Sri Lanka instead of South Africa, Jan 2019. A hit!

[Tdgraves]

Day 8, Evening game drive, Leopard Trails, Yala NP, 25/1/19

 

Guides are supposedly encouraged not to always used block 1 in order to use their tracking skills and to show guests other parts of the park, so today was the day that we would go to block 5. The travel and heat were a bit much for the female half of the couple we were sharing with, so she decided to have the afternoon drive off. This was not as relaxing as she would have hoped, as the power kept going off in camp and she couldn't find any staff, giving her the impression that she had been left alone! Driving to block 5 takes longer and is through the local town. The entrance gate is opposite the entrance to block 3, where the formalities are done and so we had a short drive into block 3 first, to show us the differences. I used the facilities before we started and have a rule that I always have a camera in my hand, but for some reason this time I elected not to pick one up this time. Doh! On the way back to the vehicle there was a Sri Lanka woodshrike with a caterpillar posing beautifully on a branch

 

Block 3 is a more forested area, which gave a nice respite from the hot sun

 

 

 

We had several chances to catch this changeable hawk-eagle in flight/take off mode, but it was difficult

 

 

And a lovely close sighting of a crested serpent eagle

 

Then we crossed the road into block 5. This also has some wooded areas, but also open areas and a tank

 

 

 

 

 

We tried unsuccessfully to find a stork-billed kingfisher and an owl where they knew it roosted.

 

I think we only saw another 4 vehicles on our drive, a stark contrast to block 1. This was the nearest we got to any felines...

 

 

There is an ancient stupa in the park

 

 

a new bird as well, forest wagtail

 

 

outside of the park we saw movement...

 

 

Golden jackal - our only sighting!

[Galago]

So interesting to read your TR. I love Sri Lanka and have visited a couple of times. Last visit was with an excellent bird guide, Chaminda Dilruk, and if anyone is thinking of hiring a guide, just message me as he's terrific.

I really liked the photo of the Painted Stork in Yala. It looks as though it's about to curtsy to you!

And I too had problems with Chinese tourists at Horton Plains. They were trying to feed a Sambar deer in order to take selfies with it. Needless to say I used my best voice projection telling them to stop and, as there was a whole bus load of them I got quite a few shocked looks but, in my book, wildlife comes first! 

[Kitsafari]

On 6/12/2019 at 1:19 AM, Galago said:

 

And I too had problems with Chinese tourists at Horton Plains. They were trying to feed a Sambar deer in order to take selfies with it. Needless to say I used my best voice projection telling them to stop and, as there was a whole bus load of them I got quite a few shocked looks but, in my book, wildlife comes first! 

 

 

Im glad you did @Galago. i think often they are not aware of safari etiquette and they are pretty used to doing whatever they want to and foreign guides do not want to stop them as their tips will probably be affected. 

as you say wildlife comes first. 

[Kitsafari]

@Tdgraves still enjoying the TR. 

[michael-ibk]

So do I, a very interesting and enjoyable read! Great pic of the Eagle, flying or not.

[Tdgraves]

thanks @Galago @Kitsafari and @michael-ibk

[Tdgraves]

Day 9, Morning game drive, Leopard Trails, Yala NP, 26/1/19

 

Today would be the last drive of our vehicle mates and our guide and driver were determined to make it a good one. We were second in the queue and I had the 7D today. As soon as we reached a fork in the road, the vehicle in front peeled off and we were alone again. There were lots of alarm calls and after a bit of backwards and forwards, three pairs of eagle eyes were successful, another leopard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No sooner than it was spotted and the sighting was over. Our vehicle mates were behind us and as the leopard crossed behind us, they had a better view. I got fewer shots than I would have normally because of them and  the vehicle uprights. This was nothing compared to the OH though. I wasn't totally aware of it at the time as I was looking down the camera, but he was almost completely obstructed by the husband, who was standing up say "leopard? where's the leopard?". He was furious for the rest of the drive, especially as we then (unbeknown to us at the time) went on a largely fruitless two hour loop in search of chestnut-headed bee-eaters for him. 

 

He managed nearly as many shots on the 5D as me though...

 

 

 

 

I was then really pleased that I spotted a new bird, an orange-breasted green pigeon

 

 

And many more birds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another new one - rosy starling

 

 

 

 

 

said target bird

 

 

another new one, a lesser adjutant, our only sighting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a better one of the target..

 

 

 

Back for breakfast!

[Dave Williams]

Just catching up...some excellent shots and reliving some nice memories from our trips to SR.

