Breakfast as usual at 7.30. As I was to leave the lodge at around 11am for my 14.00 flight I had a good couple of hours spare so asked Moses for a lift down to the beach where there are some pools that others staying at the lodge had seen some good birds. Arriving there at 8.30 it was very chilly with a strong breeze and a cloudy sky.
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| Tujereng Beach Pools |
A walk around the pools found Great, Little and Cattle Egrets, African Spoonbills, White-faced Whistling Ducks, African Jacanas, a couple of Sacred Ibis ,Grey Heron.
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| African Spoonbill |
A couple of English birders arrived and put me onto a spot where Painted Snipe were seen yesterday but no luck today so far. Just as they were heading for the beach a Chewit Chewit was heard and a Spotted Redshank flew in (for one of the guys that was his 400th Gambian bird, having been birding here for several years) We parted company and I carried on looking at the pools finding a couple of Common Snipe and then 5 Painted Snipe appeared from the reeds - well chuffed was I
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| Tujereng Beach |
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| Tujereng Beach |
With unexpected additions to my list I went onto the beach to have a look at the sea only to find a couple of Gannets fishing close in and then some Storm Petrels only 200mts of the beach all heading North. Catching up with birders again they confirmed them to be our European Storm Petrels.
Moses collected on time to get everything packed up and to say farewell to Heather aswell
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| Heather and Moses |
As I got into the car I couldn't resist 1 more birdie photo of this Laughing Dove who was around the plunge pool everyday
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| Laughing Dove |
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| Road into Farakunku Lodges |
As we headed for the airport my thoughts were what a great time I have had, the locals being so friendly and being able to walk alone around Farakunku without any fear. The sad thing was how primitive it was outside of the tourist areas and what shocked me most was the amount of plastic rubbish that was dumped every where even in the nature reserves. With the recent change of government, every one there is hopeful of change for the better.
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| Roadside litter |
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| Serekunda - the more affluent side of The Gambia but still with Litter |
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