12th - 14th March - Sinharaja Rain Forest
12th March
Another transfer day, this time to the famous Sinharaja Rainforest area. On the way we passed the huge water body at Udawalawe National Park where there is an orphaned elephant transit home where they try to rehabilitate orphaned young elephants. It was here opposite the entrance where we stopped and had excellent views of an Indian Scops Owl looking down at us from a tree. After about a 4 hour drive we arrived at our accommodation for access to Sinharaja, the Rock View Motel, a simple basic motel with a lovely view over the surrounding hills. A wedding was in full swing, with very loud live music provided by a guy on synth and keyboard. Weddings are a very colourful event in Sri Lanka. We had some lunch and then set off for a foray into the Sinharaja rain forest. Transport was by jeeps as the tracks in the reserve are VERY bumpy and rocky. The best species here was a Sri Lanka Frogmouth, which despite its name is not an endemic species. We also had Yellow-browed Bulbul and Black Bulbul, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Babbler, White-rumped-, Black-throated- and Scaly-breasted Munias.
Another transfer day, this time to the famous Sinharaja Rainforest area. On the way we passed the huge water body at Udawalawe National Park where there is an orphaned elephant transit home where they try to rehabilitate orphaned young elephants. It was here opposite the entrance where we stopped and had excellent views of an Indian Scops Owl looking down at us from a tree. After about a 4 hour drive we arrived at our accommodation for access to Sinharaja, the Rock View Motel, a simple basic motel with a lovely view over the surrounding hills. A wedding was in full swing, with very loud live music provided by a guy on synth and keyboard. Weddings are a very colourful event in Sri Lanka. We had some lunch and then set off for a foray into the Sinharaja rain forest. Transport was by jeeps as the tracks in the reserve are VERY bumpy and rocky. The best species here was a Sri Lanka Frogmouth, which despite its name is not an endemic species. We also had Yellow-browed Bulbul and Black Bulbul, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Babbler, White-rumped-, Black-throated- and Scaly-breasted Munias.
13th March
Today comprised a full day in Sinharaja rainforest, travelling in two small US army type jeeps – very bouncy, numb bum, hang on for dear life stuff, and quite an adventure. At some point prior to today we had learnt that Nandana has received some ‘gen’ from a contact that a Blue-and-White Flycatcher [from the far east] had been found and seen regularly by the main reserve entrance. This was a first for Sri Lanka, so clearly a target bird. After about 30 mins drive we eventually arrived at the reserve entrance very early in the morning. A lot of patient waiting proved negative, although other birds were seen including the attractive Emerald Dove. After a while we walked down the road a little and then some activity in the trees was noted, with a Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher soon picked out, and there it was accompanying the latter, the superb Blue-and-White Flycatcher. We had good view of this as it fed just above our heads. The reserve was eventually fully open and we entered with our required ranger accompanying us. Target species here were more endemics and we were soon watching some very tame Sri Lanka Blue Magpies. Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl were much in evidence, but patient waiting and call-playing in suitable habitat only had us hearing a Sri Lanka Spurfowl not 4-5 m away but totally unseen – very frustrating. The endemic Green-billed Coucal was seen again [not as showy as Great Coucal although the same size, but much more secretive]. Movement in the tall trees finally had us getting fleeting views of the endemic Red-faced Malkoha, a hard bird to find as although being quite large, inhabits the high canopy. Another endemic we managed to connect with was the Sri Lanka Rufous-, or Orange-billed Babbler. Sri Lanka Hill Mynahs were seen again plus another seemingly difficult endemic species, White-faced Starling, with a distinctive loud call which does enable you to locate where it might be in the high canopy. There were many other forest species of course, including Asian Brown Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Sri Lanka [Crested] Drongo, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, and Malabar Trogon. I almost forgot – another jewel in the crown as far as endemics go – Serendib Scops Owl. As mentioned earlier Nandana had tried unsuccessfully for this species at Kitulgala. However one of our jeep drivers had some local gen and after some ‘jungle bashing’ through fairly thick undergrowth, and by crouching down low to the ground everyone eventually had good views of a roosting bird low in a dense bush. It was impossible to position oneself to photograph unfortunately, although there was no light in any case. There was also the danger of invading leeches if you spent to long in one position! Leech socks were de rigeur in Sinharaja.
14th March
The failure on the SL Spurfowl yesterday had Nandana acting on more local ‘gen’ and we were given the option of getting up VERY early [i.e. about 4:30 a.m.!] to visit a site where a pair regularly appeared at first light. Myself, Clive, Dave and Alan opted to go and we set off bleary-eyed in a jeep in the dark. Soon we were bouncing along a tortuous forest track, amazed at seeing mothers with their immaculately dressed schoolchildren walking along the track by torchlight [for some 3-4 km], at around 5 a.m. in order to get to a ‘main’ track to catch their school bus! We finally arrived at the location just before first light, to discover that the viewing area was the back room of a villager’s dwelling. This villager fed his ‘garden’ birds and whilst waiting we had excellent views of Indian Blue Robin and Spot-winged Thrush. Then suddenly right on cue, the pair of Sri Lanka Spurfowl appeared and wandered around the patch of ground that was the back garden, feeding contentedly for about 2-3 minutes and then just as suddenly walked off into the undergrowth. A magic moment. We made our way happily back down the track and headed straight to the main Sinharaja reserve entrance where the others were waiting, and sat down to have our picnic breakfast. Some SL birders had some up from Colombo to twitch the Blue-and-White Flycatcher but it didn’t show whilst we were there. Post-breakfast we headed again into the main reserve to see what we could find, and to try some different tracks. There was still a ‘wanted’ endemic to find. We pretty soon had this when Nandana alerted us to the calls of a gang of Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes, which showed well by the side of the track, feeding in the leaf litter. We had further views of Black-naped Monarch, a lovely blue flycatcher, and connected again with Orange-billed Babbler, Malabar Trogon [male and female], Red-faced Malkoha, [Bright] Green Warbler, Orange Minivet [a race of Scarlet Minivet], White-faced Starling and of course the Blue Magpies. Whilst walking around we also had he thrill of seeing a flock of around 10 Brown-backed Needletail Swifts as they swooped around in formation and passed all too quickly overhead. Another snippet of ‘gen’ gave us the option of a very stiff walk up a hillside through a tea plantation and into some forest, to see a Spot-bellied Eagle-owl, which a local villager had alerted the rangers about, as it was nesting. Most of us opted for this, and it was a very steep walk, but worthwhile when we were able to see a very large fluffy chick sitting on a nest, from a rather vertiginous ‘platform’ overhanging the steep forest slope. Sadly the adult[s] were away from the nest but the chick was impressive. This more or less rounded off the day so we headed back to our motel for a well-earned shower, and dinner.
Sadly it was also time to pack, as this was our last night of the trip proper.
Today comprised a full day in Sinharaja rainforest, travelling in two small US army type jeeps – very bouncy, numb bum, hang on for dear life stuff, and quite an adventure. At some point prior to today we had learnt that Nandana has received some ‘gen’ from a contact that a Blue-and-White Flycatcher [from the far east] had been found and seen regularly by the main reserve entrance. This was a first for Sri Lanka, so clearly a target bird. After about 30 mins drive we eventually arrived at the reserve entrance very early in the morning. A lot of patient waiting proved negative, although other birds were seen including the attractive Emerald Dove. After a while we walked down the road a little and then some activity in the trees was noted, with a Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher soon picked out, and there it was accompanying the latter, the superb Blue-and-White Flycatcher. We had good view of this as it fed just above our heads. The reserve was eventually fully open and we entered with our required ranger accompanying us. Target species here were more endemics and we were soon watching some very tame Sri Lanka Blue Magpies. Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl were much in evidence, but patient waiting and call-playing in suitable habitat only had us hearing a Sri Lanka Spurfowl not 4-5 m away but totally unseen – very frustrating. The endemic Green-billed Coucal was seen again [not as showy as Great Coucal although the same size, but much more secretive]. Movement in the tall trees finally had us getting fleeting views of the endemic Red-faced Malkoha, a hard bird to find as although being quite large, inhabits the high canopy. Another endemic we managed to connect with was the Sri Lanka Rufous-, or Orange-billed Babbler. Sri Lanka Hill Mynahs were seen again plus another seemingly difficult endemic species, White-faced Starling, with a distinctive loud call which does enable you to locate where it might be in the high canopy. There were many other forest species of course, including Asian Brown Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Sri Lanka [Crested] Drongo, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, and Malabar Trogon. I almost forgot – another jewel in the crown as far as endemics go – Serendib Scops Owl. As mentioned earlier Nandana had tried unsuccessfully for this species at Kitulgala. However one of our jeep drivers had some local gen and after some ‘jungle bashing’ through fairly thick undergrowth, and by crouching down low to the ground everyone eventually had good views of a roosting bird low in a dense bush. It was impossible to position oneself to photograph unfortunately, although there was no light in any case. There was also the danger of invading leeches if you spent to long in one position! Leech socks were de rigeur in Sinharaja.
14th March
The failure on the SL Spurfowl yesterday had Nandana acting on more local ‘gen’ and we were given the option of getting up VERY early [i.e. about 4:30 a.m.!] to visit a site where a pair regularly appeared at first light. Myself, Clive, Dave and Alan opted to go and we set off bleary-eyed in a jeep in the dark. Soon we were bouncing along a tortuous forest track, amazed at seeing mothers with their immaculately dressed schoolchildren walking along the track by torchlight [for some 3-4 km], at around 5 a.m. in order to get to a ‘main’ track to catch their school bus! We finally arrived at the location just before first light, to discover that the viewing area was the back room of a villager’s dwelling. This villager fed his ‘garden’ birds and whilst waiting we had excellent views of Indian Blue Robin and Spot-winged Thrush. Then suddenly right on cue, the pair of Sri Lanka Spurfowl appeared and wandered around the patch of ground that was the back garden, feeding contentedly for about 2-3 minutes and then just as suddenly walked off into the undergrowth. A magic moment. We made our way happily back down the track and headed straight to the main Sinharaja reserve entrance where the others were waiting, and sat down to have our picnic breakfast. Some SL birders had some up from Colombo to twitch the Blue-and-White Flycatcher but it didn’t show whilst we were there. Post-breakfast we headed again into the main reserve to see what we could find, and to try some different tracks. There was still a ‘wanted’ endemic to find. We pretty soon had this when Nandana alerted us to the calls of a gang of Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes, which showed well by the side of the track, feeding in the leaf litter. We had further views of Black-naped Monarch, a lovely blue flycatcher, and connected again with Orange-billed Babbler, Malabar Trogon [male and female], Red-faced Malkoha, [Bright] Green Warbler, Orange Minivet [a race of Scarlet Minivet], White-faced Starling and of course the Blue Magpies. Whilst walking around we also had he thrill of seeing a flock of around 10 Brown-backed Needletail Swifts as they swooped around in formation and passed all too quickly overhead. Another snippet of ‘gen’ gave us the option of a very stiff walk up a hillside through a tea plantation and into some forest, to see a Spot-bellied Eagle-owl, which a local villager had alerted the rangers about, as it was nesting. Most of us opted for this, and it was a very steep walk, but worthwhile when we were able to see a very large fluffy chick sitting on a nest, from a rather vertiginous ‘platform’ overhanging the steep forest slope. Sadly the adult[s] were away from the nest but the chick was impressive. This more or less rounded off the day so we headed back to our motel for a well-earned shower, and dinner.
Sadly it was also time to pack, as this was our last night of the trip proper.