Compost Bin Occupant & Other Critters......

 



Posted for Camera Critters, Macro Monday, World Bird Wednesday.

A Drongo's Nest And Some Other Stuff.....

Another week almost ends, and it's getting unbearably hot and humid. Some heavy rain is soon due, it seems. As I told you on my last post, I did have a little walk through the birding patch last Saturday morning, and saw an unbelievable variety of birds, though photographing them proved to be real tough.

There was a nest of a White-bellied Drongo on a Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) tree by the rock pool. I took  snaps of a parent and one juvenile. Do play the video, you can listen to mama(or papa) bird's lovely call. These Drongos are interesting birds, they can mimic other birds' calls and even other animals' sounds. I have heard them mewing like cats, no kidding!

  White-bellied Drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens)

I made all below photos walking home after work.


 Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

 Rock Pigeon, Columba livia

Spotted Dove ,Spilopelia chinensis

 One of the Barbet couple who have nesting on the Bread-fruit tree was having a high-protein diet on a small tree in the garden today. Only if they are kind enough to do that with my vegetable plants!







That's it for the time being, folks, hope you would enjoy! Stay tuned for the nest post nest Friday!



Posted for Camera Critters, Macro Monday, World Bird Wednesday.

Beautiful Spring!

Another great week, sunny, warm, interesting creatures everywhere! I've got so much to show you folks.

I'll start off with some birds I bagged during a walk through my birding patch. Below is a Green Bee-eater.

Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis

This is a White-bellied Drongo.

White-bellied Drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens) 

 I captured this Indian Pond Heron on the way back

These beautiful bugs were abundant in the birding patch too. Any idea what they are?

Let's see what's been going on in the garden. A couple of Brown-headed Barbets  have nested again in the breadfruit tree.


Brown-headed Barbet (Megalaima zeylanica)

Black-hooded orioles have been very active too.



Black-hooded Oriole, Oriolus xanthornus

Last, but not least, a White-throated Kingfisher.


White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis)

This iridescent green bug was on  a lime plant in the garden. Again, ID?

This cute little bug was on one of my been plants. I have absolutely no idea as to the ID of that either.

Well, so ends this week's Wild Sri Lanka episode, hope you folks would enjoy. I'm gonna go for another walk through the birding patch, leaving early in the morning tomorrow. Should I bag anything interesting, I'll post here on next Friday,  stay tuned!



Posted for Camera Critters, Macro Monday, World Bird Wednesday.

I Feel Good..!

Hello folks, how are you? This week has been the very opposite of the last, being sunny and hot. I was able to bag some really interesting critters to show you.





I'll start off with the birds. The tiny one you see below was completely new to me. Does any one know what that little bird is? 
   



















And here is a Red-vented bulbul perched on the TV antenna.

Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)

This one is a female Asian Koel.


Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus )

A female Purple-rumped sunbird is in the bag too.


Purple-rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica)

This Boulenger's Bronzeback snake used to come to a   Citrus tree in the garden every day and lay still on a branch for hours, but it has been absent for two days now.


 Boulenger's BronzebackBronzeback,Dendrelaphis bifrenalis

This Oriental garden lizard was on the trunk of a mango tree in the garden next door.


Oriental Garden Lizard(Calotes versicolor)

I also photographed and filmed a millipede, a considerably  big specimen for this area.

This orb Weaver that I asw in the gardening was really small. Can any body provide me with the species name please?


Agriope sp

This Peacock Pansy was filmed in the garden today.




I didn't know that Weaver ants were such interesting creatures till  a local news paper published an article about them  recently. visit this link and see for yourself.

Weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina)

I saw a bug dragging a spider way too bigger, as I was working on one of my vegetable plants in the garden. I don't know weather the bug killed the spider or it just came across the carcass,    but I think the latter is more likely.



There are some caterpillars on my Winged bean plants . They don't do much damage to the plants, and I'm waiting to see what they develop in to.

Okay, that's about it, hope you would enjoy. Stay tuned, and wish me luck, I'll be posting again next Friday. Ciao!

Posted for Camera Critters, Macro Monday, World Bird Wednesday.