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Home , African cuckoo, African emerald cuckoo, African pied wagtail, Agelastes, Alethe (bird), Anthreptes

BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Upper Special and 2020 Tour Report © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Rufous Fishing

Text by Michael Mills - Photos by Markus Lagerqvist, Tertius Gous and Callan Cohen SUMMARY

The first ever birding tour to Liberia and our first Upper Guinea Special Gous © Tertius Tour (Liberia and Sierra Leone, combined) provided some spectacular and birding in this little-known region.

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding We started off in Liberia at Mount Nimba, where we to Monrovia. From Monrovia we made the easy Report Tour Africa Birding comfortably accessed some of the best tropical journey to eastern Sierra Leone, crossing the border on the continent. We found three groups of Sierra without hassle, and finding a lovely male Crimson Leone Prinia, which required almost no walking, on our way to Tiwai Island. Our first and enjoyed fantastic views of the rarely-seen full day at Tiwai produced arguably the best 24 Black-headed Rufous . The scarce Nimba hours of the trip, starting off with a displaying Flycatcher was seen well twice and we found Gola White-crested Tiger Heron and ending with half- Malimbe nest building on a day trip from our air- hour-long views of Rufous and point- conditioned hotel. Other highlights included Little blank views of African Pitta. We also saw Spotted Grey Flycatcher, Yellow-bearded , Sharpe's . The birding at Gola forest was rather Apalis, Kemp's Longbill and Buff-throated . disappointing, although we did see Yellow-headed From here we made the jaw-rattling journey to Sapo Picathartes, Latham's Forest Francolin on a night National Park via Zwerdu, visiting both the north roost and Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler. Our and west of the park. The lowland forest birding was final stint of birding was done in the of spectacular and we saw Yellow-casqued Wattled northern Sierra Leone, with Emerald Hornbill, (six times!), Red-fronted and Yellow-winged Pytilia in the Tingi Hills and Latham's Forest Francolin Antpecker, Timneh , Akun Eagle-Owl, Emerald Starling, Turati's Boubou, Paradise Grey Ground , Rufous-winged , Whydah and the rarely-seen Baumann's Greenbul Olivaceous Flycatcher, Grey-hooded Capuchin at Bambuna. ESSENTIAL DETAILS Babbler and Lowland , before returning

Dates 27 Jan: Gola East 11 January to 3 February 2020 28 Jan: Gola East to Gola North 29-31 Jan: Gola North Itinerary 1 Feb: Gola North to Kono/Koidu © Tertius Gous © Tertius 11 Jan: Arrive Monrovia 2 Feb: Tingi Hills; late afternoon to Makeni 12 Jan: Monrovia to Mount Nimba 3 Feb: Bumbuna area; afternoon to Lungi 13-17 Jan: Mount Nimba 18 Jan: Mount Nimba to Zwerdu Participants 19 Jan: Zwerdu to Sapo National Park Michael Mills 20-22 Jan: Sapo National Park Callan Cohen 23 Jan: Sapo to Monrovia Tertius Gous 24 Jan: Monrovia to Tiwai Island Julian Francis 25 Jan: Tiwai Island Markus Lagerqvist 26 Jan: Tiwai Island to Gola East Gus Mills

2 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 3 Black-headed Rufous Warbler © Tertius Gous © Tertius © Callan Cohen Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding

Watching for Sierra Leone Prinia on top of Mount Nimba © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Nimba Flycatcher Gola Malimbe

4 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 5 © Tertius Gous © Tertius Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding

6 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 7 White-crested Tiger Heron REPORT

Our tour kicked off on the eastern side of somewhat and the East Nimba Nature Reserve was Gous © Tertius Monrovia, and the following morning we enjoyed proclaimed to protect the . Unfortunately our first birds in the lodge grounds, including most of the surrounding lowland forest falls outside West African Wattle-eye, Sabine's Puffback, Red- of the reserve and is being hacked away, and many chested Goshawk, White-browed Forest Flycatcher of the early, mouth-watering finds come from these

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding and Grey-headed Bristlebill (the early arrivals that are no longer pristine. Report Tour Africa Birding had already seen Red-cheeked Wattle-eye the day Still, Nimba offers spectacular birding with easy before). After breakfast we started our journey access to the at the top of the mountain, and north towards Mount Nimba on a newly-paved must rank as the place in the world requiring the road. Towards Ganta we paused for a leg stretch at least effort to see the localised Sierra Leone Prinia. It a roadside pond where African Pygmy Goose was was to this that we first turned our attention, found and Tiny Sunbird fed in some flowering trees. and on our first morning we found a party of these We arrived in time for some introductory birding, furtive little birds which gave reasonable views. before settling into our hotel for the next six nights. Wider exploration turned up another two groups, Mount Nimba, sub-Saharan Africa's highest but they were generally uncooperative so we were

