The Gambia 2023
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Canary
Yellow-billed Stork
Yellow-billed Shrike
Yellow-bellied Hyliota
White-throated Bee-eater
White-breasted Cormorant
White-breasted Cormorant
Western Reef Heron
Western Reef Heron
Western Reef Heron
Western Red-billed Hornbill
Female Village Weaver
Temminck's Courser
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
Striped Kingfisher
Striated Heron
Speckled Pigeon
Senegal Thick-knee
Senegal Thick-knees
Senegal Parrot
Male Red-billed Firefinch
Male Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher
Purple Heron
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelicans
Female Pied Kingfisher
Immature Piapiac
Palm Nut Vulture
Northern White-faced Owl
Malachite Kingfisher
Long-tailed Nightjar
Long-tailed Glossy Starling
Laughing Dove
Hamerkop
Hadada Ibis
Greyish Eagle Owl
Grey-hooded Gull
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Grey Heron
Male Greater Painted Snipe
Female Giant Kingfisher
Female Four-banded Sandgrouse
Dark Chanting Goshawk
Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern
Bronze-winged Courser
Blue-spotted Wood Dove
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Black-rumped Waxbill
Black-headed Lapwing
Blackcap Babbler
Black-billed Wood Dove
Black Heron
Bearded Barbet
African Thrush
Immature African Sacred Ibis
African Mourning Dove
Juvenile African Harrier-Hawk
African Green Bee-eater
Immature African Fish Eagle
African Darters
West African Fiddler Crab
West African Crocodile
Senegal Chameleon
Male Common Agama Lizard
Western Red Colobus
Western Red Colobus
Guinea Baboon
Gambian Sun Squirrel
Green Monkey
Green Monkey
We went to The Gambia in February 2023 with our friends Mike Bird and Colleen Welfare on a “tailor made” trip organised by Naturetrek. We had an excellent local guide, Dembo Sonko, who looked after us throughout the trip. We spent the first few days at Bakotu Hotel in Kotu close to the capital Banjul and while there visited Kotu Creek, Tanji Beach, Lamin, Brufut Woods, Abuko Forest. We then travelled up the Gambia River to Janjanbureh, spending a night at Tendaba Camp on the way, where we had a boat trip along Kissi Creek. At Janjanbureh we stayed for 3 nights at Baobolong Guest House, visiting several local birding sites, before returning to Kotu via another night at Tendaba where we visited the nearby Kiang West National Park. Our trip ended after a further 2 nights at Bakotu Hotel and a visit to Farasuto Community Forest Nature Reserve.