Trip Report Sri Lanka 2003

Simon Plat, Maaike Poppinga
Dates: 24-02-2003 till 13-03-2003
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Sigiriya

Location: Sigiriya is in the northern half of the island, just off the road from Kandy to Trincomalee, about 150 km north of Kandy. Sigiriya is signposted well. There are some ponds near the hotel Ancient Villa, but they are hard to find.

Costs: entrance to the Sigiriya park is Rs1440/- per person, but birding in the surroundings is free.

Date(s): 9 and 10-03-03 (6 birding hours)

Notes: Sigiriya is a great place to visit, even if all your targets dried out. The whole area offers good birding opportunities and visiting (climbing) the rock is just great.

Highlights: Woolly-necked Stork (V), Cotton Pigmy-Goose (V), Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen - 2 on the rock), Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (1 - in the swampy forests near the rock), Blue Rock-Thrush (1), Orange-headed Thrush (1 - in the swampy forests near the rock), Grey-breasted Prinia (1), Jungle Prinia (1), Thick-billed Flowerpecker (1).

Pics:

These (rather worn) cabins can be hired at Ancient Villa. The bed was terrible but the surroundings just great. Indian Pitta an Blue-winged Leafbird are present in the garden. From Ancient Villa to Sigiriya is quite a walk (> 5 km).
Find the bird... Indian Pitta is apparently tree-dwelling. It shows extremely well for a pitta. Indian Pitta
The 200 m high Lion Rock from a distance. The climb up the stairs is certainly worth it, rewarding you with great views and a pair of Shaheen.

Bird List:

Column 1: S= endemic species; R=endemic race/subspecies
Column 2: N=Near-threatened; V=Vulnerable

    Tachybaptus ruficollis Little Grebe
V
    Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Indian Cormorant
V
    Phalacrocorax niger Little Cormorant
V
  N Anhinga melanogaster Oriental Darter
V
    Ardea cinerea Grey Heron
1
    Ardeola grayii Indian Pond-Heron
XX
    Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret
CC
    Egretta alba Great Egret
X
    Egretta garzetta Little Egret
X
    Ixobrychus sinensis Yellow Bittern
1
    Mesophoyx intermedia Intermediate Egret
1
    Anastomus oscitans Asian Openbill
V
    Ciconia episcopus Woolly-necked Stork
V
  N Mycteria leucocephala Painted Stork
V
  N Threskiornis melanocephalus Black-headed Ibis
V
    Dendrocygna javanica Lesser Whistling-Duck
V
    Nettapus coromandelianus Cotton Pygmy-goose
V
    Accipiter badius Shikra
1
    Elanus caeruleus Black-winged Kite
2
    Haliastur indus Brahminy Kite
2
  N Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus Grey-headed Fish-Eagle
1
    Pernis ptilorhyncus Oriental Honey-buzzard
1
    Falco peregrinus peregrinator Peregrine Falcon (Shaheen)
2
S   Gallus lafayetii Ceylon Junglefowl
V
    Pavo cristatus Indian Peafowl
V
    Amaurornis phoenicurus White-breasted Waterhen
2
    Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus Purple Swamphen
V
    Hydrophasianus chirurgus Pheasant-tailed Jacana
1
    Vanellus indicus Red-wattled Lapwing
V
    Chlidonias hybriduS Whiskered Tern
V
R   Chalcophaps indica robinsoni Emerald Dove
V
    Columba livia Rock Pigeon
X
R   Streptopelia chinensis ceylonensis Spotted Dove
XX
    Psittacula krameri Rose-ringed Parakeet
X
    Centropus sinensis Greater Coucal
X
    Eudynamys scolopacea Asian Koel
V
    Apus affinis Little Swift
C
    Cypsiurus balasiensis Asian Palm-Swift
V
    Hemiprocne coronata Crested Treeswift
X
    Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher
V
    Ceyx erithacus Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher
1
    Halcyon smyrnensis White-throated Kingfisher
V
    Merops orientalis orientalis Little Green Bee-eater
X
    Merops philippinus Blue-tailed Bee-eater
V
    Coracias benghalensis indica Indian Roller
1
S   Ocyceros gingalensis Ceylon Grey-Hornbill
2
    Megalaima haemacephala Coppersmith Barbet
V
S   Megalaima rubricapilla Crimson-fronted (Ceylon Small) Barbet
V
    Megalaima zeylanica Brown-headed Barbet
X
    Pitta brachyura Indian Pitta
3
R   Hirundo daurica hyperythra Red-rumped (Sri Lanka) Swallow
V
    Hirundo rustica (incl. gutteralis) Barn Swallow
X
    Anthus rufulus Paddyfield Pipit
V
    Pericrocotus cinnamomeus Small Minivet
2
R   Tephrodornis pondicerianus affinis Common Woodshrike
V
R   Pycnonotus cafer cafer Red-vented Bulbul
XX
R   Pycnonotus luteolus insulae White-browed Bulbul
V
    Aegithina tiphia multicolor Common Iora
2
    Chloropsis aurifrons Golden-fronted Leafbird
2
    Chloropsis cochinchinensis Blue-winged Leafbird
2
    Lanius cristatus cristatus Brown Shrike
1
r?   Copsychus saularis ceylonensis Oriental Magpie-Robin
V
    Monticola solitarius Blue Rock-Thrush
1
R   Saxicoloides fulicata leucoptera Indian Robin
X
    Zoothera citrina citrina Orange-headed Thrush
1
    Cisticola juncidis Zitting Cisticola
2
R   Orthotomus sutorius sutorius Common Tailorbird
V
R   Prinia hodgsonii leggei Grey-breasted Prinia
1
R   Prinia inornata insularis Plain Prinia
V
R   Prinia sylvatica vailda Jungle Prinia
1
    Terpsiphone paradisi paradisi Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
1
R   Terpsiphone paradisi ceylonensis Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
1
R   Dicaeum agile zeylonicum Thick-billed Flowerpecker
1
R   Dicaeum erythrorhynchos ceylonense Pale-billed Flowerpecker
1
    Nectarinia  asiatica Purple Sunbird
V
R   Nectarinia zeylonica zeylonica Purple-rumped Sunbird
V
    Zosterops palpebrosus Oriental White-eye
V
    Ploceus philippinus Baya Weaver
X
    Passer domesticus House Sparrow
X
R   Acridotheres tristis melanosternus Common Myna
X
R   Oriolus xanthornus ceylonensis Black-hooded Oriole
2
    Artamus fuscus Ashy Woodswallow
2
    Corvus macrorhynchos Large-billed Crow
X
    Corvus splendens House Crow
X

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