Sri Lanka Xmas 2002 (Birdquest)

SRI LANKA 21 DEC '02 - 4 JAN '03 (Birdquest) TOUR REPORT What a wonderfully successful tour to this enchanted island! We managed to find all of the available endemic species, plus just about all of the distinctive endemic taxa and potential splits. And as if that weren't enough, we found a first for the country in the form of a smart male Purple-backed Starling! This trip broke our previous totals for this tour with a huge 253 species recorded, all enhanced by the expertise of Upali and his seemingly limitless fount of knowledge! From our first afternoon of watching a Chestnut-backed Owlet (the 'bird-of-the-trip' for this group) through to the last 'mopping-up' of birds like the scarce Kashmir Flycatcher, we basked in lovely weather and enjoyed a very productive and enjoyable break from the cold northern winter. Now peace has come at last, things are looking even better for this tropical paradise. We were met on our arrival by Upali, and promptly drove to the delightful Kitulgala Resthouse. Stepping out into the forest on the opposite bank of the river, we soon found a splendid Chestnut-backed Owlet that sat calling in the open from a tall tree. We quickly found several of the other Sri Lankan endemics such as Sri Lanka Grey Hornbills, Yellow-crowned Barbets, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Orange-billed Babblers with a group of Yellow-billeds, plus Rufous Woodpecker, the red-backed form of Black-rumped Flameback, Tickell's Blue, Brown-breasted and Asian Brown Flycatchers, and once dusk fell we found our first Sri Lanka Frogmouth, a wonderfully obliging individual sitting just at head height in the dense forest. Further explorations around Kitulgala brought bounties of the endemic Brown-capped Babbler, a feeding flock with a splendid white male Asian Paradise Flycatcher, White-bellied and the endemic ('Crested Drongo') form of Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, Southern Hill Myna, Black-hooded Orioles and a Lesser Yellownape. A trio of Spot-winged Thrushes thrilled us as they hopped around a garden, and a vocal pair of Green-billed Coucals ascended the trees to boom their duet to us. In the denser parts of the forest we found the endemic Sri Lanka Myna, and a pair of noisy Greater Flamebacks of the red-backed stricklandii race. We had our first views of Layard's Parakeets, Crimson-fronted Barbet and a dapper White-throated Flowerpecker. In the hotel garden we were treated to a rare view of a Besra that came and perched in full view, allowing scrutiny before it raced off. Moving on, we popped in at the Gilimale Forest Reserve where we found Malabar Trogons, more Sri Lanka Mynas and Brown-breasted Flycatchers, before heading to our lodgings at Ratnaloka. An evening stroll around the grounds and surrounding areas produced Black-headed and Large Cuckoo Shrikes, an Indian Pitta sitting in the tea plantation, Brown-capped Woodpeckers, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and Common Woodshrikes. On Christmas Day, we were on the move before the people at home had gone to bed, and a lengthy drive out to Sinharaja brought us there for dawn. No need to unwrap our presents here, as two superb screeching Sri Lanka Magpies started the show for us, and once we entered the core forest of the reserve we soon ran into a flock that held all of the birds we were seeking! Orange-billed Babblers signalled the approach of the bird-wave, joined by Greater Racket-tailed Drongos. Red-faced Malkohas sneaked through the canopy, White-cheeked Starlings foraged in the middle-storey and Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes jumped around on the ground. And in case that wasn't enough we had three further encounters with these wonderful flocks, beefed-up by several Malabar Trogons and stunning white Asian Paradise Flycatchers. Then we found (by mistake!) a Sri Lanka Frogmouth sat on its tiny nest of moss and cobwebs, and prolonged viewing revealed a fluffy white chick fidgeting beneath the adult. Upali was in his element here and we were treated to his considerable knowledge on just about every aspect of the flora and fauna. The following day took us back to the buffers of Sinharaja, where we tried to find that elusive devil-bird, the Sri Lanka Spurfowl. Our first attempt ended in a farce of leeches, but Upali enlisted loyal helpers and we were taken to another site where the birds soon came racing in and offered us a brief view. A gentler afternoon ensued as we returned and finished up with some birding around our hotel, seeing an Indian Pitta going to roost up a tree and our first White-browed Bulbuls, while we looked across to the temple atop Adams Peak lit up by the evening sunshine. Leaving here we headed for Embilipitiya, and enjoyed a productive scan of the lake next to our well-appointed hotel, finding Stork-billed Kingfishers, Spot-billed Pelicans, Indian Cormorants, Yellow-wattled Lapwings and many Whiskered Terns. We drove the short distance to Uda Walawe National Park, and loaded onto jeeps for a safari around the savannah-like grasslands of this area, noted