Local coastal birdwatching areas: home
page up-country
areas testimonials
and pictures
Cape Creek and Crocodile Pool: Grey
Kestrel, Senegal Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-throated
Longclaw, Moho, Bearded Barbet, and Striped kingfisher.
Tanji Bird Reserve: Collared
Sunbird, Viellot's Barbet, and all sorts of Terns. |
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Traditional Gambian fishing boats. |
The beach at Tanji. |
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Bund Road: Black Heron, Sacred Ibis,
Abyssinian Roller, Pink-backed Pelican, Caspian, Royal and
Lesser-crested Tern, Blue-cheeked Bee-Eater. Lamin
Rice Fields: Fine
spotted woodpecker and Viellot's
Barbet. |
Brufut Forest: African Fruit Pigeon,
Milky Eagle owl and Brubru Shrike. Yundum: Temmicks Courser, Dark Chanting Goshawk,
Red-necked Falcon. |
Marakissa Rice Fields: African Jacana,
Painted Snipe, Grey-headed Bush Shrikes. Pirang Rice
Fields and Fish Ponds: Black-crowned
crane and Plain-backed Pipit. |
Koto Stream, Golf Course, Sewage Works: Pied
Kingfisher, Great white Egret, White faced Tree Duck, Malachite
kingfisher, Black-headed Plover, Wattled Plover, Green-backed
Heron, Double-spurred Francolin and African Golden Oriole. |
Abuko Nature Reserve: Green-crested
and Violet Touraco, Hammerkop, Giant kingfisher, Night
heron and Lizard Buzzard.
Some of the species
you might expect to see at each of the sites will
obviously depend on the time of the year, but a keen
group working the coast and up country could reach
over 280 species in 2
weeks.
Feel free to contact me:
tel: 00220 703 1278 email:
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" I spent a week in The Gambia
during Jan 2008 and hired Modou Barry as a guide for
my mum and myself who are keen birders and wildlife
enthusiasts. During this week we spent four mornings
(and one evening) birding with Modou and wished we could
have spent more.
Modou is a polite, friendly and professional guide who
provided a wonderful service, which included comfortable
transport to our destinations, and most importantly
a good local knowledge of current sightings.
We covered every notable location in the Banjul coastal
area: Abuko Nature Reserve, Kotu Sewage Ponds (a lot
nicer than they sound!) and Creek, Brufut Forest and
several walks around local farmland where we never would
have known to go without him and were full of different
birds.
It was enjoyable to spend time with Modou exploring
The Gambia and experiencing the country in a way in
which most people never do (that don't venture further
than their hotel and the beach or organised tours via
their holiday company); and productive as we saw 139
species of bird in total and it could easily have been
more with a little more time to do some return trips
so places such as Abuko or Brufut or maybe to go a little
further afield.
As first time visitors to the Gambia, we had an excellent
time and were we to go again we would certainly contact
Modou as our guide and have no hesitation in recommending
his services. " Jonathan
Groom - UK |
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Up country
birdwatching areas:
Tendaba and Basse: We
may expect to see many species on a
2 night / 3 day (Tendaba) or 3 night / 4 day (Tendaba
and Basse) 'Bird Trek' up-country, including all the
best spots along the way. We stop for any good birds
on the main road and take a lunch break at the Bruman
Bridge.
At Tendaba Camp, you have 2 different creeks
to explore. Kisi Bolon possibly holding Goliath
Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Brown-necked
Parrot, White-backed Night Heron, Spur-winged Goose and many more. Tunku Creek could produce Martial
Eagle, Ground Hornbill, Mosque Swallow, Purple Heron,
Hammerkop, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher,
Senegal Long-tailed Parakeet, Pin-tailed Whydah, Cut-throat
Finch and Grey-headed Kingfisher.
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The pool at Tendaba Camp.
Setting out on a creek trip. |
There are
plenty of amazing sights and sounds in The Gambia as
well as an abundance of rare species. Tendaba Camp is
a very friendly and well run riverside oasis.
We stay overnight at Tendaba
Camp, and after breakfast drive on toward Basse.
The first stop is at Fulabanta, a small village where
we look at Marabou stork nests and further on at Bansang gravel pit. There you can
see Red-throated Bee Eater and many more.
Then on to Basse, where we spend a further night
and here you can see lots of Gambian delights, such
as Egyptian Plover at the
jetty, Carmine Bee-eater,
and Black-bellied Bustards in the rice fields, plus Plovers,
Starlings and possibly Swallow-tailed
Kites.
I can tailor your
tour to exactly suit your time available, your pocket
and your birding goals! |
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The Gambia river at Janjangbureh (Georgetown). |
A dawn boat trip on the Gambia river. |
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