Sri Lanka Bird and Wildlife Photography Tour 2018

Dates: 27^th April to 1^st May 2018 (4 nights 5 Days)

Travelers from Singapore:

Seo Seo (Tour organizer)

Koh Lin Kee

Yeo Hoon Leng

Karen Wee

Sri Lanka tour operator: Walk With Jith

Guide: Thilina / Walk With Jith

Locations visited: Sinharaja – 2 nights and Yala – 2 nights.

Tour comment written by Seo at the end of tour:

Our trip to Sri Lanka with Walk With Jith was from 27 Apr to 1 May 18. We are extremely delighted with all the arrangements, which started with the reception at the airport, where we received 01 package which included a guidebook on birds of Sri Lanka and a road map (such attention to details and thoughtfulness !)

We are especially happy with our chauffeur guide, Thilina! He is professional, friendly and always do his best to find the birds!

We strongly recommend Walk With Jith for those planning a trip to Sri Lanka and in fact, we are already planning for another visit!

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This trip report is prepared using photos by Koh Lin Kee.

Day 1 (27^th April 2018) – Tour photos

Warm reception by Jith and Thilina Karunanayaka at 0200 hrs at the airport. We received a package comprising a bird guidebook, Sri Lanka road map and itinerary - a very nice touch! — with Seo Seo, Karen Wee, Thilina Karunanayaka and Yeo Hoon Leng.

Welcomed by colourful lights outside the airport - a good start!

View from our room balcony @ Rock View Motel: tea plantation

Breakfast before we head off for birding.

Sri Lanka Junglefowl - national bird of Sri Lanka.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Sri Lanka Blue magpie

Sri Lanka Blue magpie: adult and juvenile

Sri Lanka Blue magpie juvenile

Sri Lanka Grey hornbill is a common endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka.

Look how I breathe!

See how I go through the leaf like a thread!

Common birdwing

Damselfly

Sri Lanka Green pigeon

The Layard's parakeet is a parrot which is a resident endemic breeder in Sri Lanka.

Orange-billed babbler is a resident breeding bird endemic to Sri Lanka.

Our dinner to end off a very fruitful first day!

The Malabar trogon (female) is found in the forests of Sri Lanka and peninsular India.

Day 2 (28^th April 2018) – Tour photos

Bad hair day! :-)

Sri Lanka blue magpie -

Ouch, my head, my head!!!

Green-billed coucal

Pale-billed flowerpecker

Legge's flower pecker or white-throated flower pecker on a cherry tree next to a local residence

In the vicinity of this local residence, we found a few species of birds, including green-billed coucal, Sri Lanka spurfowl, Legge's flower pecker, pale-billed flowerpecker, Sri Lankan blue magpie...

Record shot of Sri Lanka spurfowl, which is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Grizzled giant squirrel - There is no official national animal in Sri Lanka even though the elephant, lion, and grizzled giant squirrel are locally considered as such.

Timeout for breakfast. — with Karen Wee, Yeo Hoon Leng and Seo Seo.

Packed breakfast which included sandwiches, "samosa", banana, apple, pineapple, juice and water.

Snail in the garden

Frogmouth found by our jeep driver!

The frogmouth were deep inside the vegetation.

With our guide, Thilina Karunanayaka and jeepdriver, Thilak, who was also very good at spotting birds. — with Thilina Karunanayaka, Yeo Hoon Leng, Karen Wee and Seo Seo.

Golden-fronted leafbird

@Rock View Motel

Purple-rumped sunbird
@Rock View Motel

Purple-rumped sunbird

@Rock View Motel

White-bellied drongo
@Rock View Motel

White-bellied drongo
@Rock View Motel

Yellow-billed babbler is endemic to southern India and Sri Lanka.

@Rock View Motel

Red-vented bulbul is resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka.

@Rock View Motel

Rained out in the afternoon, but we persevered and birded from our motel's dining room which overlooked a slope with a cherry tree :-)

Yellow-fronted barbet

@Rock View Motel

Our transport for this trip in Sri Lanka

We travelled in this jeep for birding on Day 1 and 2.

A common mode of transport in Sri Lanka, but we did not manage to ride in it.

Day 3 (29^th April 2018) – Tour photos

Dawn @ Rock View Motel, before setting off for another day's adventure.

Breakfast

@Rock View Motel

Attention to detail - we were served with two shades of toast!

@Rock View Motel

Scenery, enroute

Purple-rumped sunbird

@Blue Magpie Lodge

White-bellied drongo
@Blue Magpie Lodge

White-rumped munia

@Blue Magpie Lodge

Yellow-fronted barbet

@Blue Magpie Lodge

Black-capped bulbul, or black-headed yellow bulbul, is endemic to Sri Lanka.

@Blue Magpie Lodge

White-throated kingfisher

@Blue Magpie Lodge

Yellow-billed babbler

@Blue Magpie Lodge

@Blue Magpie Lodge

Leech! strikes when you least expect it!

Our very generous guide, Thilina buying us corn :-) — with Thilina Karunanayaka.

Thilina Karunanayaka showed us an ingenious way to hold the piping hot corn!

Udawalawe Reservoir藍天白云

Udawalawe Reservoir 藍天白云

Indian peafowl
@Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Green imperial pigeon

@Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Red-wattled lapwing

@Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Asian koel (female)

@Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Mohen and chicks

Mohen and chicks

Whistling duck

Whistling duck

Purple coot

Pheasant-tailed jacana

Indian pond heron

Mugger crocodile

Jungle owlet

Indian peafowl

Lanterns to celebrate Vesak Poya - the Festival of Lights

@Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Pool @ Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Lunch - curry rice

Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Lunch - Nasi goreng

Hibiscus Garden Hotel

Dansal or alms-giving stalls are another popular sight all over Sri Lanka during Vesak, rendering an immense service to the people. These roadside stalls offer anything from soft drinks, ice cream, coffee, rice and curry to noodles and fruit salad, all free of charge. The food is bought and prepared using donations of money and dry rations from devotees, and everyone is welcome at these stalls. Operating a dansala and providing free food and drink is considered one of the most meritorious acts one can engage in during the Vesak festivities. (source: Tourslanka)