INTRODUCTION
This was a great birding destination for a two week break. It was cheap, very easy logistically (thanks to Baur tours), with very friendly people, a descent list of endemics all within a reachable distance and great beaches to relax on afterwards. We spent 13 days on this beautiful island in September 2003 and would love to go back. I can highly recommend our driver / guide Sunil de Alwis from Baur tours he looked after us very well for the whole time we were with him. He found all our accommodation, took us to all the good sites and did quite a lot of birding with us. He was a very pleasant chap and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone visiting Sri Lanka.
PLACES VISITED
INGIRIYA
This place doesn’t seem to be on all the usual itineraries, we had quite nice accommodation here at the Citizens rest guesthouse for approximately £10 a night for a double room. The forest is pretty good here with a few birds I did not see anywhere else, namely Green Billed Coucal and SL Grey Hornbill. Other good birds were Malabar trogon, SL Crested Drongo, Black Capped, White Browed and Yellow Browed Bulbuls.
SINHARAJA
A Fantastic site, our local guide here Gurjit was very good, he knew all the calls and best places to see the difficult shy species. I only missed Serendib Scops Owl but at the time I don’t think it had been seen by many people. The transport here is very expensive so be prepared to get thoroughly fleeced! The return Jeep trip was £50 GBP for a trip of a few miles each way. If you haven’t got a huge amount of gear it could be worth taking the jeep up and walking down to save some money. If you go up with a vehicle they appreciated you bringing food which they will then cook for you. This turned out to be very expensive as well, we took enough food to feed everyone there and that’s exactly what happened! This again cost the best part of £50 for two people for 2 days, I’m sure we could have halved the amount of food taken. Apart from this Martin’s Place was great, right on the door step of the rainforest with great views over a forested valley. Great birding was had at all times of the day with Legge’s Flowerpecker, Sri Lanka Myna, SL Hanging Parrot, SL Crested Drongo, SL Scaly Thrush, Spot Winged Thrush, Yellow Browed and Black Capped Bulbul, Sri Lanka Flameback, Malabar Trogon, Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Yellow Fronted Barbet, Square Tailed Black Bulbul, Pale Billed Flowerpecker, Orange Billed Babbler, Red Faced Malkoha, White Faced Starling, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Chestnut Backed Owlet, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Ashy Headed Laughing Thrush, Brown Capped Babbler, Layards Parakeet and Sri Lanka Spurfowl.
UDA WALAWE N.P.
A very dry park surprisingly full of birds, but quite expensive for jeep hire and fees. Saw lots of water birds and the only site where we saw Malabar Pied Hornbill. Yala was closed in September, I believe in peak season most people would go there and not to this site.
TISSA
Saw the pair of white napped woodpeckers which I have heard are getting more difficult to see in their regular roosting site. Outside of the entrance to Yala west was very good for nightjars just before dawn, also saw 2 civet cats, wild boar and 2 jackals. There were various wetlands and tanks in the area which proved to be very productive, with a flock of over 200 spot billed pelicans on one, also the only place where we saw the habitat restricted Yellow wattled lapwing and lots of other waders.
HORTON PLAINS
Spent two fruitless pre-dawn mornings at the whistling thrush pool by the entrance road, a friend has just come back from Sri Lanka and apparently they call around 9am and are often easier to see then! Did manage to see all the other endemics up there quite easily and had a very nice walk out to world’s end which is well recommended. There was a very confiding SL Scaly Thrush on the path which almost walked over my girlfriend’s shoe. The only Hill munias we saw were 4 perched on fence wires near the start of the walk.
KANDY Botanical Gardens
This was the only place we saw SL Small barbet
DAILY ACCOUNT
19th Sept Friday
After a 24 hour delay! We left Heathrow on the 11.30 am flight with Kuwait Air transiting in Kuwait.
20th Sept Saturday
Arrived in Colombo at 6.30am, where we were picked up by our driver bird guide Sunil De Alwis from Baur tours. Headed to Ingiriya, which was inland from Colombo on the road towards Ratnapura. Checked into the Citizens rest Guest House and went for a walk in the forest in the afternoon.
21st Sept Sunday
Took an early morning walk at Ingiriya then headed off towards Sinharaja, stopped at a few birding spots on route. We left our Baur tours vehicle at the bottom of the hill near Sinharaja and got the exorbitantly priced jeep to take us up to Martin’s place. On arrival we had lunch then headed out for our first walk in the rainforest there with a local guide named Gurjit, he turned out to be very sharp and helped me get all the good birds.
22nd Sept Monday
Early breakfast followed by all morning birding, lunch back at martin’s place then afternoon birding to clean up on anything missed. Headed into the forest interior, scrabbled over rocks and up and down steep slopes but managed to get all the endemics.
23rd Sept Tuesday
Got jeep down from Martin’s place stopped on the way down walked into a patch of forest outside the park to get better views of spurfowl. Picked up the Baur tours vehicle with Sunil and headed to Uda Walawe checked into the Walawe Guest House (fairly soulless motel style place) the woods behind turned out to be pretty good though for birding.
24th Sept Wednesday
Spent the whole morning in Uda Walawe National Park (7am – 12 noon) after an early breakfast. Very good open country biding with lots of elephants. Had lunch back at the hotel then drove to Tissamaharama. On reaching the town we stopped at the regular site for white napped woodpecker in the palm groves, saw them quite late and then checked into Vikum lodge (probably the best accommodation aside from that in Unawatuna)
25th Sept Thursday
Had the first of 3 early morning starts, up at 4.50am and drove to the entrance of Yala West National Park where we looked for nightjars. On route back to Tissa we stopped at various tanks, there were fantastic numbers of birds present. Back at Vikum lodge did some more birding in the garden and the track just outside the grounds which was quite productive. Had breakfast and left about 9.30 for a long drive to Nurawa Eliya. We stopped on route at Surrey hills tea plantation for the roosting Wood Owl and a few other species. On arrival in Nurawa Eliya we checked into a fairly basic guest house on the edge of town over looking Lake Gregory. A much better option would be the Glendower further into town where we had dinner later in the evening.
26th September Friday
Up at 4.30am left the hotel after a quick cup of tea, reached Horton Plains around 6am stopped at the famous whistling thrush pool by the leopard sign. Spent several hours without luck at the site then drove to the main car park and did the 6 mile walk to Worlds end. Afterwards we stopped at Worlds end lodge for a beer and snack. We had a brief walk in Victoria Park late in the afternoon it turned out to be fairly quiet on the bird front and is much better in the winter I imagine.
27th September Saturday
Up at 4.30am again for a second attempt at the whistling thrush, looked around the ranger’s house as he reported seeing something the day before, but this turned out to be a blackbird. Spent 1 ½ hours at the pool but still no sign of the whistling thrush. We stopped for a feeding flock on the way down in a quite tall stand of trees. Then headed off to Kandy after breakfast where we checked into the Mcleod Inn which had good views of Kandy from the hillside. Had a walk in the botanical gardens and the temple of the tooth.
28th September Sunday
Up early left Kandy 7.45am drove to Unawatuna just west of Galle. Arrived at the beach around 2pm where we checked into the Sun n’ Sea for the next 4 nights, this turned out to be a lovely guest house with great Indian Ocean views.
29th September Monday
Sunbathing and snorkeling all day
30th September Tuesday
Day trip into Galle
1st October Wednesday
Good snorkeling with Green turtle and lots of tropical fish as the coral was sporing. Caught a bus to Koggala and checked out the lake and airfield (probably not the best idea!) Also seawatched for a short while.
2nd October Thursday
Left Unawatuna at approximately 3pm in a taxi, arrived at the airport 4 hours later and found a hotel for the night.
3rd October Friday
Caught the 7.40am flight to Kuwait and then onto London.
1. BARRED BUTTONQUAIL (leggei) One bird flushed from the path by jeep at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
2. SRI LANKA SPURFOWL Flushed and heard at Sinharaja only seen properly below Sinharaja from the approach road 23rd Sept
3. SRI LANKA JUNGLEFOWL A few seen at Sinharaja, Uda Walawe and Horton Plains
4. INDIAN PEAFOWL Fairly common at Uda Walawe and Tissa area
5. LESSER WHISTLING DUCK A group of 10 birds seen not far from Colombo on a pond by the side of the road 20th Sept
6. LESSER YELLOWNAPE (wellsi) One bird Ingiriya 20th Sept
7. BLACK RUMPED FLAMEBACK (psarodes) Fairly common throughout
8. SRI LANKA FLAMEBACK (stricklandi) Only seen at Sinharaja 21st Sept and pair Horton Plains 26th Sept
9. WHITE NAPED WOODPECKER (tantus) Pair seen late in the day at the usual site at Tissa 24th Sept
10. BROWN HEADED BARBET Fairly common throughout lowlands
11. YELLOW FRONTED BARBET 2 birds seen at Sinharaja 22nd Sept
12. CEYLON SMALL BARBET (rubricapilla) One bird seen high in dead trees at Kandy Botanical gardens 27th Sept
13. COPPERSMITH BARBET Only seen in the woods behind the guest house at Uda Walawe
14. SRI LANKA GREY HORNBILL Two birds seen briefly at Ingiriya 20th Sept
15. MALABAR PIED HORNBILL Excellent views of a pair at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
16. COMMON HOOPOE Only 2 birds seen at Uda Walawe 23rd Sept
17. MALABAR TROGON at Ingiriya 20th Sept and at Sinharaja 21st Sept
18. INDIAN ROLLER A few seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
19. COMMON KINGFISHER One seen near Ingiriya 20th Sept
20. WHITE THROATED KINGFISHER Very common throughout
21. GREEN BEE EATER (ceylonicus) A few at Uda Walawe24th Sept and Tissa 25th Sept
22. BLUE TAILED BEE EATER One perched on wires by Koggala airforce base west of Galle 1st Oct
23. CHESTNUT HEADED BEE EATER Small numbers seen throughout lowlands
24. PIED CUCKOO One seen at Vikum lodge garden Tissa 25th Sept
25. ASIAN KOEL Fairly common throughout lowlands
26. RED FACED MALKOHA Two seen in a mixed feeding flock at Sinharaja 22nd Sept
27. GREEN BILLED COUCAL Only seen once at Ingiriya monastery giving excellent views 20th Sept
28. GREATER COUCAL Common throughout
29. SRI LANKA HANGING PARROT Heard and seen flying over regularly, only seen perched once 4 birds below Sinharaja from the approach road 21st Sept
30. ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET Fairly common throughout
31. ROSE RINGED PARAKEET Very common throughout
32. PLUM HEADED PARAKEET seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
33. LAYARD'S PARAKEET Several flocks seen at SInharaja, again only seen perched once
34. INDIAN SWIFTLET Fairly common throughout
35. ASIAN PALM SWIFT Small numbers seen in the lowlands in the vicinity of palm trees!
36. HOUSE SWIFT A few seen around the towns
37. CRESTED TREE-SWIFT A few seen at Sinharaja
38. BROWN WOOD OWL (ochrogenys) Two roosting birds seen at Surrey hills 25th Sept
39. CHESTNUT BACKED OWLET One seen well at Sinharaja with the help of local guide Gurjit 22nd Sept
40. SRI LANKA FROGMOUTH seen several times on nest by the track at Sinharaja
41. JERDON'S NIGHTJAR (aequabilis) Two birds seen before dawn just outside Yala National Park 25th Sept
42. INDIAN NIGHTJAR (eidos) Three birds seen before dawn just outside Yala National Park 25th Sept
43. ROCK PIGEON Common
44. SRI LANKA WOODPIGEON Two seen Surrey Hills tea plantation 25th Sept, Seen at the whistling thrush site on Horton plains 26th and 27th Sept and also on the walk to worlds end at the same site 26th Sept
45. GREEN IMPERIAL PIGEON small numbers in the lowlands
46. SPOTTED DOVE (ceylonesis) Fairly common
47. EMERALD DOVE (robinsoni) Seen at Ingiriya and Sinharaja
48. WHITE BREASTED WATERHEN A few seen in suitable habitat throughout
