Spotted in Kumba: Pin-tailed Whydah

Yesterday it rained all morning in Kumba and the grass was wet with shallow pools on the rear lawn. When the rain finally ebbed to a very light drizzle, the sound of beckoning birds encouraged me to go looking for this little black and white songbird with a noticeably long tail and fiery red bill. After googling the description, I learned that it is a breeding male Pin-tailed Whydah. I had seen it a few times before, darting about in the long grass around our neighbourhood. Pointed it out once to my daughter while taking a walk, in a bid to distract her from a tantrum that had been brought on by a momentary fixation on acquiring sweets from the local corner store (to her there is no such thing as a casual stroll just for the sake of it. When the corner store is in full view, a stroll must surely be worth some sweets)! Catching this pretty little bird on camera was as good a treat as any. I couldn't get close enough for any satisfactory shots but I'm happy I can finally share this glimpse with y'all! Enjoy!

Breeding male Pin-tailed Whydah