• Sightings and Reports
• Accommodation 
• Guides
• Sites
• Travel
• Tours
• Conservation
• Books, maps etc
• FAQs
• Home page

STOP PRESS

December 2004
Work at Bansang Quarry has now been completed.

December  2003
Binoculars and other equipment donated at the Birdfair has been taken out to the Gambia.  We have also taken out 4 sets of the  slides taken by the late Eddie Brewer for use by The West African Bird Study Association (WABSA) and the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management.



Neil Thomas (left) looks highly relieved that a projector donated at the Birdfair has survived the journey from the UK.  Lamin Jobarteh (right), Director of WABSA and his Admin Assistant are pleased to have this additional equipment, 

September 2003
Birdseekers have undertaken to make a donation of £300 towards the cost of WABSA's Marakissa project, on top of the £100 donated by Birdfinders and the £30.00 raised from sales at the Birdfair.
 

• Birdfair August 2003 

Alpha O Jallow  of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management made two very well received presentations to around 500 visitors to the birdfair.  We were happy to help arrange this and hope that The Gambia Tourist authority can make similar arrangements in future years.
 

February 2003
Gambia Birding Group UK funds Bansang Quarry Project and provides the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management with a computer.

November 2002
We have been able to facilitate the sending of secondhand binoculars under the RSPB scheme for use in Abuko.

February 2002
Ken Wright of the Army Ornithological Society has taken out GPS equipment for use by the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management. 
 

•  Tanji Birders was established in 1992  to secure the protection of the Tanji reserve area. In May 2001 we decided to develop this into an organisation which would have a wider remit .  The objectives of The Gambia Birding Group are:

1) providing information about practical aspects of visiting The Gambia for wildlife trips and about birding throughout The Gambia;

2) supporting conservation for wildlife in various ways including through education projects for children and young people.

3) providing focal points for birders and naturalists visiting The Gambia;

• The new organisation held its first AGM on 17th August 2002. The current subscription runs from 1st January to 31st December 2003  The subscription is £10.00 individual or £18.00 family membership  .

• Full membership will entitle you to receive copies of the Group's newsletter, and participate in the decision making process.  We are planning to set up a  web messaging facility which will enable members to share information and discuss issues. 

At the 2002 AGM it was agreed that we would support The West African Bird Study Association (WABSA)  in providing arrangements to help the Brufut community protect their woodland from intruders and make it clear to visiting birders the expectations that they should pay the nominal entrance fee.Tour companies have agreed to include a letter from us in their hotel notes, exhorting visiting birders to pay the fee.  WABSA has recently agreed with the local community at Bansang that part of the quarry should be fenced off to protect the nesting site of the Red-throated Bee-eaters. Vaughan Ashby of Birdfinders has already made. a substantial contribution towards the costs and we have given WABSA over £1,000 towards the cost of fencing and one hut for use by the wardens. We are also looking into ways of providing guidebooks and equipment for education programmes.  We have helped the RSPB get binoculars out to Abuko and have taken out a refurbished computer out for use by the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management.

New Leaflet to Promote Birding in The Gambia

In the early summer of 2003 we produced, with assistance from Severn Trent Water, a leaflet to be used at the Birdfair and by the Gambia Tourist Authority.  Illustrated by some stunning photographs taken by Vaughan Ashby of Birdfinders (

At a meeting in August 2003 we agreed to fund the copying of the wonderful slides taken by Eddie Brewer, the first Director of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, that had been used by Alpha Jallow in his presentation at the Birdfair. Two sets will be given to WABSA to enable them to illustrate talks given in schools.  We were also very grateful to people who donated binoculars and other equipment to WABSA at the Fair.  The November Birdfinders tour are taking out the optical equipment and other group members will be taking out the projector and screen in December.

The bikes donated to Tanji in 2001 were very much in evidence when we visited in February and the binoculars are being used for survey work on the Bijol Islands and for their education trips..  Unfortunately the spotting scope was stolen.   A donation was also given last year to WABSA to help them get the Brufut Woods project off the ground.

The group works on a 'not for profit basis'.  Direct fund-raising will be a secondary consideration but we will provide information about opportunities for donating to conservation efforts.  Working on a not for profit basis will mean that we will be able to promote the widest possible range of facilities and services in the Gambia.
For general use we have amended our name to the more punchy The Gambia Birding Group, reserving our formal title of The Gambia Birding and Conservation Group (UK) for more formal occasions (and our bank account)

Imminent Developments

Our first priority has been  to establish this web site to make it easy for birders to put together a holiday that meets their needs and encourages them to visit sites away from the main tourist areas.   The site will develop and we hope that members will provide up to date information.  The sightings page has proved particularly popular and we hope to develop this further with access to reports for specific months available on a year on year basis. We also  provide a "meeting point" facility to enable people to link up to share transport etc.  So if you are going to the Gambia this year let us know names, dates and the hotel you are staying at and we will let you know of other members who will be around at the same time.

Despite the early emphasis on computer technology, we will continue to issue newsletters and will provide paper copies of information held on the net.

Officers

The officers and committee members of the group for 2002/3
President:  Dr John Tyler
Chair:  Andrew Warren
Treasurer: Rosemary Tyler 
Secretary: Jill Thomas 
UK based liaison with West African Bird Study Association (WABSA)
   Tamba Jefang
Gambia based liasion with WABSA Solomon Jallow