[Birdtours recommend the Gambia Experience]
The Gambia (20th - 27th January 1997)
CONTENTS
- General Information
- References
- Itinerary (summary)
- The Sites:
- Fajara Golf Course
- Kotu Creek & Kotu Sewage Ponds
- Casino Cycle Track/Palma Rima Hotel
- The Bund Road
- Abuko Nature Reserve
- The Lamin Fields
- Yundum area
- Pirang
- The Marakisa Woods
- The Brufut Woods
- Daily Log
- Systematic List of Birds
- Systematic List of Mammals
This report is based upon a trip (20th - 27th January 1997) to The Gambia taken by Jan Vermeulen, Willemien van Ginneken and Vital & Riet van Gorp. For several years I intended to visit this small West African country in wintertime. It is already for many years a winter retreat for many Europeans as they escape the wet and cold for the sunnier climes of this country.
It is also a popular destination for european birders, probably because of its accessibility and the friendliness of its people. The Gambia is a good choice to encounter and learn to identify many Afrotropical species, so for those interested in exploring sub-Saharan Africa this is the perfect introduction. The Gambia provides also the opportunity to observe more familiar Palearctic birds.
Over 560 species have been recorded in the country, only 80 fewer than Senegal which is almost twenty times its size. This trip we focused mainly on the coast and here we met at least 100 birdwatchers and amongst them many women!
The list of birds mentioned in the sites which follows is purely taken at random from each days events highlighting some of the more interesting species. For a detailed report of species and numbers please refer to the systematic list at the end of this report.
FLIGHT AND VISA
We travelled to The Gambia via Brussels and Guinee-Bissau. Our direct return-flight
was fast, approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes. Our return-ticket (Sabena) for
the air journey and the week in the Sunwing Hotel (including breakfast and dinner)
cost us about ¦ 1575,-- per person. The flights were almost punctual and troublefree.
No visa is necessary for The Gambia. When you're leaving Gambia, you have to pay a departure tax of 130 dalasis. Be sure to confirm your reservations for your return flight at least 48 hours before the flight.
MONEY
The Gambian currency is the dalasi. It was low at the time of our visit
giving us good purchasing power. The dalasi fluctuated between 5.25 - 5.28 to
the Guilder. All major credit cards and traveller cheques are accepted at banks
and in the larger hotels.
ACCOMMODATION
No complaints on this front. Developed as a winter holiday destination for
Europeans, it has a number of good quality hotels along its coast which form
an ideal base from which to explore.
Tourists hotels on the coast range from the large and luxurious, such as the Sunwing and Senegambia Beach, to the small, comfortable and friendly, such as the Bakotu, with a range of prices to match. There are no campsites in The Gambia, and camping in the open is definitely not recommended. We stayed all week in the Sunwing Hotel and from here we made early morning and afternoon excursions to a variety of good birding areas.
[Birdtours
recommend the Gambia Experience]
FOOD AND DRINK
Generally quite good and inexpensive. The meals in the restaurants are excellent
and pretty cheap (75 rand). Cool drinks can be found anywhere.
ENTRANCE FEES
The entrance fee of the Abuko Nature Reserve was 30 dalasi per person.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Gambians are very friendly people, though you get very tired when for the
10th time you have to explain where you come from, what your name is, that you
have already hired a bird guide, and if you like the Gambia.
An almost ritual demand by children, and certainly in the tourist areas is "Give me pen!" or "Give me sweet!" We always felt very comfortable in this country and had a very nice trip.
Vaccinations, consult your own doctor for up to date advice. Be sure to get enough malaria tablets for your trip, and do take them! Nowadays with the Lariam Roche tablets (mefloquine) you only have to take one tablet a week. Many visitors are struck down by "Banjul Belly", some briefly and annoyingly, others more seriously. We were OK, but we did not take any risk and avoided risky food.
Finally, beware of the sun. Hats and long-sleeved shirts are essential kit.
LANGUAGE
English is the official language in The Gambia and is widely spoken everywhere.
WEATHER
During the time we spent in The Gambia, apart from the first day when we
had a cloudy and windy day, it was excellent all week - pleasantly warm most
of the time - but hot in the open in the mid part of the day, especially inland.
For birdwatchers the best time is from November through February or March. If the starbird Egyptian Plover is a must to see, the trip should be taken before the end of January, because the birds will have gone from Basse by the end of this month.
