Wednesday 28 November 2018

28th November 2018 Kitulgala to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

We returned to the Kitulgala police station road spending from 5.30am to 8am there mainly in the hope of seeing a Chestnut-backed Owlet there but it wasn't to be although it was nice to see the Spot-winged Thrushes again and our first wintering Green Warbler of the trip. We returned to the Rest House for a quick breakfast and were on our way to Nuwara Eliya by 8.45am arriving at 12.30pm.  It was refreshing in the cooler weather. After a look at a waterfall seeing a Dusky Blue Flycatcher but failing to see Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush we then walked the paddy-fields in the vicinity of our Ashford Hotel quickly seeing some Hill Swallows before heading to Victoria Park under leaden skies where we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours seeing a male Kashmir Flycatcher, a male Pied Ground-Thrush, a male Indian Blue Robin, a party of Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babblers, a pair of Yellow-eared Bulbuls and an Indian Pitta. Whilst it was difficult to tear ourselves away, knowing that Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush was our most-wanted species in Sri Lanka, Dilu was keen to try the Boy Scouts camp ravine. That proved an inspired decision, as unbelievably, and despite the drizzle, one performed admirably in the gathering gloom at dusk.    

Little Cormorant 1
Great Egret 2
Eastern Cattle Egret 30
Indian Pond Heron 10
Brahminy Kite 2
Shrikra 1
Oriental Honey-Buzzard 1
Crested Serpent-Eagle 2
Sri Lanka Junglefowl 2
White-breasted Waterhen 1
Rock Dove 10
Spotted Dove 2
Emerald Dove 1
Sri Lanka Hanginig-Parrot 2
Indian Swiftlet 10
Stork-billed Kingfisher 1
Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill 2
Red-backed Flameback 3
INDIAN PITTA 1
HILL SWALLOW 8
Grey Wagtail 6
Paddyfield Pipit 1
Pied Flycatcher-Shrike 4
Red-vented Bulbul 12
Square-tailed Black Bulbul 2
Yellow-browed Bulbul 2
YELLOW-EARED BULBUL 2
Brown Shrike 2
Spot-winged Ground-Thrush 2
SRI LANKA SCALY THRUSH 1
Pied Ground-Thrush 1
Indian Blue Robin 1 male
Oriental Magpie-Robin 8
Pied Bushchat 2
Brown-breasted Flycatcher 2
KASHMIR FLYCATCHER 1 male
DUSKY BLUE FLYCATCHER 1
Yellow-billed Babbler 6
Sri Lanka (Orange-billed) Rufous Babbler 4
SRI LANKA SCIMITAR-BABBLER 3
Common Tailorbird 1
Green Warbler 1
Great Tit 2
Pale-billed Flowerpecker 1
Oriental White-eye 2
Loten's Sunbird 2
White-rumped Munia 10
House Sparrow 40
Black-hooded Oriole 1
White-bellied Drongo 1
Common Myna 2
Indian Jungle Crow 20

Little Cormorant at Kitulgala


Red-backed Flameback at Kitulgala

Spot-winged Thrush at Kitulgala

Scenery as we headed towards Nuwara Eliya

Waterfalls as we climbed into the highlands



Indian Flying Foxes near Nuwara Eliya

Bee nests near Nuwara Eliya

Brown Shrike near Nuwara Eliya


Nuwara Eliya waterfall

Pied Flycatcher-Shrike at Nuwara Eliya waterfall

Oriental White-eye at Nuwara Eliya waterfall

Great Tit at Nuwara Eliya



Victoria Park at Nuwara Eliya

Indian Pond-Heron at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Grey Wagtail at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya


Male Kashmir Flycatcher at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Male Pied Ground-Thrush at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Illustration of Pied Ground-Thrush by Keulemans

Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Indian Pitta at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Pair of Yellow-eared Bulbuls at Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya