Sri Lanka Day 13 - Bundala NP and kala

Today we were moving westwards and heading for Mirissa on the coast, but on the way we had a great morning planned at Bundala NP and Kalametiya Salt Pans.

Bundala is a great place, and on our way into the entrance we had a Clamorous Reed Warbler in nearby reeds.   

Clamorous Reed Warbler

There are some lovely visitor facilities, including a great platform viewpoint overlooking a wetland area.    Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a national park in 1993, so the Sri Lankans were ahead of their time in terms of conserving their natural heritage and continue to be so in many ways.

The Group on the Platform

We managed to add Northern Pintail, Eurasian Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit.

There were also more views of Yellow Bittern.   As we moved off around the reserve there were a group of stray dogs - not the first time we had seen them - and we were relieved when they left us.

We moved off to another area where it was possible to walk and as we wandered along it was great to inspect butterflies and odonata in the area.   

Eventually we arrived at the Salt Pans where we saw another Western Reef Heron -this time with some darker plumage visible.   We added Common Ringed Plover, Brown-headed Gull, Common Tern, Lesser and Greater Crested Tern and most interesting, Oriental Skylark.  

The Salt Pans

We picnicked on one of the bunds, as we watched the birds and relaxed.   One of the more surreal sights was of an Asian Elephant wandering along through some sand dunes, with the ocean beyond.

Oriental Skylark

This area was packed with waders, gulls and terns and it was hard to drag ourselves away and off to the more touristy area of Mirissa.   Our hotel was a standard "by the beach" holiday place.   Perfectly good, but "take me back to the Blue Magpie Lodge PLEASE