The procedure is very much the same as yesterday afternoon, the only difference is that all the trucks arrive at this time and there is a queue to get into the office for the pass. The other difference was that we had a new driver, and not the one we had last night. We had hoped we would keep the same one, but clearly it wasn't to be.
After a long wait at the office we were finally off to the park, driving down the tarmaced road the breeze was very pleasant as despite the time of day it was quite warm. Our progress though was soon halted as we reached a queue of jeeps waiting to get through the main gate.
As we pulled to a halt we could see a lone bull elephant in the scrub, it was intent on feeding and never showed very well.
There was little else to do as we waited than to scan the lake on the other side, the water showing off the reflection of the pink pre-dawn sky.
A pair of Spotted Doves were doing a little dance around some old Elephant dung, I was not sure if the dance was for the dung or the other dove.
There was bird song all about us, and small birds could be seen distantly flitting around in the bushes while Crested Tree Swiftlets were swooping out over the water. As we edged closer to the gate the sun broke through the clouds.
Finally we were into the park, and onto the graded road. A new driver so quick to please, he pulled over to point out the Crested Serpent Eagle we had seen the previous afternoon. This morning though the sky gave it a completely different aspect. Here it doesn't seem to be too pleased with the presence of the Indian Robin.
While here it poses against the beautiful pink hue of the morning sky.
At the first lakes there were few birds this morning but on the bank was a very large Mugger Crocodile with its mouth open, showing of its set of teeth.
There were no waders present, but this White-winged Black Tern was picking off the insects that were emerging from the surface of the water.
Rather than head east down the main track as we did yesterday afternoon we turned to the north, the track taking us through scrub on either side, and every so often we would catch glimpses of a small bird. We did though stop for yet another Green Bee-eater. This time sitting under a bush in the shade with the early morning sunshine just catching it.
We toured a few empty pools and also came to a stop for about ten minutes with a number of other jeeps. A Leopard had been reported earlier, and waiting to see if there was the off chance it would reappear was a good time to eat our breakfasts.
Moving on, at another pool a Black-winged Stilt fed close to the side of the jeep.
We also passed a Brown Shrike close to the jeep, our driver now a little surprised at us calling to stop for almost all the birds.
Our driver then pointed out a very large Land Monitor Lizard clinging to the side of a tree trunk. There are two kinds of monitor lizard found in Sri Lanka, the Land and Water Monitor. The Water Monitor is larger and considered to be venomous. Land Monitor meat is edible, but the meat of the water monitor is not.
Another stop for a spectacular pigeon, the Orange-breasted Green Pigeon.
And a little further along a small troop of Black-faced Langar Monkeys.
As well as the lakes and pools along with the open planes and scrub, Yala has a collection of large sandstone rocks from the Precambrian era scattered around the park. One collection of stones is known as the "Human Face Rock", and I am sure it is clear why.
There seemed to be more available wetland than on our previous trip, probably as a result of the rain that fell over the days before we arrived. This was clearly to our advantage as we were getting some great views of the water birds, especially the Painted Stork.
The painted stork displays primarily white plumage, with a
bright pink tinge towards the tail and a black band of feathers across the
chest. The broad wings appear striped black and white while folded, but when outstretched
are almost entirely black apart from a white band in the centre.
Here it was feeding in shallow water.
The method they adopt is to push the large bill into the water half open and wave the head back and to similar to the Spoonbil, then on contact with something through the head back and catch what ever they have found. In this case a small fish.
We then pulled up to a lovely flooded pool, that was covered in Lotus flowers and as you looked closely was full of bird life.
The Lotus flowers
Barn Swallows gathered in the dead tree close to us, and with them were the Sri Lankan Swallow which is similar to the red-rumped, but shows a much deeper red colour on the breast.
As always a Green Bee-eater was never far away, and as always I couldn't resist it.
They sit on prominent perches and launch themselves after a passing bee on insect. On short triangular wings they are very acrobatic as they twist and turn before returning quite often to the same perch.
On the rocks surrounding the pool there were Peacocks, and every so often they would call, a welcome relief from the diessl engines of the trucks that would come along side to see what we were looking at, and then move on when they realised there were only birds.
In the water were Indian Pond Herons and Intermediate Egrets, and Whiskered Terns flew around low over the water hawking for insects. High in a tree above us was a White-fronted Kingfisher, but this was then joined by another colourful bird with an annoying call. It was a very repetitive "kutroo...kutroo", and looking up a could see a bird that was primarily green, but with a brown head. Our driver couldn't identify it, I knew it was a kind of Barbet, and once back at the hotel identified it as a Brown-headed Barbet.
It was then joined by another bird, and they both proceeded to call from the branch of the dead tree.
By now our Green Bee-eater had taken up another perch, this time with a beautiful background. This also shows how different light can produce different colours inthe Bee-eaters feathers.
A Grey-headed Fish Eagle flew out of a tree to the right of us, and scattered the waterhens and herons on the water as it skimmed low across the Lotus pads. It settled in a tree on the other side of the pond but was always watchful, looking as if it would fly off at anytime. It is a stocky shaped eagle, and is often referred to in Sri Lanka as the "Tank" eagle due to its fondness for perching on irrigation tanks.
It has a small bill, a small head on long neck, rounded tail
and shortish legs with unfeathered feet and long talons. The wings aren’t very long
and wings-tips reach less than half way down tail.
We moved and toured the various tracks, another Orange-breasted Green Pigeon had me calling for yet another stop, probably the best views yet.
And the driver pointed out another land Monitor sunning on a large rock.
We then turned off the main track, and into an area of flooded wetland. An Open-billed Stork sat on a rock over looking the first pool.
Fortunately we were the only jeep present, and it would be very difficult for other to get close to us. Our driver negotiated the bank of the lake and we were able to sit and look out across the water. There was an air of calm stillness and serenity about the place, and in the morning sunshine the colours were just fantastic
There was a mixture of Dead and living trees that provided perches and safe havens for the birds.
On one of the dead tree branches Barn Swallows gathered.
While close to us on the bank in amongst the scrub of a dead bush a Plain Prinia was very busy searching for insects amongst the branches. A small bird that lives up to its name in being very plain, but when it flares the tail feathers they show a lovely dark barring
Once again, Whiskered Terns skimmed the water, and there were cormorants at the back of the lake drying their wings while perched on the dead bough of a tree. A sharp whistle heralded the appearance of a Pied Kingfisher, and our luck was in as it flew up into a tree close to the jeep.
It sat staring down into the water, bobbing and cocking its tail in the way that all Kingfishers do.
Then a dive and up and flying away to another perch. It moved around the lake using both the perches to fish from, and also by hovering above the water like a Kestrel.
The Barn Swallows were still in their tree though.
Time was moving on and it was becoming quite hot, so reluctantly we pulled away from this beautiful place, and re-joined the madness of the jeeps. Fortunately our driver did decide to pull over at yet another wet area, where this time we were able to get some views of the lovely pheasant-tailed Jacana.
As we sat watching the flooded areas a Purple Sunbird appeared in the bush close to the jeep. They are immensely difficult to photograph as they appear too be constantly moving, and unlike the hummingbirds that will hover as they feed these don't and are all over the place constantly searching the leaves and small flowers
As we finally pulled away I called the driver once again to stop, this time for a Common Iora, a small colourful bird at the top of a bush.
It was now time to head back, and as we travelled west both Helen and I transferred to the right hand side of the jeep as the sun was extremely hot on the left side. The track was bumpy and unrelenting and I must admit to a feeling of joy as we approached the lakes close to the park entrance.
In the water was a lone Water Buffalo, all that was visible was its head as it cooled of in the lake.
Once again the only bird present was a single White-winged Black Tern.
On the other side of the track was a Wood Sandpiper, always a difficult bird to photograph at home, this one was quite happy as we edged closer in the jeep to get a good view.
As we left the park we came across a White-fronted Kingfisher on the wires above the road.
Back at the hotel we climbed out of the jeep, and settled back on firm land. You really do get shaken about and it is not until you stop that you realise how much. We sorted ourselves out and then retired to the pool. It quickly became apparent I should have brought my camera down to the pool, as I was jumping up all the time.
As I came back from the villa after retrieving the camera a Spoonbill was feeding in the shallow water of the lake. Moving quickly though the water it would sweep its bill back and forth quickly. Ta time its head and bill would drag behind its body and feet and it would look like it was side stepping across the lake.
As well as the Spoonbill, a single Black-winged Stilt was also feeding in the shalows, but with that more measured, elegant movement you cone to expect from this long legged waiter.
Flying insects have been very sparse, we had seen some butterflies but nothing like those we saw in India, and when they did appear they just kept going. Apparently the butterflies appear during the rainy season when the flowers bloom. There have been some dragonflies, but again not in the numbers you might expect. In fact this is the only one I managed to photograph sitting. I think it is a type of darter, possibly Red-vented Darter.
Our sunbeds looked out over the lake, and any movement close to the shore or on the water had me jumping up. This Greater Sand Plover was feeding close to the edge of the water.
While in the bushes around the pool every so often there would be a burst of song which belonged to either a Purple Sunbird
Or a Purple-rumped Sunbird.
Back on the lake a Great Egret was on the edge of the water.
Around the deck by the pool we had seen a small skink that had lost its tail, and this long legged lizard that liked to warm up on the sun beds. Researching it, the closet I can come to is a Kangaroo Lizard but I am not convinced. Despite that it was very entertaining
There were up to eight Spoonbills that would roost in the tree on the island in the middle of the lake. At anyone time there would be two feeding, but of course it was impossible to say if these were the same birds all the time. However every so often there would be up to two birds flying around the area.
By the late afternoon cloud was building up to the north of us and this was beginning to edge out the afternoon sunshine once again. Helen and I decided to have a walk around the property, and make our way down to the beach. There were plenty of sunbirds around the villas but as ever they were lightening quick.
As we came down to the main track and passed the jeep pick up area chattering calls signaled the presence of Green Bee-eaters, three in fact so probably a dispute was taking place over territory or mates.
Absolutely beautiful birds
A female Common Iora appeared in the bush in front of us as we walked down to the lake.
We made our way to a different viewing point over the lake and had good views of one of the Spot-billed Pelicans perched on one of the dead branches in the middle of the lake.
A pair of Indian Cormorants
And a Painted Stork
There was still some sun out, and in the open it was still quite hot. We decided to find our way to the beach, but this did not prove an easy exercise. We ended up back at reception to ask for directions, and when we got there we realised how close we were.
You are advised not to bathe in the sea here as the currents are very strong. There are also plenty of rocks with extremely strong waves. This view looking to the west.
And here looking east with the rocks.
A Brahminy Kite flew over, and then returned carrying a fish, disappearing out of sight. Then another small bird flew past. At first I thought plover, but the shape was not right. Not the best photograph ever taken but a couple of record shots of my first pratincole, in fact this is a Little Pratincole.
The wings are grey above with black primaries and black and
white bars at the rear edge of the inner flight feathers. The underwings are
mainly black. The tail is white with a black terminal band. The belly was
white. The shape of the head unmistakably that of a pratincole
It was completely unexpected and completed quite a successful day. As the clouds looked darker Helen and I made our way back to the pool area where we had a drink before returning to the Villa to get ready for the barbecue tonight.
Tomorrow it was another early morning start, and then and our last safari in the afternoon, a busy day ahead.
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