Scarlet Basker - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata signata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Scarlet Basker is one of the easiest Dragonflies to identify in Sri Lanka. The male, pictured above, is a bright red colour which borders on being gaudy. They can be seen around most tanks (a tank is a man made lake).  I have photographed them on a number of occasions in the past. This post contains photographs I shot on our last trip to Sri Lanka.

More photographs inside.

Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata signata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

In terms of appearance the female, photographed above, is a bit easier on the eye. It is yellow in colour and looks completely different to the male. Early starts paid off with these shots as the dragonflies were sluggish and allowed me to photograph them from quite close.

Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata signata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

When time permits, I would like to attempt to photograph dragonflies with a macro lens and probably the extension tubes. I think the Scarlet Basker would be a good species to target for this, purely based on my luck to date.

Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata signata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The difficulty in using a macro lens to photograph dragonflies would be handling the external light sources. I don't have a macro lighting kit or a ring flash (yet) so I use my speed lights handheld. I try not to use a tripod as setting it up may disturb the dragonfly.

Scarlet Basker (Urothemis signata signata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I didn't have to use additional lighting as there was sufficient natural light when these photographs were taken.

Pied Parasol - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Pied Parasol (Neurothemis tullia tullia) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I have photographed the Pied Parasol on a number of my early morning trips to Thalangama. They are fairly common in the area and can often be found perched close to the water. Although the male and female are completely different in terms of appearance, this species is unmistakable.

More photographs inside.

Pied Parasol (Neurothemis tullia tullia) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The adult male's wings (1st photograph) have a broad black band followed by a white band. It's body colour varies with age with juveniles initially having a light brown body. The females have dark brown tips with brown spots in the middle of their golden wings.  Their abdomens are light brown and yellow.

Pied Parasol (Neurothemis tullia tullia) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

This species is generally found around tanks, ponds, marshes, slow flowing streams and paddy fields. They can be found from the lowlands to the mid hills throughout the year. It can be found throughout South and south-East Asia.

Pied Parasol (Neurothemis tullia tullia) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I would like to start photographing dragonflies with a macro lens at some stage. This is probably a good species to start with as it let me get quite close to it without taking flight.

Grey Pansy - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Grey Pansies were out in large numbers in Thalangama through July and I was able to photograph them on every trip I made to the wetlands. Since most of my trips were early morning visits, I got there before they were too active and was able to get quite close to photograph them.

More photographs inside.

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Grey Pansy is a member of the nymphalid species and can be found throughout South Asia. This species is known to feed on the Lantana plant and a number of these photographs were taken while the butterfly had settled on one of them.

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The sexes of these species are similar although the female is larger than the male. This species is common in Sri Lanka and can be found up to an elevation of around 3500 feet. It is often seen in open grasslands, marshes and paddy fields. It can't be easily found throughout the year but it is believed that the population peaks around the monsoon season.

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

All these photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. Since I used a telephoto lens instead of a macro, I didn't need to use a flash for additional lighting.

Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Oriental White-eye - Sri Lanka

Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Oriental White-eye is a common bird found in the lowlands in both the dry and wet zones of Sri Lanka. It can be found in the mid hills as well but is rarely seen at higher elevations. On my last trip to Sri Lanka I was able to photograph these birds in Thalangama, Yala and Kandy.

More photographs inside.

 Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) - Yala, Sri Lanka

It is similar in appearance to the endemic Sri Lankan White-eye but is lighter in colour and slightly smaller. Both species can be seen in mixed flocks. Their presence is often given away by their constant calling while they move through the undergrowth. Their diet consists of nectar as well as small insects and other invertebrates.

Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The White-eye's range stretches east from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia as far as Malaysia and Indonesia. A number of subspecies have been recognised throughout this range. Their habitat varies form scrub to moist forests.

Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka 

White-eyes are social birds and form flocks which separate only during the breeding season which stretches from February to September, with April considered a peak. Their nests are shaped like cups and are built out of cobwebs, lichen and plant fiber. Two eggs are laid and they hatch in about 10 days.

 

Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The hardest part of photographing these birds was getting them on an open perch for a clear shot. The fact that they are constantly on the move and quick, didn't help matters. These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.




   

Black-fronted Babbler - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Black-fronted Barbet (Rhopocichla atriceps siccata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I photographed a flock of Black-fronted Babblers in Thalangama while they foraged through the undergrowth. I hadn't photographed them prior to this and was quite happy that I was able to move quite close to them and fire off a number of frames.

More photographs inside.

Black-fronted Barbet (Rhopocichla atriceps siccata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These Babblers are found in India and Sri Lanka. Three subspecies have been found in Sri Lanka, one each in the dry, wet and hill zones of the island. The species found in India have a complete black hood while the Sri Lankan species, pictured here, have a black mask.

 

Black-fronted Barbet (Rhopocichla atriceps siccata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

They are weak in flight and tend to clamber up vegetation when startled. Their diet consists mainly of insects. Like most Babblers the Black-fronted Babblers are noisy birds and their presence is often given away by their calls. They are also known to join mixed species feeding flocks.

Black-fronted Barbet (Rhopocichla atriceps siccata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Breeding season is between May and July and a clutch usually consists of two eggs. Nests are often built low down on bushes and shrubs. The nest is said to look like some dry leaves that have got stuck in a bush with an opening on one side.

  Black-fronted Barbet (Rhopocichla atriceps siccata) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Photographing these birds wasn't hard as they were foraging when I found them and they weren't bothered by me being around. I had to keep looking around to find birds which had hopped out onto an exposed perch in order to get a clear shot. All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Tailed Jay - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I photographed the Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) on a couple of early morning trips to the Thalangama wetland in July. I hadn't photographed this species before and was fortunate to get quite close to it. Again, the fact that these photographs were taken in the morning helped as the butterfly wasn't very active.

More photographs after the jump.

 Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Photographing the upper sides of the Tailed Jay wasn't easy as it perched with its wings folded. The photograph above shows the widest it spread its wings while perched during these sightings. They are strong fliers and quite active. Males are said to frequent flowers from Lantana, Ixora, Mussaenda and Poinsettia.

Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka 

Graphium agamemnon can be found in India and Sri Lanka, through South East Asia and also in Northern Australia. Although Tailed Jays are active throughout the year, their abundance depends on the local monsoon season and the availability of host plants. They have a fast life-cycle and the time taken to grow from egg to adult is around one month. They can produce up to 7 - 8 broods per year.

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.

Common Sailor - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The wetlands in Thalangama are best known for the bird life around the marshes but they are also home to a large number of butterflies. I have seen and photographed the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) at Thalangama on numerous occasions but, for some reason, never got around to posting them on the blog.

More photographs inside.

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Common Sailor is found throughout India, Sri Lanka and Burma. Its range is said to extend to Indomalaya as well. It has a wet and dry season form which only differs in the narrowness of the white markings on the wings. This species has been observed making sounds by clicking its foremost pair of legs. However, the reason for this behaviour has not been identified.

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I did find photographing this species relatively easy as they let me get quite close to them. Most of my trips to Thalangama are early in the morning so this may have helped. The Common sailor is known for settling on damp patches, a behaviour I witnessed in Kandy (photograph below).

Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) - Kandy, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I didn't have to use flashes to light the images as the ambient light was sufficient. I did have to bump up the ISO to 400 though.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I have photographed the Ceylon Small Barbet (Megalaima rubricapilla), also called the Crimson-fronted Barbet, on several occasions. I have found them in the garden at home in Colombo and they are abundant at our place in Kandy. However, on these occasions the birds were some distance away.

More photographs inside.

 Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

My luck changed on one of several visits to Thalangama in July. While I was walking along the bank of the tank I noticed a Black-rumped Flameback in one of the trees by the road. I stopped and photographed it for a few minutes and then noticed that a Golden Oriole had settled in the same tree. I was in the middle of photographing the Oriole when a Ceylon Small Barbet flew down onto one of the lower branches of the same tree.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

I fired off about 15 or 20 frames and then stopped to watch the bird as I had not seen it in such close proximity before. My presence didn't seem to disturb it as it soon started moving along the branch pecking at the bark and foraging for insects.  It gradually worked its way up into the canopy and disappeared. Due to the colour of its plumage, it is not the easiest bird to find in the canopy.

Ceylon Small Barbet - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens.The light wasn't the best and I bumped up the ISO to compensate.