49. PURPLE SWAMPHEN Only seen on large lilly pond near Tissa 25th Sept from the road
50. COMMON REDSHANK Good numbers at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
51. MARSH SANDPIPER A few at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
52. COMMON GREENSHANK A few at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
53. WOOD SANDPIPER Uda Walawe 24th Sept and Tissa tanks 25th Sept
54. COMMON SANDPIPER A few seen throughout on most dates
55. RUDDY TURNSTONE Tissa tanks 25th Sept
56. TEMMINCK'S STINT Tissa tanks 25th Sept
57. LITTLE STINT Tissa tanks 25th Sept
58. CURLEW SANDPIPER Tissa tanks 25th Sept
59. INDIAN THICK KNEE (indicus) Three birds seen in a garden close to the airport from the main road 20th Sept
60. BLACK WINGED STILT Fairly common in any areas of water
61. PHEASANT TAILED JACANA Only seen on large lilly pond near Tissa 25th Sept from the road
62. PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER 20+ at Uda Walawe 24th Sept, common at Tissa tanks 25th Sept and good numbers on Koggala Air force field 1st Oct
63. LITTLE RINGED PLOVER A few at Tissa tanks 25th Sept and Uda Walawe 24th Sept
64. KENTISH PLOVER A few Tissa tanks 25th Sept
65. LESSER SAND PLOVER Common at Uda Walawe, Tissa tanks and Koggala Air force field
66. GREATER SAND PLOVER A few seen at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
67. YELLOW WATTLED LAPWING Five birds seen on the short grass around the tanks at Tissa 25th Sept
68. RED WATTLED LAPWING Common in lowlands
69. GULL BILLED TERN Seen at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
70. GREAT CRESTED TERN Seen from Unawatuna at sea on both 1st and 2nd Oct
71. LITTLE TERN Seen at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
72. WHISKERED TERN Seen on the lakes at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
73. BRAHMINY KITE Fairly common throughout
74. WHITE BELLIED SEA EAGLE 3 birds seen on the large lake at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
75. GREY HEADED FISH EAGLE 2 birds seen on the large lake at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
76. CRESTED SERPANT EAGLE One seen on route to Sinharaja 21st Sept, 5+ seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept and one on route to Horton plains on 25th Sept
77. BLACK EAGLE One seen Horton Plains 26th Sept
78. SHIKRA One at Uda Walawe 24th Sept and one at Unawatuna on the evening of 29th Sept
79. ORIENTAL HONEY BUZZARD One over the hotel in Ingiriya 21st Sept, one seen just below SInharaja from the approach road 23rd Sept and one in off the sea at Unawatuna 2nd Oct
80. COMMON BUZZARD Seen at Horton Plains 26th Sept and Uda Walawe 24th Sept
81. CHANGEABLE HAWK EAGLE 3+ birds seen on the large lake at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
82. LITTLE GREBE A few seen throughout
83. DARTER 4 birds seen on the large lake at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
84. LITTLE CORMORANT Common in wetlands
85. INDIAN CORMORANT Koggala lake on south coast west of Galle 1st Oct
86. LITTLE EGRET Common throughout
87. GREAT EGRET A few seen at various wetland sites
88. INTERMEDIATE EGRET Common throughout
89. CATTLE EGRET A few seen near Colombo
90. INDIAN POND HERON Common throughout
91. GREY HERON Small numbers seen throughout
92. PURPLE HERON One on the large Lilly pond near Tissa seen from main road 24th Sept and Koggala lake 1st Oct
93. BLACK HEADED IBIS Fairly common in suitable habitat
94. EURASIAN SPOONBILL 20+ birds at Tissa tanks 25th Sept
95. SPOT BILLED PELICAN 3 birds seen on the large lake at Uda Walawe 24th Sept and 250+ on a tank between Tissa and the entrance to Yala National Park 25th Sept
96. PAINTED STORK Seen at Uda Walawe on 24th Sept and Tissa tanks 25th Sept
97. ASIAN OPENBILL 3 birds near Colombo in paddy fields when turning away from the coast road and up into the hills on route to Ingiriya 20th Sept
