කෑලිය/කොහු-කිරිල්ල[Keliya/Kohu-kirilla]/Microcos (Microcos paniculata)

An indigenous shrub common in secondary forest and scrublands. 

Ceylon Ace (Halpe homolea ceylonica)

Rather uncommon insect found in wet zone forests from lowlands to mid hills. Larva feeds on Bambusa vulgaris leaves.

Yamazakia pusilla [Syn: Lindernia pusilla]

An indigenous common prostrate to ascending herb grows near paddy fields and tank or pond edges from both wet and dry lowlands to about 1000m altitude.  Flowering throughout the year.

Lowland Hump-nosed Pit Viper/පහතරට මූකලන් තෙලිස්සා[Pahatharata Mukalantelissa] (Hypnale zara)

An endemic snake restricted to the lowland rain forests of the south-western wet zone up to foot hills of the central highlands.  It is a nocturnal snake and during the day time stay hidden under decaying logs and leaf litter on the forest floor. Maduwage K. et al. recorded of a rare occasion of observing this snake on a shrub up to about 60cm above the forest floor. Furthermore according to them Lowland Hump-nosed Pit Viper is absent in anthropogenic habitats. Above specimen was photographed on a banana shrub - considerable height above the ground- But habitat can't be considered as a primary forest though entirely not a home garden ( 6°22'24.18"N,  80°27'8.22"E). Location -though sort of anthopogenic habitat- is very close to the Gin river as well as Sinharaja forest.

Maduwage Kalana, Silva, A., Manamendra-Arachchi, K.& Pethiyagoda, R. 2009 A taxonomic revision of the South Asian hump-nosed pit vipers (Squamata: Viperidae: Hypnale) Zootaxa 2232: 1–28 pp.

අපස්ස වැල්[Apassa wel] (Sabicea ceylanica [Schizostigma hirsutum])

Rather common endemic creeping herb occurs in wet evergreen forests

Annotated checklist of vagrant Storks, Herons and Egrets (Family: Ciconiidae and Ardeidae) 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 Ciconiidae and Ardeidae families (Storks, Herons and Egrets) in Sri Lanka.
   
  Confirmed vagrants 

      1) Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

W.W.A Philllips’s sight record of two birds at the Bagura , South of Pottuvil on the 20^th March 1938 and again few days later at another inundation at Helawe, both near Kumana is the first record of Black Stork in Sri lanka (Phillips W.W.A., 1940).  Second sight record was reported by C.V. Seneviratne in 1998, again a pair of birds from a marshy land near Aruvakkalu, adjacent to the Kala Oya estuary of Southern most boarder of Wilpattu National Park (Seneviratne C.V., 2000). Third sight record is from a place which is fairly inland unlike two previous occasions by W. L. D. P. T. S. D. A.  Goonathilake during the biodiversity survey of the Kala Oya basin in December 2003. He observed a single bird while perching on a Kumbuk tree at the edge of the Kok-maduwa village located near the southern bank of Rajangane reservoir. (Goonathilake, W. L. D. P. T. S. D. A., 2006). Fourth sight record is from Maduru Oya National Park on 21^st April 2004 by Dinesh Eransaka Gabadage (Gabadage D.E., 2007). He also reported two birds in a partially inundated area close to the Maduru Oya reservoir.

       2) White Stork (Ciconia ciconia asiatica)

According to the Legge, Bligh met with a single bird in beginning of 1879 at Yala and subsequently after receipt of Bligh’s record, Parker informed of his observation of several at the tank of Nikawaratiya, where it appeared to be breeding in company with egrets and herons. However Legge doubted Parker’s identification since White stork doesn't breed anywhere in India and he was of the idea that Parker may have been mistaken it with Pelican-Ibis (i.e. Painted Stork) (Legge V., 1880: 1470). Col. R. C. Wall reported another sighting again at Yala on 13^th August 1961 and another one was observed by Osmar Ismail in a paddy field, 10 miles from Anuradhapura on the Maradankadawela roadside during February 1975 (Phillips W.W.A 1978: 9). Next sight record is also from  a paddy field near Anuradhapura by a Dutch ornithologist during March 1976 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1977) Finally there is a sighting of a single bird at Kalamatiya on March 1985[Third sight record according to the Hoffman] (Hoffmann, T. W., 1986)

     3) Great Bittern [Eurasian Bittern] (Botaurus stellaris stellaris)

A live specimen of a Great bittern was handed over to the Zoological garden, Dehiwela by Sarath Kumara of Panadura on 14^th October 1985. It did not feed in captivity and dead on the 16^th morning. Later on it was handed over to the museum and preliminary identification of it as Great bittern made at the zoo was confirmed at the Museum. (Gunawardene, W. T. T. P., & Wijesinghe, D. P. 1985)

     4) Goliath Heron [Giant Heron] (Ardea goliath)

First time recorded from Sri Lanka in 4^th April 1878. It was shot by Le Mesurrrier on the banks of the Mahawelliganga, a few miles above Kandakardu in the Tamankada pattuwa (Legge V., 1880: 1474-75). Again a female was procured in the beginning of 1879 at Palatupana by Exham Swyny. Another bird probably its mate, being seen about the same time at Willapalawewa(Legge V., 1880: 1474-75). According to the Wait all 2 or 3 available specimens obtained from Sri Lanka are of immature birds (Wait W.E., 1931:426). In February 1975 single bird observed at Kokkari villu in Wilpattu by D. Summers-Smith from the UK (Hoffmann, T.W., 1976)) and another single bird in a small tank near Habarana in February 1979 (Hoffmann, T.W., 1980)

Unconfirmed vagrants:

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

    5) Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus)

First time recorded by Dieter Zingel (Germany) on 30^th April 1995 at Debera wewa (Hoffmann, T. W., 1996). Later on sight record(s) by Rex. I. de Silva (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2010: 176)

References:

Gabadage D.E., 2007 Sight record of a Black Stork Ciconia nigra at Maduru Oya Siyoth 2(2) :44

Goonathilake, W. L. D. P. T. S. D. A., 2006 Third sight record of the Black Stork Ciconia nigra from Sri lanka Siyoth Vol 1 34-35.

Gunawardene, W. T. T. P., & Wijesinghe, D. P., 1985). The Eurasian Bittern: An Additional to the list of Sri Lanka Birds. Loris, 17(2), 52-53.

Hoffmann, T. W., 1996. Ceylon Bird Club Notes 1995. Loris, 21(1), 16-18.

Hoffmann, T. W., 1986. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club 1985. Loris, 17(3), 99-101.

Hoffmann, T. W., 1980. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club 1979. Loris, 15(3), 157-159.

Hoffmann, T. W., 1977. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club 1976. Loris, 14(3), 154-156.

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.

Legge V., 1880. A History of the birds of Ceylon  1983 second edition.

Phillips W.W.A., 1978 Annotated checklist of the Birds of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1978 revised edition

Phillips W.W.A., 1940. Ornithological observations Loris 2(3) 169 – 175

Seneviratne, C.V., 2000. The second sight record of Black Stork Ciconia nigra from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Naturalist. The Journal of the Young Zoologist Association. 3(1): 1-2

Wait W.E., 1931. Manual of the Birds of Ceylon. 2nd edition. Colombo Museum.

සුදු-පුරුක්[Sudhu Puruk]/White shrimp plant/Squirrel's tail (Nicoteba betonica [Syn: Justicia betonica])

Common indigenous shrub occurs along roadsides and streams from lowlands to hills up to about 2000m a.s.l. Flowering throughout the year.

බන්ඩි තිත්තයා/පොඩි පෙතියා/ඉපිලිකඩයා [Bandi Thiththaya/Podi Pethiya/Ipilikadaya]/Silver Barb (Puntius vittatus )

Common fish inhabiting ponds, streams, paddy fields and tanks in the low country - both wet and dry zone -  up to an elevation of about 300m. It is very hardy fish and is found even in ponds reduced to liquid mud during the drought (Deraniyagala P.E.P., 1952) It is also recorded from some brackish water bodies (Pethiyagoda R., 1991). Silver Barb feeds mainly on filamentous algae and blue-greens, and rarely on certain animal matters. 

