Comprehensive Ghana

BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS

Comprehensive Ghana

Tour Leaflet 2021

Yellow-headed Picathartes © Tasso Leventis

5 – 22 January 2021 Ghana 2021 BIRDING Tour leader: Michael Mills AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding

West African forests • Superb lowland forest birding • Two mornings on the famous Kakum Canopy Walkway • Two chances at Yellow-headed Picathartes • Excellent savanna/woodland birding at Mole and Shai Hills • Birding at the most pleasant time of the year Michael's incredible focus, dedication and ability to locate and show Africa's toughest birds is probably Yellow-beareded Greenbul © Tertius Gous African Dwarf Kingfisher © Tertius Gous unequalled on the continent. He has led dozens of tours across Africa and his experience in locating Our comprehensive Ghana tour takes in the best Tour Focus birds on just the soft est of calls or briefest of views birding this stable West African country has to impresses those who travelled with him. off er, in 18 days. Th e trip has a strong emphasis Ghana off ers a good list of specials for world listers on lowland forest birding, specifi cally endemics and a wide array of species and other wildlife for Dates (2021) of the Upper Guinea region such as Buff -throated those with a more general interest. Th is trip has Sunbird, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Red-billed a strong focus on watching birds, but there are Ghana 5 – 22 Jan Helmetshrike and Red-cheeked Wattle-eye. We opportunities too for some mammal watching will visit Kakum National Park with its spectacular (especially primates) and bird photography. canopy walkway, Ankasa Reserve, Nsuta Forest, Let us know if you have target species or want to Bobiri Butterfl y Sanctuary and Atewa Hills. Right Prices know more about the species we might encounter. on top of the hit list is the incomparable Yellow- Per person sharing $5450 A species list will be handed out to you at the headed Picathartes, better seen in Ghana than start of the tour and is available beforehand upon Single supplement $595 anywhere else. Other tricky forest birds we hope to request. see include Nkulengu Rail, Brown Nightjar, Blue- Includes all ground costs moustached Bee-eater and Forest Wood Hoopoe. Th e tour is timed to coincide with most pleasant Moister coastal savannas and thickets at Shai Hills time (drier and cooler) to travel in Ghana. We Book online and at Kalakpa will add some variety, and two full don't expect to encounter any rain. Weather will days will be spent in the Guinea woodlands of mostly be warm and humid. Visit www.birdingafrica.com Mole National Park, with the chance to see White- We will travel in a spacious bus. More details about Deposit ($150) by credit card throated Francolin, Sun Lark, Dorst's Cisticola, what to expect, how to prepare and what to pack Forbes's Plover and Standard-winged Nightjar, Email [email protected] are provided in our Tour Instructions. amongst many others.

2 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 3 INTRODUCTION

Ghana, straddling the forest and broad-leafed winged Nightjar, Sun Lark, Rufous Cisticola, savanna zones of West Africa, offers the easiest Dorst's Cisticola, Senegal Eremomela, Blackcap and safest access to the region and its special birds. Babbler, Bronze-tailed Glossy Starling and White- Several lowland forest reserves dot the south of fronted Black Chat, and with a great deal of luck, the country, and it is here that many of the Upper Red-winged Pytilia, Black-faced Firefinch, West

