The Gambia
December 19th 2000 - January 2nd
2001
Simon Woolley and Julia Casson
See photo page here
Please send any comments or notes of errors to skw@wincoll.ac.uk
Introduction
- Gambia has long been a popular destination for British birders,
notably in winter, and our research prior to booking suggested a bird-filled
trip with lots of new species, easy transport and pleasant weather
in a small, friendly contry. We had travelled to Kenya in August 1997,
and so had a grounding in the more widespread Afrotropical species.
Nevertheless, we felt we could realistically aim for something close
to 70 new species in a total list of 230+ in a fortnight's visit.
Timing and time needed
- Being school teachers, we were tied to the high tourist season of
Christmas and New Year. This is a good time for birding, however,
representing a compromise between the frenzied breeding activity of
the late wet season (November) and the unbearable heat of the April/May
period. Two weeks is normally regarded as the ideal period for a Gambian
trip, since it allows time for acclimatization and relaxation, as
well as for days off for Banjul belly! Many birders do go for a week
or ten days, and as long as you're happy to go at a fairly hectic
pace and bird all day, you might well see 200 species plus and visit
most of the best sites once.
- For any up-country trips, however, a fortnight is pretty much essential.
Three days is the minimum time needed to cover the interior at all
sensibly, and really four days would be ideal, especially if a trip
to Basse for Egyptian Plover is to be included. We decided, for a
combination of reasons, to go for a three day trip, and to take a
chance on the Plover being present at one of two sites near Georgetown
where it was being seen regularly. As you will read, we dipped, but
we did not regret our decision - as you will also read later!
Weather
- Great! Constant sunshine and birdable from 0700 to 1900. The temperature
peaked at about 25°C around lunchtime, and cooled to around 17°C at
night. Light sea breezes make birding fairly comfortable throughout
the day near the coast.
Accommodation
- We booked with The Gambia Experience - but which hotel to pick?
We looked very hard at the quality of the gardens at each hotel. We
knew from past trips that we often want a quiet afternoon or lunchtime
birding and photographing near to cool drinks and showers, so this
was a big factor for us. In the end, we chose the Senegambia. It is
the largest hotel in the country, and won't suit everyone for that
reason.
- But the site is low density, with c. 15 two storey blocks of 16
rooms set in c. 20 acres of mature gardens with lots of trees and
ponds. There are lots of leaky taps for sprinklers, and dense shrubberies
and bamboo thickets too. It is widely acknowledged to be the best
bird garden of all the hotels, and is a major stake out for several
otherwise tricky species, such as Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, and a
great place to photograph otherwise shy birds such as Yellow-crowned
Gonolek, Gymnogene, Purple Glossy Starling and Lavender Waxbill.
- The Senegambia is one of the more expensive hotels, but the quality
of the rooms, gardens and especially the food made it justifiable
- and we did actually want a holiday too!
Information
- There is lots of good gen. available from the usual sources. We
used the following :
- A Field Guide to the Birds of The Gambia and Senegal
(Barlow, Wacher & Disley 1999 [amended]) - utterly crucial and
very good indeed
- A Birwatchers' Guide to The Gambia (Ward 1994) - still
very accurate and indispensable
- Birding in the Gambia (Mills 1990) - privately acquired
- The Gambia 17.10.96-31.10-96 (Browne, Ganney & Corbett
1996) - privately acquired
- Gambia 1998 (Dodds 1998) - from Urs Geiser's site
- We were impressed that a lot of the older gen. still seemed to be
accurate, so do gather up as much as you can before you go. The only
updates we found were that (1) Violet-tipped Courser is no longer
seen in the coastal areas, and (2) entrance fees have increased :
D31.50 for both Abuko and Tanji (where before there was no charge),
D20 for Bijilo and D10 for Kotu Sewage Ponds. Please ensure that you
get a ticket at all but the last of these sites to prevent corruption.
Not that any of the entrance fee goes to the parks, apparently.....
Guides
- There are masses of guides about the place - many are excellent,
and many are very poor. For local guides, 'ask a few questions with
your bird book open' is the standard advice!
- We decided to book up in advance with Solomon Jallow, a highly recommended
guide who has worked in the field for some years, and someone you
may have met at the Bird Fair at Rutland Water - he'll be there again
in 2001. Solomon is by no means the cheapest guide in The Gambia,
but he is without a doubt one of the very best. He is razor sharp
in the field, especially on calls and songs, and to go with it all,
he's a genuinely nice bloke whom I'm proud to count as a friend. We
paid 60 UKP per day for our up country trip, which included all accommodation,
meals, transport, reserve entry fees etc. Our day trip to Abuko and
neighbouring sites was 25 UKP.
- We should also like to express our thanks to Mass Cham, the birdman
at the Senegambia Hotel. He was very helpful and keen to assist us
as we fumbled our way throught the commoner species at the the start
of the trip.
Living expenses and hassle
- Gambia is not a very cheap destination. You do tend to
stand out as a tourist, and the prices are all inflated accordingly.
In a country where 20 dalasis (1 UKP) is a good wage, 10 dalasis for
a warm Coke is not a recipe for an ultra cheap break! The tourist
taxis are notably expensive, but much better deals can be had from
the yellow bush taxi drivers. Do be prepared to haggle hard - there
are lots more taxis than potential customers!
- However, you will not be spending a fortune day to day - try to
focus on the quality of your spending, directing it to the
good guides and drivers, and explaining all the time why you have
come to Gambia, and how important the bird life is to the sustainable
development of tourism. The hassle really is appalling, but
take heart - it almost disappears away from the hotel areas and the
big towns, and up country there is no problem at all beyond smiling
kids.
Itinerary
19th December : 0915 charter flight with Monarch, delayed
by about 2 hours. Arrived Banjul about 1600, and transferred to the
hotel. A few common birds seen around the airport
20th December : Morning around the hotel. Afternoon in
Bijilo Forest Park
21st December : Morning at Kotu Creek and sewage ponds.
Late afternoon at Casino cycle track
22nd December : Morning at Bijilo. Afternoon at Cape Point
and Camalou Corner
23rd December : Morning at Bund Road. Afternoon around
the hotel gardens
24th December : Pirang, Bamakuno Forest, Tendaba. Evening
river trip up Tendaba creek
25th December : Tendaba airport, north bank of the Gambia
River, Baobolong Camp, Georgetown
26th December : Bansang, various sites south of the river,
Bamakuno Forest
27th December : Morning at leisure! Afternoon at Bijilo
28th December : Kotu Creek, sewage ponds and fields
29th December : Abuko, Lamin, Yundum, Abuko rice fields,
Casino cycle track
30th December : Day off - we went to a wedding!
31st December : Brufut Woods and Tanji NR
1st January : Morning at Abuko NR
2nd January : Birds & Breakfast tour at Lamin Lodge.
1330 bus to airport
Blow-by-blow birding account
Day 1
I won't drone on about the flights - suffice it to
say that we were delayed, and only had about an hour of daylight after
leaving the airport at Banjul. A few Cattle Egrets, Pied Crows and doves
were about the sum total of day one - so we concentrated on vast quantities
of food and a good sleep instead!
Day 2
Straight out into the gardens at dawn, and instantly
we were soaking up the tropical African avifauna - Yellow-crowned Gonolek,
Bronze Mannikin, African Thrush, White-crowned Robin-chat, Splendid and
Beautiful Sunbirds, Western Grey Plaintain-eater, Senegal Coucal, Lavender
Waxbill, Piapiac, Village Weaver, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Yellow-billed
Shrike and various doves all seemed common and easy (they were!), and
we had bonus species such as nesting Senegal Parrot, 2 Harrier-hawks (Gymnogenes),
Fine-spotted Woodpecker and gathering numbers of Hooded Vultures. They
get fed in the hotel garden at 11.30am - try having a vulture land on
a park bench next to you!
