(in search of picathartes)
Sue Bryan and Paul Jeffery
Introduction
This trip was set up as a quick break to escape the miserable grey British winter for some sun and warmth adding a few birds for our world lists. A star bird is always an added bonus and I was intrigued by tales of a mysterious bird that inhabits caves and rocks deep in the tropical forests of
Itinerary
26th Dec Fly from Heathrow to
27th Dec
28th Dec Hans Cottage Botel – Kakum NP
29th Dec Kakum NP
30th Dec Dotum
31st Dec Aboabo
1st Jan Kakum – Elmina –
Flights
British Airways www.ba.com We booked rather late at a cost of £930 because we had to have Business Class on the journey out. However our luck was in and we were upgraded to 1st Class!
Climate
As expected for the tropics it was very hot and humid with temperatures nearing 100 degrees F. However some days were cloudy with some haze but still very hot.
Habitat
Accra is a busy congested city of 4 million on the Gold Coast.
Sukumono Lagoon is a big lagoon about 12 miles along the coast to the east of
Shai Hills is about an hour’s drive inland to the north-east of
Elmina is an old harbour town with a castle that was centre of the slave trade. It has salt-pans behind the sea-front with suitable wader-viewing opportunities.
Logistics
Self-drive car hire in Ghana is not an option. We thought we had pre-booked this option but upon arrival at the airport we were met by David from Avis www.avis.com who drove us to our
Accommodation
As we had arrived late at night we booked into Airside Hotel near the airport which we booked through the agency of South Travels www.southtravels.com at a cost of £75 for the two of us including breakfast.
For the next five nights we stayed twelve miles away from
Guiding
We are indebted to Mark Williams of Ashanti African Tours Ltd. www.ashantiafricantours.com (Tel +44(0)8707662283) who put in touch with an excellent local guide in the form of Robert Ntakor [email protected] (+44233243958989) who spent 4 days guiding us around local birding areas and private trails. Robert arranged early entrances (a must) toKakum
Money
We took American Dollars with us that we exchanged at the hotels for Cedis. ATM machines are available in Accra
Daily Log
December 26th
Flew BA 1st class to Accra
December 27th
After a night at Airside Hotel, David arrived with our 4x4 and took us to the Avis office. This delayed us by a couple of hours as we struggled through the horrendous traffic jams of
Sukumono Lagoon Collared Pratincole
The lagoon just east of
The track-way was steep and rough and I was now glad that we had paid the extra for a 4x4 vehicle. We were too late in the day for small birds but we did see Martial Eagle, Purple Turaco, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater and Senegal Eremola. On leaving we had a Western Grey Plantain Eater.
Agama Lizard
The roads in
December 28th
Malachite Kingfisher Pied Kingfisher
Village Weavers were busily building their nests near the water and I watched them carefully threading each reed in and out of their carefully constructed nests.
Village Weaver Village Weaver nests
A Nile Crocodile swam lazily below me as I took his photograph. I returned to bed whereupon Paul returned after an excellent morning with Robert. He had seen a lot of birds and wondered how I was feeling. After a light lunch I felt able to join them as I was assured it was going to be an easy stroll through the forest. We saw Little Grey Greenbul, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Yellow-billed Turaco as well as a few other birds skulking in the dark under-story. Robert certainly knew his calls.
Returning to the Botel we agreed to pick Robert up from his village at
Village Weaver Nest Nile Crocodile
December 29th
Up at
Fruit Bat
Kakum Canopy Walkway
The birds came thick and fast with views of Rufous-sided Broadbill, Red-fronted Parrot, Velvet-mantled
A Yellow-mantled Weaver came to sit on one of the support ropes followed by a Velvet-mantled Drongo. All too soon the park was open to the general public and very noisy tourists tramped along the walkway spoiling any chances we had of listening for calls. In actual fact by
Velvet-mantled Drongo White-throated Bee-eater
It was very hot and I enjoyed a swim in the swimming pool as I didn’t fancy a dip with the crocodiles in the lagoon. After lunch we picked up Robert from the visitor centre of the park and he took us to the start of a forest trail. As got out of the vehicle an Ayre’s Hawk Eagle flew above our heads. It was to be some time before we saw another bird on the dark trail threading our way through thick undergrowth. Birding was quiet but we added a Yellow Casque Hornbill to our lists, before an old bare tree in the sun yielded a small colony of Naked-faced Barbets, Bristle-faced Barbets and Narrow-tailed Starlings.
Returning to the Botel we smiled as we tried to guess what was available on the menu. Most items were unavailable but we ate well. It had been a good day and my list had grown to 135 species. There is something wonderful about a good day’s birding sitting out in the hot air relaxing by a lagoon with food and drink recounting the birds seen.
December 30th
The day had arrived that I had been waiting for. Special arrangements had been made for us to visit a secret site to see White-necked Picathartes. I was not too sure how the day was going to pan out as enquiries as to how long it would take to get to the site varied between 3 and 6 hours. We were told that we would need to be at the remote village by
Roadside Shop (with sewing machine!)