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Guinea forest specials can be found. Forest birding African Seedeater, Emin's Shrike, Yellow Penduline Leaflet Tour Africa Birding is mostly fairly hard work, but we'll inject our bird Tit and Rufous-rumped Lark. Moving back list with some productive savanna birding in the south we pause in the Kumasi area to visit Bobiri east and centre of the country. Butterfly Sanctuary where we hope to find Forest Wood Hoopoe and Black Spinetail, Little Green Our 18-day itinerary takes in the best that Ghana Woodpecker, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Sabine's has to offer, and aims to find as many regional Puffback, Copper-tailed Glossy Starling, etc. Next specialties as possible. on our agenda is Ghana's top bird, Yellow-headed We start off in the savannas and thickets east of Picathartes, and we give ourselves two chances to Accra, at Shai Hills and Kalakpa. Here our main visit the now-famous colony at Bankro. The better targets will include the likes of Capuchin Babbler, part of three days will then be spent in and around Baumann's Greenbul, Ahanta Francolin, Stone Kakum National Park, including two mornings Partridge, Violet Turaco, Blue-bellied Roller, on the canopy walkway, where we hope to see Double-toothed Barbet, Senegal Parrot, Rock- Long-tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, Brown loving Cisticola, Oriole Warbler, White-crowned Nightjar and Sharpe's Apalis, among many other Cliff Chat and Splendid Sunbird. Our first true forest birds. On the way to Ankasa Forest we will forest birding will see us climb into the hills of the pause for some birding at Nsuta where Akun Atewa Range, where Blue-moustached Bee-eater Eagle-Owl is possible, before two days at Ankasa is the top target and other specials include a range in the far south-west of the country. Here we have of Upper Guinea species. From here we'll make the chance of finding some of the region's trickiest the long journey north to Mole National Park, birds, including Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Rufous- where two full days will allow us to search out winged Illadopsis and White-crested Tiger Heron. many of the savanna specials of the area, possibly From here we'll return to Accra, spending our final Akun Eagle-Owl © Tertius Gous including White-throated Francolin, Standard- night along the coast.

Accommodation and meals International flights Sharpe's Apalis © Tertius Gous Accommodation and meals are generally fairly Please plan to fly in to Accra by the night of 5 good by African standards, and vary from lodges January 2021. Departure from Accra is possible any and guest houses to rustic bush camps and small time from 21h00 on the night of 22 January 2021. hotels. Rooms mostly have private facilities and hot Please email [email protected] a copy of water. We may need to share ablution facilities on your proposed flight details for approval before the odd occasion. paying for your ticket. Meals are Western-style. Please advise if you are vegetarian and what foods you enjoy, so that we can cater for you. Walking Water is not safe to drink so we supply This tour requires a moderate degree of fitness. complimentary bottled water in the vehicle. Most walks will be done at a gentle pace, although there will be a couple of longer outings lasting the better part of a day (Atewa Hills in particular). Group size Maximum 9 participants.

4 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 5 ITINERARY AND MAP Day 1 5 Jan 2021 Arrive. Overnight Accra. Day 2 6 Jan 2021 Accra to Shai Hills to Ho. Overnight Ho. Day 3 7 Jan 2021 Kalakpa. Afternoon to Atewa Hills. Overnight near the Shai Hills. Day 4 8 Jan 2021 Atewa Hills. Afternoon to Kumasi. Overnight in Kumasi. Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 5 9 Jan 2021 Kumasi to Mole. Overnight in Mole NP. Day 6 10 Jan 2021 Full day in Mole National Park. Overnight in Mole NP. Day 7 11 Jan 2021 Full day in Mole National Park. Overnight in Mole NP. Mole NP Day 8 12 Jan 2021 Mole to Kumasi. Overnight in Kumasi. 6 + 7 Day 9 13 Jan 2021 Morning Bobiri. Afternoon to picathartes. Overnight at Bankro. Day 10 14 Jan 2021 Bankro area. Second chance for picathartes. Overnight at Bankro. Day 11 15 Jan 2021 Bankro to Kakum National Park. Overnight near Kakum NP. Day 12 16 Jan 2021 Kakum NP, including canopy walkway. Overnight near Kakum. Day 13 17 Jan 2021 Full day in Kakum National Park. Overnight near Kakum NP. 5 8 Day 14 18 Jan 2021 Kakum (canopy walkway) to Nsuta Forest. Overnight in Shama. Day 15 19 Jan 2021 Nsuta. Afternoon to Ankasa. Overnight at the entrance to Ankasa. Day 16 20 Jan 2021 Full day in Ankasa Forest. Overnight at the entrance to Ankasa. Day 17 21 Jan 2021 Ankasa Forest. Afternoon drive towards Accra. Overnight near Dixcove. Day 18 22 Jan 2021 Drive to Accra. Tour ends.

