ianrose82
Well-known member
Two weeks at the Club Palm Bay Hotel in Marawila, 50Km north of Colombo. Not a birding trip but I did manage a couple of trips out.
The hotel is surrounded on two sides by a large lagoon edged with mangroves and early morning walks along the lagoon produced many species: House Crow, Common Myna, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Feral Pigeon, Little Cormorant, Striated Heron, Black-winged Stilt, White-breasted Waterhen, Common Kingfisher, Little Egret, Asian Openbill, Common Sandpiper, Grey Heron, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Blue-faced Malkoha, White-throated Kingfisher, Greater Coucal, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Asian Koel, Loten's Sunbird, Brahminy Kite, Purple Heron, Red-wattled Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Indian Swiftlet and Blue-tailed Bee Eater.
A short boat trip on Negombo Lagoon added Indian Jungle Crow, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret and Great Crested Tern.
A visit to the Bird Sanctuary near Chillaw added Indian Pond Heron, Black-headed Ibis, Indian Peafowl, Shikra, Ring-necked Parakeet, Spotted Dove, Indian Roller, Brown-headed Barbet, Black-rumped Flameback, Red-vented Bulbul, Jerdon's Leafbird, Black-hooded Oriole, White-bellied Drongo and Crested Serpent Eagle.
Other sightseeing trips added Emerald Dove, Yellow-billed Babbler and Spot-billed Pelican.
If you stay at this hotel, go to the tuk-tuk park outside the gate and ask for Fernando. He is very knowledgable on local birds and will organise any trips you want at very reasonable prices (not just birding trips).
The hotel is surrounded on two sides by a large lagoon edged with mangroves and early morning walks along the lagoon produced many species: House Crow, Common Myna, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Feral Pigeon, Little Cormorant, Striated Heron, Black-winged Stilt, White-breasted Waterhen, Common Kingfisher, Little Egret, Asian Openbill, Common Sandpiper, Grey Heron, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Blue-faced Malkoha, White-throated Kingfisher, Greater Coucal, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Asian Koel, Loten's Sunbird, Brahminy Kite, Purple Heron, Red-wattled Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Indian Swiftlet and Blue-tailed Bee Eater.
A short boat trip on Negombo Lagoon added Indian Jungle Crow, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret and Great Crested Tern.
A visit to the Bird Sanctuary near Chillaw added Indian Pond Heron, Black-headed Ibis, Indian Peafowl, Shikra, Ring-necked Parakeet, Spotted Dove, Indian Roller, Brown-headed Barbet, Black-rumped Flameback, Red-vented Bulbul, Jerdon's Leafbird, Black-hooded Oriole, White-bellied Drongo and Crested Serpent Eagle.
Other sightseeing trips added Emerald Dove, Yellow-billed Babbler and Spot-billed Pelican.
If you stay at this hotel, go to the tuk-tuk park outside the gate and ask for Fernando. He is very knowledgable on local birds and will organise any trips you want at very reasonable prices (not just birding trips).
