Sri Lanka Day 15 - Hiyare Reserve and Airport Wetlands

On our last full day we started at Hiyare reserve & tank or reservoir.   

This is another great reserve set off the main road where we had a peaceful time soaking up the ambience of the early morning and enjoying Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo which took sometime to appear and then showed off well and White-rumped Shama which was another addition to our list. 

Crested Treeswift

We had many views of other species already seen, which was a great end to our trip - re-aquainting ourselves before we had to go home.

Just before we left the reserve a rescued Snake was delivered . . . . .  not looking too healthy and I dread to think what the outcome was, but hope with everything crossed that it was released before too long.

Soon we were off again, this time back to Colombo to spend a last afternoon birding a wetland area near the airport.

Hiyare Reserve

Here we were ever-hopeful of some final additions to the tour list - including Black Bittern.   On several occasions we saw movement in the reeds, but it was always Yellow Bittern.  Then several Purple Swamphen were seen, and Indian Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, with several species of Egret.

We spent some time viewing the reed beds either side of the road from the bridge, with the added entertainment of a Sri Lankan farmer gathering his buffalo by swimming in the river to round them up!   Once they were finally rounded up he drove them along the tow path and onto the road where they caused chaos as they ambled along.

Cattle farming in Sri Lanka

We wandered down into the fields and followed the river for a short while.   Hundreds of House Crows were going off to roost - filling the sky with their silhouettes and calls.

Still no Black Bittern.   Eventually the rains came once again and we all made our way back to the road and bus.   As there was still some light, a few of us decided to have one last look from the bridge and after a few minutes patience, we were well rewarded by a Black Bittern flying in, settling into the reeds then deciding that we needed another glimpse and relocating nearby.

An excellent hurrah for the trip.