Senegal Thick-knee have begun to use the reconstructed beaches along the Banjul highway - from his bedroom he  can hear their nocturnal whistles mixed with the the noise of waves

Camaroptera, Prinia & Zitting Cisticola become vocal on Banjul.  It is still  very hot and humid

20 June 2004
Savile's Bustard - one seen on 20/6/04 on the North Bank Highway West of Bao-bolon. Viewed briefly through binoculars before bird flew off into low scrub. Kev Roy

19th June
Clive Barlow reports
2 Senegal (Woodland) Kingfishers were interacting on telegraph wires at 14.00 hrs today on Bund Rd and one was singing - 1st of this years wet season.  The first record we have for last year (also from Clive) was 10th July at the same spot.

After the 1st big rain some days ago little swifts occupied Denton Bridge within 3 hrs (about the same date as last year - recorded as arriving on the 16th June)
 After 3 rains the greening up process is well under way with a baize of grasses appearing along the coastal roadsides

16th June 2004
Clive Barlow confirms that the remains  found by Kev Roy below the nest of a Red-necked Falcon in the east of The Gambia are undoubtedly those of an Alpine Swift making this the 4th record for The Gambia.  The others were recorded  in Western Division.

14 May 2004
African Skimmer - 2 seen on 15/5/04 where the North Bank 
highway crosses Bao-bolon West of Illiassa. Kev Roy

5th March 2004 Laibo Manneh - bird guide based at Paradise Inn Lodge with three German birdwatchers saw a Chesnut-breasted Negrofinch at the Tanji reserve.  The reserve is Laibo's home turf but he tells us this is the first time he has ever seen one of these birds.

February 2004
Reports from Arthur Geilvoet from the Netherlands 
27th February a Lesser Moorhen near Bakalari, 20 km east of Banjul 

Lesser Moorhen 
also 27th February 2004 North Bank Division near Bakalari, 20 km east of Banjul (photo by Arthur Geilvoet. Netherlands)

26 February White-fronted Black Chat 1 and 2 Pale Flycatchers  Tendaba- Pirang.
25th February  White-crested tiger Heron 2 in Bao Bolon Wetland Reserve on boat trip from Tendaba, seen in flight and climbing in the mangroves.
25th February  Yellowbill 1 seen in Brufut, together  with Western Violet-backed Sunbird.  Clive Barlow has reminded me that John High has netted and ringed two birds near the Tanji Reserve HQ in August in 2 different years, so it sounds as if they are managing to maintain a toehold here.

January 2004
Kev Roy reports " I'm resident in the URD (Sabi) and Prufu ("the marsh area just east of Basse") is my regular Saturday jaunt! Had three sightings of Great Snipe there in January - possibly, but by no means certainly, all of the same bird. Also had Bluethroat there on the same day . . . stunning bird in breeding plumage with unspotted (completely blue) throat."

23rd January 2004
Clive Barlow of Birds of the Gambia reports "The ring number of the Larus fuscus graellsii was Reykjavik 337949 on the right leg (metallic ring) and Y336 (blue ring, black numbers) on the left. It was ringed as a juvenile (not yet able to fly freely) 17.07.1999 on Iceland (coordinate 64°05´00´´ N, 21°59´00´´ V) and recovered by sight record at Tanji Bird Reserve, The Gambia (coordinate 13°21´00´´ N, 16°48´00´´ V) 23.01.2002. Distance 5653 km, direction 173°, duration 921 days"
18/19 December 2003
A pair of Violet Turacos and a Pearl Spotted owlet are around the grounds of Paradise Inn Lodge.  Both also seen well in Brufut Woods with Laibo Manneh on the 19th.  Along with two Verreaux's Eagle Owls  flying just overhead.
17 December a pair of  Ahanta Francolin were showing well at the edge of the bushes on the rise in the bank on the left hand side of the big pool at Abuko - well seen from the upper story of the Education Centre.  Verreaux's Eagle Owl also showing well;  Green Turaco more elusive but can be seen from the link track.
14 December Brown-necked Parrots, at Tumani Tenda.  Spotted Eagle Owl has been seen around the camp but on this occasion it was only heard, calling from somewhere near the village.

Highlights from Julian Huges 3-12  December trip include
Ahanta francolin - Bijilo Forest (12th)
Goliath heron - one from Bund Road pumping station (7th)
Ovambo sparrowhawk - possible at Marakissa (10th) (id discussed with Solomon Jallow)

For a full report of his trip click here
10th December Yellow-throated longclaw - two at Darsilami.
Dwarf bittern - adult and two juveniles at Marakissa (Photo J Hughes)
 

5th December 2003 Ortolan Bunting at Bansang Quarry.  (Photo J Hughes)  4 Egyptian Plovers at Basse at midday.
3rd December Spotted thick-knee - two, Batteling Track, Tendaba Egyptian plover - one at Soma, also Kittlitz's plover
Spotted Eagle Owl - one Batteling Track, Tendaba (3rd), also one on the main road east of Tendaba (5th).  European nightjar - two, Batteling Track, Tendaba 

12 December  Single Egyptian Plover seen at Soma. Egyptian Plovers not seen on the quayside at Basse a few days earlier.  Buba Ceesay suggests this is due to habitat destruction following flooding earlier in the year, although the owners of Traditions, the craft shop/cafe with  balcony overlooking the quay say they still see them at breakfast time.  We would be interested to hear whether other birders have seen them here this year.
8th December  Very high density of Palm Nut Vultures on the banks of the River Gambia between Kudang and Georgetown.  Passengers on the Bird Safari Camp boat had excellent views of a vicious scrap between an Osprey and Fish Eagle.
8th December at Tendaba  -another nightjar puzzle

Nick Bray of Birdseekers has set us another nightjar puzzle.  He writes of the  photograph reproduced below  "It is as yet unidentified. I have sent the photo to Nigel Cleere, who wrote the monograph on Nightjars of the World and have also sent a copy to the Curator at the British Museum at Tring. Both parties cannot conclusively identify it - but Nigel has narrowed it down to either a Standard-winged or Pennant-winged Nightjar. 

There were many Standard-winged Nightjars present on this bush track near Tendaba Camp, and it just doesn't seem to fit that i.d. It is much, much larger than all the other SW Nightjars present.........the bird in particular seemed to be almost the size of a European Nightjar. In fact when I first saw it, I thought it was going to be another Red-necked Nightjar. Having seen up to 8 Standard-winged Nightjars, both males and females, this bird was so much bigger. Even allowing for size difference between the sexes! " 

Clive Barlow of Birds of the Gambia, reports that the picture of the nightjar corresponded  with a good number of Standard Wing Nightjars (20) that he had prepared as museum specimens  over the years

For  fuller  reports on both Birdseekers 2003 autumn trips click here 

7th December 2003
3 Black Crowned Cranes were seen flying low over the wetland flats in the higher reaches of Kisi Bolon.

In reverse order from October 2003

7th October 2003.
On a count along the shoreline in s. Gambia on a 23 km stretch of beach between Tujering 13 19 N 16 47 W & Gunjur 13 11 N 16 46 W  12.00 - 14.00 hrs on 07 10 2003 , at the bottom of the tide the following data was assembled (incl. rsidents):. 

Royal Tern 543, Caspian Tern  29, Sandwich Tern 150, Little Tern 152, Common Tern 140, Lesser Crested Tern 2, Lesser blacked-backed Gull 5,  Grey headed Gull 277, Whimbrel 33, Ringed Plover 16, Turnstone 13, Sanderling 208
Grey Plover 15, Greenshank 1, Common Sandpiper 2 ,Oystercatcher 5, Grey Heron 4, Western Reef Heron 1 (white morph),  African Wattled Plover 59, Spur-winged Plover 60,  Senegal Thick-knee 5,Osprey 3, Hooded Vulture 22. Palm-nut Vulture 2
Clive R Barlow & Trevor Key, Birds of The Gambia Co

23rd September - Returning paleartic migrants. On a count along the shoreline in s. Gambia on a 23 km stretch of beach between Tujering 13 19 N 16 47 W & Gunjur 13 11 N 16 46 W  13.00 - 14.00 hrs on 23 09 2003, at the bottom of the tide the following data was assembled (incl. residents):. 

Royal Tern 690, Caspian Tern  27, Sandwich Tern 90, Little Tern 10
Common Tern 20, Black Tern 160, Lesser Crested Tern 1, Lesser blacked-backed Gull 8 graellsii & fuscus, Grey headed Gull 155

Whimbrel 33, Ringed Plover 4, Turnstone 18, Sanderling 107, Grey Plover 12, Greenshank 4, Common Sandpiper 2, Oystercatcher 4, African Wattled Plover 39, Spur-winged Plover 17, Senegal Thick-knee 4

Grey Heron 4, Western Reef Heron 1, Osprey 5, Hooded Vulture 2. Palm-nut Vulture 2

Surprisingly a single European Turtle Dove was with two Vinaceous Dove at Tujering feeding on a track 23 09 03 at 15.30. Infrequent at the coast in the dry season it is the first I have encountered in the rains anywhere in The Gambia.

Clive R Barlow & Trevor Key
birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com

28th August 2003
Along the southern beaches of The Gambia considerable numbers of Sanderling and Turnstone where feeding on the shoreline and Little, Sandwich, Common & Black Tern (some of latter still in full breeding plumage) were actively fishing.  There are regular skeins of Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank passing high over Banjul heading south. Betsy Hopkins in Dakar reported 1000's of Black Tern there a couple of weeks ago. There are a few stilts turning up at the coast now.

The rains here are exceptional this year, some parts reporting the heaviest in 50 yrs 
Clive Barlow birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com

22nd August 2003
Laibo Manneh reports  seeing White-fronted Plover at the Tanji Bird Reserve
laibomanneh@yahoo.co.uk

30th July 2003
First full breeding  plumageYellow-crowned Bishop -Old Cape Road.  Martyn Wilson
25 July
First full breeding plumage Red Bishop at Kartung S. Gambia    Clive Barlow 

Very heavy June-July rains accounts for full coloured weavers, bishops and indigobirds appearing early this year at the coast.

17th and 12 July 03 -Exciting Early Rains Sighting
12/07 - Bund Rd -  a pair of rarely seen Golden-tailed Woodpecker after prolonged rain showed especially well at the top end of The Bund at 12-30 -13 00 hrs allowing 20 mins of sound recording, which is possibly the first for this spp. in West Africa. They were moving between a tangled mangrove covered ditch and roadside trees. I have  only seen this spp of woodpecker on a handful of occasions in The Gambia and always at Tanji Bird Reserve. A pair was also seen 17 July along Old Cape Road in a solitary leafy baobab - very likely to be the Bund Rd birds, not so vocal as on the 12th when the birds appeared to be locating one an another (lots of contact calls in my recordings). The Old Cape Rd sighting was also witnessed by Kev Roy.

