Tuesday, March 27, 2012

'Brown-headed Barbet' - Megalaima zeylanica, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The 'Barbet' relishes the unripe berries of the black pepper tree as you see in this picture.

Pictures taken by Dr.Charaka Wickremasinghe.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

'Oriental Magpie Robin' - Copsychus saularis, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A very common bird. This bird is the first to start singing at dawn. It has quite a few variations in tune in its singing. 'Polkichchaa' - S, 'Karikkuruvi' - T.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Asian Paradise Fly-catcher - Trepsiphone paradisi, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.


This small bird because of its colour which is similar to the colour of a Buddhist Monk's robe is called 'Sivuru hora' - Stealer of the monk's robe, in Sinhalese. It is a very quick and shy bird.
Videos:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=som3Cn9Q74s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcb1w5kYK3g

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

Sunday, March 18, 2012

'Yellow-billed Babbler' - Turdoides affinis taprobanus, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.


The noisiest group of birds in the garden they forage in groups and are also called 'Seven sisters'. These and the squirrels keep a look-out for cats and other predators and signal each other on the latters presence in the vicinity.
Video:-

Friday, March 16, 2012

Cormorants and lotus leaves, Habarana, Sri Lanka.

 Cormorants resting on a tree trunk over a lotus pond, Habarana Lodge, Habarana.
Lotus leaf holding a ring of water, Habarana.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

A 'Red-vented Bulbul', Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The commonest bird next to the crow in Avissawella. Very plucky and playful. If a ripe banana fruit is left uncovered on a table they will cry with glee and start pecking into it leaving the mate as a look out. They nest on trees. Predators like the cat-snake ('Garandiya' S- 'Saarai' T) and the Coucal ('Aeti kukula' S-'Senpadaham' T) occasionally eat the young ones. The lower picture shows a fledgling learning to fly, a time when they are most vulnerable to predators..

Monday, March 12, 2012

Saturday, March 10, 2012

'Brown-headed Barbet' - Megalaima zeylanica, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.


Picture taken in our home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka. These birds are attracted by the bight yellow colors of the 'papaw' and banana fruits. When the fruits are placed in the feed box in our garden, they eye the food from a tree top close by and make a loud cry repeated many times. Then they quietly swoop down and consume the fruit in absolute silence. Their cry is the most frequently heard cry in the jungle. This interferes with recordings of 'bird-crys' of other birds.

'White-throated Kingfisher, Yala, Sri Lanka.



Brahminy Kite and an elephant, Yala, Sri Lanka.

Scene inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

'Brahminy Kites', Yala, Sri Lanka.


Pictures taken inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. It looked like the parents and their off spring, still in juvenile plumage were perched on a tree overlooking a pond. Junior might have been undergoing training in hunting.

A 'Bittern' and a 'Cormorant', Yala, Sri Lanka.

Picture taken inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

'Rose-ringed Parakeet' - Psittacula krameri, Yala, Sri Lanka.




II took these pictures inside the Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

'Crested Serpent Eagle' - Spilornis cheela spilogaster, Maligawila, Sri Lanka.




I spotted this eagle on the branch of a tree in the foliage near the Maligawila Buddha statue at Butthala, Sri Lanka. It was stationary for quite sometime and was not disturbed by the passage of people close by.
Video:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?edit=vd&v=x05XdZ6irpQ