TRANSFER OVERNIGHT FROM LONDON TO COLOMBO - AFTERNOON BIRDING THE GARDENS OF OUR HOTEL
WEATHER: hot,dry and humid. 28C
It was great to be birding in T-shirt and shorts once again, espacially after such a long, cold and wet spell back in the UK. The group assembled around 9am in the 'arrivals' section of Colombo Airport after arriving on several different flights, it was a little tricky but we all met up without too much hassle. After changing money and buying sim cards we boarded our bus and headed off to our hotel which was just a short drive from the airport.
Our first birding excursion was a short walk around the grounds aftter we had checked-in and had a short rest. It 10:30am wen we started lsiting the common species around the extensive and well manicured gardens. Lots of butterflies were on the wing in the warm sunshine but our attention was drawn to the many birds flitting about in the trees and shrubs.
Spotted Dove or Spotted-necked Dove
We found our first bird, the House Crow at the airport and a White-throated Kingfisher was seen during the journey to the hotel. In the grounds we quickly found Indian Pond Heron (even though there was no water around) also Yellow-billed Babbler and Purple-rumped Sunbird, Red-vented Bulbul sat on the power lines with Common Myna in the trees beyond. Then we heard a commotion and located a Shikra perched in the shade of a palm tree.
Indian Pond Heron
Many birds called that we did not immediately locate, such as Black-hooded Oriole, Spotted-necked Dove, Brown-headed Barbet and Ring-necked Parakeet.
We broke for lunch and a siesta in the heat of the day, then we re-convened at 3pm when we met our local guide Dammi for the first time. The walk this time was much better with a local guide as our leader, we added a few more species to the list.
Shikra - taken by Phil Naylor
The Red-backed Flameback Woodpecker went down well with the group, what a stunning bird that one is! The same goes for the Oriental Magpie Robin and the Crimson-fronted Barbet, all stunning birds and the latter is an endemic.
the 'endemic' Crimson-fronted Barbet
Further into the garden we found a pair of White-bellied Drongos, they we putting the finishing touches to thier new nest high up on the brach of a tree. We had much better views of a pair of Red-backed Flameback Woodpeckers as well as a couple of groups of Yellow-billed Babblers. We ended back in the main car park where Dammi tracked down a Brown-headed Barbet, we saw Brahminy Kite and Asian Open-billed Stork swirling on the thermals as we as good views of a couple of Shrikra.
Red-backed Flameback - taken by Phil Naylor
Distant Palm Swifts dashed about and the ever present House Crow reminded us of its presence with its loud raucous calls.
Common Myna
We called it a day around 5pm, some of the group drifted around the garden and added a couple of species to the list which included Little Phil's sighting of a Greater Coucal.
Greater Coucal taken by Phil Naylor
Brown-headed Barbet
That concluded our birding of the first day, we did see a large number of Common Flying Foxes, also a few Palm Squirrels and a few Common House Geckos.