Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Independence Day

Yesterday was South Sudan's first anniversary of independence and I watched the ceremonies here in Juba. 


Birds were the last thing on my mind but I brought the camera to take some photographs of the events.  A pair of House Sparrows were nesting in the girders of the grandstand roof.  I saw one bird of this species in Juba last year, probably making yesterday's sighting the second record for South Sudan south of Malakal in Upper Nile State.  A quick Google search suggests that the species has colonised Uganda.  My best guess is that the birds were trapped in containers and transported here from Kenya or Uganda.


House Sparrows

A quick visit to a channel of the Nile by the Star hotel this evening revealed an African Harrier-hawk, which is uncommon around Juba, as well as my first definite Greater Blue-eared Starlings - they were giving their characteristic nasal call (no pics).

African Harrier-hawk

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