Also on the 12th - a 2nd year African Fish Eagle was feeding on a groyne outside  my studio window - Banjul
 Clive Barlow birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com 

10th July 2003
1st singing Woodland Kingfisher (the migrant star of the Julbrew bottle label !) heard 06 40 hrs 10 July, Banjul Bund Road.
Grey-backed Camaroptera nest building - Banjul

9th July  Yundum pm  breeding activity 
m. Heuglin's Masked Weaver in full breeding  plumage. no active nest found,
3 Green-backed Eremomela engaged in nuptial chasing,
3 competitive m. Village Indigobird, 1 in full colour others still in pepper and salt plumage sparring for song post position,
Singing Cisticola on song post, 
Independent Little Bee-eater in juvenile plumage, 
Scarlet-chested Sunbird m. on song post in Locust Bean tree, 
Pair of Wattled Plover leading Black Kites away from chicks, 
Didric Cuckoo singing 'day day diderick', 
f. Little Weaver around a fresh nest in Acacia albida

Clive Barlow - birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com

7th July
First Didric Cuckoo of the season heard by Clive Barlow 7 July am-  in Banjul just before very heavy rain 
16th June 2003
3rd major downpour of the rainy season at Banjul.
Within hours of the 1st rain many hundreds of Little Swifts were back at their Denton Bridge breeding site, after several months of total absence. Their late afternoon tight knot, high and highly vocal 'circus' have yet to begin. 
Clive Barlow

Ist rain in Banjul ca. 02.30 am 8 June 2003
11 June ten Abdim's Storks at Sabi,  east of Basse reported as showing breeding behaviour.  Photographed by K Roy.  Field Guide indicates that this is a rare sighting for the Gambia and that Senegalese records are usually for the eastern border.  Previously known to breed in Senegal and Sierra Leone.

(this note of 11th June brought news of a sighting of Abdim's Stork east of Basse in October 2002 when a Naturetrek party guided by Sering Bojang scoped one flying over the swamps.)

11 June a few european swifts over Banjul 

Clive Barlow.

21 May 2003 03 20 44

A Banjul rarity:  Whilst the odour of mosquito insecticide abated in my bedroom I have just had a walk round the lawns at Palm Grove - a site devoid of guests right now. Foraging in the light of a triangle of three low garden lamps in the short Bahaman grass was a Bronze-winged Courser  - as bold as brass. It stayed a couple of minutes until I got too close and flew over the hotel roofs towards the prison. A splendid event in an otherwise mediocre day.

This is the first live Bronze-winged Courser I have seen on Banjul for sure - the only other record that of the window casualty at The Atlantic from last April whose details are in the short article that the African Bird Club published two bulletins ago concerning the first breeding for Senegambia in Kian West.
Clive Barlow

15th May 2003
Black-crowned Crane and Lappet-faced Vulture records since '85 needed 
Please give date, location and number.birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com . 

15th April 2003 - Ospreys
Over the past 4 weeks I have witnessed the biggest passage of Osprey leaving Banjul going north over the Palm Grove lagoon that I have ever noted since 1984.
Clive

13th April 2003 Waxbills and Whydahs - information sought in relation to  field-work with the parasitic Pin-tailed Whydah V. macroura.
What potential waxbill host species have recent observers seen near or in the vicinity of Kerr-Serign / Senegambia. This area covers Senegambia & Kairaba Hotels, Coconut Residence, ITC and Bijolo Forest area. If you have any records with dates (including those for whydahs) please could you let Clive Barlow know at birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com . 
Thank you for your help.  Clive Barlow

27 March 2003
Since the confirmation of the Birdseekers sighting as Red-necked Nightjar r desertorum emails have been flying between the UK, The Gambia and various locations in Europe.  This is because the 12 road kill specimens collected by Clive Barlow have all been confirmed as the nominate race of Red-necked Nightjar, so the identification of a new subspecies in the country has awakened new interest.

28 February 2003 - Sindola
For sightings list click here
27/28 February 2003 - Tumani Tenda
Sightings at Tumani Tenda included a good range of plovers, and woodland birds, with both species of parrot feeding around the camp.
We were treated to an interesting display, presumably territorial, by a male African Golden Oriole when another male landed in the same tree.  The incumbent proceeded to fly around a bare area of the canopy rather like a moth whilst making its dry hissy kiaarr call.  For a full list of sightings at Tumani Tenda Click here
Neil & Jill Thomas

February 1st to 10th
I have recently returned from a fantastic 10 day tour from Tanji to Basse via the south bank, and Basse to Tanji along the north bank with Clive Barlow and three members of Birdlife Austria. This has been my seventh trip to the region and I have a Gambia list totalling 353 species, adding 13 this trip. I have visited the Gambia in all seasons.

High-lights of the trip were:-
African Pygmy Goose  2 pairs
Hadada Ibis  3
Barbary Falcon  2
Lappet Faced Vulture  1
Allen`s Gallinule  2
Finfoot  3
Kelp Gull  5
Brown Necked Parrot Pair
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill  four separate sightings of 2, 3 & 4 birds
Rufous Scrub Robin  2
Greater Swamp Warbler  pair
Green Winged Pytilia  3+
Greater Honeyguide 24 - yes twenty four!
Exceptional numbers of Greater Blue Eared Starlings
A flock of up to 500 Northern Red Bishops that included 80-100 Red Billed Quelea
And also a probable adult male Red Collared Widowbird, a description is being forwarded to the African Bird Club.

The trip list was 260 that also included Egyptian Plover, White Backed Night Heron, Martial Eagle, Beaudouin's Snake Eagle and Purple Swamphen.

I had the pleasure to be with Bill Clark and Clive new year 2002 in search of juvenile plumaged Beaudouin's Snake Eagle.

Martyn P Wilson  Broadstairs Kent.
(see also Martyn's photograph of the Adamawa Turtle Dove taken on a previous trip)

30th January 2003
While on a trip to Bijol Islands on Thursday 30th January 2003 we saw a Great Skua on the eastern side of the islands between the island with the  old lighthouse and
the main island with the single tree. The bird was seen about 11.30am which
was about 3/4hour before low tide according to the boatmen Jerreh Fofana and
Bakary Drammeh. The bird was on the inter-tidal beach for about 1 to 2 minutes
before flying off. On the way back to the mainland we saw two skuas in the air, one a Great, (probably the same bird) and the other a Pomarine harrying a Grey-headed Gull. We were also delighted to see on the island several Audouin's Gulls, one with pale rings on the lower left leg, a Kelp Gull, a White-fronted Plover, several Ospreys and over 70 Great White Pelicans.
Dermot McCabe and Bill & Heather Quinn - Tolka Branch, Birdwatch Ireland.
Bob Strickland - Liffey Valley Branch, Birdwatch Ireland.
28th January 2003
Lamin Jobarteh of West African Bird Study Association reports a clear view of a juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake from the Banjul Ferry just as it was leaving the ferry terminal.
9th -  24th January 2003 - sightings from Andrew Allport
This is a short selection of what may be some of the more interesting Gambia sightings on a two week trip between 9th and 24th January 2003. I have judged this selection purely on looking at records, or lack of, in other reports and the status as in the field guide. Therefore some may not be that remarkable but not regularly seen by visitors ? We recorded 244 species in two weeks without going any further inland than Tendaba.

Ahanta Francolin - excellent and surprising views of two birds at Abuko on 13th in dense gallery forest.

Short Eared Owl - One flew high out to sea over Fajara Hotel on 13th constantly mobbed by Pied Crows.

Gabar Goshawk - A melanistic bird at Tendaba airfield and another melanistic bird east of Brikama.

Pallid Harrier – Single bird at Tendaba airfield (Ten Montagu’s around Tendaba also but mainly around the north bank creeks)

Great Reed Warbler - singing bird at Tendaba

Red Billed Quelea – 2 at Kotu creek

Western Bonelli's Warbler – Several birds (probably four or five) on Fajara golf course over the two weeks often with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler or Blackcaps and one also at Kiang West. 

Red Throated Pipit – At least ten birds at Pirang.

African Crake – Presumably the same bird regularly seen in flooded rice fields at Kotu.

African Finfoot – Prolonged and extremely close views of a female in Tunku bolon and remarkably also nearly as good views of another female in Kisi bolon the same morning. I thought Finfoot were supposed to be secretive ? Perhaps we were just very lucky.

Andrew M. Allport  East Yorkshire England

26th December 2002
Clive Barlow reports a flock of Blue Cheeked Bee-eaters flying around the Palm Grove Hotel

22nd December
Despite numerous suggestions of population changes in birds as a result of drier conditions across the sahel an interesting record pertaining to a little understood Afro-tropical species resulted in a visit to Prufu Swamp east of Basse on 22 December, reports Clive Barlow, Director of Birds of The Gambia Co.
Two recently fledged Black Coucals (estimated c. one week out of the nest, still uncertain on the wing with short tails and showing full grubby yellow gape phalanges) were being attended by two adults in eclipse plumage in harvested rice paddies on Prufu Swamp in Upper River Division. Previously assumed to be long gone from The Gambia by this date to unknown non-breeding locations this makes this  makes this probably inaugural proven breeding record for Senegambia all the more interesting (see Field guide to The  Birds of The Gambia & Senegal pg 235).
Request for information from Clive Barlow
Did anyone visiting the Prufu Swamp @ Basse URD The Gambia in November / December 02 see black coucal ? 

If so please could you tell me in what plumage the birds were in, i.e were they in breeding, non-breeding or moulting in to the latter. Were they vocal, how many birds did you see there ? Any other observations re. this spp that you consider relevant 
Many thanks
Clive Barlow birdsofthegambia@hotmail.com 

8th December  2002, 
My wife and I visited the sandy islands off Tanji.  I was mainly interested in the terns, gulls and also the pelicans.  My attention was drawn to a curlew like call.  After about 15 minutes I managed to locate the bird that was calling. It was Whimbrel sized, pale, spotted underneath with no "eye stripe or dark crown and appeared to be more delicately built than the Whimbrels near it. Its legs were dark and the bill looked Whimbrel size.  At this point I set up my video camera and succeeded in getting about 2 seconds worth of video before the bird disappeared down a small gully.  It called a couple of times more but I did not see it again.  I could not get closer and had to leave as our motor launch was in danger of beaching on the out-going tide.

I am very familiar with curlews and all their calls and know Whimbrels calls having been actively bird watching for more than 50 years.  The bird I heard and saw was like nothing I have seen or heard before. The call was very short and sounded reminiscent of the start of a Eurasian Curlew's bubbling call, rising for a few phrases and immediately descending but with a different tone.

I showed the video clip to the leader of a bird tour group and a cameraman accompanying him. Neither could identify the call and the best we could say was that the bird was not an Eurasian Curlew. We considered Hudsonian Curlew and Bristle-thighed Curlew but they did not fit the bill either. I rewound the tape to the starting position again to show it to another keen birder and in my excitement I pressed record instead of play!  Needless to say, the tape recorded over my efforts.  Without an appropriate field guide, I could not look up the bird's salient features until I got back home.  The nearest bird I could see like it is a Slender-billed Curlew.

Because I have lost any evidence, I cannot put in a "claim" as to the identity of the bird but there must be a good chance that it was a Slender-billed Curlew.  A known wintering ground in Morocco is not too far from the Gambia and it is feasible that a lone bird would join up with a flock of Whimbrels and follow them south.  To frequent visitors to Gambia and resident birders, I would suggest that they look closely at any Whimbrels in case it is something more exotic.

Tom Cameron

We do hope other birders will follow up Tom's suggestion of checking out the Whimbrels - this would be really exciting given their rarity.   J Thomas

6th December
An adult Black Coucal moulting into eclipse plumage was also seen in Central River Division by Clive Barlow and members of the Victor Emmanuel Nature Group which he was leading on 6 December.  Peter Roberts, the co leader from VENT,  reports that the trip was a great success with seasoned  South and East African Birders picking up some 70 lifers each. They are planning to revisit in 2003.  For more information email info@ventbird.com.www.ventbird.com.

 As a result of poor seasonal rains June - October in Senegambia indications of arid conditions across the sahel are early dry season flocks of European turtle doves across the country with some even at the coast. Wheatear, Whitethroat and Western Bonelli`s Warbler across the divisions. Parties of Montague's Harrier seemingly drifting aimless over dry parts of Central River Division.  Soaring flocks of 100 & 150 White Storks were reported at Tendaba c. 5 - 6 December has having been seen over Bao-Bolon NBD - previously only known in two's and three's here. I have not recorded Booted Eagle anywhere in The Gambia for a couple of years (probably in the wrong place too often !). As well as several inland last week singles are drifting in over the Barra - Banjul estuary this week. Mobbed by gangs of Pied Crows this immediately exhibits a rarely seen raptor over the town, the crows are fast to pick up on a new kid on the block. This has found me Brown Snake Eagle, Rupells Griffon and African Cuckoo Falcon off the balcony over the years !  I sound recorded a Great Reed Warbler at Sapu for the first time ever for me here (sadly slipped thought the CD presentation). I have only ever seen one well and that was in a mist net at Jinnack in 1994 
 Clive Barlow
Weeks beginning 29th November and 6th December 2002
Birdseekers had 2 separate week long tours from 29/11-6/12/02 and 6/12-13/12/02 led by Steve Bird, Nick Bray and Solomon Jallow, with additional guiding by Denbo Sonko and Tamba Jefang. Staying on the coast with a one night stay at Tendaba Camp each week, they recorded 310 species over the fortnight. Each week's tour found over 270 species, with good numbers of Egyptian Plovers in the Kau'ur wetlands. Three White Storks were seen at Farafenni, Red-necked Buzzard between Farafenni and the Kau'ur wetlands and  Ahanta Francolin at Marikissa. In addition   they had a good range of the usual sightings.  At Tendaba these  included 3 roosting White-backed Night Herons, African Finfoot, African Blue Flycatcher, Goliath Heron, Abysinnian Ground Hornbill, Spotted Eagle Owl, and White-throated Francolin   Click here for full report
Birdseekers, 19 Crabtree Close, Marshmills, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 6E1. 
Tel/Fax 01752 342001.  Email Bird@birdseekers.freeserve.co.uk 
web site: www.birdseekers.co.uk

Last week in November
Our President and Treasurer, John and Rosemary Tyler couldn't resist the opportunity of a week in Gambia away from the British rain.   Comparing their records for Kotu Creek with their 1986 records they found they saw about 50 species in 2 hours on both outings - reassuring news.  After so many trips it is often the quality of ones sightings that impress rather than new birds.  John says that  one of the highlights of their trip were excellent views of Greater Honeyguide at Marikissa.

Both John and Vaughan Ashby commented on how good the area at Pirang was with large numbers of birds being attracted to the pools which are being developed.  Greater Flamingos and Black-crowned Cranes were amongst the birds seen.  The road to Pirang is now tarmac. 
11-25th November 
Erik Sanders and a party from The Netherlands report seeing 1 male and 1 female Gadwall on the Kaur Wetlands and a Little Gull at Tanji.  Whilst a Little Gull has been seen on the coast for each of the last two years we are waiting to hear from the Gambia on the status of the Gadwall sightings.
15-29 November
The Birdfinders tour achieved a group total of 310 species in 2 weeks  Specialities included Red-chested Cuckoo, Black Woodhoopoe & Ovambo Sparrowhawk at Yundum Woods, African Cuckoo at Batelling, African Emerald Cuckoo at Brufut, 15 Egyptian Plovers,Purple Swamphen and Brown-throated Martin at Kau'ur, 4 Egyptian Plovers at Basse, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike at Bird Safari Camp, White-breasted Cuckooshrike at Marakissa, Yellow-shouldered Widowbird at Darsalami, Square-tailed Drongo on the Faraba Banta bush track, good numbers and incredible views of African Scops-owls at Bird Safari Camp and Buff-spotted Woodpecker in Abuko. A full report will appear on the Birdfinders website in about a month. www.Birdfinders.co.uk.  They report that despite the very heavy rains which arrived very late everything is very dry and many waterholes are already drying up.

10 November 02.  Standard-winged Nightjar (without standards) appeared foraging over grassy stubble near the old Wadner Beach Hotel at dusk. Banjulians talk of nightjars on Bund Road in decades gone, by something I have never seen. Nearest site for Long-tailed Nightjar I have seen to Banjul was Old Cape Road. 
Clive Barlow.

15 November 02. White-fronted Sand Plover:   Two birds on tidal beach on the island off Palm Grove. Perhaps these birds have come from the stable but restricted population usually associated with the beaches along Cape St. Mary. Erosion of that site and generation of a vegetated spit off Banjul may have caused this slight north- western expansion ! 
Clive Barlow

After some very heavy rains birding is back to business with reports of the usual 250 odd species being seen in a week with little difficulty.  Good numbers of european waders have returned.  The African Pygmy Kingfisher seems to have deserted the Kairaba in favour of the Senegambia.   Because of the changes around the Casino cycle track it is harder work to pick up the nightjars there.

September 2002

25 September 02. Striped Ground Squirrel one animal feeding on discarded maize cob on the side of the highway a few metres after Denton Bridge. Another first for me on the Island.
Clive Barlow

Tony Todd reports Pygmy Kingfisher spotted twice in the garden of the Kairaba Hotel  and in the grounds of the Senegambia where a Moho (Oriole Warbler) was also calling daily.
White-throated Bee-eaters, rather out of colour and pale, and Stone Partridge plus lots of Mohos in Bijilo. Grey-headed Bush Shrike at Sindola 

In August-September a pair of Yellowbills were regularly seen on the coastal side of the Tanji Road by John High who is operating mist-nets there with a licence from the DPWM. He reported to Clive Barlow that the female he netted had a brood-patch indicating breeding. Western Bluebill was also regularly seen. Good news that these two upper-limit forest biome spp. are still hanging on in Tanji. They probably do not exist any further north on the continent. Visitors to the website might be interested to learn that vocalisations of the W African form of Yellowbill differ from that of the eastern. Clive Barlow sound recorded these birds in Guinea-Bissau (see 3 CD Bird Song of Gambia & Senegal) and in Kenya's Sokoke-Forest last year. Audio-spectograms are being worked on in the USA where DNA work is also hoped for to sequence the two forms with a view to establishing their species limits. Anybody who picks up a yellowbill feather on any W African sojourns - please let us know ! Material has been found & submitted from Mozambique and parts of E Africa. But, a fresh feather from the west is still wanting.
 

26 August 02. m. Little Weaver in full breeding plumage giving swizzle call whilst feeding in a mango tree at Palm Grove Hotel morning after a storm the night before. This sighting probably associated with the storm as other spp e.g Grey-headed Bristle-bill, Yellow-chested Apalis, White-crowned Robin Chat & Oriole Warbler always appeared in The Atlantic Bird Garden after storms and gales. I believe that these birds are blown in from the N bank - these generally sedentary spp may well be using the wind to intentionally go out and recce for new suitable grounds.
Clive Barlow

"Rainy" Season 2002

Dr Heimo Mikkola, Resident Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, reported " during my drought verification missions to eastern parts, I saw one Egyptian Plover in Soma. Obviously the same bird was at the roadside
water pool both on 9th and 10th August 2002, but not anymore on 14th August 2002."  He speculates that as, according to Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley  this is obviously a very early observation and also much more west than usual, that drought might be the reason for this unusual sighting.

 3rd – 16th August 2002

Andy Warren has recently returned from a two week trip to The Gambia during the rainy season. Very few birdwatchers visit West Africa at this time of year, and although the rains proper were over a month late, Andy found some exciting birds to warrant further exploration in the summer months, with a total of 254 over the two weeks.  Throughout the trip he was accompanied by Musa Baldeh, a trainee guide whose family lives in Basse.

3/8 Bijilo: Oriole Warbler; Kotu area: Greater Painted Snipe – 2 males on the small pool behind the Badala Park Hotel, Bakau Crocodile Park: Black Crake and Oriole Warbler feeding young at nests inside the crocodile pool.

4/8 Pirang: Sacred Ibis 3, African Spoonbill 8 (4 juvs), African Hobby 1, Peregrine 1, Black-crowned Crane 2, Greater Painted Snipe female, Temminck’s Stint 10+ among a surprising mix of Palearctic waders, Brown-necked Parrot 5, Great Spotted Cuckoo 6, Plain-backed Pipit 3.

5/8 Abuko: White-backed Night Heron 2 roosting together, Purple Heron 7-8 together, Diederic Cuckoo 1, Western Bluebill 6.

6/8 Brikama: Gabar Goshawk 1, Red-winged Warbler 3, Senegal Batis 3.

7/8 Tendaba: Gabar Goshawk 1, African Hawk Eagle 2 adults and an immature, African Hobby 1, African Cuckoo 1, Golden-tailed woodpecker 1, White-winged Black Tit 1.

8/8 Kisi and Tanku Bolons: Great White Pelican flocks of 240, 40 and 200 heading west, White-backed Night Heron a pair at the nest site, Gabar Goshawk 2, Black-bellied Bustard 1, GS Cuckoo 1, Blue flycatcher heard, Mouse-brown Sunbirds many.  A family group of Warthogs were flushed from scrub woodland on the northern bank; Leba Hill, Basse: Stone Partridge 3 family groups calling, Senegal Batis 1.

9/8 Prufu Swamp: African Pygmy Goose a pair, Red-necked Falcon 1, Allen’s Gallinule 1, Lesser Moorhen 2, Greater Painted Snipe male, Collared Pratincole 14, Black Coucal 4, African Cuckoo 2, GS Cuckoo 1, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl a pair found in daylight with the male hooting repeatedly, Swamp Flycatcher 3, Quailfinch c20.

10/8 Prufu Swamp (early morning): African Pygmy Goose the pair again, African Crake excellent views of 2 birds at only 50m range, Lesser Moorhen 3 new birds, Violet Turaco 1, Black Coucal 2 new birds; Leba Hill, Basse: Siffling Cisticola 1, Brown-rumped Bunting 2; Giroba Kunda, Basse: White-throated Francolin 3 males calling at dusk with 1 showing well, Yellow-throated Longclaw 1.

11/8 Sare Mali, Senegal (a small bush village 2 hours south of Basse): Red-necked Falcon 1, Peregrine 1, Black-bellied Bustard 3, Standard-winged Nightjar 1, African Yellow White-eye 6+, Violet-backed Starling 1 male with 2-3 females.

12/8 Leba Hill, Basse: Violet Turaco 2, Flappet Lark 1, Rufous Cisticola 3+, African Yellow White-eye 10+, Violet-backed Starling a singing male with 2-3 females, Brown-rumped bunting 2; Georgetown: Bateleur 1, Violet Turaco 1, GS Cuckoo 1, Pallid Swift c100, Pygmy sunbird 2, Red-headed Quelea male and 3 females, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah female; Wassu: Northern Anteater-chat 4.

13/8 Wassu: Red-chested Cuckoo 1, Plain-backed Pipit 1, Quailfinch c20; Goben (a small village en route to Kaur): White-rumped Swift 2; Kaur: Egyptian Plover 4 on ponds right next to the road; road to Kerewan: Green-winged Pytilia a sub-adult male feeding at the roadside.

14/8 Bund Road, Banjul: African Spoonbill 1, lots of waders, gulls and terns, GS Cuckoo2; Old Cape Road: Red-necked Falcon 1, Four-banded Sandgrouse 5 (four males), Standard-winged Nightjar flying round in the daylight, Yellow-throated Longclaw 1; Lamin Fields: Tawny Eagle 2-3 adults, African Cuckoo 1.

15/8 Yundum: Gabar Goshawk 1-2, GS Cuckoo 1, Diederic Cuckoo1, Lesser Honeyguide 1, Siffling and Singing Cisticolas, Yellow Penduline Tit pair, Violet-backed Starling singing male and three females; Brikama: Great White Pelican 14 over, Violet Turaco 1, Diederic Cuckoo 1, Senegal Batis 2.  Good views of a Bushbuck too.

16/8 Banjul Airport: Rufous, Whistling and Singing Cisticolas, Yellow Penduline Tit 4, Western Violet-backed Sunbird a superb female (making 9 out of the 10 Gambian sunbirds seen), African Yellow White-eye 1.

A total of 254 species were recorded, a full report on which will appear in due course. 

Andy  August, reports that there was some rain at that time following the very dry start - Dr Linda Barnett had reported that between 15th June and 30th July it had only rained 6 times at Abuko. 
The impact of the "mild" El Nino is difficult to forecast and indeed this change in the local weather pattern may be entirely unrelated.  But it will make bird records for the year particularly interesting. and valuable 

13 April 02. f. Bronze-winged Courser dead on Atlantic Hotel balcony - saved as a study specimen .   Clive Barlow

2001/2 Season
There was some late rain in early November that took everyone by surprise.
Dr Heimo Mikkola reported that on a visit through the Gambia in mid March with the Minister of Agriculture he saw some devastating forest fires and was concerned for the effect on the vegetation if they continued at that rate.  The customary African Swallow -tailed Kites were markedly absent, presumably because of the number of fires they were having to patrol.

19 March 2002
Passage Montague's Harrier and a redstart in the Atlantic Hotel garden -  report from Clive Barlow

14 March 2002
Dr Mikkola also reports a flock of 35 Yellow Wagtails together with swallows and white wagtails at Barra groundnut oil factory. 

Week commencing 4/03
First breeding record of Bronze-Winged Courser for Senegambia. Lower River Division. Clive Barlow reports that he was also able to sound record this.  Full report with photographs by John Hook and Paul Manners in the African Bird Club Bulletin  Vol 9 No 2 published in August 2002 available through www.africanbirdclub.org

23 February 2002 -  a red letter day

Brian Small and Mike Crewe leading  a Limosa Group  with local guide Barry Mamadou, found, photographed and video filmed a Temminck's Horned Lark at the Western End of the Fajara Golf Course on the morning of 23rd February.  This is believed to be the first record  for The Gambia and possibly for the whole of sub-saharan Africa.  A full report with "videograbs" from Brian appears in the African Bird Club Bulletin Vol 9 No 2 published in August 2002 available through. www.africanbirdclub.org
Further information from limosaholidays@compuserve.com

Also on 23rd February Richard Gabb reports that he saw 2 European storm petrels flying up and down the centre of the river at Tendaba and this was confirmed by other birders present.  This is the second time he has seen Storm Petrels here as he saw one on 26 November 1989 (yes that really is 1989 and not a typo).  He assumed that this was just a single very disorientated bird.

He says that perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised at seeing them there as the Barra/Banjul ferry on 26th February was surrounded by them.  There was also an Arctic Skua suggesting birds sheltering from the very strong winds the night before.  Earlier in the trip they saw a Pomarine Skua flying north just off the beach at Kotu. 

Clive Barlow has also reported seeing record numbers of storm petrels in the estuary in February.

17th February 2002
Peter Holden and Clive Barlow saw 24 painted snipe in a pool near Osprey Beach - 7 females and 17 males.  In the same week Peter also saw White-backed Night Heron at Makasutu thanks to Abdoulie Njie, one of the bird guides working on the reserve.

10th  - 17th Feb 2002
Systematic list of species seen by Andy Warren attached click here

February 6th 2002 - Forbes's Plover
February 6th produced a major Gambian rarity for  Gordon Kirk, Colin McKerrow and Clive Barlow, director of Birds of The Gambia Co Ltd (based at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel - see Guides  for more details).

Gordon reports "It was a great day – we saw 108 species – but the highlight was undoubtedly finding a Forbes’s Plover on a muddy pool behind a beach north of Sanyang.  I first saw the bird fly in and Clive immediately identified it, to our amazement telling us that this was only the second or third record in The Gambia.

The day’s excursion took on a somewhat surreal quality when, on the journey back to hotel in the evening, Clive suddenly asked the minibus to stop on Atlantic Road because he had spotted a couple he hadn’t seen for 7 years.  It was Lord and Lady Forbes of Balforbes, whose forebears had named the bird in question!”

Forbes’s Plover Charadrius forbesi occurs as a savannah species in Western Central Africa and is known to breed in rocky upland areas of Nigeria.  It is known to move short distances from its breeding grounds but also seems to undertake longer journeys, although the routes involved are not understood.  If this record is accepted, it will be the second confirmed record for The Gambia, the first being at Bansang on 23 November 1979.  There is also an unconfirmed January coastal record from Western Division.  Clive has recent experience of Forbes’s Plover from Guinea-Bissau and Guinea Conakry but at much higher altitudes and in rocker/stonier grassland areas.  See plate 17 in A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal for an illustration of this smart little plover.

