Toughing birding sierra leone textit & photographs out by peter ryan

lood diamonds and limb-lopping rebels are probably the first things that spring to mind when you mention Sierra Leone,b thanks to the bloody civil war that raged there over the past decade or so. Yet today this small West African country is being hailed in the region as a model for peaceful reconciliation Rod Cassidy cranes his neck birding in and, given the ongoing unrest in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, it is a forest on the Nimini Hills. Many of the forested areas in Sierra Leone are hilly, the safest place to see most of the birds endemic to the Upper bringing the canopy (and the birds in it) closer, and it is thus less challenging Guinea forests, as well as some other localised West African than birding in lowland rainforest.

species. Ian Sinclair, Rod Cassidy and Peter Ryan recently vis- Opposite Stuck on the road to the  Loma Mountains. The poor road infra- ited Sierra Leone to assess its birding opportunities. structure is a real handicap to birding in Sierra Leone.

32 sierra leone guinea

s Mount Bintumani Bumbuna Makeni

Sefadu freetown Western sierra leone Area

Kenema

Moa Pujehan

liberia

atlantic Ocean

andwiched between Guinea and century. The city is attractively situated were eager to get to greener pastures and seeking out the guineafowl can be a time- Above The West African form of Vieillot’s Liberia, Sierra Leone is a small between the sea and mountains, with flat headed east to where the more range- consuming exercise. Fortunately, there Black Weaver has a distinctive chestnut coastal state on the bulge of Africa. land so scarce that the airport is situated restricted specials awaited. In doing so we are many other attractions. mantle and belly, making it much more The country is roughly square, some 300 across the broad Sierra Leone River estu- got our first taste of the biggest drawback At dawn, the harsh calls of Olive and handsome than its eastern counterpart. Skilometres across, and has a total area of ary, with access to the city by helicopter, to birding in Sierra Leone – the roads. The Spot-breasted ibises ring out as they fly just over 72 000 square kilometres, mak- hovercraft or ferry. To drive from the air- country may be small, but the roads are over the camp site. As the light improves, Above, left Freetown, the capital, is ing it smaller than Mpumalanga. Much port requires a circuitous 140-kilometre for the most part appalling, and it takes a dazzling array of birds and mammals sandwiched between the sea and steep, of the country is forested, merging into trip on indifferent roads. a long time to cover even modest distan­ vie for your attention. Among the Upper forested mountains. There is plenty of good Guinea savanna in the north, with sandy Although the largest diversity of forest ces. To be fair, we had arrived at the start Guinea endemics, White-tailed Alethes birding close to town, but commuting­ is beaches and mangrove swamps along birds is found along the eastern border of the rainy season in a year when the are abundant and easily seen once you complicated by the crowded roads. the coast. Despite its relative paucity of with Liberia, there is plenty of good rains had started several months early. As cue in to their mournful ‘peeoo’ whistle. habitats, Sierra Leone boasts a list of some birding on the Freetown Peninsula. The a result, we struggled more than if we had Green-tailed Bristlebills are less common, 630 bird species, including all but one of Upper Guinea forests reach their west- visited in the dry season. However, until but even more responsive to playback. the Upper Guinea endemics. The excep- ern limit on the Peninsula, and several the road infrastructure improves, don’t By comparison, Western Wattled Cuckoo­ tion is the Liberian Greenbul, which is key birds are found here. Probably top plan a trip using conventional time– shrikes are easily overlooked as they known only from two small forests in of most birders’ want-lists is the White- distance equations! move through the canopy in bird par- eastern Liberia. necked Picathartes, the western repre- Our first destination was Tiwai Island, ties, which include a rich diversity of Access is via the capital, Freetown, sentative of this shy, almost mythical a 4 000-hectare island in the Moa River, Guinea–Congo forest species. Among the which nestles at the western end of family. Yet in Sierra Leone it is pretty near the Liberian border. Our main tar- mammals, Maxwell’s and yellow-backed the Freetown Peninsula. Unlike most of much guaranteed. Thanks to the efforts get was the White-breasted Guineafowl, duikers slink through the understorey, the coast, the Peninsula is mountain- of Hazell Thompson, who worked on which is scarce and elusive throughout while noisy parties of exquisite Diana ous, rising to almost 1 000 metres above picathartes for his PhD prior to the civil most of its range as a result of widespread monkeys crash through the canopy sea level. Visible from far out to sea, it war, and the ongoing monitoring efforts hunting. Tiwai is a community-based overhead. Other monkeys commonly was the Peninsula that drew the atten- of the Conservation Society of Sierra wildlife reserve where there has been encountered include western red and Sierra Leone Prinia tion of the first Portuguese explorers to Leone, several hundred breeding sites little or no hunting for many years and western pied colobus, lesser spot-nosed  visit the area in the 1460s. In fact, the are known, including some that are rela- as a result it is one of the best places for country derives its name from the early tively easy to reach. One near Freetown birds and mammals in Sierra Leone. The Portuguese name Serra Lyoa (lion moun- is a mere 10-minute walk from the end reserve has been used extensively by pri- Despite its relative paucity of habitats, Sierra Leone tain), and it is easy to see why the British of a 4x4 track. matologists, who have created a regularly used Freetown as their administrative With hindsight, we probably should spaced network of trails through the for- boasts a list of some 630 bird species, including all but centre in West Africa during the 19th have birded the Peninsula first, but we est. Despite these favourable conditions, one of the Upper Guinea endemics

34 sierra leone africa – birds & birding december 2005/january 2006 sierra leone 35 Flycatcher and Finsch’s Rufous Thrush. The raucous calls of chimpanzees added an extra edge to the birding, as did the knowledge that Nimba Flycatcher has been recorded in the area. We tried for Gola Malimbe at another likely site further north, near Koidu in the heart of the diamond-mining region, but sadly the small forest patch where a malimbe nest had been found the previ- ous year was no longer in existence. Our first Crimson Seedcracker proved scant consolation and more disappointment was to follow, as the road to the Loma Mountains was impassable as a result of the heavy rains. This was our stake-out for Sierra Leone Prinia, as well as a chance at a mouthwatering list of other birds. The so-called prinia probably is a sister species to the inappropriately-named White-chinned Prinia (which isn’t a prin- ia at all, but a warbler). In the event, the oppressive rainclouds prevented even a glimpse of Mount Bintumani, which at Dybowski’s Twinspot and Black-bellied Subsistence farming on the edge of Gola 1 945 metres is sub-Saharan Africa’s high- Firefinch. Closer to Freetown, a bonus Forest near Belebu. This area, which holds est mountain west of Mount Cameroon. was seeing a group of Blue-breasted the largest tract of Upper Guinea forest left With the Loma Mountains off limits, Rollers, well south of their known range, in Sierra Leone, is the subject of a major we spent a nonetheless productive day feeding on termite alates. BirdLife conservation initiative. materialised next to the rock. During the birding the Nimini Hills a little further Our last two days were spent on next hour we had at least five of these south. Although too low-lying to hold the Freetown Peninsula, looking for a truly bizarre birds bounding around us the prinia, they provided some of the best few species we had missed elsewhere. continuously, sometimes passing within forest birding we had in Sierra Leone, with Number 2 River, on the western coast a few metres as we sat quietly oppo- numerous sightings of the normally scarce south of Freetown, is a lovely spot, with site their colony. The White-necked Fiery-breasted Bush-Shrike, brilliant views Western Reef Herons and a large roost Picathartes has to be one of the most of a displaying Rufous-sided Broadbill, of Royal and Black terns at the river thrilling birds to see in Africa, and one and one of the more stunning birds of the mouth. The adjacent mangroves had of the greatest passerines worldwide. trip, the Red-cheeked Wattle-eye. Nearby Shining Blue Kingfisher and Mangrove East of Kenema, the small village of rivers support good numbers of Egyptian Sunbird, but unfortunately there was Belebu is the gateway to the northern Plovers in the dry season, but none was to no sign of the elusive White-crested Gola region, which supports the largest be found with river levels high. Tiger Heron. It is reported to be com- tract of lowland forest remaining in We only birded the southern fringes of mon in the more extensive mangroves Sierra Leone. Unlike Tiwai, this area is Guinea savanna woodland at Bumbuna along the Sierra Leone River, north-east hilly, and getting about is more strenu- on our way back to Freetown. After of Freetown, but time constraints didn’t ous. During our visit, access was further the relatively slow forest birding, it was allow us to go in search of it. restricted as exceptional winds a few refreshing to see large numbers of birds The trail to the Tacugama Chimpanzee weeks previously had felled large swathes sitting out in the open. The two high- Sanctuary above Regent Town yielded of trees, which now blocked sections of lights were undoubtedly the localised Kemp’s Longbill as well as a party of