[Tdgraves]

Day 9, Evening game drive, Leopard Trails, Yala NP, 26/1/19

 

Our guide told us that he had spoken to management and arranged that we would have a private vehicle for the rest of our stay, given our extensive safari experience and interest in birds and photography. I'm not sure how much this was true or had been already planned, as we were doing a morning trip to Bundala NP the next day, which would have meant that no one could join us until the following evening anyway. No matter, this was another excellent result of being long-stay guests! Our guide had recently taken up photography and I'm sure was keen to learn also.

 

The first sightings were actually just down the road from camp

 

Woolly-necked storks in a paddy field

 

 

 

and some langurs

 

 

We searched in vain for new birds, travelling to different parks of block 1, but none were forthcoming.

 

This bridge marks the entrance to block 2, which is for researchers (and animals) only

 

 

 

 

The guide and driver could hear a stork-billed kingfisher calling, but we were not allowed even onto the bridge to see if we could spot it. However, we then had a really cool sighting...

 

 

 

King mongeese! Not often seen....and then the OH managed a much better shot of a chestnut-headed bee-eater, to round off the day!

 

 

A quiet drive, but at least no one else in the vehicle saying "where is the leopard?"!!

[Towlersonsafari]

Really  enjoying  your report  @Tdgraves it looks a beautiful  country

[Tdgraves]

52 minutes ago, Towlersonsafari said:

Really  enjoying  your report  @Tdgraves it looks a beautiful  country

 

It really is @Towlersonsafari I am just never switched on to recording the scenery. Great food and people as well

[Tdgraves]

Addendum Day 9, Evening game drive, Leopard Trails, Yala NP, 26/1/19

 

I have just discovered the error in only using the photo favourites folder and not looking at all photos or my diary. We DID see a leopard on this drive. In fact, it was our first "Yala" leopard experience, i.e. queuing vehicles for a distant sighting and bad behaviour. The light was against us and this was the best proof shot that I managed (no surprises that it didn't make it into the favourites!). The funniest thing was that the vehicle in front, which was blocking us from moving on and looking for other things was stuck, as one of the young tourists couldn't see the cat. It was hilarious watching the guide and her partner frantically gesticulating and pointing until she eventually saw it, with delight!

 

 

We also just missed a proper leopard sighting by seconds. Amazing what you forget in a few months...

[Tdgraves]

Day 10, Morning trip to Bundala NP, 27/1/19

 

As there is nowhere to stay in Bundala NP, our TA arranged a day trip to Bundala from Leopard Trails. Although it is an hour away, we didn't need to get up any earlier, as there was no queuing at the gate. Driving past the Yala main gate and town, there were a lot of safari vehicles and it gave us a glimpse of what a game drive must be like in the Southern part of the park. No wonder Leopard Trails was set up near the North gate....

 

Bundala is a coastal wetlands park with RAMSAR status, so today would be lots of birds, hopefully with some new ones..

 

Our guide had employed one of the parks' guides as he (like I) was not confident in identifying waders. He was apparently the best, so as usual, we would have three pairs of eyes spotting for us.

 

The main issue today would be the weather. As soon as the sun came up, it was apparent that there was thick cloud cover. For the first hour or so, we had to use very high ISO, which was not ideal. As it was a birding day, I had the 7D

 

I won't list all of the bird names, in a bid not to bore the "non-birders" on ST (if such people really exist ). They are all on my BY thread if you are interested....

 

 

and one from the OH on the 5D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't all birds though....

 

 

 

our best macaque sighting

 

 

a red-necked phalarope got the local guide excited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got to a little pool with a mixed group of birds, the sun finally came out, hoorrah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a rare BIF shot from the OH

 

 

 

 

 

We got our best purple swamp-hen sighting ever...

 

 

 

 

This was the bird that our guide was most excited about! they live in our garden..

 

 

 

We stopped onto of a cliff overlooking the Indian ocean for breakfast. There were several other vehicles doing the same. This was the nearest we got to the beach during our trip!

 

 

 

 

I asked that we go back to the main pool before leaving, now that it was sunny and there had been a lot of birds there when we entered. Just before the junction, a chestnut-winged cuckoo flew across the road. This caused great excitement, as the local guide had never seen one here, in 20 years of guiding! Unfortunately, as with all cuckoos, we couldn't get a photo..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was really pleased to see a pheasant-tailed jacana. We had a limited sighting in Yala, but couldn't get a photo

 

 

 

 

All in all a very successful trip. We then had to drive back to camp in the heat. They took a side road to avoid the traffic in town and to pass this bat colony...

 

 

 

Back to camp for a well-earned rest.

[michael-ibk]

A great birding spot indeed! Would love to see a Pheasant-Tailed Jacana.

