Bird-watching at the Mudhouse

Neither of us found it easy to fall asleep in a room largely open to the outdoors, and my coughing didn't help, but eventually we did and were fast asleep when my alarm went off at 5.45. At that moment having arranged to go bird watching with Oshi didn't seem the brightest of ideas! But it was, of course, to prove well worth it.

The sky was just lightening as we dressed quickly and walked to the restaurant area. There Oshi was waiting for us, as was some decidedly weak coffee.

But our attention was focused on the sun rising over the lake and all the bird activity already in evidence. Oshi told us the names of all the birds we'd already spotted ourselves but not recognised, and with his telescope found many more distant ones too. In this area, without even starting the walk, we saw:
Common Kingfisher
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Indian Pond Heron
Purple Heron
Intermediate Egret
Red-wattled Lapwing
Brahminy Kite
And no doubt others I forgot to note.

Eventually we started our walk, to start with taking the path which led back towards the accommodation houses. Our first sighting here was of two Jungle Fowl (the national bird) fighting. We also saw a Spotted Dove, a bird we were to spot several more times.

As we walked Oshi carried the telescope and another of the Mudhouse's naturalists, whose name I failed to catch, carried a bird book. Each time we had a sighting Oshi would train the scope on it and his colleague would show us the picture in the book, which helped immensely in noting the names. If the bird was even remotely close enough I tried to photograph it, but some were far too distant and could only be seen through the scope.

At the main track we turned left rather than right towards our hut and continued our search for birds. Here is a probably incomplete list of those we saw:
Red-vented Bulbul
White-bellied Drongo
Black Drongo
Black-headed Oriole
Orange-breasted Green Pigeon
Green Imperial Pigeon
Brown-capped Babbler
Yellow-eyed Babbler
Yellow-billed Babbler
White-rumped Munia
Shikra Loten's Sunbird

Our walk took us past several houses and Oshi also pointed out the crops being grown: watermelons, cashew nuts, rice. Eventually we came to another lake where as well as the birdlife our attention was drawn to the signs of local life here such as a small shrine and a lady washing clothes (who was happy to pose).

Beyond the lake we could see a huge rock rising from the otherwise flat landscape. And of course there were more birds:
Little Grebe
Baya Weaver (and nests)
Crested Treeswift
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Crested Hawk Eagle

And no doubt again there were some I forgot to note, as well as others that flew away before we could properly see them. Oshi told me that in total the other guide had noted 53 species that morning.

We spent a bit of time watching and trying to photograph the weavers building their nests.

While we were doing so another of the Mudhouse's staff arrived in a tuk-tuk to take us back to the restaurant. There breakfast awaited, and far too large a meal again despite the fact that we'd worked up an appetite. I wasn't taken by the Sri Lankan porridge (more like a savoury soup) but enjoyed the generous fruit platter and egg hopper.

As we ate a giant squirrel appeared, climbing on the roof beams above our heads and obviously used to human company.

After the meal we had a chat with fellow guests, a German couple. We also talked with the chef and asked to skip lunch, and with Oshi, with whom we arranged to take another walk later around the property. Then we headed back to our own mudhouse to catch up on a bit of sleep, download photos and in my case to compile this list of birds!

Mid afternoon we went back to the main area to sit for a while by the lake (and take more birds photos!)

Later we had a tour of the property with one of the Mudhouse's founders and business owners, Kumar. He showed us a couple of the other houses (those not currently occupied, naturally) and then took us behind the scenes. We met the chief ironer who demonstrated his iron heated by coconut husk charcoal.

And we visited the kitchen and met some of the staff there as well as seeing what was cooking in the iron pots for dinner. Kumar reassured us that the food we didn't eat wasn't thrown away but was served to staff - important to know when they provide far too much at every meal!

We then walked through the outer areas of what is a considerably sized property. Kumar told us that they had purchased a further seven pieces of land from villagers eager to sell as they expanded from their original single hut. We gathered that Covid and the subsequent unrest in the country had hit the business hard and they still weren't up to their previous capacity. I was also pleased to hear that Nick, owner of Selective Asia with whom we'd booked our trip, had supported them to get back on their feet.

We walked through areas growing much of the produce served in the restaurant: rice, fruit, coconuts, herbs and spices etc. Kumar also talked about how they had reforested the land, and when we ended our walk by the smaller lake in front of our house he invited us to plant a tree. This naturally meant that Chris planted while I took photos! Kumar also took some and promised to send them along with information about the tree, which he did.

Back at the house some staff had just delivered herbal tea and some snacks, so we enjoyed those while befriending a local cat who loved the fuss we were making of her. Then it was ready to freshen up in the cold shower before dinner.

This was as generous as the previous evening, with a potato curry the standout dish. When we went back to our mudhouse the little neighbouring cat who'd visited previously was there and we had some fun with her before bedtime.