කට කලු කටුස්සා/Black-cheek Lizard/Dark-lipped Lizard(Calotes nigrilabris)

An endemic lizard confine to submontane and montane areas of elevation 1000m and above. It is common in Horton plains national park. Hakgala, Nuwaraeliya and Peak wilderness. Black-cheek Lizard is an arboreal species and during the day time it feeds on insects, millipedes and also sometime on other smaller agamides like juvenile Rhino-horn Lizard and Pygmy Lizard (Somaweera R. & Somaweera N., 2009). As also seen in above picture, in Horton Plan National Park it is usually observed staying on Rhodondron arboreum zeylanicum [මහ රත් මල්] and Gorse[Ulex europaeus] flowers, which attract insects.  Anslem de Silva  noted that during the night they descend from trees and sleeping is done on grass blades (de Silva A., 2007)

de Silva A., 2007 - The diversity of Horton plains national park (with specieal reference to its herpetofauna)

මා රත්මල්[Ma Rathmal]/Rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum zeylanicum)

Small tree usually with twisted trunk found in forests and patana grasslands in the upper montane areas. Common about 1400m above sea level. The subspecies zeylanicum is endemic to the Sri Lanka. Flowering from February to July.

One-spot Grass Yellow (Eurema ormistoni)

Rare endemic butterfly found in wet zone forests up to elevation of about 3500ft. As per Woodhouse "it can be taken in numbers at the right time-April and July to September..." (Woodhouse L.G.O.,1950). d'Abrera also noted that it has only been sighted at certain times of the year from April sporadically to September (d' Abrera Bernard, 1998). Above specimen was photographed at Ingiriya forest reserve (Dombagaskandha) in mid February. Its larval host plants are Ventilago madraspatana (යකඩ වැල් ) and Ventilago gamblei.

නෙළු [Nelu] (Strobilanthes viscosa)

An indigenous shrub found in forests and secondary scrub lands of montane areas in the central highlands. Flowering from November to March and unlike other Strobilanthes species this species appeared to be found in flower every year. Two varieties occurs in Sri Lanka and variety digitalis found only in knuckles range while variety viscosa restricted to central highlands around Adam's peak and Nuwaraeliya district.

මයිලගොයා[Mayilagoya]/Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon (Columba torringtoniae)

Sri Lankan Wood Pigeon is a rare hill country bird inhabiting forests and well wooded places. It also visits  some low country rain forests especially during fruiting season.  It lives as solitary birds, as pairs or as small flocks and feeds on fruits. The breeding season last from February to May and again from August to October. The nest is a platform of twigs on the canopy of forest tree, where it lays single white egg.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

වල් උඳු[Wal Undu] (Flemingia macrophylla)

Wal Undu is a very rare shrub and according to the 2012 National Red List a plant which is possibly extinct from Sri Lanka. It is found in the low country and flowering January through march (Flora of Ceylon Vol 7). If my identification of above plant as Wal Undu  is correct, it is not uncommon in rubber plantations and adjoining home gardens of කැටේපොල [Katepola] village in Sabaragamuwa district. It is known as පෝර වැල් [Pora Wel] among villagers. We were able to found that it is also the food plant of one of another critically endangered butterfly Silver-Forget-Me. Flowers were not uncommon even during mid November.

Special thanks goes to Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane - who discovered both plant and butterfly - for guiding us to above location.

Silver Forget-me-not (Catochrysops panormus)

Silver Forget-me-not is a very rare butterfly found in moist parts of the country though there are earlier records from Haldummulla and Wellawaya (Ormistom W., 1924). Males do mud puddling. No records available on its food plant or on early stages.

* Egg laying and larval feeding has been observed on  වල් උඳු[Wal Undu] (Flemingia macrophylla) plants (Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane, Personnal communication, November 24, 2013) 

*Neustanthus phaseoloides [Syn: Pueraria phaseoloides is also identified as a larval host plant of it

Gorse/Furze/Whin (Ulex europaeus)

An introduced spiny shrub naturalized in forest edges, along roadsides and other open areas of montane zone. Native plant of western Europe.

Common Imperial (Cheritra freja pseudojaffra)

An uncommon butterfly found in  both dry and wet zone lowlands up to foot-hills, generally near jungles. It seems to be gregarious and usually several of them found together when encountered.

* Egg laying and larval feeding has been observed on cultivated Cinnamon verum (කුරුඳු) plants (Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane, Personnal communication, November 24, 2013)

* Later on Entada rheedei (පුස් වැල්), Meliosma simplicifolia pungens (ඇල්බැද්ද) and Entada zeylanica are also identified as its larval host plants.

Sri Lanka White-eye/Hill White-eye (Zosterops ceylonensis)

Common endemic bird found in forests, wooded areas and home gardens from mid hills to higher hills. It also occurs locally in some lowlands forests such as Sinharaja. It forms large scattered flocks (Except in breeding season, when the bird pair off ) and travel through the tree foliage searching small insects like caterpillars,moths etc. and nectar, sometime in company with other birds. It breeds from March to May and again from August to September. The nest is a cup slung between branches in a low foliage. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

නෙලු[Nelu] (Strobilanthes calycina)

An endemic shrub locally common in both primary and secondary hill forest areas of Nuwaraeliya district (1850-2600m).

නෙලු[Nelu] (Strobilanthes sexennis)

Restricted to the forests and secondary scrub lands of  Sri Lankan central highlands. There are seven varieties(sub species) occurs in Sri Lanka and all seven are endemic to the island. Strobilanthes sexennis also occurs in Nilgiri hills in South India but with only one variety. Flowering occurs from August to April in every 12 years before dying.

සුදු නෙලු[Sudu Nelu] (Strobilanthes hookeri)

Rather rare and endemic shrub flowering from September to February. Confine to the upper montane zone.

Common Rough-side/දලව මැඩිල්ලා[Dalavamadilla] (Aspidura trachyprocta)

Common Rough-side is a non-venomous, nocturnal and subfossorial snake known from mid hills to higher hills (750 - 2100m a.s.l). It feeds mainly on earth worms and grubs. Common in Horton plains national park.

Glory Bush (Pleroma urvilleanum [Syn: Tibouchina urvilleana])

A large shrub native to the Brazil and introduced as an ornamental plant to the island. Cultivated and Now also naturalized in disturbed areas of the montane zone. Flowering throughout the year. 

වී කුරුල්ලා/පිට සුදු වී කුරුල්ලා/නිතඹ සුදු වී කුරුල්ලා [Wee Kurulla/Pita Sudu Wee Kurulla/Nithaba Sudu Wee Kurulla]/White-rumped Munia [White-backed Munia] (Lonchura striata striata)

Common breeding resident inhabiting gardens, paddy fields, forests, open woodlands, scrub lands and cultivation from lowlands to mid hills. It lives as pairs or as small flocks and feeds on grass and other seeds including paddy. The breeding season mainly last from February to May but possibly all the year round. the nest is an untidy ball of grass blades with the entrance from side place on a tree or foliage.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

මිනී මල්[Mini mal]/Madagascar Periwinkle(Catharanthus roseus)

Very common herb found in waste sandy places and along the sea coast in the low country, both wet and dry zone. Also cultivated in home gardens. It is an endemic plant of Madagascar which was introduced as a garden plant and recorded from Sri lanka since 1804. 

Jungle Prinia [Ceylon Large Prinia/Ceylon Jungle Wren -Warbler]/කළුවන් හම්බු කුරුල්ලා/වන ප්‍රීනියා [Kaluwan Hambu Kurulla/Wana prinia] (Prinia sylvatica vailda)

Rather uncommon breeding resident much abundant in  dry lowlands while locally occurs throughout the low country wet zone up to mid hills, becoming rarer in the higher hills.  It inhabits scrub lands and grasslands in pairs or as small flocks. Jungle Prinia breeds mainly from February to May  building a nest – an untidy ball of grasses and rootlets bounds with cobwebs – low in tussock or a bush.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

ඉපිලිකඩයා/[Ipilikadaya]Redside Barb (Puntius bimaculatus)

A hardy small fish with island wide distribution though abundant in wet zone. It can be found in rivers and streams of lowlands as well as hills (both in wet and dry zone), tanks, swamps, etc. According to the Pethiyagoda R. it is one of the few fishes found in montane streams above 1500 m elevation (Pethiyagoda R. ,1991) It feeds mainly on green algae and detritus. Redside Barb is a prolific breeder and spawn among weeds in shallow water with the onset of rains.

Indian Cormorant/Indian Shag (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)

Very common breeding resident in dry lowlands. Also occurs in wet lowlands and lower hills but uncommon. It is very gregarious bird and lives as small flocks of its own often  associated with other water birds like Little Cormorants. Marshes, tanks, lagoons, rivers and large channels are its favorite habitats  where it feeds on fish by pursuing them under water.  The breeding season last from October to April. It nest in colonies with other water birds, building a nest - platform of sticks - on trees standing in water.               

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>