SINHARAJA SPECIAL .....

 I got the opportunity to go to Sinharaja in the fourth week of March with 2 other photograph and wildlife friends mainly to observe and photograph nestlings of Frogmouth and black naped monarch.

This time we got the chance to see the distinctive chestnut back of this endemic Sri Lanka chestnut backed owlet fairly clearly and at close range

Frogmouth nesting...

This was the icing on the cake. Generally  one egg is laid and the full period between laying of the egg and fledging is about 25 days. The male stays with the chic during day time and both share the duty in the night, When we saw this one ,the chick would have been about 20 days old and around 2/3 of the body is covered with the parent's feathers 

May be it will  start it's first flight within a week.

If you look from one side the chick cannot be seen as it's been covered by the male.

Forest spider 

This was another nesting and of  black naped Monarch. The 2 chicks were out of the nest and while we were there , one flew to another tree and probable the other one also would have flown during  that day.

Black bulbul

Orange billed babbler

Asian paradise flycatcher

VISIT TO MANNAR DURING THE SEASON YET AGAIN.....

 I got a chance to go to Mannar in the 2nd week of March 2024 with a fellow birding friend  and this was my 4th visit . We stayed for 2 nights and did almost 1,200 km in the vehicle. We were quite lucky to get a domiciled guide with whom we got a good opportunity the photograph the very much sort after Greater flamingos as well as many bird species.

It was a very fruitful and an enjoyable long trip with comfort as it was quite warm compared with other times and going in a private vehicle compared with  the train and tri-shaws was a major advantage.

One of the highlights was seeing a Eurasian otter face to face for the first time in Anawilundawa though we couldn't  photograph as we were inside the vehicle and it was a complete surprise and for a second we thought it was a mongoose.

On the way we first stopped in Anawilundawa around 6.45 and tried our luck to see whether the migrant Black naped oriole  had come this time too and it had for our satisfaction.

Blue faced malkoha

Giant squirrel

Brahmin kite

This black bittern hovered around a couple of times before flying away.

Kentish plover

Little stint

In flight

Lesser plover

Common sandpiper

Common redshank

Wood sandpiper

Eurasian curlew

Black tailed godwit

Ruff

Curlew sandpipers

Pacific golden plover

Black kite

Brown headed gull

This grey francolin pair may have been human friendly as they were very calm to our presence unlike the normal times.

Gul billed tern

We did a night stroll looking for owls . We were lucky to see a barn owl also flying around though could not photograph

Collard scops owl

highlight of any birder/ bird watcher visiting Mannar during the season and icing on the cake. We were very lucky to be  at the front as our capable guide located them first.

We were again lucky as when we decided to get up and go as the light was harsh around 8 am, ,someone tried to approach them from another point scaring these sensitive birds resulting all of them to fly away giving us that opportunity as well.

Eurasian spoonbill in flight

Seeing this grey nightjar was quite something.

A pair of Garganey's

Male

Female

Eurasian widgeon

Northern pintail - male

Greater crested terns and brown headed gulls

Indian roller

Oriental skylark

Wimbrel

Caspian tern

Little terns

Rudy turnstone

Terek sandpiper

Lesser crested tern

Hugine gulls

Collard dove

White bellied sea eagle diving in

Northern shovellers in flight

Female

Male

A rare sight - A jackal

Pied Cuckoo

Black drongo

Whiskered tern

Glossy Ibis

Wind turbines in the background

Light house in Thalaimannar

Dilapidated pier- Thalaimannar

Sunset