Jump to content

The Gambia – A first Visit (january 2018)


TonyQ

Recommended Posts

I actually go two days the wrong way round - tha day I am about to post was actually before the one at Brufut and Tanji (not that it makes any difference!)

Marakissa (Depart 7.00, return to hotel about 4pm -we had this before the Brufut/Tanji day as it was quite a long "short day" and we didn't want that as our last day while staying at Kairaba)

5ab6370300fcb_GambiaTR5-1.jpg.b806bd29276ec7856223f7f98c881576.jpg

Bruce's Green Pigeon

5ab6370aba771_GambiaTR5-2.jpg.301b6ed451176778c83ff686e2be9059.jpg

Woodland Kingfisher

5ab6371433e22_GambiaTR5-3.jpg.638186474124998db74308ce0ffbf5a6.jpg

Black-crowned Tchagra

5ab6372106746_GambiaTR5-4.jpg.a3787450017c9b7754376f967859f540.jpg

Bearded Barbet

5ab6372fd7566_GambiaTR5-6.thumb.jpg.16668ac0f3796070f2ab63abe57365cb.jpg

A very pretty Lizard Buzzard

5ab63726badde_GambiaTR5-5.jpg.3b442c2d16934b77094af7b7ad0268b2.jpg

Coming to the ground to hunt

We went for a cold drink at the Marakissa Lodge and saw

5ab6373888f5d_GambiaTR5-8.jpg.d3ac98c131c0d85d6010ea2c42e0e3ac.jpg

Purple Glossy Starling - I love the metallic sheen

5ab6374098c4f_GambiaTR5-9.jpg.c89979ae0835f82432452ccf41631a03.jpg

Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu

5ab637472483c_GambiaTR5-10.jpg.2efedb47c389ed7276fea4d64624627e.jpg

Mannikin

5ab6374d6230c_GambiaTR5-11.thumb.jpg.8f2aa916438cc94ec5e213e15c2a89f1.jpg

Beautiful Sunbird lives up to its name

 

So that is all of the birding with Mustapha. We were very happy with him and would use him again.

Edited by TonyQ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On our last day at the Kairaba, we had the morning free and spent it very productively in the grounds before our transfer to our next base

5ab63954b46de_GambiaTR2-18.thumb.jpg.00f6ab4dd052b0884150712a96a4f8ea.jpg

Cattle Egret were common visitors5ab63958be663_GambiaTR4-2.jpg.09e28e21a4904c7c5a99a64bbdafe4c0.jpgAs  the magpie like Piapiac

5ab6395dad97e_GambiaTR4-3.jpg.17459e4bc3547fed700cb729639afeef.jpg

White-crowned Robin Chat

5ab6396425264_GambiaTR7-1.jpg.0eda6fa0c59833e02f915ef7d94dccb0.jpg

Grey Woodpecker

5ab6396f5c731_GambiaTR7-2.thumb.jpg.b61081289b5ed60eb788801468ca6ae2.jpg

Green Wood-hoopoe

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5ab63a6c79db2_GambiaTR-12.thumb.jpg.557e1cb094064504dce94761a8eec103.jpg

M+F Red-billed Hornbill

5ab63a65e943b_GambiaTR7-4.thumb.jpg.e070497e465c80b5cb6e4a4ba90a17fb.jpg

 

5ab63a73906bd_GambiaTR7-5.jpg.497bd612b550faadfab1b072be26e3a7.jpg

African Thrush

5ab63a774e908_GambiaTR-11.thumb.jpg.78e580b0427eff3e2c111cb35adc3dee.jpg

Speckled Pigeon

5ab63a7ace287_GambiaTR7-7.jpg.20a93bb45ad1fe5771a554cb7eac0757.jpg

Northern Black Flycatcher

5ab63a8531468_GambiaTR7-6.thumb.jpg.8204d5cbd03bc6bca66ba96b79a59526.jpg

Blue-breasted Kingfisher

5ab63b1dd435f_GambiaTR7-8.jpg.d57e35958a00cf2ed8132cc16b38157e.jpg

And a particular treat - Shikra

So we were very happy with the hotel. The staff were very friendly, breakfast excellent and the grounds were a great place to spend time.

And so we got our transfer to The Mandina lodge - a drive of about an hour.

