Horton Plains, Bomuruelle and Victoria Park
An early start to get up to Horton Plains before the crowds arrived worked out well with a Brown Wood Owl by the side of the road. Our final endemics of the trip were in reach and we quickly got the Woodpecker, however the 'easy' Bush Warbler proved to be extremely difficult but eventually we got good views of one bird. On and off rain didn't help either. During the afternoon we descended to levels where breathing was easier and got lucky with a Kashmir Flycatcher. Victoria Park was next with the main target here being Pied Thrush. The other group called us over as they had located a male, and thankfully the bird gave itself up in its roosting tree delighting all of us and proving one of the birds of the trip. Rather gutting was the other group finding a Grey-necked Bunting (2nd for Sri Lanka) in Yala a few days ago exactly where we were. A very long day opting out of having lunch by birding instead, which worked very much in our favour. Our final day tomorrow, let's hope it's a good one.
Species in capitals = endemic lifers, highlighted species = lifers
Brown Wood Owl - 1
Indian Blackbird - 1
CRIMSON-BACKED FLAMEBACK - 1
Green Warbler - 2
Sri Lanka White Eye - 30
Dark-fronted Babbler - 20
Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler - 3
Indian Blue Robin - 1 1w male
Yellow-eared Bulbul - 30
Forest Wagtail - 2
Alpine Swift - 2
Hill Swallow - 50
Indian Pitta - 2
Dull Blue Flycatcher - 4
Pied Bushchat - 4
SRI LANKA BUSH WARBLER - 2
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch - 2
Loten's Sunbird - 5
Kashmir Flycatcher - 1 1w male
Eyebrowed Thrush - 3
Pied Thrush - 1 male
Toque Macaque
Purple-faced Leaf Monkey
Stripe-necked Mongoose
Dusky-striped Squirrel
Sri Lankan Highland Shrew
Black-cheeked Lizard
Yellow-eared Bulbul
Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Pied Bushchat
Horton Plains
one of the Whistling Thrush haunts
Toque Macaques
having seen Kashmir Flycatcher earlier, our only target was the male Pied Thrush, and we weren't disappointed.
Adam desperately trying to see the male Pied Thrush knowing that the rest of us had seen it. Thankfully for all of us he got it.
