With Sri Lanka added to our list of forthcoming international tour destinations, and a short gap in the diary appearing, we decided to make a trip out to check it out beforehand. We only had 12 days available (shorter than the 16 day full tour), so had to miss out a couple of destinations, but still managed to pack in a huge amount.
As a result of its island location and evolutionary history, Sri Lanka boasts a unique biodiversity with a very high level of endemism. That includes 35 endemic bird species at the time of writing, a total which continues to grow as more distinctive endemic subspecies are elevated to full species level. We decided to try to see as many of those endemic species (and subspecies) as possible, along with as much other wildlife as we could and some cultural sites too.
In the end, we managed to see all 35, and a whole load more besides, aided by excellent local guide Supurna Hettiarachchi (Hetti for short) who was invaluable. If you need a guide for Sri Lanka, I cannot recommend him highly enough, so please feel free to contact me for his details.
If you like what you read below, you can find more details of our 2026 tour here.
Thursday 13th March
Our Etihad flight from London via Abu Dhabi landed in Colombo at 8.10am. We were met outside by Hetti and, after changing some money and sorting out local mobile SIM cards, we were soon underway for the two hour journey to Kitulgala – the location for much of the filming for the 1957 film ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’. We checked into our hotel and had lunch (the food in Sri Lanka is generally excellent!), looking across the Kelani river to the forested hills beyond.
Afterwards, we had a look round the grounds. The first endemics came quickly, with Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill (endemic #1) and Yellow-fronted Barbet (#2) in the trees in the garden and a couple of Sri Lanka Swallows (#3) over the river beyond. There was a nice variety of other birds too, including a White-bellied Sea Eagle in the trees by the river, Green Imperial Pigeons, Square-tailed, Yellow-browed and Red-vented Bulbuls, White-bellied Drongos, Orange and Small Minivets, Purple-rumped and Loten’s Sunbirds and Green Warbler.
Early afternoon, Hetti drove us a short distance through the village for a walk through some nearby gardens and fields. The trees here added several more of the sought after endemics, including Orange-billed Babbler (#4), Red-backed Flameback (#5), Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot (#6), Sri Lanka Junglefowl (#7) and Sri Lanka Green Pigeon (#8) . There were a few Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys here too. But the highlight was a Chestnut-backed Owlet (#9) – a pair were nesting in one of the gardens, the male giving great views perched in the trees nearby.
This is normally meant to be the dry season, with very little rain, but this March has been unseasonably wet. Thankfully it doesn’t rain all the time, but most afternoons we saw some precipitation and there was also impressive lightning on some evenings. It rained heavily for an hour this afternoon so we took shelter at a nearby lodge and had a cup of Ceylon tea. When it cleared, we headed back to the hotel and managed another hour or so birding around the grounds and down by the river again.
Only half a day, interrupted by rain, and we had already managed to see 9/35 endemics. A great start!
Friday 14th March
The highlight of a walk around in front of the hotel before breakfast was a Brown Mongoose on the lawn. As we finished up eating, a Layard’s Parakeet (#10) flew in over the river and we then found two feeding in the trees above the car park. There were lots of Alexandrine Parakeets flying round too, and more Sri Lanka Hanging Parrots were in the trees.
A Sri Lanka Green Pigeon perched in the top of a tree in the early morning sun.
There were several Pale-billed Flowerpeckers feeding on the flowers and a very showy Red-backed Flameback in the trees.
Down by the river, we took the boat (raft?) across to the far side. Walking down through the gardens and small tea plantations, we found several Black-throated Munias of the endemic kelaarti subspecies, a potential future split.
Beyond the village, we entered the Makandawa forest reserve and spent the rest of the morning walking the trails through the trees. It was slow going at times, as tropical forest birding often can be, but we did find several Sri Lanka Drongos (#11) and a Crimson-backed Flameback (#12), plus three Malabar Trogons and a few commoner birds like Black-naped Monarch and Brown-breasted Flycatcher. We also saw a couple of endemic damselflies – Shining Gossamerwing and Black-tipped Flashwing.
On our way back through the village, we found a single Black-capped Bulbul (#13) in the fields and a Lesser Yellownape feeding in the trees. A Forest Wagtail feeding under the trees in one of the gardens was a nice bonus too. Then we took the boat back across to the hotel in time for lunch.
After a rest, we met up again mid afternoon and headed back to where we had been interrupted by the rain yesterday. A walk further down between the gardens produced good photo opportunities of several commoner birds like Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Purple-rumped Sunbird and White-rumped Munia, with better views of several Sri Lanka Swallows hawking overhead.
