ARRIVAL AT COLOMBO AND TRANSFER TO OUR OVERNIGHT HOTEL
WEATHER: hot an humid all day, with a nice breeze during the middle of the day. Top temp 27C
All ten of us arrived on the same flight at Colombo, in the ungodly hour of 4:00am local time, it sounds horrendous but for us it felt like it was still just 10pm as it was back in the UK.
It was a slow process at the airport, long taxiing, a bus ride, a queue at immigration and then buying local currency and SIM cards, before we took our own bus to the hotel. We had breakfast at 8am and most of the group went for unofficial walks in the lush grounds of the hotel.
Many species were recorded and my own personal tally was about 15 species. The gardens were not as colourful as in previous years, most of the flowers had gone over so not so many butterflies were on the wing.
The usual common bird species such as; Common Myna, Yellow-billed Babbler, Hooded Oriole, Spotted Dove, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Brown-headed Barbets were calling from all directions and small groups of Ring-necked Parakeets roamed the grounds.
colourful characters are the Common Myna and they have a very tuneful song too!
More sightings included: White-bellied Drongo, Purple Sunbird, Common Tailorbird, a White-breasted Waterhen was seen down by the ornamental pond. I had glimpses of a Red-backed Flameback Woodpecker as it dashed through the trees and a male Asian Koel worked its way around a tree without showing fully at any stage, so no pictures.
White-bellied Dronga
Butterflies began flying around 10am: I recorded: Common Grass Yellow, White Four-ring, Small Cupid, Club Beak, lots Psyche Whites (they fly low to the ground with a slow dancing flight like Wood Whites do back at home. Many other species dashed by without stopping, especially high up in the canopy, to say hello and they were too quick for me to get any ID features.
a very common species, rather like a Wood White is the Psyche
Our official afternoon walk began at 3pm and was led by our Tour Guide, Saman. We met up at the reception and walked the ‘cycle’ trail around the perimeter of the gardens. We saw many of the species already seen this morning but added quite few too!
The Endemic Sri Lanka Small Barbet - formerly Crimson-fronted Barbet
In the main car park Saman found us our first Sri Lankan endemic in the shape of a Barbet. Formerly known as the Crimson-fronted barbet this bird is now called the Sri Lanka Small Barbet, supporting its endemic status with its new name. We then watched a pair of them at a nest hole.
Asian Paradise Flycatcher - a female
These sighting were quickly followed by a Brahminy Kite flying over us, a White-breasted Waterhen and then a female Paradise Flycatcher, the latter was stunner and well appreciated by the group. Palm Swifts flew over as we made our way down the track.
We made many stops during our first circuit, we had views of Black-hooded Orioles, both male and female Asian Koel, the now endemic Red-backed Woodpecker, a flyover Indian Cormorant, Purple-rumped Sunbirds.
Red-backed Woodpecker - now endemic
two more Red-backed seen later
Peter found a pair of the endemic Sri Lanka Green Pigeon and enjoyed good views of more Red-backed Woodpeckers. Brief glimpses were had of Brown-headed Barbet too.
a strange fast flying butterfly at rest - the Club Beak butterfly
Our last bird was the Indian Scops Owl, one of the hotel gardening staff ed us to a tree in a private garden area and he pointed out the owls. It was dark in the bush and not many of the group had good views of them before they moved deeper into the foliage.