GAMBIA
We visited The Gambia for a twelve day birdwatching tour with Naturetrek in October and November 2001. There were 14 other birders on the tour as well as a leader and our Gambian bird-guide. Our guide for most of the trip was Sering Bojang who was excellent, as was Solomon Jallow who took us for one day to Abuko and Lamin. We recorded personally a total of 280 species.
Our itinerary was:
| 26 Oct | London Gatwick to Banjul with Monarch. Late afternoon in the grounds of the Senegambia Hotel (BJ) |
| 27 Oct | Banjul Area (BJ) including Senegambia Grounds, Koto Creek and Sewage Ponds, Bund Road and Camaloo Corner |
| 28 Oct | Senegambia Grounds (BJ). Trip to Abuko Forest and Lamin Village and Ricefields (AL) |
| 29 Oct | Senegambia Grounds (BJ). Up River to Pirang Shrimp Ponds (PR) and Tendaba Area (TN) |
| 30 Oct | Tendaba Area including Tendaba Camp, Kisi Tunku Creek (north of Gambia River) and Batelling (Guinea savannah) (TN) |
| 31 Oct | To Soma Lakes and savannah (SM) and on to Bird Safari Camp at Janjangbureh (JJ) |
| 01 Nov | Pre-breakfast in Janjangbureh (JJ). To Bansang Quarry (BG) and on to Fulladu Camp at Basse (BS) |
| 02 Nov | Basse Area (BS) including Fulladu Camp, brickworks, ricefields and swamp at Prufu. Return to Bird Safari Camp at Janjangbureh (JJ) |
| 03 Nov | Gambia River boat trip from Janjangbureh to Sapu (JJ). On to Jakhaly Pachar ricefields (JP) and return to Banjul |
| 04 Nov | Senegambia Grounds (BJ). Across the Barra Ferry to visit scrub and fields north of Barra at Essau (BR) |
| 05 Nov | Senegambia Grounds (BJ). Morning on Tanji Reserve (TJ). Afternoon at Madiana and Brufut Wood (BF) |
| 06 Nov | Senegambia Grounds (BJ). Morning at Yundum Wood and fields (YD). Return flight from Banjul to Gatwick. |
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Little Grebe |
X |
||||||||||||
| Pink-backed Pelican |
X |
X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Long-tailed Cormorant | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| African Darter | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| White-backed Night-Heron | X | X | |||||||||||
| Squacco Heron | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Cattle Egret | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Striated Heron | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Great White Egret | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Intermediate Egret | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Black Heron | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Little Egret | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Western Reef Heron | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Grey Heron | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Black-headed Heron | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Goliath Heron | X | ||||||||||||
| Purple Heron | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Hammerkop | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Woolly-necked Stork | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Marabou Stork | X | X | |||||||||||
| Yellow-billed Stork | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Sacred Ibis | X | ||||||||||||
| Hadada Ibis | X | ||||||||||||
| African Spoonbill | X | X | |||||||||||
| Greater Flamingo | X | ||||||||||||
| White-faced Tree-Duck | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Spur-winged Goose | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Knob-billed Duck | X | ||||||||||||
| White-headed Vulture | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Ruppell's Griffon Vulture | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| White-backed Vulture | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Hooded Vulture | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Palm-nut Vulture | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Marsh Harrier | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Harrier Hawk | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Bateleur | X | ||||||||||||
| Short-toed Eagle | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Brown Snake Eagle | X | ||||||||||||
| Western Banded Snake Eagle | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Shikra | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Dark Chanting Goshawk | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Gabar Goshawk | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Lizard Buzzard | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Grasshopper Buzzard | X | X | |||||||||||
| Red-necked Buzzard | X | ||||||||||||
| Long-crested Eagle | X | X | |||||||||||
| African Hawk-Eagle | X | X | |||||||||||
| Martial Eagle | X | X | |||||||||||
| Tawny Eagle | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Wahlberg's Eagle | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Booted Eagle | X | ||||||||||||
| African Fish Eagle | X | ||||||||||||
| Black Kite | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Black-shouldered Kite | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Osprey | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Red-necked Falcon | X | X | |||||||||||
| Grey Kestrel | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Double-spurred Francolin | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Stone Partridge | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Black Crake | X | X | |||||||||||
| Black-crowned Crane | X | ||||||||||||
| African Jacana | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Senegal Thick-knee | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Spur-winged Plover | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Black-headed Plover | X | ||||||||||||
| Wattled Plover | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Grey Plover | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Ringed Plover | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Kentish Plover | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Whimbrel | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Curlew | X | ||||||||||||
