First record of the critically endangered sociable lapwing in its former range south Kosti West of the White Nile

A field trip was organized on 3rd December 2012  as  a part of the project to survey waterbirds in Sudan collaboratively between ONSFS , Wildlife Conservation General Administration , Sudanese Wildlife Society and University of Senar . The mission was to cover the former wetlands which surveyed last two years at  Senar and White Nile and to discover new bird important sites as well.

In the way from Khartoum to Senar , we decided to have quick turn to check some wetlands at Butana area which we told about by some former visitors but we found only Hafeers (atificail water harvesting basins) which highly disturbed by pastoralists and their animals and few  bird’s species were seen there such as little grebe, spur-winged plover. Some raptors observed in the way back including lappet-faced vulture, steppe eagle and ruppelle’s vulture

Hafeer  - 2/12/2012  Butana Area

 We spent the night at University of Senar guest house and in the next morning we headed towards the Rahad Canal which was surveyed last year and about 20000 of demoiselle cranes were inhabiting the site . White-tailed lapwing was observed beside the road in small maya(wetland) .The important maya (wetland) covers the area between bridges 45 and 60 (15 km) which contains high numbers of demoiselle crane(4500) , ruff (7000) , northern pintail(50), northern shovellor(500), Eurasian widgeon and some other small waders .

White-tailed Lapwing- 4/12/2012 Senar

 

We started counting from the eastern side of the maya  but for hundreds meters only as the area was muddy , so we turned back to the western side and on the way we passed below Dark-chanting goshawk  which stands on top of small tree by the road.

The maya lies in the eastern side of Rahad Canal and only way to count the maya from the western  side by walking the 15 km on foot as the road was too bad to drive cars .The team was divided into tow groups and each one started from the opposite direction and met at the center which means each group walked 7.5 km (long way!!!!!!!!!)  . We spent more than five hours counting birds at this amazing maya which needs to be declared as Important Bird Area (IBA) .

Dark-Chanting Goshawk- 4/12/2012  Senar 

 

Sennar state contains quite good numbers of mayas(wetlands) with high species richness and abundance either permanent or  temporary and during the survey we covered some of them in the first two days such as Konaf, Elrigaiba, Abu Hujar , Wadd Eljak, Um Laban and Um Kitir.

The amazing thing was the high number of raptors seen soaring there like  short –toed snake eagle , marsh harrier and some kites. After checking some mayas near Damazin –Singa way one day morning  , we decided to stop for breakfast rest under the shaded Balanites aegyptiaca east Alkonaf bridge but when we  approached to the tree , hundreds of roosted carmine bee –eaters came out of the tree and we realized from the signs of their feces on the ground that the tree was used for long time by the bird . I checked the water canal beside the tree where birds flying over the canal to perch on the electric wires on the other site and I continued for some minutes looking for nesting sites may be hide some where on the canal sides as the bird usually nests by digging holes in the cliffs but nothing was there. Also we noticed high numbers of black kites on the other trees but we couldn’t find the reason of their presence beside the Carmine bee-eaters. 

Northern Carmine Bee-eater, 5/12/2012  Senar

Some mayas checked as part of  Blue Nile and inlands mayas namely Elrigaiba, Elshamia  and wadd Eljack which inhabited by some wader dominant by ruffs, black-winged stilt ,cattle egret and little grebe.

Cattle Egret- 6/12/2012- Senar

On 6^th December , we headed towards Sinar Dam to take the way to other areas further south in the White Nile State and we counted waterbirds in the wetlands we passed through  in our way . Some points were selected to count waterbirds in the Blue Nile as samples for the River before arriving at the Dam where quite good number of species seen there mainly cormorants, herons, ducks ( gargany, pintail,wigeon) , egrets, thicknee and terns

Senegal Thicknee 6/12/2012  Senar

 

Hence, we took our way directly towards White Nile and spent an hour at Wildlife Administration to pick a guide who knows the area very well and to save time in searching for mayas. In the beginning , our plan was to check mayas in our way to Um Jar which is our main target and after some hours driving in sandy clay lands with small shrubs , trees and mainly dominant by grasses give fascinating landscape which I never thought it will be like this, we arrived at the first maya called Alshwaf  holding small water body rich and about 16 species were seen there mainly waders and few waterfowl. At this time ,it was already became dark with the sunset but far west we saw large flocks waving in the air against the red light of sunset  . We continued our way to Um Jar to spend the night there and next morning to count Um Jar according to our previous plan but the image of the large flock was still brightening in our head especially Pierre (ONCFS) when he insisted to go back next morning to the same place as they already have an idea about Um Jar and waterbirds there. The team stayed conscious to late evening waiting grilled goat meat prepared by our host and it was unusual for foreigners to have dinner at 12:00 am but it was a nice meal.

Next morning , while we were going back to the same place on 7^th December , we stopped at  Algardood maya just beside the road with fascinating nature comprising from merged tall grasses and reeds which is ideal habitat for waterbirds prefer hiding and walking on floating plants . We recorded about 500 squacco heron, 50 long-tailed cormorant , 10 African jacana  , 10 pied kingfisher , 20 whiskered tern beside some other species.