TRANSPORT AND ROADS
In the general absence of self hire cars in The Gambia (they are available,
but self-drive is not recommended) one has to rely on taxis and 'bush taxis'.
Taxi is good for going to a certain place, spending the day there, and take
the same taxi back. You make a deal with the taxidriver beforehand and pay when
you get back at the hotel. We found that the taxidrivers were very conscientious
about this, they were always there at the arranged time.
If short of cash, local 'bush taxis' which come in the form of estate-cars and minibuses, called 'tanker-tankers' by the Gambians, are very cheap. Another possibility are the cheap buses that cover the southern half of the country and reach all of the most important birding sites.
It is also possible to hire a bird guide with his own transport, however this can be a rather expensive way to birding.
EQUIPMENT
A small tape recorder is quite useful for drawing in birds.
A good torch is a must. A telescope is useful at coastal sites and lakes and very useful for viewing canopy species especially from roadsides. Photography is NOT difficult, as birds are easy to approach and light conditions are good.
Clothing can be T-shirt and short anywhere (during the daytime).
NOMENCLATURE & TAXONOMY
In Africa there is much confusion regarding the English names for birds,
and often each author, having their own preferences which results in the same
species having up to 3 or 4 even 5 different names.
For instance:
Laniarius barbarus: Barbary Shrike (Serle, Morel & Hartwig), Yellow-crowned
Gonolek (Ward), Common Gonolek (Clements).
Phoeniculus purpureus: Senegal Woodhoopoe (Serle, Morel & Hartwig),
Redbilled Woodhoopoe (Sinclair), Green Woodhoopoe (Clements).
Pycnonotus barbatus: Common Garden Bulbul (Serle, Morel & Hartwig),
Blackeyed Bulbul (Newman and Roberts), Yellow-vented Bulbul (Williams/Arlott),
Garden Bulbul (Howard & Moore), Common Bulbul (Clements)...ridiculous!
I have decided a few years ago to follow the English names of James F. Clements (July 1991, Birds of the World, A Check List). Species in brackets are the English names in "A Field Guide to the Birds of West Africa" by Serle, Morel and Hartwig, but only mentioned when these differ significantly from the Clements Check List.
COMMON BIRDSPECIES
The following list of birds we saw frequently and if you spend any sort of time in the right habitats you will too:
Long-tailed Cormorant (Long-tailed Shag), Western Reef-Egret (Reef Heron), Cattle Egret, Black Kite, Hooded Vulture, Whimbrel, Spur-winged Plover, Wattled Lapwing (Senegal Wattled Plover), Gray-headed Gull, Speckled Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Senegal Coucal, African Palm-Swift, Pied Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Red-billed Hornbill, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Pied Crow, Yellow-billed Shrike (Long-tailed Shrike), Long-tailed Glossy-Starling, Red-chested Swallow, Common (Garden) Bulbul, Brown Babbler, Grey-headed Sparrow, Bronze Mannikin, Village Weaver, Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
BIRDGUIDES
Birders will inevitably encounter 'bird guides', especially in the Kotu area. We met a few of these guides. Prices and quality of their services vary quite considerably. The advantage of hiring a bird guide on at least the first few days, is that he can save you loads of time in finding sites in addition to being experienced in species identification and calls. Just by chance we met Solomon Jallow at Kotu Creek. Solomon is a top bird guide, who took care of our transport and was at the same time a very good birding companion.
If planning a birding trip to The Gambia, and feel that a bird guide would be of use to you, I recommend you to get in contact with Solomon Jallow. His address:
Solomon Jallow
Lamin Lodge
telephone 47-2208
The Gambia
Prices: We were charged 225 dalasi per person per day, including transport for the trip.
BOOKS
- James F. Clements. Birds
of the World. A Check List.
- Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey & Warwick Tarboton, Field
Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa
- W. Serle, G.J. Morel, W. Hartwig. A Field Guide to the Birds of
West Africa.
- E.K. Urban, L.H. Brown, K.B. Newman. The
Birds of Africa, volume I. Ostriches to Falcons.
- E.K. Urban, C.H. Fry, S. Keith. The Birds of Africa, volume II (Gamebirds
to Pigeons), volume III (Parrots to Woodpeckers) and volume IV (Broadbills to
Chats).
- Paul de Waard. Reishandboek Gambia.
- Rod Ward. A Birdwatcher's Guide to The Gambia.
