Birding at Horton Plains National Park and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens

The annual field trip to the hill country for the year 2010 organized by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) took place from 25-27th of June with the participation of 18 members. It provided unique opportunity for us to spend two nights in the dormitory at Horton Plains National Park (HNP) and experience the “watershed effect” of the place to its maximum. Horton Plains, a gently undulating highland plateau lying at 2,100m at the south end of the central highlands is the birth place of tributaries of three major rivers of Sri Lanka, namely the Mahaweli, Kelani and Walawe, as the grasslands act as a sponge in storing rain water. The South-West monsoons bring ample rainfall to the area, and the day we arrived was governed by very strong gusty winds, rain and fog. The visibility was very low as most of the time thick mist seeped in and out. Although it was not a good day for birding, we were fortunate enough to spot two Eurasian Blackbirds and a Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher during the evening hours just outside the dormitory.

The next morning we had a closer encounter a Sambur, which is known as the “beggar” right outside our dormitory. This particular Sambur is quite tame and now habituated to humans and likes to steal or beg a meal from the occupants of the dormitory. After photographing the sambur in all angles, we set off to the Arrenga Pool in order to catch a glimpse of the rare endemic Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush or the Arrenga. Even though it is an extremely shy bird our group had high hopes of seeing one. But, the thick mist kept the bird hidden and we only heard its call. Although we were disappointed at not being able to see the Arrenga, we were thankful to the weather gods as we started our hike to Baker’s falls and Worlds End. Blue skies appeared above us and we immensely enjoyed the panoramic views of the mountain ranges covered with patana grasslands and cloud forests. The bright red flowers of the Rhododendron trees added colour to the scenery even though concerns have been expressed about the rapid spread of this plant.

There was never a dull moment on the long trek to Baker’s falls as we were always on the look-out for birds. Seeing Baker’s falls cascading down was indeed worth the long trek. After the trek to Baker’s falls we all stopped to catch our breath and to re-hydrate ourselves. As we were tucking into some biscuits we were able to spot a very cute Dusky-striped Squirrel foraging on the ground.

On our way to World’s end, Chaminda our guide, who is blessed with very sharp eyes, spotted three Greater Flamebacks, a species of woodpecker which is also a proposed endemic bird on the trunk of a dead tree. All of us had a great opportunity to observe them through binoculars. When we reached the top of World’s end we were greeted with a clear view of the surrounding areas as all the mist had cleared. We were able to identify many distinctive land marks including the reservoirs, roads and buildings located far below us.

After world’s end and mini world’s end were both ticked off from our things-to-do list, we all had a welcome lunch as well as a rest before walking along the Dayagama road searching for more birds. We managed to spot a species of snake called the Boie’s Rough-side, known commonly as the “Le Medilla” in Sinhala along the path. The adventurous and enthusiastic went after a bird flock into the forest where species such as Orange-billed Babbler, Great Tit and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch were sighted. We were extremely lucky to see a wild boar close to our vehicle when we were returning to our dormitory after our walk.

All of the highland endemics as well as several rare migrants such as the Kashmir Flycatcher are found at Horton Plains and the area has been identified as an Important Bird Area of the country. The most suitable season for birding is from September to April. Other than birds, the most prominent animal of Horton Plains is the Sambur. Presently there are over 2,000 individuals within the 3,160 hectares, a fairly high number for a single species of herbivore. It has been suggested that the growth of the Sambur population might be triggered by the introduction of new grass species (e.g. Pennisetum glabrum) and the lack of predators, the only predator being the leopard with around 15 recorded individuals.

Many people flock to Horton Plains just to see World’s End and therefore sadly many miss the point of enjoying and protecting the unique biodiversity Horton Plains has to offer! Removal of plants and flowers, drunken behaviour, lighting of fires, littering, harassment of fellow visitors and noise pollution are some of the major problems associated with tourism. It is highly vital to educate visitors to Horton Plains before they are allowed to enter into this important watershed and a true laboratory of nature.

Our wake up call on the 27th was 4.30 a.m. as we left Horton Plains to Hakgala Botanical Gardens at 5.30 sharp to evade the large crowds that invade the gardens during weekends. Our arrival was greeted by a slight drizzle and a Sri Lanka Dull-blue Flycatcher who was enjoying picking insects near a pond. The highlight at Hakgala was the close encounter with a Brown Fish-owl.

We left Hakgala and breakfasted on the windy shores of Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya before returning to Colombo.

