Traveler's Diary

24/08/2025

This is a Plain Tiger butterfly (Danaus chrysippus), locally known in Sinhala as පහන් ගෝමරා. 🦋
It’s one of the most common and iconic butterflies in Sri Lanka, easily recognized by its orange wings bordered in black with white spots. Like other members of the “tiger” group, it’s protected from predators by the toxic compounds it absorbs from the plants it feeds on as a caterpillar.

📍 Location – Anavilundawa
📸 Camera – Canon 5D Mark III | Lens 70-300mm

#පහන්ගෝමරා

© Backyard Wilderness by Ashen Uyanahewage Photography

24/08/2025

The Noisy Neighbor — Yellow-billed Babbler

Meet the ever-chattering Yellow-billed Babbler (Argya affinis), a common but lively presence across Sri Lanka. These birds are rarely seen alone — they travel in groups, hopping from branch to branch, and filling the air with their constant calls.

Though their plumage is plain brown and grey, their bright yellow bill and busy personalities make them stand out in any backyard or garden.

📍 Location: Beddagan Wetland Park

📸 Camera: Canon 5D Mark III + 30–300mm lens

© Ashen Uyanahewage Photography

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24/08/2025

20/08/2025

🐦 Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus)

Gliding through reeds and climbing onto branches, the Grey-headed Swamphen brightens up our wetlands with its shimmering mix of blue, purple, and green plumage, crowned by a striking red shield.

Spotted inside the lush surroundings of Beddagana Wetland Park, this swamphen is a perfect reminder of the life that thrives when wetlands are protected. 🌿✨

Backyard Wilderness by Ashen Uyanahewage

📍 Beddagana Wetland Park, Sri Lanka

📷 Canon 5D Mark III + 70-300mm lens

© All Rights Reserved — Backyard Wilderness by Ashen Uyanahewage Photography

20/08/2025

✨ Common Picture Wing (Rhyothemis variegata)

A striking dragonfly with bright yellow wings marked with bold black patterns. Often seen gliding gracefully over wetlands and grasslands, it plays a vital role as a natural pest controller, feeding on mosquitoes and other small insects.

📍 Location – Anavilundawa
📸 Camera – Canon 5D Mark III | Lens 70-300mm



© Backyard Wilderness by Ashen Uyanahewage Photography

09/08/2025

🦋 Small Salmon Arab (Colotis amata)
Spotted in a quiet corner of Anawilundawa, this tiny visitor reminds us just how vibrant our dry zone wilderness can be. The Small Salmon Arab may be small in size, but it's full of character — dressed in soft yellow and salmon hues, outlined with delicate dark borders.

It fluttered gracefully under the afternoon sun, eventually settling just long enough to be captured around 1.30 PM in natural light. These subtle species often go unnoticed, but they're part of what makes our backyards and wild places so rich in life.

📍 Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland

📸 Canon 5D Mark III | 70–300mm | Natural light |

© Ashen Uyanahewage Photography – Backyard Wilderness

🔒 All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is strictly prohibited.

09/08/2025

❤️

🦋 Common Tiger

📍 Spotted: Anavilundawa Ramsar Wetland Sanctuary.

📸 Canon 5D Mark ||| 70-300mm

© Ashen Uyanahewage | All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is strictly prohibited.

🔖

02/08/2025

🦋 Crimson Rose – රතු රෝසයා/ දිලිරන් සෙව්වන්දියා/ අරුණ සෙව්වන්දියා

In the soft late-morning light of Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland, the graceful Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector) danced through the greenery before pausing just long enough for this moment.

With its deep black wings, white streaks, and vivid crimson-red spots on the hindwings, this butterfly is as elegant as it is unmistakable. Active even during the heat of the day, the Crimson Rose feeds on nectar and plays a role in pollination — while also serving as a subtle reminder of how delicate and rich our ecosystems truly are.

This species is part of the swallowtail family (Papilionidae) and is known to be distasteful to predators, a defense gained through toxins from the plants its caterpillars feed on. Beauty, in this case, comes with a smart evolutionary shield.

Moments like this — captured around 11.30 a.m. under natural light — show how even a single butterfly can add color and wonder to the wild.

📍Captured at Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland

📸 Canon 5D Mark III | Natural light, ~11.30 a.m.

© Ashen Uyanahewage Photography – Backyard Wilderness

🔒 All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction of this image is strictly prohibited.

#රතුරෝසයා

01/08/2025

🦋 Blue Tiger – නිල් කොඹයා
Amid the filtered sunlight of late morning, this stunning Blue Tiger (Tirumala limniace) paused just long enough to be seen — wings wide, colors glowing against a backdrop of shadow.

Captured around 11.00 a.m. at the Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland, this moment came together in pure natural light, with no artificial setup — just patience and timing. A single ray of sun broke through the canopy and lit the butterfly perfectly, creating a dramatic contrast against the dark background.

The Blue Tiger belongs to the Danaid group of butterflies and is known for its slow, gliding flight and mesmerizing patterns of bluish-white spots. It’s part of a mimicry complex that imitates the toxic Milkweed butterflies, giving it natural protection from predators — a great example of beauty serving a purpose.

Despite being fairly common in some regions, encountering one like this — perfectly lit and still — is a rare gift. These quiet moments remind us that nature’s theatre is always open, even when we least expect it.

📍Captured at Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland

📸 Canon 5D Mark III + 70–300mm | Natural light, ~11.00 a.m.

© Ashen Uyanahewage Photography – Backyard Wilderness

🔒 All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction of this image is strictly prohibited.

#නිල්කොඹයා

01/08/2025

🦋 Tawny Coster (Acraea terpsichore)

This vibrant orange fluttering beauty, was spotted near Kumana National Park, gracefully gliding among wild grasses. With its striking black-dotted wings and gentle flight, it brings a splash of color to the dry zone wilderness.

Though not native, this butterfly has now become a familiar sight across Sri Lanka. Having naturally migrated here, the Tawny Coster has quickly adapted and thrived — especially in scrublands, forest edges, and even backyard gardens.

Seen up close, it's a reminder of how dynamic and ever-changing our ecosystems are — and how new species can find their place in the heart of the wild.

📍 Captured near Kumana National Park
📸 No filters. Just nature, raw and real.



© Ashen Uyanahewage | Unauthorized use of this image is strictly prohibited.

31/12/2024

කැටයමින් සහ අලංකාරවත් බවින් හෙබි දළදා මාලිගාවේ සේයාරූ කිහිපයක්.. ඉතින් හිත තවත් නිවන ශ්ද්ධාවෙන් හෙබි තැනක් නොවේද මේ .. හිත හිත ඉන්න දෙයක් නෑ, දළදා වහන්සේ වැද පුදාගෙන මේ අලුත් අවුරුද්ද ආරම්භ කරමු...