Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)

The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot (Psittacula eupatria) is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the Psittaculidae family. The species is named after Alexander the Great, who is credited (blamed) with the exporting of numerous specimens of this bird from Punjab into various European and Mediterranean countries and regions, where they were considered prized possessions for the nobles and royalty.

IMG_3712a IMG_3650a IMG_3645a IMG_3628a IMG_3626a IMG_3609aThe Alexandrine Parakeet is the largest species of all Parakeet (small Parrot with long tail) species, thus often being the largest Parrot in their native range. This species measures 58 cm (23 in) in total length with a wing length averaging 18.9–21.5 cm (7.5–8.5 in) and a tail length of 21.5–35.5 cm (8.5–14.0 in).

The following sub-species, many of them allopatric are recognised based on geographical distribution:

  • Psittacula eupatria eupatria, Nominate Alexandrine Parakeet – East India to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh in the South, Sri Lanka.
  • Psittacula eupatria avensis, Indo-Burmese Alexandrine Parakeet – Northeast India to Amherst in Myanmar
  • Psittacula eupatria magnirostris, Andaman Islands’ Alexandrine Parakeet – Andaman Islands
  • Psittacula eupatria nipalensis, Nepalese Alexandrine Parakeet – Eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, North and central India, Nepal, Bhutan to Assam in Northeast India.
  • Psittacula eupatria siamensis, Laos’ or Siamese Alexandrine Parakeet – Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, north and east Thailand

Of these, I have seen the nominate and the Nepalese subspecies.

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Because they have such a large range, you can plan birding trips to Central and South-east Asia and have a good chance to spot them.  I have seen them in Chitwan National Park, Nepal & Kithulgala & Sinharaja in Sri Lanka.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PARROT

Wikipedia

World Parrot Trust

Birdlife

VIDEO

It’s surprisingly hard to find videos of these parrots on Youtube as they are so popular as pets.  At least I found one from Sri Lanka!

Lazy Birding From Rock View Motel Balcony, Sinharaja

After a hard day’s work walking uphill to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, what could be better than a lazy afternoon kicking back with a cold drink and watching Alexandrine Parakeets and other birds fly past?  And when bird activity dies down, there were still farmers at work and beautiful green fields.  For some reason, it was very hazy.  This will be a lazy pictorial post of my lazy afternoon and the following morning trying to get the best photos I could.

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Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka

Located in south-west Sri Lanka, Sinharaja is the country’s last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.  You know when it’s been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO it has to be something special……………….and it is!

GETTING THERE

Use your miles for a Central Asia award ticket to Colombo.  From there, you can get a taxi to your accommodation near Kudawa or take a bus to Matugama, then change to a Kalawana bus and get a taxi/rickshaw from there to your accommodation.  Obviously there is a trade-off between comfort & convenience and cost.

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WHERE TO STAY

Forget about points and try to get into the closest eco-lodge to the park you can get, it will save you the trouble of hiring rickshaws every time you want to go into the park.  Don’t expect the Marriott, these are simple lodges that cater to birders and serve their purpose well.

Martin’s Lodge – Yes it really is simple but Martin, the owner is a lovely guy and teh views are amazing!  They don’t have a website but more information is here and Trip Advisor reviews here.  Do not trust local travel agents who tell you it is full and try to steer you to someplace more expensive.  You need to call Martin to get an accurate answer if he can book you in or not.  045 568 1864  He doesn’t have email.

Blue Magpie Lodge – The second closest lodge to the park.  I didn’t get a look at it but I met a lady who was staying there and she said it was great!  Trip Advisor reviews.

Rock View Motel – About 20 minutes away by auto-rickshaw but add a whole different habitat to your birding with the amazing views over the valley!  Trip Advisor reviews

Rainforest Edge – Looks stunning but was way out of our budget.  This is the poshest lodge in the area.  Trip Advisor reviews.

IMG_3443 IMG_3445 IMG_3444 IMG_3446 IMG_3447HOW TO VISIT THE RESERVE

You can walk from Martin’s or Blue Magpie, otherwise you will need an auto rickshaw to drop you and arrange to pick you up.  Once you arrive, you need to buy your ticket and pay for a mandatory guide.  The guides are very good and know the local birds and animals well.  You can’t request a guide, they are assigned by rota.  If you don’t have leech socks, you can buy some here, they also sell snacks, cold drinks, postcards & books.  This is our guide, his name is Raushan (probably spelled it wrong) and he was very good with bird identification.

