Richer by the human and avian experiences

FOGSL Field visit to Puttlum

Dates: 6th-10th March 2009
Places visited: Navadankulama Tank, Puttlum lagoon, Daluwa coastal area, Annavilundawa Sanctuary It was yet another FOGSL field trip to Puttlum on a Friday (06th March) afternoon when a group of keen birders from different paths of interest piled into a van agreeing to amicably share the available oxygen until the end of the journey. The actual tour started by testing the strength and fitness of all the members, when we had to push the van out of soft powdery sand of Puttlum from which it refused to get out. Rejuvenated by the moonlight push, the team found the final destination and pitched tent for the night.
Early next morning after a wood smoke flavoured cup of tea the team set off to observe birds along the coast. We were indeed rewarded with some good birding which included a number of terns. Late morning was a trip to the saltern where we were able to see a large number of waders. It was a keen bunch of birders who braved the hot burning sun beating down on us to identify the different plovers and sandpipers, terns and shanks. It was a day of waders and more waders. Evening ended charmingly with the making of new friends. Desperate to charge our mobile phones, we made friends with the people of the area who turned out to be absolutely wonderful. This resulted in also the making of one new birder from the area - Nigel.
The much awaited owling was not a success even though we heard the calls of quite a few.
Sunday was a fantastic day of birding which again began with the early morning coastal walk. Most of us were able to spot lifers in the form of Grey francolin and western reef egret. A trip close to the Nurachcholai power plant and the Puttlum salterns, provided more waders to our already confused struggle for identification. Thanks to Dhammithra and Podda (Dilshan) of the FOGSL team, that difficult task was accomplished. The enthusiastic team took turns to educate the new participant - Nigel - on the finer points of bird watching and the poor guy was given such a thorough briefing on all birds that, at the end of the day, he saw even the crow in a special ornithological light. The final day started with the bustle of packing up and seeing that everything was in order. Touching goodbyes were said to our new found friends with promises to meet again. On the way birding at Annavilundawa proved to be very good. The Watercock was a great observation. Each of us also kept our eyes open for our other interests such as butterflies and reptiles. After a late lunch the team returned to the University of Colombo completing yet another birding trip.

Reported by Tharu de Silva
Photos by Indrika Pradeepa

Participants :D.R.S. Ilangakon, Yuraji Karunaratne, Anjello Samarawickrama, Newton Jayawardane, Carl Fernando, Ranjith Perera, Tharindra de Silva, Amitha Perera, Sindy de Silva, Sapumal Liyanage, Indrika Pradeepa

List of Birds Recorded
Common name Scientific name
Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus
Lesser Whistling-duck Dendrocygna javanica
Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus
Garganey Anas querquedula
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans
Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Striated Heron Butorides striata
Indian Pond-heron Ardeola grayii
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Great Egret Casmerodius albus
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis
Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
Crested Serpent-eagle Spilornis cheela
Shikra Accipiter badius
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Watercock Gallicrex cinerea
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Sanderling Calidris alba
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
Slender-billed Gull Larus genei
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Little Tern Sterna albifrons
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Spotted Dove Stigmatopelia chinensis
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
Collard Scops-owl Otus bakkamoena
Asian Palm-swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica
Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense
Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus
White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens
Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
House Crow Corvus splendens
Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Jerdon's Bushlark Mirafra affinis
Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis
Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis
Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer
White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Blyth's Reed-warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis
Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum
Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis
Indian Robin Saxicoloides fulicatus
Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos
Purple Sunbird Nectarinia asiatica
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Black-throated Munia Lonchura kelaarti
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata
Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus