ගල් දෙමට[Gal-Demata](Impatiens repens)

An endemic prostrate herb occurs mainly on rocks, in moist and shaded places in wet zone up to about 1200 m elevations. Flowering most of the year.

Brazillian snapdragon (Achetaria azurea[Syn: Otacanthus caeruleus])

Native herb of Brazil, introduced and cultivated as an ornamental.

Greater Crested Tern (Sterna bergii velox)

A common breeding resident* inhabiting coastal waters, lagoons, estuaries, salt-pans, sand spits and tidal flats as small to large flocks. It feeds entirely on fish. Greater Crested Tern breeds colonially on remote off-shore rocky islets, Adam's bridge islands and sometime in remote coastal areas from May to July.  A single egg is laid on bare sand without any nest. 

*Race thalassina is considered as a vagrant to western coastal areas.

පුරුක්(Puruk)/Ganges primrose/Chinese violet (Asystasia gangetica)

An indigenous herb native to tropical Asia. Cultivated in home gardens and also grows along roadsides and secondary forest edges in dry lowlands and mid country. (J.&J. de Vlas, 2008 ).  Flowering from January to September.

රෂ්ණී[Rasni] (Lobelia nicotianifolia)

Giant unbranched herb common in open grassy slopes at altitude between 650-1400 m. Flowering from December to April.

Quaker (Neopithicops zalmora)

Quaker is a common butterfly occurs in forested areas from low lands to hills (Up to about 500ft) all the year round. It takes part in migrations and often settles on damp earth, sometime in swarms. Quaker's dry seasonal form is larger than wet seasonal form. Larva feeds on leaves of  Glycosmis pentaphylla (දොඩම්පාන),  Glycosmis angustifolia (බොල් පනා) and  Atalantia ceylanica (වල් දෙහි/යකිනාරන්/‍යක් දෙහි) 

Purple firespike (Odontonema callistachyum)

An introduced shrub native to Central America. Cultivated as an ornamental plant.

කුමුඳු/මහ-ඇඹල/ඕලු[Kumudhu/Maha-Ambala/Olu]/Water-snowflake (Nymphoides indica)

Common indigenous aquatic herb occurs in ponds, tanks and shallow streams in the low country up to about 450 m a.s.l. Flowering throughout the year.

Lesser Black-backed Gull/Heuglin's Gull(Larus fuscus)

A common winter migrant to northern and north-western coastal waters, lagoons, tidal-flats and salt-pans as small to large flocks. It can be seen sometime scavenging in harbours and following fishing boats. Lesser Black-backed Gull feeds mainly on fish and other small marine animals. But also eats carrion and other garbage thrown overboard while following ships and fishing vessels. It breeds in Siberia and North Europe.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

ගැට-කහ[Geta-kaha](Combretum latifolium)

An indigenous liana occurs in forest margins and secondary forests from sea level to about 500m a.s.l.

Championia reticulata

An endemic perennial herb occurs from moist low country to southwestern lower hills and western hill country forests up to about 1000m a.s.l. Flowering February - March  and July-August (Probably also in other months)

ලංකා ගල්පර දිය මැඩියා [Lanka Galpara Madiya]/Sri Lankan Rock Frog (Nannophrys ceylonensis )

Sri Lankan Rock Frog occurs from lowlands to mid hills in the wet zone between 60-1070m elevations. It inhabits wet rock surfaces with narrow cracks and under boulders along shaded streams and cascades. Found on rocks during the night and usually hide under boulders and crevices during the day. 

Moonia heterophylla

An indigenous herb occurs along forest margins, usually in shady situations from 1800 to 2400m elevations. Flowering from October to June and probably throughout the year.

Alternanthera paronychioides

Creeping herb native to tropical America. Introduced and naturalized in dry sandy places with sparse grass cover, Often in the places where periodical inundation occurs. 

Indian Skipper (Spialia galba)

Common butterfly found in all climatic zones of the country throughout the year while becoming rarer in higher elevations. It is very fond of the sun and can be found on hottest places such as pathways during the hottest times of the day. Larva feeds on කොටි-කන් බැවිල[Kotikan-bevila] (Sida rhombifolia), ගස් බැවිල/Gas-bevila (Sida acuta) and Waltheria indica

එළ-නිතුල්[Ela-nitul]/Ceylon leadwort/White plumbago (Plumbago zeylanica)

Common indigenous straggling shrub occurs in lowlands, especially in the dry areas. Also cultivated as an ornamental plant in wet zone home gardens. Flowering throughout the year with a peak from December to March. Roots use in medicine. 

Great Eared-nightjar (Vagrant Nightjars (Family: Caprimulgidae) recorded in Sri Lanka)

      Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post summarizes up to date published sight records of vagrants of the family Caprimulgidae (Nightjars) in Sri Lanka.

      Great Eared-nightjar (Eurostopodus macrotis)

First and only record of the occurrence of Great eared-nightjar in Sri Lanka is based on an exhausted and injured bird captured in a house near the coast at Kaluthara on 12^th March 2006 by W.C. Chamila soysa (Soysa W.C.C. et. al., 2007).  Identification was confirmed by Deepal Warakagoda and Uditha Hettige (Siriwardana, U., 2007). Bird subsequently died and specimen was deposited at the national museum.

References:

Siriwardana, U., 2007. Report of the Ceylon Bird Club 2006 Loris, 24(5 & 6), 50-56

Soysa W.C.C.,  Amarasinghe A.A.T and Karunarathna D.M.S.S. 2007.  A record of the Great Eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis Vigors, 1831 (Aves: Caprimulgidae) from Sri Lanka Siyoth 2(1) 40-42

සෙම්බු-නෙරෙන්චි/ගොකටු[Sembu-Nerinchi/Gokatu](Tribulus terrestris)

A common native herb with prostrate branches occurs in sandy places in the dry lowlands. Flowering all the year round. fruits, roots and seed used in medicine.  

Common Red Eye (Matapa aria)

An uncommon butterfly confine to the wet zone of the country up to mid-hills. It is more frequently seen from August to October (Woodhouse L.G.O. , 1950). Common Red-eye is active mostly at dusk and dawn except on a dull day. Its larval host plants are Bambusa vulgaris (උණ), Dendrocalamus giganteus, Bambusa multiplex, Schizostachyum brachycladum and Ochlandra stridula (බට) 

හකරිල්ලා[Hakarilla] (Solanum mauritianum)

A native plant of Argentina. Introduced and naturalized along roadsides and streams in the montane zone. Flowering throughout the year.