Gordon has arranged a visit to the Natural History Museum’s collection of bird skins at Tring, Bedfordshire, to try to ascertain the age of the plover, which may have been an adult in non-breeding plumage, although it showed some plumage characteristics suggesting it might have been an immature bird.

January 2002
Adam Cheeseman was in the Gambia 11th - 25th January.  From 14th - 21st he was with Sering Bojang whom he found to be an exceptionally good birder.
The following are some of the highlights of his trip, including an immature Brown Booby.  It was good to hear of a successful trip to Pirang for Black Crowned Cranes - several visitors have missed these this year.  For a fuller list click here

16/01 Abuko Rice Fields: Plain-backed Pipit, Green-headed Sunbird,
Ayre's Hawk Eagle.   Lamin Lodge: Beaudouin's Snake Eagle
17 & 20 /01 Pirang:  Quailfinch, Gabar Goshawk, African Fish Eagle, 3
Black-crowned Cranes, Yellow-crowned Bishop
17/01 Tunku Bolon:  African Finfoot swimming in the middle of the creek
in front of our boat, White-backed Night Heron, Woolly-necked Stork,
White-throated Bee-eater, Mouse-brown Sunbird, Blue-breasted Kingfisher,
Brown Snake Eagle
21/01 Darsillami:  White-crested Helmet Shrike, Abyssinian Ground
Hornbill
22/01 Kotu Beach: Immature Brown Booby flying south after strong on
shore winds previous two days.

1st January 2002

I had the pleasure to be with Bill Clark and Clive new year 2002 in search of juvenile plumaged Beaudouins Snake Eagle.

Martyn P Wilson  Broadstairs Kent.

December 2001
Mark & Sandra Dennis report 
2/12 Golden Plover, 2 at, Kotu Creek
8/12 African Finfoot, 1 female, Tendaba
14/12 Short-eared Owl, 1, Senegambia Hotel,
They saw 282 species between November 30th to December 14th and were guided on
most trips by Ebrima Sidibeh, an excellent Gambian birder.

November 2001
Vaughan Ashby of Birdfinders reports.
"Unusual species seen included wonderful views of Ahanta Francolin at Abuko,
White-spotted Flufftails heard in Abuko, 4 Spotted Thick-knees and 3
Bronze-winged Coursers seen on a night drive between Kau'ur and Georgetown
on the north bank, 3 sightings of African Emerald Cuckoo including a young
bird being fed by a sunbird in Abuko, Stunning views of African Scops-owl
again at Bird Safari Camp and all 10 species of sunbird on The Gambia list."

Steve Coney provided us with the following reports 
4/11 Adult Martial Eagle over Yundum woods by the Senegambia highway
7/11 3 Black-crowned Cranes, Qualfinch and 2 White-fronted Plovers at Pirang shrimp farm. 
9/11 Black-shouldered Nightjar, 2 adult White-backed Night Herons, 2 adult Martial Eagles and 8 European Bee-eaters at Kisi Bolon.  The Night Heron nest has been predated by monitor lizard.
10/11  22 Egyptian plovers, 2000+ collared pratincoles, 6 Kittlitz's Plovers, 5 Chestnut-backed Sparrow Larks and a male Qualfinch at Kaur wetlands
11/11 Rupell's Griffon Vulture, 6 White-backed Vultures, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and 5 Cut-throat finches at Bansang Quarry when watching the colony of Red-throated Bee-eaters.  See our revised note about sites for the latest info about Bansang Quarry.  Painted Snipe, which had been seen here at this time in previous years were not present.  Hadada and Sacred Ibis were seen near the coast. 

Dr Linda Barnett reports that a Sandwich Tern which had been caught in storms was brought in before the end of the 'official' rainy season.  The bird, which had been ringed in th UK, was released after a week or so.  The Parks & Wildlife Management Department are awaiting feedback on the ringing information.

February 2001.  The Limosa newsletter (email: limosaholidays@compuserve.com) records, amongst other sightings, an African Emerald Cuckoo, 150 Audouins Gulls at Tanji and the continued presence of the Little Gull seen the previous November.  They also had excellent views of the White-crested Tiger Heron in broad daylight and African Finfoot during their boat trip at Tendaba.

Highlights of the 2000 season (2000) were:

Baillon's Crake, Little Crake, Spotted Honeyguide at Kartung (MK)
Spotted Honeyguide at Darsilami (SJ)
White-backed Night Heron breeding at Abuko (JT)
Saville's Bustard North Bank (SJ)
Green--winged Pytilia on North Bank (SJ)
Good numbers of Egyptian Plovers

We would particularly welcome reports from Basse and further east - seriously underbirded.  Great Snipe in the area just east of Basse has not been seen recently, presumably because of changes in drainage and use, but there should  be other sites where it could be seen.  A number of Swallow-tail Kites have been seen around Bass

Scottish osprey killed by crocodile.
An osprey ringed as a nestling at Loch Awe in 1998 was found in the stomach of a crocodile some 200 miles up the Gambia river.  Doudou Ndong killed the crocodile near Nding.  When he slit the stomach he found the osprey and ring no 1351673 which he returned to the British Trust for Ornithology.  Chris Mead suggests that crocodile and osprey were going for the same fish, with the osprey losing out rather dramatically.

For a trip report  1- 8 Nov 2000 and 12-19 Feb 1999 see reports on Gambia Tourist Support Site: www.gambiatouristsupport.com

For 1998 and 1999 trip reports plus site information from Foreign Birdwatching Reports and Information Service. For the full catalogue of reports http://www.fbris.co.uk

Reports  of trips 10-17 September 99 and 1-8 November 1998 are available through African Bird Club Sales  www.africanbirdclub.org