Migration slightly quieter today at Tuti

There were still plenty of migrants around at Tuti yesterday when I visited with Stephen Blight, though slightly less than last week. Visible migration included a flyover group of Glossy Ibises, a group of ducks that were probably Pintail, and a Western Marsh Harrier flying up the White Nile.

Glossy Ibises, Tuti Island 23rd september 2011

There was a slightly different mix of warblers, with lots more Lesser Whitethroats, a Common Whitethroat, several Reed Warblers and some larger Acrocephalus warblers that were probably Great Reed Warblers. There were still plenty of Willow Warblers around. One bird that had me stumped for a while was an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler. This is the common resident warbler on Tuti, so one I am pretty familiar with. I guess that this bird was a migrant and behaving a bit differently, plus it may also be a different race. It seemed to me to be slightly bulkier and with a larger bill than those I am familiar with, leading me to suspect an Upcher's Warbler. I posted the photos on Birdforum and it soon was pretty evident that it was just an Eastern Olivaceous.

Eurasian Reed Warbler, Tuti Island 23rd september 2011

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Tuti Island 23rd september 2011

I was also pleased to see a group of African Skimmers, as I have only seen them in Sudan on one previous occasion. A group of 8 were flying downstream, so were presumably not migrating (Nikolaus describes them as a breeding visitor to the north, so this would have been a possibility).

African Skimmers, Tuti Island 23rd september 2011

As we arrived back home to Araak City at the end of the morning a Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush flew across the road in front of us. A few days earlier I had seen a Red-backed Shrike in the compound and, as mentioned in my post last week, had found a dead Quail just a few hundred metres away. There must be lots of migrants scattered around the city with Tuti Island just the tip of the iceberg.

Migrants today at Tuti

Migration was still very noticeable today at Tuti and it was clear that there were many different birds than last week. There were still plenty of shrikes (Masked, Red-backed, Lesser Grey and Southern Grey), quite a few Hoopoes and Whinchats, though fewer Wheatears. More Barn Swallows were moving through along with a couple of Sand Martins, and there was still a single Spotted Flycatcher. There were many more European Bee-eaters, with one flock numbering around 100, but no sign of any Common Swifts, Cuckoos, Little Swifts or Tawny Pipits. As with last week, there were still lots of Yellow-billed Kites that appeared to be migrating, though this time they were mixed in with some Black Kites. I wondered if the Yellow-billed Kits might be the Egyptian subspecies, though Nikolaus (1987) mentions that there is a movement north during the rainy season of Sudanese birds, so these could just be those birds returning.

Whinchat, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

New birds this week included a couple of Common Nightingales, a European Golden Oriole, some Yellow Wagtails, and a Semi-collared Flycatcher. The flycatcher did not show the characteristic white edging to the median coverts, but had a lot of white in the tail which separates it from the much rarer Collared Flycatcher. It seems to be a first year male that has yet to moult its coverts (which are still greyish-brown), but shows the adult patterning to its wings and tail (which are black). New waterbirds included a Common Sandpiper, a group of Black-tailed Godwits and a Whiskered Tern.

Semi-collared Flycatcher, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Black-tailed Godwits, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

However, the biggest change in the migrants this week was the arrival of the warblers. It was evident that they had just arrived, as they were all at the north end of the island in the first few bushes, and there were even several Willow Warblers feeding on the ground in the stubble fields, despite there being more suitable bushy habitat only 100 metres further south. Many of these warblers could be seen hopping from bush to bush in the direction of this thicker cover. Most common were the Willow Warblers, though there were several Reed Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat, plus many individuals that were not seen well enough to identify.

Willow Warbler, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

As always, local birds gave me plenty to watch, the best of course being the Cinnamon Weaver discussed in the previous post. I was particularly pleased to see a Grey Woodpecker, which is the first of any woodpecker species I have seen in Sudan. A couple of Shikras were circling together and swooping at each other as if it might be display, though both were juveniles and it might have been interaction between recently fledged siblings.

Grey Woodpecker, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Shikra, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Blue-naped Mousebird, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Senegal Thick-knee, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

One bird I have yet to see at Tuti or elsewhere in Sudan is a Common Quail. However, I know they must be moving through right now because yesterday I found a freshly dead bird beside the road close to my house at the southern end of Khartoum.

Cinnamon Weaver at last

Since arriving in Sudan I have been wanting to see a Cinnamon Weaver, which was known to be the only endemic bird in Sudan. However, since the separation of South Sudan this is no longer the case, as it is found in both countries. I have never been able to find photos on the internet, despite careful searching, and the only picture I knew of was in my old copy of Cave and MacDonald's 'Birds of the Sudan', from 1955. Today I finally came across this male at the north end of Tuti Island. It was with a few Northern Masked Weavers, but there was no sign of any other Cinnamon Weavers around.  These may be the first ever photos of this species.

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

Cinnamon Weaver, Tuti Island 16th September 2011

It is a nicer bird than I had expected and I hope to see more. There is a lot more yellow than described in the book, especially on the belly and vent. The species is virtually unknown, so I would be interested in finding some nests and doing a short study.

Migration well under way at Tuti

After a quiet visit to Tuti Island last week, it was a pleasant surprise to see good numbers of migrants there today. The morning actually started very quietly, with me virtually walking the length of the island through the section with thick bushes and trees, without seeing any migrants. However, once I reached the more open area at the end of the island things were different. I saw the first of several Isabelline Wheatears, the first of many Common Swifts, the first of several groups of European Bee-eaters, several Hoopoes, a Red-backed Shrike and a Whinchat.

Isabelline Wheatear, Tuti 9th September 2011

Red-backed Shrike, Tuti 9th September 2011

From the fort I headed over to the the White Nile and back upriver. Last autumn these fields had been heavily flooded and good for water birds, though difficult to access. This year the habitat has not been as good for waders, ducks and herons, but the fields today were good for migrants. There were a few more Isabelline Wheatears, plus a Black-eared Wheatear and what was probably a Pied Wheatear. I saw a Tawny Pipit for the first time on Tuti, plus a Lesser Grey Shrike, a few more Red-backed Shrikes, three Spotted Flycatchers, three more Whinchats, and several Sand Martins and Barn Swallows. I also saw a Little Swift, though I am still unable to tell if these are resident birds or migrants.

Lesser-grey Shrike, Tuti 9th September 2011

Black-eared Wheatear, Tuti 9th September 2011

Spotted Flycatcher, Tuti 9th September 2011

Tawny Pipit, Tuti 9th September 2011

There was little visible migration, though some ducks were heading south along the river. I saw the first group too late to identify them, but the second group flew overhead allowing them to be identified as Gargany. There were several large groups of kites circling above that I first assumed to by Migrating Black Kites, but on further inspection all the ones I saw well were clearly Yellow-billed Kites. A group of three Little-ringed Plovers flying upriver may also have been on active migration. There was also a Gull-billed Tern.

Gargany, Tuti 9th September 2011

Although a very common bird in South Sudan and many other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu does not seem to be very common as far north as Khartoum. I therefore enjoyed watching a pair feeding in the undergrowth that were only my second sightings here.

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Tuti 9th September 2011

Little migration at Tuti

I have been out of the country for the last three months, so it was good to be back out birding at Tuti today. I see from eilatbirding.blogspot.com that birds are already moving through the Middle East on migration. However, it was pretty quiet at Tuti this morning with only a couple of definite migrants - one Common Cuckoo and one Red-backed Shrike. A few other birds may have been migrants or local birds (such as a flyover spoonbill that was not identified to species). As always, there was still plenty to watch among the resident birds and summer residents.

White-rumped Seedeater, Tuti 29th August 2011

Southern Grey Shrike, Tuti 29th August 2011

Sacred Ibis, Tuti 29th August 2011

I have been trying to get some comparison shots of Lesser and Greater Blue-eared Starlings for a while, but without success. Today I managed to get a couple together in a tree, but the size comparison is less evident than when they are side by side on the ground. Once you get your eye in they are generally quite easy to separate, but shortly after taking this photo I saw and photographed a probable Lesser, only to start doubting myself about its identity. I would like to get it sorted out so that I can identify separate individuals. I would appreciate any thoughts on the id of the last bird.

Greater and Lesser Blue-eared Starlings, Tuti 29th August 2011

Blue-eared Starling sp., Tuti 29th August 2011

The Red Sea coastal plain

As discussed in my previous posts, the main aim of our trip to Port Sudan was to look for the Red Sea Swallow, which meant that little effort was made to look for coastal birds. However, I will still summarise a few of the sightings made. We had some delay in Port Sudan waiting for our permit, which gave us a bit of time to wander around and to visit the old port of Suakin. One of the most noticable birds in built-up areas along the coast was the House Crow, which is apparently an introduction or escape. The other two crow species in the region were clearly divided from them by altitude, with Brown-necked Ravens in the middle elevations of the Red Sea Hills (including the areas below Erkowit where you turn off the main road) and Fan-tailed Ravens on the higher plateau at Erkowit.

