Friday 24 June 2011

Masala

Back to regular programming, and this time, it's a masala post—covering some current affairs in the world of natural history.  

A sticky situation has arisen in ACBWildlife's Blog about some sticky matters that I discussed sometime ago. I just don't want to confound matters any further.

For the first time in recorded history, a Mime (butterfly) is reported here from my home garden. It was found sunning after a heavy thunder shower. Its host plants are of the family Lauraceae; I have as many as five species of them thriving in my garden, including a sizable Cinnamon. So I guess its arrival is not entirely surprising.


In what can only be described as a serendipitous discovery, a Sri Lanka Junglefowl—the national bird of Sri Lanka—was found in my home garden on 12th May. It was not only a garden tick, but also a local area tick! It was found by me accidentally when my mother called me to show an Emerald Dove—a rare visitor to my garden—that she had spotted. Materialising from a thicket moments later, this wild chicken vied for my attention. It didn't have a fully developed comb, which meant it was an adolescent. I had no more sighting of it.


While birding at Elkaduwa with Mike Pope, several Plum-headed Parakeets presented pleasing views. To photograph them, I used manual focussing because of swaying grasses causing auto focussing problems. And I also used the full stealth mode, which is not a feature in my camera. 

Here's the lady first.


And the handsome Mr. Plum-headed Parakeet.


This was how the sky over the Udawalawe National Park looked in November last year by the time we finished a game drive. Soon, it turned a wee bit rainy.


On a related note, a weather station (granted by the Japanese government) inside Sinharaja rain forest had been damaged by some rogue elephants during a nighttime raid. According to a reliable source, there are four wild elephants roaming inside Sinharaja. And occasionally, terrifying people living at the bordering villages. According to the same source, this group comprise of three females and one absolutely massive male.

The latter is known to have some anger issues. 


11 comments:

Phil Slade said...

I remember a Sri Lanka sky like that in Negombo with a very, very memorable storm too. Like those plum -heads, very smart birds. Not so sure about the thrashing though!

Amila Salgado said...

Last time we met you for a bi-lateral series in England, it was a 5-0 whitewash, remember? And the last time we met in a One Day match, it was a 10 wicket thrashing, remember? We are a better one day team, and with slinger Malinga returning, it would be a different ball game.

silent moments said...

That is one fashionable lady parakeet (proly taking after the new royal princess in minimalistic style) :D
Btw where exactly do you live? your garden seems to attract so many exotic stuff (hope the "stuff" wont get offended)

Amila Salgado said...

Thank you, Patali. I live in a village named Bomiriya close to Kaduwela. I have done a bit of habitat enrichment in my garden to invite such stuff. Lucky for me the word seems to spread fast. :)

Amila Salgado said...

Are you still not sure about it, Phil? :P

Sach said...

Maybe the elephants had enough of the usually shit weather forecasts in Sri Lanka?
Just a thought.

Phil Slade said...

OK then, a little bit of a thrashing but it's not really cricket is it?

Amila Salgado said...

Haha Sach. Maybe!

Nice of you to admit it, Phil.
Well, it was called cricket when England won the Twenty20 world cup.

Kirigalpoththa said...

As per the pictures, Mr. Plum-headed Parakeet is more attractive than the lady.

Love that Udawalawe shot.

flowergirl said...

Wow, that is some insect, Amila!!

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks, K!

Thanks, flowergirl!
I had another new butterfly in my garden today.

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