Wednesday 6th November - Kotu creek, sewage pools,Fajara golf course.
Having seen the light on Tuesday, I engaged bird guide Ebrima Sidibeh that evening to take us round Kotu creek on Wednesday morning. He is a member of the Gambia Bird Guides association and is one of the genuine guides stationed outside the Senegambia hotel. He proved to be an excellent choice, thoughtful, skilful and pleasant to be with – especially with a lump of an Englishman who can't see which branch the bird is on.
The surprise of the day was a Yellow-browed Warbler – at least I had seen the bird before, but Ebrima was astonished. Bird of the day was Giant Kingfisher and valued opportunities to photograph Blue-breasted and Malachite Kingfisher. We also saw our only Black Egret/heron of the trip.
Thursday 7th November - Brufut woods
We again engaged Ebrima Sidibeh to take us to Brufut woods. Maria was knackered after route-marching round Fajara golf-course so she stayed behind. A dutch guy Marco came with us. Brufut has a warden who accompanied us. When we got there we were unimpressed by the piles of rubbish left buy the villagers. Ebrima was appalled and took it up with the warden and the Gambia Birdguides association. Hopefully “something will be done.” Once past the rubbish, Brufut was a lovely place – like much of coastal Gambia it's secondary forest with some large mature trees. It had some truly excellent birds too.
I was very pleased to see Didric cuckoo, Black-winged Bishop and Red-billed Quelea. We also saw Yellow-throated leaflove, Swallowtailed bee-eaters and a greater Honeyguide here. Again Ebrima Sidibeh was excellent.
Later that day I noticed birds lining up on a distant wall from the hotel room balcony – I think a drainage channel ran beneath it -
Hammerkop, Squacco Heron, Striated Heron, Great White Egret,
Long-tailed Cormorant, Spur-winged Plover.
Having seen the light on Tuesday, I engaged bird guide Ebrima Sidibeh that evening to take us round Kotu creek on Wednesday morning. He is a member of the Gambia Bird Guides association and is one of the genuine guides stationed outside the Senegambia hotel. He proved to be an excellent choice, thoughtful, skilful and pleasant to be with – especially with a lump of an Englishman who can't see which branch the bird is on.
The surprise of the day was a Yellow-browed Warbler – at least I had seen the bird before, but Ebrima was astonished. Bird of the day was Giant Kingfisher and valued opportunities to photograph Blue-breasted and Malachite Kingfisher. We also saw our only Black Egret/heron of the trip.
Thursday 7th November - Brufut woods
We again engaged Ebrima Sidibeh to take us to Brufut woods. Maria was knackered after route-marching round Fajara golf-course so she stayed behind. A dutch guy Marco came with us. Brufut has a warden who accompanied us. When we got there we were unimpressed by the piles of rubbish left buy the villagers. Ebrima was appalled and took it up with the warden and the Gambia Birdguides association. Hopefully “something will be done.” Once past the rubbish, Brufut was a lovely place – like much of coastal Gambia it's secondary forest with some large mature trees. It had some truly excellent birds too.
I was very pleased to see Didric cuckoo, Black-winged Bishop and Red-billed Quelea. We also saw Yellow-throated leaflove, Swallowtailed bee-eaters and a greater Honeyguide here. Again Ebrima Sidibeh was excellent.
Later that day I noticed birds lining up on a distant wall from the hotel room balcony – I think a drainage channel ran beneath it -
Hammerkop, Squacco Heron, Striated Heron, Great White Egret,
Long-tailed Cormorant, Spur-winged Plover.