mountain west of Mount , holds some pleased to have had reasonable looks on our first Yellow-bearded Greenbul of the richest forests on the continent that were the attempt. The surrounding lowlands are home to subject of an intensive ornithological study 50 years another tricky species, the fantastic Black-headed ago before iron-ore mining wrecked the top of the Rufous Warbler, and on our second morning bearing the mountain's name, Nimba Flycatcher, throated Bee-eater, Naked-faced Barbet, Speckled mountain. Mining operations ceased some time ago we enjoyed spectacular views of this rarely-seen and late in the afternoon we enjoyed some good , Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow- and moved to some of the nearby mountains, and specialty, finding another two pairs later. Our third views of a singing , with another bird the next throated Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, since then the habitat on Mt Nimba has recovered day was focussed on tracking down another rarity morning giving even better views. The fourth Yellow-spotted Barbet, Cassin's Honeybird, speciality of the area is the striking Gola Malimbe, Common Kestrel, West African , Many- and on our final day in the area we made a day trip coloured , Brown-crowned , to see this special bird, with two males found nest , Red-billed , building after about a three kilometre walk; so much Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Purple-throated easier than seeing them in Gola in Sierra Leone. Cuckooshrike, Blue Cuckooshrike, Shining , Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Red- There were plenty of other birds on offer too and bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Dusky , Little Grey © Tertius Gous © Tertius we racked up a long list of species. Highlights Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, , included several lekking male Standard-winged , , Swamp Palm Nightjar, brilliant views of a grey-morph Plain , Red-tailed Leaflove, Red-tailed Greenbul, Nightjar, a pair of secretive Blue-moustached Bee- Square-tailed Saw-wing, Lesser Striped Swallow, eater, several scarce Little Grey Flycatcher, and the Grey Longbill, Green Crombec, Lemon-bellied regional endemics Ahanta Francolin, Melancholy Crombec, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Green , Little Green Woodpecker, Rufous- Hylia, , Black-capped Apalis, Yellow- bellied Wattle-eye, Western Yellow-billed Barbet, browed Camaroptera, Olive-green Camaroptera, Western Square-tailed Drongo, Western Bearded Rufous-crowned , , Greenbul, Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Kemp's , Fraser's Forest Flycatcher, Dusky- Longbill, Sharpe's Apalis, Finsch's Flycatcher blue Flycatcher, Grey-winged Robin-Chat (heard), Thrush, Ussher's Flycatcher, Western Forest African Stonechat, , Yellow- Robin and Buff-throated Sunbird. Other species chinned Sunbird, Red-vented Malimbe, Blue- recorded include Double-spurred Francolin, billed Malimbe, , White-breasted Sabine's Spinetail, Alpine Swift, Pallid Swift, Guinea Nigrita, Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Orange- , Western Plantain-eater, Black-throated cheeked Waxbill, Common Waxbill, Long-billed , European Honey Buzzard, Crowned Pipit and Gosling's Bunting (second record for Eagle, Cassin's Hawk-Eagle, Blue-throated Roller, Liberia). Grey-headed Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, White-

8 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 9 Sierra Leone Prinia After some final birding in the Nimba area we started were joined by Timneh Parrot and Fire-bellied the longer-than-expected journey to Sapo National Woodpecker to welcome us, and as the sun set Park, with a night in Zwerdu en route. Although a pair of Spot-breasted Ibis passed by in the half the distances were small and the roads dry, the road light. After dusk the night sounds of African Palm Gous © Tertius surfaces were atrocious and we spent many hours Civets, Western Tree Hyrax and Hammer-headed grinding our way to the fantastic lowland forests of Fruit-Bat started up around us and the cacophony Sapo. En route a lunch stop turned up Fanti Drongo of mammals was joined by Akun Eagle-Owl, which was mobbing a Fraser's Eagle-Owl, a little which showed fantastically in the torch beam. The Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding taste of what was to come. next day and a bit we took our time to explore the Report Tour Africa Birding surrounding forest, with our main aim of finding Finally we arrived at Sapo, and now entered camping White-breasted . Although we heard mode for the next five nights, split between the them once and found a recently-hatched egg shell, north and west of the park. Our first camp site was we failed to lay eyes on this species, probably very positioned on the edge of a forest clearing, and while shy due to hunting pressure. Still a good selection setting up camp we were entertained and distracted of other species was found, including Latham's by numerous birds. Western Pied Hornbill, Western Forest Francolin, Lowland Akalat, Blue-headed Piping Hornbill, Brown-cheeked Hornbill, Black- Wood Dove, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Chocolate- casqued Hornbill and Yellow-casqued Hornbill © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Fraser's Eagle-Owl

backed Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, a Grey Ground Thrush that called (contact call) Brown-eared Woodpecker, Rufous-sided Broadbill, persistently and flew past us giving brief views. We at the nest, Rufous- also glimpsed Dusky Long-tailed and Olive winged Illadopsis, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, White- Long-tailed Cuckoo, both quite vocal, and partly tailed Alethe, Olivaceous Flycatcher, more Gola won a tussle with a party of Grey-hooded Capuchin Malimbes and, on the walk out, a pair of Babbler, with everyone laying eyes on them in the Red-fronted Antpeckers. We now relocated to the end. Sadly our time at Sapo had come to an end western edge of the park (with Magpie Mannikin en and we completed our loop back to Monrovia with route), and here spent a rather quiet day exploring another bum-numbing journey, broken by views of the swamp forests around the Sinoe River. White- Rock , Preuss's Cliff Swallow, Chestnut- throated Blue Swallow and Cassin's Flycatcher and-black Weaver and , before were active along the river itself. The highlight of spending a night in the lap of luxury near Monrovia the morning, although we only saw it in flight, was (well-deserved after five nights in a tent).

10 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 11 Akun Eagle-Owl Rock Pratincole

Moving onto Gola North we started off with a and Brown-chested Alethe. A day in the primary picathartes vigil, with one bird coming to the forest produced Long-tailed Hawk, Narina , inactive breeding colony in the evening, the walk Rufous-sided Broadbill, Rufous-bellied Wattle- back producing a female, and then a striking male, eye, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Forest Scrub Robin Latham's Forest Francolin on the roost. The next and Gola Malimbe. Lagden's Bushshrike called a day we made the long hike into the centre of Gola couple of times but refused to show. The final bit of North, aiming to camp on the edge of the primary birding at Gola North was in the more productive forest. Black-shouldered Nightjar gave good views farmbush, and a few hours here produced Cassin's Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding around our lodgings before we set off on the nine Spinetail, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Western Yellow- Report Tour Africa Birding kilometre hike along a well-maintained trail. Birding billed Barbet, Willcocks's Honeyguide, Fire-bellied was slow in the understorey, but a few active Woodpecker, Timneh Parrot, Copper-tailed swarms turned up some memorable birds, the best Starling, Buff-throated Sunbird and Johanna's of which were White-bellied Kingfisher (for some) Sunbird. © Tertius Gous © Tertius © Tertius Gous © Tertius

