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Supathi Ratnayake Photography

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23/03/2026

Silver Drift
A gentle pulse of movement stirs the air as gulls rise in a synchronized lift, shifting effortlessly to a fresh stretch of the shallows. The pale light of the coast drapes over the scene, catching the charcoal tips of their wings.

Date: 07/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 800; f/8 @ 1/1000 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

22/03/2026

Wings Over the Shallows
A Black-headed Gull suspended in mid-air prepares to touch down among its kin. Its translucent primary feathers catch the cool, even light of the coastal morning, highlighting the delicate grey and white plumage against the soft blue water of the Palk Strait.

Black-headed Gull - කළුහිස් ගලුවියා (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Date: 07/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 800; f/8.0 @ 1/1000 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

21/03/2026

Procession of the Foragers
In the soft, golden light of a Thalaimannar morning, a trio of Common Redshanks scans the submerged mud for the slight movements of small crustaceans. There is a delicate intentionality in the leading bird's posture as it turns its head, as if pausing to reconsider a missed spot beneath the surface. Behind it, its companions follow in a rhythmic, blurred procession.

Common Redshank - පොදු රත්පා සිලිබිල්ලා (Tringa totanus)
Date: 07/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 125; f/7.1 @ 1/200 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

20/03/2026

The Shoreline Scout
A little bird marches along the wet, muddy shoreline as the morning sun casts a warm beam upon its feathers, making it stand out perfectly against the cool, blue background.

Lesser Sand Plover - හීන්වැලි ඔලෙවියා (Charadrius mongolus)
Date: 07/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 250; f/6.3 @ 1/1000 - 588 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

18/03/2026

Walking on Water
As the tide slowly recedes from the shores of Thalaimannar, a thin veil of shallow water transforms the mudflats to a hazy mirror of sky. Sitting perfectly still on seeping mats, we watched this Common Redshank navigate the salty expanse, its vibrant orange legs cutting through the cool, diffused blue reflections.

Common Redshank - පොදු රත්පා සිලිබිල්ලා (Tringa totanus)
Date: 07/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 125; f/6.3 @ 1/200 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

15/03/2026

The Hidden Sanctuary
It was a scene of pure rhythmic stillness. Hidden well behind the thickets, dozens of long, woven nests hung suspended among the thorns, swaying ever so slightly in a breeze we could barely feel. These intricate cradles of the Streaked Weaver, tucked away from the roadside, felt like a secret world we were lucky enough to stumble upon.

Date: 06/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 200; f/8.0 @ 1/800 - 214 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

13/03/2026

The Morning Soloist
While we were wandering along the long, straight roads of the Mannar mudflats, hoping to find some activity, we were greeted by the persistent song of this Ashy Prinia. I love how it chose the highest, most skeletal branch to announce its presence against the clear blue summer sky.

Ashy Prinia - අළු ප්‍රීණියා (Prinia socialis)
Date: 06/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 160; f/8.0 @ 1/800 - 565 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

12/03/2026

The Runway Patrol
During an evening scout in Mannar, we finally ticked a long-awaited species off our bucket list. After spotting them earlier in cluttered scrub, luck favoured us as this trio emerged onto the open expanse of the abandoned aircraft runway. The contrast was perfect: a dark forest wall behind them and the flat, sun-baked tarmac below. We didn't dare step out of the car, capturing this shot through the open window just before these shy birds retreated back into the shadows.

Grey Francolin - අළු උස්සවටුවා (Francolinus pondicerianus)
Date: 06/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 8000; f/6.3 @ 1/1600 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

11/03/2026

The Ghost of the Mudflats: A Rare Sri Lankan Encounter
After weeks of anticipation and hearing whispers of a legend, we finally stood on the vast Mannar mudflats with one goal: the Short-eared Owl. This species is an extremely rare migrant, perhaps even a vagrant to Sri Lanka. The honor of locating and identifying this bird for the first time this season goes to our incredible guide, Pathum Bandara, who has dedicated himself to observing it every day since his initial discovery. Being one of the few to finally frame it in the wild was the adrenaline rush of a lifetime.
This bird is the ultimate "hide and seek" champion of the mudflats. It stays pinned down in the scrub, invisible to the naked eye, only to burst into the air without a second's notice. Even after it lands, it has a frustratingly brilliant habit of crawling through the undergrowth to a new spot, making it nearly impossible to track.

Short-eared Owl - කෙටිකන් ඇසිබකමූණා (Asio flammeus)
Date: 06/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 100; f/8.0 @ 1/800 - 600 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

10/03/2026

The Sentinels of Mannar
On the final day of my first flamingo expedition to Mannar, the sun stayed hidden behind the fog just long enough to bathe the plains in an amber glow. While the rest of the flock was busy feeding in the liquid gold of the shallows, these three sentinels stood tall and alert, rising above the group in perfect balance. The background plains disappear into the distant fog, while the silhouette of the Andara tree captures the beautiful, arid nature of the Mannar landscape.

Greater flamingo - රජ සියක්කාරයා (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Date: 08/03/2026 @ Mannar
ISO 100; f/6.3 @ 1/100 - 594 mm Focal length
Sony A7 iii ; Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3G OSS

04/03/2026

The Peacock Impersonator
Perched high atop a leafless branch, this Blue-tailed Bee-eater perfectly mimics the elegance of a peacock by using the long dangling twigs as its own "train." The pale rays of the dawn provide a gentle, direct light that illuminates the bird's vibrant plumage against the minimalist canvas of a clear blue sky.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater - නිල්පෙඳ බිඟුහරයා (Merops philippinus)
Date: 25/02/2026 @ Yala National Park
ISO 360; f/8 @ 1/160 - 500 mm Focal length
Nikon D7500; Nikon AF-S 200-500 mm ED VR

03/03/2026

Royal Gaze at Dawn
Perched atop a weathered boulder, the peacock commands the frame as the first light of the morning casts a spotlight on him. He is a true king, adorned with a glowing crown, a coat of chainmail, and a green velvet cape jeweled with blue sapphire. It is a moment of quiet majesty, where the diffused warmth of the dawn perfectly highlights the iridescent details of his plumage.

Captured during our hunt for the European Bee-eater in Yala National Park alongside our guru, Prasad Hapuarachchi , and a great group of friends.

Indian Peafowl - මොනරා (Pavo cristatus)
Date: 25/02/2026 @ Yala National Park
ISO 400; f/5.6 @ 1/125 - 500 mm Focal length
Nikon D7500; Nikon AF-S 200-500 mm ED VR

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