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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Gambia: 16 – 24 February 2001,

Tom Embo  - Barbara Van den Abeele (Belgium)

Tom.embo@vlaanderen.be

 

fajara golf course Kotu pounds en casino cycle track

lamin fields

abuko

tanji

Mandina bah, brumen bridge and pirang

tendaba

bijilo

brufut

yundum

1.  Little grebe

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Long-tailed cormorant

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

3.  African darter

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

4.  Great white pelican

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Pink-backed pelican

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

6.  Black-crowned night-heron

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  White-backed night-heron

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

8.  Squacco heron

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

9.  Cattle egret

X

 

 

 

X

 

X

X

 

10.   Striated heron

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

11.   Black egret

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

12.   Little egret

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

13.   Western reef heron

X

 

X

 

X

X

 

 

 

14.   Intermediate egret

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

15.   Great white egret

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

16.   Purple heron

 

 

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

17.   Grey heron

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

18.   Black headed heron

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

19.   Goliath heron

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

20.   Hamerkop

X

X

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

21.   Yellow-billed stork

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

22.   Woolly-necked stork

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

23.   White stork

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24.   Sacred ibis

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

25.   African spoonbill

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

26.   White-faced whistling-duck

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27.   Spur-winged goose

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

28.   Black shouldered kite

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

X

X

29.   Black kite

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

30.   African fish eagle

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

31.   Palm-nut vulture

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

32.   Hooded vulture

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

33.   Short-toed eagle

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

34.   Brown snake eagle

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

35.   African harrier-hawk

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

X

36.   Western marsh harrier

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

37.   Dark chanting goshawk

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

X

38.   Shikra

X

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

 

39.   Lizard buzzard

X

 

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

40.   Wahlberg's eagle

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

41.   Tawny eagle

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

42.   Long-crested eagle

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

43.   Osprey

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

 

 

44.   Grey kestrel

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

45.   Red-necked falcon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

46.   African hobby

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

47.   Pergrine falcon

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

48.   Double-spurred francolin

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

49.   Quail-plover

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50.   Stone partridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

51.   Black crake

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

52.   African finfoot

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

53.   African jacana

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

54.   Eurasian oystercatcher

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

55.   Black-winged stilt

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

56.   Senegal thick-knee

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

57.   Temminck's courser

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

58.   Collared pratincole

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

59.   Ringed plover

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

60.   Grey plover

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

61.   Wattled plover

X

 

 

X

X

X

 

X

X

62.   Black-headed plover

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

63.   Spur-winged plover

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

X

X

64.   Black-tailed godwit

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

65.   Bar-tailed godwit

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

66.   Whimbrel

X

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

67.   Common redshank

X

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

68.   Common greenshank

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

69.   Green sandpiper

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

70.   Wood sanpiper

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

71.   Common sandpiper

 

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

72.   Ruddy turnstone

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

73.   Sanderling

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

74.   Dunlin

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

75.   Ruff

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

76.   Lesser black-backed gull

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

77.   Black-headed gull

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

78.   Grey-headed gull

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

79.   Slender-billed gull

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

80.   Gull-billed tern

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

81.   Caspian tern

X

X

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

82.   Lesser crested tern

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

83.   Royal tern

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

84.   Sandwich tern

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

85.   Black tern

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

86.   White winged black tern

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

87.   Speckled pigeon

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

88.   Laughing dove

X

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

89.   African mourning dove

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

90.   Vinaceous dove

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

91.   Red-eyed dove

X

X

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

92.   Black-billed wood dove

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

 

93.   Bleu-spotted wood dove

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

94.   Bruce's green pigeon

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

95.   African green pigeon

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

96.   Senegal parrot

X

X

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

97.   Rose-ringed parakeet

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

98.   Green turaco

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

99.   Violet turaco

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

100.  Western grey plantain-eater

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

101.  Senegal coucal

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

102.  African scops owl

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

103.  White-faced scops owl

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

104.  Verreaux's eagle owl

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

105.  Pearl spotted owlet

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

 

106.  Long-tailed nightjar

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

107.  Standard-winged nightjar

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

108.  Mottled spinetail

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

109.  African palm swift

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

110.  Pallid swift

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

111.  Little swift

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

112.  Malachite kingfisher

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

 

113.  African pygmy kingfisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

114.  Blue-breasted kingfisher

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

115.  Woodland kingfisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

116.  Striped kingfisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

117.  Giant kingfisher

X

 

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

118.  Pied kingfisher

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

 

 

119.  Little bee-eater

X

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

X

120.  Swallow-tailed bee-eater

 

 

 

X

 

X

X

 

 

121.  Bleu-cheeked bee-eater

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

122.  European bee-eater

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

123.  Abyssinian roller

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

124.  Rufous-crowned roller

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

X

125.  Bleu-bellied roller

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

 

126.  Broad-billed roller

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

127.  Green wood-hoopoe

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

128.  Eurasian hoopoe

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

129.  Red-billed hornbill

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

130.  African pied hornbill

 

 

X

X

X

 

 

 

 

131.  African grey hornbill

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

132.  Abyssinian ground hornbill

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

133.  Vieillot's barbet

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

134.  Bearded barbet

 

X

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

135.  Greater honeyguide

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

136.  Lesser honeyguide

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

137.  Golden-tailed woodpecker

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

138.  Cardinal woodpecker

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

139.  Grey woodpecker

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

140.  Crested lark

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

141.  Fanti saw-wing

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

 

142.  Rufous chested swallow

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

143.  Mosque swallow

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

144.  Red-rumped swallow

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

145.  Wire-tailed swallow

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

146.  Pied-winged swallow

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

147.  Red-chested swallow

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

148.  Yellow wagtail

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

149.  White wagtail

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

150.  Plain-backed pipit

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

151.  Yellow-throated longclaw

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

152.  Yellow-throated leaflove

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

153.  Grey-headed bristlebill

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

154.  Common bulbul

X

X

 

X

 

X

X

 

X

155.  African trush

X

 

X

X

 

 

X

X

X

156.  Snowy-crowned robin-chat

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

157.  White-crowned robin-chat

 

 

X

 

X

 

X

 

 

158.  Whinchat

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

159.  Desert wheatear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

160.  Reed warbler

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

161.  Olivaceous warbler

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

162.  Melodious warbler

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

163.  Green-backed eremomela

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

164.  Blackcap

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

165.  Subalpine warbler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

166.  Zitting cisticola

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

167.  Tawny-flanked prinia

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

168.  Grey-backed camaroptera

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

169.  Red-bellied paradise-flycatcher

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

X

 

170.  Brown babbler

X

X

 

X

 

X

X

X

X

171.  Blackcap babbler

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

X

 

172.  White winged black tit

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

173.  Yellow penduline-tit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

174.  Mouse-brown sunbird

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

175.  Pygmy sunbird

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

176.  Scarlet-chested sunbird

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

X

177.  Variable sunbird

 

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

178.  Splendid sunbird

X

X

X

X

 

X

 

 

 

179.  Beautiful sunbird

X

 

X

X

 

X

 

 

 

180.  African golden oriole

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

X

 

181.  Woodchat shrike

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

182.  Yellow-billed shrike

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

 

X

183.  Black -crowned tchagra

X

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

184.  Yellow-crowned gonolek

X

X

 

X

X

X

X

X

X

185.  White-crested helmet shrike

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

186.  Fork-tailed drongo

X

 

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

187.  Piapiac

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

X

188.  Pied crow

X

X

X

X

X

 

X

X

 

189.  Purple glossy starling

X

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

190.  Greater blue-eared glossy starling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

191.  Lesser blue-eared glossy starling

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

192.  Long-tailed glossy starling

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

X

 

193.  Yellow-billed oxpecker

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

194.  House sparrow

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

195.  Grey-headed sparrow

X

 

 

X

 

X

X

X

 

196.  White-billed buffalo weaver

X

X

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

197.  Black-necked weaver

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

X

 

198.  Village weaver

X

X

 

X

X

 

X

X

X

199.  Northern red bishop

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

200.  Red-billed firefinch

X

X

 

X

X

 

 

 

 

201.  Lavender waxbill

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

X

202.  Orange-cheeked waxbill

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

203.  Black-rumped waxbill

 

 

 

 

X

X

 

 

 

204.  Red-cheeked gordon bleu

 

 

 

X

X

X

X

X

 

205.  African silverbill

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

206.  Bronze mannikin

X

X

X

 

X

 

X

X

X

207.  Pin-tailed whydah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

208.  White-rumped seedeater

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

209.  Yellow-fronted canary

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

210.  Northern black flycatcher

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

Total 210

103

48

45

68

85

106

37

61

42

 

Best species (birds not found in other reports – including the 292-species record group of Howard Orridge)

Quail plover found on the spot for Temmick’s courser in Lamin fields. We flushed the single bird a few times, showing the white wing patern. Because it never flew further than 20 – 30 meters we could find it back and after all we had some very close sights. We missed the coursers in Lamin but found them soon in Yundum. Barlow mentions in his book only two modern records of Quail plover.

Golden-tailed woodpecker: We found this female bird in Mandina bah, a village on the way to Pirang. We observed the bird for more than 15 minutes within a distance of 10 meter so determination was not difficult.

(White stork: Almost our first bird in the Gambia found in Kotu Creek.  This is a rare visitor to the Gambia and I could not find him in other reports.)

We found the African finfoot and the Abyssinian ground Hornbill during the creek tour,white winged black tit behind Tendaba camp and yellow penduline tit at Yundum. According to the reports a lot of groups miss these birds.

We observed all species (except african scops owl which we only heard and african hobby – distance) in excellent conditions. Keep your eyes open because a lot of species you will find just ones during your trip and we also missed a lot of species that were found by most groups (e.g. northern crombec, common wattle eye, african paradise flycatcher, fine spotted woodpecker,…)

Bird guide

Our bird guide was Ebou (Ebrima) Barry (c/o Dembo Sonko PMB 733 SK The Gambia) His telephone number is 392497. You can reach him at 8.30 PM.

We met Ebou (as many other “bird guides”) at Fajara golf course. Ebou is an enthusiastic young (20 years) bird guide. He has a good knowledge of the sites, finds the birds quite fast (also difficult ones such as the white faced scops owl, african finfoot or white backed night heron) He’s a good birder but not all his identifications are correct. He’s reliable but write down the deal you make as I noticed that he tries to rise the price (local habit?). 

He asks 20 pounds/person for half a day (from 7a.m. till 1p.m.) with a car/driver. In fact we paid him between 15 and 30 pound for half a day with a car/driver for two persons. His driver is a very good one.

As we like to bird on our own we made a selection;

we involved Ebou for following sites:

Casino cycle track (one evening, two hours including the nightjars – we paid Ebou 75 dalasi for this), lamin fields, the Tendaba tour (with brumen bridge, Pirang and Mandinaba), brufut and yundum

Following sites were visited on our own:

Fajara golf course, kotu creek en ponds, Casino cycle track, Abuko, Tanji, bijilo and Lamin lodge.

Caution: Rod Wards birdwatcher’s guide to the Gambia indicates that there are no access restrictions in the Tanji bird reserve. In fact you have to pay 32 dalasi at the office. This is not obvious if you enter by foot from Tanji. There are some park-rangers who will show you the way. They are not allowed to collect the fee themselves.

The Gambia is a safe country. The people are very friendly. (Prepare on following questions because you will have to answer them a lot: What’s your name?   Where do you come from? (they will like the country) How many birds have you seen today? How long do you stay? Is it your first time in the Gambia? and the children ad: Give me pen/sweet/dalasi/your address.

We had ones trouble with a hassler at the Fajara golf course (His story starts with “peace and love and no racism and black and white blood is the same and so on till it ends with the price after which he starts making trouble because we didn’t want to pay him”.  We involved some local people in the discussion and got rid of him.

We staid in the Palmgrove hotel (Good for terns such as Royal and Caspian, waders and ospreys) but the Senegambia hotel is a lot better for birds (and lizards) and we spent the hottest hours of the day in this hotel.

Holidays to The Gambia
[Birdtours recommend the Gambia Experience]

Tendaba camp is fantastic and we staid also at the Paradise inn lodge in Tanji. A very good and cheap lodge with a good staff (more authentic than those in the hotels) in the wonderful fishing centre and birding place Tanji far enough from tourist industry.  The trip with the bush taxi (from Serekunda till Tanji) costs 5 (FIVE!) dalasi/person. If you take a tourist taxi for the same trip I think you will have to pay at least 50-75 dalasi.

Reports

You can find very good trip reports (including links) on:

http://www.birdtours.co.uk/birdseekers/gambia.htm (some good pictures on this site)

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/links/link_afr_gm.html

http://www.bsc.gm/

The reports made by Steve Bird, Jan Vermeulen, Kent Öhrn Värnamo, Johan Waldemarsson, Dirk Vanackere and many others were very useful to prepare our trip.

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?