21 Dec 2019 B : The Gambia – Day 1

The open book of Nature is the manuscript of God

Patience Strong

Pygmy Sunbird, Morgan Kunda Lodge, Gambia

Crossing the border into The Gambia went off without a hitch. The border officials were friendly and helpful, and the whole process took less than an hour – a small miracle in Africa. The Republic of The Gambia is the smallest country on the African continent and is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal. Situated on both sides of the Gambia River, its narrow, meandering border encloses 475 km of the lower reaches of the river to where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The country is less than 48 km wide at its greatest width. It is often claimed by Gambians that the distance of the borders from the Gambia River corresponds to the area that British naval cannon of the nineteenth century could reach from the river's channel. Despite its small size, The Gambia is remarkably rich in birdlife – to date about 545 species have been recorded. Spending only a couple of days in The Gambia was doing this magnificent birding destination a grave disservice, but I hoped to be back home by Christmas.

Grasshopper Buzzard, Jajari, Gambia

Karanta was fully committed to showing me the specials. Our first significant sighting in The Gambia was a Grasshopper Buzzard perching in dry savanna woodland. This was shortly followed by a great sighting of the scarce Griffon Vulture riding an updraft. Later, in some acacia woodland nearer to the river, we found Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Garden Warbler, Rufous Scrub Robin, Pygmy Sunbird, Common Whitethroat, Mottled Spinetail, Little Green Bee-eater, Rüppell's Vulture and Isabelline Warbler.

Rufous Scrub Robin, Jajari, Gambia

A birder-friendly establishment, the Morgan Kunda Lodge near the village of Jajari, was our lodging for the next two nights. An hour before sunset we birded some nearby plains and soon ticked White-billed Buffalo Weaver, Western Grey Plantain-eater, Tawny Eagle, more Rufous Scrub Robins and Isabelline Warblers, Northern Crombec, Common Redstart, Eurasian Wryneck, Bearded Barbet and both the Greater- and Lesser Blue-eared Starling. I was extremely pleased to find a pair of European Turtle Doves and a Sahel Paradise Whydah, both new birds for the year-list. More frustrating was the presence, or rather non-presence, of Savile’s Bustard, the smallest bustard in West Africa. As the sun touched the horizon the veld around us started to resound with their accelerating thut thut-thut-thut-thutthutthutthut whistles. The problem was that this diminutive bustard is a reluctant flier and prefers to remain immobile in cover. No amount of searching and calling could entice these bastards out of hiding. And, ticking a bird as “Heard Only” is similar to kissing your sister – totally unfulfilling and a tad embarrassing.

Bearded Barbet, Jajari, Gambia

That evening, alone in my room, I re-checked my photos and tallied up the sightings. I had found an amazing twelve new birds for the day. With a pleasant shock I realised that I was standing on 1500 birds on the Clements list. Out loud I said to myself “Wow! I made it!” My Big Year target had been reached! One would expect jubilation and shouts of joy, a fist pump, a celebratory drink and an awesome Mandela shuffle – but this did not happen. My overpowering emotion was one of great relief and thankfulness. There, in the quiet of my room, I went down on my knees and thanked the Lord.

Western Red-billed Hornbill, Northern Gambia.