'Scaly-breasted Munia' - Lonchura punctulata, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Photos taken in our home garden at Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Indian Darter' - Anhinga melanogaster,Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

'Pheasent-tailed Jacana' - Hydrophasianus chirurgus, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

'Indian Robin' - Saxicoloides fulicata, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'White-bellied Sea Eagle' - Haliaeetus leukogaster, near Kandalama tank, Dambulla, Sri Lanka.

In flight.

Preening its feathers.

Watching for fish to go by.

'White-browed Bulbul' chick confronting an invader, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I saw a red-vented Bulbul trying to chase off this chick. The chick stood its ground and would not budge from its perch on a coconut frond.

'Black-headed Oriole' - Oriolus xanthornus, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The cry of 'Lokuputha ko'- Where is the elder son? in Sinhalese - this bird announces its arrival Because of its yellow color it is easily spotted in the green foliage. It loves to eat ripe mango fruits, hence its name 'Maampala kuruvi' - Mango bird in Tamil. It is called 'Kaha kurulla - Yellow bird in Sinhalese. I took these pictures of the bird sitting on a 'Veralu' tree close to our house.

'Red-vented Bulbul' - Pycnonotus cafer, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Lesser Yellownaped Wood-pecker' - Picus chlorolophus, Kosgama, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A very shy bird hence very difficult to get a picture.

White-bellied Sea Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster - Kaludiyapokuna, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

Largish water-bird, Thantrimale, Sri Lanka.

'Purple-rumped Sunbird - Nectarinia zeylonica - Meethirigala, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

'Brown Fish-Owl' - Ketupa zeylonensis, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I came out of my house at 6 am today and saw this largish bird standing on the satellite dish antenna. I quickly went inside and brought out my camera - Nikon D 90 with a Nikkor 105 - 300 mm lens. I managed to take two shots before it flew away. It must have come to investigate a newly constructed pond in our garden.

'Red-vented Bulbul' - Pycnonotus cafer, among the flowers, home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Do I look pretty?' the Bulbul seems to be asking when posing for this photo in our home garden.

'Spotted Dove' - Streptopelia chinensis ceylonensis, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

'Asian Koel' - Eudynamys scolopacea, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Listen to the cry of the Koel. Click on the web-link below:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TLppJJZMuA&feature=share&list=UU1dqepitfAJwrQWLD-gZ3NA

'Little Cormorant - Phalacrocorax niger, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

These birds are said not to have sweat glands. They spread their wings to catch the cool air to bring down  the rise in body temperature, after exertion like in diving to catch fish.

'White-browed Fantail' - Rhipidura aureola, home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Looks a juvenile. Made an appearance on the 24th August 2013. Very busy catching insects while flying. Not at all shy. Came quite close during its forays.
Correction made by Priyantha. Thanks Priyantha for the correction.

'House Sparrow' - Passer domesticus indicus, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

a

The 'House Sparrow' was the commonest bird seen close to dwellings in Sri Lanka up to about 15 years ago. Each household would have an empty pot with a hole at the bottom of the pot, hung by a nail on the outer wall of the house. This was the preferred place for the sparrows to build their nests. Predators like the 'Rat snake' could not reach the chicks in these pots.The 'House-Sparrows'  disappeared for a few years. We still do not know the cause of this sudden disappearance. Now they are making a come-back. I took these photos in our home-garden.

'White-throated King-fisher' - Halcyon smyrnensis, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The wire carries 230Volt AC.

'Indian Robin' - saxicoloides fulicata, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Male

Female.