- Nigel Wheatley. Where
to Watch Birds in Africa.
At the time of our visit "A Field Guide of West Africa" by Serle, Morel and Hartwig was the only bird guide for the area. Unfortunately the publication of Clive Barlow's "Field Guide to the Birds of The Gambia" was postponed for a few months.
REPORTS AND ARTICLES
- Annika Forsten. The Gambia 15 - 22.02.1988.
- Henk Hendriks. Gambia 94/95 24 December 1994 - 7 January 1995.
- Jon Hornbuckle. The Gambia - March 21-28 1991.
- Dirk de Moes. Senegal & Gambia. 18th january - 12th february 1989.
- Lamin Sidibeh. Check List and Guide to Localities.
- Andrew W. Clarke. Birding in The Gambia 1994. 3rd March - 17th March.
- Nige Wheatley. Birds seen in Gambia from December 30th 1993 to January 13th
1994.
- Jan Zwaaneveld. A Birdwatching Trip to The Gambia and Senegal from February
13th until 27th, 1994.
I found the detailed notes by Henk Hendriks & Jan Zwaaneveld most useful, with additional information from the report by Nige Wheatley.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to Vital's wife Riet and my girlfriend Willemien for accompanying
us during all our day trips. It won't take long and they will be birders too.
SUMMARY
January 20 Chaam * Brussels * Guinea Conakry
* Banjul (The Gambia)
January 21 Fajara Golf Course * Kotu Creek * Cape Point
January 22 Abuko Nature Reserve * Lamin Fields (Lamin Lodge) *
Abuko Nature Reserve
January 23 The Bund Road * Kotu Creek * Kotu Sewage Ponds * Cape
Point
January 24 Yundum * Lamin Fields * Palma Rima Hotel area
January 25 Fajara Golf Course * Kotu Sewage Ponds * Casino Cycle
Track
January 26 Pirang * Marakisa Woods * Brufut Woods * Garden Senegambia
Hotel
January 27/28 Abuko Nature Reserve * Cape Point * Banjul * Brussels
Details of most of the sites are given in Rod Ward's "A Birdwatcher's Guide to The Gambia", Nigel Wheatley's "Where to Watch Birds in Africa" and in the reports by Henk Hendriks, Jan Zwaaneveld and Jon Hornbuckle et al. Here is some brief info about the birdingspots visited by us.
FAJARA GOLF COURSE
The Golf Course is a rather small, hilly area which looks out over a wide stretch of low scrub to the sea. There are clumps and rows of a mixture of trees, including palms which attract a number of the common Gambian birds. It was a very productive area and we spent quite some time in it. We visited the golf course three times.
Species recorded here included:
Palm-nut Vulture, Lizard Buzzard, Black-headed Lapwing, African Green-Pigeon, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Senegal Parrot, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Swallow-tailed & Little Bee-eater, Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-billed Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, Common Gonolek (Barbary Shrike), (West) African Thrush, YELLOW-THROATED GREENBUL (YELLOW-THROATED LEAF-LOVE), Leaf-love, Subalpine Warbler, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, Splendid Sunbird, Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
KOTU CREEK & KOTU SEWAGE PONDS
Kotu, on Gambia's Atlantic coast, is where most of the tourist hotels are situated. These hotels lie next to the tidal Kotu Creek which is surrounded by mangrove, scrub, palm-dotted paddies, sewage ponds and the Fajara Golf Course. The birdlife is rich and varied here and the ponds and their banks regularly harbour a good number of waders.
Species recorded here included:
Little Grebe (Dabchick), Pink-backed Pelican, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Western Reef-Egret (Reef Heron), Squacco Heron, Striated (Green-backed) Heron, Sacred Ibis, African Spoonbill, African Jacana, Black-tailed & Bar-tailed Godwit, Marsh Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Ruff, SENEGAL THICK-KNEE, Black-winged Stilt, Little ringed Plover, Wattled Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, Senegal Parrot, Malachite, Pied Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed, Blue-cheeked & Little Bee-eater, Abyssinian & Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-chested & Wire-tailed Swallow, Singing Cisticola, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Variable & Splendid Sunbird, Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
Species seen by others:
WHITE-BACKED NIGHT-HERON, Double-spurred Francolin, Red-thighed (West African Little) Sparrowhawk, Grey Kestrel, Greater Painted-snipe, Blue-breasted & Woodland Kingfisher, Bearded Barbet, Black-crowned Tchagra, Sudan Golden Sparrow, Copper Sunbird.
