VISIT TO NUWARA ELIYA AND THE CLOUD FOREST......

 I went to Nuwara Eliya to cover Victoria park ,Surrey estate in Welimada and  Hortain plains in the 4th week of February with a fellow photographer friend . We started around 2.45 in the morning and arrived at Victoria park around 6.45 . After photographing a good number of birds , moved to Surrey estate bungalow in Welimada in search of the Brown Wood Owl where the sighting is almost guaranteed. Then proceeded to the cloud forest for a afternoon drive .We stayed the night in Ohiya and returned the following day after a morning session again in the cloud forest. Although we didn't see leopards which was expected  as  huge crowds were converging due to a long weekend, all in all it was a satisfying trip considering the fact that I got a lifer in the foam of the Himalayan buzzard and my friend getting a mammoth 5 lifers which was  a huge achievement .

The guaranteed sightings of Sambar in the cloud forest which are quite common as well.

Migrant Grey wagtail 

 endemic Sri Lanka scaly Thrush in Ohiya . For a person trying to see this illusive bird , the stretch between the 25 and 26 mile post along Ohiya hortain plains road side is almost a guaranteed place.

Grey headed cannery flycatcher 

Velvet fronted Nutach

Endemic Purple-faced Langur

Rare migrant- Himalayan buzzard

Migrant kashmir flycatcher

Endemic yellow eared bulbul

Citrine Tit

Shikra

Endemic Sri Lanka bush warbler

Endemic Sri Lanka white eye

Endemic dul blue flycatcher

Endemic Sri Lanka jungle foul- Male

Female

Endemic Sri Lanka pigmy Lizard

Endemic Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard

Endemic Sri Lanka Treebrown butterfly

Pied Bush chat male

Female

Migrant Forest Wagtail

Female scarlet minivet

Although this was my 3rd time , it was a special movement when we located this one in the almost guaranteed Surrey estate im Welimada after making a huge effort 

Plum headed parakeet

Picturesque scenery  in Hortain plains

Victoria park.