 

Edited by TonyQ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@TonyQ - excellent photos as always. I'm looking forward to hearing more about Mandina as we only visited the lodge as part of the evening boat ride. Speaking of which do they still do the boat ride? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love the photo of Tanji Beach - full of interest and so atmospheric.

 

The lavendar waxbills and yellow white-eyes cerainly compensate for the rather dilapidated container!

 

Lovely Shikra shot to complete this most enjoyable first part of your TR.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Game Warden

@TonyQ A wonderful series of photos, which, in addition to other recent Gambia trip reports I hope will encorage others to visit.

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sooo good, particularly love the Village Weaver, the Donkey and cart and the Squirrel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 just on p1 but the red colobus with its wizened face looks amazing. 

That 1st pic is #20 is worthy to be hung in a wall.  It's so picturesque. I really love it 

That bush shrike in the sun among the gloom is striking! You've got brilliant photos! 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@lmSA84 Thank you -Mandina coming up! We went on a dusk boat trip for lodge guests. I believe they still do one for people who are not staying, but am not sure.

@Caracal @Kitsafari @Ratdcoops Thank you

@Game Warden Thank you - it is a great place to visit if you are interested in birds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mandina Lodge

The second part of our trip we stayed at The Mandina Lodgefor 4 nights, on a series of mangrove lined waterways and in the Makasutu forest. This was half board (breakfast and dinner)– there are no other restaurants anywhere near. Food was very good. You buy lunch – not too expensive for a light lunch.

5abba7b271e40_GambiaTR7-31.jpg.a2223078a896c23f88ddb5455c1e3716.jpg

Our room - a floating lodge - raised by the tide but attached to the land

5abba7bfc85fe_GambiaTR7-30.jpg.30adfa74906002652ccf2105088e9e5b.jpg

Our room

You get a private guide for 2 activities a day – walking in the forest, a canoe trip (guide paddling!) combined with a walk. A typical day is early morning coffeee, set off at agreed time with your guide (7.30 for us), return for breakfast around 10.45 (we were always last to return!). Rest or walk around the lodge or into the forest. A light lunch and relax. Meet the guide again at around 4 - 4.30 to go for a walk in the forest or surrounds for another couple of hours. Shower. DInner at time agreed with chef.

In the next posts I will put sightings together rather than do a day by day account.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There were many birds to be seen just around the lodge (All of these were taken from the lunch area)5abba99b18bdc_GambiaTR7-11.jpg.f72da9dea84077a9984b08633f0066b2.jpg

Red-billed Firefinch

5abba98bc3372_GambiaTR7-9.jpg.d3e5a268c008ae4b3038aeec11e33e16.jpg

Brown Sunbird (Was known as Mouse Sunbird, which is more appealing)

5abba993056ac_GambiaTR7-10.thumb.jpg.2e78969230718d7546139c68d3372dae.jpg

Common Wattle-eye

5abba9aa95ee9_GambiaTR9-13.jpg.4d2d5e34091816aa9f2bfae1f9bffac8.jpg

Yellow-crowned Gonolek

A canoe ride on the mangrove lined waterways was a great way to start a day

5abbaac2ebb17_GambiaTR8-4.thumb.jpg.30cc969020bcda5a328cf56af4a376e2.jpg

Senegal Thick-knee

5abbaacfe9f1f_GambiaTR8-3.thumb.jpg.dab7345edcf3d6ef8547727c0b7734d9.jpg

Grey Plover

5abbaad5768ff_GambiaTR9-1.thumb.jpg.35ee3694ced7a3969e74513ca344b600.jpg

Long-tailed Cormorant

5abbaaded804a_GambiaTR9-11.jpg.a173224cb46d3350621d08824785795f.jpg

Swimming not recommended!

 

Edited by TonyQ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oysters...

An interesting feature of the mangroves was that they hosted large numbers of oysters, refreshed by the tidal waters. These were a popular source of food with the local baboons. These are The Guinea Baboon (Papio papio), a new species for us. (Photos taken in very low early morning light!)