| Black-tailed Godwit | X | ||||||||||||
| Bar-tailed Godwit | X | X | |||||||||||
| Greenshank | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Redshank | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Marsh Sandpiper | X | X | |||||||||||
| Wood Sandpiper | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Common Sandpiper | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Turnstone | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Common Snipe | X | ||||||||||||
| Curlew Sandpiper | X | X | |||||||||||
| Dunlin | X | X | |||||||||||
| Sanderling | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Ruff | X | ||||||||||||
| Grey Phalarope | X | ||||||||||||
| Black-winged Stilt | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Oystercatcher | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Painted Snipe | X | ||||||||||||
| Egyptian Plover | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Arctic Skua | X | ||||||||||||
| Pomarine Skua | X | ||||||||||||
| Grey-headed Gull | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Slender-billed Gull | X | ||||||||||||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | X | X | |||||||||||
| Yellow-legged Gull | X | ||||||||||||
| Kelp Gull | X | ||||||||||||
| Gull-billed Tern | X | ||||||||||||
| Caspian Tern | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Royal Tern | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Lesser Crested Tern | X | X | |||||||||||
| Sandwich Tern | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Common Tern | X | X | |||||||||||
| Little Tern | X | ||||||||||||
| Black Tern | X | ||||||||||||
| Four-banded Sandgrouse | X | X | |||||||||||
| Speckled Pigeon | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Red-eyed Dove | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| African Mourning Dove | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Vinaceous Dove | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| European Turtle Dove | X | X | |||||||||||
| Laughing Dove | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Namaqua Dove | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Blue-spotted Wood-Dove | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Black-billed Wood-Dove | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Bruce's Green Pigeon | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Senegal Parrot | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Ring-necked Parakeet | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Green Turaco | X | ||||||||||||
| Violet Turaco | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Western Grey Plantain-eater | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Great Spotted Cuckoo | X | ||||||||||||
| Levaillant's Cuckoo | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Eurasian Cuckoo | X | ||||||||||||
| African Cuckoo | X | ||||||||||||
| Klaas's Cuckoo | h | ||||||||||||
| Didric Cuckoo | X | ||||||||||||
| Black Coucal | X | ||||||||||||
| Senegal Coucal | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| African Scops Owl | h | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Pearl-spotted Owlet | X | ||||||||||||
| Long-tailed Nightjar | X | ||||||||||||
| Red-necked Nightjar | dead | ||||||||||||
| European Swift | X | ||||||||||||
| Pallid Swift | X | X | |||||||||||
| Little Swift | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| African Palm Swift | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Mottled Spine-tail | X | X | |||||||||||
| Giant Kingfisher | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Pied Kingfisher | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Malachite Kingfisher | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| African Pygmy Kingfisher | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Woodland Kingfisher | X | X | |||||||||||
| Blue-breasted Kingfisher | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Striped Kingfisher | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Grey-headed Kingfisher | X | ||||||||||||
| European Bee-eater | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater | X | X | |||||||||||
| Little Bee-eater | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Northern Carmine Bee-eater | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| White-throated Bee-eater | X | ||||||||||||
| Red-throated Bee-eater | X | X | |||||||||||
| Swallow-tailed Bee-eater | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Abyssinian Roller | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Rufous-crowned Roller | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Blue-bellied Roller | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Broad-billed Roller | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Hoopoe | X | ||||||||||||
| Green Wood-Hoopoe | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Black Wood-Hoopoe | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| African Grey Hornbill | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Red-billed Hornbill | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| African Pied Hornbill | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Abyssinian Ground Hornbill | X | ||||||||||||
| Bearded Barbet | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Vieillot's Barbet | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Hairy-breasted Barbet | X | ||||||||||||
| Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Greater Honeyguide | X | X | |||||||||||
| Lesser Honeyguide | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Fine-spotted Woodpecker | X | X | |||||||||||
| Buff-spotted Woodpecker | X | ||||||||||||
| Brown-backed Woodpecker | X | ||||||||||||
| Grey Woodpecker | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Crested Lark | X | ||||||||||||
| Sand Martin | X | ||||||||||||
| Barn Swallow | X | X | |||||||||||
| Wire-tailed Swallow | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Pied-winged Swallow | X | X | |||||||||||
