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The Gambia: a Taste of Africa, November 2017

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Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 A Tropical Birding “Chilled” SET DEPARTURE tour The Gambia A Taste of Africa Just Six Hours Away From The UK November 2017 TOUR LEADERS: Alan Davies and Iain Campbell Report by Alan Davies Photos by Iain Campbell Egyptian Plover. The main target for most people on the tour www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.1 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Red-throated Bee-eaters We arrived in the capital of The Gambia, Banjul, early evening just as the light was fading. Our flight in from the UK was delayed so no time for any real birding on this first day of our “Chilled Birding Tour”. Our local guide Tijan and our ground crew met us at the airport. We piled into Tijan’s well used minibus as Little Swifts and Yellow-billed Kites flew above us. A short drive took us to our lovely small boutique hotel complete with pool and lovely private gardens, we were going to enjoy staying here. Having settled in we all met up for a pre-dinner drink in the warmth of an African evening. The food was delicious, and we chatted excitedly about the birds that lay ahead on this nine- day trip to The Gambia, the first time in West Africa for all our guests. At first light we were exploring the gardens of the hotel and enjoying the warmth after leaving the chilly UK behind. Both Red-eyed and Laughing Doves were easy to see and a flash of colour announced the arrival of our first Beautiful Sunbird, this tiny gem certainly lived up to its name! A bird flew in landing in a fig tree and again our jaws dropped, a Yellow-crowned Gonolek what a beauty! Shocking red below, black above with a daffodil yellow crown, we were loving Gambian birds already. The colourful species kept coming with White- crowned Robin-chat closely followed by an equally stunning Snowy-crowned Robin-chat both really gorgeous birds. We had to force ourselves to the breakfast table to enjoy a lovely selection of fruit and cooked food. But the birding didn’t stop as a pair of Red-necked Falcons tore through the garden hunting as a tag-team chasing an African Palm Swift around the swimming pool, breath-taking stuff! www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.2 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Snowy-crowned Robin Chat Heading out into the warm African day a short drive took us to an area of scub-woodland where we stepped out of the minibus and immediately saw Hooded Vultures on the ground just yards away, amazing views and cameras clicked like crazy. Stunning Long-tailed Glossy Starlings posed with their green iridescent plumage looking fantastic in the now hot sunshine. A Lanner Falcon cruised overhead as Broad-billed Rollers hawked for insects above us – welcome to Africa. We really didn’t know where to look next, so much to see, and we were still standing right by the vehicle, amazing. Hooded Vulture www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.3 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Tijan took us for a walk through the woodland and pointed up into the branches, at first, we could see just branches, then we saw it, a Northern White-faced Scops Owl! What a lovely looking bird. We spent a good while watching and photographing this bird, it was tricky to get the right angle to see the bird's face through the leaves but eventually everyone was happy with their images and views. Nearby we entered an area of bushes and met up with a friend of Tijan's and one by one he led us silently to a special spot. At first we could just see leaves on the ground under the bushes but then the penny dropped, amongst the leaves was a nightjar! Not just a nightjar but a very special one indeed, a Standard-winged Nightjar, what a wonderful bird and only a few yards away. Then to our amazement our new friend pointed out a second nightjar just a few feet beyond the first! This bird was much paler with a long tail, Long-tailed Nightjar. We were stunned, two really tough birds to see at the same spot. Namaqua Dove www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.4 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Grasshopper Buzzard With the heat really building now and bird activity slowing we headed off for lunch at Tijan’s house. A table in the shade in the garden and cold drinks were very welcome. But even here new birds kept coming, the garden feeders, RSPB’s best, were busy with both Little and Village Weavers, Red-billed Firefinches and Northern Grey-headed Sparrows. In the weed patch we were thrilled to watch lovely Lavender Waxbills, dove grey with scarlet tails. After a relaxing lunch we headed out to the fish market by the beach. Not a fragrant place for sure, the fish were drying in the hot sun, and the ladies busy gutting fish as more were being landed on the beach by the fishermen made for a busy scene. But of course, we had come here for birds and there were plenty to see! Grey-headed Gulls were busy grabbing scraps in the surf and by carefully checking through them we found two Slender-billed Gulls, a single Black-headed Gull and a good few Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Lots of terns were here too diving just beyond the surf, most were massive red-billed Caspian Terns and it was great to compare these with small numbers of Royal Terns. A few Sandwich Terns, a Common Tern and two Lesser Crested Terns made for brilliant birding. On the beach, waders were feeding and we had close views of familiar species – Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Grey Plover and Common Sandpiper. Ospreys fished offshore and Western Reef Herons waded through the shallow sea, what a busy place. Back at our lovely tranquil hotel we processed all we had seen, only one day of the tour done but our heads were spinning with so, so many birds and experiences. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.5 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Dark Chanting Goshawk. Early next morning we were on the road before breakfast heading inland following the huge River Gambia east in search of more birds and one in particular - Egyptian Plover, our most-wanted possible bird of the trip. We stopped in a busy town for breakfast, a colourful experience and a chance to see how friendly the Gambian people are, no hassle at all just nice smiling faces all around. The day was very much a travel day though of course we made stops for birds as and when opportunities arose. The first stop at a forest area had us watching Grey Eagle Owls at a daytime roost and when we returned to the minibus two spectacular Bearded Barbets flew in and landed in a dead tree in the morning sun! We were thrilled to see these large colourful barbets showing so well. Through our telescopes we could see every feather detail. At a nearby creek we watched Senegal Thick-knees, Wattled Plovers and Little Bee-eaters before hitting the road again. www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.6 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Bearded Barbets Malachite Kingfisher www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.7 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 Bateluer Martial Eagle www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] p.8 Tropical Birding - Trip Report The Gambia: A Taste of Africa, November 2017 After a long drive we reached Tendaba Camp on the banks of the river the staff spend most of the time sitting around so they can do very little and ask for large tips. It is almost as though they take pride in giving you appalling service, and the rooms here were pretty grim, but we were a lot closer to our most-wanted bird here and there seems to be no alternative places to stay in the area. The next morning, we visited the jokingly called “Terminal 1, Tendaba Airport”, an area of mudflats and scrub not an airport at all! Here we again had a mix of familiar, less familiar and the exotic of birds to enjoy. Common Snipe, Greenshank and Little Ringed Plover were all feeding here. Next to these British waders were “European” species – Slender-billed Gulls, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns. Alongside these birds we were dazzled by Green Wood Hoopoe, Abyssinian Roller and Senegal Parrot – a riot of colour. Later we took a boat trip on the mighty River Gambia, a great way to enjoy close up views of the birds and enjoy the breeze, it was very hot. African Darters were very common along the mangrove channels that we slowly moved along. Pied Kingfishers seemed to be every fifty yards and plenty of Blue-breasted Kingfishers too but these much more wary than their black and white cousins. Collared Pratincoles and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters hawked above us, Hammerkops stood in the shallows and a Yellow- billed Stork flapped slowly past as Pink-backed Pelicans swam ahead of the boat.
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