After lunch, and the first tricky species in the
shape of a singing Oriole Warbler in the Bouganvillea near the pool, we
headed off for Bijilo Forest Park, just a few hundred metres to the south.
Two more Oriole Warblers showed well, plus Black-necked Weaver, Greater
Honeyguide, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Green-backed Eremomela, both commoner
Hornbills, Little Bee-eater and a troupe of Western Red Colobus monkey.
Bijilo Forest is a strange and lovely place - dense stands of ancient
palms on fixed sand dunes, reminding me of nothing less than a hyper-arid
Kingley Vale Yew forest!
Day 3
An early start again and off to Kotu Creek for more
acclimatization and common bird finding! We scored instantly with Senegal
Thick-knees on the mud, and, shaking off various insistent potential guides,
we explored the creek and sewage ponds, swiftly finding Hamerkop, Intermediate
Egret, Grey Kestrel, Blue-bellied Roller, Green Wood-hoopoe, Lanner Falcon,
Lizard Buzzard, White-faced Whistling Duck and Red-chested Swallow. With
lots of familiar European gulls, terns and waders around, we weren't too
surprised to find a 1st winter Little Gull - but we should
have been taking a description. See the systematic list for details….
The Fajara golf course turned up African Golden Oriole, Senegal Wattled
Plover and Bearded Barbet.
By noon it was getting too hot, so we retreated for
a snooze and some drinks. By 4ish, it was cooler again, and we tried the
Kotu area again, this time concentrating on the casino cycle track end.
We scored with feeding Black Egrets, doing their famous umbrella routine
- though we thought they looked more like evil Victorian arch-villians
with cloaks! Also Variable Sunbird and the Little Gull again.
Day 4
With a mild attack of Banjul belly, we stayed close
to home this morning, and reworked Bijilo. As ever in forests, the going
was slow at times, but four hours of careful searching turned up some
real quality birds in the shapes of Levaillant's Cuckoo, Red-necked Falcon,
Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-spotted and Black-billed Wood Doves, Stone
Partridge, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and Snowy-crowned Robin-chat.
Lunchtime was again a medicinal recovery session,
but I felt fine for a trip to Cape Point in the late afternoon. This was
a lovely quiet area, with tons of good species such as Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
(at last!), Abyssinian Roller, Striped Kingfisher, Pink-backed Pelican
and more.
Day 5
We chose to do Bund Road today, but judged the tide
rather poorly - it was high, and so we saw few waders. Nevertheless, there
was plenty of activity, with Royal Tern, Slender-billed Gull, Avocet,
Malachite Kingfisher, and lots of the commoner waterside birds and raptors.
In the afternoon, we met up with Dusty Gedge, a London-based
birder, at our hotel, and we did the "dude's bird walk" around
the garden with him and Mass Cham. Excellent views of Snowy-crowned Robin-chat,
Bearded Barbet, Gymnogenes and various Glossy Starlings.
Day 6
Now the serious birding begins! Solomon Jallow picked
us up at 7.30am, along with his friend Foday Chorr and our driver, Kamara.
We picked up Steve and Teresa Isaacs from the Palma Rima Hotel, and headed
off up country. First stop was Pirang former shrimp farm - lots of dried
out lakes and mud flats, and perfect to warm up. Plain-backed Pipit, Mosque
Swallow and Quail-finch were the best birds.
Next, on to Bamakuno Forest, where an hour in the
woods produced some great birds such as the very tricky Yellow Penduline
Tit, White-fronted Black Chat, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Vielliot's Barbet,
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Little Weaver, Village Indigobird and Julia's
1000th species, Black-rumped Waxbill.
En route to Tendaba, we had several stops for goodies
like African Cuckoo, Martial Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard
and Wooly-necked Stork, but by our 2pm arrival it was getting hot and
uncomfortable again!
A lengthy lunch was followed by our pirogue boat
trip up the mangrove creek on the opposite side of the Gambia River, which
is about a mile wide at Tendaba.
This was a fantastic experience, with Crocodile,
Mouse-brown Sunbird, African Blue Flycatcher, African Darter, Striated
Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Spur-winged Goose, African Hobby and
Blue-breasted, Woodland and Malachite Kingfishers. But about 200 metres
from our re-emergence onto the main river, the engine stopped…and
the spare didn't work! Our skipper cheerfully encouraged his mate to start
paddling while he tinkered and fiddled. Still nothing! We drifted silently
towards the river - and suddenly a White-crowned Tiger-heron crossed the
creek, right in front of us! Crippling! Sadly, the boat was crippled too,
and we gamely headed out onto the river in failing light with only about
5% power (in fact, I think we were in reverse, with the engine turned
round!).
Things started to look a bit hairy, as we hit the
main stream and failed to keep our heading for the camp on the south bank.
We started blowing SOS on our whistles, and shouting a lot, but no-one
seemed to be hearing us. By now it was virtually dark, and we were in
mid-river. Then we noticed that a largish boat had turned around in the
river, and had dropped anchor. Were we saved? A flare went up and we cheered!
The skipper gratefully headed for the boat, but as we approached, it became
clear that they hadn't heard us at all - this was a tourist boat, and
the flare had been their dinner gong!
We sang Christmas carols at the tops of our voices
(it was Christmas Eve) to atrtract their attention - and that worked!
We drew alongside and tied up, and boarded for a celebratory bottle of
wine from the bar. The (very friendly) Swedes and Finns on board had thought
we were part of the entertainment when we emerged from the darkness! Finally,
we got home….150 species today!
Day 7
Christmas day started with a hour or two at the so-called
'airfield' at Tendaba, with goodies like Western Banded Snake Eagle, Mottled
Spinetail, Pygmy Sunbird and White-rumped Seedeater, plus distant views
of a Fish Eagle nest. Then off to the Yellitenda Ferry. This is the main
crossing point for vehicles running from northern to southern Senegal
or vice versa, and was thus very busy. Despite bribery and corruption,
we still had to wait for almost three hours - the only good news was a
distant Crowned Crane and the fact that the wait was in the poorest part
of the day for birding.
Finally, we crossed, and made our way slowly, on
ever worsening roads, along the northern bank of the river, making frequent
stops en route for excellent species like Exclamatory Paradise Whydah,
Cut-throat Weaver, Sudan Golden Sparrow, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting,
Bruce's Green Pigeon, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black Crake, Little
Bittern and African Pygmy Goose. We eventrually reached the Baobolong
Camp at 8 o'clock - and the ferry was broken! So it was across the river
on a passenger only pirogue, and finally into bed. 126 species in the
day!
Day 8
Too much of today was spent travelling, but nevertheless
we saw some real cripplers on the way back to the coast, the best by far
being the Red-throated Bee-eaters at Bansang. Also Yellow-throated Leaflove,
further Cut-throats and African Golden Oriole, Four-banded Sandgrouse,
White Pelican, Wahlberg's Eagle, African Hobby and Marabou Stork.
Day 9
Definitely a day off required - we spent it all until
4ish in the hotel! A brief walk to Bijilo in the evening produced a singing
Oriole Warbler and Snowy-crowned Robin-chat.
Day 10
We spent the morning in the Kotu area, devoting our
time to photography rather than pure birding. Nevertheless, we were rewarded
with 2 Barbary Falcons - this is a true mega in Gambia - plus another
Levaillant's Cuckoo, plenty of Black Egrets and more besides.
