Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 1026, 2013 TOUR SUMMARY Ghana has become a very popular birding destination in recent years, and for good reason. It is a friendly, easily accessible country with decent lodging, and an excellent set of Guinea savannah and West African rainforest birds. Even more importantly, this tour almost guarantees sightings of two of the world’s best birds: the prehistoric and almost mythical White-necked Rockfowl (Picathartes) and unique and beautiful Egyptian Plover. Ghana is easily accessible by direct flights from the US and Europe, and this is a short tour that often works well for those who can’t take long vacations. In the past, we included the Atewa forest in this itinerary, but in recent years, the road to this forest has not been maintained, and visiting this site now requires a long day of walking. For this reason, we chose not to include Atewa on this year’s itinerary. In future years, we will offer Atewa as a short optional pre-tour for those who don’t mind a long hike. GHANA: The Best of West Africa A Tropical Birding Set Departure March 10 - 26, 2013 Guide: Ken Behrens All photos taken during this trip by Ken Behrens
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A Tropical Birding Set Departure€¦ · savannah and West African rainforest birds. Even more importantly, this tour almost guarantees sightings of two of the world’s best birds:
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Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
TOUR SUMMARY
Ghana has become a very popular birding destination in recent years, and for good reason.
It is a friendly, easily accessible country with decent lodging, and an excellent set of Guinea
savannah and West African rainforest birds. Even more importantly, this tour almost guarantees
sightings of two of the world’s best birds: the prehistoric and almost mythical White-necked
Rockfowl (Picathartes) and unique and beautiful Egyptian Plover. Ghana is easily accessible by
direct flights from the US and Europe, and this is a short tour that often works well for those who
can’t take long vacations.
In the past, we included the Atewa forest in this itinerary, but in recent years, the road to
this forest has not been maintained, and visiting this site now requires a long day of walking. For
this reason, we chose not to include Atewa on this year’s itinerary. In future years, we will offer
Atewa as a short optional pre-tour for those who don’t mind a long hike.
GHANA: The Best of West Africa
A Tropical Birding Set Departure
March 10 - 26, 2013 Guide: Ken Behrens
All photos taken during this trip
by Ken Behrens
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
This tour continued in the tradition of Tropical Birding’s highly successful Ghana tours. We
had fabulous experiences with Picathartes
and Egyptian Plover, and racked up 445 bird
species and 23 mammals. Perhaps most
importantly, everybody on the tour thoroughly
enjoyed themselves! From the southern coast
to the dry northern savannahs, we enjoyed
good company, surprisingly excellent
Ghanain food, and wonderful birding.
Things kicked off in the capital of
Accra, where we made an excursion to
Sakumono Lagoon on the first afternoon. This
estuary is always birdy, and usually holds
some unexpected species. A large flock of
African Pygmy-Geese certainly fell into the
unexpected category, as did a Black Coucal in the marsh. We enjoyed sightings of Garganey,
Spotted Redshank, Collared Pratincole, Black Tern, Pomarine Jaeger, and Peregrine Falcon, plus
an array of other shorebirds, herons and egrets, and common scrub birds. As the hazy West
African sun set, we were well satisfied with
our first afternoon of birding.
Although the early part of our itinerary
focuses on rainforest sites, our first full day
was spent in a Guinea Savannah site, the
Shai Hills. The Gap of Dehomey cuts down to
the sea in this part of Ghana, meaning that
dry conditions and savannah prevail in a
narrow band, with rainforest to the east and
the west. This slice of savanna set off by a
towering cluster of inselbergs holds a totally Vieillot’s Barbet on our first morning, at Shai Hills.
The superb Picathartes.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
different set of birds than those found just a little farther west in the rainforest zone. We were
delighted by Bateleur, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, a flock of European Bee-eaters, Violet Turaco, African
Pygmy-Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Vieillot’s and Double-toothed barbets, Greater
Flycatcher, many Pygmy Sunbirds, Brown-rumped and Cabanis’s Bunting, Chestnut-crowned
Sparrow-Weaver, Lavender
Waxbill, Black-bellied
Firefinch, and Togo
Paradise-Whydah. The
incredible Standard-winged
Nightjar again featured as a
highlight of Mole. This
nightjar is a normal nightjar
EXCEPT for two huge, blob-
tipped feathers that grow out
of the middle of its wing.
