Large Oakblue at Talangama

Tuesday 06 March 2007 Talangama

Arrived at One Acre reserve around 7.00 am with Dr Janaki Galapathi. 2 or 3 adult Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys bounded away in alarm.

We got down from the vehicle and looked up at the troop. One large adult, possibly a male, came bounding towards us and gnashed its teeth from a distance of 10 feet or less, whilst uttering a low frequency vocalisation. This is the first time I have seen a leaf monkey come at people and engage in threatening behaviour. One female was nursing a very young baby. This must be the reason. I have seen the mother and baby on the One Acre before.

Later on we came across a Large Oakblue, the first time I have recorded one of these In Talangama. I have seen it at Kotte Marshes. The butterfly could not be dislodged from the leaf litter it was on. I wondered whether it was trying to lay eggs. It also tilted its wings to be parallel to the ground. Was it hoping to conceal itself more easily against the leaf litter? I wonder whether this butterfly should be looked for amongst leaf litter?

Walking parallel to Budusarana Mawatha, we came across a Common Bronze Back Tree Snake. Another first in Talangama for me.

Forest Wagtails still present.

A Foggy-winged Twister (Tholymis tillarga) flew away. On the paddy fields, several Bluer Perchers (Diplacodes trivialis). Paddy fields had Wood Sandpiper.