Philippine Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)

Native plant of Southeast Asia. Introduced  (Native? >>) as a garden plant and widely cultivated in home gardens in most areas. Also escaped and naturalized in lowland wet and sub montane zones, usually near waterways.

Drepanosticta bine

An endemic forest damselfly inhabiting shady rain forest streams of South-western wet zone from 50 to 500 m altitude. It is currently known from only 16 localities in Kegalle, Nuwaraeliya, Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Mathra districts (Bedjanič, M., 2010). Its flying period is from end April-May until September-October.

My observations

1) Observed at Dombagaskandha forest reserve at Ingiriya (One of the above mentioned 16 localities) in June 2011 and July 2012.

2) At Lankagama - a buffer zone village of Sinharaja world heritage site - in July 2008[Two years before formal description]. ( Although it has been already recorded from Kudawa side of the Sinharaja not so far from the Neluwa entrance. A stream in Haycock range of Hiniduma area is the nearest location mentioned in above 16 localities to the Lankagama)

3) At Halpankandha forest reserve (7°12.806'N, 80°08.894'E) of Meerigama in Gampaha district in May 2012 (New locality)

References

Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215. 

මා වේවැල්/වඳුරු වැල්/පුවක් වැල්/කත් වැල්[Ma We-val/Vandhuru val/Puwak val/Kath val] (Calamus thwaitesii)

An indigenous liana occurs in wet lowlands and lower montane forests below 1500m a.s.l. and in intermediate lowlands from the foothills of Samanala nature reserve to southern Sinharaja (However absent in Northern Sinharaja), Hiniduma-Kanneliya and northward to Kandy upper Mahaweli and knuckles range. Also in some isolated hills in the dry zone such as Ritigala, Dimbulagala (Gunners Quoin), Nilgala and Sigiriya. Flowering from December to May and fruiting from August to October. Rattans used in furniture manufacturing and basketware and leaves for thatching.

Common shrub frog (Pseudophilautus popularis)

Common shrub frog is widely distributed species occurs in forest edges, grasslands and also in anthropogenic habitats such as home gardens and roadsides in wet lowlands. Males active at dusk and sometimes start calling even during day time in rainy days perched on low vegetation 0.3-1 m above the ground. 

Pomatocalpa maculosum

Rather rare epiphyte on trees by streams in the lowland wet zone forests up to 762m altitude. Flowering from January to March.

Beddomea albizonatus

An endemic land snail inhabiting lowland rain forests.

Thrixspermum pulchellum

Rather common epiphyte on trees in wet lowland forests up to about 610m a.s.l. Flowering from April to June.

Black Angle (Tapena thwaitesi)

"A great rarity, and I have never personally caught a specimen. A native collector has sent me specimens from Kandy, Deniyaya and Kottawa" - Ormiston W., 1924

Rare insect occurs in low country wet zone forests up to mid hills. Larva feeds on leaves of  Dalbergia pseudo-sissoo (බඹර වැල්) 

Above male specimen was photographed at Gileemale forest reserve in mid April.

Phalaenopsis deliciosa

Rare native Epiphytite, on trees in the lowland wet zone forests up to 305m a.s.l. Flowering September. 

Blossom krait/මල් කරවලා/නිහාළුවා [Mal karavala/Nihaluva] (Balanophis ceylonensis)

Blossom krait is a rear-fanged mildly venomous terrestrial snake found among leaf litter in forests of low country to central hills.  Also occurs in knuckles range. It feeds on frogs, skinks, and insects. Blossom krait is rather uncommon snake endemic to the Sri Lanka . 

Annotated checklist of vagrant Ducks(Family:Anatidae) of Sri Lanka

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

    Confirmed vagrants

    1) Fulvous Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)

First reference of its occurrence in Sri Lanka is from Wait (Wait W.E., 1931:447). He noted about few specimens once obtained near Mannar and a single sight record from Balapitiya in Southern province. He further noted that he had been told of a sighting of it near Giant’s tank (Wait W.E., 1931:447). C.E. Norris wrote in 1951 that Fulvous Whistling Duck has been recorded as a breeding resident though not recent reports have been received regarding its status. And he suspected that it may still breeds on some of larger tanks and has been overlooked (Norris, C. E., 1951). There is an unconfirmed report of a small flock in Wilpattu National Park in 1962 (Savage, C. D. W. ,1968) and another sight record at Andankulam tank near Tricomalee in the last week of February 1967 (Phillips W.W.A, 1978:11). Some recent sight records of it are 
  1) Single bird at Bellanwila-Attidiya on December 1990 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1991),
  2) Single bird at Ridiyagama on December 1992 (Hoffmann, T. W. , 1993)
  3) Two birds at Wilmitiya tank on March 1995 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1996) 
  4) Two ducks counted during 15^th annual waterfowl census conducted in January 1998 (Hoffmann, T. W. 1998)

    2) Greylag Goose (Anser anser rubrirostris)

Single specimen of small, young male procured by then museum collector in March 1922 from a paddy field about 6 miles from Kesbewa of Colombo district is the only instance of its occurrence in Sri Lanka. It was feeding with two others at the time (Wait W.E., 1931:444). Phillips noted of "non authenticated sight records during recent years from Hambantota and Jaffna areas of parties of Geese". Those he believed as possible vagrants of either this species or Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) (Phillips W.W.A, 1978:11)

    3) Ruddy Shelduck [Brahminy Duck] (Tadorna ferruginea)

Vincent Legge noted an observation of a pair at the ‘long lagoon which runs inland from Mullaittivu’ by Capt. Wade-Dalton of the 57^th Regiment during February 1876 (Legge V., 1880: 1404). Flocks of 8 observed at Rufouse kulam lagoon on the east coast by Iris Darton on her visit to Arugambay on 4-5 visits on March of 1948 (Phillips, W. W. A., 1948) and solitary bird was seen at Hambantota 2-3 times during 1949-50 migrate season. (Norris, C.E., 1950). In 29^th November 1974 a pair reported from Malala lewaya by K.G.H. Munidasa (Hoffmann, T. W., 1975 & Phillips W.W.A. 1978:12). Subsequent sight records are -

•     During the survey of migratory waterfowls in Sri Lanka Anthony Powel observed 2 ducks on  the edge of the Jaffna lagoon near the Vaddukoddai jetty (Kayts islands road to abandoned ferry point) on 29^th January 1984 (Powell, A., 1984,  Hoffmann, T. W., 1985a &                Hoffmann, T. W., 1985)
•     Single female was observed in the Jaffna during 1989 waterfowl census conducted by CBC in  January 1989 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1989)
•     During the 7^th annual waterfowl census in 1990 observed 3 in Vankalai of Mannar. [It is the  5^th record of this duck ] (Hoffmann, T. W. 1990 & Hoffmann, T. W., 1991)
•     Single bird from Bundala during 2009-2010 migrate season (Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011) See also - http://www.jetwingeco.com/newsletter/october-2009-january-2010 and http://www.lakdasun.org/forum/index.php?topic=1293.0 
•      Moditha Kodikara Arachchi recorded 3 birds at the Vankalai Sanctuary on 8.2.2015. (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/the_ceylon_bird_club_news.php)

    4) Gadwall (Anas strepera strepera)

Single specimen collected at Palatupana of Hambantota district is the first report of its occurrence in Sri Lanka. (Wait W.E., 1931:450). Single duck seen at Bundala in early January of 1984 by Robert Tolk a Dutch visitor is the 2^nd record of it (Hoffmann, T. W., 1985a) & Hoffmann, T. W., 1985). Kotagama & Ratnavira mention about a sight record in 1993 quoting CBCN 1993, Jan: 01 (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2010: 159).  Two birds were seen at Mannar area during the 2003 water bird census. (Siriwardana, U., 2003). It is the 4^th record of it in Sri Lanka (Warakagoda, D., 2004)

    5) Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

First record of Tufted Duck in Sri Lanka is the specimen of a male taken from a small flock of 30-40 birds on a tank near Dandagamuwa by H.G. Pandittesekera in 4^th February 1949 (Phillips  W.W.A., 1949 & Savage, C. D. W. ,1968). Two male birds also observed by R. Mc. L. Cameron on 4^th February 1962 at Giant tank of Mannar (Phillips W.W.A, 1978:13)

Unconfirmed vagrants:

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.

    6) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos)

In his monograph on Sri Lankan birds Vincent Legge had added a note on Mallard stating– “I have sportsman’s authority for the occurrence of the Mallard (A.boschas, Linn.) in the Jaffna district; but I am inclined to think that the Indian Wild Duck has been mistaken for it” (Legge 1880: 1426). W.W.A. Phillips also included it in his article supplied to Loris volume 4 on ducks, stating that it is possibly a rare winter straggler to some of the coastal lagoons in the West and South (Phillips, W.W.A., 1948) though he excluded it from his annotated checklist of the Birds of Ceylon (Phillips W.W.A, 1978). Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. noted a recent sight record of a single bird at Kalamatiya on 19^th January 1986 (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2010: 160 quoting CBCN 1986, Jan: 04). However CBC listed it in their Appendix 1 (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/Appendix-I.pdf) under the criteria ‘It is likely to occur as a migrant in Sri Lanka, and is reported with sufficient detail, but also could be of domesticated or captive origin in Sri Lanka’

    7) Marbled Teal (Marmarnetta angustirostris)

Three unconfirmed but independent reports of sightings in January 1984 are the only record of occurrence of Marble Teal in Sri Lanka (Hoffmann, T. W., 1985a) & Hoffmann, T. W., 1985). The first was reported from Deberawewa and Bundala area, second from the Chilaw and the third again from Deberawewa. In all three cases observers were not familiar with the duck and looked it up in guides and came to the conclusion that it is this duck. In the first instance the identification was confirmed by a foreign visitor familiar with the species(Hoffmann, T. W., 1985a). CBC has listed these sight records under Appendix 2 of its country list (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/Appendix-II.pdf)) under the criteria of the reports ‘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’.

    8) Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

Base on Layard’s information Legge doubtfully added this species to his list. According to the Legge, Layard has observed two or three pairs through his telescope for several weeks on a piece of brackish water between Jaffna and Chavagacherry. Layard also got a confirmation from a native by showing a head of F.rufina (i.e. N.ruffina) which he received from Calcutta. It was identified by that native as a bird which he is familiar with and had killed on that very piece of water though he had not seen them elsewhere.  Layard had also written to Legge subsequently that he is sure he identified the bird correctly (Legge V., 1880: 1428-1429). Layard’s observation was made in 1854 and later on it has certainly been seen at Hambantota (Savage, C. D. W., 1968 & Phillips, W.W.A., 1948)

    9) Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)

Vincent Legge noted this species as a likely to occur one in Ceylon based on information he received from the Varian of the public work department. A duck with “Canvas-back” which Varian had shot on Topoor tank may have been a Common or red-headed Pochard (Anas ferina) according to the Legge. (Legge V., 1880: 1430).  Other than that up to date no other observation of it has been reported in Sri Lanka. 

References:

Hoffmann, T. W., 1998. The 1998 Waterfowl census in Sri Lanka. Loris, 21(5), 204-209.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1996. Ceylon Bird Club Notes 1995. Loris, 21(1), 16-18.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1993. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club, 1992. Loris, 20(1), 12-14.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1991. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club, 1990. Loris, 19(3), 103-105.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1990. The 1990 Waterfowl census in Sri Lanka. Loris, 19(1), 38-41.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1989. The 1989 Waterfowl Census in Sri Lanka. Loris, 18(4), 160-164.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1985a. The 2nd Duck count in Sri Lanka. Loris, 17(1), 19-24.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1985. Notes from the Ceylon Bird Club 1984. Loris, 17(1), p10-12.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1975. Notes From The Ceylon Bird Club, 1974. Loris, 13(5), 275-276.
Kotagama, S., Ratnavira, G. 2010. An illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Colombo.
Legge V., 1880. A History of the birds of Ceylon  1983 second edition.
Norris, C. E., 1951. Decrease of Wildfowl. Loris 6(1), 315-317.
Norris, C. E., 1950. Migrants, 1949-1950. Loris, 5(4), 171.
Phillips W.W.A., 1978 Annotated checklist of the Birds of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1978 revised edition
Phillips W.W.A., 1949 The Tufted Duck Loris 5(1), 88.
Phillips W.W.A., 1948. Ducks 1947/48. Loris, 4(6), 498 - 504.
Powell, A., 1984. A Survey of Migratory Waterfowl in Sri Lanka. Loris, 16(5), 260-263.
Savage, C. D. W., 1968. Wetlands and wildfowl of Ceylon. Loris, 11(3), 147-150.
Siriwardana, U., 2003. The 2003 Waterbird Census in Sri Lanka. Loris, 23(3&4), 32-35.
Wait W.E., 1931. Manual of the Birds of Ceylon. 2nd edition. Colombo Museum.
Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2008-2011, Loris 26(1&2), 46-50
Warakagoda, D., 2004. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2003 Loris, 23(5&6), 37-41

