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Species list |
List
of species seen
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Little Grebe |
Up to 5 on Sewage Pits opposite Badala Park Hotel |
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Pink-backed Pelican |
About 15 seen at Pirang Fish Ponds, and flocks of 2 and 20 seen on separate days over Kotu Creek |
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Long-tailed Cormorant |
Seen every day at various locations - maximum 20 on one day |
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Great Cormorant |
One on wires over Oyster Creek |
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African Darter |
Overflying birds seen only - 1 over the Cycle Track, and 3 over Marakissa |
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Grey Heron |
Small numbers seen every day |
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Black-headed Heron |
Up to 12 at Abuko, and 1 in the Kotu area |
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Striated Heron |
3 sightings on Kotu Creek |
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Squacco Heron |
Maximum 6 at Marakissa, 2 at both Abuko & the marsh beside Kotu Creek, and 1 at the Kotu sewage pits |
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Cattle Egret |
Very common - seen every day in most areas |
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Great White Egret |
Up to 5 seen each day |
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Black Egret |
At least 2 birds were on the ponds next to Kotu Creek, and were very approachable even when feeding |
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Little Egret |
Up to 5 seen around Kotu Creek regularly, 3 at Marakissa, and 1 at Tanji |
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Western Reef-Egret |
15 at Camaloo Corner en route to ferry, 6 at Pirang Fish Ponds, up to 3 at Kotu, and singles at Tanji & Brufut beaches - all dark phase |
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Night Heron |
One adult and a juvenile at the Crocodile Pool, Abuko |
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Hammerkop |
3 in Kotu area, 2 building nest at Abuko, 5 in Essau area, and 2 at Marakissa |
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Yellow-billed Stork |
1 adult circling over Kotu, and a juvenile on Kotu Creek |
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Sacred Ibis |
Up to 5 in the Kotu area |
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African Spoonbill |
A single bird flew from the Kotu Creek |
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White-faced Whistling-Duck |
18 birds were at the Sewage Pits on one of two visits, and 12 birds flew over the Kotu Creek the following day |
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Black-shouldered Kite |
Up to 4 birds seen on every full days birding - usually perched on telegraph wires or hovering |
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Black Kite |
Very common in all areas |
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Hooded Vulture |
Very common |
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Palm-nut Vulture |
2 sightings at Abuko, 2 sightings at Kotu, and 1 in the Essau area |
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Brown Snake Eagle |
A single bird was looking for thermals directly overhead at Marakissa |
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Short-toed Eagle |
Only one seen flying (from the car) mid-week |
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African Harrier-Hawk |
A maximum of 5 birds seen each day (usually 1-2), including a couple of juveniles |
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Marsh Harrier |
1 seen from the aeroplane on landing, and a male at Marakissa |
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Montagu's Harrier |
1 male over Faraba Bush Track |
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Dark Chanting Goshawk |
Less common than expected - singles at Pirang and the journey from Faraba Bush Track to the coast |
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Gabar Goshawk |
A pair on route from Faraba Bush Track to the coast |
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Shikra |
3 on one day, and singles on every other day |
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Lizard Buzzard |
2 at Marakissa, 2 at Brufut Woods, and singles at Yundum Pool, Essau, and Kotu Cycle Track |
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Tawny Eagle |
1 at Abuko |
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Wahlberg's Eagle |
1 over Marakissa |
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Booted Eagle |
1 over Lamin Village |
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Osprey |
Most common at Barra (10), but up to 4 seen on most days |
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Grey Kestrel |
3 on Atlantic Road, up to 3 in the Kotu area, 2-3 at Abuko, 2 at Pirang, and 1 at Essau |
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Lanner Falcon |
1 at Abuko |
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Red-necked Falcon |
1 over Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Peregrine Falcon |
3 on journey from Kotu to Barra |
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Kestrel |
1-2 seen on most days |
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Double-spurred Francolin |
1-2 sightings every day, with parties of single to 8 birds |
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Stone Partridge |
2 flew up from track at Tanji |
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African Jacana |
Up to 8 beside Kotu Creek, 2 at Abuko, and 6 at Essau |
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Wattled Plover |
Up to 10 in the Kotu area, 2 on the Cycle Track, 5 at Yundum Pools, 2 at Lamin Fields, 5 at Marakissa, 2 at Tanji |
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Black-headed Plover |
4 on Fajara Golf Course, 3 at Kotu Sewage Pits, 12 at Lamin Fields, 8 at Essau |
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Spur-winged Plover |
Commonly seen in all areas |
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Grey Plover |
Seen most days in single figures, although up to 20 on Barra coastline |
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Ringed Plover |
One on Kotu Creek, at least 20 on Barra coastline |
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Kentish Plover |
At least 15 on Barra coastline |
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White-fronted Plover |
At least 40 on Barra coastline |
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Curlew |
Up to 5 seen on most days |
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Whimbrel |
Small numbers seen on most days |
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Black-tailed Godwit |
Up to 10 on Kotu Creek, 2 on Kotu Sewage Pits |
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Bar-tailed Godwit |
4 on Barra coastline |
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Wood Sandpiper |
Up to 20 around Kotu Creek, 10 on Kotu Sewage Pits |
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Greenshank |
2 at Pirang Fish Ponds, singles at Kotu Creek and Tanji |
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Green Sandpiper |
Up to 5 on Kotu Creek, I at Tanji Beach, 2 on Kotu Sewage Pits |
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Marsh Sandpiper |
2 at Kotu Sewage Pits, 1 at Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Redshank |
Occasional birds seen at Kotu Creek and Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Common Sandpiper |
2 on Kotu Creek, 1 on Kotu Sewage Pits |
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Turnstone |
10 at Brufut Beach, 20 at Barra coastline, 1 at Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Sanderling |
50 on Barra Coastline |
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Curlew Sandpiper |
3 on Kotu Creek |
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Little Stint |
2 together at Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Ruff |
Up to 30 on Kotu Creek, 20 on Kotu Sewage Pits |
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Black-winged Stilt |
100+ in Kotu area, and 2 at Pirang Ponds |
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Avocet |
Up to 15 on Kotu Creek |
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Senegal Thick-knee |
Up to 15 on Kotu Creek |
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Temminck's Courser |
A pair eventually located on the Lamin Fields |
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Pomarine Skua |
1 from Banjul to Barra ferry |
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Arctic Skua |
1 from Banjul to Barra ferry |
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Yellow-legged Herring Gull |
Up to 8 on Tanji and Brufut beaches, 20 at Barra |
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Grey-headed Gull |
Very common - seen every day in good numbers |
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Kelp Gull |
15 on the water at Tanji Beach, 5 on the water at Brufut Beach, 20 from the Banjul to Barra ferry |
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Lesser Black-backed Gull |
3 from Banjul to Barra ferry |
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Slender-billed Gull |
Up to 40 on Tanji beach, 3 on Barra coastline |
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Black-headed Gull |
Small numbers seen in Grey-headed Gull flocks |
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Lesser Crested Tern |
About 15 birds amongst Tern flock on Barra coastline |
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Caspian Tern |
Up to 3 over Kotu Creek, 6 at Tanji Beach, about 50 in mixed Tern flock on Barra coastline |
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Royal Tern |
12 at Brufut Beach, about 50 in mixed Tern flock on Barra coastline, singles at Kotu Beach |
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Gull-billed Tern |
5 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 1 at Brufut Beach, 2 from Banjul to Barra ferry |
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Sandwich Tern |
Small numbers seen regularly at coastal sites |
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Four-banded Sandgrouse |
27 birds flew into Yundum pool just before dusk |
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Speckled Pigeon |
Seen every day - from odd birds to small flocks of up to 10 |
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African Mourning Dove |
Very common - seen every day at most sites |
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Red-eyed Dove |
Common but sometimes seen irregularly |
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Laughing Dove |
Very common -seen every day at all sites |
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Vinaceous Dove |
Probably the most common of the Streptopelia Doves |
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Namaqua Dove |
10 in Essau area, and singles at Marakissa and Yundum Pool area |
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Black-billed Wood Dove |
Most commonly seen at Abuko (up to 20 birds), but small numbers seen at other sites, such as 10 at Essau |
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Blue-spotted Wood Dove |
Commonly seen, although not quite as many as Black-billed Wood Dove. Up to 20 also seen at Abuko |
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African Green Pigeon |