The male Chestnut-backed Owlet was still in the trees where it had been yesterday, showing even better today, but there was no sign at first of the hoped for Spot-winged Thrush or Indian Pitta. Apparently both had reappeared after we left and the rain stopped yesterday!
It was clouding over again now and the sky was starting to look very threatening, so it was a relief to eventually find a singing male Spot-winged Thrush (#14) on the edge of an overgrown small tea plantation nearby. We retreated back to the lodge for tea again just as the rain started and it was getting dark when we got back to the hotel.
Saturday 15th March
It was meant to be mainly a travel day today. We had time for a look around the grounds of the hotel before and after breakfast. As well as the usual selection of birds, we added Southern Hill Myna and the spectacular endemic butterfly Sri Lanka Birdwing. A female Indian Paradise Flycatcher and a White-browed Fantail showed very well in the car park. Then it was into the minibus for the four hour journey across to Sinharaja.
On the way through Kudawa village, towards our hotel, Hetti pulled up briefly to talk to a couple of the jeep drivers parked by the road. We had planned to have a relaxed afternoon birding along the road from the lodge, but now our plans changed. A family of Serendib Scops Owls were apparently showing well in the edge of the forest by a nearby village. This is one of the most sought after of the endemic species, remarkably discovered only in 2001, so Hetti decided we needed to go and see them straight away this afternoon. He had already arranged for one of the jeep drivers to pick us up!
After checking in and lunch, we had a chance to get sorted out. A Crimson-fronted Barbet (#15) in the trees in the lodge garden was an addition to the endemics list. Then the jeep arrived to pick us up at 2.30pm. It was a slow and bumpy journey up one of the forest tracks and a couple of other jeeps were already there when we arrived. We waited to see if the occupants would emerge but there was no sign of them. So our jeep driver led us past the houses and in to the trees beyond. First, we stopped to look at a pair of Sri Lankan Frogmouths roosting in some nearby bushes. Not an endemic, but a smart bird to see nonetheless!
The group from the other vehicles still hadn’t emerged, so we pressed on further in to look for the owls anyway (we discovered they were photographers, so were not coming out any time soon). Thankfully, there were only five of them and enough room for the two of us too. The family of three Serendib Scops Owls (#16) were roosting in the understorey just a few metres away, one of the adults and the juvenile out in the open and one more hidden.
Apparently the juvenile Serendib Scops Owl had only just emerged from the nest overnight, and the adults had been very elusive previously, so we were incredibly fortunate with our timing. They were roosting somewhere else and could not be found the following day too, so we were incredibly grateful to Hetti for getting us up here straight away this afternoon.
After the owls, we had time for a look around the village. A Slaty-legged Crake was feeding on a small pool in the trees behind one of the houses, along with a pair of Spot-winged Thrushes and several Sri Lankan Junglefowl – the owners kindly let us in and made us tea! A White-throated (Legge’s) Flowerpecker (#17) appeared briefly in the top of a distant tree – definitely views to improve on. Our jeep driver also led us back into the trees to show us an endemic Sri Lanka Green Pit Viper in the bushes right by where we had seen the Frogmouths earlier.
On our way back down the track, we stopped by a nest site for Sri Lanka Myna (#18). Obligingly, the female was perched in a tree directly opposite where we pulled up. We got back to the lodge around 5.15pm and thankfully it didn’t rain this afternoon.
Another group was going out to a nearby site to try for Spot-bellied Eagle Owl at dusk. Hetti knew the other guide and asked if we wanted to go too. We stood and waited where the owl had apparently been seen recently but there was no sign of it before it got dark. As we walked back, someone heard it further along the road the other way so we headed down that way. We could hear it still calling but the most we managed was a brief view as it caught the torchlight as it flew out of a tree half way up the hillside. Then we decided to head back for a late dinner.
Sunday 16th March
Sinharaja is the last viable area of primary tropical rainforest in Sri Lanka and the most important site for endemic species, so this area would be our focus for the next two days. This morning we left early in the jeep and took a packed breakfast up into the forest. Our first destination was Martin’s Lodge, about 40 minutes up a bumpy track on the edge of the primary protected forest zone. It was damp and misty and still spitting with rain first thing, but quickly dried out through the early morning. Several rather damp Sri Lanka Woodpigeons (#19) were in the trees when we arrived.
