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BIRDING TRIP REPORT:

Sri Lanka: Summary and list

26 January to 9 February 2019

By Stephen Burch, England

Summary

This 14 night trip (11 birding) was our first private guided birding tour and it worked well for us. We did a lot of travelling on the Sri Lankan roads that are not for the faint hearted but succeeded, thanks to our excellent guide Dhammi (and his co-workers), in getting a list total of just over 200 (see below), of which 144 were lifers. We saw all the Sri Lankan endemics but may have ended up with a list total slightly lower than Baurs would expect its clients to get on a tour of this length. More importantly, however, I exceeded my target of 133 lifers. This brought my life list over the 2000 mark, which was the main aim of the trip. So mission accomplished in that respect! 

In addition to seeing all the endemics, we did well with the thrushes and had some luck with comparatively extended views of Whistling Thrush in the early morning on the Horton Plains - a species that is normally only glimpsed. We were also fortunate to connect with Sri Lanka (Scaly) Thrush at a site outside the main Sinharaja forest. With Sri Lanka Spurfowl and Serendib Scops Owl near by that was a very successful morning's birding! We also saw all of my pre-trip targets that included Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and Indian Pitta.

Although the main aim of this trip was seeing new species, I was also keen to get some good photos using my Canon 7D mkII and 100-400 lens (the 500f4 was too heavy and bulky to take as well, especially given the Sri Lankan airlines meagre 7kg hand baggage limit). I took a huge number of photos but the dark conditions in the forest and early mornings often necessitated very high ISO settings and long exposure times. It is a testament to modern optics, camera technology and software (Neatimage for noise reduction) that I got anything at all in these conditions. The game drives in the national parks were generally more successful for photography. It was then much easier to get closer to some species, although sunnier conditions would have been appreciated.

It is very sad that the recent terrible events in Sri Lanka will surely badly affect the local birding travel industry and the locals whose livelihood depends on it. Despite its roads, Sri Lanka is a great country with generally very friendly people.

Trip List

Endemics are in bold

No.	Bird	First seen
1	Lesser Whistling Duck	Tissamaharama
2	Sri Lanka Spurfowl	Kethlall, Sinharaja
3	Sri Lanka Junglefowl	Horton Plains National Park
4	Indian Peafowl	Drive to Udawalawe
5	Painted Stork	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
6	Asian Openbill	Kitulgala Rest House
7	Woolly-necked Stork	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
8	Lesser Adjutant	Yala National Park
9	Black-headed Ibis	Tissamaharama
10	Spoonbill	Yala National Park
11	Yellow Bittern	Tissamaharama
12	Black Bittern	Tissamaharama
13	Night-heron	Udawalawe National Park
14	Striated Heron	Bundala National Park
15	Indian Pond Heron	Negombo
16	Eastern Cattle Egret	Negombo
17	Grey Heron	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
18	Purple Heron	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
19	Great White Egret	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
20	Intermediate Egret	Udawalawe National Park
21	Little Egret	Negombo
22	Spot-billed Pelican	Udawalawe National Park
23	Little Cormorant	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
24	Indian Cormorant	Udawalawe National Park
25	Oriental Darter	Udawalawe National Park
26	Crested Honey Buzzard	Kitulgala Rest House
27	Crested Serpent Eagle	En-route to Sinharaja
28	Changeable Hawk-eagle	Udawalawe National Park
29	Legge's Hawk-eagle	Kitulgala
30	Black Eagle	Horton Plains National Park
31	Shikra	Kitulgala
32	Brahminy Kite	Kitulgala Rest House
33	White-bellied Sea Eagle	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
34	Grey-headed Fish Eagle	Yala National Park
35	Slaty-legged Crake	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
36	White-breasted Waterhen	Around Jensen's Bungalow, Sinharaja
37	Watercock	Tissamaharama
38	Grey-headed Swamphen	Tissamaharama
39	Barred Buttonquail	Yala National Park
40	Indian Stone-curlew	Udawalawe National Park
41	Great Stone-curlew	Udawalawe National Park
42	Black-winged Stilt	Udawalawe National Park
43	Yellow-wattled Lapwing	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
44	Red-wattled Lapwing	Horton Plains National Park
45	Pacific Golden Plover	Bundala National Park
46	Grey Plover	Bundala National Park
47	Little Ringed Plover	Udawalawe National Park
48	Kentish Plover	Yala National Park
49	Lesser Sand Plover	Udawalawe National Park
50	Greater Painted-snipe	Bundala National Park
51	Pheasant-tailed Jacana	Tissamaharama
52	Black-tailed Godwit	Bundala National Park
53	Little Stint	Yala National Park
54	Pin-tailed Snipe	Bundala National Park
55	Common Sandpiper	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
56	Redshank	Udawalawe National Park
57	Marsh Sandpiper	Udawalawe National Park
58	Wood Sandpiper	Udawalawe National Park
59	Greenshank	Udawalawe National Park
60	Small Pratincole	Bundala National Park
61	Gull-billed Tern	Udawalawe National Park
62	Caspian Tern	Udawalawe National Park
63	Greater Crested Tern	Bundala National Park
64	Lesser Crested Tern	Bundala National Park
65	Little Tern	Bundala National Park
66	Whiskered Tern	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
67	Rock Dove	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
68	Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon	Horton Plains National Park
69	Collared Dove	Bundala National Park
70	Spotted Dove	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
71	Common Emerald Dove	Kethlall, Sinharaja
72	Orange-breasted Green Pigeon	Udawalawe National Park
73	Sri Lanka Green Pigeon	Kitulgala
74	Green Imperial Pigeon	Kitulgala
75	Green-billed Coucal	Kethlall, Sinharaja
76	Greater Coucal	Around Jensen's Bungalow, Sinharaja
77	Sirkeer Malkoha	Udawalawe National Park
78	Red-faced Malkoha	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
79	Blue-faced Malkoha	Yala National Park
80	Jacobin Cuckoo	Udawalawe National Park
81	Asian Koel	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
82	Grey-bellied Cuckoo	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
83	Serendib Scops Owl	Kethlall, Sinharaja
84	Brown Fish Owl	Tissamaharama
85	Jungle Owlet	Tissamaharama
86	Chestnut-backed Owlet	Kitulgala
87	Sri Lanka Frogmouth	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
88	Indian Nightjar	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
89	Crested Treeswift	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
90	Indian Swiftlet	Kitulgala
91	Asian Palm Swift	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
92	Little Swift	Centauria Wild Hotel, Udawalawa
93	Malabar Trogon	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
94	Indian Roller	Udawalawe National Park
95	Stork-billed Kingfisher	Kitulgala Rest House
96	White-throated Kingfisher	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
97	Kingfisher	Kitulgala
98	Pied Kingfisher	Udawalawe National Park
99	Green Bee-eater	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
100	Blue-tailed Bee-eater	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
101	Chestnut-headed Bee-eater	En route to Nuwara Eliya
102	Hoopoe	Udawalawe National Park
103	Malabar Pied Hornbill	Udawalawe National Park
104	Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill	Kitulgala Rest House
105	Brown-headed Barbet	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
106	Yellow-fronted Barbet	Kitulgala
107	Crimson-fronted Barbet	Around Jensen's Bungalow, Sinharaja
