Photographed at Diyasaru Wetland Park.
Photographed at a distance in Debara wewa.
Photographed at Diyasaru Wetland Park.
Photographed at Diyasaru Wetland Park.
Little Grebe
(පුන්චි ගෙම්භිතුරුවා)
Tachybaptus ruficollis
An expert diver, this little bird was first photographed at 'Debarawewa' tank. The light was bad and they were at a distance. Hence the poor quality image 1.
I came across another in Jaffna where one was swimming in a lagoon very close to the main road. Notice the small wings, big webbed feet and the waterproof feather coating which makes him an expert diver and hunter.
Image 6 - 8 are of a pair of them at Diyasaru park, Thalawathugoda. Such a clever looking little diving machine.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Fulvous Whistling-duck / Large Whistling Teal
(මහ තඹ-සේරුවා)
Dendrocygna bicolor
Yet to capture image
Photographed at Baddagana Wetland Park.
Photographed in the outskirts of Gampaha.
Photographed inside the Yala National Park.
Photographed at Baddagana Wetland Park.
Lesser Whistling-Duck / Lesser Whistling Teal (හීන් තඹ-සේරුවා)
Dendrocygna javanica
These cuties are very shy and vigilant. I met a bunch of them inside the bird's enclosure at the Dehiwala zoo. These ones are very much used to human presence.
Images 3 and 4 are from 'Bundala' National Park taken during two different trips. Image 5 is from Jaffna where a pair of them have settled near the causeway from Jaffna to Karainagar. Images 6 to 9 are from Diyawanna Oya area. Images 11 and 12 are a family with a bunch of cute babies photographed in the Thalangama lake.
Photographed at Debara Wewa.
Photographed at Debara Wewa.
Photographed at Debara Wewa.
Photographed at Debara Wewa.
Cotton Pygmy-goose
(මල්-සේරුවා)
Nettapus coromandelianus
Smallest of the local ducks, this rare chance to see one out of the water was at 'Debarawewa'. There was a whole bunch of them in the water but at a distance.
Photographed from a distance in Mannar.
Photographed from a distance in Mannar.
Photographed from a distance in Mannar.
Photographed from a distance in Mannar.
Ruddy Shelduck
(රත් සක්වලයා)
Tadorna ferruginea
Taken from very far with my 400mm lens, its time like these that make me wish I have a bigger lens. These 3 Ruddy Shelducks were the only ones of there kind I saw on my trip to Mannar end of 2017. It has been a bad year for Mannar in terms of migratory birds as a very limited number of birds have come. That made these 3 even more special.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Photographed in the outskirts of Matara.
Photographed in the outskirts of Matara.
Photographed in the outskirts of Matara.
Photographed in the outskirts of Matara.
Comb Duck
(කැබලිත්තියා)
Sarkidiornis melanotos
After almost going extinct due to hunting during the colonial period, this magnificent duck may be making a comeback. Although there are no records of breeding pairs in Sri Lanka, there seems to be a colony of males mostly in the south of the island. I spotted 8 males in this location on the outskirts of Matara. It was a dream opportunity to spot these rare and unique beauties in their natural habitat.
As the colony needs protection and needs to remain undisturbed, I will not disclose the exact location to anyone until maybe they increase in numbers.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Tufted Duck
(කුඩුම්බි මඩ-සේරා)
Aythya fuligula
Yet to capture image
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Eurasian Wigeon / Wigeon
(යුරේසියා විජන සේරුවා)
Mareca penelope
Yet to capture image
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Northern Shoveler / Shoveller
(උතුරු සවල් සේරුවා)
Anas clypeata
Seen at Mannar Vankalai Sanctuary, these males and female were the last set of pictures I took for the day as the sun set over the wetland.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Spot-billed Duck
(තිත්-හොට සේරුවා)
Anas poecilorhyncha
Yet to capture image
Photographed in the outskirts of Jaffna.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in the outskirts of Jaffna.
Photographed in the outskirts of Jaffna.
Northern Pintail / Pintail
(උතුරු උල්පෙඳ සේරුවා)
Anas acuta
First time I came across them in Mannar, based on the pointier tail, indistinct brown speculum and the longish grey bill, I believed these are a flock of female Northern Pintails. (Images 1 to 3)
2nd-time, identification was much easier due to the males. These were the only type of duck I came across in January 2019 both in Mannar and in Jaffna. There were large flocks in Vankalai and smaller flocks in Karainagar, Jaffna. (Images 4 to 9)
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Photographed in Vankalai Sanctuary, Mannar.
Garganey
(ගාර්ගනේය් සේරුවා)
Querquedula querquedula
Based on the size, face pattern and white throat, I'm fairly certain these are all Garganey's. Seen in Mannar.
