Sri Lanka endemic bird tour, January 29 th - February 11 th 2015 with Bird and Wildlife Team

Transcription

1 Sri Lanka endemic bird tour, January 29 th - February 11 th 2015 with Bird and Wildlife Team Participants : Dan Elliott, Godfrey Blunt, Ken Claxton, Christian Dortu. Tour leader : Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana. Report by Christian Dortu. Pictures by Christian Dortu. A special thank to our driver Thillina and our tour leader Dulan. He has a very strong knowledge of the avifauna of his country. Always on the run, he gives a name to any calls and any elusive sights of bird in the shade undergrowth. Friendly smiling people, a green country, plenty of good and tasty food made this bird trip a very good moment of happiness. Weather. Most of the trip was made under the sun. If too hot, we could always refresh us with the air co of our vehicle. Some few showers during the nights or transfers did not disturb the progress of the tour. Sri Lanka Frogmouth at Sinharaja Forest Reserve

2 Itinerary. 29 th Jan : group gathering at Colombo, transfer to Kandy, birding in Peradeniya botanical gardens. Night at Kandy. 30 th Jan : birding in Udawattekele Reserve, transfer to Nuwara Eliya, birding in Victoria Park. Night at Nuwara Eliya. 31th Jan : birding in Horton Plains National Park and the Bird Sanctuary. Night at Nuwara Eliya. 1 st Feb : transfer to Kithulgala, birding in Kithulgala rainforest. Night at Kithulgala. 2 nd Feb : birding in Kithulgala rainforest (Kelani Valley Forest Reserve). Night at Kithulgala. 3 rd Feb : transfer to Sinharaja, birding in Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Night at Sinharaja. 4 th Feb : birding in Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Night at Sinharaja. 5 th Feb : birding in Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Night at Sinharaja. 6 th Feb : transfer to Udawalawe, birding in Udawalawe National Park. Night at Udawalawe. 7 th Feb : birding around Udawalawe, transfer to Tissa, birding at tanks and wetlands. Night at Tissa. 8th Feb : birding at tanks and wetlands. Night at Tissa. 9 th Feb : birding in Bundala National Park. Night at Tissa. 10 th Feb : birding at tanks and wetlands, transfer to Colombo. Night at Colombo. 11 th Feb : flight back. Peradeniya botanical gardens. En route to Kandy, a Crested Serpent-Eagle. After check-in at the hotel, we visited the botanical gardens. The first, but not the last, Brahminy Kite flew over. Among the observed birds : Sri Lanka Hanging-Parrot, Southern Hill Myna, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher. And an Indian Pitta, a former boggy bird for Ken now. Udawattekele Reserve The first immersion in the Sri Lanka vegetation : Indian Blue Robin, Brown Fish-Owl, Emerald Dove ( a pair at the nest), White-rumped Shama, Victoria Park Yellow-eared Bulbul, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Kashmir Flycatcher : a bird which asked us quite a long search. And a very beautiful male Pied Thrush. Horton Plains National Park and Bird Sanctuary An early wake-up due to the quite long route allowed us to see : Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush, Sri Lanka Scimitar- Babbler, a suprising Long-legged Buzzard. At the Bird sanctuary, we saw a male Orange Minivet which made me say to Dulan (with other birds later in the trip) : Sri Lanka, the country where the colours are flying.

3 Brown Wood Owl at the Bird Sanctuary Going back to the hotel, a Black Eagle and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle. Kithulgala rainforest In search for one of the target bird. The walk started at dusk. Along the small paths, a background noise slowly began. Insects sound like frogs. Frogs sound like alarm sirens. Amazing. What an atmosphere. This not a documentary. I'm in the jungle for the first time in my life. Dulan asked us to wait. When he came back : I got it. The Serendib Scops-Owl. Back to the hotel, after a welcome shower and not welcome leeches, when we were making the list, I made confusion with the Sri Lanka Bay-Owl. The Serendid looks like it when alerted. Dulan : read your book, Chris!!. Another day birding around the hotel, the rainforest and the surroundings produced other goods birds, of which : Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon, Spot-winged Thrush, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Sri Lanka Junglefowl and Chestnut-backed Owlet. Sinharaja Forest Reserve Three days in the jungle. Once again the feeling to be in the wild. The lodge is well situated : birds, of which the Red-faced Malkoha, and monkeys could be observed from the balcony.