Our plans for another quiet afternoon (guts again)
were rudely shattered by the discovery of mobbing passerines - and their
target, a fantastic Spotted Eagle Owl. We were able to watch it right
round the garden, pursued latterly by Pied Crows! Amazingly, on our way
back to the room, and feeling elated, I looked up and there was a Barn
Owl being mobbed in a tree - ridiculous!
Day 11
Another brilliant day out with Steve, Teresa and
Solomon, though also with a (frankly) rather difficult German woman whom
we'd met briefly the day before. Off we went to Abuko, where our investment
in Solomon's time was quickly repaid - he was fantastic, locating in short
order Yellow-chested Apalis, Little Greenbul, Green Hylia, Grey-headed
Bristlebill and Yellow-throated Leaflove. We also had Verreaux's Eagle
Owl at the nest, both Paradise Flycatcher species, a juvenile Black Crake,
Common Wattle-eye, Orange-cheeked Waxbill and a soaring Booted Eagle,
plus Crocodiles, a Bushbuck and a Marsh Mongoose.
Lunch was at Lamin Lodge, with Gull-billed Tern and
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater for company, and then after a White-faced Scops
Owl in dense bamboo (watched, not eaten), we headed round the fields of
Lamin and Yundum. Sadly, the Temminck's Coursers failed to perform, but
we did score with Western Bonelli's Warbler, Pygmy Sunbird and Striped
Kingfisher, plus useful 'padders' like Whinchat, Wheatear and Woodchat
Shrike (the three Ws!).
Abuko rice fields next - this place was heaving with
herons, egrets and more, such as our only Pied-winged Swallows, an African
Pied Hornbill, and African Crake. Solomon saw the last disappearing into
a rice paddy, and we assumed our chance had gone, but Julia relocated
it on the earth bund a few minutes later for crippling, if brief views.
Finally, off to Kotu - no Pearl-spotted Owlet, alas,
but good views of both Nightjars, and the bonus of a fly over African
Scops Owl.
Day 12
An early seawatch from the Senegambia (Pom. Skua,
Audouin's Gull, Lesser Crested and Royal Terns). Today we went to a wedding
- a very high Roman Catholic mass, with incense and the choir accompanied
by drums rather than an organ! Also a big reception at the local school,
and more food and dancing afterwards in the village. Exhausting and very
interesting - but no birds!
Day 13
We met up with Steve and Teresa again, and Kamara
drove us to Brufut Woods for our self-guided day! The birding was excellent
from the very start - Fanti Saw-wing, Black Wood-hoopoe, Grey-headed Bush-shrike,
Green-headed and Western Violet-backed Sunbirds, Nightingale, Northern
Puffback, Pied Hornbill, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Pin-tailed Whydah,
Klaas's Cuckoo, Northern Crombec, Cardinal Woodpecker, plus brief views
of a dark grey/blue cuckoo with a hefty bright yellow bill - Yellowbill!
Brufut bridge produced more Black Crakes, and then
Tanji turned up more goodies, such as Goliath Heron, Audouin's Gull, Slender-billed
Gull, lots of terns and more Fanti Saw-wings.
Day 14
A new millennium, and our final full day - and after
a late night, it was tough getting up at 6.30am! But we made it to Abuko
good and early, and were rewarded with an almost empty reserve. Much the
same birds as before, plus a cracking Pygmy Kingfisher, and a final flourish
with three juvenile White-backed Night Herons roosting in deep cover by
the main Crocodile Pool. Fantastic - and we then retreated for snoozes
back at the hotel.
Day 15
We only had a half day left, and had decided well
ahead of time to go on the Birds & Breakfast tour to Lamin Lodge.
It is perhaps better termed 'Dudes and Breakfast', but we had a very pleasant
morning at a slower pace, picking up one new species in the form of Yellow-billed
Stork, plus more Mouse-brown Sunbirds, and a couple of surprise Violet
Turacos.
Systematic List
Species order and names follow Howard & Moore
(1994), with a very few exceptions!
| Little Grebe |
Tachybaptus
ruficollis |
Up to three
at Kotu sewage ponds |
| (Great) White
Pelican |
Pelecanus onocrotalus |
One flying
overhead and another on the river at Brumen Bridge |
| Pink-backed
Pelican |
Pelecanus rufescens |
About 100 noted,
with most around the mouth of the Gambia River and at Tendaba. Most
were in heavy wing moult |
| Northern Gannet |
Morus bassanus |
Eleven noted
offshore on 3 dates. All were first year birds |
| Long-tailed
Cormorant |
Phalacrocorax
africanus |
Noted in small
numbers on 10 dates, with 25+ at Bund Road |
| African Darter |
Anhinga rufa |
One at Cape
Point, 10 at Tendaba, and up to 4 at Abuko |
| Grey Heron |
Ardea cinerea |
Noted in single
figures on 11 dates. The local African form seems much more washed
out and paler headed than European birds |
| Black-headed
Heron |
Ardea melanocephala |
23 seen on
6 dates - max. 10 at Abuko. Often quite far from water |
| Goliath
Heron |
Ardea
goliath |
One
in the creek at Tendaba, and another in the coastal lagoon by Tanji
bridge |
| Purple Heron |
Ardea purpurea |
Ten noted,
with a max. of 4 at Lamin Lodge. Most of those seen well were first-year
birds |
| Great White
Egret |
Casmerodius
alba |
Noted on seven
dates, always in low numbers. Most around Kotu Creek and Lamin/Abuko |
| Intermediate
Egret |
Mesophoyx intermedia |
Seven noted
on 6 dates, most often at Kotu Creek |
| Black Egret |
Egretta ardesiaca |
36 sightings
overall, with the most reliable site being Kotu Creek, especially
the rice fields towards the Palma Rima |
| Little Egret |
Egretta garzetta |
Only 11 seen,
and never more than 2 in a day |
| Western Reef
Egret |
Egretta schistacea |
The commonest
'water heron', with almost daily sightings of good numbers in saline
and brackish habitats. Virtually all were wholly dark birds, but there
were two white birds together at Abuko rice fields |
| Cattle Egret |
Bubulcus ibis |
Abundant throughout |
| Squacco Heron |
Ardeola ralloides |
20 noted on
8 dates, with most around Tendaba and Kotu Creek |
| Striated Heron |
Butorides striatus |
Fifteen recorded,
mostly at mangrove sites, but also in rice fields at Abuko and Kotu
Creek |
| Black-crowned
Night Heron |
Nycticorax
nycticorax |
Three at Tendaba,
singles over Kotu Creek and Lamin Lodge, and up to six roosting at
the Crocodile Pool, Abuko |
| White-backed
Night Heron |
Gorsachius
leuconotus |
The final flourish
of the trip was provided by three juveniles roosting in deep cover
at the Crocodile Pool, Abuko. These were locally bred birds - the
nest could be seen on an overhanging branch to the right of the main
photographic hide |
| White-crested
Tiger-heron |
Tigriornis
leucolophus |
This near mythical
species was not even on our wish list! And yet a single bird flew
across the creek at Tendaba just as dusk was falling, less than 100m
from the main river. Although a nest was located two seasons ago,
this remains a virtually impossible species to see - Solomon hadn't
seen one for over a year |
| Little Bittern |
Ixobrychus
minutus |
An adult male,
apparently of the migratory European race, was at a pond near Georgetown |
| Hammerkop |
Scopus umbretta |
Noted almost
daily at a variety of sites, max. 10 at Kotu Creek. A pair was nest
building near to the island 'brown' at Fajara golf course |
| Yellow-billed
Stork |
Mycteria ibis |
Not seen until
the final day, when four flew over the mangroves at Lamin Lodge |
| Woolly-necked
Stork |
Ciconia episcopus |
Eight on swampy
grasslands near Tendaba |
| Marabou Stork |
Leptoptilos
crumeniferus |
Ten adults
and 2 ugly juveniles in a large tree near Brikama |
| Sacred Ibis |
Threskiornis
aethiopicus |
Five flew over
at Kotu Creek, and another did the same at Lamin Lodge |
| African Spoonbill |
Platalea alba |
One at Pirang,
then four at Tendaba and another four at Brumen Bridge |
| White-faced
Whistling Duck |
Dendrocygna
viduata |
A resident
flock of about forty birds was at Kotu sewage ponds |
| Spur-winged
Goose |
Plectropterus
gambensis |
Two juveniles
and eight adults at Tendaba |
| African Pygmy
Goose |
Nettapus auritus |
Six at a pond
near Georgetown provided a real bonus |
| Osprey |
Pandion haliaetus |
About 30 sightings
recorded, with most at the coast and Kotu Creek |
| Black-shouldered
Kite |
Elanus caeruleus |
Fourteen noted,
with a max. of 7 around Lamin and Yundum on one day |
| Black Kite |
Milvus migrans |
Omnipresent.