[Atravelynn]

Very impressive birding both in the water and in the air.  What a thrill the guide got a lifer after 20 years of guiding.

 

"This was the bird that our guide was most excited about! they live in our garden."  Quite funny. Just proves it is all about what lives where.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @michael-ibk and @Atravelynn

[Tdgraves]

Day 10, Evening game drive, Leopard trails, Yala NP, 27/1/19

 

Back to Yala tonight and it was another quiet drive, I was back to the 5D. We spent ages tracking a male leopard, to be rewarded with a brief mobile sighting...

 

 

and the only other photo which made it into the favourites folder was this pair of tree-swifts

 

 

and nothing from the OH at all!

 

After we left the park, I was really pleased to spot an Indian pitta, sat on a branch. I think that our driver was a bit perplexed as to the force in which I made him stop, for a bird....my first pitta! It had moved from the branch by the time we stopped and was really dark, so this is just a proof shot

 

 

Back for dinner

[Tdgraves]

Day 11, Morning game drive, Leopard trails, Yala NP, 28/1/19

 

I had the 5D again today and this would be the closest we would get to a sloth bear - tracks. However, it would provide the best leopard sighting (including photographically) of the trip, as well as one of our best ever! The first sighting was a changeable hawk-eagle though...

 

 

We got to the area where the leopard was supposed to be and I can't remember if it was seen the previous night or earlier that morning, however, there were only a couple of vehicles there when we arrived and now that they knew us, they were able to position the vehicle in the best spot for where they thought it would emerge. The road was raised up overlooking a grassy area with bush behind us, next to a small pool of water. So we sat and waited. And waited. Other vehicles came and went and there was lots of jostling for position, which makes me think that it must have been spotted crossing the road or something that morning, rather than on the previous night. We were happy to wait. We have done enough safaris to know that sitting in watching the sunrise and birds can often bear other fruit. I'm not sure whether our driver spotted movement or had a sixth sense, but he excitedly told us where to look, along the tree line...where the young male leopard soon appeared from

 

 

and the buffalo were not best pleased about it...

 

 

 

 

 

Retreat is the better part of valour! So far, not a bad leopard sighting. I kept my eyes open for birds as well...

 

 

and eventually, he came out directly opposite us! Prepare for leopard overload...

 

 

slight repositioning of the camera

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then decided that he would like a drink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and came even closer...

 

 

 

closer still...

 

 

 

 

 

Not a bad sighting eh? He went into the bush behind us for a rest..

 

Some more birds....

 

 

 

and a croc decided it was time for a dip

 

 

 

And then our driver was all excited again "Madam! Madam!" The leopard had re-emerged....

 

 

with its' brother!!!

 

 

They both wandered off in the direction of the buffalo and eventually, their mother decided that she would have to intervene. She walked along the bush line though, so no photos of her!! What a sighting!!

 

 

and to top off the morning drive, we had a close sighting of a shikra, a new tick for this trip.

 

 

Breakfast was well-earned today and our guide joined us, as it was his favourite!

[michael-ibk]

Now that's what I call a quality sighting - great stuff, especially the two of them. 

[TonyQ]

Finally catching up, excellent bird sightings.

You did really well with the leopards, and the last sighting was wonderful.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @michael-ibk and @TonyQ

[Kitsafari]

2 leopards! well actually 3 leopards, even if you didn't have a shot of the mother. what great fortune. 

 

I would have loved to have seen the pheasant jacana as well. 

[Atravelynn]

Leopard and Brother Leopard.  Wow!  They look big enough that not many more will get to see them together.  I am assuming Sri Lankan leopards grow up to be solitary.

[Tdgraves]

I guess you are right @Atravelynn

[Tdgraves]

Day 11, Evening game drive, Leopard trails, Yala NP, 28/1/19

 

One from the morning, which I forgot in the leopard excitement, a coppersmith barbet

 

 

First some birds from around camp....a white-browed fantail doing what it says on the tin

 

 

Sri Lanka woodshrike

 

 

Indian pitta (a visiting South African guide told me where to look after I told her of our brief sighting)

 

 

 

As we turned out of the camp road, there was a grey-bellied cuckoo sitting on the fence, but it flew off - this was the best we managed after chasing it down the road...

 

 

In the park again it was a quiet drive

 

 

 

 

 

I think that they were disappointed not to have given us a leopard again, so instead of turning right as we left the park gate, we went left, towards a temple. And low and behold, a female leopard appeared at the side of the road. She gave us a pretty good sighting, but it was already very dark

 

 

When I told the other guide when we were having drinks around the fire, he was not happy. I think he had the same idea, but didn't do it!