Smaller Owls, Nightjars and Frogmouth
Photographed in Debara Wewa.
Photographed in Debara Wewa.
Photographed in Debara Wewa.
Photographed in Debara Wewa.
Collared Scops Owl / Indian Scops-owl
(කරපටි කන්බස්සා)
Otus bakkamoena
Seen at 'Debarawewa' both male and a female was sleeping the day off in the roof of an house. They are at this location permanently and brings in their little ones also. They usually occupy the nearby mango tree but on this day they were in the roof. Such crafty fish catchers according to my guide Mahesh.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Oriental Scops Owl
(පෙරදිගු කන්බස්සා)
Otus sunia
Yet to capture image
Photographed on the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest.
Photographed on the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest.
Photographed on the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest.
Photographed on the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest.
Serendib Scops Owl
(පන්ඩුවන් කන්බස්සා)
Otus thilohoffmanni
The last new endemic species to be added to the list of endemic birds of Sri Lanka, this majestic owl is photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja rain forest. After a hectic climb, Thilak (my guide when I go to Sinharaja) was able to spot this one inside a thick bush of bamboo. Unfortunately, taking a good image of the whole bird was impossible as it was inside the thick bush. What a beauty and what personality.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Brown Hawk Owl
(බොර උකුසු-බස්සා)
Ninox scutulata
Yet to capture image
Photographed in the outskirts of Nilgala.
Photographed in the outskirts of Nilgala.
Photographed in the outskirts of Nilgala.
Photographed in the outskirts of Nilgala.
Jungle Owlet
(වන උපබස්සා)
Glaucidium radiatum
Photographed in the outskirts of Nilgala. It was in the canopy and against backlight. Thus the low-quality photographs. It responded to the recorded call and was very curious about it. However, didn't fly down to investigate.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Chestnut-backed Owlet
(ශ්රි ලංකා පිට තම්බල උපබස්සා)
Glaucidium castanotum
This rare and endemic owlet is one of my price photographs. Captured at low light deep inside the Sinharaja rain forest, he was very difficult to spot. My bird tracker, ‘Thilake’ used its recorded call to get the owlet to give away its position as he responded when the call was made. How I wished I had taken my tripod to take a long exposure shot which would have had better clarity. What a beauty of a bird.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Photographed in the outskirts of Sinharaja Rain Forest.
Sri Lanka Frogmouth / Ceylon Frogmouth
(මැඩි-මුහුනා)
Batrachostomus moniliger
One of the most amazing looking birds I have seen are these male and female Sri Lankan Frogmouths. After trekking through a dense patch of bamboo deep in Sinharaja rain forest and after a few bruises, few leech bites and mosquitoes, coming across these two made it all worth it. Have to give credit to tracker Thilake for his expertise in tracking these beauties as it was no ordinary feet. What strange and fascinating birds and how I wished I had a tripod with me to shoot in this ultra low light situation..
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Grey Nightjar / Jungle Nightjar
(අලු බිම්බස්සා)
Caprimulgus indicus
Yet to capture image
Photographed in Bundala National Park.
Photographed in Bundala National Park.
Photographed inside the Nilgala Forest Reserve.
Photographed in Bundala National Park.
Indian Nightjar
(ඉන්දු බිම්බස්සා)
Caprimulgus asiaticus
First photographed in Bundala National Park after the sun has gone down with the aid of my jeep headlights. I had to do a bit of creative driving to get a bit closer and get some light in from the jeep.
Images 6 and 7 are from inside the Nilgala Forest Reserve.
Photographed in Yala National Park.
Photographed in Yala National Park.
Jerdon's Nightjar / Long-tailed Nightjar
(ජර්ඩන් බිම්බස්සා)
Caprimulgus atripennis
Seen at Yala National Park and photographed with my point-and-shoot camera. It was a great spot by Chandika, my friend. It's very difficult to see one during day time and even difficult to spot one as they look like a pile of leaves. When your traveling on a Jeep inside the park, one has to be very lucky to catch a glimpse.
Based on the relatively long tail, I believe this is a Jerdon's Nightjar and not an Indian Nightjar.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
Still waiting to get lucky and capture image.
