Guinea-Bissau and Casamance Birding in little-known areas of West This is a new tour which takes in the small West African country of -Bissau and the extreme southern area of Casamance in . Until now this region has been largely ignored by birders although it holds many range-restricted in remnant patches of forest. The islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau are an important wintering ground for many species from further north in . ■ This tour can be combined with Senegal Pelagic and the Sahel, page 51.

Day 1: Fly to the new airport in Dakar and transfer to the coastal village of Dates Popenguine for an overnight stay. En route Sunday October 31st – Friday there is a good chance of seeing Black- November 12th 2021 headed Lapwing. Leaders: Mark Finn and Ass Ndiaye Group size: 8 Day 2: An early morning flight to Birds: 220-260 Ziguinchor, the largest city in Casamance. On arrival we travel south and cross the border into Guinea-Bissau and the capital Hylia, White-browed Forest Flycatcher, Bissau for an overnight stay. Bissau has Mangrove Sunbird, Crimson , many interesting areas for birds within the Western and Western Oriole. city itself including substantial numbers of Cufada also has areas of savannah dotted Black Heron, Western Reef Egret, Collared with patches of bushes which attract Pratincole, Grey and Kentish Plovers, Bar- Bearded Barbet, Oriole Warbler, Splendid tailed and . Sunbird, Red-winged Pytilia and Sahel Patches of forest and cultivated land near Bush Sparrow. Transfer to Buba for two the coast attract Violet , Red-throat- nights. ed Bee-eater, White-fronted Black Chat, Grey-headed Oliveback, Lavender Waxbill, Day 4: An early start is essential to visit Purple Glossy and Bronze-tailed Starlings the Cantanhez Forests on the border with and Piapiac. Guinea. This is a relatively new and little- visited area for birdlife. The habitat of semi- Day 3: This morning our journey takes us humid forest along with seasonal swamps, towards Buba and the Cufada Lagoons, a rivers and mangrove stands make it an series of freshwater wetlands bordered by interesting area for wildlife. In addition to forest. Before reaching Buba a stop at the the commoner forest birds we are on the Rio Corrubal may produce sightings of lookout for Timneh Parrot, Little Green and Rock Pratincole, Egyptian Plover and Buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Western Preuss’s Cliff Swallow. On reaching Cufada Bearded, Red-tailed and Spotted Lagoons the secondary woodland is home Greenbuls, Grey-chinned Sunbird, to the near-endemic Turati’s Boubou. Other Chestnut-breasted Negrito, Red-headed species inhabiting the forest include Red- Malimbe and Black-faced Firefinch. thighed Sparrowhawk, Green Turaco, White-bellied Kingfisher, Black-and-white- Day 5: Today we revisit sites around Buba casqued, Yellow-casqued, White-crested and on the road back towards Bissau, and African Pied Hornbills, Spotted where we have an overnight stay. A sector Honeyguide, Woodpecker, Fanti of forest may have African Goshawk, Saw-wing, Red-tailed Leaflove, White- Stone Partridge, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, tailed Alethe, Capuchin Babbler, Green Brown-backed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied

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Brown Babbler Photo: Roger Ridley Hyliota, Red-winged Warbler, Western Sunbird. The archipelago is also an impor- Violet-backed Sunbird, African Golden tant area for five species of turtles which Oriole and Violet-backed Starling. come ashore to lay their eggs in November. This in turn attracts Palm-nut Vultures to Days 6-8: On Day 6 we travel to the breed and feed on the hatchlings. Several Bijagos Archipelago which has over 80 species of winter in the region and islands, of which around 20 are inhabited. number many thousands, including Curlew Bijagos is the second-most important Sandpiper, Little Stint, Sanderling, coastal site for birds in after the Eurasian Whimbrel and Common Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania. It takes Redshank. Also present are Grey-hooded around four hours in a speedboat from and Slender-billed Gulls, Black, Gull-billed, Bissau to our base in the islands. The lodge Caspian and African Royal Terns. On Day 8 is located within secondary forest where we return to Bissau for an overnight stay. the gardens hold White-throated Bee-eater, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, African Day 9: This morning we travel north to Thrush, African Paradise Flycatcher, Casamance in Senegal via Mansôa - an Western Violet-backed and Collared important area for the endangered Black Sunbirds and Violet-backed Starling. Other Crowned Crane. After crossing back into species we may find include Hadada and Senegal we head towards the small border African Sacred Ibis, Western Plantain- town of Mpak which has a varied habitat of eater, Squacco, Black and Purple Herons, farmland, degraded forest and bush. Great and Little Egrets, Hamerkop, African Travelling along the main road we have a Spoonbill, Pied, Woodland, Blue-breasted, good chance of Long-crested Eagle Malachite and African Dwarf Kingfishers, perched on telegraph poles. In the forest Little Greenbul and Green-headed patches we should find several skulking

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road towards the village of Elinkine may have Lanner Falcon, Piping Hornbill, Northern Black Flycatcher and possibly Plain-backed Pipit. Further along the road the village of Kagnout has a wetland area where recent sightings have included the scarce Cuckoo-finch, Greater Painted- snipe, Lesser Moorhen, Yellow-throated Longclaw and the commoner wetland species. Also of interest are several species associated with wetlands, namely Yellow-crowned Bishop, Yellow-mantled Widowbird and Quailfinch. On the return to base another protected area of forest may have Black-throated Coucal, Western Square-tailed Drongo, Red-tailed Leaflove and maybe lingering cuckoos from the wet season. Kamobeul and the Essil Forest hold several interesting species including the recently split Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Yellow-throated Leaflove. Boutoute is east Palm-nut Vulture Photo: Roger Ridley of Ziguinchor and a good area for wetland birds with regular sightings of Allen’s species including Western Bluebill, Grey- Gallinule, West African, Wire-tailed and headed Bristlebill, Western Nicator, Yellow- Red-chested Swallows, Fanti Saw-wing throated Leaflove, Puvel’s Illadopsis and and Short-winged Cisticola. Yellow-breasted Apalis. The forest is also a good area for the range-restricted Blue Day 13: Our last day in Casamance with Malkoha, and if the rains have been late in birding close to Ziguinchor. In the afternoon the season we may locate lingering cuckoo we take a flight to Dakar and onward con- species - Diederik, Klaas’s, African and nections to Europe. Arrival is on the follow- Red-chested. Due to logging activity there ing day. is a good chance of finding the secretive Turati’s Boubou which has recently colonised Senegal from Guinea Bissau. Prices The farmland is a good area to find the attractive Red-winged Warbler, plus grass- Ground Price: £2,845 loving Whistling and Singing Cisticolas. Single room: £250 Transfer to Ziguinchor for four nights, where Deposit: £300 we will be ideally located to visit several *Air Fare: £600 areas with excellent birdlife. This tour is fully inclusive of Days 10-12: These three days have been accommodation, meals, transport, set aside to explore and visit little-known boat fees, park entrance fees and areas of Casamance. Our main interest is permits, guidance, tips and taxes. exploring the marshes and remnant forest patches to the west of Ziguinchor. We trav- Not included: visa to enter Guinea- el west towards Oussouye and the forest of Bissau, drinks, insurance, items of a Boukitimigo - a known area for scarce personal nature. species occurring in Senegal. With a little luck we should locate Ahanta Francolin, *Please refer to our terms and White-spotted Flufftail, Brown Illadopsis, conditions relating to flights Green Crombec and Olive Sunbird. The

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