| Mosque Swallow | X | X | X | ||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Red-rumped Swallow | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Red-chested Swallow | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Rufous-chested Swallow | X | ||||||||||||
| House Martin | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Fanti Saw-wing | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Yellow Wagtail | X | X | |||||||||||
| White Wagtail | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Plain-backed Pipit | X | ||||||||||||
| White-crested Helmet-Shrike | X | X | |||||||||||
| Brubru | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Northern Puffback | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Black-crowned Tchagra | X | X | |||||||||||
| Yellow-crowned Gonolek | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Grey-headed Bush-Shrike | X | X | |||||||||||
| Yellow-billed Shrike | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| African Golden Oriole | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Fork-tailed Drongo | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Splendid Glossy Starling | X | ||||||||||||
| Purple Glossy Starling | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Bronze-tailed Glossy starling | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Long-tailed Glossy Starling | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Yellow-bellied Oxpecker | X | X | |||||||||||
| Piapiac | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Pied Crow | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike | X | ||||||||||||
| Common Bulbul | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Little Greenbul | X | ||||||||||||
| Yellow-throated Leaflove | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Whinchat | X | X | |||||||||||
| Northern Wheatear | X | ||||||||||||
| Northern Ant-eating Chat | X | ||||||||||||
| White-fronted Black Chat | X | ||||||||||||
| Redstart | X | X | |||||||||||
| White-crowned Robin-Chat | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat | X | ||||||||||||
| African Thrush | X | X | |||||||||||
| Brown Babbler | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Blackcap Babbler | X | X | X | ||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| African Reed Warbler | X | ||||||||||||
| Melodious Warbler | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Olivaceous Warbler | X | ||||||||||||
| Garden Warbler | X | X | |||||||||||
| Subalpine Warbler | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Willow Warbler | X | ||||||||||||
| Plaintive Cisticola | X | ||||||||||||
| Rufous Cisticola | X | ||||||||||||
| Singing Cisticola | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Siffling Cisticola | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Whistling Cisticola | X | ||||||||||||
| Zitting Cisticola | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Tawny-flanked Prinia | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Yellow-breasted Apalis | X | X | |||||||||||
| Oriole Warbler | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Grey-backed Cameroptera | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Green-backed Eremomela | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Northern Crombec | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Spotted Flycatcher | X | ||||||||||||
| Swamp Flycatcher | X | ||||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Pied Flycatcher | X | X | |||||||||||
| Northern Black Flycatcher | X | X | |||||||||||
| Common Wattle-eye | X | X | |||||||||||
| Red-bellied Paradise-Flycatcher | X | X | |||||||||||
| African Paradise-Flycatcher | X | ||||||||||||
| White-shouldered Black Tit | X | ||||||||||||
| Yellow Penduline Tit | X | ||||||||||||
| Mouse-brown Sunbird | X | ||||||||||||
| Collared Sunbird | X | ||||||||||||
| Scarlet-chested Sunbird | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Variable Sunbird | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Copper Sunbird | X | ||||||||||||
| Splendid Sunbird | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Beautiful Sunbird | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Yellow White-eye | X | ||||||||||||
| Yellow-fronted Canary | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Vitelline Masked Weaver | X | ||||||||||||
| Heuglin's Masked Weaver | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Village Weaver | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yellow-backed Weaver | X | X | |||||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Black-necked Weaver | X | X | |||||||||||
| Northern Red Bishop | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Black-winged Red Bishop | X | X | |||||||||||
| Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Pin-tailed Whydah | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Village Indigo Finch | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| White-billed Buffalo Weaver | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| House Sparrow | X | ||||||||||||
| Grey-headed Sparrow | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Bush Petronia | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
|
Species |
BJ |
AL |
PR |
TN |
SM |
JJ |
BG |
BS |
JP |
BR |
TJ |
BF |
YD |
| Red-winged Pytilia | X | ||||||||||||
| Orange-cheeked Waxbill | X | ||||||||||||
| Black-rumped Waxbill | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Lavender Waxbill | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Red-billed Fire-finch | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Quail-Finch | X | X | |||||||||||
| African Silverbill | X | ||||||||||||
| Bronze Mannikin | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Cinnamon-breasted Bunting | X |
( 'X' represents sightings and 'h' is heard only )
Western Baboon, Red Patas Monkey, Red Colobus, Vervet Monkey, Gambian Sun Squirrel, Striped Ground Squirrel, Gambian Fruit-Bat