Variegated Flutterer - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Variegated Fluterer (Rhyothemis variegata variegata) was one of several dragonflies I photographed while in Sri Lanka. They are relatively common and since they are found around ponds, paddy fields and tanks, Thalangama is an ideal location to photograph them. It is also known as the Common Picture Wing.

More photographs after the jump.

Variegated Flutterer (female) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

In terms of appearance, the female is slightly different when compared to the male Variegated Flutterer. The tip of the females wings are clear where as the tips of the male's wings are black in colour (see first and third images on this post).

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Variegated Flutterer is a relatively small dragon fly with an abdomen measuring 20-25mm and a wingspan of 34-37mm. It is easily identifiable because of the variegated blackish-brown and golden yellow patterns on the wings.

Variegated Flutterer (male) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

All photographs on this post were taken with the Canon 100-400mm lens and the Canon 7D.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

The Purple Coot, also know as the Purple Swamphen, is a common bird found in the lowland marshes of Sri Lanka. The subspecies found in Sri Lanka, Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus, is one of up to 13 subspecies identified through Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. The thirteen subspecies mainly differ in the colour of their plumage.

More photographs after the jump.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Purple Coots are easy to identify because of their bright plumage and loud call. It is said to be able to fly long distances and for a bird without webbed feet, it is a good swimmer. They are seasonal breeders but the seasons vary across their range. The season correlates to the peak rainfall or summer temperatures in more temperate climates.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

Multiple females may lay eggs in the same nest, which is built amongst reeds or other debris, and share incubation duties. Incubation lasts from 23-27 days and is performed by both males and females. "Helpers" are also known to assist with the incubation. After hatching, chicks are fed for a period of 10-15 days, after which they fend for themselves.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka 

Although the species is considered to be in the "least concern" category according to the IUCN, some subspecies have declined. This includes the subspecies found in the Mediterranean. An introduced population exists in Florida but biologists are trying to eradicate them.

Purple Coot - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

These photographs were taken with the Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens combo during several early morning visits to Thalangama.

Common Iora - Thalangama and Yala, Sri Lanka

Common Iora (female) - Thalangama, Sri Lanka

While I was in Colombo in July I visited the Thalangama wetlands almost every morning to photograph the bird life. On one of my visits I came across a few Common Ioras. I hadn't photographed them before and took the opportunity to shoot a few frames. The photograph above is one of my favourites because of the warm early morning light on the bird.

More photographs inside.

Common Iora (male) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The males proved to be a bit more elusive and I wasn't able to get many shots of them. Males are unmistakable as their upper parts are a blue-black in colour where as the females are a dull yellow. The Common Iora is found throughout the lowlands and the mid hills of Sri Lanka. It is a very vocal bird but can be difficult to see due to it's plumage.

Common Iora (female) - Yala, Sri Lanka

The male Common Iora is said to perform an "acrobatic courtship display" during the breeding season. It is said to puff up it's feathers and dart into the air and spiral back to the same perch. Once it lands, it spreads its tail and droops its wings. I am yet to see this performance.

Common Iora (female) - Yala, Sri Lanka

All the photographs on this post were taken with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. I did push up the ISO to allow me to use a faster shutter.

White-browed Bulbul

The white browed Bulbul is a shy member of the Bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in Sri Lanka and the coasts of peninsular India. More info after the jump.

The white-browed Bulbul is about 20cm in length with a long tail. The upper part of the bird is an olive gray while the under parts are whitish. This species of Bulbul is identified by the white supercilium, the white crescent below the eye and the dark eye stripe. It also has a yellow vent, which is not always seen. The sexes are similar in plumage. It feeds on fruits, nectar and insects. It builds a cup shaped nest in a tree and typically lays two eggs per clutch.

The bird is usually detected by its characteristic call, a "loud rattle of sweetish notes", which is a familiar sound in the dry zone forests of Sri Lanka.

This photograph was taken at the Thalangama tank. I was out looking for Kingfishers when I came around a bend in the road and found it perched on a branch about 6 feet off the ground. It was very close to where I was standing and surprisingly it did not fly off or hide. I took these images at a focal length of 400mm. The light wasn't the best so I had to crank up the ISO to 1600. I was using the 400D at the time and wasn't too happy about increasing the ISO that much. At least I got a half decent image though!