4 En route to the Sri Lanka Thrush Other good birds : Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Rufous-bellied Eagle. Udawalawe National Park Plum-headed Parakeet, Painted Stork, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, Malabar Pied-Hornbill, Spot-billed Pelican, Lesser Adjudant and Barred Buttonquail. Udawalawe Before the next transfer, we did some birding around. Nice views of Pied Cuckoo, Blue-faced Malkoha and Yellow-wattled Lapwing. En route to Tissa, a stop at a lake produced Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Woolly-necked Stork flying by, Comb Duck and Lesser Whistling-Duck. At our arrival at the hotel at Tissa, a very cooperative White-browed Fantail for a picture shooting. The first visit to the tanks and wetlands gave us good views of Yellow Bittern, Ashy Woodswallow, Cotton Pygmy-goose. Tissa, tanks and wetlands Lots of WP waders during this day. But also some more local birds : Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Indian Thickknee, Great and Lesser Crested Tern, Oriental Skylark and Brown-headed Gull. Bundala National Park The whole day was spent in the park in search of the leopard. Our driver led us out of the crowd of the safari cars to not much visited tracks. His good knowledge of the area permitted us the observation of two leopards refreshing and relaxing in the shadow, under the trees, close to a pool. A magic moment.

5 A leopard at Bundala National Park Some Brahminy Starlings and a quick view of an Orange-headed Thrush completed the day list. The next day morning, our last birding session at Tissa with some stops going back to Colombo. Watercock, Black Bittern, Jungle Owlet and Brown Boobook are among the last birds of this trip. This was my first oriental bird trip. Sri Lanka guarantees you disorientation, wonderment and lots of fantastic birds and wild live. I really recommend you the tour company and the tour leaders. Very professional ones.

6 List (Clements 6.8) Lesser Whistling-Duck Comb Duck Cotton Pygmy-Goose Northern Pintail Garganey Sri Lanka Spurfowl Sri Lanka Junglefowl Indian Peafowl Little Grebe Asian Openbill Woolly-necked Stork Lesser Adjutant Painted Stork Indian Cormorant Little Cormorant Oriental Darter Spot-billed Pelican Yellow Bittern Black Bittern Gray Heron Purple Heron Great Egret Intermediate Egret Little Egret Cattle Egret Indian Pond-Heron Striated Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Glossy Ibis Black-headed Ibis Eurasian Spoonbill Osprey Black-shouldered Kite Oriental Honey-buzzard Crested Serpent-Eagle Crested Hawk-Eagle Rufous-bellied Eagle Black Eagle Brahminy Kite White-bellied Sea-Eagle Gray-headed Fish-Eagle Common Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard White-breasted Waterhen Watercock Purple Swamphen Eurasian Moorhen Indian Thick-knee Great Thick-knee Dendrocygna javanica Sarkidiornis melanotos melanotos Nettapus coromandelianus coromandelianus Anas acuta Anas querquedula Galloperdix bicalcarata Gallus lafayetii Pavo cristatus Tachybaptus ruficollis capensis Anastomus oscitans Ciconia episcopus episcopus Leptoptilos javanicus Mycteria leucocephala Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Phalacrocorax niger Anhinga melanogaster Pelecanus philippensis Ixobrychus sinensis Ixobrychus flavicollis flavicollis Ardea cinerea Ardea purpurea manilensis Ardea alba Mesophoyx intermedia intermedia Egretta garzetta Bubulcus ibis coromandus Ardeola grayii Butorides striata chloriceps Nycticorax nycticorax Plegadis falcinellus Threskiornis melanocephalus Platalea leucorodia Pandion haliaetus Elanus caeruleus vociferus Pernis ptilorhynchus ruficollis Spilornis cheela spilogaster Nisaetus cirrhatus ceylanensis Lophotriorchis kienerii kienerii Ictinaetus malayensis perniger Haliastur indus indus Haliaeetus leucogaster Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus Buteo buteo burmanicus Buteo rufinus Amaurornis phoenicurus phoenicurus Gallicrex cinerea Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus Gallinula chloropus Burhinus indicus Esacus recurvirostris