House Crow, Suakin 29th May 2011

Raptors of the coastal plain included Egyptian Vultures (which were also common up at Erkowit). A pair of Lanner Falcons gave good views as they fed their two fledgelings. An Osprey flew over at Suakin, presumably on migration. We had hoped to see Sooty Falcons as they are supposed to be quite common breeders in the region, but they seem to be confined mainly to the islands off the coast.

Egyptian Vultures, Red Sea coastal plain 28th May 2011

Female Lanner Falcon with young, Red Sea coastal Plain 1st June 2011

At Suakin we had a chance to see a few sea birds. Sooty Gulls were common, but we did not see any White-eyed Gulls on our brief visit, though they should be around the area. There were also few opportunities to look for terns, with several species supposedly found (such as Saunders Tern and the two crested terns). One species we did pick up at a bit of a distance was White-cheeked Tern. I would be interested in making a trip up here to investigate the coast a bit more and visit some of the islands.

Sooty Gull, Suakin 29th May 2011

There were a few other species seen on the coastal plain such as Hoopoe Lark (also present at Erkowit), Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Sand Martin, African Silverbill, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (unidentified Sandgrouse were also in the Red Sea Hills), Little and Cattle Egrets.

The Red Sea Hills north of Port Sudan

Between Port Sudan and the Egyptian border there is a range of hills that follows the Red Sea coast. While the hills to the south of Port Sudan (e.g. around Arkowit) form a plateau, these hills are in the form  of peaks to a little over 2000m, with low valleys (wadis) between them at around 400-600m. The wadis were completely dry when we were there and filled with boulders and pebbles that had been washed down over the millennia from the surrounding hills. There are few people living in this region (where it must be a pretty Spartan existance), but enough for there to be a network of tracks along the wadis. We were driving a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck and it was easy to get around everywhere in the region. This is a very dry area and I doubt that the summer rains have much effect on this network of tracks, which has allowed them to develop so extensively despite very little traffic.

Our first camp in the Red Sea Hills, 30th May 2011

Valley in the Red Sea Hills, 30th May 2011

House used by locals living in the Red Sea Hills, 31st May 2011

Birdlife was very sparse in this area and many of the species that were common at Arkowit and along the dry areas of the coastal plain (such as Yellow-billed Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Crested Lark and Barn Swallow) were absent here. However, although the numbers were low there were several species found here that were not seen elsewhere, such as Sand Partridge, Bonelli's Eagle, Hooded Wheatear, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Arabian (or Red Sea) Warbler, Southern Grey Shrike, and Fulvous Babbler. Surprisingly, it was also the only place I saw any Blue-naped Mousebirds. The Bonelli's Eagles were a particularly good find and at first I thought they were the first records for Sudan, though I later discovered that a recent expedition had also found them here (near the dam mentioned below).  There have only been a few previous records of Hooded Wheatear in the country.

Bonelli's Eagle, Red Sea Hills 31st May 2011

Sand Partridge, Red Sea Hills 31st May 2011

Southern Grey Shrike, Red Sea Hills 30th May 2011

Arabian Warbler, Red Sea Hills 30th May 2011

Hooded Wheatear, Red Sea Hills 31st May 2011

White-crowned Black Wheatear, Red Sea Hills 31st May 2011

Fulvous Babbler, Red Sea Hills 30th May 2011

On our return journey we accidentally encountered a good track that headed directly to Port Sudan, joining the city in a north western suburb (this would be the best route to access these hills, though it has deep sand in places and would need 4-wheel drive). As we followed this route we came across a few more settlements and for the first time we saw some other vehicles. At one point we could see what was clearly a small dam and we got out to investigate hoping that this might be exactly the place to look for the Red Sea Swallow and other species. Just below the dam there was a marshy patch which had Squacco Heron, Grey Heron, Little Swift and House Bunting, while in the local settlement we saw a Booted Eagle and a Honey Buzzard. Later analysis of photos revealed that this was in fact a Crested Honey-Buzzard, the first record for the country. All of these were our only sightings of the entire trip. This whet our appetites for what the reservoir might offer, but as we approached the dam we saw two men coming to meet us. They were friendly, despite seeing two foreigners with binoculars and a large camera approaching what was clearly a sensitive site, but we knew that there would be no chance of us continuing further so we smiled and headed off. This seems to be the only water in the entire region of these hills and given what we saw from the few minutes we had in the area, it must be good for birds. Google Earth appears to show a second reservoir a bit further up from the first and I would like to check the area thoroughly, but I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to go about getting permission.  

Little Swift, Red Sea Hills 1st June 2011

Crested Honey-Buzzard, the first record for Sudan, Red Sea Hills 1st June 2011

Booted Eagle, Red Sea Hills 1st June 2011