12-13 July 2019: Mole National Park

Vagrant Twitcher, Game Ranger, Kobi, Kwame

Red-throated Bee-eater, Mole

Mole National Park, situated in the north-eastern interior of Ghana, comprises mostly of savanna and riparian ecosystems. Kwame took us on an early morning walking safari, 4 hours in length, where we were accompanied by armed wildlife ranger. To actually walk so close to elephants is an exhilarating experience, especially if your escape route is blocked by a river filled with crocodiles. The birding was excellent, and we found many specials notwithstanding the pachyderm distractions. The afternoon was just as prolific, and we ticked the uncommon Forbes’s Plover, Sun Lark and Stone Partridge. After sunset, while heading back to the hotel, a Greyish Eagle Owl was seen sitting next to the road.

Greyish Eagle Owl, Mole

Western Banded Snake Eagle, Mole.

The next morning, two birds short of number 1000 for the Big Year, we again went walking in the park. A group of skittish Brown Babblers were ticked while flitting away in the deep undergrowth, but it took three hours of hard birding to find number 1000, which turned out to be a White-breasted Cuckooshrike. After a celebratory Mandela shuffle we birded further, but the rest of the day delivered thin pickings. A beautiful Pie-winged Swallow was found just before nightfall. That evening, on the hotel veranda, Klaus and myself consumed some of Ghana’s best with Kwame and Kobi – our driver, to celebrate number 1000. Now for the next 500!

Exclamatory Paradise Whydah, Mole

Palm-nut Vulture, Mole