Sri Lanka (2011)

Jeanette and I travelled with Saga Holidays to Cinnamon Lodge,Habarana on an all inclusive package.We had an extra week on the coast at the Bentota Beach Hotel,just south of Colombo.

Day (1) February 15th,flew direct to Colombo overnight,arriving their time at 2.pm the next day.

Day (2) after clearing customs and before boarding the coach,I noted Purple-rumped Sunbird,Yellow-billed Babbler and House Crow in the airport garden.We stayed overnight at the Taj Garden Hotel in Seeduwa arriving at 3.pm,bird-watched in the grounds from 4pm-6.pm.birds that I saw were Indian Pond Heron,Purple Heron,House Crow,Brown-headed Barbet,Purple-rumped and long-billed Sunbirds,Ring-necked Parakeet,Grey Drongo,Black Bittern (2) White-breasted Waterhen,White-breasted Kingfisher,Common Kingfisher,Barn Swallows,Blue-tailed Bee-eater,Common Myna,White-rumped Munia,Red-vented Bulbul,Greater Coucal,Little Cormorant,Lesser Whistling-duck,yellow-billed Babbler and Indian Cormorant.

Day (3) 17th February,we left the Hotel for Cinnamon Lodge at 8.am arriving at 1.30pm,on the way I noted the only Indian Roller of the holiday near to Kurunegala.

17th-24th February Cinnamon Lodge.

24th-3rd March Bentota Beach Hotel.

3rd March colombo-Marle-Heathrow.During our short stop at Marle,I noted the only Lesser Golden Plovers of the holiday on the grassy verges of the runway.

Luckily Jeanette is also interested in birds,though not as keen as myself,she also likes walking.No special trips were made to find Sri lanker endemics,I bird-watched most days,mainly between 6.30am-9.30 and 1600-1800.

Birds seen during the holiday(Cinnamon Lodge) Asian Brown Flycatcher,Asian Koel,Asian Open-billed Stork,Asian Palm Swift,Barn Swallow,Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike,Black-backed Robin,Black-crowned Night Heron,Black-headed Cuckoo Shrike,Black-headed Munia,Scally breated Munia,Black-headed Oriole,Black-winged Stilt,Blue-faced Maloha,Blue-tailed Bee-eater,Brahminy Kite,Bright Green Warbler,Brown Shrike,Brown-capped Babler,Brown-capped Woodpecker,Brown-headed Barbet,Coppersmith,Barbet,Sri Lanker Small Barbet,Cattle Egret,Little Egret,Great White,Intermediate,Changeable Hawk Eagle,Chestnut-headed Bee-eater,Little Green Bee-eater,Common Lora,Common Kingfisher,Stork-billed,White-breated,Common Moorhen,Common Myna,Common Sandpiper,Green Sandpiper,Common Taylorbird,Crested Serpent Eagle,Dark-fronted Babbler,Emerald Dove,Spotted Dove,Golden fronted leafbird,Great Cormorant,Indian Cormorant,Little Cormorant,Grey-breasted Prinia,Grey-headed Fish Eagle,White-bellied Fish Eagle,House Crow,Large billed Crow,Indian Paradise Flycatcher,Indian Peafowl,Indian Pitter,Jerdon`s Leafbird,LittleRinged Plover,Large Cuckooshrike,Little Grebe,Little Swift,Purple-rumped Sunbird,Long-billed,Thick-billed flowerpecker,Indian Swift,Barn Swallow,red-rumped,Malabar Pied Hornbill,Grey Hornbill,Orange-breasted Green Pigeon,Green Imperial Pigeon,Oriental Darter,Oriental Magpie Robin,Oriental White-eye,Paddyfield Pipit,Pheasant-tailed Jacana,Plain Prinia,Plaintive Cuckoo,Purple Heron,Purple Sunbird,Purple Swamphen,Red-backed Woodpecker,Red-vented Bulbul,Red-wattled Lapwing,Rose-ringed Parakeet,Shikra,Small Minivet,Spot-billed Pelican (2) Tickell`s Blue Flycatcher,Whiskered Tern,White-bellied Drongo,Whie-breasted waterhen,White-bellied Sea Eagle,White-browed Bulbul,Blyth`s Reed Warbler,Wooly-necked Stork (2),Crested Serpent Eagle,Changeable Hawk Eagle,Indian Peafowl,Lesser Hill Myna,Painted Stork (1) Sri Lanker Woodshrike,yellow-billed babbler.

The Lodge has a bird list of over 150 species.

Bentota Little Tern,Turnstone,Lesser Sand Plover,Whimbrel.

Reserve just south of Cinnamon Lodge,Black-winged Kite.

Taj Garden Hotel Black Bittern,LesserWhistling-duck.

Indian Roller,near Kurunegala.

Jerdon`s Bushlark,Kaudulla National Park.