We requested a bird watching/cultural and historical/gastronomically Sri Lankan trip and we certainly had all these in abundance!

Peter and Helen Preston
Melbury Osmond, Dorset, UK
and Montagu, W. Cape, South Affrica

8th-23rd Sept 2010

We first met Jith on the internet from South Africa and cemented the relationship at the Ruthland bird fair in August 2010. What followed for 16 memorable days, has been a very varied, often exiting always different and all in all a wonderful experience. We requested a bird watching/cultural and historical/gastronomically Sri Lankan trip and we certainly had all these in abundance! The cultural/ heritage series of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya were very special, as well as our trip to the Tooth Relic Palace in Kandy. The garden of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya were a delight both botanically and ornithologically.  Our 12 hour excursion into Yala reserve and our two days in the rain forest of Sinharaja were magnificent and wonderfully tiring – relaxation more enjoyable by variations of rice and curry and doses of Lion/anchor beer and Arrack!

We are not bird tickers and counters, but bird lovers and watchers. However if we have to list some of our special encounters with local birds there would have to include the BLACK NECKED STROK at Yala (one of only 5? left in Sri Lanka). The CRESTED HAWK EAGLE, 10 yards away also at Yala. The VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH in one of the amazing ‘flocks’ of multi-species birds in Sinharaja. Especial REDFACED MALKOHAS also in the flocks and the MALABAR/SRI LANKA TROGON. Was that a DOLLARBIRD on the skyline 500 meters away, or just a HOUSE CROW not in its normal habitat? We shall never know; but it was fun speculating and not being tickers/twitchers, it didn’t really matter!... Also what about the BLACK BIRD (UK style) with red legs, beak and eyes at Hakgala Gardens? Debating on him lead us to have perfect sighting of the SRI LANKAN WOOD PIEGON (the fissi of 6), DULL BLUE FLY CATCHER and YELLOW EARED BULBUL. Wonderful birds in the informative and entertaining company of Jith. He and his many colleagues in conservation in Sri Lanka have the most amazing ability to see we would normally completely overlook –especially YELLOW-WATTLED FARNINGS, COLLARED SCOPS OWLS and BROWN FISH OWLS –plus many others; including varied LIZARDS & BUTTERFLIES.

Many before have commented on the cheerful and happy character of Mr. Silva, who always manages to miss 20+ potential daily collisions on the road with shill, aplouds and the occasional ‘toot-toot’ on his horn. Driving in Sri Lanka is an art best left to the professionals and Mr. Silva is definitely at the top of these roads.

So, at the end of a fantastic 16 days in Sri Lank; our first time in this friendly and varied country, we say very many thanks to Jith for giving us one of our top “experiences of a life time”.

All the very best—we may be back sooner rather than later!
Thank you!

Peter and Helen
23 Sep 2010