Blue-eared Kingfisher, (Alcedo meninting)

There were three of these birds at the dirty canal I talked about earlier. They were extremely vary of me at first and took flight when I got barely close enough for a video. But I observed that they came round every time.   Then I realized why. They were feasting on  Thilapia  Juveniles which were swarming that part of the canal. So I decided to hang around a little, hoping they would get used to me,and they did. Eventually, I was able to get as close to them as teen feet, roughly. But these kingfishers being quite small, even that wasn't close enough for my camera to make a well zoomed and focused footage, but this turned out a little better than my earlier video of the same species. I 'll keep trying, with them as well as White-breasted Kingfishers.   

White-breasted Waterhen

This video is the result of weeks of waiting and observing one single spot near a paddy field in Kurunegala. On the route I've chosen to walk between my workplace and home is a big shallow hole close to a rice field that gets filled by the rain in the rainy season. That's where I saw an opportunity to have a go at a  White-breasted Waterhen(Amaurornis phoenicurus), locally known as Korawakka . But it was no easy task. These birds will remain in the open as long as I leave them alone, but dash in to hiding if I so much as  just look at them. But today in the morning I got lucky with one. Having made a couple of videos, I moved on for work. Although it was pretty hot and humid when m,y work was over, I decided to walk home with out taking a bus, hoping I'd be lucky again. And this time there were two of them. I couldn't get the two together in the video though. Like some scientific information of this bird?   

Red-Wattled Lapwing

I took these photos on one bank of the canal I talked about earlier. I can recognize this particular bird from the rest of its flock with it's thinner built and the indifference it has started showing for my presence around the canal.

Vibrant Life In A Dirty Canal -5, Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii grayii)

This is yet another frequently  seen bird around the canal. A white -breasted Kingfisher attacked this heron while I was making this footage, but it doesn't show so well in the video. Sigh. The colors are of breeding plumage. This bird is locally known as Kanakoka.


 

Vibrant Life In A Dirty Canal- 5, Blue- Eared Kingfisher (Alcedo meninting)

This is the first ever and only Blue-Eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting I've seen. Hopefully I 'll have better videos and more information for you in the future. Follow this link till then.

Crimson-backed Flameback woodpecker (Chrysocolaptes lucidus stricklandi) Aka Kerala Pecks At a Large Tree Trunk

This is one of the loveliest birds I see around. I like the crimson color and the crown very much. It reminds me of Woody woodpecker too :-) . There are some very interesting facts about this bird here.

Vibrant Life In A Dirty Canal 4, Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Aka Eli Koka

Here is another commonly seen bird in and around the dirty canal. Dambulla Road is very close to this canal, and lots of these birds are nesting on trees at the very edge of the road, undisturbed by thousands of traffic and people passing by everyday. Wanna learn more about   Little Egret ?                                                                          

 Wings in the wetlands: A photographic portfolio

Vibrant Life In A Dirty Canal 2- Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger) Aka Diyakawa

This bird is a very skilled diver. They are capable of floating on water surface like ducks. It's nice to see how they float like that and suddenly dive in ti catch fish. I'll try to make a footage of such a dive. Learn more about Little Cormorant.... 

Vibrant Life In A Dirty Canal 1- Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) Aka Kirala

Close to my work place is a canal that functions as an outlet to a nearby wewa ( man made lake to collect rain water, one of the historical marvels of Sri Lanka) that goes through the south part of the city of Kurunegala. Lots of garbage gets dumped to the canal at many points. But despite that, an interesting number of critters find shelter and food in the canal. If the garbage continues to find it's way in to the canal, there populations will inevitably thin out. Most of the critters I see three is wetland birds, and there is a considerable population of introduced and invasive Thilapia too. Whats in the video below is some Red-wattled Lapwings. Stay put to see the other critters with time to come.    

Lots Of Birds In My Working Place Premises-5, A Purple Rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica), Feeding On Nector

This bird was at the same spot where the Purple Sunbird was as shown by the fiust video of this series. You may learn a great deal about these birds here.

