Sri Lankan Visit

Set off for Sri Lanka on the overnight flight on Boxing Day, spending 2 days in Negombo followed by a week in Galle before returning to Negombo for 2 nights as it is easy for transfer to the airport. Not a birding trip, but I managed to get out on a few occasions, most memorably to a new area of Kottawa Rain Forest where I scored with the elusive and secretive white tailed shama. Other new birds for my SL list were crimson fronted barbet at Hiyare Forest and a distant osprey from the beach at Negombo.
I visited Kottawa with Anoma, naturalist in residence at the superb Jetwing Lighthouse hotel in Galle. I have spent plenty of time out and about with Anoma over the years and Wendy and I enjoyed his and his wife, Anusha's company on the Saturday night for a buffet at the hotel. We were also invited around to their house for a meal where son, Kevin, was the star of the show.

Anoma leading the way

Listening for the call of the white rumped shama

dense forest

This path only lasts about 50 metres

success: white rumped shama, a very difficult bird to find, never mind photograph

showing well, the male with the longer tail

shorter tail indicates a female

The beach at Negombo was great for a spot of sea watching, with indian cormorants, white bellied sea eagles, occasional brahminy kite and numerous terns. The latter were almost all gull billed and whiskered, as shown here.

gull billed tern

whiskered tern

whiskered tern

another whiskered tern

katamaran out fishing

Little egret, Negombo beach

white bellied sea eagle off the sea

distant white bellied sea eagle

Other birds noted around Negombo were common sandpiper on the beach whilst in the Jetwing vegetable garden, a family of tailorbirds, asian koel, shrika and plenty of rose ringed parakeets.

juvenile black hooded oriole

common sandpiper

juvenile tailorbird

adult tailorbird

Negombo beach

blue tailed bee eater hunting dragonflies on Negombo beach

Whilst in Galle, Anoma and I walked the local lanes and visited Kurulubedda chalets, set in their own forest and paddy area adjacent to Mahamodara River. Here, black monkey as well as a selection of everyday birds, always good to see. I returned to this lane on another occasion to get a few more photos, such as these;

black hooded oriole, adult

Black monkeys

common mynah

the lane leading from Jetwing Lighthouse

purple rumped sunbird

red vented bulbul

common kingfisher

Buddhist stipa along the lane with accompanying cattle egret

white bellied drongo

Another visit with Anoma was to the reservoir at Hiyare Forest. Here, brahminy kite, little cormorant and my first crimson fronted barbet, that refused to pose for the camera!

crimson fronted barbet

same skulking bird

Hiyare reservoir and forest

juvenile Brahminy kite

same bird

little cormorant

white  throated kingfisher

All in all, a superb time with birds everywhere. Restrictions on time meant no big trip out this time but still plenty noted and many pleasing species recorded.

cattle egret

Indian pond heron

Oriental honey buzzard outside Lighthouse hotel

red wattled lapwing