First-time observers
invariably think that the
nightjar is being chased by
bats or other birds due to the
weird, bouncing rhythm of
these bizarre ʻstandardsʼ!
Another special sighting was
a Thick-billed Cuckoo that Red-throated is just one of several gorgeous bee-eaters that we saw on this tour, and expect to see on every Ghana tour.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
flew over calling loudly. This is a bird that is fairly widespread but very difficult to find anywhere in
Africa. Mole is Ghana’s best site for mammals, and though it doesn’t compare with East African
sites for mammals, there are still plenty of furred creatures around to liven up your time in Mole.
The most notable mammal is African savannah elephant, which we saw frequently from the
balcony of our rooms. There are some huge old ‘tuskers’ in Mole that are wonderful to see.
Smaller mammalian fare includes callithris and patas monkeys, common warthog, bushbuck, kob,
and waterbuck. In some lush riparian woodland, we spotted the scarce Kintampo Rope Squirrel, a
new mammal for me!
Our last stop in the north was the town of Bolgatanga, near the border with Burkina Faso.
This area is even drier and more open than Mole, though it is amazing to think that as dry as
northern Ghana is, itʼs the wettest place for 2000 miles, given the immensity of the Sahara to its
north! Bolgatanga is a strongly Muslim town where motorbikes are the preferred method of
transportation. It has a completely different feel from southern and central Ghana, and indeed it
Violet Turaco, one of the best birds in northern Ghana, in the Guinea Savannah.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
was a very different cultural and political entity until colonial times. Visiting the far north greatly
enhances the diversity of a Ghana tour. We enjoyed excellent success encountering the specialty
birds of this little-explored area. Foremost among these was Egyptian Plover, which was
remarkably accommodating this year, allowing us to approach to just a few meters away. This
dapper little wader is on a shortlist of the best birds on the African continent, and one of the best
shorebirds in the world. It may even represent a monotypic family. Not just striking in appearance,
their run-and-kick-the-sand feeding
antics are great fun to watch. Other
special sightings around
“Bolga” included Little Bittern, nesting
Gabar Goshawk, Fox Kestrel, Four-
banded Sandgrouse, Giant Kingfisher,
Red-rumped (West African) Swallow,
Rock-loving Cisticola, Chestnut-bellied
Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker,
Vitelline and Heuglin’s Masked-
Weavers, and Black-rumped Waxbill.
Though we faced a long journey
south, back to Accra, it was by no
means devoid of birding stops.
Roadside wetlands held Booted Eagle,
Greater Painted-Snipe, African
Quailfinch, Orange-breasted Waxbill,
African Silverbill, and Black-headed Weaver. In Kumasi, we stopped for a night, then visited the
Bobiri Butterfly Forest the next morning. Here, we caught up with several rainforest birds that had
eluded us to that point. Most notable were another African Cuckoo-Hawk, incredible and lengthy
views of a Red-thighed Sparrowhawk that tried and failed to catch a Magpie Mannikin, Red-billed
Dwarf-Hornbill, flyby Brown-necked Parrots, and Narina Trogon. Bobiri is a small forest remnant
that is still being cut, but nonetheless it is always worth a visit.
Grasshopper Buzzard is common in the north.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
The last destination of the trip was the Kalakpa Reserve. This site lies near the border with
Togo in the southeast of Ghana. It’s an interesting area of transition between the Guinea
Savannah of Shai Hills and the Dehomey Gap in general, and the moister rainforest found farther
to the east, outside the gap. As such it supports an interesting mix of species. Unfortunately,
perhaps due to very dry recent weather, Kalakpa was very quiet on this visit. Though we did spot
some excellent species, we had to work very hard for most of them. These hard-earned highlights
included Guinea (Green) Turaco, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Pied-winged Swallow, Brown
Illadopsis, and Forest Robin. Leaf-love and Capuchin Babbler are two of the special birds of
Kalakpa, but they did not cooperate well despite lots of trying. The leaf-love was glimpsed, and the
babbler was only heard.
