Day 01 Arrive in Bandaranaiyake International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka and transfer to the lush lowlands of Kithulgala for endemics & sub-continental specialties. A 2-hour drive is in prospect to reach our overnight retreat at Kithulgala, which overlooks the Kelani River. This was the setting for the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Bridge of the river Kwai’ filmed here in the 50’s about which Kithulgala is famous for.

Birding: Black-capped Bulbul, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Green-billed Coucal, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Crimson-backed Flameback, Sri Lanka Crested Drongo, Brown-capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Orange-billed Babbler, Serendib Scops Owl, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, Brown-headed Barbet, Brown Hawk Owl, Southern Coucal, Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Crested Serpent Eagle, Jerdon’s & Gold-fronted Leafbirds, Dark-fronted Babbler, Orange Minivet, Square-tailed Black Bulbul, Lesser Hill Myna, Yellow-browed Bulbul, Indian Pitta, Forest Wagtail, Purple-rumped & Long-billed Sunbirds, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Oriental White-eye, Lesser Yellownape, Rufous Woodpecker, Black-rumped Flameback, Asian Palm & House Swifts, Indian Swiftlet, Crested Treeswift, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Tickell’s Blue Flycacther, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black Eagle & Rufous-bellied Hawk Eagle. (In a 18-day birds, wildlife and culture tour done with 2 British birders from 24 Jan-9 Feb, 2009, we managed to score 19 of the 33 endemics at Kithulgala on the first 2-days!)

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies and Damselflies: Spine-tufted Skimmer, Pied Parasol, Black-tipped Flashwing, Asian Pintail, Yerbury’s Elf, & Shining Gossamerwing. Butterflies: Sri Lanka Birdwing, Clipper, Cruiser, Glad-eye Bushbrown, Plum Judy, Blue Bottle, Red Helan & Blue Mormon. Mammals: Grizzly Giant Squirrel, Palm Squirrel, Layard’s Squirrel and Toque Macaque.

Overnight: at a resthouse or a birding lodge.

Day 02 Full day explore Kithulgala for lowland endemics & specialties with a midday break.

Overnight: at a resthouse or a birding lodge.

Day 03 Drive to Sinharaja Rainforest for endemics. After this excellent introduction to the island’s avifauna, we will drive to Sinharaja World Heritage Site Reserve, which represents the largest expanse of lowland rainforest in Sri Lanka and the premier site for endemics. We will check into our rain forest accommodation, which overlooks the virgin rain forest – just 200m from the forest’s main entrance for 3 nights.

Birding: Highlight of birding in Sinharaja is seeing mixed species bird flocks, which is a unique strategy adopted by birds in the tropics to maximize feeding efficiency and to reduce the risk of predation. Studied since 1981, Sinharaja’s bird flocks are the world’s longest studied bird flock. On average, 12 species occur in the flocks comprising of 42 individuals. Orange-billed Babbler and Sri Lanka Crested Drongo are found 92 % & 89 % respectively of the flocks and they jointly form the ‘nuclear-species’ of the flock. Other highlights will include Red-faced Malkoha, Legge’s Flowerpecker, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, White-faced Starling, Sri Lanka Myna, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Spot-winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Swallow, Hill Munia, Besra, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Black-naped Monarch, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Indian Cuckoo, Brown-backed Needletail, Alpine Swift & Red-winged Crested Cuckoo. (Addionally we could also see many of the birds listed under day-1)

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies: Asian Skimmer, Marsh Skimmer, Sapphire Flutterer, Wall’s Grappletail, Dark-glittering Threadtail, & Jungle Threadtail., Butterflies: Giant King Crow, Tawny Rajah, Red-spot Duke, Five-bar Swordtail, Great Eggfly, Rustic, Three-spot Grass Yellow, Tailed Jay, Blue Glassy Tiger, & Tree Nymph., Botany: Ant plant, 45m canopy giants such as Dipterocarps & Shoreas sp. & Bamboo orchid., Mammals: Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Grey Slender Loris (if lucky), Giant Squirrel, Layard’s Squirrel, & Dusky-striped Squirrel.

Overnight: at a family-run guest house just 200 m from the virgin forest.

Day 04-05 Full day birding in Sinharaja for lowland & peripheral patches for endemics/mixed species bird flocks.

Overnight: at a family-run guest house just 200 m from the virgin forest.

Day 06 Morning explore several patches in the periphery of the reserve before driving to the dry lowlands of Udawalawe National Park where a totally different avi-fauna await us. We will check in to our cosy game lodge accommodation and after a tasty Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch (& other food for curry dodgers), we will board an ‘open topped’ safari jeep and visit Udawalawe National Park, which comprising of open grasslands interspersed with shrubs & trees in search of dry zone avian elements. The park’s habitats also include gallery forests, monsoon forests & water holes, which add to its rich avian diversity. In addition to excellent dry zone birding, a visit to Udawalawe would also present a good opportunity to observe Asian Elephant, which are found in good numbers in the park. Today’s birding will see many addition to our growing bird tally.

Birding: Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Blue-faced & Sirkeer Malkohas, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Green Bee-eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Yellow-eyed & Tawny-bellied Babblers, Indian Robin, Brown Fish Owl, Indian Scops Owl, Rosy Starling, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Jungle Prinia, Baya & Streaked Weavers, Black-headed Munia, Indian Silverbill, Plum-headed Parakeet, Oriental Darter, Paddyfield Pipit, Richard's Pipit & Blyth’s Pipit, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Oriental Skylark, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Lesser Cuckoo, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Orange-headed Thrush, Barred Buttonquail, ‘Indian’ Red-rumped Swallow, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Pied Kingfisher, Spot-billed Pelican, Wooly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork, Pallid Harrier, Western Marsh Harrier, Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Hawk Eagle, Common Kestral, Black-shouldered Kite & Grey-headed Fish Eagle.

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies: Variable Flutterer, Dancing Dropwing, Wandering Glider, Foggy-winged Twister, Scarlet Basker, Blue Percher, Blue Pursuer & Oriental Scarlet., Butterflies: Plain Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Pioneer, Crimson Rose, Common Rose, Lime Butterfly, Common Gull, Common Jezebel, Tawny Coster, Common Cerulean, Grey Pansy, Lemon Pansy, Peacock Pansy, Lemon Emigrant, & Psyche., & Mammals: Asian Elephant, which is present in fair numbers in this park, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, Ruddy Mongoose, Jungle Cat & Spotted Deer.

Overnight: in a game lodge just 15 minutes from the park's entrance.

Day 07 Today we will penetrate deeper into the dry zone and reach Tissamaharama (aka. Tissa), which lies superimposed on the ancient provincial capital of ‘Magama’ with its stupa, inscriptions, and ancient man-made ‘tanks’ (reservoirs) dating back to the 3rd century B.C. Some of these lily & reed covered tanks; evidence of a once thriving hydraulic civilization are excellent for birding. En route we will pause at several hotspots known to Amila looking for among other things, the newly re-discovered breeding resident, Marshall’s Iora (aka. White-tailed Iora -- I became the first guide to show this speciality to an overseas birding audience in Dec, 2007).

Thereafter, we will visit two of the ‘tanks’, at Tissa until dusk. Finally, we will reach our comfortable nature resort set amidst a quaint dry zone village where we will be based for three nights.

Birding: Cotton Pygmy-goose, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Yellow and Black Bitterns, Purple Swamphen, Purple Heron, Painted Stork, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Watercock, ‘Western’ Black-tailed Gotwit, Black-winged Stilt, Pintail Snipe, Indian Pygmy Woodpecker, Ashy Woodswallow, White-naped Woodpecker, Jungle Owlet, Indian Scops Owl, White-rumped Shama, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Indian Reed Warbler & Yellow-wattled Lapwing.

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies: Common Bluetail, Painted Waxtail, Yellow Waxtail, Pruinosed Bloodtail, Sombre Lieutenant, Pink Skimmer, & Paddyfield Parasol., Butterflies: Common Pierrot, Red Pierrot, Metallic Cerulean, Tiny Grass Blue, & Common Lascar. Reptiles: Common & Green Garden Lizards, Land & Water Monitors & Mugger Crocodile.  

Overnight: a nature resort at Tissa - offering good garden birding.

Day 08 After an early cuppa, we will collect packed breakfasts and visit Bundala National Park, which is the first RAMSAR wetland in Sri Lanka comprising of large extents of dry forests & mud flats for shorebirds. This should boost our tally with a great many shorebirds and more dry zone specials. Thereafter, we will retreat to our air-conditioned comforts of our nature resort for a midday break and to chill by the pool.

After recharging our batteries, we will explore the wilderness expanse of Yala National Park. Yala comprise of a bewildering array of habitats including monsoon forests, scrub jungle, mud flats, lagoons, riverine forests, reed & lily covered inland fresh-water bodies, open grassy plains and rock outcrops. Consequently, these rich ecosystems harbour a rich diversity of wildlife, which makes Yala the premier National Park in Sri Lanka. Yala Block 1 comprising of 141 sq.km. has close to 40 individual Leopards identified by their unique facial spot patterns and other characteristics, which makes this area, a premier Leopard hotspot with probably the highest density of Leopards anywhere in the world.

Birding: Western Reef Egret, Red-necked Phalarope, Small Pratincole, Little Heron, Garganey, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveller, Caspian, White-winged, Whiskered, Common, Large Crested & Lesser Crested & Little Terns, Indian Cormorant, Brown-headed Gull, Greater Flamingo, Great and Indian Thick-knees, Curlew, Marsh, Wood & Green Sandpipers, Lesser & Greater Sand Plovers, Little-ringed Plovers, Black-necked Stork, Common Hoopoe, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-lark, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker & Ashy Drongo. (and many of the species recorded in day 6 & 7)

Non-birding highlights: Mammals: Leopard, Elephant, Sloth Bear, Spotted deer, Sambar, Wild buffalo, Wild Boar, Hanuman Langur, Toque Macaque, Stripe-necked & Ruddy Mongooses & Jackal. Reptiles: Mugger Crocodile and Land monitor

Day 09 Morning we will visit some of the wetlands/forest patches of Tissa. As yesterday, at midday we will thereafter retreat to our air-conditioned comforts of our nature resort to sample the hotel's pool. After recharging our batteries, we will visit Yala National Park once more this afternoon in search of missing dry zone specials.

Birding: Same as Days 6-8.

Day 10 'A long drive day marked with regular stops at key birding sites'.

After breakfast, we will say goodbye to the friendly staff at our hotel and drive up to the cooler hills of Nuwara Eliya where several montane endemics await us. En route, we will make several strategic stops to bag several 'high-value targets'. First of these stops will be made in a private patch of Amila holding many specialties. One thing he has experienced here is each visit brings new species to the trip list! Thereafter, we will continue climbing and pause at the Ella Resthouse, which faces the spectacular Ella gap for lunch.

Continuing our search for ‘high-value targets’ we will visit a privately-owned well-wooded birding patch holding a few surprises. Situated in the eastern direr hills of the central mountain massif, birding at Welimada presents a mixture of lowland  + wet + dry zone elements. One of our prime targets here is the mountain endemic, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, which can at times, prove tough further up. There is also a day roost of a pair of Brown Wood Owls, which may need more careful approach as these Owls are quite wary of bipeds. A special Woodpecker is also recorded here in the form of Steak-throated Woodpecker, which is an ‘Uva-avi-faunal zone’ specialty. This means that it is restricted range species in Sri Lanka. We could also see a few montane migrants here including the highly sought-after Pied Thrush, which we expect to see further up.

Thereafter, we will continue our ascent further up to much cooler interiors of Nuwara Eliya (1,890-m), the famous hill station of Sri Lanka, popularly nicknamed ‘Little England’ still bearing evidence of its colonial past with its English-style holiday homes, a racecourse, vegetable gardens, shooting ranges, brewery, flower gardens and a fine 18-hole golf course, to name a few! As we ascend, vast stretches of tea gardens dominate the landscape – a cash crop introduced by the British which is currently the country’s third highest revenue earner, which is followed by tourism. We will reach a patch closer to our accommodation in time to anticipate the arrival of the ultra-secretive montane endemic; Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, which is one of the two 'endangered' endemics. Finally, we will reach our overnight accommodation for two nights, which is a hotel patronized by bird watchers for many years. Drop in temperature (around 10-15 degrees centigrade) at Nuwara Eliya will necessitate sweaters although some of you may welcome this change coming from the warmer lowlands.

Target species: Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Brown-capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Marshall's Iora, Lesser Hill Myna, Crested Hawk Eagle, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Indian Pygmy Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownape, Streak-throated Woodpecker, Crimson-backed Flameback, White-rumped Shama, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Indian Cuckoo, Grey Tit, Grey-breasted Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Jungle Owlet, Brown Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Orange-headed Thrush, Indian Pitta, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Pied Thrush and Thick-billed Flowerpecker

Overnight: in a cosy lodge patronized by bird watchers for many years.

Day 11 In the morning we will combine several of Amila’s ‘patches’ to bag the remaining montane targets. One of these include Victoria Park which is a fine urban park established in 1897 to commemorate the 60th coronation jubilee of Queen Victoria. This should qualify as one of the best urban parks for birding judging by the swarms of overseas birders visiting it during late October – early April to bag several Western Himalayan migrants, which include Kashmir Flycatcher and Pied Thrush which according to the great Indian Ornithologist; Dr. Salim Ali winters almost exclusively in Sri Lanka.

Birding: Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka White-eye, Kashmir Flycatcher, Pied Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, Forest & Grey Wagtails, Great Tit, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Jerdon’s Baza, Zitting Cisticola, Pied Bushchat, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, newly spit Himalayan Buzzard & the potential splits; Indian Blackbird & Black-throated Munia & if patient; Slaty-legged Crake.

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies: Triangle Skimmer, Red-veined Darter,, Mammals: Sambar & Bear Monkey the montane race of the vegetarian Purple-faced Leaf Monkey of lowlands, Botany:: Dwarf Bamboo, endemic variety of Rhododendron, Reptiles: Rhino-horned Lizard, Black-lipped Lizard & Dwarf Chameleon.

Day 12 After an enjoyable birding breakfast, we will drive to Kandy (477m), the cultural-epicentre where age-old rituals continue at the Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic. Kandy was the last Sinhalese kingdom in Sri Lanka, which was ceded to the British in 1815. En route, we will pause at a tea factory to see the newly-split Hill Swallow, which nests inside the factory and to get a guided tour of the factory to see the production process of the famous ‘Ceylon tea’. After a good cuppa we will reach our accommodation, which is a hotel situated close to birding sites and the 'world heritage' Kandy city.

In the late afternoon, we will explore the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kandy to bag any missing targets. This magnificent garden covers an area of 147 acres and is an absolute botanical paradise. We will also look for several special birds here namely the newly-spilt Sri Lanka Small Barbet and the potential split; Common Hawk Cuckoo. A noisy colony of Giant Fruit bats will be hard to ignore and we could see them in their thousands in several large trees closer to the river close by with constant fights over landing rights. Later in the day, those who are keen may optionally join Amila to visit the historic Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic, which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha for a cultural diversion before dinner and overnight stay.

Birding: Hill Swallow, Lesser Hill-myna, Rufous-bellied Hawk Eagle, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Sri Lanka Small Barbet, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Black-naped Monarch, White-browed Fantail, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Black Eagle, Crested Hawk Eagle, Besra, & Plum-headed Parakeet.

Overnight: A cosy hotel close to the birding sites/city centre.

Day 13 After breakfast we will have time to optionally hunt for some bargains in Kandy before we make our way to our final accommodation of this tour. If time permits, we will optionally visit Amila’s local patch and his dragonfly pond at his home garden for a cuppa. We will make our final log of the checklist before enjoying our farewell dinner in the hotel’s specialty Chinese restaurant. You will be transferred to the airport later tonight or early hours of the following day for departure.

Birding: We will seek for improved views of the potential split; Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Sri Lanka Swallow, Lesser Hill Myna, Orange Minivet, Alexandrine Parakeet & Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.

Non-birding highlights: Dragonflies including Dawn Dropwing aka Crimson Dropwing, Spine-legged Redbolt, Blue Pursuer, Dingy Duskfly, Indian Duskhawker, Elusive Adjutant, Sri Lanka Forktail, Pale-faced Forestskimmer.,  Mammals such as Giant Fruit Bat aka Flying fox & botanical attractions including Giant Jawa Fig, which covers an area of 1,600 sq.ft, Double coconut, Drunken Pine avenue, Cannon-ball tree & orchid house in the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Overnight: A transit hotel just 5 minutes from the airport.

Day 14 Departure