pete wragg
Well-known member
A "new" wetland site in Kotu.It's only five minute walk from the sewage pools,I called it "officers mess pools".
If you enter sewage pools from the track opposite Badala Park hotel,at the far righthand end of the pools you can cross a bit of wasteground to get to the main road. When you get to the road, just to the right is a tree-lined road with a sign "Gambia armed forces Officers Mess 150 metres".Walk down this road and immediately after the officers mess take the track to the right. On your left is what looks like an old sand quarry that has been taken over by reeds.
Walk round the back of "quarry" untill you come to the second area of open water with lily-pads,there is also a smaller pool here to the right.
I had several early morning and evening visits,Feb 2014, every time I saw Black Crakes,Purple Swamphens and a pair of Allen's Gallinules.The smaller pool also had Painted Snipe and Little bittern.
This was one of the few places around Kotu I could bird without any hassle from "birdguides".
Pete.
If you enter sewage pools from the track opposite Badala Park hotel,at the far righthand end of the pools you can cross a bit of wasteground to get to the main road. When you get to the road, just to the right is a tree-lined road with a sign "Gambia armed forces Officers Mess 150 metres".Walk down this road and immediately after the officers mess take the track to the right. On your left is what looks like an old sand quarry that has been taken over by reeds.
Walk round the back of "quarry" untill you come to the second area of open water with lily-pads,there is also a smaller pool here to the right.
I had several early morning and evening visits,Feb 2014, every time I saw Black Crakes,Purple Swamphens and a pair of Allen's Gallinules.The smaller pool also had Painted Snipe and Little bittern.
This was one of the few places around Kotu I could bird without any hassle from "birdguides".
Pete.
