tailed bee eater, green bee eater, chestnut headed bee eater, white throated kingfisher, indian hoopoe, crimson fronted barbet, sri lankan grey hornbill, malabar hornbill, brown shrike, (60 sp) black headed oriole,house crow, large billed crow, barn swallow, white bellied drongo, richards pipit, paddyfield pipit, Blyth's pipit, red vented bulbul, white browed bulbul ,(70 sp) common tailorbird, white browed fantail, yellow billed babbler, common myna, brahminy starling, oriental magpie robin, indian robin, brown breasted flycatcher, purple rumped sunbird, lotens sunbird,(80 sp)  house sparrow, scaley breasted munia, Jerdon's bushlark, little stint