98. WOOLY NECKED STORK 2 birds seen at Uda Walawe on 24th Sept
99. LESSER ADJUTANT One loan bird seen at Uda Walawe on 24th Sept
100. GOLDEN FRONTED LEAFBIRD On route to Sinharaja 21st Sept
101. SRI LANKA BLUE MAGPIE Two birds outside the kitchen for the research station at Sinharaja 22nd Sept
102. HOUSE CROW Common throughout
103. LARGE BILLED CROW Common throughout
104. ASHY WOODSWALLOW Fairly common in lowlands
105. BLACK HOODED ORIOLE (ceylonesis) Walawe guest house garden 23rd Sept and Koggala lake 1st Oct
106. BLACK HEADED CUCKOOSHRIKE bird in Vikum lodge garden 25th Sept
107. SMALL MINIVET A small group in trees near Walawe Guest House 23rd Sept
108. SCARLET MINIVET Seen at Sinharaja and Horton Plains
109. BAR WINGED FLYCATCHER SHRIKE (leggei) Seen at Sinharaja and Horton Plains
110. WHITE BROWED FANTAIL Woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept
111. WHITE BELLIED DRONGO (leucopygialis) Ingiriya 20th Sept
112. CEYLON CRESTED DRONGO (lophorinus) Ingiriya 20th Sept and Sinharaja 21st and 22nd Sept
113. BLACK NAPED MONARCH (ceylonensis) Ingiriya 20th Sept and Sinharaja 21st and 22nd Sept
114. COMMON IORA Seen at the citizens rest hotel Ingiriya 21st Sept and below SInharaja on the approach road 23rd Sept
115. CEYLON WOODSHRIKE (affinis) One bird in Vikum lodge garden Tissa 25th Sept
116. SPOT WINGED THRUSH Reasonable view late afternoon at Sinharaja in damp forest near research centre 21st Sept and one seen very close behind the kitchen at the research centre 22nd Sept
117. CEYLON SCALY THRUSH (imbricata) Brief views late afternoon at Sinharaja in damp forest near research centre 21st Sept, a pair in the same place 22nd Sept and a very confiding bird on Horton Plains on the path to the world’s end, it basically walked over my girlfriend’s foot!
118. EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (kinnisii) Singles seen at Horton plains on 26th and 27th Sept at the whistling thrush pool and the walk to worlds end
119. DULL BLUE FLYCATCHER Singles seen at Horton Plains on 26th and 27th Sept one in feeding flock on the worlds end walk, another at the whistling thrush pool and one in the feeding flock from the road on the way down
120. GREY HEADED CANARY FLYCATCHER Singles seen at Horton Plains on 26th and 27th Sept one in feeding flock on the worlds end walk and another at the whistling thrush pool
121. ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN only seen near Ingiriya 20th Sept and in woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept
122. INDIAN ROBIN (leucoptera) Uda Walawe 24th Sept and Vikum lodge in Tissa 25th Sept
123. PIED BUSHCHAT (atrata) Nurawa Eliya on the race course 25th Sept and Horton plains 26th Sept on the worlds end walk
124. WHITE FACED STARLING Only one seen at Sinharaja in a mixed feeding flock on the morning of 22nd Sept
125. COMMON MYNA (melanosturnus) Uda Walawe 24th Sept and Vikum lodge 25th Sept
126. LESSER HILL MYNA (indica) Surrey hills tea plantation 25th Sept
127. SRI LANKA MYNA Seen at Sinharaja on 21st Sept 5 birds on an afternoon walk also seen on 22nd
128. VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH Singles seen at Horton Plains on 26th and 27th Sept one on the worlds end walk and another at the whistling thrush pool
129. GREAT TIT Seen in the woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept and Horton Plains on 26th and 27th Sept one in feeding flock on the worlds end walk and another at the whistling thrush pool
130. BARN SWALLOW (gutteralis) fairly common in open country and Horton plains
131. HILL SWALLOW (domicola) A few noted at Horton plains
132. CEYLON SWALLOW (hyperythra) A few seen on wires from the car in the lowlands
133. BLACK CAPPED BULBUL (melanicterus) Ingiriya forest 20th Sept and Sinharaja 21st Sept