for its density of Indian Elephants. We found Grey-bellied and Pied Cuckoos, Jerdon's Bushlark, Blyth's Pipit, Sirkeer Malkohas perched in the open, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-larks, the quartet of Jungle, Ashy, Plain and Grey-breasted Prinias, swarms of Black-headed Munias, squadrons of Malabar Pied Hornbills, Changeable Hawk Eagles, gorgeous Orange-breasted and Pompadour Green Pigeons, and Barred Buttonquails scuttling off the dusty tracks. Rain Quails could be heard calling from the long grass, but frustratingly we were not permitted to get out of the jeeps! From the one point at which we could dismount, we were able to scope across lakes to view Grey-headed and White-bellied Fish Eagles, Osprey, Painted Storks and Eurasian Spoonbills, and Lesser Adjutants sat atop tall trees. The following morning we were there again soon after dawn, and in a bare tree stacked with Rosy Starlings were five vagrant Chestnut-tailed Starlings, plus the big surprise of the tour - a male Purple-backed Starling! The first record for Sri Lanka! We carried on, finding fine males of both Pallid and Montagu's Harriers, White-rumped Shama, Forest Wagtails, another Rufous Woodpecker and some delightfully tame Sri Lanka Giant Squirrels. Moving on to Tissamaharama and its profusion of wetlands, on lily-covered 'tanks' we found Pheasant-tailed Jacanas in breeding splendour, Yellow and Black Bitterns, our first Watercocks and a Black-capped Kingfisher (probably the only one in the country!). A male White-naped Woodpecker appeared at its coconut-grove roost, a Blue-faced Malkoha made his only prolonged appearance and the fields seethed with bubble-gum pink Rosy Starlings. An early start for Bundala National Park was worthwhile when we found a Jerdon's Nightjar in the pre-dawn. As the sun rose, we found the numerous lagoons thronged with waders, Terns, displaying Indian Peafowls and strutting Sri Lanka Junglefowls. The nearby saltpans held a flock of Small Pratincoles, Spotted Redshank, Pacific Golden and Mongolian Plovers, Caspian Terns, Brown-headed Gulls and Oriental Skylarks. At other sites that we visited in this remarkable maze of wet habitats, we found Glossy Ibis, Brahminy Starling, Watercock and a female Greater Painted-snipe standing in a paddyfield. We visited a noisy roost of Indian Flying Foxes, found dapper Cotton Pygmy-Geese, more Yellow Bitterns, Stork-billed Kingfishers and Clamorous Reed Warblers. A visit to Yala National Park added a vagrant wintering Bay-backed Shrike, Yellow-crowned Woodpeckers, some huge though distant Black-necked Storks, and as dusk fell Indian Nightjars began calling and flying around us. It was time to leave the coast and head inland, birding along some productive roadsides where we found a surprise European Bee-eater, Ashy Drongos, Golden-fronted Leafbird, more Brown-capped Woodpeckers and Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, another Pied Cuckoo, and on a roadside flash we found Streaked Weavers building their nests in the reedy grass. Another roadside stop in hill forest was successful, when a hunting Black Eagle appeared with a squirrels nest in its talons and gave superb views. A visit to the Surrey Tea Estate (actually a derelict tea plantation) provided us with some great looks at a Sri Lanka Wood-pigeon, but a roosting Brown Wood Owl spooked before more than a few of us got a glimpse. Arriving in the cooler altitudes of Nuwara Eliya, a stroll in the (Victoria) Park produced our first Sri Lanka White-eyes and the stunning Yellow-eared Bulbul, more Forest Wagtails, and best of all, a stunning male Pied Thrush feeding along the stream edge. An early start on New Years Day was essential for a trip to Horton Plains, and as we ascended to the higher ground we flushed another Brown Wood Owl from the roadside. Positioning ourselves in the pre-dawn, among the dark elfin forests of these mountains, it was time to find one of the most elusive of all the endemic birds - the Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush. Despite our worries, it appeared right on cue and gave us all a splendid look as it sat calling on a roadside branch. Just up the road, we watched a Sri Lanka Bush Warbler obligingly emerge into the open at the roadside. We also found Hill Swallow here, before dropping down to a small marsh where we attractive Black-throated Munias, and a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler by the town lake. Before we left this area, a last look in the forest yielded some lovely Kashmir Flycatchers and Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrikes. As a consequence of our success, our route back towards the coast was gentle, with explorations of the Temple of the Tooth at Kandy, plus tours around a Tea-estate and a Spice-garden. Our last birding took place in the lively forest of Udawattakele, where we found more Layard's Parakeets, Crimson-fronted Barbets, White-rumped Shamas and Tickell's Blue Flycatchers, and on roadside wires we found our final addition to the list, Ashy Wood Swallow.

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