The nights were certainly cold and we would all have preferred another day at Horton Plains but the birds, animals and friendly people who joined us on this once in a lifetime trip more than made up for it.

Reported by: Asitha Samarawickrama and Nishanthi Perera
Photos and Bird list: Indrika Pradeepa

Participants: Sanjeewa Udawatta, Chaminda Jayaratna, Nishanthi Perera, Ranjith Perera, Mohamad Faris, Asitha Samarawickrama, Janaka Disanayaka, Wernon Fernando, Sulakshi Weragama, Lakshini Bambaradeniya, Rohan Kaththiriarachchi, C.R.I. Gomez, Shamila Perera, Sindy de Silva, Asoka Jayasekara, Malaka Rodrigo, Indrika Pradeepa, Chaminda Mahanayaka

Bird species recorded
Sri Lanka Spurfowl
Sri Lanka Junglefowl
Indian Pond-heron
Crested Serpent-eagle
Rock Pigeon
Sri Lanka Wood-pigeon
Spotted Dove
Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot
Brown Fish-owl
Alpine Swift
White-throated Kingfisher
Yellow-fronted Barbet
Greater Flameback
Scarlet Minivet
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Jungle Crow
Great Tit
Jerdon's Bushlark
Zitting Cisticola
Black-crested Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
Yellow-eared Bulbul
Asian Black Bulbul
Common Tailorbird
Sri Lanka Bush-warbler
Brown-capped Babbler
Sri Lanka Scimitar-babbler
Dark-fronted Babbler
Orange-billed Babbler
Sri Lanka White-eye
Oriental White-eye
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Common Myna
Eurasian Blackbird
Oriental Magpie-robin
Pied Bushchat
Dull-blue Flycatcher
Tickell's Blue-flycatcher
Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Long-billed Sunbird
House Sparrow
Black-throated Munia
Scaly-breasted Munia
Tricoloured Munia
Paddyfield Pipit

FOGSL checklist on BUBO Listing

BUBO Listing is a new approach to an old activity; comparing birding lists. Whilst frowned upon by the more serious-minded, bird listing is as vibrant, active and exciting as ever. Put two birders in a room together and before too long they'll know if the other saw the 2006 Long-billed Murrelet in Devon!

BUBO Listing is an attempt to provide a free, flexible and widely used site for the comparison of birding lists. The more people that use BUBO Listing, the better it will become for all users.

BUBO Listing is an online database similar to ‘Sri Lanka Birds’ which is familiar to Sri Lankan bird watchers. BUBO Listing provides facilities to record bird lists across the globe, simply for any country.

BUBO Listing recently accepted FOGSL checklist (Revised avifaunal list of Sri Lanka) as the official checklist for Sri Lanka.

Field Workshop at Belihul Oya

The field workshop at Belihul Oya was held from 27th to 30th of May 2010. Our campsite was an abandoned school in Kumbalgama which was a few kilometres away from the Sabaragamuwa University.

We were given a few brief lectures at the Colombo University by Professor Sarath Kotagama as an introduction to the workshop. After leaving the Colombo University at about 10.00h we reached the camp site around 15.30h. Lunch was eaten at a roadside boutique.

Upon arriving at the campsite we were given the chance to introduce ourselves. We were then divided into four groups. Each of these groups had four members and was named after a particular bird group. Each of the four members had to learn about one of the birds in the group of birds chosen.

The rest of the day was spent getting to know the trails and doing some birding in the grasslands and the forested areas. Birds like Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Spotted Dove, Malabar-pied Hornbill, Lorikeet, Coppersmith Barbet were observed. After dinner we were given a lecture by Chinthaka on counting methods.

The next morning we did transects of which the main objective was counting how many birds found in an area. Three 200m paths were marked and all the bird species and numbers were taken down.

After breakfast we set up mist nets in order to capture a few birds. Two Dark-fronted Babblers were captured, processed and released. Here we were taught how to handle the birds and how to fill the data sheets. The basic grip also called the ringers grip was taught and each of us had the opportunity to handle the birds. The evening was spent doing point counts. Here, five circles within a radius of 25m were marked and group members observed and noted down birds seen at a 360 degree angle from the centre of each circle. A graph was also drawn to show how many new bird species were seen in each circle.

At night we were given a very interesting lecture on animal behaviour. Here, four behaviour study methods were stressed upon, them being Ad libitum method, one-zero method, focal animal method and scan sampling method. Here two groups chose White-rumped Shama and the other two chose the White-browed Fantail and we were study on each of these birds the next day. After this we were shown a small presentation on bird ringing and tracking. It was amazing to see how technology has developed and how you can track a bird anywhere in the world using satellite transmitters.