12 at Marakissa, 3 at Tanji, 2 at Pirang, and singles on Fajara Golf Course and the coast |
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Senegal Parrot |
Up to 5 in the Kotu area, 8 at Pirang, 4 at Marakissa, 5 at Essau |
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Rose-ringed Parakeet |
2 sightings of 3 in Kotu area, 1 at Pirang, 4 over the Kotu Cycle Track, 3 at Marakissa |
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Green Turaco |
At least 4 at Abuko |
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Violet Turaco |
2 separate birds at Abuko (1 came to photo hide) |
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Western Grey Plantain-eater |
Common - seen on all days and usually approachable |
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Klaas's Cuckoo |
A single bird was seen at Brufut Woods |
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Senegal Coucal |
Seen every day - from singles to 25 in one day |
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Verreaux's Eagle Owl |
1 at Abuko. This bird is regularly seen, and can usually be found by one of the guides |
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Pearl-spotted Owlet |
Only one seen - just before dusk in a tree between Kotu Creek and Badala Park Hotel |
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Long-tailed Nightjar |
5 flying over Kotu Cycle Track, including 2 which landed on the tracks |
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Standard-winged Nightjar |
5 flying over Kotu Cycle Track, including 1 on the track |
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Little Swift |
A hundred or so birds over Banjul ferry terminal, 3 over Kotu Sewage Pits, 3 over Pirang Fish Ponds, 10 over Atlantic Road |
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Common Swift |
Hundreds in the air over Banjul ferry terminal, only occasional birds seen elsewhere |
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Mottled Spinetail |
1 bird only - flying overhead at pirang |
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African Palm Swift |
Quite common - seen in small parties every day (up to 20 birds in one day) |
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Pied Kingfisher |
Seen every day in all areas with open water - maximum around 30 in one day |
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Malachite Kingfisher |
1 bird seen on 3 occasions alongside Kotu Creek lower bridge |
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African Pygmy Kingfisher |
A single bird was seen fishing briefly in front of the exhibition centre at Abuko |
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Striped Kingfisher |
2 seen - 1 on Fajara Golf Course and the other at Faraba Bush Track |
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Giant Kingfisher |
1 landed at the first pool at Abuko, and 3 further sightings of birds flying over Kotu Creek |
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Swallow-tailed Bee-eater |
3 at Tanji, and a very approachable group of 4 feeding beside Atlantic Road |
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Blue-cheeked Bee-eater |
7 at Mangrove area next to Pirang Fish Ponds, 1 over Abuko |
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Little Bee-eater |
Regularly seen on all days, with perhaps up to 50 as a daily maximum |
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Abyssinian Roller |
Seen every day, usually as lone birds - maximum of 8 in one day |
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Blue-bellied Roller |
Seen every day, usually in pairs or groups. Maximum of 12 in one day |
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Rufous-crowned Roller |
Up to 8 seen at Faraba Bush Track, 1 at Essau |
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Hoopoe |
1 at Kotu Sewage Pits, 1 at Essau |
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Green Wood-Hoopoe |
Seen every day - always in small groups. Up to 15 on any one day |
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Black Wood-hoopoe |
2 birds together on Fajara Golf Course |
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Red-billed Hornbill |
Very common in all areas |
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African Pied Hombill |
Up to 4 at Abuko, 1 at Pirang, 2 at Marakissa, 1 at Brufut Woods |
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African Grey Hombill |
1 at Pirang, 4 at Yundum, 1 at Marakissa, 1 at Brufut Woods, 4 at Abuko, 2 at Essau |
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Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird |
A single bird in the coastal scrub at Kotu |
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Bearded Barbet |
2 next to Kotu Sewage Pits, 1 at Abuko, a group of 3 on Atlantic Road, 3 at Pirang, 1 next to Brufut Beach, 1 at Essau |
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Viellot's Barbet |
2 separate birds at Essau |
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Lesser Honeyguide |
2 separate birds seen at Abuko |
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Buff-spotted Woodpecker |
A single bird at Abuko |
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Fine-spotted Woodpecker |
An adult with a juvenile at Fajara Golf Course, 2 separate birds next to Kotu Sewage Pits, singles at Pirang and Essau |
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Grey Woodpecker |
2 separate birds at Abuko, 3 at Essau |
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Crested Lark |
Main sight was at Pirang Fish Ponds (12), with another 2 on Kotu Beach |
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Sand Martin |
1 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 3 at Tanji |
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Red-chested Swallow |
Up to 20 birds seen on any day |
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Barn Swallow |
Occasional birds seen only |
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Wire-tailed Swallow |
Closest views were of 5 at Kotu Creek lower bridge, a further 6 over the Cycle Track, 5 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 4 at Tanji Beach |
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Fanti Saw-wing |
Up to 30 at Tanji, about 12 at Abuko |
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White Wagtail |
1 at the airport on arrival, 1 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 1 at Tanji Beach |
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Yellow Wagtail |
4 next to Kotu Cycle track, 2 at Lamin, 1 at Tanji, 2 at Brufut Woods, 2 at Kotu Creek |
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Yellow-throated Longclaw |
Up to 4 birds together in the marsh area next to Kotu Creek |
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Plain-backed Pipit |
3 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 1 at the Lamin Fields |
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Tree Pipit |
1 at Pirang Fish Ponds |
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Little Greenbul |
Up to 6 birds at Abuko, 1 at Marakissa |
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Common Bulbul |
Very common in all habitats |
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Yellow-throated Leaflove |
1 bird only seen at the dripping pipe beside Kotu Creek |
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Grey-headed Bristlebill |
A single bird at Abuko |
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Northern Puffback |
1 male at Marakissa |
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Black-crowned Tchagra |
Single birds at Brufut Beach and Brufut Woods |
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Yellow-crowned Gonolek |
1 at the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek, up to 4 in the Cycle Track area, 1 at Yundum Pool, 1 at Essau, and up to 6 on Atlantic Road |
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Yellow-billed Shrike |
Common - seen every day, usually in small parties |
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Woodchat Shrike |
Seen on most days, with maximum daily count of 8 |
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Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat |
Up to 4 at Abuko, 1 at the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek, 1 at Yundum pool |
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Common Redstart |
Singles at Kotu and Essau |
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Whinchat |
1 in the Lamin fields, 1 at Essau |
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Northern Anteater-Chat |
A single bird was seen between Essau and Barra |
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Northern Wheatear |
10 in the Lamin Fields, 1 at Pirang Fish Ponds, 3 at Essau |
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African Thrush |
Up to 15 birds seen on most days in wooded areas |
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Brown Babbler |
Very common - seen every day |
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Blackcap Babbler |
Around 6 in a group around the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek, 6 in Abuko, 1 at Essau |
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Sedge Warbler |
1 at the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek |
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Reed Warbler |
6 around the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek |
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Olivaceous Warbler |
Singles at Kotu Creek and the Kotu Cycle track |
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Melodious Warbler |
2 at Tanji |
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Blackcap |
A single female at the dripping pipe next to Kotu Creek |
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Subalpine Warbler |
2 sightings in the Kotu Creek area |
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Common Whitethroat |
1 at Tanji Beach |
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Chiffchaff |
1 at the Kotu Sewage Pits area, and 1 at Marakissa |
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Wood Warbler |
A single bird only at Tanji |
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Willow Warbler |
3 in the Kotu area |
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Tawny-flanked Prinia |
Seen on most days - quite common and usually obvious on call |
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Fan-tailed Warbler |
2 birds in the Kotu Marsh and Pond area |
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Yellow-breasted Apalis |
Up to 3 birds at Abuko in the vicinity of marker 24 |
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Oriole Warbler |
The only site where these were seen was at the dripping pipe next to the Kotu Creek, where there were probably 3 birds |
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Grey-backed Camaroptera |
2 separate birds at Abuko, 1 near Kotu Creek, and 1 near Yundum Pool |
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Green-backed Eremomela |
Best views were of up to 6 birds in an isolated tree near Essau, also 2 at Abuko and 1 at Faraba Bush Track |
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Northern Crombec |
3 sightings at Abuko, 1 at Faraba Bush Track, 1 at Lamin Fields |
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Black Flycatcher |
2 in Tam Tam night club grounds (Kotu), 3 on the Kotu Cycle track, 1 at Pirang, 5 Marakissa / Pirang |
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Wattle-eye |
The only site where these were seen was at Abuko, where up to 10 birds were seen, often following location by song |
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African Paradise-Flycatcher |
What was probably the same male bird was seen near the toilets at Abuko orphanage |
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Red-bellied Paradise-Flycatcher |
Up to 4 birds were seen at Abuko - a mixture of males and females |
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Collared Sunbird |
A family party of male, female and juvenile at Abuko, the only other sighting was a male at Pirang |
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Pygmy Sunbird |
4 males were in the Essau area |
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Splendid Sunbird |
8 birds on Fajara Golf Course, 2 at Abuko, and singles at Tanji Beach and Brufut Woods |
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Beautiful Sunbird |
The most common sunbird around hotel gardens. 20 were also seen on Atlantic Road, singles at the Cycle Track and Kotu Beach scrub, and 1 at Marakissa |
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Scarlet-chested Sunbird |
A party of 3 males and 3 females were feeding together near the Verraux's Eagle Owl site at Abuko, a separate male was in the canopy near to Abuko Exhibition Centre, and another male was in the Essau area |
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Variable Sunbird |
Seen on all days but one. Highest daily count was around 20 in the Kotu area. There were also 6 on the north side of the river in the Essau area |
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Yellow-fronted Canary |
3 at Lamin, 3 at the Faraba Bush Track, 2 at Essau |
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Western Bluebill |
A male and female came to the drinking pool in front of the Jewel Box photo hide at Abuko |
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Red-billed Firefinch |
Very common - seen on almost every day in good numbers |
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Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu |
Seen every day in good numbers |
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Lavender Waxbill |
2 birds together at Pirang, and up to 10 birds visited the pool in front of the Jewel Box hide at Abuko |
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Orange-cheeked Waxbill |
4 birds together near Kotu Cycle Track, and one on the coast south of Tanji |
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African Silverbill |
20 at the Kotu Cycle Track, 2 at Tanji, and around 10 in the gardens of the Badala Park Hotel |
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Bronze Mannikin |
At least 50 birds around the Abuko orphanage, 6 in the Kotu area, 6 at the Kotu Sewage Pits, and 6 on Atlantic Road |
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Cut-throat |
A single male was with other finches on the open land of the Lamin Fields |
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Village Indigobird |
A male and 2 separate females seen in the Kotu area |
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Pin-tailed Whydah |
A male in non-breeding plumage was in Brufut Woods |
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White-billed Buffalo Weaver |
Very common - seen on most days in flocks, with the largest of about 100 birds near Essau |
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House Sparrow |
Seen occasionally, with by far the largest concentration at the Banjul ferry terminal |
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Grey-headed Sparrow |
Seen at most sites in small flocks, and on most days, with a maximum of around 20 in one day |
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Bush Petronia |
2 in Lamin Fields and 2 at Essau |
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Village Weaver |
Extremely common - possibly the most commonest bird of the trip |
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Black-necked Weaver |
Up to 20 at Abuko, 2 at Pirang, 2 at Brufut Woods |
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Northern Red Bishop |
Occasional flocks of birds (perhaps up to 100 in each) seen next to Kotu Sewage Pits, Lamin Fields, and Kotu Cycle Track |
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Long-tailed Glossy Starling |
The most common Starling by far, although not always very approachable. Seen every day on both sides of the river, with a daily maximum of 25 birds |
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Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling |
2 on Fajara Golf Course, 1 at Marakissa, and about 30 in the Starling flocks at Essau |
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Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling |
6 at Marakissa, and about 10 in the mixed Starling flocks in Essau |
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Purple Glossy Starling |
About 15 birds in 2 mixed Starling flocks in the Essau area |
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Splendid Glossy Starling |
5 birds were in a single group on one of two visits to Abuko |
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Yellow-billed Oxpecker |
Up to 12 birds on cattle around Kotu Ponds, 2 birds at Essau, and 1 at Lamin |
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African Golden Oriole |
2 at Pirang, 1 at Marakissa |
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Fork-tailed Drongo |
5 at Marakissa, 1 next to Kotu Ponds, 1 at Kotu Cycle Track, 2 at Abuko, 1 at Pirang, and 2 at Essau |
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Piapiac |
Seen on almost every day - common and usually seen in groups |
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Pied Crow |
Very common in all areas |
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Species list |