RFI Gambia timing and African Manatees (1 Viewer)

I wonder what are people's recommendations of going to Gambia in late January-February instead of November-December. Are birds much more difficult, and how many species are likely missed?

Also, is 1 week sufficient, or 2 required? I saw already most of species shared with Europe and East Africa. How many new species are likely?

Also, any tourist ever seen African Manatee in Gambia? They are supposed to be in several reserves.

W.A. Manatees are rarely sighted unfortunately. They have been seen in the bolongs of Makasutu apparently .....but not by me. Having said that when we stayed on one of the floating lodges at Makasutu in 2005 there was something large and air-breathing in the water outside our lodge one night which was snorting and splashing (there are no hippo at Makasutu).

By the middle of November the Bishops and Whydahs are moulting out of their breeding plumage and most of the intra-African migrants have moved on so Levaillant's, Klaas's and Dideric Cuckoos become scarce as does Woodland Kingfisher. By December these birds have mostly gone and many of the sunbirds are in eclipse plumage. Egyptian Plover is easiest in October to early November but then starts to move back up The Gambia river to their breeding grounds in Senegal - a few linger on around Basse until January.

If I were planning a trip I would go in early November and spend two weeks in total. It really needs about 5-6 days for an upriver trip to Janjangbureh (Georgetown) via Tendaba. Such a trip should yield Egyptian Plover, White-backed Night Heron, African Finfoot, Northern Carmine and Red-throated Bee-eaters, African Pygmy, Giant, Woodland and Blue-breasted Kingfishers as well as good chances of Black Crowned Crane and possibly Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (though the long grass hampers views). A night drive along tracks around Tendaba often yields Standard-winged Nightjar whilst various other good birds are also likely such as Bronze-winged Courser.

A week is needed to explore sites within an hour's drive of the coast such as Marakissa, Pirang/Faraba, Kotu Creek/sewage ponds/ golf course, Abuko, Brufut, Bijilo, etc.
You will need transport and a guide who knows the birding areas well.
A two week trip should yield about 215+ species -many being West African specials (eg Blue-bellied Roller, Guinea & Violet Turacos, Oriole Warbler, Mouse-brown Sunbird, Western Bluebill, Bearded Barbet, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Gambian Puffback, etc ). There are also many species which though widespread African birds are easier to see in The Gambia than in East Africa such as Grasshopper Buzzard, Beaudouin's and Western Banded Snake Eagles, Wahlberg's Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Harrier-Hawk, Senegal Thick-knee, African Green Pigeon, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Greyish Eagle Owl, Abyssinian and Broad-billed Rollers, various sunbirds, etc.

I visited with a group in early November 2010.We managed 287 species by visiting most of the sites suggested by the previous poster over a two week period.

I recently met a girl who claimed she had seen African Manatees from a cruise up river. No details I'm afraid, but no reason to doubt her either. At least it shows they are still possible with a huge amount of luck!

You may find my Gambia mammal report from March 2012 of some interest. I found reliable information on mammals and reptiles quite difficult to find while researching my trip.

http://mammalwatching.com/Afrotropical/afrotropgambia.html

Re manatee sightings:

One day, when I was living in the URD, I got a phone call from my wife in Basse to say that she and several other friends/family members were watching a manatee just a few yards from them in the river opposite Traditions! I dropped everything and bombed into Basse to see it but, alas, the inevitable happened. By the time I got there it was gone. Then helpful bystanders cheerfully informed me that it had been there for three days! ... :storm:

A bit further upriver on the Senegal side, some friends were bathing in the river one day when one of them was suddenly bumped by something heavy. His first thought was that it was a dog, but then he caught sight of this humungous grey beastie. :eek!: He then broke the world record for the 50m freestyle. Only from the bank was he able to objectively resolve the beastie into a manatee!

I think the deal is, they are rarely seen, but could turn up just about anywhere along the river. The quiet secluded areas are probably your best bet, but even that is a pretty long shot.

We went in April and it was still full of birds all over the place!