Tourist attractions - Walawe Basin

From profuse bird life to native and migrant species:

by Gamini G. Punchihewa

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Osprey

Storks

Sea eagle

Blackwinged

This park is the veritable home to a variety of birds both native and migrant species. Across the Walawe ganga, skirting the park from the roof tops of giant forest trees like kumbuk lined along its bank, come the loud raucious cries from the stork billed King Fisher - (the largest of the king fisher species), then again synchronised with them emit the satanic squeals from the Malabar Pied Hornbill (kedetta).

This Hornbill builds its nest in a most unique manner in a mud-walled crevice of a tall forest tree, where the female incubates on the eggs laid inside it, when the male feeds it. Then when the eggs are hatched out and the chicks emerge, both feed them.

Birds of prey

Among the birds of prey are the Black Eagle, Serpent Eagle, Hawk Eagle; Black Winged Kite, Sparrow Hawk, and a host of other such allied species. Of them the most frequently observed one is the crested Hawk (called in Sinhala as Ulama). Folk-lore tells us that its demoniac cries of like strangulation are a harbinger of a near death in a family or some evil catastrophe or some evil would be cast upon the family.

This crested Hawk could be frequently spotted perched on some branch of a tree by the park road side also waiting with vigilance to swoop down on some live prey below which it would take away in its talons.

Other forest birds like the beautiful Black Capped Bulbul (a cousin of the common Red Vented Bulbul (Kondaya), White Eyes, Iora with a human like whistle, the fascinating Hoopoe (Porawa Kurulla) adorned with its striped gorgeous feathers having a pointed curved beak (like that of small axe), could be seen happily hopping about the park roads pecking for some morsel of food like insects.

It has a shrill shriek, as it flies in a desultry way. When excited, it would raise its crest high up looking here and there. A very endemic species of non-parasitic (as named as Red Faced Malkoha) it builds its own nests, while the parasitic cuckoos like the common Koha (Koel) lays its eggs into the crow's nest.

Its other counterpart is the Blue Faced Mal Koha. This Red Faced Mal Koha is a permanent resident in the Park and building its nest there. Once I happened to come across its nest in a fork of a tree close to Gona Viddagala.

The sweetest of the bird songs filling the parkland with a medley of human like whistles emanate from the Long Tailed Jungle Robin the Shama (Wal Polkichcha). It is also fondly called by bird lovers as 'Nightingale of Our Forests'.It would be perched on some tall forest tree, where merrily in all sole would be emitting its chorus mixed with whistles. Its urban frequented species is the well-known (Polkichcha) - Southern Magpie Robin.

Its other relative Black Robin (Kalu Polkichcha) is not so much of a singer like the common Polkichcha, but it emits shrieks, while intermittently would give shrill whistles. Robins are notoriously noted for their dominance over their declared territory and would never allow other birds to stray into their own declared territory.

They with loud scold notes drive them away in chasing after them. Once in my garden a rat - snake (geradiya) had strayed in when it flew over it furiously crying out harsh notes and pecking on its body while on flight drew it away. When it vanished into the jungle thicket. The usual trait of both these species is to cock up their tails, while singing or on the ground.

First rate mimics

Still there are other mimicking birds which could ape the very human whistles and even more like the miawowing of a cat. Among them is the fascinating White Browed Fantail Fly Catcher, while seated on some branch of a tree would be swaying its fan like feathers into a fan like formation, then giving out its chorus of whistles doing so, it would be dancing away like a ballet dances.

It is also called the 'Drunken Piper:Followed with it comes the small delightful bird with multi-coloured stripes on its side feathers the Iora. It is another songster to whistle imitating the notes of the human whistle. While other such mimics that could ape the human whistles and even cries of a miwaoing cat are two fascinating species. These are the Golden chloropsis and Jordon's Chloropsis. Those two birds carry a pointed beak, underneath its throat bears black patches which are its identification marks!

The migrant fliers

To add to its toll of other birds come the migrant species of birds during the bird migration season of August-June. The winter prevailing in their respective breeding grounds is so severe, they seek warmer countries to tide over those unfavourable climatic conditions, once spending their winter vacation in their host countries, they do not breed there.

Among such migrant bird species graces the gorgeous stout bird with multi-coloured stripes on its side feathers bearing a short tail is the well-known Avichchiya-Indian Pitta that comes here all the way from foot hills of Himalayas.

It is easily recognised more by its sonorous calls at the crack of dawn, high noon and at last at the knell of the parting day, Its very cries ape the sounds of Avichchiya in Sinhala, while its English renderings mean "Quite Clear; still while its equivalent in Tamil means aptly; "Aru-mani kuruvi'. Still more, bird lovers have named it as the 6 o' Clock bird! It is seen commonly hopping about the forest floor or in some home garden.

It is a regular visitor to our garden home during the bird migration season. Its other trait is to oscilate its tail while hopping about and then shrugging its 'feather shoulders' and bears prominent eye-rides, the other noticeble migrant species are the Wag-tails.

Among them are the Grey Head Yellow Wag tail having a long graduated wagging its side-waysmarriving here from far off slopes Russia - Siberia borders wagging its tail side-ways. While the Wag Tail has its breeding grounds in the foot hills of Himalayas.

The next species is the Indian White Wag Tail distinguished easily by its conspicuous white patch aeparating from its head feathers. It bears a short tail-wagging its tail up and down.

The next species of Wagtail family that graces our shores is the most beautiful Forest Tail having striking red and white arcs on its 'frontal-shirt', unlike other members of Wagtail families, this stout little lovely wags its tail up and down. It is a frequent winter visitor to our garden in all solo. As it flies away in the human presence, while on flight giving out shrill shrieks it also comes here from the Himalyan frontiers.

The other well-known species to everyone, including children is the Indian white Phased Paradise Flycatcher popularly called Sudu Redi Hora. This species bears a metallic head crest its bears alluring streamers of white feathers trailing behind giving out harsh shrieks.

Hence its name in Sinhala as Sudu Redi Hora, while its native counterpart in our shores its named Red Phased Paradise Fly Catcher, in Sinhala aptly called 'Gini Hora', for its radiant red streamers trailing along. On its head crest it bears a metallic colour.

Even this Indian species of White Phased Paradise Fly Catcher visits our home garden-along with our own species the Gini Hora-the Red-Phase Paradise Flycatcher.

Coming to the water bodies like the Uda Walawe reservoir, is also / spotted a rare migrant type of Sea eagle named the Osprey coming all that long distance from Europe. I had once observed it in Uda Walawe tank where soaring high, in the milkway it swooped down, dived and fished out a large size fish in its talons.

Pride of place has been bestowed upon this Park, as it pays host to a rare type of winter visited of the King Fisher family called Black Capped Purple King Fisher. Its breeding grounds range from Burma, Malaya and far off China. The Game staff has been noticing its arrival during the bird migration area.

River Navigable

The fantastic feature of the meandering Walawe ganga and its adjacent Reservoir is the choicest blessing as it is an enchanting fantasy for tourists to cruise down the river.

Thimbirimankade where lies a fascinating Park Bungalow at this scenic riverine spot. The Game Staff do their official patrolling in motor boats. In one glorious opportunity I had the fortune to cruise down the rapids of the and into the Walawe tank, in the company of the Game Staff.

What a breathtaking sight greeted us? Here before us, we beheld the wondrous but pleasing sight of seeing elephants, other species of animals and birds. Elephants with their babies were frolicking in the lapping waters where the babies were kept at bay by their Aunties', Uncles' not allowing them to stray into deeper waters. We spotted a Sambhur with a majestic pair of antlers, deer, barking deer, wild boar by the waters edge.

Water Birds

Next was the vast assortment of a galaxy of water birds where some were wading while others perched on the decaying trees choked in the flowing waters. Among others were Eastern Purple Heron, the Lesser Adjutant, we espied by the waters edge, Spoon Bills (beak ending in a spoon like), white Ibis (its beak) ending like a sickle (called as Kedeti Koka), Indian white Necked Stork (Parson's crane (Padili Koka) in Sinhala, as it poses as a Parson!

Others include Open Bills. Its Mandible has a slit to enable it to crack open live mollusca as its usual menu. The Painted storks having an assortment of striped glamorous feathers on its side feathers. Then at sun down, on the margin of the tank, could be seen the Night Heron all alone. It looks clumsy, untidy and paints a sleepy and lazy like moods. It cries some cracking sounds not very pleasant too!

Captivating mountain frontier

Overlooking the mountain frontiers against the backdrop of Kolonne-Balangoda-Rakwana and even overlapping far away Haputale-Balagala escarpments, throws a picturesque but awe-inspiring rolling mountain enclave.