While we didn’t have as many birds in Auckland as we did in Sri Lanka, we still saw quite a few. Like this guy, hanging out on a balcony railing a few stories down from ours. From New Zealand And hanging out by the droves in the CBD. From New Zealand Or this guy:...
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Tags: Auckland, Birds, invasion
Posted in New Zealand | No Comments »
There's been the makings of a nest between the eavestroughing and the house since as long as I've lived here, which is over three years. Until now, I've seen no activity involving it - no birds coming and going, no building, nothing. ... Squatters or no, I'm glad they've taken...
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Tags: Birds, nest-building, white-rumped munias
Posted in Sri Lanka | 3 Comments »
A month and a half back, Fahim and I were returning home when we saw this truck. ... Cuz I really don't think we're in an alternate universe right now, you know? As it turns out, we got our answer when the car we were in passed the truck.
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Tags: Birds, parrots, rose-ringed parakeets
Posted in Sri Lanka | 1 Comment »
I still don't have a positive identification on this bird, but I believe it's the white bellied drongo ( Dicrurus caerulescens ), also known in Sinhala as Kauda. The two Sri Lankan forms, leucopygialis and insularis , are darker than the Indian version, but I don't know the...
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Tags: bellied, Birds, drongo, white
Posted in Sri Lanka | 1 Comment »
A month and a half back, Fahim and I were returning home when we saw this truck. ... Cuz I really don't think we're in an alternate universe right now, you know? As it turns out, we got our answer when the car we were in passed the truck.
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Tags: Birds, common, myna
Posted in Sri Lanka | 1 Comment »
Stand out on the balcony in the morning for five minutes, and I'll see at least four or five different types of birds that I can recognize and identify. Then there are all the other birds hanging out, flying around, chirping or otherwise singing their noises, but out of sight, and, well,...
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Tags: Birds
Posted in Life, Sri Lanka | No Comments »
These two doves - at least, I think it's these two doves - have been hanging around our neighborhood a lot lately. I have to admit wondering if it's mating season for them, but I'm too lazy to look it up just at the mo'. :) Anyway, here they are, playing...
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Tags: Birds, doves
Posted in Life | No Comments »
This bird looks like it might be the white-rumped munia (Lonchura striata), known in Sinhala as Nitamba Sudu Vikurulla. The adults tend to have a blacker head and throat, while juveniles are browner, so it seems to fit. I only noticed this bird hanging around the last few weeks or so, and then two...
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Tags: Birds, white-rumped munia
Posted in Sri Lanka | 1 Comment »
This is one of our neighborhood purple-faced langurs, aka purple-faced leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus vetulus). He’s sitting on the telephone line just outside the window where I sit, using my computer. He’s close enough that I could have touched him if I stood up and opened the window. Well, and if he reached over to...
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Tags: Birds, Fahim, frogs, henna, Lizards, monkeys, parrots, purple-faced langurs, tattoos
Posted in Art & Culture, Wildlife | No Comments »
Cows are everywhere here. Cows that wander freely through neighborhoods and even in heavy traffic are common here. Vehicles driving around cows in traffic are common here. Even cows that trot through traffic and neighborhoods are common here. Right. Getting the picture? Cows + Sri Lanka + roaming free = normal. Yup. ...
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Tags: Birds, cauliflower, cows, Fahim, Insects, jambu fruit, rose-ringed parakeets, worms
Posted in Life, Sri Lanka, Wildlife | No Comments »