Violet (Viola pilosa)

An indigenous prostrate herb common in montane zone. Flowering most of the year.

ගල් පාඬියා[Gal Paandiya]/ගල් පාඩුරුවා[Gal Paanduruwa]/Stone Sucker (Garra ceylonensis)

An endemic fish found in fast flowing streams throughout the island, particularly in the wet zone. Adult Stone Suckers are bottom dwelling fish and stay clinging to rocks using its suckers while juveniles are found in all levels of the water column till their suckers are fully developed. It is often found in rock pools of streams rather than water streams with sandy substrates. It is said that Stone Suckers ascend small rocky streams to breed. 

Indian Strawberry (Potentilla indica [Syn: Duchesnea indica])

An indigenous herb with prostrate stems, found along roadsides and disturbed habitats in montane zone. Native plant of Eastern Asia. Strawberry like small fruits are scarlet red when ripe. Flowering and fruiting from December to February. Common in Horton plains. 

Brinck's Shadowdamsel (Ceylonosticta brincki [Drepanosticta brincki])

An endemic damselfly inhabiting stream habitats of wet zone rain forests. Rather uncommon insect though relatively common than other forest damsels.

තක්කඩ[Takkada] (Scaevola taccada)

Rounded and mound like shrub or small tree grows on shores and occasionally somewhat inland areas. 

Large 4-Lineblue (Nacaduba pactolus)

Large 4-Lineblue is a rare butterfly found in forests and well wooded areas of all elevations up to the higher hills. It is the only Nacaduba species of the island in which antennae are white-tipped and also the largest of them. Entada rheedei (පුස් වැල්) is its only known larval host plant in Sri Lanka.

තපසර බුලත්[Tapasara Bulath] (Thottea siliquosa)

A native branched shrub growing rain forest understory of the wet zone. Leaves chewed with betel.

කාවයියා/පොල් කාවයියා [Kawaiya/Pol Kawaiya]/Climbing Perch(Anabas testudineus)

Climbing Perch is a common fish inhabiting tanks, ponds, swamps, streams and some time even in lakes which have connected to the sea. It is distributed in both wet and dry lowlands. Climbing Perch is one of the most hardy fish which can survive in extremely unfavorable water conditions and it has been recorded that they can travel certain distance overland from one water body to another. However tree climbing habit attributed to this fish by some authors is not reliably observed. As per Deraniyagala it visits newly sown paddy fields at night to feed on the grain (Deraniyagala P.E.P., 1952). It feeds on macrophytic vegetation, fish fry and shrimps (Pethiyagoda, R., 1991).

අඬනහිරියා [Adanahiriya] (Clitoria laurifolia)

An introduced small shrub naturalized in wet zone. It is native to tropical America. Flowering throughout the year.

Kirtisighe's Frog/කීර්තිසිංහගේ මැඩියා[Kirthtisinhage Madiya] (Minervarya kirtisinghei [Fejervarya kirtisinghei])

A common endemic frog inhabiting streams in forests and adjoining plantations (Rubber estates), home gardens, marshy areas and such aquatic habitats of the wet zone below 1600m elevation. Sometime found far away from the water. 

කූඩලු [Koodalu](Impatiens leptopoda)

An endemic herb growing among rocks or on banks of streams and rivers in rain forests and thickets in more open places of the hill country(Above 1200m a.s.l). Flowers are variable in size and color and color varies from pink, mauve-pink to white with a dark magenta spot towards the base of each pair of lateral united petals. 

