Sri Lanka 2017 (Day 1)

This year my annual family holiday was an early one, due to the large summer workload ahead. We got good fairs for flights to Sri Lanka from Dublin in February with Emirates Airlines, with a stopover in Dubui before completing our 15 hour track to Colombo in Sri Lanka. We arrived at the airport at 6.00pm Sri Lanka time, where we were met by our driver Agith and our Guide Ashan (supplied by our tour company BLUE LANKA TOURS) and transferred to our Hotel (Jetwing Blue Negoma) in the small town on the coast, half an hour drive north of the Airport.   The only bird three birds noted on our transfer to the hotel were Common Myna, Cattle Egrets and Whimbrel.  After a short overnight stay we departed early the following morning for Kandy taking in en route the Pinnawwala Elephant Orphanage.  The orphanage was not really our thing but at least we managed to start birding.  On the way we made a roadside stop and clocked up Black Bittern, Common Kingfisher, Asian Open and lots of White-throated Kingfishers, waders, Egrets and swallows. Here are a small selection of birds photographed on our first day in Sri Lanka. Later that afternoon we were transferred to the fantastic Amaya Hills Hotel overlooking the City of Kandy.

Black Bittern © John N Murphy

Black-hooded Oriole © John N Murphy

Common Myna © John N Murphy

Red-wattled Plover © John N Murphy

 Asian Openbill © John N Murphy

Common Kingfisher © John N Murphy

Brahminy Kite adult © John N Murphy

Asian Elephant © John N Murphy

Little Cormorant © John N Murphy