More juveniles

After yesterdays lone Sand Martin I was surprised to find at least ten with Barn Swallows over the Tailings just after dawn. Also on the Tailings were single White-winged Tern and Grey-headed Gull and the usual assortment of waders whilst a Sedge Warbler was singing somewhere in the distance. The Black-winged Stilt was not sitting and I was a bit worried the nest had been predated so I went to take a look, I found three eggs much to the consternation of about 20 Stilts so I beat a hasty retreat to leave them to it.

Hamerkop, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Black-winged Stilt, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

It was another good day for evidence of breeding in the woodlands around camp with recently fledged Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Greencap Eremomela seen and photographed.

juvenile Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

adult and juvenile Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

juvenile Greencap Eremomela, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Good birds which I infrequently observe included Reichard's Seedeater and Levaillant's Cuckoo. The former scarpered before I could fire off a shot and the latter was difficult to get a clear line of sight too and photos were somewhat disappointing. I was more pleased with my first decent shot of a Green Woodhoopoe as well as upgrades to my existing Rufous-bellied Tit, Brubru, Meyer's Parrot and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird amongst others.

Rufous-bellied Tit, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Brubru, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Meyer's Parrot, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Levaillant's Cuckoo, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Green Woodhoopoe, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

female Chinspot Batis, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

male Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

The rest of the walk around the dambo proved fairly quiet, most of the waterbirds from the previous afternoon were still present with another Sand Martin noted. Two herds of Kudu were visible, the usual five bulls and a group of ten females and well grown (probably last years) calves. I rarely see this group so it was a surprise to see them in open ground in the middle of the day. They were very skittish compared to the bulls who are now as used to me as I am to them I think. Fruiting trees near the camp were alive with birds including a couple of Garden Warblers, the heat of the day wasn't the best of times though so I made a mental note to return late in the afternoon.

Greater Kudu, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

I headed out again mid-afternoon with the intention of looking again for Thursday's Lesser Kestrel. It was a bit of a forlorn hope and despite checking a few decent areas as well as the original spot I came up blank. Some showy and approachable Barn Swallow posed for photos and I also managed my best shots thus far of Broad-billed Roller but nothing of real note was seen.

Barn Swallow, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Broad-billed Roller, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

Back at the camp dambo the late afternoon light was stunning with the sun now low in the sky lighting up heavy black clouds, I was searching furiously for something to turn my lens on but even the fruiting trees, busy at midday, were now quiet. Eventually I stumbled on a couple of Banded Snake-Eagles perched in a low dead tree but even they were more into the light than lit by it. One was an adult and the other appeared to be a scruffy younger bird, perhaps last years offspring surprisingly not yet given the boot.

adult Banded Snake-Eagle, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

immature Banded Snake-Eagle, Frontier Mine, DR Congo

I headed back to the tailings in a last ditch attempt to use the light to my advantage but arrived too late as the sun ducked behind a thunder cloud and the light died instantly. I sat and watched lightning all around as the wind whipped up thick clouds of dust. The rain still failed to come however. Four Marabous dropped in for the night and as I left the Saddle-billed Storks came in to roost for the night.