7 Black-winged Stilt Black-bellied Plover Pacific Golden-Plover Yellow-wattled Lapwing Red-wattled Lapwing Lesser Sand-Plover Kentish Plover Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Pheasant-tailed Jacana Common Sandpiper Green Sandpiper Common Greenshank Marsh Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper Common Redshank Eurasian Curlew Black-tailed Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Ruff Little Stint Pin-tailed Snipe Red Phalarope Barred Buttonquail Brown-headed Gull Gull-billed Tern Caspian Tern Whiskered Tern Great Crested Tern Lesser Crested Tern Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon Spotted Dove Emerald Dove Orange-breasted Pigeon Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon Green Imperial-Pigeon Pied Cuckoo Common Hawk-Cuckoo Gray-bellied Cuckoo Asian Koel Blue-faced Malkoha Red-faced Malkoha Greater Coucal Green-billed Coucal Serendib Scops-Owl Himantopus himantopus Pluvialis squatarola Pluvialis fulva Vanellus malabaricus Vanellus indicus lankae Charadrius mongolus atrifrons Charadrius alexandrinus seebohmi Charadrius hiaticula tundrae Charadrius dubius Hydrophasianus chirurgus Actitis hypoleucos Tringa ochropus Tringa nebularia Tringa stagnatilis Tringa glareola Tringa totanus eurhinus Numenius arquata orientalis Limosa limosa Arenaria interpres Calidris pugnax Calidris minuta Gallinago stenura Phalaropus fulicarius Turnix suscitator leggei Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus Gelochelidon nilotica Hydroprogne caspia Chlidonias hybrida Thalasseus bergii velox Thalasseus bengalensis bengalensis Columba torringtoniae Streptopelia chinensis suratensis Chalcophaps indica robinsoni Treron bicinctus leggei Treron pompadora Ducula aenea pusilla Clamator jacobinus jacobinus Hierococcyx varius ciceliae Cacomantis passerinus Eudynamys scolopaceus scolopaceus Phaenicophaeus viridirostris Phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus Centropus sinensis parroti Centropus chlororhynchus Otus thilohoffmanni

8 Great Thick-knee at Bundala National Park Malabar Pied-hornbill at Bundala National Park

9 Indian Scops-Owl Brown Fish-Owl Jungle Owlet Chestnut-backed Owlet Brown Wood-Owl Brown Boobook Sri Lanka Frogmouth Indian Swiftlet Asian Palm-Swift Crested Treeswift Malabar Trogon Common Kingfisher Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher Stork-billed Kingfisher White-throated Kingfisher Pied Kingfisher Green Bee-eater Blue-tailed Bee-eater Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Indian Roller Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill Malabar Pied-Hornbill Brown-headed Barbet Yellow-fronted Barbet Crimson-fronted Barbet Coppersmith Barbet Brown-capped Woodpecker Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Lesser Yellownape Black-rumped Flameback White-naped Woodpecker Eurasian Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Alexandrine Parakeet Rose-ringed Parakeet Plum-headed Parakeet Sri Lanka Hanging-Parrot Indian Pitta Sri Lanka Woodshrike Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Ashy Woodswallow Common Iora White-tailed Iora Small Minivet Orange Minivet Large Cuckooshrike Black-headed Cuckooshrike Brown Shrike Brown Shrike Otus bakkamoena bakkamoena Ketupa zeylonensis zeylonensis Glaucidium radiatum radiatum Glaucidium castanonotum Strix leptogrammica ochrogenys Ninox scutulata hirsuta Batrachostomus moniliger Aerodramus unicolor Cypsiurus balasiensis balasiensis Hemiprocne coronata Harpactes fasciatus fasciatus Alcedo atthis taprobana Ceyx erithaca erithaca Pelargopsis capensis capensis Halcyon smyrnensis fusca Ceryle rudis leucomelanurus Merops orientalis orientalis Merops philippinus Merops leschenaulti leschenaulti Coracias benghalensis indicus Ocyceros gingalensis Anthracoceros coronatus Megalaima zeylanica zeylanica Megalaima flavifrons Megalaima rubricapillus Megalaima haemacephala indica Dendrocopos nanus gymnophthalmus Dendrocopos mahrattensis mahrattensis Picus chlorolophus wellsi Dinopium benghalense psarodes Chrysocolaptes festivus tantus Falco tinnunculus objurgatus Falco peregrinus calidus Psittacula eupatria eupatria Psittacula krameri manillensis Psittacula cyanocephala Loriculus beryllinus Pitta brachyura Tephrodornis affinis Hemipus picatus leggei Artamus fuscus Aegithina tiphia multicolor Aegithina nigrolutea Pericrocotus cinnamomeus cinnamomeus Pericrocotus flammeus Coracina macei layardi Lalage melanoptera sykesi Lanius cristatus cristatus Lanius cristatus lucionensis

10 Black-hooded Oriole White-bellied Drongo Sri Lanka Drongo White-browed Fantail Asian Paradise-Flycatcher Sri Lanka Blue-Magpie House Crow Large-billed Crow Jerdon's Bushlark Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark Oriental Skylark Barn Swallow Hill Swallow Sri Lanka Swallow Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher Great Tit Cinereous Tit Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Black-capped Bulbul Red-vented Bulbul Yellow-eared Bulbul White-browed Bulbul Yellow-browed Bulbul Square-tailed Bulbul Clamorous Reed-Warbler Zitting Cisticola Common Tailorbird Common Tailorbird Gray-breasted Prinia Jungle Prinia Ashy Prinia Plain Prinia Lesser Whitethroat Yellow-eyed Babbler Sri Lanka White-eye Oriental White-eye Tawny-bellied Babbler Dark-fronted Babbler Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler Brown-capped Babbler Orange-billed Babbler Yellow-billed Babbler Ashy-headed Laughingthrush Asian Brown Flycatcher Brown-breasted Flycatcher Indian Robin Oriental Magpie-Robin White-rumped Shama Tickell's Blue-Flycatcher Dull-blue Flycatcher Oriolus xanthornus ceylonensis Dicrurus caerulescens leucopygialis Dicrurus lophorinus Rhipidura aureola compressirostris Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis Urocissa ornata Corvus splendens protegatus Corvus macrorhynchos culminatus Mirafra affinis Eremopterix griseus Alauda gulgula gulgula Hirundo rustica Hirundo domicola Cecropis hyperythra Culicicapa ceylonensis ceylonensis Parus major Parus cinereus mahrattarum Sitta frontalis frontalis Pycnonotus melanicterus Pycnonotus cafer cafer Pycnonotus penicillatus Pycnonotus luteolus insulae Iole indica guglielmi Hypsipetes ganeesa humii Acrocephalus stentoreus meridionalis Cisticola juncidis omalurus Orthotomus sutorius sutorius Orthotomus sutorius fernandonis Prinia hodgsonii pectoralis Prinia sylvatica valida Prinia socialis brevicauda Prinia inornata insularis Sylvia curruca halimodendri Chrysomma sinense nasale Zosterops ceylonensis Zosterops palpebrosus egregius Dumetia hyperythra phillipsi Rhopocichla atriceps nigrifrons Pomatorhinus melanurus Pellorneum fuscocapillus scortillum Turdoides rufescens Turdoides affinis taprobana Garrulax cinereifrons Muscicapa latirostris Muscicapa muttui Copsychus fulicatus leucopterus Copsychus saularis ceylonensis Copsychus malabaricus leggei Cyornis tickelliae jerdoni Eumyias sordidus

11 Monkey at Bundala National Park Asian Elephant at Bundala National Park

12 Indian Blue Robin Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush Kashmir Flycatcher Pied Bushchat Pied Thrush Spot-winged Thrush Orange-headed Thrush Scaly Thrush Indian Blackbird Southern Hill Myna Sri Lanka Myna Common Myna White-faced Starling Brahminy Starling Jerdon's Leafbird Golden-fronted Leafbird White-throated Flowerpecker Pale-billed Flowerpecker Purple-rumped Sunbird Purple Sunbird Long-billed Sunbird Yellow Wagtail Gray Wagtail Richard's Pipit Oriental Pipit Blyth's Pipit House Sparrow Streaked Weaver Baya Weaver Indian Silverbill White-rumped Munia Black-throated Munia Nutmeg Mannikin Tricolored Munia Larvivora brunnea brunnea Myophonus blighi Ficedula subrubra Saxicola caprata atratus Geokichla wardii Geokichla spiloptera Geokichla citrina citrina Zoothera dauma imbricata Turdus simillimus kinnisii Gracula indica Gracula ptilogenys Acridotheres tristis melanosternus Sturnia albofrontata Temenuchus pagodarum Chloropsis jerdoni Chloropsis aurifrons insularis Dicaeum vincens Dicaeum erythrorhynchos ceylonense Leptocoma zeylonica zeylonica Cinnyris asiaticus asiaticus Cinnyris lotenius lotenius Motacilla flava Motacilla cinerea Anthus richardi Anthus rufulus malayensis Anthus godlewskii Passer domesticus indicus Ploceus manyar flaviceps Ploceus philippinus philippinus Euodice malabarica Lonchura striata striata Lonchura kelaarti kelaarti Lonchura punctulata punctulata Lonchura malacca malacca

13 Sri Lanka Blue Magpie at Sinharaja Forest Reserve

14 Gray-headed Fish-Eagle at Udawalawe National Park

15 Crocodile at Tissa wetlands Painted Stork at Udawalawe National Park Bats at Tissa wetlands Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill at Kithulgala hotel s garden

16 White-browed Fantail at Tissa s hotel Monitor Lizard at Kandy Pied Cuckoo at Bundala National Park Wild Buffalo at Bundala National Park