Senegal and The Gambia January 2026 - Part 3 Saturday 24th Djoudj

After breakfast we packed our bags and entered the National Park and had our first look of the lakes near the lodges. Being the first major wetland south of the Sahara it was teeming with birds.

Djoudj

Lesser Flamingos

One of the first close birds we saw was a Kittlitz's Plover being only the second one I've seen.

Kittlitz's Plover

We had a boat trip arranged on a tributary of the Senegal River while waiting for our guide to collect our tickets a Warthog passed by

Warthog

We boarded our boat and within minutes we were enjoying the spectacle of the Great White Pelicans that nest in the area

After a while we reached a man made island where the Pelicans nest

Other birds we saw while on the boat included

African Fish Eagle

Black Heron

Crocodile

Great Cormorants

Another African Fish Eagle

African Jacana

Purple Swamphen

Squacco Heron

Skulking Allen's Gallinule

African Darter

Allen's Gallinule eventually in the open

Synchronised feeding Pelicans 

After our boat trip we walked along from the pontoon and found our second River Prinia and an African Stonechat.

River Prinia

African Stonechat

Our local guide then took us to an area to look for roosting Nightjars, but the only ones we saw were those that were flushed being Long-tailed and Egyptian Nightjars. Lunch was taken back at the lodge we didn't stay at, and then in the afternoon we met up with our local guide again to visit another part of the reserve. While waiting for him to join us we looked at another wetland finding another Kittlitz's Plover plus others.

Kittlitz's Plover

White-faced and Fulvous Whistling Ducks

Marsh Sandpiper

Glossy Ibis

Our guide took us to another area of water that was teeming with ducks the highlight being over a hundred Garganey

Garganey

Our next target was for an Arabian Bustard, so we drove across some sandy grassland with some scrub looking, and stopping a couple of times where we had good views of a flock of ten Black-crowned Cranes flying over.

Black-crowned Cranes

An African Golden Jackal was also seen

Golden Jackal

Eventually an Arabian Bustard was spotted, with only his head showing. Quietly we got out of the mini bus and watched it as it moved through the grass and then took off but landed in the distance but still in sight.

 

Looking for Arabian Bustard 

Arabian Bustard in the distance, photo by Jo.

We now had an hour and a half drive back towards St Louis where the local guide had arranged our accommodation for the night at Lampsar Lodge just off the main N2 road.

By the time we arrived it was dark but the rooms were far better than the previous night.

 

Room was basic but clean and had aircon

Sunday 25th Breakfast was served at 7.00, and as light dawned we found we were staying by the edge of a tributary of the Senegal River.

My room balcony over looking the river

View from my balcony

With bags packed we left at 9.00 for Podor.

Senegal and The Gambia January 2026 - Part 2 Senegal the road to Djoudj 21st - 24th

Wednesday 21st January, at 8.00 we loaded the bus and set off for our journey into Senegal. Driving into Banjul and then taking the ferry across the Gambia River to Barra.

The ferry journey took around an hour and the time was spent looking at the seabirds including Arctic Skuas, Lesser-crested Terns, Whiskered Terns and Gulls. 

A 30 minute drive from Barra brought us to the border with Senegal where the formalities of leaving the Gambia were more complicated than entering Senegal. Another 30 minute drive into Senegal brought us to the Keur Saloum Resort Hotel. The rooms were set out in thatched Round Houses to a high standard. After checking in we had a lovely lunch over looking the river.

My Roundhouse

Bedroom and lounge

Lunch

Tuna Pasties as a starter

The local Senegal beer

After lunch we took a short walk to the pontoon where we boarded a boat for a couple of hours cruise along the Keur Saloum Delta where our main target was a White-crested Tiger Heron.

 

Keur Saloum Delta 

Birds were few and far between but we did find a flock of Whimbrel on a mud bank plus

Western-reef Heron

 A big surprise was this African Finfoot only my third ever seen,

African Finfoot

Pied Kingfisher

Purple Heron

African Darter

Just as we were thinking we were out of luck Chris shouted there it is and we watched the Heron skulking in the undergrowth. With the boatman carefully moving the boat around we were able to get excellent views as it walked into an opening.

White-crested Tiger Heron

White-crested Tiger Heron

White-crested Tiger Heron

With every one highly delighted we headed back to the hotel for a shower and a lovely buffet dinner followed by entertainment of drumming and fire-eaters

Entertainment!

Thursday 22nd, after breakfast we set off for Kaolack, a journey of just over a couple of hours stopping at Ndiaffate a dry grassy area on the banks of the River Saloum forming another part of the Saloum Delta. Here we spent the rest of the morning.

Ndiaffate

Our main target were Bustards and we wern't disappointed as Saville's and Black-bellied were seen well plus a glimpse of White-bellied Bustard also.

Saville's Bustard

Black-bellied Bustard

Also seen were Cut-throat, Village Indigo bird and

Namaqua Dove

 

Woodchat shrike

Black-headed Weaver (non breeding)

Speckled Pigeon

Desert Cisticola 

White-rumped Seedeater

Pygmy Sunbird 

Senegal Thicknee

Around midday we left for our next hotel 30minutes away in Kaolack. A little confusion over the number rooms required but eventually we all got checked in.

Le Relais de Kaolack

Lunch was had in the restaurant with a choice of Fish, Chicken or Beef with the same choice in the evening for dinner.

Later in the afternoon we returned to Ndiaffate to visit the island Foret Classee de Kousmar where thousands of Scissor-tailed Kites and Lesser Kestrels roost. To get to the island we had to go by boat that would only take 4 of us at a time.

Once every one was across we met the local guide who took us to an area where the Kites come into roost, slowly they started to appear and then more and more came eventually settling in a distant tree.

Scissor-tailed Kites

Lesser Kestrel

Kite Roost

Kite roost heavily cropped

With there being several other birding parties on the island we made the executive decision to leave ahead of the others so we were'nt waiting for the return boat.

Arriving back at the hotel as darkness fell dinner was at 8pm. A couple of expensive whiskies afterwards and another successful day in Senegal had been had.

Friday 23rd, today probably the worst day as it was spent travelling north however a couple of stops were made. 

Out first main stop was a place near Mbar where we saw Blue-naped Mousebird, Longtailed, Chestnut-bellied, Lesser and Greater Blue-eared Starlings and Sudan Golden Sparrows.

Blue-naped Mousebird

Lesser Blue-eared Starling

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Sudan Golden Sparrow

Our second stop was at some farm land near Typ where Quail Plover had been traditionally seen, walking the harvested maize fields we flushed several Small Button-Quail and one possible candidate for Quail Plover but not confirmed. Also seen in the area Singing Bushlark, Desert Cisticola,Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin which gave far better views than the one did in Lesvos last year.

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark

Our lunch stop was near Darou Mousti where we added Black Scrub Robin and Speckled-fronted Weaver to our list.

Black Scrub Robin

Speckled-fronted Weaver

White-billed Buffalo Weaver also seen

Our afternoon stop was just before Louga where we saw a herd of Camels - it was good to get out the bus and stretch our legs. Little did we know we still had 3 more hours journey to our next hotel 

Domesticated Camels

Passing around the back of St Louis we headed up the N2 towards Richard Toll turning off at Ross Bethio onto a dirt track which seemed to go on for ever, in fact 45 minutes where we reached Campement Bidiel our accommodation for the next two nights. Unfortunately they had been double booked and so at 7pm we were taken to another lodge Campement Villageois Njagabaar where there were enough rooms if I was to share which I wasn't so I was put into an old staff room / cleaners cupboard.

Dinner was served at 8pm back at Campement Bidiel (at least they had beer) 

Saturday 24th Breakfast this morning was also back at Campement Bidiel where we were told we couldn't stay another night at Villageois Njagabaar as they were booked. I was not happy to say the least about all this, but maybe where we do stay tonight must be better than last night.

Campement Bidiel where should have stayed!