Western Forest Robin © Tertius Gous Kumasi 4 Kalakpa 9 3 & Ho Bankro 2 10 Atewa Shai Hills 11 Accra Kakum 1 Ankasa 15 14 12 + 13 16 17 18 Nsuta & Shama Dixcove

6 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 7 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive Accra The moist savannas here hold a good range of birds and we expect to have a bird-filled morning. Welcome to Ghana! From the airport you will Highlights may include Double-spurred Francolin, be transferred to our hotel on the eastern side of Senegal Coucal, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Accra for dinner and an overnight stay. The drive Splendid Sunbird, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding takes about an hour. Overnight in Accra. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Senegal Batis, Senegal Eremomela, Vieillot’s Barbet, Bearded Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Day 2: Accra to Ho via Shai Hills Rufous-crowned Roller, Blue-bellied Roller, Oriole Having spent the night on the eastern side of Accra Warbler, Northern Black Flycatcher, Woodchat we'll escape into the nearby savannas in the early Shrike, Red-necked Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, morning, to commence our birding at Shai Hills. Grey Kestrel, Stone Partridge, Black-billed Wood Dove, Senegal Parrot, Violet Turaco, Pale-breasted Illadopsis © Tertius Gous Western Grey Plantain-Eater, Grey- headed Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Longclaw, White-crowned Cliff Chat, Croaking Cisticola, Northern Crombec, Northern Puffback, Purple Glossy Starling and Bar-breasted Firefinch. We will also make a special effort to try to see African Barred Blue-headed Wood Dove © Tertius Gous Owlet. Day 4: Atewa Hills to Kumasi Days 6–7: Mole National Park In the afternoon we'll continue on to the Ho area. Overnight in Ho. Today we commence our Upper Guinea forest We have two full days at Mole National Park birding in earnest in the Atewa Hills. We will push where a wide range of woodland and savanna on through the farmland at the base of the hills species can be found. A number of rarer or Day 3: Kalakpa- Atewa to get into the proper forest as early as possible, sought-after species can be seen here too, and we This morning we'll make our way to watching out for Blue-moustached Bee-eater as we hope to find at least some of Beaudouin's Snake the rarely-visited thickets and gallery climb. A good selection of forest birds is on offer Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, White-throated forests of Kalakpa reserve near Ho. and may include Western Bearded Greenbul, Blue- Francolin, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Forbes's Our main targets here, which are often headed Wood Dove, Naked-faced Barbet, Yellow- Plover, Standard-winged Nightjar, Brown-backed hard to see, include Capuchin Babbler, spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Red- Woodpecker, Sun Lark, Rufous Cisticola, White- Brown Illadopsis, Ahanta Francolin, rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, fronted Black Chat, Red-winged Pytilia, Emin's Broad-billed Roller, Leaflove, Buff- Melancholy Woodpecker, Black-capped Apalis, Shrike, Black-faced Firefinch, Yellow Penduline Tit, spotted Woodpecker, Forest Robin Sharpe's Apalis, White-tailed Alethe, Forest Robin, Rufous-rumped Lark, Dorst's Cisticola, Wilson's and White-crested Helmetshrike. If Ussher's Flycatcher, Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher Indigobird, Exclamatory Paradise Whydah and we are very lucky we may also see and Copper-tailed Starling. In the afternoon West African Seedeater, many of which will require Pied-winged Swallow, Yellow-throated we'll make our way west to Kumasi. Overnight in a great deal of luck to encounter. Kumasi. Cuckoo and Black-shouldered There is a large supporting cast of more widespread Nightjar. birds, including Stone Partridge, Woolly-necked Day 5: Kumasi to Mole In the early afternoon we'll continue Stork, Palm-nut Vulture, Black-billed Wood Dove, to our hotel near the base of the Atewa Today is essentially a travel day, as we make our Bruce's Green Pigeon, Violet Turaco, African Scops Hills. If time allows we'll do some way north into the Guinea woodlands of central Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Long-tailed Nightjar, evening birding in the farmlands at Ghana at Mole National Park. En route we'll stop Grey-headed Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, the base of the Atewa Hills, where to look for the unique Egyptian Plover. We hope Red-throated Bee-eater, Abyssinian Roller, Black Black-throated Coucal and Black- to arrive in time for some introductory woodland Scimitarbill, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Yellow- bellied Seedcracker are possible. birding. Overnight at Mole National Park. fronted Tinkerbird, Fine-spotted Woodpecker,

8 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 9 Day 10: Bankro area Day 12–13: Kakum National Park The forests around Bankro offer a good range of We have two full days at Ghana's most famous forest birds and we'll spend the morning birding birding reserve, Kakum National Park. On the these forests before having a second chance to first morning we'll ascend the world-famous visit the Yellow-headed Picathartes colony in the canopy walkway in the dark, and wait for the afternoon. Overnight at Bankro. forest to wake up around us. Not only does the canopy walkway produce incredible sightings

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 11: To Kakum of birds usually seen at a great distance, but also Leaflet Tour Africa Birding some rarely seen species. During the rest of our Today we drive to Kakum National Park, time we'll bird the understorey and forest edge approaching the park from the north and making at various places in and around the reserve. several birding stops along the way. A long list Targets include Congo Serpent Eagle, Fire-bellied of birds is possible, including quite a few scarce Woodpecker, Buff-throated Sunbird, Red-chested species such as Tessmann's Flycatcher, Long- Goshawk, Blue-headed Wood Dove, Black- tailed Hawk, Ahanta Francolin, Yellow-footed throated Coucal, Forest Francolin, Fraser's Eagle- Honeyguide, Kemp's Longbill, White-tailed Owl, Brown Nightjar, Black Spinetail, Chocolate- Alethe, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Yellow- backed Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Rosy Bee-eater, throated Cuckoo, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Fraser's Forest Wood Hoopoe, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Forest Flycatcher, Little Grey Flycatcher, Ussher's Brown-cheeked Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Flycatcher and Red-fronted Antpecker. Overnight Black-casqued Hornbill, Bristle-nosed Barbet, near Kakum National Park Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-footed Honeyguide,

Fraser's Eagle-Owl © Tertius Gous

Latham's Forest Francolin © Tertius Gous

Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-breasted Day 9: Bobiri and Picathartes Cuckooshrike, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, Square-tailed Drongo, This morning we'll bird the rich lowland White-shouldered Black Tit, Moustached Grass forests to the east of Kumasi at Bobiri Butterfly Warbler, Northern Crombec, Red-winged Warbler, Sanctuary. A wide range of sought after species Oriole Warbler, Blackcap Babbler, Brown Babbler, occur here, including Forest Wood Hoopoe, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Bronze-tailed Starling, Lagden's Bushshrike (very rare), Black Spinetail, Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Northern Black Narina Trogon, Least Honeyguide, Little Green Flycatcher, Swamp Flycatcher, Senegal Eremomela, Woodpecker, Red-fronted Parrot, Red-billed Purple Glossy Starling, Snowy-crowned Robin- Helmetshrike, Sabine's Puffback, Purple-throated Chat, White-crowned Robin-Chat, Western Cuckooshrike, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Violet-backed Sunbird, Pygmy Sunbird, Beautiful Dusky Tit, Copper-tailed Glossy Starling, Yellow- Sunbird, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, mantled Weaver, Maxwell's Black Weaver and Gosling's Bunting and Yellow-fronted Canary Red-vented Malimbe. Nights at Mole National Park. In the afternoon we move on to the Bankro area to visit the Yellow-headed Picathartes colony. This Day 8: Mole to Kumasi is the most famous site at which to see the bird, located in community-owned forest. We will wait After some final birding in the Mole area we'll for birds to come in to roost in their nesting caves make the long drive back south to Kumasi, in the evening. stopping en route to look for Egyptian Plover if we failed to find it on our way to Mole. Overnight in Overnight in a new lodge at Bankro. Kumasi.

