I did not go deep into some jungle to capture this photo of a Crested Serpent Eagle. No siree, it was just shot from my window in Battaramulla. We only a Kilometer from the town center. Despite the efforts of successive governments and countless people, there are a few trees still left standing in this neighbourhood, and sometimes they attract beautiful and rare creatures such as this.

A health conscious Cattle Egret, going for a stroll early in the morning.

There is a Dengue fever epidemic going around. Every year, as soon as the monsoon starts the dengue menance raises it’s ugly head, but it dies down during the dry season.  This has lead health officials to mistakenly believe that dengue is caused by Mosquitoes. Finally they have now realized that Dengue is really caused by Parrots and have ordered people to cut down all trees on which Parrots reside in. These instructions are music to the ears of a nation of tree haters and they are gleefully complying. And in doing so they are helping the country’s economy as well. Lots of unemployed persons are finding new work, as wood cutters.

Parrots build their nests by digging holes in tree trunks

There were three Cashew trees on this plot of land, home to at least 20 parrots.

Parrots often fight with Kingfishers, Mynas, Barbets and Redbacks over the same nests. Now they are all being left homeless and hopefully they will all be eliminated. After all Kingfishers might be the real cause of Aids and flamebacks are said to be responsible for Malaria. Rumour has it that Barbets might be carriers of Swine flu. A positive side effect is that we will no longer have to put up with the rackets caused by birds in the mornings.

The sad fate that befalls most Sri Lanka Trees