Birdfinders in The Gambia - page 3

The 'upriver' part of the trip was a four-night adventure filled with quality birding. A fine pirogue trip in the mangroves, a much improved road on the north bank of the Gambia river, and a trip to Basse yielded many highlights; Goliath Heron, White-backed Night-heron, Woolly-necked Stork, Spur-winged Goose, African Fish-eagle, African Hawk-eagle, Egyptian Plover, Greater Painted Snipe, Long-tailed Nightjar, Bruce's Green-pigeon, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Abyssinian Ground-hornbill, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Mouse-brown Sunbird, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Sudan Golden-sparrow, Black-rumped Waxbill, Cut-throat, Northern Paradise-whydah, White-rumped Seedeater, Red-winged Pytilia and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting. The wetlands at Kau-ur were just fantastic producing Comb Duck, more Egyptian Plovers, Kittlitz's Plover, White-crowned Lapwing, a huge flock of Collared Pratincoles, as well as several Red-throated Pipits. An Allen's Gallinule, found at a small wetland was one of the star birds of the trip. The North bank did not disappoint for open terrain species either, producing the often aloof Savile's Bustard, a Temminck's Courser and several Sun Larks.

The return journey downriver began with the tranquility of breakfast on board a pirogue. Hadada Ibis, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatchers all showed well. Remarkably, a Crimson Seedcracker was seen by two of our party much to Solomon's chagrin, for that bird would have been a lifer for him!

The bumpy journey back to Tendaba was enlivened by numerous productive stops for White-headed Vulture, Marabou Stork, Spotted Thick-knee, Verreaux's Eagle Owl, Black Coucal, and Pygmy Sunbird. The following day, the journey back to the coast from Tendaba was brought to an absolute standstill when a Black-bellied Bustard crossed the road in front of our tour bus in the middle of the afternoon. Solomon did well to rustle up a Green-headed Sunbird to complete our set of Gambian sunbirds. We could hardly believe our luck!