Both the local 'Yellow-billed' and the nominate European forms were
present, but the latter was very much rarer |
| African Fish
Eagle |
Haliaeetus
vocifer |
Two at the
nest at Tendaba, and another flying along the river at Yellitenda
Ferry |
| Hooded Vulture |
Necrosyrtes
monachus |
Very common
- almost always on view near the coast |
| Rüppell's Vulture |
Gyps rueppellii |
Four noted
at the roadside inland from Tendaba |
| African White-backed
Vulture |
Gyps africanus |
Thirteen seen
at inland sites |
| Palm-nut Vulture |
Gypohierax
angolensis |
Nine sightings
noted, at Bijilo, Abuko and upriver |
| Brown Snake
Eagle |
Circaetus cinereus |
Four noted
around Tendaba and Georgetown |
| Western Banded
Snake Eagle |
Circaetus cinarescens |
Two at Tendaba,
at least one of them a juvenile |
| Bateleur |
Terathopius
ecaudatus |
Distant views
only of one at Brumen Bridge |
| Dark Chanting-goshawk |
Melierax metabates |
Twelve noted
on four dates, with all but 2 at Yundum well inland |
| Gabar Goshawk |
Micronisus
gabar |
One at a water-hole
near Georgetown |
| African Harrier
Hawk or Gymnogene |
Polyboroides
typus |
Two noted on
several occasions in the Senegambia Hotel gardens - their nest failed
in 2000, but they continued to roost in the same tree every evening.
Also a few singles at other sites |
| Lizard Buzzard |
Kaupifalco
monogrammicus |
Eleven noted
on 7 dates, with the best areas being Bijilo, Brufut and Abuko rice
fields |
| Grasshopper
Buzzard |
Butastur rufipennis |
Eleven along
the roadside inland |
| Montagu's Harrier |
Circus pygargus |
Two juveniles
at Tendaba |
| Western Marsh
Harrier |
Circus aeruginosus |
Thirteen noted
at various wetland sites. Interestingly, most were adult males |
| Shikra |
Accipiter badius |
Seventeen seen
on 9 dates, almost all singly |
| Wahlberg's
Eagle |
Hieraaetus
wahlbergi |
Five inland,
and another at Brufut |
| Booted Eagle |
Hieraaetus
pennatus |
One dark phase
bird soaring with vultures over Abuko |
| Martial Eagle |
Hieraaetus
bellicosus |
A superb juvenile
was seen soaring over the savannah about 80 km inland |
| Grey Kestrel |
Falco ardosiaceus |
Eleven seen
on 7 dates, and often in pairs |
| Red-necked
Falcon |
Falco chicquera |
A single flew
quickly north along the beach at Bijilo, giving excellent but brief
views |
| African Hobby |
Falco cuvieri |
Three seen,
at Tendaba, Bansang and Abuko. Two were perched up, showing the deep
rufous underparts to good effect |
| Lanner Falcon |
Falco biarmicus |
Singles at
Kotu Creek, Bijilo and Pirang |
| Barbary Falcon |
Falco pelegrinoides |
Two were at
Kotu sewage ponds 28th December. They were first seen distantly in
flight, possibly hunting cooperatively, and left unidentified, but
they circled back and perched in full view in a large Baobab. Their
distinctive 'whippy' flight action and small size, combined with the
correct head pattern, left no doubt over the identification. This
species is at best very rare in Gambia, and has been recorded only
as a vagrant in Senegal. |
| Double-spurred
Francolin |
Francolinus
bicalcaratus |
Up to five
noted at numerous sites |
| Stone Partridge |
Ptilopachus
petrosus |
Four seen well
at Bijilo, and another by the roadside at dusk near Georgetown |
| (Black) Crowned
Crane |
Balearica pavonina |
One seen distantly
and briefly in flight at Yellitenda Ferry |
| African Crake |
Crex egregia |
One of the
highlights of the trip was brief but excellent views of one in full
view on an earth bund at Abuko rice fields. Very much an 'African
Corncrake', this species is hardly ever observed by visitors to Gambia |
| African Black
Crake |
Porzana flavirostra |
Two at a pond
near Georgetown, the same juvenile on two occasions at Abuko, and
up to 3 at Brufut Bridge |
| Common Moorhen |
Gallinula chloropus |
Four at two
wet sites near Georgetown |
| Purple Swamp-hen |
Porphyrio porphyrio |
A single at
a rapidly drying swamp near Georgetown |
| African Jacana |
Actophilornis
africana |
Eleven seen,
with a max. of six together at Abuko rice fields |
| Oystercatcher |
Haematopus
ostralegus |
Two at Bund
Road |
| Black-winged
Stilt |
Himantopus
himantopus |
Frequent at
all wetland sites, with particularly large numbers at Kotu sewage
ponds |
| Pied Avocet |
Recurvirostra
avosetta |
Eight flew
over at Bund Road |
| Senegal Thick-knee |
Burhinus senegalensis |
Far from being
tricky, as expected, this species was easy to see. Kotu Creek is a
dependable site for up to a dozen, and there were smaller numbers
at various other spots. But the undoubted highlight was 31 in the
air together at a swamp near Georgetown |
| Collared Pratincole |
Glareola pratincola |
Ten at a swamp
near Georgetown |
| Spur-winged
Lapwing |
Vanellus spinosus |
Common throughout |
| Black-headed
Lapwing |
Vanellus tectus |
Seen in single
figures on most dates |
| Senegal Wattled
Lapwing |
Vanellus senegallus |
Quite scarce,
and only seen on six dates, max. 10 at Fajara |
| Grey Plover |
Pluvialis squatarola |
Nine seen on
four dates |
| Ringed Plover |
Charadrius
hiaticula |
Seventeen noted
on five dates |
| Little Ringed
Plover |
Charadrius
dubius |
Eight noted
at the inland sites of Pirang and Tendaba |
| Black-tailed
Godwit |
Limosa limosa |
Two flying
over Kotu Creek, and a group of 12 in damp fields near there |
| Bar-tailed
Godwit |
Limosa lapponica |
Seventeen seen
at various coastal mangrove sites |
| Whimbrel |
Numenius phaeopus |
The most frequent
larger wader - up to 10 at all mangrove and coastal sites |
| Common Redshank |
Tringa totanus |
Fourteen seen
on seven dates |
| Common Greenshank |
Tringa nebularia |
Noted in single
figures at all suitable sites |
| Green Sandpiper |
Tringa ochropus |
One at Tendaba,
one at Kotu sewage ponds, and another at Abuko rice fields |
| Wood Sandpiper |
Tringa glareola |
Up to 25 at
Kotu sewage ponds, and a handful at other sites |
| Common Sandpiper |
Actitis hypoleucos |
Frequent in
all mangrove creeks, with up to 10 at Kotu Creek |
| Ruddy Turnstone |
Arenaria interpres |
Two at Kotu
Creek, 1 at Bund Road, 10 at Tendaba and 10+ at Tanji |
| Sanderling |
Calidris alba |
5+ on the beach
at Tanji |
| Little Stint |
Calidris minuta |
Four at Pirang
and one at Tendaba |
| Dunlin |
Calidris alpina |
Just one seen,
at Tendaba |
| Curlew Sandpiper |
Calidris ferruginea |
Two at Camalou
Corner, eight at Pirang and one at Lamin Lodge |
| Ruff |
Philomachus
pugnax |
Seventeen noted
at four sites |
| Pomarine Skua |
Stercorarius
pomarinus |
Four noted
offshore on two dates |
| Arctic Skua |
Stercorarius
parasiticus |
Two noted offshore.
