An adult Common Mynah

Sri Lanka is one of my favourite Countries.  A colourful and vibrant, bustling country with beautiful birds, beautiful people and beautiful scenery so I was full of excitement  and anticipation as I made my way to Heathrow yesterday for my 11 hour flight back again, for the second time this year.
Through my jet lagged eyes I can see on the inflight map that we are flying……..through turbulence I might add…..at 35000 feet and about to pass over the city of Bangalore on the Indian mainland with around two hours to go to Colombo, our final destination. This trip I hope to travel a little further afield than previously with the hope of photographing wild leopard in either Yalla or Walputta National Parks.  Sri Lanka is one of the best places in the world to photograph leopard and I feel I ought to make an effort this trip.  Yalla is in the south with Walputta north of Colombo but both are several hours journey and even longer by train, an amazing experience in itself. Then of course, there are massive schools of Dolphin off shore and I had a tremendous adventure photographing them when here with Terry in January.  However, the monsoon is lingering longer this year and it may not be the safest thing to do.  Being out at sea in a small boat with the possibility of lightening strike is probably not a sensible option.
I will be based in my usual accommodation,  Ravis Dream House just north of Negombo and I am looking forward to seeing him and his family again.  Please visit my blog regularly to have a look at some of the birds and other wildlife that I hope to photograph.  Kingfishers……5 species in Sri Lanka, are always easy to find, well 4 of them at least and it is possible to see these 4 in just a matter of minutes right by Ravis house along with Blue Tailed Bee-eater and the exotic Indian Roller.  A canal runs just behind the house which previously, as well as the Kingfishers was teeming with dozens of Pond Heron, Bittern and 3 cormorant species. 

Its just brilliant to be able to say, "You know what I think I will go back to Sri Lanka for a couple of weeks"…..I am in that time of my life when you can do things like that. As soon as my dental surgery healed I took advice from my friendly Spanish dentist who said "Leave it a week and you should be fine"……and here am am back at Ravis place.  He has built a new bungalow with kitchen since I was last here and I have to say, its just as good as his dream house except that this house is literally feet from the canal and the kingfishers.

I only arrived here in the middle of the afternoon but already I have reacquainted myself with some of my favourites. There was a family group of Mynahs feeding young on the land next to my house which was fun to watch.  I haven't seen anything particularly rare but some good sightings so far.  The light had almost gone when I took this shot, its one of the youngsters.