Hotel Elephant Corridor, Sigiriya - A Paradaise for Nature Lovers Blessed with Breath taking Nature settings

Elephant Corridor, the luxury boutique hotel carefully designed with utmost respect to the nature within the territory of the world famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is regarded as the 8th wonder of the world provides an unparalleled holiday experience with its unique theme concept, luxury of relaxation in absolute privacy. With its all-suite concept of accommodation, Deluxe, Super Deluxe, Romantic Suite, Royal Suite and the super luxury President Suite are tasteful designs especially for the couples who seek a romantic place considering the privacy is most important for the honeymoon. Being more personalized, Elephant Corridor introduces no fixed meal times and meals are served in preferred style of the guest, en-suite, at special restaurants or even outdoors under the trees.



Picturesque swimming pool inspired with its own nature settings in a very tranquil location provides an invigorating swim to soothe your body from the mid day heat. Well equipped gymnasium, Ayurvedic Health Spa, Jungle bar ensures luxury boutique experience while leaves your worldly cares behind.



Apart from all these luxury, the untamed forest of the Elephant Corridor with some indigenous plants and shrubs spreads over 200 acres the Elephant Corridor is a paradise for nature lovers. Irrespective of you are a soft birder or a keen birder or a wildlife enthusiast who like to observe some mammals including elephants or perhaps you like to watch butterflies and dragonflies, this park provide excellent opportunities. As a keen bird watcher this is the only property which belongs to a hotel I have recorded most number of bird species.



During my two hours birding session I was able to observe Orange breasted green pigeon, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Spotted dove, Brahmin kite, Tawny bellied babblers, Little Green bee eater, Stork billed Kingfisher, White throated kingfisher, Common Iora, Malabar pied hornbill, Red rumped swallow, Scarlet minivets, Jungle prinia, White browed fantail, White browed bulbul, Red vented bulbul, Little cormorant, Lesser whistling duck, Asian paradise flycatcher, Coppersmith barbet, brown headed barbet, Common myna, Red wattled lapwing, barred button quail, Paddy field pipit, Black hooded oriole, Rose ringed parakeet, Indian peafowl, Indian robin, Oriental magpie robin, Long billed sunbird, Purple rumped sunbird, Indian pond heron, Cattle egret, Intermediate egret, Little egret, Common tailorbird, White rumped shama etc.



Common sailor, Banded peacock, Tamil yeoman, Common jezebel, Crimson rose, Glassy tiger, Blue glassy tiger, Common tiger, Common Indian crow, Common evening brown, Peacock pansy, Lemon emigrant are some of the butterfly species identified. Sri Lanka toque monkey, Grey langur, Grey Mongoose, Ruddy mongoose, Black naped hare, Otter, Palm cat, Ring tailed civet, Asian elephant, Wild boar, Giant squirrel, Palm squirrel are some of mammals can be spotted in this nature park

Conclusively the Elephant Corridor is a paradise for anyone who likes his or her stay to be memorable considering the privacy is most important blessed with breath taking nature settings.

Web site: www.elephantcorridor.com

Telephone: 0094-(0)66-2231950/5

Fax: 0094-(0)66-2231952

Bird Portraits - Little Egret

Bird Portraits – Sri Lanka Blue Magpie

Jerdon's Nightjar

I observed this rare sight while I am on a safari in the Yala National Park. A rock python was hanging around this bird presumably to attack it.

Female bird of the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl

Mostly the female bird of the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl is not publishing. I hope this will be helpful for most of the people.

What a way to attract a partner....

Nature, where you collect life long experiences into your memory. See how hard this male pea fowl trying to attract its partner. We were lucky to observe this scene for more than 15 minutes at Yala National Park without disturbing them.

Indian Roller - දුම් ඛොන්නා

This colorful bird captured by me at Pinnawala very close to the Elephant orphanage while I am participating a wedding of one of my close relatives.

Field Trip to Palabaddala with FOGSL

Deciding at the last minute joined the FOGSL field trip to Palabaddala, a village that situated on the trekking track to Adam's peak bordering to the "Sri Pada" wildlife sanctuary in Ratnapura district. Situated within close proximity to the World Heritage site Sinharaja Rain Forest, the area has identified as rich in birdlife.

After enjoying a simple lunch but rich in nutrition value prepared with locally found greens, herbs etc. started proceeding to "MapalanaElla" a picturesque waterfall while observing birds on the way. With few yards of walking observed, a Hill Swallow landed on an electricity wire and that was a very good opportunity to learn how to differentiate a Hill Swallow from the Red Rumped Swallow because of the explanation given by our professional birder Amila Salgado as usual. Sri Lanka Myna, Sri Lanka Yellow fronted barbet, Red Rumped swallow, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Sri Lanka Layard's parakeet, Sri Lanka Orange billed babblers, Hill Myna are some of the highlights of the first day birding.

Second day started with a big challenge to climb up to the Adam's peak but instructions were given to turn back at 2 pm irrespective of the place where you climbed up to ensure the safe return before the dawn. The group was scattered I was with Amila. We were the first to decide to return immediate after the breakfast because of the gloomy conditions and correctly identified as not a good day for birding by my colleague. On our return, we stepped to a village house due to the rain, with their hospitality they offered us two chairs nicely arranged facing the river allowing us to observe birds until rain is over. We spotted a Shikra, a pair of Sri Lanka Grey Horn bills, A number of Sri Lankan Myna's, a number of Crimson fronted barbets while we were enjoying a cup of tea offered by them. We stepped down to the base around 12.30 in the noon and finished our lunch with a plan of going for birding to the nearest 50-acre forest patch. The whole plan for the evening washed off by the torrential rain started around 2 pm continued up to 6 pm in the evening leaving us the only option to have a nap and relax a bit. Greater Flameback , Sri Lanka Yellow fronted barbet, Black capped bulbul, Yellow browed bulbul, Hill swallow, Red rumped swallow , Shikra, Sri Lanka grey Horn bill, Scarlet minivet, Black bulbul are some of the highlights for the second day birding.

