IN SERCH OF THE THREE TOED KINGFISHER NESTING.....

 After getting to know from a Instagram account about a nesting in Matugama, I went to a private forest patch marketed as ARANYA NATURE VILLAGE with a fellow photographer friend on a Friday evening  as we were told that accommodation has to be used .

The facilities were quite good and close to nature and the meals and the service was fabulous in that sense. The following morning we were at the extended unit of the dining area by 6 and the nest had been made just outside  in a pit on the ground which was about 5-6 feet deep.

By 6.40 for the first time both the parents flew from the forest side to nearby trees with fresh kills and after a few minutes, flew down to the pit where the nest had been made which is not visible. Though the light was poor and the flying shots were not possible we were able to take some good  photos till about 8.30 after which generally the feeding slow down it seems.

We did some walking around the land and managed to photograph some decent photos of a couple of other birds apart from the frogs and stuff in the night as well.  The trip was a super experience and much rewarding as well.

The resort was quite beautiful and eco friendly.

Dining area

One of the accommodation types

Another type 

Unusual 

The night stroll was quite exciting and productive

We came across this black naped monarch who was dosing off.

THIS WAS A SUPER FIND : A LAND SNAIL  IDENTIFIED AS CRYPTOZONA CHENUI , endemic and a highly vulnerable.

While waiting for the Three toed ...

a colourful insect

This is the priceless encounter...

Long snouted frog

This was while we were on the way to the Velipenna highway 

Female orange minivet

lucky to see the female malabar trogan

Emerald dove

Tickle's blue flycatcher

Male crested tree swift

Black naped monarch

VISIT TO YALA IN JULY 2026....

 I made a trip to yala after 5 months with my fellow photographer and his wife in the last week of July. We went around 6.30 on a Friday evening and stayed the night at a guest house and started early the next day. It was one of the better days after a while as we witnessed 3 good leopard sightings and the highlight was the confrontation with a bear mum and 2 cubs which was in my bucket list for sometime.

This was very soothing for the eyes.

may be an early migrant or could have overstayed : Common sandpiper

Well camouflaged.

A young leopard after failing a mock  buffalo cub attack as it was with the mother 

This was the icing on the cake and yet another item in the bucket list ticked off. We heard about this family before coming and knew that the chances were there to see but in the morning while watching Astra the female leopard , they had come to drink water and gone. After lunch at Patanangala we went and stayed near the water hole and to our luck another driver went passing us indicating us to follow and when we turned on to a by road, there was a Jeep parked and one of friends was there with Japanese TV crew and found out that they have been filming the bear family for weeks and was waiting them to cross as they knew the routing . Just after 5 minutes our luck worked  and it was pure joy watching them cross and go to the other side .

This is Astra and seemed like it was pregnant and gave quite a show resting and going to drink water as well.

Sri Lanka woodshrike

Hoopoe nesting 

Golden fronted leafbird (female )

Female purple sunbird 

White bellied sea eagle

Sri Lanka Orange breasted green pigeon

Javan : a young leopard