Beach walk/bird walk from hotel

The hotel at Yala is very much in amongst the natural world. So I did one little beach walk 

on my own up into the dunes with my camera.

The beach bar

In addition to a visit to the Bundala bird reserve we did a nice little guided walk with the hotel's resident naturalist just around the hotel's grounds. Top spot in my view was this little beauty in the undergrowth - an Indian Pitta. 

Red-vented Bulbul displaying his, er, red vent you might say

 

Bundala bird safari

While most folk just want to go leopard spotting in Yala, there is also a bird reserve nearby at Bundala for those of us interested in birds. Fortunately Luka and I both are. I think Luka has just about forgiven me for this trip - much as he appreciated the birdlife, he didn't appreciate the 4:30am wake up call!

But it was worth it for the sheer plethora of birds we managed to catch.

Spotted doves

Orange breasted pigeon

Brown shrike

Brahminy Starling

Green Bee-eater and Common Mynah

Rosy Starling

Deaf tree with Brahminy kite on top left  branch and peacock on the right

Said peacock

and said Brahminy Kite

Indian Pond Heron

Pair of green Bee-eaters

Hoopoe

Peacock in display mode

Brahminy Kite

Macaque

Purple Swamphen

Indian Thick-knee

White bellied Sea Eagle (I think)

Rear view of White Throated Kingfisher

Purple Heron to left, Cattle Egret to the right

Purple Heron to left, Pond Heron to the right

A branch load of Lesser Whistling Ducks

Pied Kingfisher

Indian Thick-knee again

Painted Stork admiring his own reflection

White bellied Sea Eagle

Was pleased at catching this eagle on tree above, even happier when it flew onto open ground. Hard to get eagle photos as good as this!

Spot billed pelicans

Painted Stork, Grey Heron and Spot Billed Pelican all in one shot

I hate trying to identify small waders - Probably redshank.

Black Winged Stilt - a very elegant bird

Common Kingfisher - a native bird to UK too, but hard to get as neat a photo as this here!

White Throated Kingfisher

Indian Cormorant

And now two really nice kingfisher shots at end of my zoom range

Yellow Wattled Lapwing

Pair of Pied Kingfishers

A stately looking Grey Heron

Two Black Headed Ibis with Cattle Egret