We headed back to Accra, where the participants caught their late evening flights. Thanks
to everybody on this tour for their good company and good spirits throughout, even when the
birding was hard
work, as is
sometimes the case
in Ghana. Thanks
also to our amazing
local guides Francis
and Emmanuel for
their good company
and birding
expertise. And
finally, thanks also
to our driver Asari,
who put up with the
early mornings and
long drives that are
typical of a birding
tour.
Blue-bellied Roller, perhaps the best-looking of all the African rollers.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
ITINERARY March 10 Arrival in Accra. Afternoon at Sakumono Lagoon. March 11 Shai Hills Reserve to Kakum. March 12 Kakum NP (Canopy Walkway). March 13 Kakum NP (Antiikwa, etc.). March 14 Kakum to Ankassa NP. March 15 Ankassa NP. March 16 Ankassa to Kakum. March 17 Kakum NP to Picathartes Site to Kumasi. March 18 Kumasi to Mole NP. March 19 Mole NP. March 20 Mole NP. March 21 Mole to Tongo Hills to Bolgatanga. March 22 Tono Dam and Egyptian Plover Site. March 23 Bolgatanga to Kumasi. March 24 Bobiri Forest to Ho. March 25 Kalakpa Reserve. March 26 Kalakpa to Accra. International Departures in evening.
Western Plantain-eater in the coastal village of Half Assini.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
PHOTO GALLERY Follows tour’s chronology
Black-winged Stilts, one of many shorebirds from our first afternoon at Sakumono Lagoon.
African Pygmy-Kingfisher. We saw all of Ghana’s kingfishers on this trip.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
Lemon-bellied Crombec (left) and Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle (right) were two prizes
spotted from the canopy walkway at Kakum NP.
Red-headed Malimbe, the biggest and boldest of Ghana’s malimbes.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
White-throated Bee-eater, a real beauty.
Preuss’s Swallows at our normal stakeout. This is a scarce species, though common in the right spots.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
A White-necked Rockfowl or picathartes on its cave nest.
Gray-throated Tit-Flycatcher (left) and a beautiful butterfly at Aboabo (right).
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
African Blue-Flycatcher is really, really blue.
A Standard-winged Nightjar, beautiful even without the standards.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
Little Swift at a nesting colony near Mole NP.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
Yellow-winged Bat (left) and Namaqua Dove (right) at Tono Dam, near Bolgatanga.
One of Africa’s top birds, the immaculate Egyptian Plover.
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013
BIRD LIST Taxonomy and nomenclature follow The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World 6.7 (including updates through October, 2012). In some cases, non-Clements names, including potential splits, are mentioned in parentheses. WATERFOWL Anatidae White-‐faced Whistling-‐Duck Dendrocygna viduata Hartlaub's Duck Pteronetta hartlaubii Spur-‐winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis African Pygmy-‐Goose Nettapus auritus Garganey Anas querquedula GUINEAFOWL Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris PHEASANTS, GROUSE, ETC. Phasianidae White-‐throated Francolin Francolinus albogularis Ahanta Francolin Francolinus ahantensis H Double-‐spurred Francolin Francolinus bicalcaratus Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus GREBES Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis STORKS Ciconiidae Abdim's Stork Ciconia abdimii Woolly-‐necked Stork Ciconia episcopus CORMORANTS Phalacrocoracidae Long-‐tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus HAMERKOP Scopidae Hamerkop Scopus umbretta HERONS & EGRETS Ardeidae Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Gray Heron Ardea cinerea Black-‐headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Great Egret Ardea alba Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia Little Egret Egretta garzetta Western Reef-‐Heron Egretta gularis Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Striated Heron Butorides striata IBISES & SPOONBILLS Threskiornithidae
Ghana: The Best of West Africa March 10-‐26, 2013