On the third day nets were set up early morning once again. The nets were monitored every half an hour. Here an Oriental White-eye and three Tawny-bellied Babblers were captured and processed. The hungry netters were treated with vadai and tea by a kind-hearted lady who lived close by.

After arriving back at camp and having breakfast the groups had a small opportunity to take a deserved break which we made the most of.

By noon we were up and ready to track down Shamas and Fantails in order to do our behaviour study. This was a very rewarding experience as it wasn’t easy! At first we didn’t get a chance to observe the Shama for even five minutes but as it got used to us it settled down for extended periods and we were able to sit on the ground and study it for long periods. It was an amazing experience sharing space with this beautiful bird. Our group also managed to mark the territory of this particular Shama. This was done by crawling through the bushes and following the Shama at every possible moment.

By lunch time we were very tired and took a small break after lunch. By about 15.00h we were up once again to study the Shama. Here we were very lucky indeed as we saw two female Shamas attacking each other possibly over territory. As we crawled through the bushes following the Shama we found a new pathway leading to the grasslands we had explored on the first day. At one point the Shama was within touching distance of the group.

After everyone arrived at camp each of the group members described the bird chosen by them on the first day, to an eager audience. After this an ethogram was formed on the screen based on the behaviour we saw studying the Shama. Many groups stayed up well into the night in order to finish their group reports.

On the last morning we managed to put in about 45 minutes of birding in between the rush of writing group and individual reports. After breakfast we discussed the events which we did during this workshop and soon after it was time to pack our tents and bags to head back to Colombo.

It was hard to say goodbye to all the new friends we had got to know and meet during our trip to Belihul Oya. I would like to thank all the senior members at the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka for making this workshop possible in such a short space of time, as the workshop which was to be held at Buttala could not take place due to unavoidable circumstances.

All in all this was a great learning experience for me and I only hope to improve my skills in the future. I am looking forward to the many other workshops including the one at Sinharaja which I am sure will be another wonderful experience just like this.

Reported By: Asitha Samarawickrama
Photos and Bird list: Indrika Pradeepa

[Participants were asked to write reports on their experience, as an exercise. Asitha’s report was selected as the best trip report]

Participants: Asitha Samarawickrama, D.M.D.A. Bandara, Amila Sumanapala, Rasika P. Jayasinha, N. Amantha Jayoda, S. Sankaja Jayoda, Nihal B. Mawella, Varanga de Silva, Migara Maduranga, Asoka Jayasekara, H.D. Ruwan Prasad, Carl Fenando, Nishanthi Perera, Sanjeewa Udawatta, Shamila Perera, J.M.A. Shyamal, B.A.Y.B. Jayawardhana, Kasun Dayananda, Chinthaka Kaluthota, Indrika Pradeepa

Bird species recorded
Sri Lanka Spurfowl
Indian Peafowl
Woolly-necked Stork
Black-headed Ibis
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Brahminy Kite
Crested Serpent-eagle
Pallid Harrier
White-breasted Waterhen
Red-wattled Lapwing
Spotted Dove
Pompadour Green-pigeon
Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Emerald-collared Parakeet
Asian Koel
Blue-faced Malkoha
Greater Coucal
Brown-backed Needletail
Little Swift
Crested Treeswift
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-backed Kingfisher
Common Kingfisher
Little Green Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill
Malabar Pied Hornbill
Brown-headed Barbet
Crimson-fronted Barbet
Coppersmith Barbet
Brown-capped Woodpecker
Black-rumped Flameback
Greater Flameback
Common Iora
Common Woodshrike
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Small Minivet
Scarlet Minivet
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Black-hooded Oriole
White-bellied Drongo
White-browed Fantail
Black-naped Monarch
House Crow
Jungle Crow
Great Tit
Zitting Cisticola
Plain Prinia
Black-crested Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Common Tailorbird
Brown-capped Babbler
Tawny-bellied Babbler
Dark-fronted Babbler
Yellow-billed Babbler
Oriental White-eye
Hill Myna
Common Myna
Oriental Magpie-robin
White-rumped Shama
Indian Robin
Tickell's Blue-flycatcher
Jerdon's Leafbird
Golden-fronted Leafbird
Thick-billed Flowerpecker
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Purple-rumped Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
Long-billed Sunbird
Baya Weaver
White-rumped Munia
Scaly-breasted Munia