jason d. weckstein, ben d. marks/ncrc the path in the forest. We birded mainly Turati’s Boubou, which is common at Capuchin Babblers. But the highlight was around the forest edge, where the scarce Bumbuna, and a small flock of stunning watching an unlikely mix of birds feed- Gola Malimbe Top The spectacular falls at Bumbuna monkeys and sooty mangabeys. At night Gola Malimbe had been recorded in Emerald Starlings. However, there were a ing at a termite emergence. In addition occur in an area of moist Guinea wood- we failed to find any Rufous Fishing-Owls the past, but we had no joy; a scruffy, host of other, more widespread species, to the more usual bulbuls and weavers land that supports large numbers of birds, on the rain-swollen river, but were con- back-lit Yellow-mantled Weaver was the such as Double-toothed Barbet, Blackcap at the feast, a Blue Malkoha bounded up including the localised Turati’s Boubou soled by an obliging potto. only species to cause a few flutters. But Babbler, Senegal Batis, Compact Weaver, to the top of an adjacent tree, then  and the exquisite Emerald Starling. Leaving Tiwai we headed north to once again, we weren’t too disappointed. Kenema, where we visited a picathartes We saw six hornbill species, ranging Above The bizarre White-necked colony on a giant boulder overhanging from the diminutive Black Dwarf to the The two highlights were undoubtedly the localised Picathartes will be high on anyone’s a forest stream. The somewhat arduous gargantuan Yellow-casqued Wattled, as want-list for Sierra Leone – and you’re one-hour hike to the site was forgotten well as a fine variety of other forest spe- Turati’s Boubou, which is common at Bumbuna, and a unlikely to be disappointed. in an instant as the first White-neck cies, including Forest Francolin, Ussher’s small flock of stunning Emerald Starlings

36 sierra leone africa – birds & birding december 2005/january 2006 sierra leone 37 glided down, grabbing alates in flight, rural population lives in grinding pov- and a stunning male Crimson Seedcracker erty, and conditions for tourists remain looked distinctly out of place hawking spartan. The birding is often slow, with the termites from more than 30 metres birds thin on the ground and quite skit- up a large cottonwood tree. The party tish in many areas, probably as a result of came to an abrupt end, however, when a widespread hunting. However, it remains very pale Ayres’s Eagle stooped through, an exciting destination for the dedicat- narrowly missing the seedcracker. ed African birder intent on chasing the While travelling through Freetown it Upper Guinea endemics.  is impossible to ignore Sierra Leone’s fascinating history. Freetown was estab- Illustrations reproduced with kind permis- lished in 1787 as a settlement for liber- sion from Birds of Africa south of the ated slaves from Britain and America. Sahara (Sinclair & Ryan), Struik 2003. The returning slaves had little in com- mon with the local people in the area. They adopted many English customs and developed an English-based creole, which LUCKY DRAW COMPETITION is the lingua franca in Sierra Leone today. Struik Publishers are offering two cop- After the country was formally colonised ies of their groundbreaking field guide by Britain in 1808, the returnees (or Birds of Africa south of the Sahara by Krio) tended to be preferred over native Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan, valued at Sierra Leonians, resulting in a parallel more than R320, to the first two entries society that persisted to some extent even drawn in our competition. after the country gained independence in 1961. Today Krio communities are still Simply send a postcard easily recognised by their distinctive style with your name, street Shelley’s Eagle-Owl of architecture, which is more reminis- address and daytime cent of the Caribbean than of Africa. telephone number We left Sierra Leone with an envi- to: Birds of Africa able list of birds seen, but with several Competition, Africa good reasons to return. In addition to – Birds & Birding, Sierra Leone Prinia and Gola Malimbe, P O Box 44223, we also dipped on Black-headed Rufous Claremont 7735. Warbler. Other juicy attractions include rumours of a reliable Shelley’s Eagle-Owl The closing date for near Pujehun in the far south-east, and the competition is 31 January 2006, pygmy hippo is a real possibility given and the first two names drawn will more time at Tiwai Island. The country each win a copy. is not for the faint-hearted – most of the

ourism in Sierra Leone is still in its infancy, following the civil arrival. We flew in via Accra on a package that required us to Twar. There are few tourist facilities, and the presence of a spend three nights in Ghana, which was a bonus as it allowed United Nations peace-keeping force over the past few years has us time to ease into Upper Guinea forest birding with a visit led to inflated prices. Rooms cost US$50–100 per night for even to the justly renowned canopy boardwalk in Kakum National the most basic of hotels, and culinary delights are decidedly Park. Indeed, we saw several species in Kakum that we failed to limited beyond Freetown. encounter elsewhere on the trip, such as Brown Nightjar, Hairy-

go ... The rainy season in Sierra Leone ostensibly runs from May to breasted Barbet and Cassin’s Honeybird. Kakum also gave us October, but the rains started early in 2005, and several species our best views of several Upper Guinea species such as Sharpe’s had already finished breeding by the end of June. Possibly the Apalis and Copper-tailed Starling. best time to visit is December/January, when the Harmattan Probably the best way to visit Sierra Leone is on a tour winds cool the country. If you are set on seeing picathartes organised by a local agent or a reputable tour company. We breeding, September–November are the best months. were guided by Kenneth Gbengba, who worked as a tour There are daily flights to Freetown from Senegal and Ghana guide in Senegal and The Gambia for many years, but with the as well as from several European hubs. South Africans require a cessation of hostilities returned home to start an eco­tourism visa, but there is no consulate in South Africa. With a little per- company. He works closely with the local BirdLife partner, the Off you suasion, the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria will issue a Conservation Society of Sierra Leone. Contact Kenneth at visa, or your local travel agent may be able to arrange a visa on [email protected]

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