Babblers and Warblers
Photographed in the outskirts of Kandalama Wewa.
Photographed in the outskirts of Kandalama Wewa.
Photographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu.
Photographed in the outskirts of Kandalama Wewa.
Brown-capped Babbler
(බොරගා-දෙමලිච්චා)
Pellorneum fuscocapillus
First captured in low light inside the bush in Kandalama, I didn't realize at the time it was an endemic species. (Images 1 and 2) I came across another on the outskirts of Wilpattu (image 3) again during a gloomy morning. Notoriously difficult to photograph as they stay well inside the bush.
What a beautiful babbler.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Sri Lanka Scimita-babbler / Ceylon Scimitar Babbler (දැ-දෙමලිච්චා)
Pomatorhinus melanurus
Rare and endemic, this beautiful babbler was first seen in the Sinharaja rainforest. Such an odd-looking but beautiful bird.
I came across a pair of them inside the Makandawa Forest Reserve, Kithulgala. (Images 5 to 7)
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Dark-fronted Babbler / Black-fronted Babbler (වතන්දුරු පඳුරු-දෙමලිච්චා)
Rhopocichla atriceps
First photographed at the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest, there was a whole bunch of them jumping around from one bush to the other. I wish I had more time to get closer but as I was about to do that, a Chestnut-backed Owlet was making a call. I had to drop what I was doing and run to check the owlet. (Image 1 to 3)
I came across a pair of them again on a subsequent trip and managed to take some good images. (Images 4 to 8) For some reason, they remind me of a special ops soldier.
Photographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu.
Photographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu.
Tawny-bellied Babbler / White-throated Babbler (කුසකහ ලඳු-දෙමලිච්චා)
Dumetia hyperythra phillipsi
Phototographed in the outskirts of Wilpattu, a pair of these beauties were constructing a nest. They were very active and very effcient in bringing in nest materiel.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sigiriya.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sigiriya.
Yellow-eyed Babbler
(නෙත්කහ තන-දෙමලිච්චා)
Chrysomma sinense
Photographed in the outskirts of the Sigiriya forest reserve. It was a lazy morning out for me due to partying the previous night and this beauty made the tough morning bird watching excursion worth it. I only managed to take one picture as I was slow to react. Hopefully I will come across them again. Love that eye.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Orange-billed Babbler / Rufous Babbler
(ශ්රි ලංකා රතු දෙමලිච්චා)
Turdoides rufescens
The undisputed endemic chatter, these guys travel as small flocks and make lots of noise. Although they were all around me in the bushes when I saw them at Sinharaja rain forest, they were such busybodies jumping from one bush to another, it was very difficult for me to focus on any of them.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sigiriya.
Photographed in the outskirts of Colombo.
Photographed in the outskirts of Nawala.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sigiriya.
Yellow-billed Babbler / Southern Common Babbler (දෙමලිච්චා)
Turdoides affinis
The most fearless bird kind I have seen in Sri Lanka. They are noisy, aggressive when hunting and brave birds who are not afraid of humans coming close. They are very common across the whole island.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Ashy-headed Laughingthrush
(ශ්රි ලංකා අලු-දෙමලිච්චා)
Garrulax cinereifrons
Seen at Sinharaja rain forest, when I first came across this rare and endemic bird, it flew immediately after I managed to take only a couple of shots. As he was inside the bush, the low light caused the photograph to be lower quality.
Came across a bunch of them again on a subsequent trip but as they spend most of their time in the undergrowth and because they jump around all the time, they are notoriously difficult to capture in a good photograph.
Photographed in Horton Plains National Park.
Photographed in Horton Plains National Park.
Photographed in Horton Plains National Park.
Photographed in Horton Plains National Park.
Sri Lanka Bush Warbler / Ceylon Warbler
(ශ්රි ලංකා වනරවියා)
Elaphrornis palliseri
Photographed in Horton Plains National Park, this endemic and endangered beauty is very difficult to photograph as they spend most of their time inside the bush hopping from one branch to another. I had to spend a lot of time just waiting for one to stay a few seconds in one place so I can take a photograph.
Images 1 and 2 are of a male who has a red colour eye. Images 3 to 5 are of a female who has a pale buff eye.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
(නිතඹ රත්බොර පිලිරවියා)
Locustella certhiola
Yet to capture image
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Common Grasshopper Warbler
(පලඟැටි පිලිරවියා)
Locustella naevia
Yet to capture image
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Lanceolated Warbler
(ලන්සා පිලිරවියා)
Locustella lanceolata
Yet to capture image
Photographed in the outskirts of Habarana.
Photographed in the outskirts of Habarana.
Photographed in the outskirts of Habarana.
Photographed in the outskirts of Habarana.
Blyth's Reed Warbler
(බ්ලිත්ස් පන්රවියා)
Acrocephalus dumetorum
The only highlight of a dull morning of birding, this beauty let me take lots of photos before flying off. Seen at 'Habarana' next to Aliya Resort I initially thought its a baby Yellow-billed Babbler.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed in the outskirts of Kerawalapitiya.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Clamorous Reed Warbler
(ඝොසා පන්රවියා)
Acrocephalus stentoreus
First photographed at Kerawalapitiya, I waited for a long time to get a better image without the reeds but this noisy, shy thing never came out for a full-body image.
I came across one again in Weeravila and this time I got lucky. What a curious little noise maker.