Also 3 unidentified skuas seen |
| Audouin's Gull |
Larus audouinii |
A 3rd winter
flew north at the Senegambia Hotel beach, and a 2nd winter was in
the Tanji roost |
| Yellow-legged
Gull |
Larus cachinnans |
Three noted
offshore |
| Lesser Black-backed
Gull |
Larus fuscus |
Eighteen noted
on five dates |
| Grey-headed
Gull |
Larus cirrocephalus |
Ever present
at the coast in varying numbers |
| Slender-billed
Gull |
Larus genei |
10+ at Bund
Road and one in the Tanji roost |
| Little Gull |
Larus minutus |
A first-winter
at Kotu Creek raised few eyebrows until we read in the book that evening
that there have been fewer than ten previous Gambian records! This
bird turned out to have been present for some days, and had been twitched
heavily - in Gambian terms! |
| Black Tern |
Childonias
niger |
Just 2 noted
offshore |
| Gull-billed
Tern |
Sterna nilotica |
Five singles
recorded, at Tendaba, Kotu Creek and Lamin Lodge |
| Caspian Tern |
Sterna caspia |
Generally the
commoner large tern offshore, with several almost daily, and 30+ at
the Tanji roost |
| Common Tern |
Sterna hirundo |
Nine noted
offshore, and just one in the Tanji roost |
| Royal Tern |
Sterna maxima |
Ten at Bund
Road, a further thirteen or so offshore and about 100 at the Tanji
roost |
| Lesser Crested
Tern |
Sterna bengalensis |
One close inshore
at the Senegambia Hotel, and a further 5 or so probables the same
day there |
| Sandwich Tern |
Sterna sandvicensis |
Twos and threes
noted most days offshore, and about 30 at the Tanji roost |
| Four-banded
Sandgrouse |
Pterocles quadricinctus |
Two at dusk
near Georgetown, and two feeding on the track near there the next
morning |
| Feral Pigeon |
Columba livia |
Not common,
but a few in most settlements |
| Speckled Pigeon |
Columba guinea |
Common throughout |
| African Mourning
Dove |
Streptopelia
decipiens |
Present but
not common near the coast, but frequent inland |
| Red-eyed Dove |
Streptopelia
semitorquata |
Common throughout |
| Vinaceous Dove |
Streptopelia
vinacea |
Common throughout |
| Laughing Dove |
Streptopelia
senegalensis |
Common throughout |
| Black-billed
Wood Dove |
Turtur abyssinicus |
Seen every
day bar two, but in low numbers, max. 10 in the Brufut area |
| Blue-spotted
Wood Dove |
Turtur afer |
Two at Bijilo
and three at Abuko |
| Namaqua Dove |
Oena capensis |
A female at
Kotu sewage ponds, 41 noted inland, and a male at Lamin Lodge |
| Bruce's Green
Pigeon |
Treror waalia |
Two flew over
the road near Georgetown, then 1 at Tanji and another at Lamin Lodge |
| Senegal Parrot |
Poicephalus
senegalus |
Seen every
day bar two, max. 8. A pair was nesting in a dead palm in the 'bird
garden' at the Senegambia Hotel |
| Rose-ringed
Parakeet |
Psittacula
krameri |
Seen almost
daily in single figures |
| Western Grey
Plantain-eater |
Crinifer piscator |
Noted every
day but one, max. 10 on two dates. Highly conspicuous, noisy and silly-looking |
| Violet Turaco |
Musophaga violacea |
Heard on two
occasions in Bijilo Forest, and again at Pirang, and then finally
seen well at Abuko (5+). Also 2 at the rather surprising site of Lamin
Lodge |
| Green Turaco |
Tauraco persa |
5+ seen on
one visit to Abuko, but no sign the second time. This is very much
the harder species to see, but we were lucky to have several of each
in the same tree by the photographic hide. Both species are astonishingly
beautiful |
| Great Spotted
Cuckoo |
Clamator glandarius |
An adult in
flight at Cape Point was the only one seen |
| Levaillant's
Cuckoo |
Oxylophus levaillantii |
Two juveniles
- one at Bijilo and the other at Kotu sewage ponds. The adults have
all moved on by December, but juveniles continue to be fed by their
hosts (apparently mostly babblers) until January |
| African Cuckoo |
Cuclus gularis |
Two in the
same tree at the roadside near Brumen Bridge |
| Klaas's Cuckoo |
Chrysococcyx
klaas |
One at Brufut
Woods |
| Yellowbill |
Ceuthmochares
aereus |
Very brief
but diagnostic flight views of one at Brufut Woods. It was flushed
from dense vegetation and disappeared into a tangled, climber covered
bush thicket |
| Senegal Coucal |
Centropus senegalensis |
A common bird,
seen daily in varying numbers. The hollow, vaguely Hoopoe-like song
is a characteristic sound of drier areas |
| Barn Owl |
Tyto alba |
One was found
roosting in a tall tree by the Z block in the Senegambia Hotel gardens,
mobbed by various passerines |
| African Scops
Owl |
Otus senegalensis |
A real highlight
was good flight views of one over the Casino cycle track at dusk during
a nightjar watch |
| White-faced
Scops Owl |
Otus leucotis |
One was watched
roosting in dense bamboo near Lamin Lodge. Avid world listers would
do well to note that Konig, Weick and Becking (1999) treat the birds
occurring in Gambia as specifically distinct from those of southern
and East Africa (leucotisas opposed to granti) |
| Spotted or
Vermiculated Eagle Owl |
Bubo africanus |
Perhaps the
single most astonishing moment of the trip was the finding of this
bird in the Senegambia Hotel gardens. Initially attracted by the sound
of mobbing Bulbuls and Gonoleks, we followed the owl around the garden
as it was chased mercilessly by Pied Crows. An incredible daylight
sighting of a rare and difficult species - it was a new bird for the
Hotel's (lengthy) bird list, and would have been a tick for Solomon,
our immensely experienced guide! As for White-faced Scops Owl, Konig,
Weick and Becking (1999) treat the Gambian form as distinct (cinerascens)
from the southern nominate form |
| Verreaux's
Eagle Owl |
Bubo lacteus |
The well staked
out nesting bird showed excellently atop a palm tree beside the Abuko
education centre |
| Long-tailed
Nightjar |
Scotornis climacurus |
One flushed
from the road near Georgetown at dusk, and at least 2 at dusk at the
Casino cycle track |
| Standard-winged
Nightjar |
Macrodipteryx
longipennis |
5+ at dusk
at the Casino cycle track. The two species of nightjar are readily
distinguishable by structure and the presence or absence of white
in the wing |
| Mottle-throated
Spinetail or Spine-tailed Swift |
Telecanthura
ussheri |
3+ over the
woods at Tendaba, and a further 5 at Brufut Woods |
| African Palm
Swift |
Cypsiuris parvus |
Seen every
day but one, in small numbers, always around palms |
| Pallid Swift |
Apus pallidus |
About 25 noted
in a condensed three day period, at the coast and inland. Might this
suggest a small wave of migrants? |
| Little Swift |
Apus affinis |
Common at Bund
Road, Cape Point and Tendaba, but away from these sites, only 3 noted |
| Giant Kingfisher |
Megaceryle
maxima |
We held out
until day 11 for this species, but were rewarded on both visits to
Abuko by fantastic close range views of the regular pair at the Abuko
Crocodile Pool. Huge and very noisy. Also reported from Tanji |
| Pied Kingfisher |
Ceryle rudis |
Far and away
the commonest kingfisher, with birds at almost all wetland sites.
