field guide for gambia (1 Viewer)

[terry jz]

hello, i am of to Gambia in March and i am wondering which is the best field guide for me to purchase. i am not going on an organised birding holiday, just two weeks in the sun with the odd trip here and there
thanks in advance for any help

 

[Papuan birder]

On my last birdwatching trip to Gambia back in 2008 I used Birds of the Gambia and Senegal by Clive Barlow and Tim Wacher (published in 1999, a revised edition was published in 2005) and found it to be indispensable. The plates used in this book is decent enough and there is excellent identification chapter. I found it to heavy to carry around in the field all day so thankful the guide I used had a slimmed-down version which we could use.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birds-Gambi...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360677827&sr=1-2

Another field guide by Nik Borrow and Ron Demey was published in 2012, I do have a copy but have not had the opportunity to use it in the field. It seems less bulky so obviously more suited for use in the field. The plates used in this book is an improvement but the identification bits is less comprehensive than the Barlow and Wacher guide.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birds-Seneg...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360679151&sr=1-1

Seeing as its not a birdwatching trip I assume you will be staying somewhere near the coast? there should still be good numbers of Afro-Palearctic migrants passing through in March.

 

[terry jz]

Papuan birder thank you