Birding South Sudan: A new species for South Sudan

In the damp overcast morning I went across the Nile and down the old Nimule road as far as Rejaf, perhaps 8 kms. The dense grasses in the open acacia woodland and cultivation were once again full of seed-eating birds. Amongst a flock of Black-winged and Northern Red Bishops, I noticed a flash of white on a long-tailed, largely black, bird. This turned out to be a White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus of the subspecies eques, which Nikolaus (Birds of South Sudan) speculated could occur along the Uganda border, and a first record for South Sudan.

White-winged Widowbird, male in breeding plumage

A non-avian highlight was this mongoose, perhaps an egyptian mongoose. It was not shy, at least of cars.

Egyptian(?) Mongoose

As last time I came along this route, there were Silverbirds with fledged young. I again found the remarkably non-descript Siffling Cisticola, though it actually rather easy to identify at the moment as it gives its distinctive song of descending notes from the tops of trees.

Siffling Cisticola

I'm at last sorting out the glossy starlings. Individual species can look so different depending on the light conditions. Today most were Lesser Blue-eared Starlings: smaller that Bronze-tailed, with shorter tails that never show any bronze hues, often rather dull yellow eyes, and a rather turquoise-blue head.