Monday, August 25, 2014

Sinharaja - Pitadeniya



This was a three-day trip to Pitadeniya, Sinharaja. "Gin-ganga Nivahana-2" ; a Forest Bongalow at the Forest Department's Pitadeniya conservation centre was reserved ahead of the journey. Mr. Nanayakkara, the officer-in-charge at the centre was kind enough to give us an introductory lecture about the forest on the first evening. Mr. A. B. K. Anura, a voluntary tracker accompanied the group next day to see the Lankagama Waterfalls. The Bio-diversity of the area & the potential threats to it were studied during this visit.


even Fuel for the Generators of the Bungalow
had to taken from the nearest town; Deniyaya














It was a 4km walk from Mederipitiya



















carring the stuff... and walking.



















Lunch... at the Pitadeniya ticketing office.. mid-way...













crossing the bridge to get to the centre



















following a trail into the jungle



















a smal hike.. to get to the Waterfalls













the misty sprey... of Lankagama Duvili ella













a river bath @ the 'Heriyawa Dola' (stream)














Sri Lanka Myna






















Spot-winged Thrush



















Black Bulbul



















Sri Lanka Blue Oak-leaf (Butterfly)













'Gin-ganga Wana Niwahana-2' - the Bungalow we stayed













Office & Lecture hall of the Pitadeniya Forest Conservation center














Shining Gossamerwing (female)













Sombre Lieutenant













Sri lanka Cascader













Lankagama Brahmana-ella













on top of 'Uran wetuna-ella'













Uran-wetuna-ella



















upper-end of the 'Gal-Doruwa-ella'



















Lower-end of the 'Gal-Doruwa-ella'



















Pathan-ella













Lankagama Dhoovili -ella





















Kekuna-ella















Sri Lankan Keelback Water snake (juvenile)







































Wana-raja














Maha-hedaya



















The Group















 

Monday, July 28, 2014

Day 2 : of the two-day trip to Sirimangalapura, Kantale

Visited Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Viharaya. Returned back from Kantale by the night-mail train. Saw a herd of wild Elephants, beside the Alla-Kantale road at dusk, on the way to the train.

 
The Seruwila Stupa
 
Seruwila

 
the Shrine room at Seruwila

 
Ruins at Seruwila
 
"Saruwath" a way-side refreshment
 
A Wild-Elephant ...

 
...... and another ...

 
of the herd of Elephants  far-a-way.













 
A Little Green Bee-eater
 
A White-throated King-fisher


 
A Skimmer ? - Dragonfly


 
Hoppers for Dinner at the railway station
 
inside the train












Sunday, July 27, 2014

Day 1 : of the two-day trip to Sirimangalapura, Kantale

The main aim of this trip was to make the initial study of how to establish a local area wifi-zone around the "Pipena-Kusum" home library. The group went to Kantale by the Trincomalee night-mail train.

on the way to Kanthale ...
 
at 4.00 a.m. in the morning...
 @ the Kantale railway station
 
a nest of swollows

 
...the flood-planes reservation ...
 
... just before... the Sun-rise ...

 
picking Water-melon from a way-side farm

 
... the farmer's hut ...
 
foot prints of wild Elephants on a sandy road
 
A wild Elephant beside the main road
 
... the Wild Elephant ...





 
Brad helping two kids with the course
 
A Crimson-fronted Barbet
 
A Common Crow- butterfly
 
A Water-Moniter

 
at Mawil-aru ... at night ..












Saturday, July 26, 2014

Polgasowita

Haritha Diyatha members went on a inspection tour, to look into the feasibility of creating a Herbal Garden on the edge of the "Jayawimana" housing scheme's play ground, at Polgasowita. Many members of the neighbourhood were also present.

 
the gathering ..

part of the play ground
 
the play ground covered with low vegitations



the plaque on a side of the play ground


A male - Pied Parasol





A female - Pied Parasol



Red-wattled lapwing



















Dombagaskanda (Bodinagala) - Ingiriya

A Haritha Diyatha one-day field exploration trip to the Dombagaskanda forest (Bodinagala), Ingiriya. The birding session was interupted by rain.
The members took part in a "shramadana" (campaign of providing voluntary labour), organized by the "dayaka saba"  of the BODINAGALA "aranya senasana" (Buddhist forest monastry), in passing a heap of bricks up the mountain, for a proposed new construction at the monastry.

break-fast on the way

At Dombagaskanda

 
passing bricks up the mountain
...also carring bricks up ....











 
steps that go up ...
 
into tha forest ....


 
trailling up ...
 
descending down

 
walking down along the road

 
beside the vehicles

 
A Bird nest on an embankment
 
Black-capped Bulbul


 
"Daluk"