Drepanosticta anamia

Drepanosticta anamia is a recently described endemic damselfly inhabiting small to mid-size shaded stream habitats in primary and secondary wet zone forests from 50-800m a.s.l. altitude in 22 localities in Kegalle, Nuwaraeliya, Colombo, Kaluthara, Rathnapura Galle and Mathara districts (Bedjanič, M., 2010). As per M. Bedjanič flight season stretches from end of April to September with a single end-February record. 

My Observations 

Above specimen was photographed at Meethirigala forest reserve of Gampaha district adding one more locality to already described 22 locations.  It has been observed there in May and June of 2011 and July 2012. 

References

Bedjanič, M., 2010. Three new Drepanosticta species from Sri Lanka (Zygoptera: Platystictidae). Odonatologica 39(3): 195-215.

Osmunda collina

A primitive terrestrial fern endemic to Sri Lanka. It grows by stream banks in fast flowing water with shade in montane and submontane forests. Brownish leaflets of the leaves are reproductive leaflets and green ones are vegetative.

Red Helen (Papilio helenus)

Red Helen is a rare butterfly found in wet zone forests in all the year round. The males are fond of settling on damp earth on the roads and stream beds. When resting with open wings the forwing is drawn back over the yellow color patches of the hind wing as shown in the picture above, probably to avoid unwanted attraction of predators. Larva feeds on Zanthoxylum tetraspermum, Citrus japonica, and Kudumiris[කුඩුමිරිස්] (Toddalia asiatica) in the field.(Larva also fed on Citrus madurensis [නස් නාරන්] and Citrus sinensis leaves when offered in the lab.)

වල් - ඉඟුරු [Wal-Inguru] Wild Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet)

A perennial herb with leafy stem cultivated throughout the island and sometime naturalized. Flowering from February to October. Used medicinally. 

Jerdon's Nightjar/Large-tailed Nightjar/Long-tailed Nightjar/Horsfield's Jungle Nightjar/ දිගුපෙඳ බිම්බස්සා [Dhigupedha bimbassa] (caprimulgus atripennis)

Common breeding resident of dry lowlands to drier mid hills. Local and uncommon in wet lowlands. Jerdon's Nightjar inhabits scrub lands, chena cultivation and wooded areas. It roosts on the ground during the day time in a well camouflages shady location. Nesting on the ground without a nest, often at the side of a jungle path, from February to May and possibly again from August to September.  It feeds on various flying insects such as beetles, termites etc.

Meistera masticatorium [Syn: Amomum masticatorium]

Large endemic herb specimens collected so far only from few places of the Kandy district (Flora of Ceylon Vol 4). It grows in moist forests.

කටකළුවා/මුදුහබරා[Katakaluva/Muduhabara]/Trinket Snake (Coeloganthus helena)

The Trinket snake is a common non-venomous, terrestrial snake widely distributed in lowlands up to about 600m elevation. It can be found both in forests and anthropological habitats mostly closer to water bodies. It is active during morning hours as well as dusk and considered as a diurnal snake though nocturnal habitats have been observed too. When cornered Trinket snake expands its fore body and open mouth displaying its black color. Hence the vernacular name Katakaluwa (One with a black mouth). It feeds on rodents, frogs and lizards. 

* One depicting in above photographs is a juvenile albino snake with about 36mm length, encountered in a home garden. Distinct black lines of the neck  region and black streak behind the eye are faint of this specimen unlike it is with normal snakes. It had red eyes as it is always with albino animals.

කූඩලු [Koodalu](Impatiens elongata)

An endemic herb found in riverside rocks, near waterfalls, scrub covered slopes or in open places in  montane forests (1170 - 2000m a.s.l.)

Spotted Skink (Eutropis madaraszi)

An endemic skink found in rock crevices, leaf litter of forests or under logs in both wet and dry zone up to about 800m elevation .

Bladderwort (Utricularia moniliformis)

Only endemic member of the bladderwort flower family with local distribution in south-central hills of Sri Lanka (750-2300m a.s.l). It can be found on wet rocks as well as tree trunks. Flowering from July to December. It is a insectivorous tiny herb which lacks true roots to absorb nutrients from the soil. Bladderwort plants have tiny hollow sacks less than 1mm in diameter (bladders) that lie below ground level to capture and digest small protozoans and insect larva.