10 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 11 Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding

Thick-billed Honeyguide, African Piculet, Little Day 14: Kakum to Nsuta our visit we'll have chances to search for many Green Woodpecker, Melancholy Woodpecker, of the species also found at Kakum, but here we Brown-necked Parrot, Black-collared Lovebird After a second morning on the canopy walkway specifically will be targeting Hartlaub's Duck, (rare), Rufous-sided Broadbill, Bioko Batis, West at Kakum we will drive to Nsuta Forest for an African Finfoot, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wattle-eye, Red-billed Helmetshrike, afternoon and evening of birding, with a chance Red-chested Owlet, White-bellied Kingfisher, Sabine's Puffback, Lowland Sooty Boubou, Blue of seeing Akun Eagle-Owl after dark. Overnight at African Dwarf Kingfisher, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Cuckooshrike, Forest Penduline Tit, Western Shama. Yellow-casqued Hornbill, Shining Drongo, Dusky Nicator, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Green-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Bristlebill, Western Bearded Greenbul, Red-tailed Day 15: Nsuta to Ankasa Rufous-winged Illadopsis, Blackcap Illadopsis and Greenbul, Fanti Saw-wing, Preuss's Cliff Swallow, Red-fronted Antpecker. There are also remote We have a full morning at Nsuta Forest where a Grey Longbill, Kemp's Longbill, Lemon-bellied chances for White-breasted Guineafowl, Sandy large range of forest birds are on offer, including Crombec, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Tit Hylia, Scops Owl and Akun Eagle-Owl. Late on the Melancholy Woodpecker, Ussher's Flycatcher, Sharpe's Apalis, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, second afternoon we'll drive to Dixcove. Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk and Olive-green Camaroptera, Rufous-crowned African Piculet. In the afternoon we'll drive to First night on the edge of Ankasa Reserve, second Eremomela, Brown Illadopsis, Violet-backed Ankasa. Overnight in a new lodge on the edge of in a comfortable hotel in Dixcove. Hyliota, Copper-tailed Glossy Starling, Forest Ankasa. Chestnut-winged Starling, Finsch's Flycatcher- Thrush, White-tailed Alethe, Little Grey Flycatcher, Day 18: To Accra Days 16–17: Ankasa Forest Ussher's Flycatcher, Forest Robin, Tiny Sunbird, On our final day of the tour we'll make the simple Johanna's Sunbird, Yellow-mantled Weaver, The remote forests of Ankasa, near the border drive back to Accra, stopping en route in coastal Maxwell's Black Weaver, Preuss's Weaver, Red- with Ivory Coast, are the most exciting that grasslands and wetlands to search for any birds vented Malimbe, Blue-billed Malimbe and Western we will and regularly come up with some great that we may be missing. We'll aim to arrive back in Bluebill. surprises. Besides general forest birding there are Accra in the late afternoon. Departing flights can Nights near Kakum. several forest pools which hold interest. During be taken any time from 9 pm.

12 | Comprehensive Ghana 2021 Comprehensive Ghana 2021 | 13 INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE • Services of Birding Africa tour leader and local guides • Entry fees and ground transport in Ghana • Hotel accommodation throughout Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding • All meals from dinner on Day 1 and ending with lunch on Day 18 • Airport transfers • Bottled water in the vehicle and one soft drink per sit-down meal • General tips

BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST Birding Africa provides: 1. Tour Details leaflet with detailed itinerary. 2. Tour Information Pack, emailed to you. 3. Tour Booklet with checklists, provided in hard copy at the start of the tour.

QUESTIONS? Please email the office, [email protected], to reserve a place or ask questions (you can also cc [email protected] and callan@birdingafrica. com who are both involved in the planning of this tour).

HOW TO BOOK • Complete our easy online booking form. • Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment site ($150) • Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email you a reminder and the banking details.