West shore, Tuti Island

Sunday was my biggest day birding in Khartoum, Sudan. I visited Tuti Island from eight onwards. This island is at the confluence of the two Niles and is mostly farmland in the middle of an urban area of six million people.

I started out at the south west corner of the island near the one bridge to the city. Then I walked along the western shore until I moved inland into the farms.

This blog is about the walk along the shore line.

The best moment of this part of the session was undoubtedly coming across an Egyptian plover and close up.

Egyptian plover

These birds are not shy. When I got too close it just sat down at first presumably as a hiding technique.

Egyptian plover sitting

Later it chose to simply walk away.

Egyptian plover walking away

Later I saw two more birds but this time in flight. 

Spur-winged lapwing

Once again the shore line held spur-winged lapwing.

common sandpiper

It was here that common sandpiper and Temminck's stint were added to my growing Sudan list.

pied kingfisher

Much better views were had of pied kingfisher than three days before at Sunut Forest.

Little ringed plover

I usually associate little ringed plover with man-made habitats. However there were several on the banks of the White Nile on Tuti.

laughing dove

Doves were coming down to the water's edge to drink. These were both laughing dove and African mourning dove.

African mourning dove

Little bee-eater was seen all over Tuti Island but clearly gravitates towards bushes next to the rivers.

little bee-eater

Red-billed firefinch is not a shore bird but that didn't stop a female hopping on to the shoreline.

red-billed firefinch

In the next blog I will report on the farms on Tuti and give a full list of the 42 species seen on the Island.