Turaco Birding Expeditions

THE GAMBIA AND TURACO BIRDING EXPEDITIONS

The Gambia is six hours flying from Europe. It is the gateway to African birding, a small country located where dry and humid zones meet in West Africa. Birds of these both climate zones occur in The Gambia, as well as migrating species to or through West Africa. Africa is custodian to 2,229 bird species and The Gambia lists a total of around 550 species.

Scenic beaches and estuaries, remnant pockets of coastal forest, a vast river with a labyrinth of mangrove and riparian forest, dry savannah woodland, agricultural pastures and paddy fields provide a wide range of habitats.

Turaco Birding Expeditions are headed by the professional bird guide Musa Jatta. With more than 12 years of field experience, his knowledge of the country birding areas and all the Gambian species is absolute. We design specific itineraries according to your needs and length of the expedition, to watch as many species as possible and search for the most elusive ones. Photographic and filming opportunities in good light conditions are excelent. Depending on the group size, we travel with either a 7 sitter or 14 sitter Toyota minibuses. An example of a 4 days expedition is provided below.

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TOUR SUGGESSTION

This is an example of a 4 days expedition. Please contact us and let us know your needs to arrange the best itinerary for your tour.

DAY 1

We pick you up at about 6.30 am, heading east along the Gambia highway and stopping at interesting sites to birdwatchers and photographers such as Pirang rice fields, Faraba Banta groundnut field or Faraba Sutu woods. A stop will be made at Brumang bridge for half an hour and refreshment made available. From there we proceed to Kwinclah village to find one of the spectacular colonies of Pink-backed Pelican. Our accommodation at Tendaba Camp is basic comfortable, nicely situated on the bank of the river Gambia, including a pool for cooling off.

Expected birds at Pirang rice fields: Yellow-billed Stork, Greater Flamingo, Black Crowned Crane, Lanner Falcon, Brown-necked Parrot, Collared Pratincole, White-fronted Bee-eater, Rufous-rumped and Crested Larks, Plain-backed Pipit, Wire-tailed and Grey-rumped Swallows, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Yellow-crowned Bishop, African Quailfinch and more.

Expected birds on the stops along the road: White-headed and African White-backed Vultures, Bateleur, African and Ayres’ Hawk-eagles, Western Banded Snake-eagle, Tawny and Martial Eagles, Bronze-winged Courser, Rollers, Yellow-fronted Canary, Lesser Blue-eared, Greater Blue-eared and Bronze-tailed Glossy Starlings, White-shouldered Black Tit, White-fronted Black-chat, Pygmy Sunbird, Southern Masked and Heuglin’s Weavers, Red-winged Pytilia and more.

Expected birds at Brumang bridge: Great White Pelican, Yellow-billed and Woolly-necked Storks, Marabou, Rüppell’s Griffon, White-headed and African White-backed Vultures, African Fish-eagle, Bateleur, Brown Snake-eagle and more.

Expected birds at Tendaba airport: Saddlebill, White-rumped Seedeater, Long-crested Eagle, African Little Sparrowhawk, African Hobby, Bronze-winged Courser, Northern Ground-hornbill, Long-tailed Nightjar, Plain-backed Pipit, Western Bonelli’s and Melodious Warbler, Pygmy Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Melba Finch, White-rumped Seedeater and more.

Expected birds at creeks at Tendaba: White-backed Night-heron, Goliath Heron, African Finfoot, Pel’s Fishing-owl, Blue Crested-flycatcher, Mouse-brown Sunbird, Black-headed Weaver and more.

DAY 2

Early in the morning we will explore the camp area before breakfast is served at 8.00 am. After, a creek tour to the interesting North Bank Creeks, Tunku and Kisi Bolon is included. Later, we will drive to various good sites as Pakaliba, Buiba, Dalaba or Jahali Swamp. We will also cross the river for the North Bank, where the African Cuckoo-hawk was reported recently, new to the Gambian list. We’ll spend the night at Baobalong Camp or at Bird Safari Camp in Georgetown, 150 m east of river Gambia.

Expected birds at Tendaba Camp area: Squacco Heron, African Spoonbill, Village Indigobird, Brown-necked Parrot, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Bruce’s Green-pigeon, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, White-shouldered Black Tit, White-crowned Robin-chat, Black-rumped Waxbill, Cut-throat Finch, Red-billed and Red-headed Queleas, Pin-tailed Whydah and more.

Expected birds at Baobalong area: Dwarf Bittern, Isabelline Shrike, Black-rumped Waxbill, Exclamatory Paradise-whydah and more.

DAY 3

After breakfast is served, we will drive to Basse and arrive to the terminal, where it is often possible to get good views of the Egyptian Plover, which is local here and in a few other localities. We will also visit Bansang Sandpit and adjacent areas.

Expected birds along the road to Basse: Long-legged and Red-necked Buzzards, Brown Snake-eagle, Booted Eagle, Black-bellied Bustard, Bronze-winged Courser, African Skimmer, Adamawa Turtle-dove, Great Spotted and African Cuckoos, Greater and Lesser Honeyguides, Flappet Lark, Singing Bushlark, White-browed Forest-flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Hyliota and more.

Expected birds at Bansang Sandpit area: Amethyst Starling, Sudan Golden Sparrow, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Croaking Cisticola, Brown-rumped Bunting, African Yellow White-eye and more.

DAY 4

We will look for aquatic birds at Basse river and nearby rice fields, trying to get all the common and the most elusive ones.

Expected birds at Basse river and rice fields: Long-tailed Cormorant, Black and Ovambo Sparrowhawks, African Crake, African Finfoot, White-bellied Bustard, Greater Painted-snipe, Senegal Thick-knee, Egyptian Plover, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Red-throated Bee-eater, African Black Coucal, Zebra Waxbill, African Shrike-flycatcher and more.

OTHER TRIPS AVALAIBLE WITH TURACO EXPEDITION

SOUTH GAMBIA TRIP

Serrekunda Market

Lamin Lodge

Brikama Craft Market

Kachumeh

Paradise Beach

Snake Farm

SAFARI TRIP

Kartong

Batik Factory

Camel Safari