Great White Egret, Long-tailed Cormorant - 7/12/2012- White Nile

Great White Egret, Long-tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron- 7/12/2012- White Nile

Pied Kingfisher- 7/12/2012  White Nile

The big surprise was waiting us when we reached the place where we saw the large flock last day and astonished by  the huge numbers of ducks living in small clear maya  called Alsilaiaa which is not far from small village there. Unbelievable, about  40,000 ducks dominant by garganey (17,100)   , Northern Pintail (15,700) Eurasian Widgeon (4900) , Northern shovellor  (2100)  and small numbers of Fulvous whistling Duck, Comb Duck, Ferruginous Duck and common teal  beside some waders in the shore such as ruff, demoiselle crane, abdem’s stork and amazing Ruddy –Turnstone which is only known to be in the Red Sea coast.

Flock of Ducks- 7/12/2012  White Nile

 

We covered one maya more with considerable species richness called Um Suar  before we took rest for breakfast at midd-day .In the first maya we recorded more than 300 black-winged stilt,  124 black-tailed godwit , 700 ruff, 140 little egret , 40 little stint, 30 grey heron, 31 glossy ibis with only two waterfowl (garganey &fulvous duck) which deserved to called wader’s maya and it lies just 10 meters in front of the a village and we wonder how the birds live near the village but later we knew that people there don’t hunt birds and they believed that  bird meat makes kind of skin irritation and we found ourselves happy with this belief for bird welfare.

Good news comes together,  while the team waiting for the breakfast  , small group decided to have quick look at two mayas near by which called Um Sila and Um Suar 2 as it has the same name like the previous one .UM Sila is a deep maya lies in the main stream of Khor Ubu Habel which extends from western Sudan to far east supported all mayas in its way and this year the water level was high and the Khor flooded all over the area filling the depressions and reached area not filled for some years. More than 150 long-tailed cormorant were there. When we stopped at Um Suar maya , I pointed my telescope to far east end leaving the near species for those who have binoculars to count and I started to count birds with good start of Eurasian Curlew (not its range) and just left I couldn’t believe my eyes with the presence of two individuals of critically endangered sociable lapwing taking bath with their remarkable black spot on the tail , I shouted for colleagues to check more and all wondered. It is the first record of sociable lapwing in its former range south of Khartoum west of the Nile for long decades. The Sudanese Wildlife Society has a project for this species in collaboration with RSPB since 2008 following two groups tagged with transmitters wintering in Sudan but never recorded south Khartoum and it moves between east and north Sudan. This gives us an idea about its range and what areas we should cover next time. The bird was seen associated with the Eurasian curlew, gull billed tern , black-winged stilt, little stint and common ringed plover. Pierre took pictures of the bird but in low quality because of the far distance .

Two sociable lapwing in the middle &gull bill tern in both sides- 7/12/2012  White Nile

Each maya seems to have its own characteristics and waterbirds’ species as in the next maya (Alsunta) we recorded 400 glossy ibis, 590 black-winged stilt but the ruff look common every where. Before it gets dark, we headed towards Tendalty town to spend a night there and to survey some wetlands there but we don’t know where we can get place to sleep. Our destiny took us near his door as we stop to ask some guys if there is guest house and they guided us to the next door where there is a hospitable man always opened his house to guests . For tow nights he stood himself to serve us beside ordering our dinner from his own pocket ,so thanks Mohammed Hassan for your hospitality

Our Host in the middle with white T-shirt

  Next day on 8^th December , we went to Tendalty Dam which built on Khar Ubu Habel to harvest water during flooding time and both sides of the Dam covered by acacia nilotica due to its water resistance. About 18 species of waterbirds observed there mainly white-faced duck (730), little egret, little stint but others in low numbers and it is not as we thought but may be due to disturbance from people moving every where . 

Tendalty Dam. 8/12/2012  White Nile

Our permission for movement was up to White Nile and not included North Kordofan State ,so we get back to continue surveying mayas near Khor Abu Habel such as Wadd Alayis, Um Oud , Alsunta, Alawama, Abu Gunbary  and Saggay Elfadil . large number of waterbirds were seen there and the team  felt exhausted from counting birds all the day with no rest.  Waterbird species at these mayas according to highest numbers were ; ruff , black-winged stilt,  little stint,  glossy ibis, little egret, great white egret and spur-winged plover respectively. At night we get back to Tendalty to spend our last night there and next day we tried to cover the rest of mayas (wetlands) but their numbers were more than our few days there as the water scattered in wide areas.  These wetlands need more than one week to be covered in proper way .

Glossy ibis - 9/12/2012  White Nile

 

Thanks to all the participants from ONCFS (Zetuni, Jean-Yeves, Pierre and Cle’mence) WCGA ( Mohammed Ali, Yahi Edin, Khidir, Mohammed Adam, Alam) ,  SWS ( Esmat and Elfirdous) and University of Senar ( Altyeb , Mohammed Elmekki & Mohammed Adam)

the team - 9/12/2012   White Nile