Oriental Bay-Owl (Phodilus badius) Outer Sinharaja Forest - 22 April 2014 On 21/04/2014 night I received a call from a guide at Sinharaja saying he received a call from a villager in Kudawa that they have found an owl in their front yard struggling to fly but just hopping around. The villager has caught the bird thinking it might get caught to a cat or a dog and kept the bird inside their house. The Guide has later visited the house of the villager and identified it as an Oriental Bay Owl. The Guide wanted me to come early morning if I am interested to see the bird and also a good photo opportunity. My immediately response to him was if the bird has no injuries and if it is flying around in the house please let the bird fly away to the woods where it belongs. He then informed that the bird is not flying at that moment and therefor they have informed the Wild Life Dept officials in Kalawana stating that they are keeping the bird safely in the house and hoping to release next morning if the bird is fit to fly. 22nd morning around 7.30 I called the guide to find out the status of the owl. Response was positive and they have released the bird and it had flown to a nearby bamboo tree and was roosting. He also told me if you come now might get an opportunity to see the bird. I had doubt on that opportunity as I was 2 hrs away from the bird. He also informed me some birders/photographer have already visited the place and if I am coming then to come without further delay. Initially I was not interested in going as the bird was under captivity due to what ever the reason. However, later I decided to go due to 2 reasons. I have not seen a Bay Owl and the bird is now released to the jungle where it belongs. Around 9.00 am I decided to take a chance and take a drive up to Sinharaja, knowing that I will reach the site of the bird around 11.30 (5 hrs after release from overnight captivity) Left home at 9.30 am and reached the site around 11.45 am. (Met few happy birders on the way returning from the site.) As I went to the site the guide told me the bird just flew down to a different location from wher it was roosting since the release from captivity. I was happy to see 2 officials from Kalawana Wild Life office in the site. They have come prepared to check the condition of the bird and to evacuate it if required. As the bird has already flown away and was roosting they left the site. Normally we look up to see the owls, but I had to look down at the new location wher the bird was. Well.....it was my first ever sighting of the Bay Owl..... roosting on a bamboo branch, rock in the background. Managed to click few shots then the bird suddenly disappeared but luckily to a near by tree. With some effort I was able to move to a location with a good angle with my gear. But unfortunately the bird was showing me its back. Proving the bird photography theory, patience will pay results.....after few minutes the owl turned its neck 180 degrees and gave a supper pose for a photograph. I was with the bird for almost 1 1/2 hrs. During this period more birders and W/L photographers visited the site. Bablers were around and was attempting to attack the bird. Lots of Weaver Ants (Dimiya) were attacking the birds and the owl was moving from one branch to the other to escape from Dimiyas. On my way home crossed few more birders rushing to the site. Around 7.10 pm the hungry owl has flown away from its unfamilier roosting location to the jungle looking for food. (My thanks to Dhanushka and Thandula for informing the sighting and Dr.Anurudhdha and Dr.Nirmala for confirming the identity.)
Posted on: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 00:08:22 +0000
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