Sri Lanka 2 - Kandy

 

Kandy, the old capital of the ancient kings. It is home to sacred landmarks, landscaped gardens, and cultural museums. It may not seem to be an obvious place for birding but I had great hopes. The hotel we stayed at was set on the Mahaweli Ganga, the main river in the area; we had a visit planned to the Botanical Gardens, e-bird list 151 species. There was the Kandy Lake, in the centre of the city and next to the Temple of the Tooth that we would also be visiting, e-bird list 113 species. If all that failed there was also the Royal Forest Park Udawatta Kele another notable birding area just a few minutes from the city centre with an e-bird list of 184 species.

It didn't quite work out as I had planned. We had a lot packed into our two days there. I didn't have time to visit the lake although I could see birds around it as we went by on the coach. The visit to the Botanic Gardens was a waste of time as far as the birding went. I saw two or three birds and heard a couple more but with the visit in the middle of the day, the heat was oppressive and there was very little moving.

The only bird I photographed at the gardens was this Little Cormorant.

Little Cormorant - Microcarbo niger

The main birding interest was around the hotel and along the river.

Black Eagle - Ictinaetus malayensis

Brahminy Kite - Haliastur indus

Indian Pond Heron - Ardeola grayii

Red-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus cafer

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Red-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus indicus

A couple more shots of Kingfishers.

Stork-billed Kingfisher - Pelargopsis capensis

White-throated Kingfisher - Halycon smyrnensis

White-bellied Sea Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster

White-bellied Sea Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster

A massive crop but I couldn't resist including the Brown-headed Barbet below.

Brown-headed Barbet - Megalaima zeylanica

Yellow-billed Babbler - Chrysomma sinense

I had a fly over of another bird of prey. I am reasonably confident that it is an Oriental Honey Buzzard. A good bird given that I have still not had close views of a Honey Buzzard back in the UK.

Oriental Honey-Buzzard - Pernis ptilorhynchus

A bit disappointing as I had expected more from the Botanic Gardens and at least a bit of time around the Kandy Lake. I had not realised how quiet the birdlife gets around midday. The periods after dawn and before dusk are even more important in these hot countries.