5abbac4f1bd7f_GambiaTRBaboon-1.thumb.jpg.39a60ecb251ece9a7511417b69d7a619.jpg

Using teeth to remove oyster

5abbac61cdf72_GambiaTRBaboon-3.jpg.a0b93b8048ed9eabae7a1fc52cc7dfce.jpg

Getting very close to the water

5abbac5b45f09_GambiaTRBaboon-2.thumb.jpg.4beb0a8bf75369ef1e546d04376f737b.jpg

This youngster has learned to copy some of the behaviour, but has not yet found the target

5abbac6a761bf_GambiaTRBaboon-4.jpg.d60a354149bb6ab6cd04e581ae0fcb18.jpg

 

5abbac77b3bf0_GambiaTRBaboon-5.thumb.jpg.797825d3c374676e79bc496a695cf589.jpg

 

The oysters are also harvested by local people - a good source of protein. The also use the waste shells in building materials

5abbae0e45f8b_GambiaTRvulture-20.jpg.d19cd6c78a2e09a6c4e9f8e36b61522a.jpg

Hooded Vultures also appreciated the waste shells as a source of scraps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wewould travel some distance in the canoe, and then get out to walk in forest or cultivated land

5abbaeb15400d_GambiaTR8-10.jpg.88d3fd56ec069199e775c56043013cba.jpg

 

5abbaed509c7f_GambiaTR8-1.jpg.5147f711798268d0e22be50b81dec7b7.jpg

Pin-tailed Wydah (non-breeding)

5abbaee1608bb_GambiaTR8-2.jpg.ce2e16aee58adaa5fddd26f306ade700.jpg

Yellow-fronted Canary

5abbaee94b8ea_GambiaTR9-10.thumb.jpg.6926e5b2930c96e9c35a364dd094338f.jpg

Blue-bellied Roller

5abbaeecde791_GambiaTR9-9.jpg.31390af607d655bda844c74fc44dcdc2.jpg

A stunningly beautiful bird (Mustapha, who guided us in the first part of our trip, said this was his favourite bird - and used it on his business card)

5abbaef6832fe_GambiaTR9-15.jpg.7fb9de388fc5712334ecfbcd0cf42ad4.jpg

Western Grey Plantain-eater -very common, but a very striking bird.

5abbaf0676f59_GambiaTR8-7.jpg.a7e5db5743629523b244787e119690e8.jpg

Violet Turaco - a thrill to see them

5abbaf194f5f5_GambiaTR11-3.thumb.jpg.d2781d901133eec8fbc8a0755de3e4ea.jpg

African Pied Hornbill

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a walk, we would get back into the canoe and Ush (not sure of spelling) would paddle back towards the lodge, enjoying sights on the way

5abbb0bb3b0c4_GambiaTRP-6.thumb.jpg.4168cd09d8bde31733ca647329ab9c1d.jpg

 

5abbb0c7b83de_GambiaTR9-3.jpg.c0c414fb34a63e36e09c39edbc4dd482.jpg

Malachite Kingfisher (you could get very close to some of the birds in a canoe)

5abbb0cfabbfc_GambiaTR9-4.thumb.jpg.51732ef22b017b405ba61fc681a061f2.jpg

African Darter

5abbb0d4015ec_GambiaTR9-5.jpg.37cba854daea37cc65032173d93d575d.jpg

Sacred Ibis

5abbb0dfd01e7_GambiaTR9-7.thumb.jpg.7f79d052df545d377f0821c38847e0f4.jpg

Spur-winged Lapwing

5abbb0e44a2cb_GambiaTR9-12.thumb.jpg.5a4e1d65a7621358081d5049e49fdbf1.jpg

Whimbrel

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the middle of the day, we would get interesting sightings around the lodge

5abbb2106edd1_GambiaTR8-6.jpg.1a75ee4e554ce6364f822198480e3933.jpg

Hoopoe with Kill

5abbb21540dc5_GambiaTR9-17.thumb.jpg.9791458790b8be689ccc06335852aba2.jpg

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

There was a pool at the lodge. We didn't use it, but at around 4pm each day, a number of visitors did use it

5abbb21fc5fb2_GambiaTR9-50.jpg.9a37cd6ea21b04986babd9f7982e10e1.jpg

 

5abbb242a8149_GambiaTR9-51.jpg.9c2b2ac4cb5b7ee71b3510058c8c3cb4.jpg

 

5abbb24982a92_GambiaTR9-52.jpg.7fa90175ad25729853aed0ea3d3d0600.jpg

Bee-eaters taking a bath

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The floating lodge is so cool! What a great way to stay at a mangrove area. And so many beautiful birds to see - a lot of lifers for me. That turaco and gonolek are stunningbirds, and the oyster-eating  baboon is fascinating.

do you think it would be secure area and place for a solo lady to stay at?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

offshorebirder

Wow @TonyQ - Bearded Barbet, what a cool bird!

 

The Brown Sunbird certainly looks like a Cisticola.  I agree that 'Mouse Sunbird' has much more appeal.

 

Nice angle to highlight the wattles on the Common Wattle-eye.  I have found Wattle-eyes to be difficult to photograph well.

 

Add I am living vicariously through your Violet Turaco photos!

 

* In all my years of observing shorebirds, I have never seen a Whimbrel perched on a tree limb!   Willet, Spotted Sandpipers, even Solitary Sandpipers but never a Whimbrel.   

 

And I like the Bee-eater splash-bathing photos a lot.

 

Thanks very much for preparing this TR - looks like you and @Thursday's Child had a blast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember I looked at this floating lodge place once (before my wife put the Gambia ban in place). Really getting some lovely birding there - amazing variety and so many beautiful ones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Kitsafari Thank you. Mandina would be safe for a single female, but it might be a lonely trip. DIning is at individual tables, and the activities tend to be done with your own guide, so not that much mixing with other guests. ( @Galana has just been so he can comment on that experience). As for the rest of The Gambia - with a reputable guide I am sure you would be safe (and there are a few female guides), but again it might be fairly lonely staying in hotels. Birding group tours do go from the UK (and from other countries).

 

It is a destination for birding really, and winter sun. Easy to get to fairly cheaply from Europe, but I imagine pretty expensive from Singapore.

 

@offshorebirder thank you. I have never seen a Whimbrel in a tree before either! Yes we did have a very good time.

@pault  Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On one afternoon we took a cruise in a small boat with two other guests, our guide and a boatman. The idea was to see birds coming in to roost on an island in the river. This was an additional cost (£70 total for two of us, including a bottle of wine)

5ac3691fe8200_GambiaTR9-6.jpg.42d88af66697fc131d6ab0b583f89453.jpg

Greenshank

5ac3692714413_GambiaTR9-22.thumb.jpg.4562b926e14bab8990a15d38b210d288.jpg

Goliath Heron

5ac3692b205aa_GambiaTR9-40.jpg.97430545f61910068c54df377072769b.jpg

A fishing base

Osprey are quite common in The Gambia at this time of year,and can be seen quite closely

5ac3693bc7ce7_GambiaTR9-18.jpg.59f7c8107e7c346f89e59c7e8bbff168.jpg

 

5ac3693eb78cc_GambiaTR9-19.jpg.e09df5f99e1f286815af643e21c79fa6.jpg

 

5ac3694132ee1_GambiaTR9-20.jpg.60648790eaa6c8bd2ad775a10aca7597.jpg

 

5ac3694f0102a_GambiaTR9-21.jpg.139aa1544789e13a75cc8725fc86c6eb.jpg

We also saw other people fishing

5ac36952ee49c_GambiaTR9-41.jpg.e33f64e659aabe41a4be081f511de613.jpg

 

We then arrived at the place that birds came into roost. Light was very low at this time, so difficult to photograph, but it was a lovely experience seeing thousands of birds coming in to roost

5ac36958c3306_GambiaTR9-42.jpg.3b940844bca4693b007c4ddf4dd23fd2.jpg

 

5ac3696284c16_GambiaTR9-43.jpg.315490acba54dee5eaae90be25d33f6c.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On another day we took a trip to Kartong, on the coast. We went with our guide and a taxi. It was a different environment with some wet land a beach area

5ac36add62177_GambiaTR10-1.jpg.c536a7612d70ad11c853f3f8d411fec2.jpg

Purple Swamphen

5ac36ae3cc44a_GambiaTR10-2.thumb.jpg.a3bf5c9e93af1242b0d52fed958f0a74.jpg

Allen's Gallinule

5ac36aeecad3a_GambiaTR10-4.thumb.jpg.72e0d7c84b281449ec67e6458c6923ea.jpg

African Jacana - juvenile

5ac36af4853b4_GambiaTR10-6.jpg.e8322f138041489b61320293a97cb762.jpg

White-faced Whistling Duck

5ac36afa4d36e_GambiaTR10-8.jpg.584f50c89644505b8b9c4f56ab194a85.jpg

Great White Pelican

5ac36b025ece7_GambiaTR10-5.jpg.ac7f37d3aa0af422a5c73f6f099f68c0.jpg

Abyssinian Roller - a beautiful bird

5ac36b0a98f43_GambiaTR10-9.jpg.02b35c819db8d56a900e5a729c83f72d.jpg

Beaudouin's SnakeEagle

5ac36b1bdd644_GambiaTR10-13.jpg.27d2799ff11dda8386b3eb9b4ede6c7c.jpg

Namaqua Dove

5ac36b1eb6db2_GambiaTR10-10.jpg.e3738dca656f71e8a911639d03db32ea.jpg

Rufous-crowned Roller

5ac36b21771ab_GambiaTR10-11.jpg.8b6deb471bc59874570aa928568f4a7d.jpg

 

5ac36d88b0210_GambiaTR10-21.jpg.aadd9e468925566886a54d3d3088c6c4.jpg

And a distant view of an Osprey with a very large fish

Edited by TonyQ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Walks around the area of Mandina Lodge, in the forest and surrounding lands were enjoyable and productive

5ac36e0ab6ab2_GambiaTRP-5.jpg.0f59c1905ff960499c84e6b93e801e01.jpg

 

5ac36e1e4e908_GambiaTR11-1.thumb.jpg.f272a910762f7396381a1b95a54fede4.jpg

Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher

5ac36e2ab0c7f_GambiaTRwtbeeeater-3.thumb.jpg.5450298d73085ddd2ba454f8608541b4.jpg

White-throated Bee-eaters

5ac36e3587367_GambiaTRwtbeeeater-1.thumb.jpg.8f2d1621f20385b4deaadb0eeb1c8c8e.jpg

 

5ac36e400c531_GambiaTR9-16.thumb.jpg.e1b678ee385226644311736c9ad61539.jpg

Little Bee-eater

5ac36e482f9aa_GambiaTR10-20.thumb.jpg.10189ef70854b37e0a8d31fb51e6ff8c.jpg

On one walk we were acommpanied by theis three-legged dog from the lodge.

5ac36e54e28fc_GambiaTR10-14.jpg.a500883d11d6619940ee787202bf3c62.jpg

Blackcap Babblers in the undergrowth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As we didn't see that many mammals, I was foolish to forget to put this in from a day much earlier in the trip

5ac36f4307424_GambiaTRsquirrel-21.jpg.7af27b7284c4dc5b68316f6086154b06.jpg

Side-striped Squirrel

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back at Mandina, to finish off with a few Sunbirds

5ac36f8797bf9_GambiaTR7-13.jpg.66a3f4769299c18136bb79d4c6903ad9.jpg

Beautiful Sunbird

5ac36f8d0d06f_GambiaTR7-14.jpg.c598f3adeedbb1e69adbead4c816030b.jpg

Variable Sunbird

5ac36f939aefb_GambiaTR9-14.thumb.jpg.b5e127f2254d001ee2abad87dc970adc.jpg

Our friend the Brown (Mouse) Sunbird

5ac36f961036f_GambiaTR11-2.jpg.edf0610fc8c2dcdd87e555ad61759006.jpg

Splendid Sunbird

On our final morning walk we spent some enjoyable time watching a family of Guinea Baboons enjoying the sun and grooming

5ac37058d6739_GambiaTRBaboon-6.jpg.8bb703593f7c00450ade9df45d5f8b00.jpg

Male relaxing

5ac370637f734_GambiaTRBaboon-7.thumb.jpg.729e3d12e8cba919702632f8ca8ca8f2.jpg

Youngster looking down on us

5ac3706a9145d_GambiaTRBaboon-8.thumb.jpg.7ec116b582544fb882a450bcefd937cd.jpg

 

5ac3707142a2a_GambiaTRBaboon-9.thumb.jpg.3571526d984b3e4bcddc05b449b50ca1.jpg

 

So that is about it. We really enjoyed The Gambia. It is a great place for a winter birding break from the UK and much of Europe. It can be done cheaply. The flight is only 6 hours and no real time difference. I suspect we may return.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@TonyQ thank you for sharing your TR. Such an enjoyable read and as always loved your photos of both birds n mammals  (including a dog!).

 

You are prob right - gambia is a distance away from my area to do just a short trip. Glad you found a good quick getaway though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy