Archive for February 2018
Rock Star Crake at Diyasaru
Ruddy-breasted Crake ((Porzana fusca) ) emerging in sunlight at the Thalawathugoda Biodiversity (Diyasaru) Park. (January 2018)
Colombo’s urban wetlands have been deservedly in the news as the world celebrates World Wetlands Day. Our local bird watching and conservation group the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) has been organizing a variety of events, with a focus on wetlands around the parliament lake area of Colombo/ Sri Jayewardenepura. The Thalawathugoda (Diyasaru) Biodiversity Park as well as the Beddagana Wetlands Park are two excellent locations in our neighborhood to appreciate urban wetlands.
The Thalawathugoda (Diyasaru) Biodiversity Park is composed of wetlands in an an area reclaimed during the process of expanding the parliament lake in Sri Jayewardenepura. The government agency tasked with its management is the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation & Development Corporation.
Coinciding with this celebration, there is one conspicuous rock star of a bird that has got all of us bird watchers and nature photographers out to appreciate the urban wetlands. The Ruddy-breasted Crake (Porzana fusca) is generally a rarely seen, shy water bird. However, for the last two months a resident individual has been on display at Thalawathugoda (Diyasaru) Biodiversity Park. I first observed the Crake on December 10th on a camera-free walk with colleagues from OSC. More than a month later after the winter holidays I returned with Lenny and we photographed it on January 21st. We saw the Crake in fairly good light but I had a faulty battery. It took me a week or more to get back with the right equipment.
On January 31st, a poya holiday, I was rewarded with lengthy opportunity to observe and photograph the crake as it went about its morning feeding routine. I was joined by several other photographers and birdwatchers on the boardwalk that passes through of water plants and over channels. The Crake came out at first light like clockwork! It seemed quite unconcerned about all the attention. People were mindful of the bird and kept their distance. Yet at certain points, the crake walked so close to the reeds at the edge of the boardwalk that our long lenses could not focus on it! Nevertheless, I came away with several pleasing images that I share here as modified, low-resolution versions.
Ruddy-breasted Crake (Porzana fusca) in reflection at Thalawathugoda (Diyasaru) Biodiversity Park (January 2018)
The Slaty-breasted Rail (Gallirallus striatus) is a rare resident (or visitor) at Diyasaru. This individual was photographed at dusk in May 2017 with Will Duncan. It has not been seen as often as the Ruddy-breasted Crake.
REFERENCES
IWMI. “World Wetlands Day.” Web.
Kotagama, Sarath and Gamini Ratnavira. Birds of Sri Lanka: An Illustrated Guide. Colombo: Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, 2017. Print.
Lockwood, Ian. “Teaching & Learning in Colombo’s Suburban Wetlands.” Ian Lockwood Blog. October 2016. Web.
Rasmussen, Pamela C. and John Anderson. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 &2, Second Edition. Washington DC: Smithsonian, 2012. Print.
Ryder, Craig. “The Growing Importance of Colombo’s Shrinking Wetlands.” Roar. 2 February 2018. Web.
Warakagoda. Deepal et. al. Birds of Sri Lanka (Helm Field Guides). London: Helms Guides, 2012. Print.