In the morning of the final day, we were lucky to spot a pair of Sri Lanka White faced starling on a fruit tree while we were waiting for the breakfast. After the break fast we proceeded to the 50 Acre forest patch for birding where we managed to observe Sri Lanka Orange billed babblers, Sri Lanka White faced starlings, Crested Serpent Eagle, Shikra, Sri Lanka Myna, Sri Lanka Yellow Fronted Barbet, Common Iora, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Sri Lanka Layard's Parakeet and some other few bird species.

Baya Weaver's Nest

Baya Weaver, a famous bird for its very creative nest. The mail bird starts weaving the nest and after weaving to a certain point (top part of the nest), starts singing on it to attract the female bird. Female birds come and inspect the nest to ensure whether it has the capacity to maintain a family. If they satisfied then both get together & complete the nest. Because of their inexperience in weaving nests, the female birds do not attract most of the first time weavers.

Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl - The National bird of Sri Lanka

Captured at Sinharaja rain forest

A pair of Oriental White Eye in my home garden

This pair of Oriental White Eye captured on Saturday 19 April in my home garden.

Birding at Amaya Lake, Kandalama

As a part of my write up and as a hobby I do wherever I go did some birding around this sanctuary where I was able to hear the beautiful song of the White Rumped Shama for the first time of birding in 2008. This property has identified as a bird friendly resort by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka because of its rich birdlife. I did two sessions of birding for which the first session was fifth April 4.30 to 6.30 pm and the second session was on 6th morning from 6.30 to 10.30 am. During my first session, I was able to observe more than 25 species whereas I was able to see more than 40 species on the other session. Some of the highlights are Sri Lanka Jungle fowl, Black capped bulbul, Red Rumped Swallow, Orange breasted green pigeon, Tickell's blue flycatcher, Tawny bellied babbler, White bellied fish eagle. In the same time, I was able to see some animals like black naped hare, giant squirrel and some butterfly species.

Birding at Ketha marshy Land in Kaduwela with Amila & Mervin

Last evening I had the opportunity to visit a marshy land called “Ketha” in Ihala Bomiriya, Kaduwela. I went with Mervin & Amila who directed us to this location for birding. This location is identified by him for some birding with his clients. Within a short period of time we were able to see more than 35 species including some of the endemics. Our birding time was from 4.15 PM to 5.45 PM.
Some of the highlights of our birding are Red Rumped Swallow, Black Bittern, Pheasant Tailed jacana etc. Lots of nesting of purple heron was observed in this area. Yellow bittern, Purple heron, brown shrike, Blue tailed bee eaters, Striated heron, Plain prinia, Pied kingfisher, Common kingfisher, White throated Kingfisher, Lesser whistling duck, Little cormorant, Purple Swamphen, Spot billed pelican, Brahminy kite, Black winged stilt are some of the names to me mentioned I saw.

FOGSL Forest Bird Flocks Study Workshop at Sinharaja from 20th March 2008 to 23rd March 2008

From 20th March 2008 to 23rd March 2008 I participated for the Forest Birds Flocks study workshop conducted by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka led by Mr. Amila Salgado who is an experience birder. We were very lucky to see large number of species within few minutes after entering to the forest from the Kudawa entrance for the first time. We were able to see Sri Lanka Blue Magpie,Sri Lanka White faced starling,Sri Lanka Myna,SriLanka Wood Pigeon, Red faced malkoha,Crested Drongo, Indian Cuckoo, Malabar trogan,Orange billed babblers, Dark fronted babblers,Sri Lanka Junglefowl,Pale billed flowerpecker,Ashy headed laughing thrush, brown capped babblers,Sri Lanka Hanging parrot,Layard's Parakeets any many other bird species. In the second day we almost repeated the bird list what we saw on the first day itself.FOGSL President Mr. Rahula Perera also joined the group from 2nd day onwards. Evening I was trying to spot owls with Amila but with our hard luck we were not able to see any of those. In the Third day we walked up to the research centre & almost repeated the same bird list as we saw in the previous two days. Evening I met Ms.Brigitt who is from Canada at Martin's Lodge. She was a very keen birder & specially has come to Sinharaja to see red faced malkoha.I was able to show her the red faced malkoha while we were chatting at Martin's Lodge. She was very happy. Final day I was able to spot a Crested Serpent Eagle while I am coming back to the lodge. In conclusion this was a very good trip to enhance my birding experience. Also I was able to see many of the rare species with ample time of observing them.

Birding at Gallswayland National Park on 16th March 2008

Birding at Gallswayland Park was very interesting. Walking through the misty forest is always a great experience. While I was on a tour to McLarens Lodge NuwaraEliya I had the opportunity to go the Gallswayland Park with a boy from the Lodge. For the first time in my birding life I had the opportunity of observing a Brown Wood Owl with a short distance.Infact I identified the bird after consulting an experience birder who has over 19 years of birding experience. He is none of the other than Mr. Amila Salgado who was very kind to help me over the phone to identify the bird. Dull Blue flycatcher,Sri Lankan White eye,Sri Lanka Yellow Eared Bulbul, Dark fronted babbler are some of the birds I observed during my visit to the Gallswayland Park.