5 July 2019: Good Lord Deliverrrr Us!

I am in need of a tame Fiery-necked Nightjar. In general, road users in Ghara are very courteous and proficient drivers, and they seem to swear much less than myself when stuck in the traffic. But there is always the exception…

Just outside Kakum Forest a suicidal taxi driver came hurtling down the road, swerving widely to miss the numerous potholes. In the process he swerved right in front of us to the only clear patch of road, and a head-on collision seemed imminent. With another exceptional sidestep, reminiscent of Naas Botha at his best, he missed us by inches.

I am in need of a tame Fiery-necked Nightjar sitting next to me in the car, that I can tap on the head whenever I need the beseeching prayer of Good Lord Deliverrr Us! But for now, it seems, I will have to do with Klaus sitting next to me, and I don’t think he prays too often.

Ghana Tranquillity

A morning hike through Kakum Forest added 23 new species to my Big Year list, with bird number 900 being a beautiful Crested Malimbe. The highlight for the day was a Congo Serpent Eagle that flew in to inspect us as we crossed a forest clearing. Later the afternoon we ticked Rock Pratincoles and a White-throated Blue Swallow at the Pra River. The evening it was chicken and rice again; I fear that I am going to develop feathers and slanted Chinese eyes.

Competition