The next phase of the trip now began, as we made on the island was fairly quiet, but we did see manage the easy trip west from Monrovia to the border to see Black Sparrowhawk, African Wood Owl, with Sierra Leone, a tar road taking us all the way. Western White-crested Hornbill, Chocolate-backed Although immigration formalities took some time Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Spotted there we no issues and we crossed the border before Honeyguide, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Forest making the short journey to Tiwai Island, a lovely Chestnut-winged Starling, Western Forest Robin , male Crimson Seedcracker sitting up for the scope Yellow-mantled Weaver, Maxwell's Black Weaver in a roadside swamp along the way. and, best of all, an incredible African Pitta on a night roost. Nkulengu called after dark but the We had two nights at Tiwai, where the focus of our undergrowth was too dense to reach the roost site. time was on the picturesque Moa River accessed during three trips on boat and canoe. Our first From Tiwai we made our way to the nearby Gola trip was a bit short and failed to turn up anything Forest, pausing for supplies in Zimmi where House of note, but on our first morning (and second boat Sparrow (perhaps the first record for Sierra Leone) trip) we hit the jackpot with a displaying White- was resident around the fuel station. Our first stop crested Tiger Heron that kept us enthralled until was at Gola East, where a day spent in beautiful first light. Our third trip turned up spectacular forest turned up little new other than Hairy- views of the scarce Rufous Fishing Owl, which breasted Barbet and our best views of White-tailed was admired at length. Other birds seen along the Alethe. The adjacent farmbush was more productive river included Hartlaub's Duck, Blue-cheeked Bee- though and here we found Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, eater, African Finfoot, Brown Nightjar (heard only), White-throated Greenbul, Puvel's Illadopsis and Egyptian Plover, Rock Pratincole, White-throated Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler. After dark we Blue Swallow, , White-browed spotted Western Crested Guineafowl roosting. Forest Flycatcher and Cassin's Flycatcher. The forest

12 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 13 Spotted Honeyguide The end of the trip was now near and the final bit of Starling, with about ten birds seen. Other species birding was focussed on the savannas of northern in the surrounds included Vieillot's Barbet, African Sierra Leone, which made a nice change from the Grey Woodpecker, Batis, , forest-biased birding we had been doing for the Western Square-tailed Drongo (in gallery forest), Gous © Tertius past two weeks. Certainly birds were much easier White-shouldered Black Tit, Fanti Saw-wing, to see. On our way north to Kono we paused at Senegal Eremomela, Splendid Sunbird, Yellow- the rice fields near Kanema, seeing Little Ringed winged Pytilia, Black-bellied Firefinch, Red-billed Plover, Forbes's Plover and Black-backed Firefinch and Magpie Mannikin. We also spent Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding during our short visit. North of Kono in the Tingi some time looking for Togo Paradise Whydah, but Report Tour Africa Birding Hills we enjoyed a very productive couple of hours, drew a blank. quite quickly finding the much-desired Emerald © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Fanti Saw-wing

Our final stop of the trip was at Bumbuna, where bird of note, just before we started our drive to the Standard-winged Nightjar was seen pre-dawn airport for the end of the tour, was the little-known and Turati's Boubou seen well shortly after dawn. Baumann's Olive Greenbul, a species we had spent Here the open farmbush was very productive and hours looking for over the previous two weeks. It we found a fantastic male Togo Paradise Whydah look a bit of persuasion, but after some persistence in full breeding and several Cameroon we managed to lure one bird from its thickets for Indigobirds. Other species recorded included good views. Hurrah!! Black-and-white -Flycatcher, Fanti Saw-wing, Thanks to Aloysius, Paul, Ben, Graham, Ken, Melodious Warbler, Red-winged Warbler, Senegal Alimamy and Sheka for their assistance and hard Eremomela, Emerald Starling, Olive-naped Weaver, work during the trip. Red-headed and African Firefinch. The final

14 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 15 Emerald Starling caprius --- Seen at African Green Pigeon Treron [calvus] calvus --- ANNOTATED SPECIES LIST Gola North (flavirostris) Seen regularly in small numbers (sharpei) Numididae Standard-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas --- Widespread Sarothruridae longipennis --- Brilliant views of several males records White-breasted Guineafowl Agelastes meleagrides lekking at Nimba, and also seen at Bumbuna White-spotted Sarothrura pulchra ------Heard at Sapo North, where a recently-hatched African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus --- Heard several times (pulchra) egg was found Apodidae Widespread records Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa --- Heard at

