Today we have a bunch of swell photographs from a new contributor, Chetiya Sahabandu, who took these photos at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.
Ceylon Green Bee-Eater (Merops orientalis ceylonicus):
White-Breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis): (also in MG 2514
Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii):
Crested Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus ceylanensis):
Grey Headed Fish Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus):
Spotted Deer (Axis axis ceylonensis):
Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala) and Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris).
The log right in front of the painted stork in the photo below is resting on a crocodile. It is an inadvertent (as far as I can tell) camouflage. The crocodiles did not seem all that interested in the storks, and the storks flapped out of the way whenever a crocodile sidled up.
Black-Headed Ibis(Threskiornis melanocephalus):
Tufted Grey Langur (Semnopithecus priam):
Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya):
Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus maximus):
Such a great group of photos-
The painted storks with the crocodiles looks like a painting. I just noticed there are two.
Beautiful shots, Chetiya ( checking to make sure I spell your name correctly:-) Since we’ve been duscussing names, I am guessing you are possibly Sri Lankan, and female?
Thanks. Sri Lankan and male. The spelling is correct 🙂
Got it. Not all names ending in
a are female😊
Very interesting photos — thank you!
Wow, these are so perfectly captured!
The kingfisher colours – wow. Beautiful!
Love all these photos.
Thanks for the introduction to so many species I had never heard of or seen. Beautiful birds, mammals and a reptile. I had no idea that leopards roamed the island of Sri Lanka…too cool!
Do mugger crocodiles not eat painted storks. The storks closeness to the crocodiles weirded me out!
I watched them for about thirty minutes, but did not see one make a concerted effort to eat a stork. Whenever a mugger came close, the storks would move away. I did see the muggers snapping their jaws, but I think they were eating fish, frogs etc. I don’t know if this is unusual.
Such beautiful pictures! I especially like the bird pictures with nice, out of focus backgrounds. Beautiful bokeh, as we say.