Lots Of Birds In My Working Place Premises-4, Indian Robin (Saxicoloides fulicatus), Aka Indu Kalukichcha

Finally I got lucky with an Indian Robin.  This bird literally flew in to my camera and perched really close. Judging by its color, I think it's a female. Unlike Oriental Magpie Robins, few of these birds can often be observed together.

Lots Of Birds In My Workibg place premises- 3, Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) , Konda Kurulla

These are very active birds. They seem not too keen on coming to the ground. I've seen them catching insects in mid-flight.   One of my relations has a few of these birds visiting his garden every morning. He throws crumbs  in to the air, and the Bulbuls catch them before they fall to the ground. Their aim is that accurate. If you wish to read some interesting facts about Red-vented Bulbul, click here.

White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) Or Pilihuduwa

 These beautiful birds are very accurate hunters. Prefers habitats where there is plenty of water, but a frequent sight in home gardens too. I've often seen them perched patiently on tree branches pr power cables  above streams or what ever with naturally filled water, and then coming down on it like an arrow to snatch a  fish,crab or a frog. Learn more.....       

Lots Of Birds In My Working Place Premises 2, A Greater Coucal [Centropus sinensis] Enjoying A Meal Of Snails

   

These are solitary birds roughly the size of crows and can be very easily observed among cultivated lands and house gardens. They seem to be very comfortable on ground. This particular one in the video claimed three or four Giant African Snails with in a few minutes. Giant African Snails are an invasive Species of Sri Lanka, so these birds' and Common Ground Monitors' roles in reducing their numbers is important. Learn more about Greater Coucal .......................

Red-wattled Lapwings(Vanellus indicus) In a Paddy Field

I recorded this video today at a Paddy field in Kurunegala. These birds always seen where there is plenty of water, such as Paddy fields and wetlands.   Lots of scientific information about Red-wattled Lapwing is available here. 

Lots Of Birds In My Working Place Premises

Getting these birds on video and identifying them is lots of fun. I wish I could have a job that allows me more time with nature instead of a  few minutes of a lunch break now and then. :-(  But I'm luckier than many to work where there are so many birds. :-) Pleas correct me if any of my bird identifications are incorrect.

Bellow are Purple Sunbirds (Cinnyris asiaticus) feasting on the flowers . The first one is a male.



This One shows a house sparrow.

The little black and white busybody in this clip is Oriental Magpie Robin.



This One is a Purple-rumped Sunbird.

Black-hooded Oriole, Just A Glimpse

Black-hooded Oriole [Oriolus xanthornus] is a bird that I really adore. I've mostly observed these birds from April to May. I don't know what on earth they disappear in to for the rest of the year. It's very difficult to approach them without startling them. They also seem quite unable to perch at one place, they are very active. But I'll try to get a longer and closer footage and some photos, with a but of luck. Like some more info?

Spotted Dove[Streptopelia chinensis] At My Work Place

My work place premise is quite big with a well maintained garden that has a lot of trees. So it attracts a lot of birds.  This bird was walking on the wooden framework of the roof of a corridor. Having seen hundreds if people daily, they are don't get scared easily, so I could get quite close to this dove. More information about Spotted Dove is available here.  

Yellow-Billed Babblers(Turdoides affinis) In My Garden

I've videoed some regular visitors in my garden. These are another type of commonly seen birds in Sri Lanka.  They are very fond of food scraps found in gardens. Always moving around in small flocks, these birds mostly spend time on the ground and tree branches close to the ground. I have seen them falling prey to domestic cats and Rat Snakes, but apart from that I don't know what their predators are. Their distinctive chatter that is both loud and rapid allows them to be recognized at  a distance. Learn more..........   

Common Myna(Acridotheres tristis)

 These birds are commonly seen in most parts of Sri Lanka. Almost always seen in pairs. An omnivorous bird,
 Common Hill Myna thrives on insects, worms, fruits, seeds, as well as food scraps found among house holds and gardens. A lot of them daily visit my garden for the stuff in the bird feeder. People raise them as pets,they learn to talk just like parrots. Learn more .......