The best spot was probably Bund Road, where upwards of 20 were fishing
from bushes and wires |
| Malachite Kingfisher |
Alcedo cristata |
Two at Bund
Road, 10+ at Tendaba, one near Bansang and 3 at Lamin Lodge |
| Pygmy Kingfisher |
Ceyx picta |
One watched
for several minutes in dense gallery forest at Abuko |
| Woodland Kingfisher |
Halcyon senegalensis |
Brief views
of one at Tendaba |
| Blue-breasted
Kingfisher |
Halcyon malimbica |
Singles at
Bijilo and Abuko, but about 10 in the creek at Tendaba |
| Striped Kingfisher |
Halcyon chelicuti |
Two at Cape
Point, one at Yundum, and another heard at Bamakuno Forest |
| Red-throated
Bee-eater |
Merops bulocki |
The nesting
colony at the Bansang sand quarry yielded fantastic views of upwards
of 20 birds |
| Little Bee-eater |
Merops pusillus |
About 100 noted
at a variety of sites, on eight dates. The distinctive, almost White
Wagtail like call is easily learnt |
| Swallow-tailed
Bee-eater |
Merops hirundineus |
10+ at Bijilo
Forest, 3 at Tendaba and 5 at Brufut Woods |
| White-throated
Bee-eater |
Merops albicollis |
Four hunting
over the creek at Tendaba. Also reported from Bijilo - the species
is very rare at the coast, at least at this time of year |
| Blue-cheeked
Bee-eater |
Merops persicus |
30+ at Cape
Point, 25 at Bund Road, and a further fourteen noted at various sites
such as Tendaba and Lamin Lodge. The call is surprisingly distinct
from the European species, being less liquid and rather more disyllabic |
| European Bee-eater |
Merops apiaster |
About 50 noted
during the trip up country |
| Abyssinian
Roller |
Coracias abyssinica |
Only six noted
at the coast, notably at Cape Point, but very common inland |
| Rufous-crowned
Roller |
Coracias naevia |
Five along
the roadside inland, and one en route to the airport on the last day |
| Blue-bellied
Roller |
Coracias cyanogaster |
Nineteen sighting
recorded on seven dates, max. 6 around Lamin and Abuko rice fields.
The grumbling, nasal call often attracts attention before the bird
is seen |
| Broad-billed
Roller |
Eurystomus
glaucurus |
36 recorded
on eleven dates, max. 10 around the Senegambia Hotel. A most confusing
bird, with a habit of being called as a pigeon, raptor or something
else entirely on most occasions! |
| Hoopoe |
Upopa epops |
One in the
Senegambia Hotel gardens on one date only |
| Green Wood
Hoopoe |
Phoeniculus
purpureus |
Frequently
recorded - upwards of 50 sightings on 10 dates. Usually in parties
of 3-6, often feeding around tree trunks |
| Black Wood-hoopoe |
Phoeniculus
aterrimus |
Just one found,
at Brufut Woods, but also reported from Bijilo |
| African Pied
Hornbill |
Tockus fasciatus |
One at Abuko
rice fields and 3 at Brufut Woods |
| African Grey
Hornbill |
Tockus nasutus |
27 recorded
on nine dates at a wide scatter of sites. Also frequently heard calling |
| Red-billed
Hornbill |
Tockus erythrorhynchus |
The commonest
hornbill, with daily records of up to 20 birds |
| Abyssinian
Ground Hornbill |
Bucorvus abyssinicus |
After dipping
at Tendaba airfield, we were relieved to find three along the roadside
toward Georgetown, two on the deck and the other perched grotesquely
in a tree! One was also reported just south of Bijilio Forest |
| Yellow-fronted
Tinkerbird |
Pogoniulus
chrysoconus |
Two at Bamakuno
Forest, and another at Yundum |
| Vieillot's
Barbet |
Lybius vieilloti |
Two at Bamakuno
Forest, and 1 at Tendaba |
| Bearded Barbet |
Lybius dubius |
Ten recorded
on six dates, from the Senegambia Hotel to Tendaba |
| Black-throated
Honeyguide |
Indicator indicator |
One at Bijilo
Forest and another at Bamakuno Forest |
| Lesser Honeyguide |
Indicator minor |
One at Brufut
Woods |
| Fine-spotted
Woodpecker |
Campethera
punctuligera |
Five noted
on four dates at a variety of sites |
| Cardinal Woodpecker |
Dendropicos
fuscescens |
Onevisiting
a nest hole at Brufut Woods |
| Grey Woodpecker |
Dendropicos
spodocephalus |
Five singles
recorded on five dates |
| Brown-backed
Woodpecker |
Picoides obsoletus |
One at Bamakuno
Forest |
| Crested Lark |
Galerida cristata |
Just five recorded,
at Pirang and Tendaba |
| Chestnut-backed
Sparrow-lark |
Eremopterix
leucotis |
About 10 noted
along the road on the north bank of the river east of Tendaba |
| Sand Martin |
Riparia riparia |
Two over the
creek at Tendaba |
| Barn Swallow |
Hirundo rustica |
Recorded in
very small numbers at Kotu Creek and sewage ponds, and perhaps at
Pirang. There is uncertainty about this species' winter status in
Gambia, but it is clearly very scarce at best |
| Red-chested
Swallow |
Hirundo lucida |
Much the commoner
'swallow', with 50+ noted, but still far from abundant |
| Wire-tailed
Swallow |
Hirundo smithii |
34 noted on
five dates, mostly at Kotu and Pirang |
| Pied-winged
Swallow |
Hirundo leucosoma |
2+ were located
over Abuko rice fields. Great care is required if views are brief,
since several hirundines with worn or moulting wing feathers gave
rise to false alarms earlier |
| Mosque Swallow |
Hirundo senegalensis |
Two at Pirang,
2 at Tendaba and a further 5 at the roadside near Brikama |
| Red-rumped
Swallow |
Hirundo daurica |
Small numbers
around Tendaba |
| House Martin |
Delichon urbica |
1+ at Pirang
and a further 2 at Lamin Lodge |
| Fanti or Fantee
Saw-wing |
Psalidoprocne
obscura |
After no sightings
at Abuko, we were relieved to find 5 at Brufut Woods, and a further
13 at Tanji |
| Yellow Wagtail |
Motacilla flava |
About 40 seen
and others heard at a variety of wet sites. All those seen well appeared
to be of the Blue-headed form flava |
| White Wagtail |
Motacilla alba |
Nine recorded
at various sites |
| Plain-backed
Pipit |
Anthus leucophrys |
One at Pirang
and three at Tendaba |
| Garden or Common
Bulbul |
Pycnonotus
barbatus |
Abundant throughout |
| Little Greenbul |
Pycnonotus
virens |
Three seen
and others heard singing on each visit to Abuko |
| Yellow-throated
Leaflove |
Chlorocichla
flavicollis |
One at Baobolong
Camp, Georgetown and another at Abuko |
| Grey-headed
Bristlebill |
Bleda canicapilla |
One at Abuko.
