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| Kitugala Rainforest |
Thursday 16th, A short bus ride from the hotel took us to a road that led into the rainforest to a known place to find Blackcap Babler and within a little while we were watching one, and then a recently arrived Indian Pitta
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| Blackcap Babler (e) |
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| Indian Pitta |
We also had excellent views of a Tickell's Blue Flycatcher a new bird for me this trip so was pleased to get a second and better look.
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| Tickell's Blue Flycatcher |
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Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
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Later in the day we took the ferry to the other side of the river and explored more of the forest
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| Ferry |
Here apart from the forest there were tea plantations of the Gold variety of tea.
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| Tea picking |
Other birds photographed today were
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| Chestnut-headed Bee-eater |
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Purple-rumped Sunbird
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| Yellow-browed Bulbul |
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| Red-backed Flameback |
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| Banded Bay Cuckoo |
Friday 17th, before breakfast we went back across the river using the rope bridge just upstream from the hotel.
Our main target was the Green-billed Coucal which we had missed out on so far, Ashoka manged to pick up the call and we eventually got some views all be it distant and always with foliage obscurring the bird.
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| Green-billed Coucal (e) |
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| Green-billed Coucal (e) |
We later were treated a glimpse of an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, from where I was standing it was partly obscured however was a new bird for me.
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| Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher |
In addition also seen
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| Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (e) |
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| Yellow-billed Babler |
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| Stork-billed Kingfisher |
Back at the hotel while having breakfast a Red-backed Flame back was the only bird of note.
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| Red-backed Flameback |
Disappointingly for some reason we didn't venture out again in the morning, I was hoping that we could have another go at seeing a Serendips Scops Owl. So I took the opportunity to have a swim.
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Plantation Pool
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At lunch time it started raining and continued all afternoon and into the evening so no more birding was done.
Saturday 18th, another pre-breakfast walk over the rope bridge to try and have another look for the Coucal but it wasn't to be the only bird of note was an Orange-billed Babler
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| Orange-billed Babler |
A Wood Spider and Brown Mongoose were also seen
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| Wood Spider |
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| Brown Mongoose |
The most common bird species was the Red-vented Bulbul so I had to get one more photo of one!
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| Red-vented Bulbul |
After breakfast, we packed our bags and headed for the airport, stopping en route at a busy restaurant.
We arrived at the airport around 2pm so had a long wait for my 20.20 flight. (However not as long as some of the group) arriving back at Gatwick at 06.40. on the 19th
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip despite a couple of disappointments. The rest of the group were great and were good company. I saw 201 species of bird, 4 of which were new to me but missed out on 3 of the endemics.
I hope to return again some day soon.
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| The group, photo by Priyanga our bus driver. |