108	Coppersmith Barbet	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
109	Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker	Kitulgala
110	Lesser Yellownape	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
111	Black-rumped Flameback	Kitulgala
112	Crimson-backed Flameback	Kethlall, Sinharaja
113	Peregrine	Ferncliff Bungalow, Nuwara Eliya
114	Plum-headed Parakeet	Udawalawe National Park
115	Layard's Parakeet	Kitulgala
116	Alexandrine Parakeet	Kitulgala
117	Ring-necked Parakeet	Horton Plains National Park
118	Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot	Kitulgala
119	Indian Pitta	Kitulgala
120	Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike	Thangamale Sanctuary en-route to Sinharaja
121	Sri Lanka Woodshrike	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
122	Ashy Woodswallow	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
123	Common Iora	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
124	Marshall's Iora	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
125	Small Minivet	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
126	Orange Minivet	Kitulgala
127	Large Cuckooshrike	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
128	Black-headed Cuckooshrike	Drive to Udawalawe
129	Brown Shrike	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
130	Bay-backed Shrike	Bundala National Park
131	Black-hooded Oriole	Kitulgala
132	White-bellied Drongo	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
133	Sri Lanka Drongo	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
134	White-browed Fantail	Kitulgala
135	Black-naped Monarch	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
136	Indian Paradise Flycatcher	Around Jensen's Bungalow, Sinharaja
137	Sri Lanka Blue Magpie	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
138	House Crow	Negombo
139	Indian Jungle Crow	Kitulgala
140	Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher	Thangamale Sanctuary en-route to Sinharaja
141	Cinereous Tit	Horton Plains National Park
142	Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark	Yala National Park
143	Jerdon's Bush Lark	Udawalawe National Park
144	Black-capped Bulbul	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
145	Red-vented Bulbul	Kitulgala Rest House
146	Yellow-eared Bulbul	Horton Plains National Park
147	White-browed Bulbul	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
148	Yellow-browed Bulbul	Kitulgala Rest House
149	Square-tailed Bulbul	Kitulgala Rest House
150	Sand Martin	Bundala National Park
151	Swallow	Horton Plains National Park
152	Hill Swallow	Horton Plains National Park
153	Sri Lanka Swallow	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
154	Green Warbler	Ferncliff Bungalow, Nuwara Eliya
155	Clamorous Reed Warbler	Bundala National Park
156	Blyth's Reed Warbler	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
157	Sri Lanka Bush Warbler	Horton Plains National Park
158	Zitting Cisticola	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
159	Jungle Prinia	Udawalawe National Park
160	Ashy Prinia	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
161	Plain Prinia	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
162	Common Tailorbird	Kitulgala Rest House
163	Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler	Thangamale Sanctuary en-route to Sinharaja
164	Dark-fronted Babbler	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
165	Brown-capped Babbler	Kitulgala
166	Ashy-headed Laughingthrush	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
167	Yellow-billed Babbler	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
168	Orange-billed Babbler	Kitulgala
169	Yellow-eyed Babbler	Udawalawe National Park
170	Indian White-eye	Kitulgala
171	Sri Lanka White-eye	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
172	Velvet-fronted Nuthatch	Horton Plains National Park
173	Sri Lanka Hill Myna	Kitulgala
174	Southern Hill Myna	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
175	Common Myna	Negombo
176	White-faced Starling	Sinharaja Forest Reserve NP
177	Rose-coloured Starling	Udawalawe National Park
178	Pied Thrush	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
179	Spot-winged Thrush	Kitulgala
180	Sri Lanka Thrush	Kethlall, Sinharaja
181	Indian Robin	En-route to Sinharaja
182	Oriental Magpie-robin	Kitulgala Rest House
183	White-rumped Shama	Yala National Park
184	Brown-breasted Flycatcher	Kitulgala Rest House
185	Tickell's Blue Flycatcher	Kitulgala
186	Dull-blue Flycatcher	Horton Plains National Park
187	Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush	Horton Plains National Park
188	Kashmir Flycatcher	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
189	Pied Bush Chat	Horton Plains National Park
190	Golden-fronted Leafbird	Kitulgala
191	Legge's Flowerpecker	Kitulgala
192	Pale-billed Flowerpecker	Kitulgala
193	Purple-rumped Sunbird	Kitulgala
194	Purple Sunbird	Scrubland near Centauria Wild Hotel
195	Loten's Sunbird	Kitulgala
196	House Sparrow	En route to Nuwara Eliya
197	White-rumped Munia	Kitulgala
198	Scaly-breasted Munia	Weyongoddo enroute to Kitulgala
199	Black-throated Munia	Kitulgala
200	Forest Wagtail	Victoria park, Nuwara Eliya
201	Western Yellow Wagtail	Udawalawe National Park
202	Grey Wagtail	Kitulgala Rest House
203	Paddyfield Pipit	Horton Plains National Park
204	Blyth's Pipit	Yala National Park

© All pictures copyright Stephen Burch