Waterworld

With heavy rains on several recent days and nights, large areas of marshland are forming just north of Juba.  The two photos below show the extent of the transformation since early April: the first was taken on 8 April after light rains had produced a flush of new grass for the Mundari herders' cattle. The second was taken today, when people were fishing with nets and spears, catching lots of catfish.

5 kms north of Juba, 8 April

nearby, 28 April

One of the first birds I saw was an immature gull, presumably Lesser Black-backed or Heuglin's (any thought very welcome). The legs were pinkish.

Presumed Lesser Blacked-backed or Heuglin's Gull

Next, I walked across another area of marsh that becomes impenetrable later in the rains.  There was a large Mundari cattle camp on its fringes.  I came across a female Black-bellied Bustard in the less wet edge of the marsh, whilst out in the middle were a pair of Saddle-backed Storks along with numerous Great Egrets, Wood Sandpipers and some Long-tailed Cormorants.  A hundred of more Cattle Egrets were feeding among the cattle, and hundreds more flew overhead.

 

Saddle-billed Stork

Black-bellied Bustard

Walking back to the car through light woodland, now with a carpet of green grass and bright new leaves on the acacias, bauhinias and other trees, I found a flock of eight or so Green Wood-hoopoes.  This should be a common species in the area, but today's sighting was inexplicably my first in nearly two years.

Green Wood-hoopoes

Other species included some calling Red-chested Cuckoos that, unusually, I managed to see and even photograph, as well as Levaillant's and Klaas's Cuckoos, a Woodland Kingfisher and several Black-billed Barbets. I glimpsed an eremomela, but could not photograph or identify it.

Woodland Kingfisher

Red-chested Cuckoo

Heading back to Juba, Bosco, my driver, saw a bird of prey with white in the tail, which turned out ot be my second Western Banded Snake-Eagle for the area.  Further along, a Pink-backed Pelican flew over, whilst a scan of the marshland in the first photo on this blog revealed Ruffs, Black-winged Stilts and a Goliath Heron, though all too distant to photograph well.

Western Banded Snake-Eagle

Pink-backed Pelican