Urban Birding Walk Through Colombo's Wetlands
5.45 AM - Welcome to the Rustic Chic, where your urban birding experience begins. Enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee and refresh yourself while your expert tourist guide briefs you about the tour.
6.00 AM - Take a walk along the trail, where there is a high chance of spotting several bird species even without binoculars or a telescope. This approximately 3-kilometer stretch around the early morning birding site is a perfect paradise for birdwatching, and you have a good chance of seeing some of the most colorful birds in Colombo, such as the Purple Swamphen, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Black-hooded Oriole, and Pheasant-tailed Jacana.
8.00 AM - Walk through a small marshy area that is home to quite a few native and migrant birds. Here, be dazzled by the impressive sight of the Purple Heron at the reed bed as it feeds on a variety of aquatic animals, along with Black-headed Ibis and Asian Openbill. Listen to the birdsong while refreshing yourself with your packed breakfast.
8.30 AM - Continue to a prolific wetland area in Colombo in search of an assortment of tropical flora and fauna, as well as aquatic birds busy catching worms, flies, and insects. Birding can be very productive here, and you may look for endemic species such as the Sri Lankan Green Pigeon, Sri Lankan Barbet, Greater Sri Lankan Flameback, and Ceylon Hanging Parrot.
Meet the great photographing challenge of encountering the Pied Kingfisher, as you are never sure from where or when the bird is going to dive in.
10.15 AM - Head back after nearly 4 hours of photographic birding and an eco walk.