There was some rice and fruit put out on the balcony of the terrace at the lodge and several birds were coming in to feed, a succession of bulbuls and Yellow-fronted Barbets. Two Sri Lanka Blue Magpies (#20) called as they came in through the trees. Amazing looking birds and fantastic views as they came down for the fruit right in front of us. A couple of Layard’s Squirrels came in too.
The main target here was Sri Lanka Spurfowl (#21), with birds fairly regularly coming in early morning to feed on grain put out behind the buildings. We didn’t have to wait too long before a male Spurfowl appeared and proceeded to feed right below the balcony. They don’t always come in, so we were pleased to see this one so easily. We could relax now and enjoy our packed breakfast.
To go into the core protected zone of the forest, you need to be accompanied by a forest guide and ours now joined us. We set off to walk up to the forest and got distracted on the way. Several White-faced Starlings were calling in the trees at the back of the fields above the path, and as we walked up round the house to get to them we realised the area was full of birds. There was a large mixed flock here and for about half an hour, we literally did not know which was to look.
A small group of Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes (#22) was feeding on the ground behind the house and then the White-faced Starlings (#23) flew down to a fruiting bush on the edge of the fields in front of us. Good to get views low down, as they can often just be in the tops of the trees.
A couple of Red-faced Malkohas (#24) flew in, one landing in full view in front of us. Then Hetti heard Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babblers (#25) calling and we managed to see them as they moved through the bushes together with a group of Orange-billed Babblers. There were Layard’s Parakeets, Orange Minivets, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and bulbuls aplenty too.
Four of the scarcer endemics all in one place! Apparently we were very lucky, partly as finding some of these species can take time. One of the other forest guides told us that there had been nothing in the fields here yesterday morning. It seemed like everything had come out to feed in the open after the rain this morning. Now we headed in through the entrance gate to the core zone of the forest.
There were a couple of Spot-winged Thrushes in the trees by the path but it was quiet at times as we walked round. We found some small groups of Dark-fronted Babblers in the undergrowth but we only heard a distant Brown-capped Babbler briefly. There were a few Large-billed Leaf Warblers in the trees, plus a few Indian Paradise Flycatchers and a Black-naped Monarch on the nest. Non-avian interest was provided by a couple of endemic lizards – the impressive Hump-nosed Lizard and several Kangaroo Lizards, plus a selection of butterflies and a few dragonflies.
The main target here though was Sri Lanka Thrush (#26). They can be very tricky to see and it took us a while to get decent views. The first we found was feeding in a densely vegetated gully, where it was very hard to get a clear look at it. Further on, we found a pair but they were always moving away ahead of us up a wooded slope at first. One dropped down towards the stream below and our forest guide led us in through the trees until we eventually managed to get eyes on it feeding in the fallen leaves.
A remarkable morning, we had done far better than we could have anticipated. We headed back out of the core forest to Martin’s Lodge where we enjoyed the most delicious Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch (with 9 different dishes, curry, daal, assorted vegetables, etc) all in the most fabulous setting looking out over the trees. After chilling out on the terrace for a bit afterwards, it started to spit with rain, so we made our way back down to the lodge in the jeep.
The rain was heavy for a time, but thankfully it didn’t matter now. It had largely stopped by the time we got back but still threatening so we spent an hour or so birding around the grounds and the road just outside.
Monday 17th March
After our success yesterday, we had just two more endemics left which we needed to see in Sinharaja, Green-billed Coucal and Brown-capped Babbler. We set off early with a packed breakfast again, and drove in the jeep up to the small village where we had seen the owls on Saturday afternoon. It was still rather cool and damp at first, so we birded around the houses while we waited for it to warm up.
The pair of Spot-winged Thrushes came out onto the grass in front of the house we had visited before and there were several Sri Lanka Junglefowls in the garden behind. The Slaty-legged Crake was still around the small pool in the trees beyond and a female Indian Blue Robin appeared there too. A group of Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes came in to feed on the seed put out on top of the shed. Lots of birds perched up in the tops of the trees first thing, waiting for the sun to come out – including Sri Lanka Green Pigeons, Sri Lanka Mynas and a few Layard’s Parakeets.
As it warmed up, a variety of birds came in to visit the garden. A pair of Black-throated Munias flew in and landed several times in the taller trees, as did a Crimson-fronted Barbet. A pair of Purple-rumped Sunbirds had built their nest hanging from a branch above the lawn and repeatedly came to feed the young inside. A couple of Sri Lanka Hanging Parrots landed in a small fruit tree by the road, but the highlight was a male White-throated Flowerpecker which came in to feed in the same tree too, right in front of us. Much better views than we had the other day.