IMG_3587Once you have your ticket, your guide will walk with you up the hill pointing out whatever birds and animals he sees along the way.  When you reach the top, another official will check your ticket and you can enter the main trail of the reserve.

IMG_3536 IMG_3537 IMG_3558THE BIRDS

Sinharaja boasts an amazing bird list including many endemics.  We saw quite a few in our one day visit:  Sri Lanka Junglefowl,  Green Imperial Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Emerald Dove, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon,  Layard’s Parakeet,  Red-faced Malkoha,  Malabar Trogon,  Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Lesser Yellownape,  Orange Minivet,  Sri Lanka Drongo, White-bellied Drongo,  Sri Lanka Blue Magpie,  Black-capped Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul, Orange-billed Babbler, Yellow-billed Babbler, Oriental White-eye, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, Lesser Hill Myna,  Spot-winged Thrush, Legge’s Flowerpecker, Purple-rumped Sunbird

I couldn’t get a good shot of the Blue Magpie as he stayed well within the dense foliage and the Layard’s Parakeet was just a fleeting glimpse of one darting overhead.  Here’s a few of my better shots (LOL).

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Malabar Trogon was the best bird I got a photo of.

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We did our best to lure the Blue Magpie out but he just wasn’t having it!

IMG_3585 IMG_3586 IMG_3589OTHER ANIMALS

I forget what lizards these are.

IMG_3492 IMG_3494 IMG_3495Giant Squirrel

IMG_3498 IMG_3500 IMG_3501 IMG_3506 IMG_3507Purple-faced Langur

IMG_3522 IMG_3525 IMG_3527 IMG_3530Pitcher Plants

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Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornata)

The Sri Lanka Blue Magpie or Ceylon Magpie (Urocissa ornata) is a member of the crow family living in the hill forests of Sri Lanka, where it is endemic.  In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as Kehibella (කැහිබෙල්ලා) in Sinhala Language.

My attempt to photograph this stunning bird resulted in a lot of leaves so we will have to use this Wikipedia shot.

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They have a restricted range in south-central Sri Lanka.  Sinharaja is considered to be the best place to see them.  An award to Central Asia can get you to Colombo, then take a taxi or the bus to Kalawana then to Kudawa in Sinharaja.  See the red dot for location.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Ceylon Bird Club

VIDEO

 

Lodge Review: Martin’s Simple Lodge, Sinharaja

This review is a bit unusual as we didn’t actually stay there.  We just made a visit for a mid-morning snack & cold drink and I really wanted to see the property.  I was pretty upset to learn that contrary to what a Sri Lankan tour operator (Red Dot) told me, he did have room – more than one room actually.

Martin’s is the closest lodge to Sinharaja Forest Reserve and you can get here with a Central Asian award to Colombo, then taxi or bus to Kudawa.  Martin is a very friendly man and although his lodge is indeed simple, you can’t beat the location a few minutes down the road from the entrance.

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Sit here and watch the birds fly by!

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If they had been selling this t-shirt I would have bought one!

IMG_3542To book this lodge, you really need to call Martin.  He speaks English but he doesn’t have email or internet access.  His rates are probably the lowest in the area and tour operators prefer to steer you to more expensive accommodations.  Call Martin on 045 568 1864.

For me, I think the perfect combination is to spend your time here due to proximity to the reserve except for the last night.  Then move to the Rock View Motel for the sweeping views over the valley which bring different birds into the mix.  You can also easily catch a bus to Kalawana from in front of the Rock View.

Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis)

The Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis) is a hornbill and a widespread and common endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.

IMG_3195a IMG_3198a IMG_3459The Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill is a gregarious bird found in forest habitats. It feeds mostly on figs, although occasionally it eats small rodents, reptiles and insects.

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They are widespread througout  Sri Lanka.  I had no trouble spotting them in Kithulgala &  Sinharaja.  An award to Central Asia can get you to Colombo, then take a taxi or the bus to Kithulgala or Sinharaja.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Ceylon Bird Club

VIDEO

Leech Socks – The Must-have Fashion Accessory In Sinharaja

When you start doing research to prepare for a trip to Sinharaja, you will notice a common theme (other than raving about the beautiful birds).  LEECHES!  Everyone will tell you that you MUST have leech socks to prevent these disgusting slimy creatures from using your blood as a meal.  I wasn’t about to become the plat-du-jour so I set out to find some leech socks in Australia……………..and failed!  I could have ordered them from Amazon.com and had a nice choice of colours (affiliate link).

Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time to have them shipped to Australia so I had to make do with the much cheaper ones ~ $5 available at the park entrance which were a bit too small for our large feet.  The guides showed us how to use them properly – over your regular socks and pants.

IMG_3450 IMG_3451 IMG_3452 IMG_3453 IMG_3454I noticed with envy the much trendier birders with more colourful leech socks!

IMG_3455 IMG_3471 IMG_3490I also took the precaution of spraying the socks and our pants with DEET repellent and using the strongest possible anti-mosquito & leech cream on our skin before we got dressed in the morning.

IMG_3767We may not have been on trend but at least we stayed free from leeches during our visit to Sinharaja!

Lodge Review: Rock View Motel, Weddegala (Sinharaja), Sri Lanka

It was disappointing to arrive at the Rock View Motel after dark but it was my own fault for taking the wrong bus!  Although the map on their website isn’t much better!  You can’t book this lodge through any portals so just email them using the contact on their website.  Rates are pretty reasonable, Double Half Board –  Rs.  8,500.00 and you must pay in cash so be prepared.  Reviews are mixed – yes the rooms are basic but the views more than make up for it!  If you are there for the birds, you will see plenty from the balcony!

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When we finally did arrive, the friendly staff had been wondering where we were and showed us quickly to a corner room with a stunning view over the valley.

IMG_3770 IMG_3438 IMG_3439We were starving as we had skipped lunch thinking we would arrive in plenty of time.  They made us dinner pretty quickly and we arranged for the included breakfast to be packed so we could take it with us to Sinharaja the next morning.

IMG_3437A Red-vented Bulbul kept us company while we waited for the rickshaw.

IMG_3440He arrived a couple minutes later and we were off for a day of exploring Sinharaja National Park.

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Getting Lost Enroute To Sinharaja

The trip started out easily enough.  I knew that we had to get a bus from Kithulgala to Ratnapura and that these buses left from the main street and were very cheap.

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I always feel so bad for the poor birds stuck in these pet shops in tiny cages.

IMG_3425 IMG_3426The trip went smoothly up to this point and we arrived in Ratnapura about 90 minutes later after making a lot of stops.  The instructions from our next lodge, Rock View Motel near Sinharaja were to take a Kalawana bus, then change to a Rakwana bus and hop out when we saw the motel on the road side.

At the Ratnapura bus station, we waited to see a bus with Kalawana written on top.  Soon, a bus with Rakwana written on top pulled in.  I thought we were being smart to avoid a change of buses in Kalawana so we hopped on and headed out of Ratnapura.

IMG_3427 IMG_3428 IMG_3429 IMG_3430 IMG_3431We saw another bus with Kalawana written on top so alarm bells went off but I ignored them thinking we were still OK.

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We continued on and enjoyed more scenery.

IMG_3434 IMG_3435 IMG_3436We finally arrived in Rakwana and I was wondering why we didn’t see the motel on the road side.

I should have listened to the alarm bell!  As it turned out, the road to Kalawana and subsequently the Rock View Motel were different from the road to Rakwana.  On the map below, you see the road we were supposed to take in blue with the blue X marking the hotel location.  The red line represents the road we actually took.

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By the time we got to Rakwana and realized our mistake, it was too late to get another bus so we had to hire an auto-rickshaw to take us to the motel which cost more than if we had just taken the rickshaw from Ratnapura!  It was annoying to arrive after dark but lesson learnt!  Always check even the smallest towns on a map, listen to your gut feelings and follow directions!

Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus)

The Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot is a small, mainly green hanging parrot, only 13 cm long with a short tail.  Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot is less gregarious than some of its relatives, and is usually alone or in small groups outside the breeding season. Its flight is swift and direct, and the call is a sharp whistled twiwittwit..twitwitwit. It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit, seeds, buds and blossoms that make up its diet.  In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as Gira Maliththa or Pol Girwa in Sinhala Language.

I couldn’t get a good shot because of backlighting from the sun so here’s the Wikipedia one followed by a few of my attempts to catch this beautiful bird in flight and perched near Kithulgala.

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IMG_3338a IMG_3343 IMG_3344a IMG_3349aThey are endemic to Sri Lanka and most easily seen around the town of Kithulgala.  See the red dot below.  Use a Central Asian award to get to Colombo, then take a taxi or bus.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PARROT
Wikipedia
World Parrot Trust
Birdlife
Ceylon Birding Club
VIDEO
This little guy was hungry!