The 19th saw Debbie & me
having the day to ourselves and we walked the short distance to Bijilo Forest
just 20 minutes to the north of where we were staying. On the way we walked
along the road where we encountered Cattle Egrets, Senegal Coucal, African Palm
Swift, Long-tailed Glossy Starling and Piapiac while on the telegraph wires
were a Blue-bellied Roller and 2 Shikras, one adult and a juvenile. And just
before we reached the entrance to the forest a pair of Blue-bellied Rollers
came overhead calling and displaying, wrong time for the camera not to be at
hand! In the forest we saw a number of Green Vervet Monkey’s and Red Colobus
Monkey’s but, mostly high in the trees and shy of the camera. A couple of Green
Vervets came close to ‘inspect’ us but were to close for the 400mm lens while
some of the birds included Violet Turaco, African Paradise Flycatcher, Little
Greenbul and Senegal Parrot. When we left the forest our route back was along
the beach where several Hooded Vultures were feeding on the remains of a Turtle
and a large dead fish, Black Kites drifted overhead and offshore were Osprey,
Royal, Caspian and Sandwich Terns and the odd passing Lesser Black-backed Gull
and back at the hotel I had a close encounter with 2 Yellow-billed Shrikes
while around the grounds were Laughing Dove, Red-billed Firefinch, Village
Weaver, Beautiful Sunbird and many Black Kites.
 |
| Hooded Vulture |
 |
| male Pintail Whydah in eclipse |
 |
| Yellow-billed (Black) Kite |
 |
| Brown Babbler |
 |
| Golden Orb Web Spider |
In the afternoon we took a taxi to Cape
Point to visit the markets and we also had a wander around the small, but well
stocked Botanical Gardens and we went to the Crocodile pool at Kachikaly in
nearby Bakau. As well as dozens of Crocodiles there were a pair of
Blue-breasted Kingfishers and a pair of Yellow-throated Leafloves amongst the
avifauna.
 |
| Me doing my Steve Irwin Impression |
 |
| St. Lucia Widow |
On the 20th Debbie and I took a
trip to the Abuko Nature reserve on the main Airport to Banjul road where I
have visited many a time in search of Western Bluebill but without success. On
arrival we were virtually forced to take a guide with us despite me telling
them I didn’t need one and that I had visited numerous times before and new
what I was looking for but still they insisted. “Only if you find me a Western
Bluebill, then I will pay” was my retort. First thing I noticed was that much
of the reserve was overgrown and there appeared to be a lot less bird activity
than on past visits. I know forest birding can be hard work but there is
usually something here. There was bugger all at the pool and viewing was
restricted by overgrown trees in the front of the viewing areas. A few feet on
after leaving the pool we encountered a new species in the Gambia for me in the
shape of a pair of Anhanta Francolins, although heard earlier in the week at
Brufut, they were the first I’d ever seen. A little further on while crouched
low and scanning the forest floor for my elusive Bluebill tick we spotted an
African Thrush and a Common Wattle-eye when Debs said “there’s a small bird on
a log just in front of me” but for the life of me I couldn’t see it and,
couldn’t crouch down as far as her (old man’s knees lol) then, I saw a movement
and caught glimpses of 2 dark birds flitting about before one landed in the
open on a dead bush. Sitting in front of me now was that long sought after bird
the Western Bluebill in all its glory. I was now a happy man and to think my
wife’s first visit to Gambia and she finds me the bird I’d long to see. Another
pair of Anhanta Francolin’s were scurrying through the undergrowth further
along the track while other birds included Grey-backed Camaroptra, Violet
Turaco, Green Turaco, Little Greenbul, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Snowy-crowned
Robin-chat, Black-necked Weaver, Purple Heron, Black-headed Heron and Grey
Woodpecker. Plus also Lavender Waxbill, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, African
Mourning Dove, African Pied Hornbill and Palm-nut Vulture. Also there was, a
young Nile Monitor, Green Vervet and Red Colobus Monkey’s and in the orphanage a group of Baboons, 2
Spotted Hyenas a giant Tortoise with a hole in its shell while overhead were
162 Hooded Vultures.
 |
| African Paradise Flycatcher |
 |
| Nile Monitor |
 |
| Red Colobus Monkey |
 |
| Spotted Hyena |
 |
| morribund White-faced Scops Owl held by my wife |
