Anyone been to Senegal?

[Jochen]

Hi all,

We decided to pay a visit to Senegal this year. I read that Senegal is (sort of) a birding heaven as well. Cool!

However, everywhere they talk about migratory birds that are there between november and april.

But we're going in September!

Hence my questions:
-Is it worth to go birding in Senegal outside the migratory season? Any birds letft? How about residential birds? Kingfishers, masked weavers, bee-eaters...
-How about humidity. I heard it can be very humid. No problem for a digital SLR?
-Any tips on where to go exactly?
-Anyone been to Niokolo-Koba NP? Is it possible to visit this park, coming from the seaside?

Thanks!

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Hi Jochen
I know someone who has been birding to Senegal. I will send his phone number in a private message.
Aquila

[James]

Resident birds are much the same as in the Gambia i.e. lots of them and well worth going to see. The new bird guide to the Gambia is likely to cover all or virtually all of Senegal species as well (unless someone knows better!).

Good luck

James

[nigelblake]

Its much the same as the Gambia with regard to the birds available. September is the tail end of the rainy season and is the hottest and most humid time of the year there.

http://www.wtgonline.com/data/sen/sen.asp

Humidity should only be a problem with digital cameras if you move from outside to inside air-conditioned buildings or vice versa, but if you get in the habit of storing your gear in a good padded camera bag the rate of temperature change, for the equipment inside, is slowed down and this wil then avoid the camera steaming up.