The Green-billed Coucal (#27) apparently comes in to the gardens here most mornings, but there was no sign of it at first today. Just a Greater Coucal instead. At one point, our jeep driver heard one calling further down along the road but it had gone quiet by the time we got there. We had to content ourselves with an interesting selection of dragonflies and butterflies on the verge. So when he heard it again a little later, we walked down quickly, just in time to see it fly out of the bushes and across in front of us, disappearing over the river. Flight views only, but we did get a good view of its green(ish) bill!
Making our way back down in the jeep, we stopped several times to see if we could find a Brown-capped Babbler. Again, our jeep driver heard one but it had gone quiet by the time we got down to where he was looking. It seemed to have disappeared, but lingering while everyone else had wandered up, suddenly we noticed movement in the rocks right below the road and a pair of Brown-capped Babblers (#28) appeared.
On our way back to the lodge, we stopped again in the village at another place to try for Green-billed Coucal. We heard them calling but they were impossible to see at first in dense bamboo and tangled vegetation down by the river. We had some brief views and then realised from one point we could see one lurking deep in the bamboo. We trained the scope on it and two more joined it – a family group of Green-billed Coucals. Better views than earlier, even if they never really came out fully into the open.
We had managed to see all the endemics we needed to see in the wet zone now, so we headed back down to the lodge for lunch and said goodbye to our jeep driver. Still, we had planned to go out again this afternoon just birding along the road but the rain started at 2.30pm today. It eased off enough later on to have a quick look out around the grounds 4-5pm, but when it started again we came in for tea. Thankfully it didn’t really matter that we had lost most of the afternoon today.
Tuesday 18th March
We were leaving Sinharaja today, but we went out for a walk along the road first thing. A Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher flashed across the river and an Indian Pitta perched in the trees at the back of a small tea plantation, both additions to the trip list. After breakfast, we had a little time to look around the grounds again, where a pair of Black-throated Munias were nest building right in front of the balcony of the restaurant block. A Blyth’s Reed Warbler appeared out of the vegetation in the marshy area in front.
Our next stop at Udawalawe was about a 2h30 drive away. We left at 10am and, on the way, we stopped to look at some rice paddies where a pair of Woolly-necked Storks were feeding. A Black Eagle drifted low right over our heads. We checked into our hotel and, in the afternoon, we had a jeep safari arranged in Udawalawe National Park.
Heading off in the jeep, we crossed the dam by the reservoir and stopped to look at the marshy area just beyond. There were lots of Indian Thick-knees and a few Wood Sandpipers, several Painted Storks, a Eurasian Spoonbill and a single Spot-billed Pelican, plus herons, egrets and a selection of terns. Lots of Spotted Deer (or Chital) were feeding out on the grass, as was a small family group of Wild Boar.
Into the park beyond, we found a pair of Yellow-wattled Lapwings on the open grassy area beyond the gate along with a Land Monitor and several Indian Peafowl. There were lots of the latter all through the park. Bee-eaters seemed to be on just about every bush, lots of Asian Green, with smaller numbers of Blue-tailed and Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, as did Indian Robins.
The main endemic species in the dry zone is Sri Lanka Woodshrike (#29) and we had very good views of a couple in the bushes here.
There were a few Yellow-eyed Babblers and Marshall’s Ioras in the trees too and a single Thick-billed Flowerpecker. Jerdon’s Larks were in the tracks, along with several Barred Buttonquail. A Grey-bellied Cuckoo was only seen in flight briefly. A Crested Serpent Eagle and several Changeable Hawk Eagles were perched in the trees.
Udawalawe National Park is best known for its population of Asian Elephants, and we were not disappointed. We found several, including fantastic views of a young male which we spent some time watching as it fed, then walked across the track to a lake to drink and then have a dip. Great to watch! There were a couple of Mugger Crocodiles on the lakes, a Golden Jackal and a Black-naped Hare leveret too.
The dark clouds built steadily through the middle of the afternoon. The first thunderstorms skirted round us, but at 5pm it started to rain heavily and we had to lower the covers on the jeep. Thankfully, it eased off fairly quickly and we were able still to find Jungle and Ashy Prinias and a few Orange-breasted Green Pigeons. The weather still threatened though and it was damp now which meant we probably didn’t see as much as we might otherwise have done before we had to leave.
