The Garden Lizard !

The Oriental Garden Lizard, Eastern Garden Lizard or Changeable Lizard (Calotes versicolor) is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It has also been introduced in many other parts of the world

Click Here for More Information

The fellow is a master in changing colour of the body, but, on this occassion, I actually caught it in Green whist resting on a brownish / Greyish tree branch. Wonder why it forgot to change the colour ? Guess it knew that there was no threat from a nature lover !

Oriental Graden Lizard and Asian Parrot !

Another set of creatues that blessed by backyard. Just managed to get the camera rolling for the fun of it. Hope you enjoy the pics.

This is the common Oriental Garden Lizard found in most of our home backyards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_garden_lizard

The poor fella was hanging on to this plant during rain and heavy winds. I thought that it was pretty cute :)

Another frequent visitor to my backyard is this parrot. We fed him for a couple of weeks at the begining with rice grain and fruits. After the first few weeks the number increased to 2, then 3 where now we have 8 parrtos that visit us daily.


Get More information here:- http://www.angelfire.com/planet/wildlifesl/articles/dn_parrots.htm

The Maharagama Lake and Nature Around it !

One could not miss out on Maharagama lake if you take a drive down Maharagama Boralesgamuwa Dehiwala Road. Route for 119 and 192 busses. Though one would see the picturesque view of the lake and a few swan boats paddled around by young lovers or families, many would overlook the variety of birds the sorrounding has to offer. Well, I did not overlook them, but, captured them on my camera.

A view of the lake from the by-road on the side - the bund of the lake.

The Paddy Fields on the otherside of the lake

Little Stream that flow 

And the enourmous number of storks you find in the sorrounding area starting with the Asian Open Billed Stork

The Purple Heron

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) Kirala as called in this part of the world (Thanks Harein for correcting me)

The White Breasted Waterhen

 

The Large painted Stork

The Little Comorant Phalacrocorax niger. Indian Comorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis - I don't think this is the Indian one :)

The common Parrot - Girawa or Nil Girawa

and the wee kurulla - the ones who nibble on grains of rice or paddy

This however, was the most amazing scene, many who drive along parliament road passing rajagiriya would have seen this black pelican or spoonbill on top of the lamp post towards the evenings. Indeed is a wonderful sight.

Birds of Sri Lanka Attidiya Marsh

OK.... Another day another Trip to the Bird Sanctuary of Attidiya. This was more towards the end of the Birds season where you hardly find any migratory birds at the site. However, the sanctuary was full of birds that are found in Sri Lanka throughout the year. 

As you enter, many blooming red lotus flowers greet you.

The Less spoken of Boralesgamuwa Lake or Wewa is indeed a gorgeous scene

Many a Flora around

With Insects 

And the bigger ones as the Water Monitors...

Then you get to the birds - this is the Gira Maliththa a greenish bird with a long red beak 

Flying Storks

 And Flying Kithala's or White breasted Waterhen,Pheasant Tailed

The Largest Kingfisher on Earth !

 Harmony of Nature

Then the Purple Heron About to take off on a flight 

Some Butterflies

The infamous Kurulu Goya or Gurulu Goya that eats smaller Birds !

Some Flying Ducks

Hanging Bats

More Butterflies

Some Brahmian Kytes - Brahmana Ukussa

More Hanging Bats

And last but not least - the Ati Kukula

But, unfortunately, there was a nemesis too - the Ratmalana Air force base is adjoining the bird sanctuary and the following planes were basically ruining their habitat :(