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris --- Good Sabine's Spinetail Rhaphidura sabini --- Seen at Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx mechowi Bumbuna (bonapartii) Report Tour Africa Birding numbers in the Bumbuna area (galeatus) Nimba and Gola North --- Heard and seen very briefly at Sapo HQ (a Heliornithidae proposed split as Whistling Long-tailed Cuckoo C. Western Crested Guineafowl [Crested Cassin's Spinetail Neafrapus cassini --- Seen at lemaireae) Guineafowl] Guttera [pucherani] verreauxi --- Two Gola North African Finfoot Podica senegalensis --- Great views at Tiwai (senegalensis) an a roost at Gola East (verreauxi) Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx olivinus African Palm Swift Cypsiurus [parvus] parvus --- Heard and seen very briefly at Sapo HQ, and --- Seen widely in Sierra Leone (probably Rallidae heard at Gola brachypterus) Latham's Forest Francolin Peliperdix lathami Nkulengu Rail Himantornis haematopus --- Heard clamosus --- Heard in --- Brilliant night-time views of a female on the Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba --- Seen on top at Tiwai and Gola, but from inaccessible sites Liberia and Sierra Leone (gabonensis) ground and a male in a tree at Gola North. Also of Mt Nimba (melba) Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra --- Seen at seen more briefly at Sapo North and Gola North Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius --- Heard Common Swift Apus apus --- Seen widely in Kanema (lathami) at Gola East Liberia and Sierra Leone (apus) Charadriidae Ahanta Francolin Pternistis ahantensis --- Two African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis --- One seen well Pallid Swift Apus pallidus --- Seen on top of Mt reasonable day-time views at Nimba, and heard at in the Tingi Hills Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius --- Several Nimba ( not determined) Bumbuna (ahantensis) at Kanema (curonicus) Little Swift Apus affinis --- Scattered sightings in Double-spurred Francolin Pternistis bicalcaratus Forbes's Plover Charadrius forbesi --- Great views Liberia and Sierra Leone (aerobates) --- Seen at Mt Nimba and Bumbuna and heard in Rock Dove or Feral Pigeon Columba livia --- Seen of several at Kanema the Tingi Hills (thornei) Musophagidae Afep Pigeon Columba unicincta --- Heard at Sapo Pluvianidae North and Gola North Corythaeola cristata --- Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius --- One at Widespread sightings Hartlaub's Duck Pteronetta hartlaubii --- Excellent Western Bronze-naped Pigeon Columba Tiwai iriditorques --- Heard very regularly and seen once views at Tiwai, and also seen at Sapo North, Nimba Guinea Turaco persa --- Seen at Mt Jacanidae and Bumbuna Nimba, Tingi Hills and Bumbuna (buffoni) Lemon Dove Columba larvata --- Heard at Gola North and seen briefly at Mt Nimba (inornata) African Jacana Actophilornis africanus --- Seen a African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus --- Three Yellow-billed Turaco Tauraco macrorhynchus --- couple of times on a lake in the Ganta area of Liberia Seen widely (macrorhynchus) Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata --- Widespread Scolopacidae Caprimulgidae Musophaga violacea --- Heard at Bumbuna Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos --- A Brown Nightjar Veles binotatus --- Heard at Tiwai Vinaceous Dove Streptopelia vinacea --- Seen at Tingi Hills and Bumbuna couple of sightings where we were too busy looking at White-crested Western Plantain-eater piscator --- Seen Tiger Heron and Rufous Fishing Owl to find it at Nimba and Bumbuna Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis --- Seen at Wood Sandpiper Tringa --- Seen at Yekepa and Zimmi (senegalensis) Kanema Black-shouldered Nightjar [Fiery-necked Cuculidae Nightjar] Caprimulgus [pectoralis] nigriscapularis Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer --- Black-throated Coucal Centropus leucogaster --- Super views at Gola North, and also seen at Mt Widespread sightings Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis --- Seen in good Nimba --- Seen at Mt Nimba and heard elsewhere (leucogaster) Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria --- numbers at Tiwai, and also between Sapo and Plain Nightjar Caprimulgus inornatus --- Widespread sightings Monrovia (liberiae) Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis --- Incredible views of a grey-morph bird on Mt Ciconiidae Nimba Widespread sightings (senegalensis) Blue-headed Wood Dove Turtur brehmeri --- Incredible views at Sapo North and Nimba, and Blue Yellowbill [Yellowbill] Ceuthmochares African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus --- One heard elsewhere (infelix) [aereus] aereus --- Widespread sightings at Tiwai (lamelligerus)

16 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 17 African Woolly-necked [Woolly-necked African Cuckoo-Hawk Aviceda cuculoides --- Akun Eagle-Owl Bubo leucostictus --- Great night- Alcedinidae Stork] Ciconia [episcopus] microscelis --- Seen at Great views at Gola North, and also seen in the time views at Sapo North Chocolate-backed Kingfisher Halcyon badia --- Sapo and Gola Sapo area by some (batesi) Rufous Fishing Owl Scotopelia ussheri --- One was Good views at Sapo, Tiwai and Gola Phalacrocoracidae Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus --- Seen at watched at length at Tiwai Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala --- Kanema and Tingi Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus --- Seen at African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii --- Good Seen at Nimba, Tingi and Bumbuna (leucocephala) Yekepa and Tiwai (africanus) Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus --- One for views at Tiwai, heard at Sapo North (nuchalis) Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti --- Heard at Callan near Yekepa (anderssoni)

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Threskiornithidae Red-chested Owlet Glaucidium tephronotum --- Bumbuna (chelicuti) Report Tour Africa Birding Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus --- Seen Heard at Sapo North (tephronotum) Spot-breasted Ibis Bostrychia rara --- Heard and Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica --- at Nimba, heard at Sapo and Gola seen by some flying at dusk at Sapo North Trogonidae Seen at Tiwai and Bumbuna (torquata) Cassin's Hawk-Eagle Aquila africana --- Seen at Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash --- Seen at Tiwai Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina --- Good views Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis --- Nimba (brevirostris) at Gola North, heard at Sapo (constantia) Widespread sightings (probably fuscopileus) Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus --- Ardeidae Phoeniculidae African Dwarf Kingfisher Ispidina lecontei --- Widespread sightings (monogrammicus) Super views at Sapo North, Tiwai and Gola White-crested Tiger Heron Tigriornis leucolopha Forest castaneiceps --- Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus ------Incredible views of a displaying bird at Tiwai Heard and seen by Callan at Nimba (castaneiceps) African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta --- Seen Good views of one at Gola North at Gola North and Tingi (probably ferrugina) Striated Heron Butorides [striata] striata --- Seen Bucerotidae Red-chested Goshawk [African Goshawk] at Nimba and Sapo (atricapilla) White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster Accipiter [tachiro] toussenelii --- Seen at Libassa, Western Pied Hornbill [African Pied Hornbill] --- Several heard and one seen briefly at Gola Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides --- Seen at Nimba and en route to Zwerdu, and heard at Gola Lophoceros [fasciatus] semifasciatus --- Many good North (bowdleri) Kanema North (macroscelides) sightings Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis [cristatus] Western [Cattle Egret] Bubulcus Shikra Accipiter badius --- Seen at Monrovia and Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill Lophoceros camurus cristatus --- Seen once each in Liberia and Sierra [ibis] ibis --- Widespread sightings Lungi (sphenurus) --- Seen at Sapo North and Gola North Leone (galeritus) Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala --- One Red-thighed Sparrowhawk Accipiter erythropus Western Piping Hornbill [Piping Hornbill] Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys --- at Lungi after the tour officially ended --- Seen by Callan and Tertius between Sapo and Bycanistes [fistulator] fistulator --- Seen at Sapo Seen at Tiwai and Gola East (quadribrachys) Monrovia North, Tiwai and Gola Purple Heron Ardea purpurea --- One between Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima --- Seen at Sapo and Monrovia (purpurea) Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus --- Brown-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes cylindricus --- Nimba and Tiwai (probably gigantea) Seen at Sapo North, Tiwai and Tingi (temminckii) Seen at Sapo North, Tiwai and Gola African Great Egret [Great Egret] Ardea [alba] Meropidae melanorhynchos --- Seen at Kanema Yellow-billed Kite [Black Kite] Milvus [migrans] Black-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna atrata --- aegyptius --- Widespread sightings (parasitus) Seen at Sapo North and Gola Blue-moustached Bee-eater Merops mentalis --- A Yellow-billed Egret [Intermediate Egret] Ardea pair seen well at Nimba [intermedia] brachyrhyncha --- Seen at Kanema African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer --- Seen by Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata --- and Tingi Tertius at Tiwai and between Sapo and Monrovia Seen at Sapo North, Tiwai and Gola Black Bee-eater Merops gularis --- Very common at Nimba, and also seen at Sapo, Gola and Tingi Little Egret Egretta [garzetta] garzetta --- Seen Buzzard Butastur rufipennis --- A Western White-crested Hornbill [White-crested (gularis) once by Julian (garzetta) couple roadside between Makeni and Freetown Hornbill] Horizocerus [albocristatus] albocristatus --- Seen well at Tiwai, and also at Sapo North, and Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus --- Widespread Accipitridae Red-necked Buzzard Buteo [auguralis] auguralis heard elsewhere (albocristatus) sightings in (pusillus) --- Seen at Nimba and between Kono and Makeni African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus --- Coraciidae White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis --- Widespread and common (pectoralis) Strigidae Widespread sightings Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis --- Seen Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis --- Greyish Eagle-Owl [Spotted Eagle-Owl] Bubo at Nimba, Sapo, Tiwai and Tingi (gularis) Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus --- Seen Widespread sightings [africanus] cinerascens --- One for Callan near at Tiwai and Gola East (probably chrysocercus) Yekepa Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus --- European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus --- Widespread sightings (afer) European Bee-eater Merops apiaster --- Heard at Three sightings in Liberia Fraser's Eagle-Owl Bubo [poensis] poensis Bumbuna --- Brilliant day-time views between Ganta and Zwerdu, and heard at Sapo HQ

18 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 19 Lybiidae Little Green Woodpecker [Green-backed Platysteiridae Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher Bias musicus Woodpecker] Campethera [cailliautii] maculosa --- Seen at Bumbuna (musicus) Bristle-nosed Barbet Gymnobucco peli --- One for Senegal Batis Batis senegalensis --- Seen at Tingi --- First seen at Nimba Callan at Nimba Campephagidae [Fernando Po Batis] Batis Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa Naked-faced Barbet Gymnobucco [calvus] calvus [poensis] occulta --- Seen at Nimba Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike Campephaga --- Seen a few times, including roosting in a hole at --- Seen at Nimba and Tingi and heard at Sapo phoenicea --- Seen at Nimba, Tingi and Bumbuna night (nivosa) West African Wattle-eye [Chestnut Wattle-eye] (calvus) Platysteira [castanea] hormophora --- Seen several Purple-throated Cuckooshrike Campephaga Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli ---

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Speckled Tinkerbird Pogoniulus scolopaceus --- times quiscalina --- Seen at Nimba (quiscalina) Report Tour Africa Birding Seen in Liberia and Sierra Leone (arizela) Widespread sightings (scolopaceus) Rufous-bellied Wattle-eye [Yellow-bellied Blue Cuckooshrike Cyanograucalus azureus --- Fire-bellied Woodpecker Chloropicus pyrrhogaster Red-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus atroflavus --- Wattle-eye] Platysteira [concreta] concreta --- Seen well at Nimba and Gola --- Good views in Liberia and Sierra Leone Heard widely, seen at Nimba Great views at Nimba and Gola North Laniidae [ Woodpecker] Yellow-throated Tinkerbird Pogoniulus Red-cheeked Wattle-eye Platysteira blissetti --- [gabonensis] lugubris --- Good views Northern Fiscal [Common Fiscal] subsulphureus --- Heard widely, seen at Nimba Seen at Libassa, and briefly at Gola East at Nimba; also seen at Tiwai and heard at Sapo (chrysopygus) [collaris] humeralis --- Widespread sightings Malaconotidae (smithii) African Grey Woodpecker (Grey Woodpecker) Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus [bilineatus] Dendropicos [goertae] goertae --- Seen at Tingi and Grey-headed Bushshrike blanchoti bilineatus --- Widespread sightings (leucolaimus) Oriolidae Bumbuna (goertae) --- Heard at Bumbuna (blanchoti) Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon duchaillui --- African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus --- Falconidae Lagden's Bushshrike Malaconotus lagdeni --- Heard widely, seen a few times (this is a proposed Recorded at Bumbuna (auratus) Heard at Gola North (lagdeni) split Western Yellow-spotted Barbet B. dowsetti) Common Kestrel Falco [tinnunculus] tinnunculus Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus --- One at Mt Nimba and Zwerdu (probably Many-coloured Bushshrike Hairy-breasted Barbet Tricholaema hirsuta --- brachyrynchus --- Widespread sightings rufescens) multicolor --- Good views at Nimba, Sapo and Gola Heard at Nimba, seen at Gola East (hirsuta) (brachyrynchus) (multicolor) Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo --- One on Mt Vieillot's Barbet Lybius vieilloti --- Seen at Tingi Black-winged Oriole Oriolus nigripennis --- Heard Nimba (subbuteo) Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis --- (rubescens) at Sapo North Seen at Nimba (ussheri) Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus --- Seen at Tingi Western Yellow-billed Barbet [Yellow-billed Dicruridae (abyssinicus) Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus --- Seen Barbet] Trachyphonus [purpuratus] goffinii --- Western Square-tailed Drongo [Square-tailed at Tingi and Bumbuna (senegalus) Good views at Nimba and Gola East Peregrine Falcon Falco [peregrinus] peregrinus Drongo] Dicrurus [ludwigii] occidentalis --- Seen --- Seen by Michael at Nimba (subspecies not Sabine's Puffback sabini --- Indicatoridae distantly at Nimba and again in the Tingi Hills determined) Widespread sightings (sabini) Cassin's Honeybird Prodotiscus insignis --- Very Shining Drongo Dicrurus atripennis --- Psittacidae Dryoscopus gambensis --- Seen good views at Nimba (flavodorsalis) Widespread sightings at Nimba and Tingi (gambensis) Timneh Parrot [Grey Parrot] Psittacus [erithacus] Willcocks's Honeyguide willcocksi --- Fanti Drongo [Velvet-mantled Drongo] Dicrurus timneh --- Good views at Sapo and Gola North; Lowland Sooty Boubou leucorhynchus Seen at Nimba and Gola North (willcocksi) [modestus] atactus --- Seen a few times heard at Tiwai --- Seen at Nimba and Gola East Least Honeyguide Indicator exilis --- Heard at Rhipiduridae Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri --- Seen Tropical Boubou Laniarius [aethiopicus] major --- Nimba (exilis) Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher at Lungi after the official end of the tour (krameri) Seen at Tingi (major) Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus --- Good nitens --- Seen at Nimba and Tiwai, heard at Sapo Calyptomenidae Turati's Boubou Laniarius turatii --- Two pairs views at Tiwai (maculatus) and Gola (reichenowi) seen well at Bumbuna Rufous-sided Broadbill Smithornis rufolateralis --- Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator --- One at Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone Good views at Sapo and Gola (rufolateralis) Vangidae Bumbuna [rufiventer] rufiventer --- Seen regularly in forest (nigriceps) Pittidae Red-billed Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps --- Picidae Seen well several times in forest (caniceps) African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis African Pitta Pitta angolensis --- Incredible night- Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla --- One for --- Seen at Nimba and Tingi (probably viridis) time views at Tiwai (pulih) African Shrike-flycatcher Megabyas flammulatus Callan at Nimba (torquilla) --- Seen at Nimba, heard in Sierra Leone (flammulatus)

20 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 21 simplex --- Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica --- Recorded widely Seen at Nimba and Gola (puella) Pied Crow Corvus albus --- Widespread sightings Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops --- Heard Thescelocichla leucopleura--- Red-breasted Swallow Cecropis semirufa --- Seen at Tingi and Bumbuna (erythrops) Picathartidae Seen at Nimba and Sapo, heard elsewhere at Nimba (gordoni) Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans --- Heard at Yellow-headed Picathartes Picathartes Red-tailed Leaflove scandens --- West African Swallow [Red-rumped Swallow] Tingi (swanzii) gymnocephalus --- Seen at Gola North Seen at Nimba, heard at Tingi (scandens) Cecropis [daurica] domicella --- Seen at Tingi and Whistling Cisticola Cisticola lateralis --- Seen at Bumbuna Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Baumann's Olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus Nimba, Gola North and Bumbuna (lateralis) Report Tour Africa Birding Dusky Crested Flycatcher nigromitrata --- baumanni --- Good views at Bumbuna, where Preuss's Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon preussi --- Winding Cisticola Cisticola [galactotes] Fantastic views at Sapo, where nesting; also heard unexpected Seen between Sapo and Monrovia, near the airport marginatus --- Heard and seen by some at Kanema at Gola and Nimba (colstoni) at Monrovia, between Monrovia and the Sierra Phyllastrephus [icterinus] (amphilectus) Leone border, and at Tingi Paridae icterinus --- Seen widely in forest Short-winged Cisticola Cisticola brachypterus --- White-shouldered Black Tit Melaniparus White-throated Greenbul Phyllastrephus Seen at Nimba (brachypterus) guineensis --- Seen at Tingi [albigularis] albigularis --- Seen at Gola East Moustached Grass Warbler Melocichla mentalis Black-backed Cisticola Cisticola eximius --- Good --- Heard at Nimba, seen at Bumbuna (mentalis) Dusky Tit Melaniparus funereus --- Seen at Nimba Red-tailed Bristlebill Bleda syndactylus --- Seen at views at Kanema (funereus) Sapo and Gola (syndactylus) Kemp's Longbill kempi --- Good Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava --- views at Nimba (kempi) Nicatoridae Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximius --- Seen at Widespread sightings (probably melanorhyncha) Gola Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor --- Seen at Sierra Leone Prinia Schistolais leontica --- Three Western Nicator chloris --- Widespread Nimba and Tiwai, heard elsewhere sightings Grey-headed Bristlebill Bleda canicapillus --- Seen groups found at Nimba, none easy to see at Libassa and Tiwai, heard elsewhere (canicapillus) Green Crombec Sylvietta virens --- Seen at Nimba Red-winged Warbler Heliolais erythropterus --- Pycnonotidae and Gola North (flaviventris) barbatus --- Seen at Bumbuna, heard at Tingi (erythropterus) Common Bulbul [barbatus] barbatus Widespread in forest (barbatus) Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti --- Seen at Black-capped Apalis Apalis nigriceps --- Good --- Widespread sightings (inornatus) Nimba and Gola North (hardyi) Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus --- Seen at views at Nimba, heard elsewhere (nigriceps) Slender-billed Greenbul Stelgidillas gracilirostris Nimba, Sapo and Gola (barbatus) Erythrocercidae --- Seen widely in forest (gracilirostris) Sharpe's Apalis Apalis sharpii --- Seen at Nimba Yellow-bearded Greenbul Criniger olivaceus --- Chestnut-capped Flycatcher and Gola, heard elsewhere virens --- Recorded widely Good views at Nimba, Sapo and Gola mccallii --- Widespread sightings in forest Oriole Warbler Hypergerus atriceps --- One for (erythroptera) (nigeriae) Hirundinidae Callan at Lungi after the end of the tour Eurillas gracilis --- Seen at Hyliidae Nimba, heard elsewhere (extrema) Square-tailed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne nitens --- Grey-backed Camaroptera [Bleating Seen at Nimba, Sapo and Gola North (nitens) Green Hylia Hylia prasina --- Recorded widely in Camaroptera] Camaroptera [brachyura] Ansorge's Greenbul Eurillas ansorgei --- Seen forest (prasina) brevicaudata --- Seen at Nimba and Bumbuna Fanti Saw-wing Psalidoprocne obscura --- Seen at widely in forest (ansorgei) (probably tincta) Tingi and Bumbuna Tit Hylia Pholidornis rushiae --- Seen at Nimba, Plain Greenbul Eurillas curvirostris --- Seen at Gola North and Tingi (ussheri) Yellow-browed Camaroptera Camaroptera Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica --- Recorded widely Nimba and Sapo (leonina) superciliaris --- Seen at Nimba and Gola, heard (probably all rustica) Phylloscopidae Yellow-whiskered Greenbul Eurillas latirostris --- elsewhere Red-chested Swallow Hirundo lucida --- Seen at Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus --- Recorded widely (congener) Olive-green Camaroptera Camaroptera Lungi after the official end of the tour (lucida) Widespread sightings (subspecies not determined) Golden Greenbul Calyptocichla serinus --- Seen at [chloronota] chloronota --- Seen at Nimba and Nimba and Gola North White-throated Blue Swallow Hirundo nigrita --- Acrocephalidae Gola, heard elsewhere (kelsalli) Good views at Sapo HQ and Tiwai indicator --- Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Black-headed Rufous Warbler Bathmocercus Seen at Nimba and Gola (leucurus) Common House Martin [urbicum] --- One for Tertius at Bumbuna (probably cerviniventris --- Incredible views at Nimba urbicum --- Seen at Nimba and Bumbuna arundinaceus) Senegal Eremomela Eremomela [pusilla] pusilla --- Spotted Greenbul Ixonotus guttatus --- Recorded (subspecies not determined) widely Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta --- Seen Seen at Tingi and Bumbuna well at Bumbuna

22 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 23 Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela Forest Chestnut-winged Starling Onychognathus Little Grey Flycatcher epulata --- Good Yellow-chinned Sunbird [Grey-chinned Sunbird] badiceps --- Seen at Nimba, Sapo and Gola North fulgidus --- Seen at Tiwai (hartlaubii) views at Nimba [rectirostris] rectirostris --- Seen at (fantiensis) Nimba, Tiwai and Gola Narrow-tailed Starling Poeoptera lugubris --- Seen Dusky-blue Flycatcher Muscicapa comitata --- at Nimba by Tertius Seen at Nimba and Sapo (aximensis) Collared Sunbird collaris --- Widespread sightings (subcollaris) Blackcap Illadopsis Illadopsis cleaveri --- Seen at Turdidae Ussher's Flycatcher Muscicapa ussheri --- Seen at Nimba, Sapo and Gola (johnsoni) Nimba, Sapo and Gola Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis --- White-tailed Ant Thrush Neocossyphus poensis --- Recorded at Nimba, Tingi and Lungi (verticalis)

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Rufous-winged Illadopsis Illadopsis rufescens --- Seen at Nimba, Sapo and Gola (poensis) Brown-chested Alethe poliocephala Report Tour Africa Birding Seen at Sapo, heard at Nimba and Gola --- Seen at Sapo and Gola (poliocephala) Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra Finsch's Flycatcher Thrush [Rufous Flycatcher cyanolaema --- Widespread sightings in forest Puvel's Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli --- Seen well at Thrush] Stizorhina [fraseri] finschi--- Seen at Grey-winged Robin-Chat Cossypha polioptera --- (magnirostrata) Gola East (puveli) Nimba, Sapo and Gola Heard at Nimba Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea --- Widespread Pale-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis [rufipennis] Grey Ground Thrush Geokichla princei --- Brief Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha niveicapilla sightings in forest (guineensis) rufipennis --- Seen well at Sapo and Gola (extrema) views at Sapo, where heard for long periods --- Seen at Nimba (princei) Buff-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra adelberti --- Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens --- Seen at White-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha albicapillus Our best views were at Gola North, but also seen at Nimba, heard elsewhere (gularis) African Thrush Turdus pelios --- Seen at Libassa, --- Seen at Lungi after the official end of the tour Nimba (adelberti) Gola and Lungi (chiguancoides) (albicapillus) Leiothrichidae Olive-bellied Sunbird chloropygius --- Muscicapidae Western Forest Robin [Forest Robin] Stiphrornis Brown Babbler plebejus --- Heard at Widespread sightings (kempi) [erythrothorax] erythrothorax --- Seen well at Bumbuna (platycirca) White-tailed Alethe [Fire-crested Alethe] Alethe Nimba, Gola, Tiwai and Sapo Tiny Sunbird Cinnyris minullus --- Seen at Nimba [diademata] diademata --- Excellent views at Sapo, Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler [Capuchin and Gola (minullus) Tiwai and Gola Lowland Akalat Sheppardia cyornithopsis --- Three Babbler] Turdoides [atripennis] atripennis --- Seen sightings by single individuals, two at Sapo and one Splendid Sunbird Cinnyris coccinigastrus --- Seen at Gola HQ, Gola East and Tingi Forest Scrub Robin Cercotrichas leucosticta --- at Gola North (houghtoni) at Tingi Seen at Sapo and Gola North (colstoni) Sylviidae Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Johanna's Sunbird Cinnyris johannae --- Fraser's Forest Flycatcher Fraseria ocreata --- Seen Sylvia atricapilla --- Common --- Recorded at Nimba and Bumbuna (probably all Widespread sightings in forest (fasciatus) at Nimba (prosphora) at Nimba; also at Bumbuna (subspecies not megarhynchos) Superb Sunbird Cinnyris superbus --- Seen at determined) White-browed Forest Flycatcher Fraseria European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Nimba and Gola North (ashantiensis) cinerascens --- Seen at Libassa and Tiwai Garden Warbler Sylvia borin --- Seen at Nimba --- Common at Nimba; also at Tingi (probably all (cinerascens) Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus --- Seen at (subspecies not determined) hypoleuca) Nimba, Tingi and Bumbuna (venustus) Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher Zosteropidae Whinchat Saxicola rubetra --- Seen at Nimba, griseigularis --- Heard at Sapo HQ (parelii) Passeridae Tingi and Bumbuna Northern Yellow White-eye [African Yellow Nimba Flycatcher annamarulae --- House Sparrow Passer domesticus --- Seen at White-eye] Zosterops [senegalensis] senegalensis --- African Stonechat [Common Stonechat] Two good sightings at Nimba Monrovia, Ganta and Zimmi Seen at Nimba and Tingi (probably all demeryi) Saxicola [torquatus] torquatus --- Seen at Nimba Northern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis edolioides (nebularum) Northern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer [griseus] Sturnidae --- Seen at Bumbuna and Tingi (edolioides) griseus --- Seen at Yekepa and Lungi (griseus) Nectariniidae Copper-tailed Starling Hylopsar cupreocauda --- Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa [striata] striata --- Bush Petronia Gymnoris dentata --- Seen at Tingi Seen at Nimba, Tiwai and Gola North Fraser's Sunbird [fraseri] fraseri --- Seen at Nimba (subspecies not determined) Widespread sightings in forest (idius) Splendid Starling splendidus --- Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens --- Seen at Seen at Nimba, Sapo and Lungi (chrysonotis) Mangrove Sunbird Anthreptes gabonicus --- Seen Olive-naped Weaver [Black-necked Weaver] Nimba (nigrorum) at Tiwai and Gola East [nigricollis] brachypterus --- Seen at Nimba, Emerald Starling Lamprotornis iris --- Three seen Cassin's Flycatcher Muscicapa cassini --- Seen at Tingi and Bumbuna well at Bumbuma and about eight at Tingi Little Green Sunbird Anthreptes seimundi --- Sapo and Tiwai Quite common at Nimba and also seen at Gola Orange Weaver Ploceus aurantius --- Seen between Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Olivaceous Flycatcher Muscicapa olivascens --- (kruensis) Sapo and Monrovia (aurantius) --- Seen at Tingi and Bumbuna (leucogaster) Good views at Sapo North (olivascens)