Wednesday 19th March
This morning we would be moving on and heading up into the hills, to Nuwara Eliya. We checked out and departed at 8am, with a quick stop at the marshy area just past the dam again, where we added Great Thick-knee to the trip list, albeit distant, plus Pacific Golden and Little Ringed Plovers. Further on, we had another stop by some nice lily-covered pools where we found several Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Grey-headed Swamphens, Lesser Whistling Ducks and a brief Pied Kingfisher. A couple of Black-headed Ibises were in the rice paddies just beyond.
Our next stop was in Bandarawela at a tea shop, where we stocked up on Ceylon and vanilla tea. We finally got up to Nuwara Eliya around 1pm. Checking in to our hotel, we had some time to get sorted out.
There were some flowering trees right outside our room and from the balcony we had great views of several Indian White-eyes and a couple of Sri Lanka White-eyes (#30) too. Great to see the two alongside each other, the Sri Lanka White-eyes are much darker than the Indians and more obviously so than illustrated in the field guides. A couple of Hill Swallows were hawking up and down over a narrow cultivated strip behind the hotel.
In the afternoon, we headed over to Victoria Park in the centre of town. This is a great site for some wintering northern migrants, particularly the much sought after Pied Thrush and Kashmir Flycatcher. Hetti knew exactly where to look and it didn’t take long to find several Pied Thrushes in the trees, including a smart male which eventually posed nicely perched in the branches close to the path. If Carlsberg did thrushes…
A Yellow-eared Bulbul (#31) was feeding in the fruiting bushes where the Pied Thrushes were too. Another smart bird, much better looking than many of the other bulbuls. Further in to the park, we couldn’t find any Kashmir Flycatchers in the trees at first but then located a pair feeding in the bushes by the stream, the male of which showed very well.
A male Indian Blue Robin was more elusive in the same bushes but a pair of Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babblers showed well higher up in the trees just beyond. We heard a couple of Indian Pittas calling over the far side but they just wouldn’t show themselves.
Working our way back down alongside the stream, we found another four male Pied Thrushes feeding along the edge. Showing well! We must have found at least ten in total in the park, mostly males, much more than we had expected to see. A Forest Wagtail was feeding by the stream too.
Cutting back across to where we had started, another Indian Pitta was calling but only very intermittently. Once again, it started to rain now and by 5.15pm it was getting heavy. We decided to abandon our attempts to see a Pitta and head back to the hotel.
Thursday 20th March
An extra early start, as we wanted to get up to Horton Plains National Park for dawn. We left at 5am with a packed breakfast, driven by a local driver in his smaller minivan, and were up at the entrance gate by 6am. A couple of Indian Blackbirds were on the lawn by the ticket office in the half light. The birds here are an endemic subspecies, kinnisii, and look noticeably different to Indian birds. Possibly another future split. A Sri Lanka Woodpigeon flew in and landed in the trees just beyond.
After getting our tickets, we drove further in to the park. We made a couple of stops in the stunted cloud forest but the best we could manage was an old nest from a Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush. It was cool and windy and seemed rather quiet at first. The third place we stopped, by a small pool, looked more promising. It didn’t take long for a pair of Dull-blue Flycatchers (#32) to appear. They are much more attractive than the name sounds! A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was flicking around in the bushes behind the water and a Grey Wagtail was feeding on the lilypads in the middle of the water.
The main target here was Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush (#33) and they can be very difficult, so it was a relief when a pair appeared through the bushes and started to feed around the edge of the pool. What happened over the next hour or so was remarkable, as we had views of them down to a few metres at times. At one point, the male hopped on to a low rock right in front of us with a crab in its bill! Stunning views.
A flock of birds came through the trees, including several Yellow-eared Bulbuls, a few Sri Lanka White-eyes and Orange Minivets, and a pair of Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers. A Green Sandpiper flew in and landed on the pool briefly.
The one bird we hadn’t seen here which we had hoped to was Sri Lanka Bush Warbler (#34). We had walked up and down several times with no success, then we were standing right by the bushes where we had been watching the Whistling Thrushes and heard one call a couple of times inside. It must have been in there all along! We eventually had good views of it but it never emerged completely and was the one endemic bird species which eluded the camera on this trip. Something to go back for, if an excuse was needed!
Moving on, we drove out of the trees and out into the open patana moorland beyond. There were several Black Bushchats and Paddyfield Pipits here and Zitting Cisticolas flying up calling. A few Sambar deer were feeding out on the grass and a couple of Stripe-necked Mongoose appeared between them. There had apparently been a Leopard around earlier, but there was no sign of it now.
