The Gambia Bonto Woods and Farasuto revisted day 6

Today my last full day of birding for this trip. We went first to Bonto Woods, unfortunately Edrissa the local guide was busy so Ebrima had to search for the Verreaux's Eagle Owl. On the second attempt he found it.

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Other birds of interest Common Wattle Eye, Red-billed Firefinch, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Singing Cisticola, Pygmy Kingfisher, Ahanta Francolin, Grey-backed Cameroptera, Copper Sunbird, Klaas's Cuckoo Splendid Sunbird, Yellow-billed Coucal (just), African Thrush, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, apparently heard Flufftail and Green Hylia.

Common Wattle Eye

Ahanta Francolin

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

After a packed lunch went a couple of miles to Farasuto, while driving through the village Ebrima spotted one of the local guides who joined us for the rest of the afternoon. The village speciality here is a Greyish Eagle Owl. Other highlights Abyssinian Roller, Stone Partridge, Pied Hornbill, African Wood Owl, Common Wattle Eye, Grey Heron, Double-spur Francolin, Levaillants Cuckoo, Didric Cuckoo, Lanner Falcon, African Harrier Hawk

Greyish Eagle Owl

Abyssinian Roller

Didric Cuckoo

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Pied Hornbill

Ebrima (left) and Farasuto guide

African Harrier Hawk from the car as we were leaving

The Gambia Tujering Woods and Abuko Nature reserve revisited day 5

Saturday morning heavy thunderstorms delayed going out till 10am, we headed for Tujereng Woods where I checked out the accommodation for our next trip in December. Greg and Maria at Evergreen welcomed  me despite them not knowing I was coming, finally as I left it stopped raining and we spent the next couple of hours walking around the sparsely wooded area.

Highlights were, Lesser Honey Guide, Striped Kingfisher, Red-necked Falcon, Singing Cisticola, Senegal Erenomela, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, White-crowned Robin Chat, Greater-spotted Cuckoo, Black-headed Heron, Brown Babler, Whistling Cisticola, Black-winged Bishop, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Rufous Cisticola, Black-headed Plover, Osprey, Vieillot's Barbet, Tree Pipit, Chanting Goshawk, Bush Pretonia, Lesser Honeyguide,

Bush Petronia

Chanting Goshawk

Four-banded Sandgrouse

Greater Spotted Cuckoo

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Lesser Honeyguide

Singing Cisticola

Back at the hotel for lunch, I caught up with this Brown Babler

Brown Babler

 The afternoon session was spent at Abuko Nature Reserve, being out of season we were the only ones there. Birding was a bit disappointing probably due to the time of day however we did see Violet Turaco, Woodland Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Fantisawing, Blue -bellied Roller, Black-crowned Night Heron, Collared Sunbird, Didric Cuckoo, Purple Heron.

Woodland Kingfisher (Jul Brew Logo)

Collared Sunbird feeding young at nest

Giant Kingfisher

Red Colobus Monkey

The Gambia Penyem and Marakissa revisted day 4

Today we set off to Penyem and Marakissa, Penyem being an open savanna with the odd tree gradually becoming more forest like further south. Good selection of birds seen being Whistling duck flying over, Senegal Coucal, Red Bishop, Village weavers at nests, Yellow-fronted Canary, Snowy-crowned Robinchat, Western Plantain Eater, Pigmy Kingfisher, Fork-tailed Drongo, Cattle Egrets, Wattled plover, Long-crested Eagle, Blue-bellied Roller, Red Hornbill at nest, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Cordon Bleu, Yellow-billed Shrike, African Thrush, Fine-spotted Woodpecker, Fantisawing, Oxpecker, Singing Cisticola, Purple-glossy Starling, Whistling Cisticola, Beautiful Sunbird, Piapiac, Senegal Eronomela, Little Swift, Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Hammerkop, Abysinian Roller, Greater Honeyguide.

African Black Flycatcher

African Cuckoo

African Harrier Hawk

Fine-spotted Woodpecker

Greater Honeyguide

Intermediate Egret

Lizard Buzzard

Long-crested Eagle 

Long-tailed Glossy Starling

Oxpecker

Village Weavers and nests

A few miles further down the road is Marakissa, a lush wetland with Crocodiles lurking in the lily pools. Birds seen here were Strirated Heron, Intermediate Heron, African Jacana, Yellow-billed Kite, Hammerkop, Yellow-billed Shrike, African Cuckoo, Squacco Heron, White-crowned Robin Chat, Pied Hornbill, African Darter, Western-banded Snake Eagle, at least 5 African Harrier Hawks, and a Bateleur that I couldn't get onto!

Marakissa (part of)

The Gambia Kartong revisited and Bijllo Forest day 3

Today 6th July we went to my favourite Gambian birding spot, being out of season there were no other birders or any ringing there. But there were plenty of birds to see.

Kartong Sand mine

Highlights were Senegal Coucal, Black Crake, Purple Swamphen, Pink Backed Pelican, Spur-winged plover, African Jacana, Lizard Buzzard, Black-headed Weaver, Beautiful Sunbird, R.R. Parakeet, Zitting Cisticola, Moorhen, Green-wood Hoopoe, Tawney-flanked Prinia, Red Bishop, Western Plantain-eater, Bronze Manakin, Black-billed Dove, Black-shouldered Kite, Osprey, Vieillot's Barbet, Tree Pipit, Greater-spotted Cuckoo, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Banded Sandgrouse, Double-spur Francolin, Crested Lark, Northern Puffback, Curlew, Black-crowned Tchagra, Senegal Eronomela, Violet-backed Starling, Bearded Barbet.

Black Crake

Purple Swamphen

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Black-headed Weaver

In the afternoon we went to Bijillo Forest, an area of woodland next to the Senegambia strip, now becoming under threat of development.

Highlights here were Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Palm-nut Vultures, Little Bee-eater, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Gonalek, Black Flycatcher, Beautiful Sunbird, Yellow-billed Kite, Village Weavers, Grey Hornbill, African Harrier Hawk, Snowy Robinchat, Yellow-billed Shrike  

Grey Hornbill

Little Beeeater

Palm-nut Vultures

Senegal Coucal

Snowy-crowned Robin Chat

Swallow-tailed Beeeater

Vieillot's Barbet

White-billed Buffalo Weaver 

The Gambia Brufut Woods and Camelo Corner revisited Day 2

The 5th July my first full day birding in the tremendous humidity that I was expecting but never had experienced but it was OK. The morning stop was at Brufut Woods where we met up the local guide and as last time this site was full of birds.

Klaas's Cuckoo, Levaillant's Cuckoo, Grey-backed Cameroptera, Blue-bellied Roller, Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Mourning Dove, African Green Pigeon, Splendid Sunbird, Northern Crombec, Fine Spotted Woodpecker, Wattled Plover, Paradise Flycatcher, Black Flycatcher, Pigmy Kingfisher, Broad-billed Roller, African Scops Owl, Violet Turaco, Singing Cisticola, Fantisawing, Little Swift, Brown Babler, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Village Weavers, Little Weaver, Vitalline Weaver, Red-billed Firefinch, Cordon Bleu, Black-headed Weaver, Grey-headed Sparrow, Shikra, African Golden Oriole, Canary, Fork-tailed Drongo, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Didric Cuckoo, African Harrier Hawk, Oriole Warbler, Violet-backed Starling, Senegal Coucal, Black-necked Weaver, Little Bee-eater, Black-winged Bishop, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Blackcap Babler, Pied Crow, Hooded Vulture, and another Cattle Egret.

Didric Cuckoo

African Golden Oriole

African Paradise Flycatcher

Village Weaver

Blue-bellied Rollers

Green Vervet Monkey

Levaillants Cuckoo

Mourning Dove, Black-headed Weaver

Purple-backed Starling

Pygmy Kingfisher

Red-billed Firefinch

Shikra

 In the afternoon we visited Camelo Corner ( a new site for me) which are Rice beds one side of the road and a tidal pool with mangroves the other. First bird  out of the car was this Woodland Kingfisher.

Woodland Kingfisher

Other birds seen were Black-headed Heron, Speckled Pigeon, White-headed Whistling Duck, Red-breasted Swallow, African Jacana, Squacco Heron, Long-tailed Cormorant, Senegal Thicknee, Wire-tailed Swallow, Great White Egret, Western-reef Heron, Spur-winged Plover, Pied Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kite, Grey-headed Gulls, Caspian Tern, African Darter, Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, Whimbrel, Zitting Cisticola, Black-winged Stilt, Black Egret, Namaque Dove.

Pink-backed Pelican

Western Reef Egret

White-faced Whistling Ducks

Black-headed Heron