A Days visit to the Chilaw Sand Spits

We had received the news, sometime ago, of the presence of two Eurasian Oyster Catchers at the Chilaw Sand Spits - these are migrant birds. We had originally visited this location and were rather successful in photographing these birds. However we decided to try our luck again.

December 29th, 2007.
We left home around 4.45 a.m. and drove to Pitakotte in order to pick up another friend of ours who decided to join us in this mission. We picked him up and set off on our journey. We were to be accompanied by another couple and their youngest son who decided to meet us quarter of the way. We met them and then headed off to Chilaw. We made good timing - having reached Chilaw town around 6.30 a.m. Here we decided to have a snack for breakfast - it was sausage buns, soya buns, etc and coffee.

We then drove to the Sand Spits and were very fortunate as we spotted one of the birds. My husband then walked up to the other vehicle which was close behind us, to inform them of the observation. Then he got his camera equipment ready. Having done all that we took a look at the area where the bird was originally located but it seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
Whilst we were driving up and down the beach looking for the birds my husband noticed some crows attacking something a little further ahead. Closer examination revealed a bird - it was a whiskered tern being attacked by crows. Not having the heart to leave the bird to die, my husband put a cloth round the bird and brought it into the vehicle.

In the meantime we suspected that the oyster catcher would have flown to the other side. Closer observation with the binoculars proved our suspicions, and not only was there one bird, but the other bird was there as well. Now what? Well! we decided to give the birds some time and thought it would be a good idea to have some tea at the Chilaw rest house.

We called one of our expert friends as to what to do with the injured bird - he informed us to give it glucose and not to force feed the bird as he would choke. We went to the Chilaw rest house, had our tea, gave the injured bird a little sugar dissolved in water which was the next best alternative to glucose and set off to the beach again. Both birds were on the "correct" side of the beach but my husband was only able to get about 2 or 3 photographs as the waves disturbed them and they flew further up. From now on it was a cat and mouse game.

We then decided to go to Navadunkulama, which is about an hours drive, to try our luck there - as Osprey had been sighted in earlier years. We actually did see the Osprey but no photo opportunity. We hung around there for a while enjoying the beauty and the tranquility of this awesome place and then decided it was time to head back to the Chilaw rest house to have lunch.

We had a sumptuous lunch of rice and curry, with prawn and cuttle fish too. We then headed back to the sand spits to try our luck again. The birds were there again, which meant more photography, but it was rather tricky as the lighting was not so great. It was a very hot day out there!!

We decided to stay till sunset in order to photograph it. We then decided enough was enough and after a very tiring but most enjoyable one day we set off home.

The injured tern was taken by our other friends in order that they could look after it. We were subsequently informed that they had taken the bird to the vet the following day who had treated it. The bird died a few minutes of them returning home from the vets.