We stopped for breakfast at the Park Office and Cafeteria. Several Hill Swallows were hawking around the buildings and landing on the roofs. A few Indian Swiftlets were hawking low over the grass beyond and scanning the hills beyond we picked up a single Alpine Swift. A large Sambar stag walked right through between the picnic tables. After we had finished eating, a pair of Black-headed (Tricoloured) Munias appeared, feeding on the short grass by the cafe. Smart birds.
After breakfast, we drove on along the road to the far gate. There are a couple of interesting endemic lizards here, both of which our driver and Hetti located for us – the distinctive Rhino-horned Lizard and the more subtle Pygmy Lizard. Two Sri Lanka Thrushes were calling in the trees but the vegetation was very thick and the best we could manage were some very brief flight views.
With our mission in the National Park here accomplished, we drove back the way we had come and descended down towards Nuwara Eliya. On the way, we stopped at a site to try to get better views of Sri Lanka Woodpigeon but found several young couples in the trees and no pigeons. A male Ashy Prinia found a caterpillar and took it down into the grass presumably to its nest.
We had a couple of hours downtime now back at the hotel before we headed back out again in our minibus. We had thought about going back to Victoria Park but instead headed over to where we had been earlier to see if we could find the Woodpigeons. There were still people in the trees when we arrived, but they quickly drifted off and we didn’t have to wait too long before the Sri Lanka Woodpigeons started to appear. Two dropped down to drink under the trees, but the third came out and landed on a low wall close to the road, out in the open. Really good views at last.
There were more birds in the trees here too – a pair of Dull-blue Flycatchers, a couple of Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers, two Velvet-fronted Nuthatches. A Dusky Squirrel climbed through the branches too. Several Indian Swiftlets hawked low overhead.
We had a quick try at a nearby site by the road to see if we could get a Sri Lanka Bush Warbler to come out but we had probably left it a little too late and everything had gone quiet now. Time to head back.
Friday 21st March
We left Nuwara Eliya after breakfast and drove to Kandy, dropping down from an altitude of nearly 1900m to 500m in the space of just over an hour. We had planned to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya on our way in but we arrived to find it very busy with nowhere to park. We checked in to our hotel but our rooms were not ready yet, so we went for a walk around Kandy Lake.
There were lots of cormorants, Black-crowned Night Herons and egrets nesting in the trees by the lake and groups of roosting Indian Flying Foxes up in the branches. More cormorants, Little, Indian and Great, and a few Spot-billed Pelicans were loafing on dead branches in the edge of the water. We found a couple of Indian Pond Herons in breeding plumage too.
There were several White-throated Kingfishers, plus a Common Kingfisher and a very obliging Stork-billed Kingfisher. A few Indian Black Turtles and a couple of introduced Red-eared Sliders were in the water. One of the Water Monitors had dug up a nest of turtle eggs which it was eating.
We moved into our room at the hotel now and then headed out again at 3pm, back to the Royal Botanic Gardens. This time it was a little less busy and we found somewhere to park. Our main target here was Indian Pitta and not far in we heard a couple calling. This time, one eventually flew up and landed in a tree above our heads where we had a great view of it.
There were more birds to see here too. Further in, we found a Jerdon’s Leafbird feeding in the palms and then heard a Common Hawk Cuckoo calling. It took some time to track it down and only saw it when it eventually flew out of the leafy tree it was hiding in.
We had planned to visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for the service late this afternoon, but once again it was very busy and we couldn’t find anywhere to park. We decided to call it a night and try again tomorrow.
Saturday 22nd March
Today was to be mainly sightseeing, but we still had time for wildlife, particularly first thing. After breakfast, we drove the short distance to Udawatta Kele, a protected forest right in the centre of Kandy. There were a few birds in the trees as we walked in – Layard’s Parakeets and Sri Lanka Hanging Parrots, lots of Southern Hill Mynas, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, a few Black-naped Monarchs, Brown-breasted and Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers.
We were just watching a Spot-billed Thrush feeding on the ground in the leaves when Hetti heard a Sri Lanka Shama (#35) singing quietly. Walking slowly on, we found it perched on a low tree stump ahead of us. We stopped and watched it for a while – endemic number 35/35, we had completed the set!
The other bird we were hoping to find here was Brown Fish Owl, so we walked back down to the lake now. We checked both sides but couldn’t find one roosting and we were about to leave when, scanning from the bottom end, we found one lurking in the leaves on a distant branch out over the water. We walked back up the path for a closer view before it eventually flew down through the trees and disappeared.
We headed back to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic now. The morning service was over, but it was still quite busy when we got in. The chamber housing the tooth is normally closed outside of service times but kept open for a short time afterwards. We got lucky today and arrived just before it was closed. The tooth is in a gold casket so you don’t get to see it, but the chamber itself is impressive. Hetti talked us through the history of the tooth and the temple – very interesting and well worth a visit.
We left Kandy at around 12pm to drive north to Sigiriya. There was plenty of time so we stopped for a quick look at the Golden Temple in Dambulla and then at a local bakery to buy some delicious pastries for a late lunch. A few minutes scanning a lake (‘tank’) by the road just beyond the town added Little Grebe, Purple Heron and Oriental Darter to the trip list.
At Sigiriya we met local guide Neil who would lead us through the grounds and up to the rock fortress. We walked in through the water gardens, where there were a few birds – including Small Minivets, Loten’s Sunbirds and a couple of Crested Treeswifts.
We could see the rather daunting looking granite outcrop ahead of us. A large cloud of House Swifts was screaming round and round the top of the rock.
The first part of the ascent was fairly gentle, before climbing up several steeper stone staircases. The view looking back down to the water gardens from half way up was very impressive. The last section was up a series of iron staircases attached to the side of the outcrop, but the climb was worth it for the amazing view from the top alone.
Sigiriya is known as a nesting place for a pair of Peregrine Falcons. The birds here are of the distinctive peregrinator subspecies, also known as Shaheen, noticeably smaller and much darker than regular Peregrines. We hadn’t found any at the top, but half way down we stopped at the Lion’s Paw gate terrace and one started to circle the rock. Great views as it then flew out right over our heads.
On our descent, we climbed up the spiral staircase to look at the cave paintings which date back to the 5th century. Sigiriya is really an impressive complex with a fascinating history which Neil talked us through on our way round. Well worth a break from birding!
It was then on to our accommodation at Haberana and it was dark when we arrived. After dinner, we had arranged a short night walk around the grounds with the hotel’s resident guide. Unfortunately, the mammals had gone awol, so with a busy day tomorrow we called time after an hour and retired to bed.
Sunday 23rd March
Our destination today was to be Wilpattu National Park. We had originally been booked for just an afternoon jeep safari, but with the risk of rain and after our experience at Udawalawe, Hetti had suggested a change of plan. He picked us up at 4am and drove us over to Wilpattu before dawn. As the sun started to come up, we were picked up by our jeep driver and driven to the park.
While we waited for the driver to get our tickets, there were loads of birds in the ticket office car park. A Sri Lanka Woodshrike and a Black-headed Cuckooshrike were both singing in the trees above, Small Minivets, Jerdon’s Leafbirds and Common Ioras were feeding in the bushes and a Black-rumped Flameback landed on a trunk. Two Malabar Pied Hornbills flew in and landed in the top of a bare tree. A Grizzled Giant Squirrel was feeding in the branches nearby.
Driving into the park, there were lots of Sri Lanka Junglefowl and Indian Peafowl everywhere. We passed Spotted Deer, Sambar and a Wild Water Buffalo. A Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher posed in the bushes by the track.
A jeep ahead of us had stopped to look at a Brown Wood Owl in the trees, so we pulled up too. An unexpected but very welcome addition to the trip list. A little further on, two Brown Fish Owls were in the trees by a small lake.
Several Orange-breasted Green Pigeons were perched up in the bushes in the morning sun.
A Blue-faced Malkoha flew in and landed on a bush right next to us. It disappeared in but then came out to sun itself, right at eye level from the jeep. Stunning views!
There are lots of lakes and ‘tanks’ in the Park and as we drove round, we stopped to check several out. There were more waders here than we had seen elsewhere, including fantastic close views of Great Thick-knee, Pacific Golden Plover and Lesser Sandplover, plus Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank and Redshank.
Two Pin-tailed Snipe were feeding in the short grass on the edge of one pool. Watching them carefully, we could see their distinctive outertail feathers while they preened.
We found groups of terns, including a single White-winged Black Tern. Oriental Darters, egrets and herons aplenty. A couple of Grey-headed Fish-Eagles were perched in the trees and White-bellied Sea-Eagles circled over. Stopping by one lake, a Lesser Adjutant was feeding on the shore ahead of us and our first Moorhen of the trip was out in the rushes, along with a Pheasant-tailed Jacana. There was a great selection of dragonflies to work through here too.
Wilpattu has a healthy population of Leopards, one of the main draws for most people. We were not visiting Yala NP on this trip (we do on the longer tour), which is another great place for them. A couple of times this morning, we got word that one had been seen but we were generally distracted by other things and by the time we got there, they had disappeared. We did see plenty of mammals including Ruddy Mongoose, Golden Jackal and lots of monkeys (Toque Macaques and Grey Langurs).
We stopped for lunch at the rest area in the middle of the park and were served another wonderful Sri Lankan curry. We had to eat in one of the shelters to avoid the Toque Macaques, which were stealing other people’s lunches outside. Still slightly surreal to be sitting here eating a delicious curry picnic in the middle of a National Park!
After lunch, our driver had a tip off about another Leopard which was sleeping on a termite mound in the trees close to one of the tracks. We could only see a few spots at first, but got ourselves into a better position. From time to time it would sit up and look round. We waited a while to see if it might wake up – there were lots of butterflies and dragonflies to look at and occasionally our hopes got up when the Leopard sat up again.
But it was still quite hot and the Leopard was obviously very comfortable where it was, in no hurry to move. We eventually we had to tear ourselves away. We drove quite quickly back through the Park and it was only later we found out why. Our driver had found out that a Sloth Bear was feeding by the side of the track over the other side of the Park. It had disappeared in to the undergrowth but he insisted we stay despite us thinking it was not going to reappear.
After a while, the Sloth Bear walked back out straight towards us (followed by a Sri Lanka Junglefowl picking around behind it!). We had amazing views of it now as it walked along the verge, crossing the road in front of us, occasionally stopping to dig at the base of the bushes. It was too close for photos at times – we had to use our phones!
Our drive back out of the park was punctuated by a couple of quick stops, for an Indian Star Tortoise walking across the grass by the track and for a Wild Water Buffalo which was wallowing in a pool. Thankfully it had stayed dry this afternoon, but we all agreed it was well worth spending the whole day in Wilpattu. It was getting dark as we arrived at our accommodation for the last night.
Monday 24th March
Our last day, already sadly, and we would be heading back to the airport in Colombo today. With a late flight though, we could make our way slowly there with stops on the way. We had a leisurely start to the morning, with time to look at all the birds and butterflies in the garden of our hotel and check out the margin of the nearby ‘tank’ before breakfast.
Hetti came over to pick us up and we set off at 9.30am. An Indian Roller on the wires by the road was surprisingly our first of the trip. After a couple of hours, we made our first stop at Anawilundawa Sanctuary, a RAMSAR wetland. As we drove in, there were all the usual wetland birds, storks, egrets and herons in the ricefields and nesting in the dead trees, lots of Spot-billed Pelicans, Cormorants and Darters, Grey-headed Swamphens. An Ashy Woodswallow was on the wires.
Getting out for a walk along the track, we added Common Coot to the list with a single out in the middle of one of the lakes. A distant Booted Eagle drifted over. There were lots of dragonflies and butterflies too.
Moving on, and after a break for lunch we still had plenty of time. Hetti decided to take the slower coast road back towards Colombo, to see if we could make any last minute additions to the list on the way. At Chilaw, we turned off the main road and drove down to the edge of the Indian Ocean. Following the road just behind the beach, we found a small flock of Sanderling running in and out of the waves. There were several Gull-billed Terns along the shore and in a small group on the beach we found three Lesser Crested Terns, a Great Crested Tern and a Brown-headed Gull with them.
Further on, as we stopped to take some photos of the beach, another Indian Roller was on the wires nearby.
At the small fishing village beyond, one of the catamarans pulled up on the shore still had it sails up. Out on the sand, lots of fishermen were pulling in a large net, so we stopped to watch. A flock of Great Crested and Lesser Crested Terns was circling over the water, occasionally dropping down to grab something from the surface. A large mob of Little Egrets and House Crows was waiting on the shore for scraps.
Our final stop was in Negombo. Large sheets covered in salted fish were spread out to dry on the beach by the market. Walking down to the sea, lots of Whiskered Terns were flying up and down just offshore, fishing. A single Common Tern was perched on a buoy further out, the last addition to our trip list, taking us to a very respectable total of 211.
It was only half an hour from here to Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport. We said our goodbyes and many, many thanks to Hetti as he dropped us off outside. There was still a little time to get changed and pack up our optics before check in opened. Progress through security and immigration was smooth and our Eithad flight to Abu Dhabi took off pretty much on time. It would be the following morning, after a middle of the night transfer to the onward flight, before we would arrive back in London.
An amazing trip – fantastic birds, wonderful wildlife, delicious food and fascinating local culture. We can’t wait to go back!