CASINO CYCLE TRACK/PALMA RIMA HOTEL
We only visited the area once for two hours or so.
At the end of the Cycle Track, just behind the beach, is a small area with low bushes, grass and some trees. This is the place to search for LONG-TAILED and STANDARD-WINGED NIGHTJARS.
Species recorded here included:
Black-headed & Wattled Lapwing, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Senegal Coucal, LONG-TAILED & STANDARD-WINGED NIGHTJAR (in the scrub between Palma Rima Hotel and the beach), Blue-bellied Roller, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, Common Gonolek (Barbary Shrike), Tawny-flanked Prinia, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, Lavender & Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Variable (Yellow-bellied), Splendid & Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
THE BUND ROAD
The mudflats and mangroves alongside the Bund Road support good numbers of waders, while the telegraph wires along the roadside provide perches for Rollers, Bee-eaters and the small occasional raptor.
We only visited the area once for two hours or so.
Species recorded here included:
Long-tailed & Great (White-throated) Cormorant, African Darter, Pink-backed Pelican, Greater Flamingo, Black Heron, Western Reef-Egret (Reef Heron), Great Egret, Hamerkop, Western Marsh-Harrier, Whimbrel, Wood & Common Sandpiper, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Gray-headed Gull, Gull-billed & Caspian Tern, Abyssinian Roller, Siffling (Shortwing) Cisticola, Red-billed (Senegal) Firefinch, African (Warbling) Silverbill, Bronze Mannikin, White Wagtail.
ABUKO NATURE RESERVE
The most rewarding area in The Gambia is the small but exceedingly rich Abuko Nature Reserve. The reserve has a vegetation of riverine forest and Guinea savannah and these habitats are so scarce in the rest of coastal Gambia that many species can only be found here. The reserve also holds a number of species here at the northernmost limit of their range. Over 250 species have been recorded in this tiny reserve. There are hides overlooking pools surrounded by gallery forest and savanna.
Species recorded here included:
African Darter, Black-headed Heron, Striated (Green-backed) Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Palm-nut Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Lizard Buzzard, RED-THIGHED (WEST AFRICAN LITTLE) SPARROWHAWK, Booted Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Grey Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Double-spurred Francolin, Stone Partridge, African Jacana, African Mourning Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted (Red-billed) Wood-Dove, Senegal Parrot, GUINEA (GREEN-CRESTED) TURACO, VIOLET TURACO (PLANTAIN-EATER), Western Grey Plantain-eater, Senegal Coucal, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Striped, Giant & Pied Kingfisher, Little, Swallow-tailed & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-billed & African Grey Hornbill, AFRICAN PIED (BLACK-AND-WHITE-TAILED) HORNBILL, Bearded Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Fine-spotted, Cardinal & Grey Woodpecker, Black-headed (Red-bellied) Paradise-Flycatcher, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Piapiac (Black Magpie), RED-SHOULDERED CUCKOO-SHRIKE, Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, Northern Puffback (Gambian Puff-Back Shrike), Sulphur-breasted (Orange-breasted) Bushshrike, White (Long-crested) Helmetshrike, Brown-throated (Scarlet-spectacled) Wattle-Eye, (West) African Thrush, Northern Black-Flycatcher, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Red-chested & Wire-tailed Swallow, Little Greenbul, GREY-HEADED BRISTLEBILL, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Subalpine Warbler, ORIOLE WARBLER (MOHO), Gray-backed Camaroptera, Northern Crombec, GREEN HYLIA, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, WESTERN BLUEBILL (BLUE-BILLED WEAVER), Bronze Mannikin, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Village & Spectacled Weaver, Collared, Splendid & Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
Species seen by others:
Ahanta Francolin, White-spotted Flufftail, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, White-crowned Robin-Chat.
LAMIN FIELDS
The paddies, cultivations and scrub to the north of Lamin are worth a brief examination. The fields are used as rice fields in the wet season and are crossed by narrow footpaths.
