Author: Pieter Verheij
We and all members of the group arrived in the afternoon at Banjul Airport where we met our Guide Mustapha Manneh. After the completion of all necessary formalities we went to the hotel, close to the Kotu area, and it did not take long before we all sat together within the inner courtyard of the hotel to enjoy our first drinks together. Our guide was friendly enough to change our Euros and pounds for some local money, the Dalasi. We all got our bunch of filthy notes (probably the notes had never been renewed after their introduction in 1971).
Day Two – January 13th – Birding in Koku area – Mannjai Lodge

Day Three – January 14th – Abuko Nature Reserve – Mannjai Lodge
This morning we found our guide nervously walking around. Our minivan was not there and probably somewhere stuck in a traffic jam. After some time another minivan showed up quite a few years older than the one we started with. We drove to Abuko Nature Reserve around 15 km south of Banjul. A very nice ever green forest following the Lamin stream.

This morning we had an early start, because we had to travel more than a 150 km. Normally that is not so far, but Gambia Inland is something different than Europe. Leaving the Coastal Area the roads are changing into tracks (on the south side of the Gambia River, which is the most interesting side for birders), with from time to time a piece of tar still there from the old days. It was not surprising that we soon had our first flat tyre. We had several very nice stops on the roads, walking around in the typical African woodland. Being inland now we saw everywhere the beautiful Abyssinian Roller.

Day Five – January 16th – Boat ride and Birding around Tendaba Camp – Tendaba Camp

Day Six – January 17th – Transfer and Birding to Georgetown – Boabolang Camp
Our “new” minivan had passed its best days already a longtime ago, but according to our driver Sutay the car was technically speaking in perfect condition. We left in time because we needed to catch the ferry at Bambatenda. Here we crossed the Gambia River and continued our trip on the Northern Side. Taking a ferry in The Gambia is a very interesting and colorful experience. It looks all very uncontrolled and it probably is. Many people are trying to sell their goods to the passing travellers and also many people are trying to “sell” their story especially to foreigners.

Day Seven – January 18th – Boatride and birding around Boabolong Camp – Boabolong Camp

Day Eight – January 19th – Transfer into Senegal – Sementi Hotel in Niokoloba National Park







After lunch we had our rest and we went out again to another part of the Island in the late afternoon. This time we saw again the Four-banded Sandgrouse but now we had much better views.
We had decided to go back to Banjul staying on the North Road, taking the ferry at Barra. This is one of the most important ferry crossings of the Gambia River, and especially on a Sunday it can be very busy. We did not want to miss the ferry and decided to drive straight on and not loose too much time on our way.

In the late afternoon we went out for a short walk finding Purple Swamphen, Yellow-billed Shrikes and various Herons and Egrets.
Day Fourteen – January 25th – Brufut Woods, Coastal Area – Senegambia Hotel

Day Fifteen – January 26th - Departure
After a late breakfast we slowly made our way to the airport where we left behind our guide Mustapha and our driver Sutay who really took good care of us during our first visit to The Gambia. It had been a very interesting and a very good “recce” trip and we were happy to hear that our fellow travellers, in spite of the “small” inconveniences, had enjoyed this trip as much as we did. From now on we certainly will have a birding tour to the Gambia in our program.
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis
PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican - Pelecanus onocrotalus
Pink-backed Pelican - Pelecanus rufescen
PELECANIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo
Long-tailed Cormorant - Phalacrocorax africanus
PELECANIFORMES: Anhingidae
Darter - Anhinga melanogaster
CICONIIFORMES: Ardeidae
Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea
Black-headed Heron - Ardea melanocephala
Goliath Heron - Ardea goliath
Purple Heron - Ardea purpurea
Great Egret - Ardea alba
Black Heron - Egretta ardesiaca
Intermediate Egret - Egretta intermedia
Western Reef-Heron - Egretta gularis
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
Squacco Heron - Ardeola ralloides
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
Striated Heron - Butorides striata
Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
White-backed Night-Heron - Gorsachius leuconotus
CICONIIFORMES: Scopidae
Hamerkop - Scopus umbretta
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
Woolly-necked Stork - Ciconia episcopus
Saddle-billed Stork - Ephippiorhynchus senegale
CICONIIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Sacred Ibis - Threskiornis aethiopicus
Hadada Ibis - Bostrychia hagedash
African Spoonbill - Platalea alba
ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna viduata
Spur-winged Goose - Plectropterus gambensis
Comb Duck - Sarkidiornis melanotos
African Pygmy-goose - Nettapus auritus
FALCONIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
FALCONIFORMES: Accipitridae
Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus caeruleus
Scissor-tailed Kite - Chelictinia riocourii
Black Kite - Milvus migrans
African Fish-Eagle - Haliaeetus vocifer
Palm-nut Vulture - Gypohierax angolensis
Hooded Vulture - Necrosyrtes monachus
White-backed Vulture - Gyps africanus
Short-toed Eagle - Circaetus gallicus
Brown Snake-Eagle - Circaetus cinereus
Banded Snake-Eagle - Circaetus cinerascens
Bateleur - Terathopius ecaudatus
Western Marsh-Harrier - Circus aeruginosus
Montagu's Harrier - Circus pygargus
African Harrier Hawk - Polyboroides typus
Lizard Buzzard - Kaupifalco monogrammicus
Dark Chanting-Goshawk - Melierax metabates
Shikra - Accipiter badius
Grasshopper Buzzard - Butastur rufipennis
Tawny Eagle - Aquila rapax
Wahlberg's Eagle - Aquila wahlbergi
Booted Eagle - Aquila pennatus
Martial Eagle - Polemaetus bellicosus
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Lesser Kestrel - Falco naumanni
Eurasian Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus
Grey Kestrel - Falco ardosiaceus
Red-necked Falcon - Falco chicquera
African Hobby - Falco cuvierii
Lanner Falcon - Falco biarmicus
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Double-spurred Francolin - Francolinus bicalcaratus
Stone Partridge - Ptilopachus petrosus
GALLIFORMES: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl - Numida meleagris
GRUIFORMES: Gruidae
Black Crowned-Crane - Balearica pavonina
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
Black Crake - Amaurornis flavirostris
Purple Swamphen - Porphyrio porphyrio
Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus
GRUIFORMES: Heliornithidae
African Finfoot - Podica senegalensis
GRUIFORMES: Otididae
Savile's Bustard - Eupodotis savilei
Black-bellied Bustard - Lissotis melanogaster
CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae
African Jacana - Actophilornis africanus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae
Senegal Thick-knee - Burhinus senegalensis
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
Egyptian Plover - Pluvianus aegyptius
Temminck's Courser - Cursorius temminckii
Collared Pratincole - Glareola pratincola
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Spur-winged Plover - Vanellus spinosus
Black-headed Lapwing - Vanellus tectus
White-headed Lapwing - Vanellus albiceps
Wattled Lapwing - Vanellus senegallus
Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula
Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius
Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica
Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus
Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola
Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
Little Stint - Calidris minuta
Ruff - Philomachus pugnax
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Pomarine Skua - Stercorarius pomarinus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus
Grey-hooded Gull - Larus cirrocephalus
Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus
Slender-billed Gull - Larus genei
CHARADRIIFORMES: Sternidae
Gull-billed Tern - Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern - Sterna caspia
Lesser Crested Tern - Sterna bengalensis
Sandwich Tern - Sterna sandvicensis
Royal Tern - Sterna maxima
Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
Arctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea
White-winged Tern - Chlidonias leucopterus
PTEROCLIFORMES: Pteroclidae
Four-banded Sandgrouse - Pterocles quadricinctus
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia
Speckled Pigeon - Columba guinea
Eurasian Turtle-Dove - Streptopelia turtur
African Mourning Dove - Streptopelia decipiens
Red-eyed Dove - Streptopelia semitorquata
Vinaceous Dove - Streptopelia vinacea
Laughing Dove - Streptopelia senegalensis
Black-billed Wood-Dove - Turtur abyssinicus
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove - Turtur afer
Namaqua Dove - Oena capensis
Bruce's Green-Pigeon - Treron waalia
African Green-Pigeon - Treron calva
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae
Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri
Brown-necked Parrot - Poicephalus robustus
Senegal Parrot - Poicephalus senegalus
CUCULIFORMES: Musophagidae
Guinea Turaco - Tauraco persa
Violet Turaco - Musophaga violacea
Western Plantain-eater - Crinifer piscator
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Red-chested Cuckoo - Cuculus solitarius
Senegal Coucal - Centropus senegalensis
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
African Scops-Owl - Otus senegalensis
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl - Bubo lacteus
Pearl-spotted Owlet - Glaucidium perlatum
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
Long-tailed Nightjar - Caprimulgus climacurus
APODIFORMES: Apodidae
Mottled Spinetail - Telacanthura ussheri
African Palm-Swift - Cypsiurus parvus
Common Swift - Apus apus
Pallid Swift - Apus pallidus
Little Swift - Apus affinis
White-rumped Swift - Apus caffer
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Malachite Kingfisher - Alcedo cristata
African Pygmy-Kingfisher - Ispidina picta
Grey-headed Kingfisher - Halcyon leucocephala
Blue-breasted Kingfisher - Halcyon malimbica
Striped Kingfisher - Halcyon chelicuti
Giant Kingfisher - Megaceryle maximus
Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudis
CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae
Red-throated Bee-eater - Merops bulocki
Little Bee-eater - Merops pusillus
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - Merops hirundineus
White-throated Bee-eater - Merops albicollis
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Merops persicus
European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
Abyssinian Roller - Coracias abyssinica
Rufous-crowned Roller - Coracias naevia
Blue-bellied Roller - Coracias cyanogaster
Broad-billed Roller - Eurystomus glaucurus
CORACIIFORMES: Upupidae
Hoopoe - Upupa epops
CORACIIFORMES: Phoeniculidae
Green Woodhoopoe - Phoeniculus purpureus
CORACIIFORMES: Bucerotidae
Red-billed Hornbill - Tockus erythrorhynchus
African Pied Hornbill - Tockus fasciatus
African Grey Hornbill - Tockus nasutus
Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill - Bucorvus abyssinicus
PICIFORMES: Capitonidae
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird - Pogoniulus chrysoconus
Vieillot's Barbet - Lybius vieilloti
Bearded Barbet - Lybius dubius
PICIFORMES: Indicatoridae
Greater Honeyguide - Indicator indicator
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Fine-spotted Woodpecker - Campethera punctuligera
Grey Woodpecker - Dendropicos goertae
Brown-backed Woodpecker - Dendropicos obsoletus
PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark - Eremopterix leucotis
Black-headed Lark
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
Red-chested Swallow - Hirundo lucida
Wire-tailed Swallow - Hirundo smithii
Red-rumped Swallow - Cecropis daurica
Common House-Martin - Delichon urbica
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba
African Pied Wagtail - Motacilla aguimp
Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava
Plain-backed Pipit - Anthus leucophrys
PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae
Common Bulbul - Pycnonotus barbatus
Little Greenbul - Andropadus virens
Leaf-love - Phyllastrephus scandens
Yellow-throated Leaf-love
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
African Thrush - Turdus pelios
PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae
Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis
Tawny-flanked Prinia - Prinia subflava
Yellow-breasted Apalis - Apalis flavida
Oriole Warbler - Hypergerus atriceps
Green-backed Camaroptera - Camaroptera brachyura
Olive-green Camaroptera - Camaroptera chloronota
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
Melodious Warbler - Hippolais polyglotta
Northern Crombec - Sylvietta brachyura
Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus
Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita
Grey-back Aramonela -
Subalpine Warbler - Sylvia cantillans
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
Swamp Flycatcher - Muscicapa aquatica
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat - Cossypha niveicapilla
White-crowned Robin-Chat - Cossypha albicapilla
Whinchat - Saxicola rubetra
Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe
Isabelline Wheatear - Oenanthe isabellina
PASSERIFORMES: Platysteiridae
Senegal Batis - Batis senegalensis
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae
Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher - Terpsiphone rufiventer
African Paradise-Flycatcher - Terpsiphone viridis
PASSERIFORMES: Timaliidae
Blackcap Babbler - Turdoides reinwardtii
Brown Babbler - Turdoides plebejus
PASSERIFORMES: Paridae
White-shouldered Black-Tit - Melaniparus guineensis
PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae
Mouse-brown Sunbird - Anthreptes gabonicus
Pygmy Sunbird - Hedydipna platura
Scarlet-chested Sunbird - Chalcomitra senegalensis
Beautiful Sunbird - Cinnyris pulchellus
Splendid Sunbird - Cinnyris coccinigaster
Variable Sunbird - Cinnyris venustus
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
African Golden Oriole - Oriolus auratus
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
Woodchat Shrike - Lanius senator
Yellow-billed Shrike - Corvinella corvina
PASSERIFORMES: Malaconotidae
Northern Puffback - Dryoscopus gambensis
Black-crowned Tchagra - Tchagra senegala
Common Gonolek - Laniarius barbarus
Grey-headed Bushshrike - Malaconotus blanchoti
PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae
Fork-tailed Drongo - Dicrurus adsimilis
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
Piapiac - Ptilostomus afer
Pied Crow - Corvus albus
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
Greater Blue-eared Glossy-Starling - Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling - Lamprotornis chloropterus
Bronze-tailed Glossy-Starling - Lamprotornis chalcurus
Purple Glossy-Starling - Lamprotornis purpureus
Long-tailed Glossy-Starling - Lamprotornis caudatus
Yellow-billed Oxpecker - Buphagus africanus
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae
White-billed Buffalo-Weaver - Bubalornis albirostris
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver - Plocepasser superciliosus
Little Weaver - Ploceus luteolus
Black-necked Weaver - Ploceus nigricollis
Village Weaver - Ploceus cucullatus
Vieillot's Weaver - Ploceus nigerrimus
Red-billed Quelea - Quelea quelea
Yellow-crowned Bishop - Euplectes afer
Black-winged Bishop - Euplectes hordeaceus
Red Bishop - Euplectes orix
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae
Western Bluebill - Spermophaga haematina
Bar-breasted Firefinch - Lagonosticta rufopicta
Red-billed Firefinch - Lagonosticta senegala
Black-faced Firefinch - Lagonosticta larvata
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu - Uraeginthus bengalus
Lavender Waxbill - Estrilda caerulescens
Orange-cheeked Waxbill - Estrilda melpoda
Black-rumped Waxbill - Estrilda troglodytes
Bronze Mannikin - Spermestes cucullatus
Cut-throat - Amadina fasciata
PASSERIFORMES: Viduidae
Village Indigobird - Vidua chalybeata
Pin-tailed Whydah - Vidua macroura
PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting - Emberiza tahapisi
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
White-rumped Seedeater - Serinus leucopygius
Yellow-fronted Canary - Serinus mozambicus
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus
Grey-headed Sparrow - Passer griseus
Bush Petronia - Petronia dentata