Kitulgala
Sunday 9th February We arrived at our first stop, the Plantation Hotel in Kitulgala at about 11.00am and were delighted to find our rooms had a balcony overlooking a stunning view of the Kelani River with the Kitulgala Rainforest in the background. With lunch not being served for a while we did the obvious thing and started birding from the comfort of the chairs provided on the balcony, soon getting good views of Asian Palm Swifts, Little Swifts, Indian Swiftlets and Crested Treeswifts overhead.
Indian Swiftlet – A few at Kitulgala but more seen at Sinharaja.
A raptor flew in and landed in a tree on the opposite side of the river and we were amazed when we got it through the scopes to find it was a juvenile Mountain Hawk Eagle, a rare breeding resident in Sri Lanka. Later on a stunning White-bellied Sea Eagle flew in and perched up in a distant riverside tree and DP & RA had a brief view of a large Swift sp that was probably a Brown-backed Needletail. After some lunch by the riverside dining area it was time to head across the river to the rainforest. Along the road before reaching the bride we had good views of a pair of Scarlet Minivets and a White-browed Fantail and our first endemic, Yellow-fronted Barbet, which we saw a few more times in the early part of the trip. It was then time to cross the rather rickety rope bridge to reach the forest on the other side of the river.
This way to the birds! An interesting and rather bouncy way of crossing the river. The river was popular with white water rafters.
White-browed Fantail – Only seen at Kitulgala and Yala.
We met our local guide, who lives in the forest and knows where to find some of the good birds. We crossed a small stream where a Brown-breasted Flycatcher was hawking for insects under some overhanging branches and further on a pair of Emerald Doves were in a garden. Further on a Black Bulbul appeared and we had great views of Black-naped Monarch sitting on a nest. We had brief views of Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot and reasonable views of Crimson-backed Flameback as we proceeded through the rainforest.
Black-naped Monach on nest.
Square-tailed (Black) Bulbul – Only seen at Kitulgala and Horton Plains.
Emerald Dove – A fairly common species which we saw on four days.
Reaching a sloped area, Ashoka started searching the undergrowth hard and after a while we found out why, as a calling bird gradually got louder until we got a view of our first Sri Lanka Junglefowl. It stayed well under cover but we managed a few shots before it crept away. A few Yellow-billed Babblers showed along with a couple of Orange-billed Babblers and a pair of Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers appeared. As we made our way back past the gardens as the light started fading DP spotted an Owl as it flew up from near the edge of the path and we managed a very brief view of it in a bush to confirm a Chestnut-backed Owlet. Back by the river bridge a few Woolly-necked Storkscame into roost in the trees.
Orange-billed Babbler – An endemic species that was only seen at Kitulgala and Sinharaja.
Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl – After hearing this individual it took some time to see anything at all and eventually managed to a head! Later in the trip we had much easier views!
Monday 10th February – An early start this morning to head back into the Kitulgala Forest to try to clean up on some of the species we missed yesterday evening. Along the road to the bridge we had a good start, with three Sri Lanka Green Pigeons and a Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill in one of the trees. Back across the bridge we reached the houses on the edge of the forest where our local guide took us along the edge of a garden and was soon pointing to a stunning Indian Pitta hopping along the path in front of us. He then told us that this was his house, so not a bad garden bird! We took plenty of photos and then moved on, getting a reasonable view of a Giant Squirrel in the canopy and a Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot further on. Onto another forest garden an elusive Forest Wagtail eventually showed well and a female Legge’s Flowerpecker gave tantalising views up in the branches.
Searching for an Indian Pitta in the back garden of our local guide!
We climbed up the slope further into the forest getting a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Spotted Doves and a White-rumped Munia. Working our way into some thicker forest Ashoka found a Chestnut-backed Owlet high up allowing us to get some photos and while standing here a Green-billed Coucal started calling and a couple of birds flew in to land nearby. Nearby we saw our first Sri Lanka Swallows. These were shortly followed by a Sri Lanka Drongo which landed in the canopy further away, with others nearby. Back down near a stream we had excellent views of Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.
Sri Lanka Swallow – An endemic but not uncommon.
Sri Lanka Crested Drongo
Southern (Lesser) Hill Myna – Seen on three days.
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Sri Lanka Green Pigeon – Seen at three sites during the trip.
Purple Heron – Photographed on route from our vehicle.
Open-billed Stork – Also seen on route close to the road.
Crested Serpent Eagle
We saw a number of lizards on the trip, the Green Forest Lizard, Calotes calotes was very common and seen many times. It is very variable in colour and has several common/local names, so initial identification was tricky until we got our eye in!
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