This is a shy and rarely seen forest-dweller, and we were lucky to
have good views on the leaf litter |
| Northern Puffback |
Dryoscopus
gambensis |
A male at Tendaba,
and prolonged views of a female at Brufut Woods |
| Black-headed
or Black-crowned Tchagra |
Tchagra senegala |
One at Bamakuno
Forest, two near Georgetown, and heard in song at Lamin Lodge |
| Yellow-crowned
Gonolek |
Laniarius barbarus |
We found this
to be a common and easily observed bird - but then we were staying
at the Senegambia Hotel! Outside this site, it is a much more tricky
bird to see, though its loud and mellifluous song makes location straightforward.
The distinctive and loud "wee wee tchak!" call is in fact
a duet between male and female |
| Grey-headed
Bush-shrike |
Malaconotus
blanchoti |
One fantastic
bird at Brufut Woods. The bird has two extraordinary and different
calls - a haunting and clear whistle, and a Jay-like squawk! |
| Yellow-billed
Shrike |
Corvinella
corvina |
Noted on every
date but two, max. 20 around the Kotu area. Mostly in small family
parties |
| Woodchat Shrike |
Lanius senator |
A juvenile
at Lamin and an adult at Yundum |
| Common Nightingale |
Luscinia megarhynchos |
One in full
song at Brufut Woods, but as ever, hidden in dense cover |
| Snowy-crowned
Robin-chat |
Cossypha niveicapilla |
Two at Bijilo
Forest, just by the entrance gate, and two on each visit to Abuko.
But again the best site was the Senegambia Hotel, where at least one
was regularly present along the Bougainvillea hedge on the northern
boundary, especially near dripping taps |
| White-crowned
Robin-chat |
Cossypha albicapilla |
The same comments
as for Yellow-crowned Gonolek could apply for this species. It is
an easy bird at the Senegambia Hotel, but scarce and tricky elsewhere.
Up to 10 in a day estimated in the gardens |
| Rufous Scrub
Robin |
Cercotrichas
galactotes |
One briefly
at the roadside north of the river |
| Common Redstart |
Phoenicurus
phoenicurus |
One from the
vehicle along the roadside north of the river |
| Whinchat |
Saxicola rubetra |
One at Lamin |
| Northern Wheatear |
Oenanthe oenanthe |
One at Yundum |
| Northern Anteater
Chat |
Myrmecocichla
aethiops |
About five
around a village well near Tendaba. this is apparently a classic nest-site
habitat |
| White-fronted
Black Chat |
Myrmecocichla
albifrons |
Three sightings
in two visits to Bamakuno Forest |
| African Thrush |
Turdus pelios |
Common in the
Senegambia Hotel gardens, but rather elusive elsewhere, and seen mostly
at Bijilo and Abuko |
| Blackcap Babbler |
Turdoides reinwardtii |
Noisy and gregarious,
and noted almost every day |
| Brown Babbler |
Turdoides plebejus |
Noisy and gregarious,
and noted every day |
| Sedge Warbler |
Acrocephalus
schoenobaenus |
Two heard and
one seen during the trip up country |
| Eurasian Reed
Warbler |
Acrocephalus
scirpaceus |
Two singing
at Bund Road |
| (Western) Olivaceous
Warbler |
Hippolais pallida |
Two sightings
in the Senegambia Hotel gardens, and another heard at Georgetown |
| Melodious Warbler |
Hippolais polyglotta |
About 10 heard
in song and several seen at a variety of sites |
| Zitting Cisticola |
Cisticola juncidis |
About 10 noted,
mostly around Cape Point and Kotu Creek. The lack of other Cisticola
species was surprising, disappointing and a relief! |
| Tawny-flanked
Prinia |
Prinia subflava |
27 noted on
five dates, mostly at Kotu Creek and Tendaba |
| Yellow-chested
Apalis |
Apalis flavida |
One heard only
at Abuko |
| Grey-backed
Camaroptera |
Camaroptera
brevicaudata |
Heard almost
daily ('Bleating Warbler') and several seen, especially at sites like
Bijilo and Brufut |
| (Smaller) Green-backed
Eremomela |
Eremomela pusilla |
Seven noted
on five dates, at sites such as Bijilo and Lamin Lodge |
| Northern Crombec |
Sylvietta brachyura |
One at Cape
Point and another 2 at Brufut Woods |
| Oriole Warbler
or Moho |
Hypergerus
atriceps |
This is a hard
bird to see, and so we were delighted when one burst into song on
our first afternoon at the Senegambia Hotel, right by Mass Cham's
bird-hut! It proved elusive at first, but eventually emerged from
dense cover to give good views. Two more were seen at Bijilo Forest
later that day, but although we heard the song on two further occasions,
we never saw another Moho |
| Green Hylia |
Hylia prasina |
This is another
difficult species to see. We heard at least two in Abuko on the first
trip, and eventually saw one well - resembling an Arctic Warbler on
steroids. Once we had learnt the bird's two highly distinctive calls
(an insistent but quiet double whistle, and a Spectacled Warbler-like
rattle), we easily located another on the next visit. Also reported
from Lamin Lodge |
| Common Chiffchaff |
Phylloscopus
collybita |
Four seen and
another heard on five dates |
| Western Bonelli's
Warbler |
Phylloscopus
bonelli |
One in an acacia
tree at Yundum, calling |
| Blackcap |
Sylvia atricapilla |
Two females
recorded |
| Subalpine Warbler |
Sylvia cantillans |
Single males
at Kotu, Cape Point and Tanji, and a female at Tendaba |
| Northern Black
Flycatcher |
Melaeornis
edolioides |
Recorded at
the Senegambia Hotel gardens, where up to four were noted, and at
Tanji, where there were two |
| Brown-throated
or Common Wattle-eye |
Platysteira
cyanea |
Heard singing
at Tendaba and Lamin Lodge, and six sightings at Abuko. The song is
remarkably musical and attractive |
| Blue Flycatcher |
Elminia longicauda |
Several heard
and two seen in the creek at Tendaba |
| Red-bellied
Paradise Flycatcher |
Terpsiphone
rufiventer |
Five noted
at Abuko, and more surprisingly one in bamboo near Lamin Lodge |
| African Paradise
Flycatcher |
Terpsiphone
viridis |
Two singles
noted at Abuko |
| Yellow Penduline
Tit |
Anthoscopus
parvulus |
A major highlight
of the trip was the location of one at Bamakuno Forest |
| Mouse-brown
Sunbird |
Anthreptes
gabonicus |
The classic
site for this species is the mangroves in the creek at Tendaba, and
we succeeded in seeing up to 10 here, along with their tiny and distinctive
nests. However, we were not aware that they are also found at Lamin
Lodge, where we saw three on our boat trip |
| Western Violet-backed
Sunbird |
Anthreptes
longuemarei |
A stunning
adult male at Brufut Woods, initially strung at a distance as a Violet-backed
Starling! |
| Collared Sunbird |
Anthreptes
collaris |
Upwards of
three at Abuko, but hard to see in the tree canopy |
| Pygmy Sunbird |
Anthreptes
platurus |
Four around
Tendaba, and a male at Yundum |
| Green-headed
Sunbird |
Nectarinia
verticalis |
Two males and
a probable female at Brufut Woods |
| Scarlet-chested
Sunbird |
Nectarinia
senegalensis |
Three at Bamakuno
Forest |
| Variable Sunbird |
Nectarinia
venusta |
Seen on five
dates along the coast. The song is highly distinctive, resembling
a European Wren, but lacking the rattling phrase |
| Splendid Sunbird |
Nectarinia
coccinigastra |
Up to four
noted on most dates |
| Beautiful Sunbird |
Nectarinia
pulchella |
The commonest
sunbird, but scarce inland |
| Cinnamon-breasted
Rock Bunting |
Emberiza tahapisi |
Two at a water
hole near Georgetown, and another at Bansang sand quarry |
| White-rumped
Seedeater |
Serinus leucopygius |
Two at Tendaba
airfield |
| Yellow-fronted
Canary |
Serinus mozambicus |
A total of
15 noted at Bamakuno Forest, Tendaba and Yundum |
| [Western Bluebill] |
[Spermophaga
haematina] |
[Heard twice
at Abuko, but sadly not seen] |
| Red-billed
or Senegal Fire Finch |
Lagonosticta
senegala |
A common species,
seen daily in good numbers. Often exceedingly tame, but photographers
please note - the bird is so small that you need to get very close
even with a long lens! |
| Red-cheeked
Cordon-bleu |
Uraeginthus
bengalus |
Seen almost
daily in fair numbers, and common around the hotel area |
| Lavender Waxbill |
Estrilda caerulescens |
Many birders
were having trouble seeing this species, or at least seeing it well,
but again the Senegambia Hotel gardens came to the rescue! The species
is frequent there, and again the best spots are around leaky taps.
