I will try to post this trip report in parts, beginning with
This trip was organized as a holiday for Maria and I, not a birding trip. Having said that, thanks to Maria's patience I did a lot of full on birding most days of the holiday.
For me it was a return to sub-saharan Africa after nearly 30 years and I was looking forward to seeing some past birds as well as lifers.
Having left our house at half-past midnight, we were pretty tired when we finally landed at Banjul airport.
Nov 4th. C. 3.00 to 6.00pm Senegambia Hotel
The first birds were Hooded vultures below the aircraft on approach. From the transfer coach I could see glowing Red bishops on the tops of tall grasses. I had last seen one almost exactly thirty years before. These were Northern Red Bishops – called West-Nile Red Bishops back then.
In the Senegambia hotel we found ourselves at the remote outskirts of the extensive grounds. Our room on the first floor looked over a drainage ditch, the compound wall and onto a track, farmland and buildings beyond. Others might have complained, but not us. Our corner was quiet and full of wildlife. I decided to wander round the grounds and picked up the first few new birds of the trip.
The hotel grounds were the easiest places to see White-crowned Robin Chat and Gonolek. The former were confiding and easy to see, the latter elusive. That first afternoon afforded excellent views of Yellow-crowned Gonolek – the best of the trip. It was heard more often than seen, but when seen it is a marvel to behold. I also began to sort out the different doves and pigeons and glossy starlings – which I found difficult.
5th November - Senegambia Hotel and Bijilo Forest park.
Having settled in and had a good night's sleep I got up at first light (about 7.) I found two things – the light was terrible, and there were few birds around. Nevertheless I picked up Broad-billed Roller and Great Blue-eared Starling. We decided to visit the neighbouring Bijilo Forest Park a few hundred yards away. I thought I would bird this myself but was persuaded to take a guide, Mustafa. I was glad of it – using recorded calls he lured out the only Snowy-crowned Robin-chat of the trip and the only properly viewable Oriole Warblers. After this I realized good guides would be useful if not essential for seeing rarer birds.
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 and one of two Violet turacos seen during the holiday.
More to come soon - photos can be seen at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_dare/sets/72157637851907014/
This trip was organized as a holiday for Maria and I, not a birding trip. Having said that, thanks to Maria's patience I did a lot of full on birding most days of the holiday.
For me it was a return to sub-saharan Africa after nearly 30 years and I was looking forward to seeing some past birds as well as lifers.
Having left our house at half-past midnight, we were pretty tired when we finally landed at Banjul airport.
Nov 4th. C. 3.00 to 6.00pm Senegambia Hotel
The first birds were Hooded vultures below the aircraft on approach. From the transfer coach I could see glowing Red bishops on the tops of tall grasses. I had last seen one almost exactly thirty years before. These were Northern Red Bishops – called West-Nile Red Bishops back then.
In the Senegambia hotel we found ourselves at the remote outskirts of the extensive grounds. Our room on the first floor looked over a drainage ditch, the compound wall and onto a track, farmland and buildings beyond. Others might have complained, but not us. Our corner was quiet and full of wildlife. I decided to wander round the grounds and picked up the first few new birds of the trip.
The hotel grounds were the easiest places to see White-crowned Robin Chat and Gonolek. The former were confiding and easy to see, the latter elusive. That first afternoon afforded excellent views of Yellow-crowned Gonolek – the best of the trip. It was heard more often than seen, but when seen it is a marvel to behold. I also began to sort out the different doves and pigeons and glossy starlings – which I found difficult.
5th November - Senegambia Hotel and Bijilo Forest park.
Having settled in and had a good night's sleep I got up at first light (about 7.) I found two things – the light was terrible, and there were few birds around. Nevertheless I picked up Broad-billed Roller and Great Blue-eared Starling. We decided to visit the neighbouring Bijilo Forest Park a few hundred yards away. I thought I would bird this myself but was persuaded to take a guide, Mustafa. I was glad of it – using recorded calls he lured out the only Snowy-crowned Robin-chat of the trip and the only properly viewable Oriole Warblers. After this I realized good guides would be useful if not essential for seeing rarer birds.
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 and one of two Violet turacos seen during the holiday.
More to come soon - photos can be seen at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_dare/sets/72157637851907014/
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