Zvezda & Alex Big Year 2016 - first attempt

[xelas]

09/08/16 - VICTORIA PARK @ NUWARA ELIYA

 

 

247. Indian Pond Heron - Ardeola grayii

 

 

[xelas]

248. Spotted Dove - Stigmatopelia chinensis

 

 

Edited September 10, 2016 by xelas

[xelas]

249. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher - Culicicapa ceylonensis

 

 

[xelas]

250 Sri Lanka White-eye - Zosterops ceylonensis

 

 

 

[xelas]

10-11/08/16 - ELLA

 

 

The tiny town of Ella is located halfway down the hill from Nuwara Eliya, at an elevation of 1041 m asl. Very cool place although birding was not so prolifiac as in the hill above Kandy, and they both share about the same bird species. Here is a male of Loten's Sunbird, female was already featured in Kandy Hill Station.

 

[xelas]

251. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike - Hempius picatus

 

 

[xelas]

252. Coppersmith Barbet - Megalaima haemacephala

 

 

 

[xelas]

253. Scarlet Minivet - Pericrocotus flammeus

 

 

Female

 

Male

[xelas]

254. White-browed Fantail - Rhipidura aureola

 

 

 

 

In the nest

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on exceeding 250!

 

Beautiful birds and great photos. I really like the Coppersmith Barbet.

[xelas]

Thanks, @@Peter Connan !

 

For joining the "300" club Sri Lanka birds will not suffice . Hopefully the Seewinkel trip next weekend will help .

[xelas]

12/08/16 - TISSA LAKE @ TISSAMAHARAMA

 

A beautiful setting but only one new bird.

 

 

255. Baya Weaver - Ploceus philippinus

 

Edited September 11, 2016 by xelas

[xelas]

13/08/16 - YALA NP

 

Yala NP is the park with the highest number of visitors, and for good reason!

 

 

256. White-breasted Waterhen - Amaurornis phoenicurus

 

[xelas]

257. Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia

 

 

[xelas]

258. Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudis

 

 

[xelas]

259. Common Iora - Aegithina tiphia

 

 

[xelas]

260. Blue-tailled Bee-eater - Merops philippinus

 

 

[xelas]

261. Paddyfield Pipit - Anthus rufulus

 

 

[xelas]

262. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius

 

 

[xelas]

263. Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos

 

 

 

[xelas]

264. Little Cormorant - Phalacrocorax niger

 

 

[xelas]

Black-winged Kite - Elanus caeruleus

 

 

 

Well, this bird is a beauty; and its ruby red eyes are so distinctive. It also shows why I will have to add latin names to all my birds; Elanus caeruleus was also known as Black-shouldered Kite, and as such it is reported it in our Kgalagadi section. Some research showed that the Elanus caeruleus now has english name Black-winged Kite, and that Black-shoulder Kite is reserved for Elanus axillaris, the Australian species.

Edited September 11, 2016 by xelas

[xyz99]

Yes, the kite is a beauty. But mu favorites are the bee-eaters...and the little plover

[Treepol]

@@xelas you have seen an impressive number of birds already this year, the sky's the limit!

 

The Blue-tailed bee-eaters are very attractive birds.

[xelas]

14/08/16 - BUNDALA NP

 

 

Bundala NP is another wetland and RAMSAR site, close to Yala and Tissamaharama. Extensive list of birds but we were not having the best of our birding days.

 

 

265. Jacobin Cuckoo - Clamator jacobinus

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by xelas