134. YELLOW EARED BULBUL Fairly common at Horton plains
135. RED VENTED BULBUL (haemorrhousus) Very common
136. WHITE BROWED BULBUL (insulae) Ingiriya forest on 20th Sept and Vikum lodge garden 25th Sept
137. YELLOW BROWED BULBUL Ingiriya forest 20th Sept and Sinharaja 21st Sept
138. SQUARE TAILED BLACK BULBUL (humii) A few seen at SInharaja 22nd Sept
139. GREY BREASTED PRINIA (leggei) Seen on short walk from Walawe guest house 23rd Sept and in the park itself, Uda Walawe, on 24th Sept
140. PLAIN PRINIA (insulans) Vikum lodge Tissa 25th Sept
141. ASHY PRINIA (brevicauda) Uda Walawe 24th Sept
142. ZITTING CISTICOLA Uda Walawe 24th Sept and Horton Plains on 26th Sept in the moorland area
143. SRI LANKA WHITE-EYE Seen at Horton Plains on 26th and 27th Sept, on the worlds end walk and on both days at the whistling thrush pool, also seen in Victoria park Nurawa Eliya on 26th Sept
144. SRI LANKA BUSH WARBLER Only seen at the whistling thrush pool on Horton Plains mornings of 26th and 27th Sept
145. COMMON TAILORBIRD (sutorius) Ingiriya 20th and 21st Sept
146. GREEN WARBLER Seen at the whistling thrush pool on Horton Plains mornings of 26th and 27th Sept
147. ASHY HEADED LAUGHING THRUSH Finally seen in mixed feeding flock at Sinharaja on 22nd Sept not easy but when the local guide found them we saw quite a few
148. BROWN CAPPED BABBLER One bird at Sinharaja on the afternoon of 22nd Sept, seen inside the forest feeding on the floor, quite difficult to pin down
149. CEYLON SCIMITAR BABBLER (melanurus) Seen with mixed feeding flock at Sinharaja on 22nd Sept and Horton Plains on 26th Sept in a mixed feeding flock on the worlds end walk
150. TAWNY BELLIED BABBLER (phillipsi) Seen on a short walk from Vikum lodge Tissa on 25th Sept
151. DARK FRONTED BABBLER Seen at Ingiriya 20th and 21st Sept and Sinharaja 22nd Sept
152. YELLOW EYED BABBLER (nasale) Seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept and on a short walk from Vikum lodge Tissa on 25th Sept
153. ORANGE BILLED BABBLER Feeding flock at Sinharaja in morning of 22nd Sept and seen in association with laughing thrushes in the afternoon of the same day
154. YELLOW BILLED BABBLER (taprobanus) Ingiriya 20th Sept, in woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept, Uda Walawe 24th Sept and near Vikum lodge 25th Sept
155. ASHY CROWNED SPARROW LARK One bird Tissa tanks 25th Sept
156. ORIENTAL SKYLARK Fairly common at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
157. LEGGE'S FLOWERPECKER Sinharaja 21st Sept
158. PALE BILLED FLOWERPECKER (ceylonense) Seen in mixed feeding flock at Sinharaja on morning of 22nd Sept, in the woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept and on the walk to worlds end at Horton plains on 26th Sept
159. PURPLE RUMPED SUNBIRD (zeylonica) Ingiriya 20th Sept, Sinharaja 21st Sept, near Vikum lodge 25th Sept and Koggala airfield 1st Oct
160. PURPLE SUNBIRD Seen in the woods behind Walawe guest house 23rd Sept, Uda Walawe 24th Sept and near Vikum lodge 25th Sept
161. LOTEN'S SUNBIRD (lotenia) Only seen at Sinharaja 21st Sept
162. HOUSE SPARROW Only seen a couple of times, on route to Sinharaja 21st Sept and Uda Walawe 24th Sept
163. YELLOW WAGTAIL (thunbergi) A few of the grey headed variety seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept
164. GREY WAGTAIL Fairly common at Horton plains and seen at Victoria park Nurawa Eliya 26th Sept
165. PADDYFIELD PIPIT Fairly common in grassland habitat
166. WHITE RUMPED MUNIA Seen at Ingiriya 20th Sept
167. SCALY BREASTED MUNIA Seen on route to SInharaja 23rd Sept and below Horton plains 27th Sept
168. BLACK THROATED MUNIA (kelaarti) 4 seen on the worlds end walk at Horton plains quite close to the start near the car park 26th Sept
169. BLACK HEADED MUNIA Seen at Uda Walawe 24th Sept