Since arriving to live in Sri Lanka, my photographer friend Ranil has been suggesting that we go on a weekend wildlife photography trip together. I have been politely declining though because on one hand it didn’t feel right to be going away leaving Rennie and our children holed up in a city apartment, but on the other the children would be bored crazy with the silence and long periods of waiting required if we took them. The perfect opportunity arose last weekend though because not only was there a Poya (full moon) public holiday on Monday to make it a long weekend, but Rennie took visiting Czech friends and our children to the South coast so I needn’t feel guilty!

Of the two main national parks, Wilpattu and Yala, Ranil and I chose the former. Unexpected rain (the first we have seen since December) reduced the amount of wildlife seen on Saturday’s evening safari, but on Sunday’s all-day safari from before sunrise right up to sunset, we were in for a treat. On Monday morning, a naturalist took us on a guided tour of the lake outside our guesthouse; his knowledge of the birds was astounding as was his ability to mimic their calls and be called back in return!

The weekend was a wonderful experience to which I’ll let the photographs do the rest of the talking, both of the natural environment and the beautiful wildlife that inhabits it.  I’ll post separately on two specific aspects.

Steve