24 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 25 Ploceus cucullatus --- Widespread African Firefinch Lagonosticta [rubricata] African Pied Motacilla aguimp --- Seen at sightings in forest (cucullatus) rubricata --- Seen at Bumbuna and Tingi Tiwai () Red-fronted Antpecker Parmoptila rubrifrons --- (polionota) Chestnut-and-black Weaver [Vieillot's Black A pair seen well at Sapo North Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus --- Weaver] Ploceus [nigerrimus] castaneofuscus --- Orange-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda melpoda --- Seen at Bumbuna White-breasted Nigrita Nigrita fusconotus --- Seen Seen between Sapo and Monrovia, and widely in Seen at Nimba and Bumbuna (melpoda) at Nimba (uropygialis) Long-billed Pipit Anthus [similis] similis --- Seen Sierra Leone Common Waxbill Estrilda [astrild] astrild --- Seen well at Nimba (bannermani) Chestnut-breasted Nigrita Nigrita bicolor --- Seen Yellow-mantled Weaver Ploceus tricolor --- Seen at at Nimba (kempi)

Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding at Nimba, Sapo and Tiwai (bicolor) Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys --- Seen in Report Tour Africa Birding Nimba and Tiwai (tricolor) Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata --- the Nimba area (gouldii) Grey-headed Nigrita Nigrita canicapillus --- Seen Maxwell's Black Weaver Ploceus albinucha --- Widespread sightings (cucullata) in small numbers throughout (emiliae) Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis --- Seen at Nimba, Tingi Good views at Sapo, Gola and Tiwai (albinucha) Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura [bicolor] and Bumbuna (trivialis) Yellow-winged Pytilia Pytilia hypogrammica --- Gola Malimbe ballmanni --- An bicolor --- Widespread sightings (bicolor) Seen well at Tingi Fringillidae incredible number of good sightings at Nimba (1), Magpie Mannikin Lonchura fringilloides --- Seen Sapo (6) and Gola (3) Crimson Seedcracker Pyrenestes sanguineus Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica --- near Sapo and at Tingi --- A male seen well between Liberia and Tiwai Seen at Tingi (caniceps) Red-vented Malimbe Malimbus scutatus --- (coccineus) Several good sightings (scutatus) Emberizidae Western Spermophaga haematina --- Seen Cameroon Indigobird Vidua camerunensis --- A Blue-billed Malimbe Malimbus nitens --- Small Gosling's Bunting [Cinnamon-breasted Bunting] at Sapo and Gola (haematina) few seen at Bumbuna numbers seen in forest Emberiza [tahapisi] goslingi --- Seen at Nimba, Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonosticta rara --- Seen Togo Paradise Whydah Vidua togoensis --- Great Tingi and Bumbuna Crested Malimbe Malimbus malimbicus --- Small at Tingi (forbesi) views of a male in full plumage at Bumbuna numbers seen in forest (nigrifrons) Cabanis's Bunting Emberiza cabanisi --- One for Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala --- Seen Tertius at Tingi (cabanisi) Red-headed Quelea Quelea erythrops --- Seen at at Tingi and Lungi (senegala) Bumbuna Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava --- Seen at Nimba, Kanema, Tingi and Bumbuna (subspecies Yellow-mantled Widowbird macroura not determined) --- One at Bumbuna (macroura) © Tertius Gous © Tertius

26 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 27 Standard-winged Nightjar © Tertius Gous © Tertius Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding

28 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 29 Plain Nightjar Sharpe's Apalis © Tertius Gous © Tertius Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding

© Tertius Gous © Tertius Turati's Boubou © Tertius Gous © Tertius © Callan Cohen

Searching for Rufous Fishing Owl on the Moa River Togo Paradise Whydah

30 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 31 Baumann's Olive Greenbul Rufous-bellied Wattle-eye Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding © Markus Lagerqvist © Markus © Markus Lagerqvist © Markus © Tertius Gous © Tertius © Markus Lagerqvist © Markus

Long-tailed Hawk Dusky Crested Flycatcher

32 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 33 Pale-breasted Illadopsis © Tertius Gous © Tertius Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding © Tertius Gous © Tertius © Tertius Gous © Tertius

Forbes's Plover African Pitta

34 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 35 © Tertius Gous © Tertius Birding Africa Tour Report Tour Africa Birding Report Tour Africa Birding

36 | Upper Guinea Special 2020 Upper Guinea Special 2020 | 37 Blue-headed Wood Dove