Zvezda & Alex Big Year 2016 - first attempt

[xelas]

With 30+ bird species (posted here are 29) photographed in 2 days Wilpattu NP was a great birding location, although it is more known for its mammals, specially leopards and sloth bears sightings.

[JohnR]

I took a personality test at the Durrell Zoo which concluded I was a hornbill so I especially like your hornbill picture.

[xyz99]

Agree with the hornbill, but they are all fantastic! Love the sunbird and the Magpie Robin, too.

[dlo]

Welcome back from you're trip @@xelas and I'll add more love to the hornbill.

[Chakra]

Just one comment : You got to visit India !! I see so many familiar faces !!

[xelas]

@Chak

With pleasure! We could work something out, don't you think so? Me driving and you guiding !

[xelas]

04/08/16 - Sigiriya and Kaudulla NP

 

 

215. Shikra - Accipiter badius / juv.

 

[xelas]

216. White-bellied Sea Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster

 

 

[xelas]

217. Crested Hawk Eagle - Nisaetus cirrhatus

 

 

 

juvenile

[xelas]

218. Lesser Adjutant - Leptoptilos javanicus

 

[xelas]

219. Painted Stork - Mycteria leucocephala

 

 

[xyz99]

The painted stork is so funny

And painted indeed....look at all those colors! I guess God ran out of orange, tried some yellow, ran out if it, tried pink/purple, ran out of that too, then decided to play it safe, and used black and white

[xelas]

Popham Arboretum - 05/08/16

 

 

Popham Arboretum is often overlooked small but very interesting place near Dambulla. It is one of the rare places in Sri Lanka where loris can be spotted. Next time we will have to overnight there (or near) to get the chance for observing this rare and shy mammals. As we have arrived quite late birds were not many yet what lacks in quantity was replaced by quality.

 

 

220. Sri Lanka Jungefowl - Gallus lafayetii

 

Female

 

Male

 

[xelas]

221. Red-vented Bulbul - Pycnonotus cafer

 

 

 

[xelas]

222. Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis

 

 

 

[xyz99]

Nothing common about the kingfisher, he's a beauty!

[xelas]

@@xyz99

 

Exactly what also Zvezda said!

 

Sri Lanka Junglefowl is endemic and National Bird of Sri Lanka.

[Peter Connan]

Nothing common about the kingfisher, he's a beauty!

 

And it posed beautifully! More great shots.

[elefromoz]

@@xelas, a very late congrats on 200. Really enjoying the latest from Sri Lanka, especially the Eagles, all stunning. I was very surprised to see the White Bellied Sea Eagle, I thought, in my ignorance, they were an Australian species. I now see they range from India through to Australia. The things you learn on Safaritalk. The Thick knee seems to pop up in many countries too. Mmm, wondering now, about how lucky you got with those mammals in Willpattu? Leopard??

[xelas]

Sorry, @@elefromoz , cannot tell you, spoiler alert !

[xelas]

05-07/08/16 - Kandy hill station

 

For 2 full days we have stayed amongst tea plantations up the hill above Kandy.

 

 

223. Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler - Pomatorhinus melanurus

 

 

[xelas]

224. Plum-headed parakeet - Psitaculla cyanocephala

 

 

 

[xelas]

225. Black-hooded Oriole - Oriolus xanthornus

 

 

[xelas]

226. Small Minivet - Pericrocotus cinnamomeus

 

 

Male

 

Female

 

 

[xelas]

227. Layard's Parakeet - Psitaculla calthropae

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2016 by xelas