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Birding in Sri Lanka (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter DAS
- Start date
Edward woodwood
Member
Hi Dave
I spent a bit of time there this year, got 31 or the 33 endemics and found a couple of great new sites for the Whistling thrush, Coucal, Frogmouth etc....
If you have some more definite enquiries I'd be happy to oblige....
atb
Tim
I spent a bit of time there this year, got 31 or the 33 endemics and found a couple of great new sites for the Whistling thrush, Coucal, Frogmouth etc....
If you have some more definite enquiries I'd be happy to oblige....
atb
Tim
Julian Sykes Wildlife
Jules Sykes
Hi Dave
Sounds like Tim has got this covered, but one thing I would recommend would be the use of a guide in certain areas they are worth every penny. I went 9 years ago on my honeymoon and with the help of an excellent guide managed to see 27 endems. Although I would be interested in know what the current list of endems is, as I am sure some of the newer ones are splits that don't know about. It's a great country not only for the birding.
Sounds like Tim has got this covered, but one thing I would recommend would be the use of a guide in certain areas they are worth every penny. I went 9 years ago on my honeymoon and with the help of an excellent guide managed to see 27 endems. Although I would be interested in know what the current list of endems is, as I am sure some of the newer ones are splits that don't know about. It's a great country not only for the birding.
Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Dave,
The Jetwing Guides are the only ones who can show you the Owl - and they will!! They formerly worked for Baurs, the former pre-eminent tour company in Sri Lanka.
Ask for Uditha Hettige - he is red hot.
Jetwing advertise in all the birding mags, and they presumably have a website.
A guide will save you days - we saw all the endemics (except the Owl, which was then not available) in 10 days, and got good views of all.
Mail me privately and I will send you my trip report from this March.
The Harrison filed guide is probably the best (though the endems that have been recently split are not in there as species) - it will be available off the web, but is out of print in the UK. Harrison/Worfolk - a field Guide tot he birds of Sri Lanka, OUP, 1999. ISBN 0 19 854960 1 (pbk).
Hope this helps
Sean
The Jetwing Guides are the only ones who can show you the Owl - and they will!! They formerly worked for Baurs, the former pre-eminent tour company in Sri Lanka.
Ask for Uditha Hettige - he is red hot.
Jetwing advertise in all the birding mags, and they presumably have a website.
A guide will save you days - we saw all the endemics (except the Owl, which was then not available) in 10 days, and got good views of all.
Mail me privately and I will send you my trip report from this March.
The Harrison filed guide is probably the best (though the endems that have been recently split are not in there as species) - it will be available off the web, but is out of print in the UK. Harrison/Worfolk - a field Guide tot he birds of Sri Lanka, OUP, 1999. ISBN 0 19 854960 1 (pbk).
Hope this helps
Sean
Edward woodwood
Member
Hey Sean...
did you see all the new endems?
Large Woodshrike was a bad miss for me...
three spurfowl though and Ceylon Scaly Thrush
tapes are prohibited in Sinharaja now so bear that in mind.....
the Grimmskipp guide to India covers all Sri Lanka too
did you see all the new endems?
Large Woodshrike was a bad miss for me...
three spurfowl though and Ceylon Scaly Thrush
tapes are prohibited in Sinharaja now so bear that in mind.....
the Grimmskipp guide to India covers all Sri Lanka too
Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Tim Allwood said:
Timmmeeee
Yes, saw them all - we were aware that some splits were imminent, and tried to see as many of the then sub-species as we could.
The Owl can be seen outside the Sinharaja Reserve itself. Not being able to use tapes was a problem when we went, but if you have spent a couple of days at Kitulgala first, there are only two or three things that are essential at Sinharaja.
Highlight of the trip for me was actually not a bird - an immature male Leopard sauntering around some bushes in Yala at 20 metres took the biscuit (not literally)!!!
Cheers
Seamus
Julian Sykes Wildlife
Jules Sykes
Hi Sean
Brilliant, would have loved to have seen Leopard ourselves, we did manage Sloth Bear which was pretty awesome, there meant to be more dangerous/unpredictable than Leopard.
Brilliant, would have loved to have seen Leopard ourselves, we did manage Sloth Bear which was pretty awesome, there meant to be more dangerous/unpredictable than Leopard.
I'm doing a trip there myself in late Feb '05 through Baurs.
If you share any gen for SL Whistling Thrush, G-b Coucal, Frogmouth and SL Spurfowl, I'd really appreciate it. We're probably going to have a go for Painted Francolin around Bibile - I've a couple of sites for this, any others would be appreciated.
Thanx
Andy
If you share any gen for SL Whistling Thrush, G-b Coucal, Frogmouth and SL Spurfowl, I'd really appreciate it. We're probably going to have a go for Painted Francolin around Bibile - I've a couple of sites for this, any others would be appreciated.
Thanx
Andy
Tim Allwood said:
Edward woodwood
Member
Andy Webb said:
yep, no problem Andy
pm me with anything you want to know...
Tim
mattcoumbe
Member
I am going to Sri Lanka this week. although we are on a tour of the island, I plan to escape to do some birding, wife permitting. Please could any one help with details of local guides . hopefully there might be other guest who would like to come along ?
Alternatively would welcome locations of birding sites?
Thank you
Please send info to matt dot coumbe at btopenworld.com
Alternatively would welcome locations of birding sites?
Thank you
Please send info to matt dot coumbe at btopenworld.com
mattcoumbe
Member
Thanks to every one who helped with advice. i have just got back. Had agreat time and saw alot of birds including
ainted stork, open bills.crested hawk eagle, brahminy kite, red and yellow wattled lapwings, various kingfishers (very common) cattle and great egret, green bee eater, brown shrike to name just a few. Also visit Yala NR and saw Crocs, elephant, mongoose, spotted deers etc.
Visited Victor Hasselblad turtle hatchery at Kosgoda on road to Galle. It had been destroyed by the Tidal wave, but has now been rebuild and was looking afterlots of green turtle eggs,turtles are released 3 days after hatching. there was alot of UNHCR, Sri Lankan red Cross, and American aid tents in the area, and it was apparent that a lot of rebuilding had taken place. The Hatchery appears to have been totally rebuilt.
Matt Coumbe
[email protected]
ainted stork, open bills.crested hawk eagle, brahminy kite, red and yellow wattled lapwings, various kingfishers (very common) cattle and great egret, green bee eater, brown shrike to name just a few. Also visit Yala NR and saw Crocs, elephant, mongoose, spotted deers etc.Visited Victor Hasselblad turtle hatchery at Kosgoda on road to Galle. It had been destroyed by the Tidal wave, but has now been rebuild and was looking afterlots of green turtle eggs,turtles are released 3 days after hatching. there was alot of UNHCR, Sri Lankan red Cross, and American aid tents in the area, and it was apparent that a lot of rebuilding had taken place. The Hatchery appears to have been totally rebuilt.
Matt Coumbe
[email protected]
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