Indian Roller

The loose target for Sri Lanka as far as bird sightings go, was a trio of Bee-eaters and Indian Roller. We got two bee-eaters, but the third, the Blue-tailed, have migrated north to breed so could not be seen. No matter, since two out of three ain’t bad (that would make a good song title). This left the problem of the Indian Roller, where sadly my research proved to be somewhat less that thorough. I thought they were common around Yala, but the look on the face of the local guide when I set him this challenge dented my confidence. It seems they are quite difficult to locate and although word spread around with the other guides that this pasty Englishman wanted to see one, we were faced with universal blank looks and doleful shaking of heads. 

All seemed lost, but we had not counted on the tenacity of our tour driver who took it upon himself as a personal mission to find us one. He contacted a birder that works for his company and received directions as to where they could be ‘guaranteed’. I laughingly quipped that nothing in nature can be guaranteed, a lesson learned from bitter experience, but he was undaunted ‘I find you one Sir, never fear’ 

Our final day in Sri Lanka found us then in the central hill district taking a scenic train ride followed by a visit to a tea factory etc, all extracurricular activities we hadn’t planned for, but were nonetheless happy to experience. The touristy stuff done, we drove down to the lowlands where the roller quest began. We got lost a couple of times, we found ourselves driving along narrow, pot holed tracks in the middle of nowhere, we scrutinised every telegraph wire and fence post, which is quite a task when hurtling along at breakneck speed (nobody drives slowly in Sri Lanka – or straight for that matter). Surely, this was not the way to do it?

Sitting in the back of the car where I could enjoy the visibility of a submarine, I started thinking to myself that this was all a bit daft. We were tired, hot and hungry and miles from our hotel in Colombo. Thoughts of a shower and some food and at least a couple of hours sleep began to dangle in the forefront of my mind as the most desirable goals of the day.

‘It’s really ok, we don’t have to look anymore’, I say forlornly.

‘No Sir we find one, I know they are here’ comes the reply. 

But we are scooting through a busy town and although there are many things milling about, none of them will manifest into a brightly coloured bird that prefers open fields and handy perches from which to pounce on lizards and crickets. 

‘I think we need to find some open areas really, but honestly it doesn’t matter now, you’ve tried your best and we’re grateful’. I appeal.

‘We just go down here, I feel it in my heart that we shall find one’. Hard not to let him try for a bit longer especially when he adds ‘I think if you give happiness it comes around to you, god bless Sir’

And so it goes on. In the back we are both getting a little fractious, but don’t want to hurt his feelings. Even I’m wishing I’d taken up train spotting as a hobby instead of this lark. I’m really beginning to worry that we probably have a couple of hours drive to the hotel and it’s already almost dusk. We have to be up at 4am to get to the airport. It’s all getting a bit too much. And then it starts to pelt down. The final nail in the coffin of this particular quest you would think.

‘Ok, we’ll never see one now, I think we should just get going, we have to eat and sleep soon’.

‘Yes Sir, no. I just ask this man’.

Oh dear! But as darkness descends even our dedicated companion calls it a day and heads south. There is a hint of repressed anger in the car, but that’s being mean because he has been so sweet and helpful. He really wanted to find the bird for us.

We arrive rollerless at the hotel around 7.30pm, have a quick wash and manage something to eat before decanting all our luggage from various backpacks and cram it into the suitcases which spookily are getting heavier at each check-in even though we’ve put nothing extra in them – just muck and the weight of doomed hope perhaps.

Other blogs related to this round the world trip can be found here.