Birding The Gambia Day 6 Tujering Woods, Kotu Ponds and Fajara Golf Course

Tujering Woods were only a 5 minute drive down the road so we were there by 8.45 and it was feeling quite cool due to hazy cloud but it wasn't long before the sun broke through. Although classed as woods the area was more scrubby with a few trees here and there. There was plenty of activity with small birds flitting around, first new one on the list was a Northern Wheatear, then an African Golden Oriole darted across and was too quick for the camera. Several Long-tailed Glossy Starlings were joined by a Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling.

Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling

Black-headed Plover

Splendid Sunbird

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Yellow Wagtail

Swallow-tail Butterfly

Yellow Penduline Tit

Yellow Penduline Tit

In addition to the above we also found a Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver, Red-winged Warbler, Melodious Warbler, a Winchat, Common Kestrel, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Rufous-crowned Roller and a distant Dark Chanting Goshawk. After a circular walk we then waited to be collected and taken back to the Lodge for lunch.

It was again that a 2 hour lunch break was had before we set off north to Kotu Ponds and the cycle track around the back of the tourist hotels.

The first of the pools was in some gardens where a few Jacanas were feeding but the highlight here was the Black Egret doing his umbrella bird technique of fishing.

Black Egret - umbrella fishing

Black Egret

Black Egret

 Crossing back over the cycle path we walked onto the area known as Kotu sewage farm which were several swampy man made pools that drained into the river. This held several birds including a
Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron

 In the trees this Fork-tailed Drongo

Fork-tailed Drongo

 and several Black Kites

Black Kites

 There were by the water also 4 types of White Egret, Cattle, Little, this Great

Great White Egret

 plus this Intermediate White Egret distinguished from the Great by the short line under the eye

Intermediate White Egret

 There were also several African Spoonbills and a Sacred Ibis

African Spoonbills and Sacred Ibis

 By the bridge over the river a Long-tailed Cormorant

Long-tailed Cormorant

 and a fly by Blue-breasted Kingfisher

Blue-breasted Kingfisher

 A walk along the river bank found some Little Bee-eaters a Chiffchaff and some Spur-winged Plover

Little Bee-eater

Spur-winged Plover

When we got to the golf course I was once again disappointed because we turned round to get back to the car as we had ran out of time.

New species for the day to add to the list:- Intermediate Egret, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Common Kestrel, Black-headed Lapwing, Common Redshank, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Rufous-crowned Roller, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Wire-tailed Swallow, Winchat, Northern Wheatear, Melodious Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Red-winged Warbler, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, African Golden Oriole, Greater Blue-eared Starling, White-tailed Buffalo Weaver, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver.