Another Sussex Birder's Observations: January 2026

Birding The Gambia

Back in May 2025 after our Lesvos trip I mentioned to Paul and Bridget about a trip to Senegal, something I had wanted to do for some time. With both keen I spoke with Ebrima my Gambian guide and between us we set up an itinerary. I soon had Alan, Clare, Simon, Chris and Jo all willing to come.

Thursday 15th January I took the train from Ore to Gatwick Airport met up with Clare and spent the night at the North Terminal Premier Inn.

Friday 16th At 05.30 we took the shuttle to the South Terminal and after security we met up with Chris and Jo and then Alan. (Paul, Bridget and Simon had opted to do the Senegal part of the trip only)

We boarded our 07.50 flight to Banjul The Gambia, taking off a few minutes late we arrived on time at 14.30. After collecting our luggage we then had to wait for almost an hour before Ebrima and Buba our driver turned up to take us to our hotel The Lemon Creek Resort.

Lemon Creek Resort

After settling into our rather tired rooms we met up down at the beach and saw several of the common bird species.

Little Bee-eaters

Little Bee-eater

Bronze Manikin

Laughing Dove

Red-eyed Dove

Senegal Coucal

Dinner was had in the hotel, and an early night.

Saturday 17th, Breakfast was served from 7 am, and we left the hotel at 8 which was the norm for the rest of the trip.This morning we headed for Tanji the main fishing village and fish market. Before wandering around the market we took a look at the gull roost seeing our first Grey-headed Gulls and Caspian Terns.

Tanji Gull Roost

Tanji fishing boats

Our next stop was a walk in the Tanji forest reserve which seemed a lot quieter than I remember from previous visits but we saw some nice birds.

Pied Crow

Blue-spotted Dove

Veillot's Barbets

Abyssinian Roller

Western Plantain-eater

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Fanti-sawing

African Grey Hornbill

We stopped at the Tanji Reserve Lodge for a few minutes, had a drink and watched the drinking pool which was quiet apart from a few Red-billed Firefinch and a Green Vervet Monkey

Red-billed Firefinch

Green Vervet Monkey

We returned to the hotel for lunch on the beach , Clare had a swim.

At 3.30 we left the hotel and went to Tujereng Woods, although not a wood is now an overgrown area of part built compounds a few more birds were added to our day's list.

Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu

Yellow-crowned Gonolek

Senegal Thicknee

Chestnut-bellied Starling

Striped Kingfisher

Plus a Croc

Crocodile

Back at the hotel we had dinner and a couple of drinks.

Sunday 18th, we set off again at 8.00 to Penyem south of Brikama an area of scubby bushes that has now become over grown and with more trees than I remember. Birding was challenging.

Variable Sunbird

African Grey Horbill

Fork-tailed Drongo

Northern Black Flycatcher

Dark Chanting Goshawk

We next moved on to Marakissa an area of wetland and forest.

African Pygmy Kingfisher

African Spoonbills

Intermediate Egret

Squacco Heron

Blue-bellied Roller

Western-banded Snake Eagle

Before heading back to the hotel we stopped at Marakissa River Camp for a drink, where the owner put out some food for the Crocodile

Crocodile

We also watched a Black Crake, Pied Kingfisher along the river.

Black Crake

Village Weavers and Common Bulbuls at a drinking pot

We returned to the hotel and spent the afternoon at the beach and I had a swim in the sea - the first time in many years!

This evening we had dinner at Roots, followed by a couple of drinks at the Coco Ocean Hotel.

Monday 19th. We left again at 8.00 and headed south to Kartong, my favourite birding spot of the Gambia. Sadly Jo was not too well so there was just the four of us. We walked the track from the observatory to the sea where our driver Buba met us at the juice bar.

Laughing Dove

Red-necked Falcon

Sacred Ibis and Little Egret

Osprey

Wintering Whimbrel

Whimbrel with bling

African Oystercatcher

Western Reef Heron

The beach juice bar

Our next stop was at The Stala Lodge for lunch on the banks of the River Allenhein separating The Gambia with Southern Senegal. Here we had a fish lunch of Butterfish and then a boat trip down river to the estuary and back.

Gull and Tern Roost

Slender-billed Gull

Malachite Kingfisher

Crocodile

Pied Kingfisher

Juvenile Harrier Hawk

Spur-winged Goose

Osprey

Giant Kingfisher

Distant Goliath Heron

River Allenhein at Stala Lodge

Returning back to the hotel we decided to have dinner again at Roots

Sunset at Roots

Tuesday 20th, This morning we went to Farasutu Forest about an hours drive from the hotel. En route we picked up Hally (Ebrima's niece) who I had met several times before and was a guide for the Farasutu Forest.

Hally with baby Mariama

We stayed for a couple of minutes at the drinking pools but apart from a couple of doves there was nothing of interest so we moved on through the forest seeing a Western Bluebill and a Little Greenbul. At the water filled quarry there were a couple of Yellow-wattled Lapwings, we were unable to find the White-backed Night Herons. Eventually Ebrima found the local guide who then put us on the pair.

Yellow-wattled Lapwing with Spur-winged Plover

White-backed Night Herons

Also seen in the forest

Beautiful Sunbird

Black-rumped Waxbills

Bearded Barbet

Greyish Eagle Owl

A five minute drive back along the main road took us to Bonto Woods which was extremely quiet, but the faithful Vereaux's Eagle Owl was on show.

Vereaux's Eagle Owl

We returned back to the hotel for lunch, Alan, Clare, Chris and Jo stayed around the hotel while I went with Ebrima to the airport to pickup Paul, Bridget and Simon who had landed ahead of time and were waiting for us at 2.30.

Back at the hotel after checking in we saw our first and only Broad-billed Roller.