Yellow Palm Dart (Cephrenes trichopepla)

Yellow Palm Dart is a butterfly restricted to the Australian region. It was first recorded in Sri Lanka by Dr. George (Michael) van der Poorten in July 2009. It is believed that it was accidentally introduced to the country by palms brought by horticulture trade. Yellow Palm Dart is now well established in western and Northwestern part of the island. In Sri Lanka its larva feeds on varies palms such as පොල්/Coconut(Cocos nucifera), ඉඳි (Phoenix pusilla) and Saribus rotundifolius. 

Blue crossandra (Pseuderanthemum variabile [Syn: Pseuderanthemum grandiflorum)

Native shrub of tropical Asia. Introduced and cultivated in home gardens as an ornamental.  Flowering probably all year round.

Red cestrum (Cestrum elegans)

An introduced straggling herb native to Mexico. Cultivated as an ornamental plant and also naturalized in the hills, usually along forest margins. 

Lesser Flamingo (Annotated checklist of vagrant Flamingos (Family: Phoenicopteridae) of Sri Lanka)

      Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post listed up to date published sight records of a single *unconfirmed vagrant of the family Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos) in Sri Lanka.

* Species for which there are only one or two sight records exist categorized here as unconfirmed vagrants. Problematic records without sufficient details are also included.

     1) Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)

Although definite evidence were lacking there were references to the possible presence of Lesser flamingos among Greater Flamingos in Hambantota area in September 1975 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1976). As per Kotagama & Ratnavira only record of Lesser Flamingo migrating to the Sri Lanka is the four birds recorded in a lagoon near Hambantota in 4^th January 1983 (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2010: 170 Quoting CBCN 1984, Dec: 43). However CBC has listed this sight record under Appendix 2 of its country list (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/Appendix-II.pdf)) under the criteria of the report ‘lacks sufficient diagnostic detail or, where necessary, sufficient comparison with ‘confusion’ species or subspecies; and there is therefore doubt as to the identification of the bird concerned’. However CBC web site posted a recent sight record on 19th February 2013 of two Lesser Flamingos from Jaffna on the Karainagar Causeway reported by Uditha Hettige, Lester Perera and Udaya Sirivardana (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/the_ceylon_bird_club_news.php).

References:

Hoffmann, T. W., 1976. Notes from the Bird Club 1975. Loris, 14(1), 35-36.
Kotagama, S., Ratnavira, G., 2010. An illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Colombo.

කුකුළු වැල්[Kukulu-Wel](Calamus digitatus)

An endemic liana occurs in forest understorey and forest gaps from southwestern wet lowlands to lower montane forests below 1500 m. Flowering and fruiting occurs sporadically throughout the year.

තාරා මල්[Thaara-mal]/Pelican flower(Aristolochia ringens)

An introduced twining climber native to the West Indies and tropical South America. Cultivated and also locally naturalized in the wet zone.

Sri Lankan Tiger/Monarch (Parantica taprobana)

Sri Lankan Tiger is an endemic butterfly Occurs above 1000 m elevation and common above 1200 m though occasionally found as low as 800 m elevation. It inhabits forests and well wooded hill country home gardens. Larva feeds on Ceropegia elegans, Cynanchum alatum and Vincetoxicum iphisia. Larva also fed on Vincetoxicum bracteatum when offered in the lab and egg laying was observed on Vincetoxicum cordifolium.

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.