TRANSFER FROM SINHARAJA TO GALLE -BIRDING GALLE RAMPARTS AND THE KIRALAKALE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
WEATHER: hot, humid and breeze. Temperature range 20C-30C
Our final birding day had arrived, we had to travel to the coast for our Whale Watching Cruise booked for tomorrow, so we had little time for birding today.
the view from the balcony of our hotel
At breakfast we spent some time on the balcony of the hotel looking down into a lush green valley with terraced tea plantations on the slopes and a few rice fields down at the bottom. Small flock of Munias were feeding on the nearly-ripened rice, we scanned with our scopes and we picked the Black-throated Munia which is a local speciality and a new bird for our list. Other birds seen whilst we enjoyed the beautiful morning included: Alexandrine and Leyard’s Parakeets, Hanging Parrots, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Little Swifts (nesting under the eaves of the hotel building), Sri Lanka Swallows, Oriental Magpie Robin (nesting in a pipe just above us), White-throated Kingfisher (at least three) and many more locally common species.
Alexandrine Parakeets
a distant Kapoc Tree going to seed with three White-breasted Kingfisher and two Red-vented Bulbuls in attendance
After breakfast we packed up the bus and set off for the coast, passing through lovely scenic landscapes until we reached the coastal plateau, there we found miles of rice paddies and other crops. We noted a few species during the drive which included the ubiquitous Brahminy Kite, Red-vented Bubuls and Spotted Doves, they were everywhere. One species new for the list was seen by Rick, he found an Osprey whilst the rest of us missed it.
on the ramparts of Galle
Cattle Egrets in the Palms
We then spent 1 1/2 hours in the centre of the old town section of Galle. Most of us spent a lot of time walking the ramparts of the old bastion, we had lovely views of the open sea and rocky coves. It was hot and sunny with quite a nice breeze. We spotted a lot of terns on the rock and listed, Whiskered, Little, Gull-billed, Common, Lesser-crested and Greater-crested Terns. Also found was Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Red-wattled Lapwing, Scaly-breasted Munias, Common Myna.
Terns on the rocks taken from ther ramparts at Galle
A Whimbrel taking a bath on the beach at Galle taken by Phil Naylor
From Galle we drove the short distance to our beach hotel which literally sits on the beach. For the afternoon birding session most of the group opted to stay and enjoy the beach etc whilst the rest of us were driven to a Marsh area near Marissa.
Kailakare Wildlife Sanctuary has extensive marshes with open pools and supply canals, it was covered in birds, we listed over 40 species. Our main target birds were Bitterns, but a few species other were looked for that were still missing from our list.
Purple Heron in deep water in the marshes
After a short while Little Phil Naylor found a Cinnamon Bittern, he called out and we all saw it in flight but couldn’t find it in the reeds where it landed. We then found a Watercock, it was another female type not the colourful male. Herons. Egrets, spoonbills, ibis, storks, Whistling Ducks, Moorhen, Waterhens, Lapwings littlered the marsh and Brahminy Kites patrolled the skies.
this is all we got of the Watercock
We found a Pied Cuckoo, three types of Kingfishers (Pied, Common and White-throated). We strolled through the marsh and along avenues of trees for about 3 kilometers. Just as we decided to turn back Dhammi shouted out “Black Bittern” as a bird dashed past us. It landed in full view on the top if the reeds and gave us all stunning views. Wowza! That was our star bird and most wanted species, we were all made up with that sighting.
Pied Kingfisher
Black Bittern was very hard to see even they it was hiding in plain sight
Water Buffaloes enjoying the cool water with Cattle Egret enjoying the insects and the ride, by Phil Naylor
Yellow Bittern - one of the last species seen at Kiralakale Sanctuary
The return walk produced nothing new until we reached the final canal when Dhammi pointed out a Yellow Bittern. I can’t believe we saw three bittern species in one place, an amazing result.
That concluded our birding for the day, tomorrow it is an early start for the Whale Watching excursion with our return trip to Colombo due to be taken in the afternoon.