Asian Koel - Eudynamys scolopacea, Mutwal, Sri Lanka.

 

Announcing the arrival of summer with its strident call the Koel is a welcome call of the season. To get a glimpse of it is not easy as it hides in the branches of tall trees. It lurks to lay its eggs in the crows nest.

Long-billed Sunbird (Loten's Sunbird) - Nectarinia lotenia, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A regular visitor to our home garden. Very difficult to photograph because they are so agile. My Nikon D90 with a Nikkor 70-300mm lens was fast on auto-focus and gave me these pictures.

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

A common bird in these parts. Whistles about six different melodies. Starts singing early in the morning.

'White-bellied Drongos' - Dicrurus caerulescens, Aviiawella, Sri Lanka.

A very common bird in Avissawella. Is a good mimic and can mimic the mewing of a cat.

'Purple-rumped Sunbird' - Nectarinia zeylanica, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A frequent visitor to our home garden. Very agile and difficult to photograph.

'Common Tailor-bird' - Orthotomus sutorius, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Seen in our home garden almost daily.

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

I spotted this juvenile on the banks of a small stream.

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