Giant Kingfisher
The Gambia is a popular destination with European birders, and for good reason. Located just the other side of the Sahara, The Gambia is easily accessible and has good accommodation and infrastructure. Most importantly for us, the country hosts a fine selection of typical African birds. The Gambia is also well served by expert local guides, and English is spoken widely. Most tours visiting the region base themselves briefly at the coast and spend time exploring the upriver regions, though the ethos of this tour is different. Aimed as a relaxing and bird filled break maybe for those taking their first steps into African birding, the pace will reflect this and there will plenty of opportunities for down time as well as an exciting programme of excursions with expert local guide Modou Jarju. Likely raptors include African Harrier-hawk, Shikra, Black-winged Kite, Osprey, Rednecked Falcon and Hooded Vulture, among many others. Kingfishers are well represented, from the tiny African Pygmy to the noisy Pied. Then there are turacos, hornbills and ground-hornbills, honeyguides, drongos, bulbuls and babblers, robin-chats, paradise flycatchers, sunbirds, bush-shrikes and helmetshrikes, glossy starlings, oxpeckers, widow birds and bishops, and waxbills and weavers - phew! Many of these exotic sounding birds can be found in our hotel gardens, as we have 20 acres of tropical woodland to explore each morning and evening! Red-cheeked Cordon-Bleus, African Golden Oriole, Bearded Barbet, Oriole Warbler, Bronze Mannikin, Red-billed and African Grey Hornbills, Senegal Parrot, Mosque Swallow, Yellow-crowned Gonolek and African Black Flycatcher are some of the delights in store! Our trips into the field with Modou will take us to Abuko Nature reserve, Bijillo, Tanji and Koto ponds and creek where a selection of wetland species includes many egrets, herons, thick-knees, waders, gulls, terns, skuas, rollers & localised forest birds, plus a trip out after dusk to seek the fantastic Long-tailed Nightjar. The focus of the trip is, of course, the birds, but there is a fine selection of other wildlife to enjoy too. We will also be looking out for Vervet Monkey, Fruit Bats, Nile Monitor, Rainbow Lizard and others. Join us for this fine introduction to African birding.
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Introduction