Species recorded here included:
Long-tailed Cormorant, Black & Black-headed Heron, Little & Intermediate Egret, Western Reef-Egret (Reef Heron), Squacco Heron, Hamerkop, Osprey, Palm-nut Vulture, Western Marsh-Harrier, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Shikra, African Jacana, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, FOUR-BANDED SANDGROUSE, African Mourning Dove, Vinaceous & Red-eyed Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, African Green-Pigeon (Green Fruit-Pigeon), Senegal Parrot, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Senegal Coucal, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Palm-Swift, Pied Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-billed Hornbill, Bearded Barbet, Greater (Black-throated) Honeyguide, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Fork-tailed (Glossy-backed) Drongo, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, Black-crowned Tchagra, (West) African Thrush, Purple & Long-tailed Glossy-Starling, Whinchat, Red-chested, Wire-tailed & Pied-winged Swallow, Northern Crombec, Willow Warbler, Blackcap Babbler, Lavender Waxbill, Village Indigobird (Senegal Indigo Finch), Yellow Wagtail, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver.
Species seen by others:
Temminck's Courser, White-faced Scops-Owl.
YUNDUM
On the main road from Bunjul to Brikama you pass the airport entrance. Approximately 1 km south of the turn off to the airport behind the Agricultural College complex there is a network of tracks crisscrossing a variety of habitats such as scattered acacias, low scrub, agricultural fields and grasslands. It is a nice area to spend a few hours.
Species recorded here included:
Osprey, Western Marsh-Harrier, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Shikra, Booted Eagle, Eurasian & Grey Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Double-spurred Francolin, African Mourning Dove, Vinaceous & Red-eyed Dove, Black-billed & Blue-spotted (Red-billed) Wood-Dove, Senegal Parrot, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Senegal Coucal, African Palm-Swift, Striped & Pied Kingfisher, Little & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Abyssinian & Blue-bellied Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-billed Hornbill, VIEILLOT'S BARBET, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Fork-tailed (Glossy-backed) Drongo, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, Common Gonolek (Barbary Shrike), (West) African Thrush, Long-tailed Glossy-Starling, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Red-chested, Wire-tailed & Pied-winged Swallow, FANTI SAWWING (FANTI ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW), Zitting Cisticola (Fantail Warbler), Tawny-flanked (West African) Prinia, RED-WINGED PRINIA, Greater (European) Whitethroat, Northern Crombec, Willow Warbler, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, Lavender Waxbill, Village Indigobird (Senegal Indigo Finch), Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Black-winged (Fire-crowned) Bishop, Orange (Red) Bishop, Scarlet-chested (Scarlet-breasted) Sunbird, Variable (Yellow-bellied) Sunbird, Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird, Yellow-fronted Canary.
Species seen by others:
Grasshopper Buzzard, White-fronted Black-Chat, Rufous Cisticola, Yellow Penduline-Tit, Little Weaver, Heuglin's Masked-Weaver.
PIRANG
The main claim to the fame of Pirang is the flock of BLACK CROWNED-CRANES which regular roost in the mangroves behind the village. We saw the cranes in the deserted shrimp-farms.
Species recorded here included:
Western Reef-Egret (Reef Heron), Great Egret, BLACK CROWNED-CRANE, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Little Stint, Black-winged Stilt, Common Ringed Plover, Gull-billed & Caspian Tern, Red-chested & Wire-tailed Swallow, Northern Crombec, Crested Lark, Yellow Wagtail, AFRICAN QUAILFINCH.
Species seen by others:
Short-toed Eagle, Brown-necked Parrot, Cut-throat, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, Plain-backed Pipit, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Yellow-crowned Bishop.
MARAKISA WOODS
Just south of Marakisa, close to the Senegal border and along the Allahein River, is some small well developed forest quite similar to the forest in the Brufut area. Some species are easier found here than in the Brufut Woods.
Species recorded here included:
Squacco Heron, Hamerkop, Palm-nut Vulture, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Shikra, Long-crested Eagle, Double-spurred Francolin, Black Crake, African Jacana, Green & Wood Sandpiper, SENEGAL THICK-KNEE, African Mourning Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted (Red-billed) Wood-Dove, African Green-Pigeon (Green Fruit-Pigeon), Senegal Parrot, VIOLET TURACO (PLANTAIN-EATER), Western Grey Plantain-eater, Klaas' Cuckoo, Senegal Coucal, MOTTLED SPINETAIL (USSHER'S SPINE-TAILED SWIFT), Striped & Pied Kingfisher, Little & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Abyssinian Roller & Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Black Scimitar-bill (Lesser Wood-Hoopoe), Red-billed & African Grey Hornbill, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Fork-tailed (Glossy-backed) Drongo, Piapiac (Black Magpie), African Golden Oriole, RED-SHOULDERED CUCKOO-SHRIKE, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, (West) African Thrush, Purple Glossy-Starling, Red-chested, Wire-tailed, Pied-winged & Mosque Swallow, House Martin, Little Greenbul, Tawny-flanked (West African) Prinia, Gray-backed Camaroptera, Senegal (Green-backed) Eremomela, Northern Crombec, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, Red-billed (Senegal) Firefinch, Lavender & Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Village & Spectacled Weaver, Collared, Scarlet-chested, Splendid & Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
Species seen by others:
African Hobby, Temminck's Courser, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Broad-billed Roller.
BRUFUT WOODS
Around the village of Brufut you can find some areas of well developed woodland, which are quite rich of birds. This site is a well-known stake out for Fanti Sawwing, which is quite common here.
Species recorded here included:
Black Heron, Hamerkop, Palm-nut Vulture, African Harrier-Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Shikra, Stone Partridge, Black Crake, African Jacana, African Mourning Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted (Red-billed) Wood-Dove, African Green-Pigeon (Green Fruit-Pigeon), Western Grey Plantain-eater, Senegal Coucal, MOTTLED SPINETAIL (USSHER'S SPINE-TAILED SWIFT), African Palm-Swift, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, BLUE-BREASTED KINGFISHER, Striped & Pied Kingfisher, Little, Swallow-tailed & Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Blue-bellied Roller, Green (Senegal) Woodhoopoe, Red-billed & African Grey Hornbill, Fine-spotted & Grey Woodpecker, Fork-tailed (Glossy-backed) Drongo, Piapiac (Black Magpie), Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-billed (Long-tailed) Shrike, White (Long-crested) Helmetshrike, (West) African Thrush, Purple Glossy-Starling, Red-chested, Wire-tailed & Pied-winged Swallow, FANTI SAWWING (FANTI ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW), Yellow-throated Greenbul (Yellow-throated Leaf-Love), Tawny-flanked (West African) Prinia, ORIOLE WARBLER (MOHO), Gray-backed Camaroptera, Olivaceous & Melodious Warbler, Senegal (Green-backed) Eremomela, Northern Crombec, Blackcap & Brown Babbler, Red-billed (Senegal) Firefinch, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Village Indigobird (Senegal Indigo Finch), Pin-tailed Whydah, Village Weaver, WESTERN VIOLET-BACKED SUNBIRD, Scarlet-chested, Splendid & Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbird.
Species seen by others:
White-faced Scops-Owl, African Scops-Owl, White-fronted Black-Chat.
Monday 20th January
Our trip started with a Sabena flight from Brussels via Conakry to Banjul. After a bit of delay we flew to Western Africa and we arrived at 23.30 a.m. local time (one hour time difference with The Netherlands). Outside the airport a bus was waiting for us. During the transfer to the hotel, a host gave us some useful tips how to behave in The Gambia. At one o'clock we arrived at the Sunwing Hotel near Cape Point. We had a comfortable bungalow with private bathroom and a small terrace almost on the beach. Only five minutes after check-in we were treated to a powercut, the first of many to follow.
Tuesday 21st January
Before dawn next day we were standing at the beach. We were greeted by overcast skies, a strong wind, but no rain. The first sight that greeted us in the morning was a Western Reef-Egret and a group of Gull-billed and Royal Terns and many Grey-headed Gulls near the shoreline. A quick look around the hotel gardens produced Speckled Pigeon, Senegal Coucal, Common Bulbul and a few Beautiful (Long-tailed) Sunbirds.
As soon as we left the hotel, a few persons followed us and claimed to be birdguides, but we told them that we wanted to bird on our own.
After breakfast we were soon speeding down the road to the Fajara Golf Course. We stopped to watch Western Grey Plantain-eaters, remarkably common throughout the country and seen on virtually every day of the trip.
Then we arrived at the famous golf course. The birding began immediately, Piapiacs and Hooded Vultures were everywhere and the numbers of Vinaceous and Laughing Doves were quite staggering.
We spent a few hours on the dry grass of the course and a wealth of birds here included Palm-nut Vulture, Black-headed Lapwing, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Senegal Parrot, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, a mouth-watering Common Gonolek, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Leaf-love, Brown and Blackcap Babbler and more familiar birds in the form of wintering Western Palearctic species such as Melodious, Willow, Garden and Subalpine Warbler. At midday we had lunch in a restaurant on the beach and hereafter we returned to Kotu Creek.
Kotu Creek was teeming with birds and held a good selection of waders including Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Wattled Lapwing and Senegal Thick-knee.
Here we could also watch Malachite Kingfisher and a few Pied Kingfishers dashing past only to pause, hover and plunge for a fish. We met Amadou K. Njie and agreed to visit Abuko with his partner Solomon Jallow, a very knowledgable Gambian birder.
At the end of the afternoon we returned to our hotel and made a stroll along the beach to Cape Point and added Slender-billed Gull and Sanderling to our list.
Dinner at the Sunwing Hotel was good and the beer and whine tasted even better.
Wednesday 22nd January
The following day dawned bright and clear. The well-known Abuko Nature Reserve was our destination today. We spent all morning with Solomon Jallow at this excellent reserve, from opening time at 8.00 till 12.00 hours. The park itself was relatively small and compact, with well designed nature trails.
We started well at Abuko with a pair of Guinea Turacoes. Overhead we watched soaring Hooded & Palm-nut Vultures and a Booted Eagle.
The forest reserve gave us a whole new set of species, such as Double-spurred Francolin, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Violet Turaco, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, African Pied Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Black-headed and African Paradise-Flycatcher, White Helmetshrike, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Little Greenbul, Gray-backed Camaroptera, Green Hylia and Spectacled Weaver.
Mammal sightings included Green Vervet Monkey, Western Red Colobus and Bushbuck. Other wildlife included Nile Crocodile, Common Agama and Monitor Lizard.
A short drive took us to the Lamin Lodge. We lunched amongst the mangroves which produced Osprey and a good selection of terns and waders.
Following lunch we made a stroll in the nearby Lamin Fields where good views were had of Black Heron, Marsh-Harrier, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Bearded Barbet, Pied-winged Swallow and the stunning Blue-bellied Roller.
In the late afternoon we again entered the Abuko NR and spent most of the time in the neighbourhood of the 'Animal Orphanage' and in the reserve extension. In the forest we had excellent views of Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike and Yellow-breasted Apalis.
After half an hour walking we were about 100 metres from the 'orphanage', when we spotted a small flock of birds. The next two minutes Vital and I agreed were about the best two minutes any of us had ever experienced in Africa.
Amongst the birds in the flock we noted were Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike, Northern Puffback, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Oriole Warbler and Western Bluebill! Lifers all.
At the orphanage Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat and Grey-headed Bristlebill were amongst the birds drinking at the zoo hide pool. It was already dark when we returned to our hotel.
Thursday 23rd January
After an adventurous trip in a bush taxi (!), we spent the morning studying waders, gulls and terns along the Bund Road, an area of mudflats and mangroves. Some of the more notable species here included Great Cormorant, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Woodchat Shrike, Siffling Cisticola, African Silverbill and White Wagtail.
Hereafter we headed to the Kotu area. We made a leisurely walk along the four sewage ponds and noted amongst others Little Grebe, White-faced Whistling-Duck, African Jacana, Marsh Sandpiper, Ruff and Little Ringed Plover, whilst in the nearby fields we saw Yellow-throated Longclaw and Singing Cisticola.
Then we tried to play golf on the nearby Fajara Golf Course, but the women were more successful than the men!
Very disappointed we returned to our hotel. That evening some Little Swifts joined the African Palm Swifts as we sipped beer in the hotel garden and watched the evening's activity. Large numbers of Grey-headed Gulls were gathered by the shore and Caspian, Sandwich and Royal Terns patrolled overhead.
Friday 24th January
Next day, together with our highly skilled local guide Solomon Jallow, saw us riding in the back of an exceedingly 'tired' four-wheel drive vehicle to Yundum.
Away from the coast, in the semi-savanna woodland at Yundum we made a long and dusty stroll. A pair of Red-necked Falcons showed well, as did Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Grey Kestrel and a Vieillot's Barbet sitting motionless in a tree.
The fields also gave us excellent views of Red-winged Warbler, a cross between a prinia and a warbler and Fanti Sawwing, but failed to yield White-fronted Black-Chat or Temminck's Courser, no doubt hidden away in the scrub. Amongst the Western Palearctic migrants at Yundum were Whinchat, Northern Wheatear and Tree Pipit.
By midday we were at the Lamin Lodge for lunch. While having a delicious lunch a Mouse-brown Sunbird jumped on a nearby table!
After the strenuous morning walk we took it easy in the afternoon and made a stroll in the nearby Lamin Fields. Here we had good views of a pair of Four-banded Sandgrouses at the nest, Greater Honeyguide, Black-crowned Tchagra and Purple Glossy-Starling.
We ended our day with a visit to the scrub along the beach near the Palma Rima Hotel. At dusk we watched Long-tailed Nightjars leave their roost and perform little tumbling flights onto prominent perches and Standard-winged Nightjars also put in an appearance.
Saturday 25th January
After a comfortable night at our hotel we had a pre-breakfast walk along the coast. The rest of the morning was largely devoted to sightseeing. While strolling in the vicinity of the hotel we were treated to superb views of two Bush Petronias. We also visited a nearby school and made a small donation to the school's teacher. At the hottest time of the day we made a dive in the swimmingpool.
In the afternoon we hired a bike for half a day and biked along the coast to Fajara...not for very long, because we had a flat tyre. We again spent a few hours in Kotu and especially along the Casino Cycle Track.
Here we had good views of Yellow-throated Longclaw and Lavender Waxbill. Other interesting birds encountered here were Grey Woodpecker, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Orange-cheeked Waxbill and Splendid Sunbird.
Our late visit to the Sewage Farm ended with a quarrel with some guy who claimed we had to buy tickets, to visit these ponds.
Sunday 26th January
The next day we were up early and leaving the beach hotels and the sun-bathing hordes behind we set off for Pirang.
One of the first birds we saw upon entering the deserted shrimps-farms were our target birds, three Black Crowned-Cranes. The shrimps-farms also held a good selection of waders including Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Little Stint, Black-winged Stilt and Common Ringed Plover.
A particularly highlight was our encounter with several Quailfinches. Usually they are notoriously hard to see (according to Eric Wille), but we obtained excellent flight views and also saw one bird crouched on the ground at less than five metres. From Pirang we headed southwest reaching the Marakisa Woods after a short drive. The habitat was superb and the open forest was incredibly birdy and produced some excellent birds including
Black Crake, Senegal Thick-knee, Violet Turaco, Klaas' Cuckoo, Mottled Spinetail, Black Scimitar-bill, African Golden-Oriole, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike, Little Greenbul and Senegal Eremomela.
Then we headed to the coast to the Osprey Beach Bar, where we met Clive Barlow with a group of English birders. After a delicious barbecue lunch of grilled shrimps we had some time for a siesta.
Dragging ourselves away, the next stop was at the Brufut Woods. As we drove down a small dirt track a Stone Partridge crossed the road in front of us.
We made a stroll in the Brufut 'Woods' and in the vegetation along a small pond an African Pygmy-Kingfisher gave superb views as it sat motionless on a small branch in a bush.
Here we also found one of the most prized species of the trip, the scarce (near the coast anyway) Blue-breasted Kingfisher. The Brufut Woods were very productive and here, amongst other things, we found Mottled Spinetail, Striped Kingfisher, Fanti Sawwing, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Oriole Warbler, Senegal Eremomela, Pin-tailed Whydah and Western Violet-backed Sunbird.
We ended our day with a visit to the Senegambia Hotel gardens, where we ticked off White-crowned Robin-Chat.
Monday 27th January/Tuesday 28th January
On the morning of our final full day we again explored the forest trails of Abuko. After a prolonged game of hide and seek we were all to see a pair of Stone Partridges. Amongst the other birds we encountered were Giant Kingfisher, Lesser Honeyguide, Cardinal Woodpecker and Northern Black-Flycatcher.
In the early afternoon we headed back to the coast. On our last stroll along the beach we added another species to our triplist, a Rufous-crowned Roller.
Sadly it was time to leave this sunny country and return to the all to real 'winter' world of Holland in January. At midnight we left The Gambia and at 6.00 we arrived in a very cold Brussels.
During the 7-day trip we recorded 214 species of birds. I finished the trip with 54 lifers, this in spite of having spent quite a lot of time previously in Africa.
My five best birds of the trip? Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Standard-winged Nightjar, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Oriole Warbler and Western Bluebill.
Chaam, 28 February 1997,
If you need any help or further information, contact me at the following address and I'll try and help if I can!
Jan Vermeulen
Bredaseweg 14
4861 AH Chaam
The Netherlands
Tel: (031) - 161 - 491327
E-mail: jem.vermeulen@wxs.nl