Pelicans, Cormorants, Darter and Flamingoes
Photographed in Mannar.
Photographed in Bundala National Park.
Photographed in the outskirts of Thalangama lake.
Photographed in Mannar.
Spot-billed Pelican
(තිත්හොට පැස්තුඩුවා)
Pelecanus philippensis
First photographed at the Dehiwala zoo in the water hole inside the zoo. (image 1 & 2)
A flock of them photographed in Mannar in 2017. (image 3 & 4) Another flock was obstructing the road on the salt flats in Bundala National park.
Image 6 to 11 are special. Photographed in the outskirts of Thalangama lake, this one jumped and launched itself at the fish. It was super fast and agile. What a remarkable bird.
Seen at the Kandy Lake.
Seen at the Kandy Lake.
Seen at the Kandy Lake.
Seen at the Kandy Lake.
Great Cormorant
(මහ දියකාවා)
Phalacrocorax carbo
I believe these are juvenile Great Cormorants based on its size and facial colours. Spotted at the Kandy lake, there were a few of them drying their wet coats.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed during river safari in Madu Ganga.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Little Cormorant
(පුන්චි දියකාවා)
Microcarbo niger
1st image taken during 'Madu Ganga' river safari.
Images 2 and 3 are from Bundala National Park.
Image 4 is from the outskirts of Colombo. Images 5 and 6 were taken in Sigiriya.
Photographed at the Kandy Lake.
Photographed at the Kandy Lake.
Photographed at a nesting site in Diyawanna Oya.
Photographed at the Kandy Lake.
Indian Cormorant / Indian Shag
(ඉන්දු දියකාවා)
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
Not looked at as pretty birds due to black feathers, I was surprised to see how beautiful their black and brown feathers actually look in the proper light. First photographed at Kandy lake.
Subsequent photos from Madu Ganga and Diyawanna Oya area.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed at Yala.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Photographed in the outskirts of Weeravila.
Oriental Darter / Indian Darter
(පෙරදිගු අශිකාවා)
Anhinga melanogaster
First and Second images as seen at Yala National Park where he waited for a long time in different poses.
Third and Fourth are from a colony of darters inside 'Bundala' National Park. Didn't realise how beautiful they are until I saw them through my lens.
They usually showup in beautiful mashes surrounded by water flowers. Image 5 from Nilwala Ganga mashes in Matara. Images 6 and 7 from mashes around Thalangama lake.
At Mannar salt flats on a gloomy morning.
At Mannar salt flats on a gloomy morning.
Up close at the Dehiwala Zoo.
At Mannar salt flats on a gloomy morning.
Greater Flamingo
(රජ සියක්කාරයා)
Phoenicopterus roseus
On a gloomy January morning in Mannar salt flats, I came to finally see the spectacle of Greater Flamingos. A gathering of hundreds of these magnificent birds is a sight to see. They gathered on to one section of the salt flats and started feeding while bunching up to smaller groups.
The noise and activities of this social bird is a memory I will never forget. Hope to see them in Jaffna too someday.