Up to 20 present daily there, and a few at other sites |
| Orange-cheeked
Waxbill |
Estrilda melpoda |
About 10 at
Abuko on one visit, and a similar number at Tanji |
| Black-rumped
Waxbill |
Estrilda troglodytes |
Five at Bamakuno
Forest and 10 at Tendaba airfield |
| African Quail-finch |
Ortygospiza
atricollis |
Two on a dry
bank at Pirang shrimp farm |
| Bronze Mannikin |
Lonchura cucullata |
An abundant
species, especially near cultivation and hotels |
| Cut-throat
Weaver |
Amadina fasciata |
Two at water
holes near Georgetown, and a further 2 at Bansang sand quarry |
| Village Indigobird |
Vidua chalybeata |
About 10 eclipse
plumaged birds at Bamakuno, and a cracking male further along the
road to Tendaba |
| Pin-tailed
Whydah |
Vidua macroura |
Five eclipse
plumaged birds at Tanji |
| Exclamatory
Paradise Whydah |
Vidua interjecta |
Eleven noted
around Georgetown and Bansang - most were superb males with long tail
feathers |
| White-billed
Buffalo Weaver |
Bubalornis
albirostris |
Flocks of up
to 40 birds noted on six dates at a variety of sites |
| House Sparrow |
Passer domesticus |
Common but
never abundant around habitation |
| Grey-headed
Sparrow |
Passer griseus |
Up to 20 noted
daily |
| Sudan Golden
Sparrow |
Auripasser
luteus |
Two males and
a female at a water hole near Georgetown. This is a difficult and
erratic species, which never seems to be found in large numbers, and
is often missed |
| Lesser Rock
or Bush Petronia |
Petronia dentata |
Fifteen noted
at various dry sites up country |
| Black-necked
or Spectacled Weaver |
Ploceus nigricollis |
Single females
at Bijilo on two occasions, and rather more of both sexes at Abuko
and Brufut Woods. The common English name is highly inappropriate
for the West African form of this widespread African species! A potential
split? |
| Village Weaver |
Ploceus cucullatus |
Abundant near
habitation, especially at the Senegambia Hotel. Nearly all were in
drab post-breeding or juvenile plumages |
| Little (Masked)
Weaver |
Ploceus luteolus |
One at Bamakuno
Forest |
| Northern Red
Bishop |
Euplectes franciscanus |
Well over 150
in several large flocks in dry bush up country |
| Purple Glossy
Starling |
Lamprotornis
purpureus |
About 20 identified
with certainty, the best site being the Senegambia Hotel gardens,
where mixed flocks of starlings come to wash and drink by the golf
course. Purple has absurd saucer-like eyes and a disproportionately
large head, like something out of a cartoon |
| Bronze-tailed
Glossy Starling |
Lamprotornis
chalcurus |
About 25 noted
on six dates. The short-tailed look is distinctive in flight |
| Greater Blue-eared
Glossy Starling |
Lamprotornis
chalybaeus |
Up to 10 recorded
on 8 dates |
| Lesser Blue-eared
Glossy Starling |
Lamprotornis
chloropterus |
A few singles
in the Senegambia Hotel gardens, and 20 near Brikama |
| Long-tailed
Glossy Starling |
Lamprotornis
caudatus |
The commonest
starling, with small and noisy parties frequently seen throughout |
| Yellow-billed
Oxpecker |
Buphagus africanus |
One near Brikama
and another two near Yundum. Almost any herd of cattle could hold
this species |
| African Golden
Oriole |
Oriolus auratus |
Single males
at Baobolong Camp, the Fajara golf course and Tanji, and two at Bamakuno
Forest |
| Fork-tailed
Drongo |
Dicrurus adsimilis |
Nineteen noted
on seven dates |
| Piapiac |
Ptilostomus
afer |
Common throughout,
especially around the Senegambia Hotel and near livestock |
| Pied Crow |
Corvus albus |
Seen daily
in good numbers |
|
|
|
|
| Selected
species reported by others : |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Species |
Site
(if known) |
|
| Long-crested
Eagle |
|
|
| Short-toed
Eagle |
|
|
| African
Finfoot |
Tendaba |
|
| Egyptian
Plover |
Basse
only |
|
| Temminck's
Courser |
Yundum
& Abuko rice fields |
|
| White-fronted
Plover |
Cape Point |
|
| Spotted
Redshank |
|
|
| Marsh
Sandpiper |
|
|
| White-winged
Black Tern |
|
|
| African
Green Pigeon |
|
|
| Pearl-spotted
Owlet |
Kotu Creek |
|
| Brown-necked
Parrot |
|
|
| Whitethroat |
|
|
| Willow
Warbler |
|
|
| Winding
Cisticola |
|
|
| Siffling
Cisticola |
|
|
| Copper
Sunbird |
|
|
| Heuglin's
Masked Weaver |
|
|
Conclusion
-
And that was that - 273 species in total, 89 of them new to me.
It would have been 175 had I not previously been to Kenya! We had
some real megas : how many birding crews in Gambia score with more
than a couple of birds like White-crested Tiger-heron, White-backed
Night Heron, Spotted Eagle Owl, African Crake, Green-headed Sunbird,
Sudan Golden Sparrow and African Pygmy Goose?
-
So, do we regret not seeing the Egyptian Plover? Of course
we do, in many ways - but maybe we'll just have to see one somewhere
else. I wouldn't have traded an Egyptian Plover for the birds listed
above - would you?
-
PLEASE contact me if there are glaring errors, or if you'd like
further information, or if I can help in any other way.
Simon Woolley
January 2001
|