White Morph of the Ruff

There is a viewing hide at Nyamandlovu pan in the national park where most people sit and wait to see elephant coming to drink. I use it, because of the elevation, for radio telemetry of lions but also for the great birding there is to be had at this waterhole.
I parked there one day and whilst getting my telemetry gear out i spotted a bird that i thought was a gull of some kind. As we don't get that many gulls in Hwange I forgot the lions (sorry boss!) and headed up the stairs with binoculars in hand. The bird was the size and shape of a Ruff but sported a "paint job" like no other.....after photographing it dozens of times I was happy to leave and later found reference to the rare "White Morph of the Ruff".  I believe that individuals of the white morph are seen at the Lek sites where they breed but no-one here in Zimbabwe that i have managed to contact have ever seen one!

The Hwange Birder