After turning off the main highway we drove a long a track that took us through some villages. New poles were being installed to supply the villages with electricity for the first time. It was sad that most villagers would not be able to afford it. We arrived at the village by
It was now very hot and we whiled away the time sitting by the truck. Very soon we were surrounded by inquisitive children and villagers who brought us plantains (bananas), oranges and coconuts. We were equally fascinated by them and it humbled me how willing they were to share, no matter how poverty stricken they were. We drank from the newly installed village pump as Robert and David shared a local meal.
Village Children Newly-installed Village Pump
Village Shop Paul drinking his ‘pint’ of Coconut Milk
Football nearing Manchester United standard on the village field with the local school in the background
In the middle of the afternoon we set off with Robert with 3 machete wielding villagers. Two locals went ahead hacking out a jungle trail. We soon came to a crossing point in a river where a large tree was fortuitously placed for us to carefully balance our way over it. It was extremely hot and humid and I felt a little worried that I might lose my balance and fall in to the water below. The men raced ahead making no allowances for my short legs as they hopped over various fallen articles in our way through the undergrowth. The trouble with jungle trails is that once you get behind you have no idea where to go. Luckily we came across another dwelling and it gave me time to catch up. I was fascinated with the drying of Cocoa Beans taking place. After about a 45 minute walk we came to a cave-like structure deep in the forest. It was dark and gloomy with no bird-life. Luckily mosquitoes were few and except for a few ants we sat down for a long vigil waiting for our Rockfowl (picathartes).
Several hours passed as we watched ants and we moved slowly to adjust our positions without making a sound. We tried to hide behind undergrowth but still keeping a sight of the overhang where 2 nests were plastered to the underside of a rock. One of the local guides made a low whistle; he indicated that he could see the White-necked (Yellow-headed) Picathartes. However it was some time before we finally watched 2 Rockfowl hopping along the rocks and branches. They had a strange movement and we were thrilled to see them. We carefully extricated ourselves so that we did not disturb them from roosting in their nest cups. We walked back through the forest elated and extremely grateful for the scheme that has been set up with the local community.
The scheme works by paying an equivalent fee of US $25 per person to a representative of the local community. This encourages the community to protect the birds rather than hunt them. We organised this via Mark Williams of Ashanti African Tours www.ashantiafricantours.com .There is an agreement that no photographs are taken or GPS taken of the site.
After a long journey back we enjoyed a late evening meal back at the Botel.
31st December
Paul and Robert at Aboabo
My next bird was to cause a celebration later on in the evening as Blue Cuckoo-shrike became my 3000th bird on my world list. Robert’s knowledge of bird call and skill at identifying some of the smaller birds quickly added Green Crombec and Tit Hylia. A Fire-bellied Woodpecker clung to a tree before an Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo sat perfectly still watching us. Robert then impressed us with a call that he recognised as a Crowned Hawk-Eagle. We searched for a while before it was located miles up in the sky above us. We had several sightings as it spiralled up displaying to a female bird. It was wonderful to watch. It was extremely hot in the mid-day heat and a snooze was required by all, so whilst the others dozed in the vehicle I found some shade on the track and cat-napped. Later, walking further down the track we had a flurry of activity and a White-breasted Negro Finch gave me the run-around before I finally located it along with Bate’s Sunbird and Bioko (Fernando Po) Batis.
On the return journey we stopped to watch a mixed flock of Piping and Pied Hornbills. Little Bee-eaters were also feeding at the roadside vegetation. We returned to our hotel and bade farewell to Robert. We had certainly been impressed by him and admired his knowledge and birding skills. Mark of Ashanti African Tours phoned us to ensure all had gone well. We thanked them both for making our trip so enjoyable.
Our evening meal, back at Hans Cottage Botel, was kindly accompanied by a bottle of champagne that Paul bought to celebrate my 3000th bird. Quite a way to end 2007!
1st January
Western Grey Plantain Eater
We packed our bags and persuaded David to drive us to Elmina.
Paul and I wandered around the castle and were horrified by the dungeons that over a thousand salves were crammed into in the stifling heat during that time. We wandered onto the beach as Palm Swifts swirled around the Date Palms. Hooded Vultures flew above us as we looked over the harbour. We found some old salt pans where waders were picking their way through the scattered rubbish. Black-winged Stilts mixed with Greenshanks and Marsh Sandpipers. A Western Reef Heron stood at the back as Gull-billed Terns and Little Egrets flew around. Children soon surrounded us with curiosity wondering what we were doing. Bird watching was quite clearly not a recognised activity in the village.
We moved onto a western-type resort motel at Coconut Grove where we could relax and have a meal before our travel back to
Coastline at Elmina Paul at Coconut Grove
We had had an excellent mini-break made all the more enjoyable by the wonderful helpful local people we had encountered.
1. Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus Sukumono Lagoon
2. Little Egret Egretta garzetta Sukumono Lagoon
3. Western Reef-egret Egretta gularis [garzetta] Sukumono Lagoon
4. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Sukumono Lagoon
5. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Sukumono Lagoon
6. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Sukumono Lagoon
7. Striated Heron Butorides striatus [striatus]
8. Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
9. Yellow-billed Kite Milvus migrans parasitus Sukumono Lagoon
10. Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis
11. Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus Sukumono Lagoon
12. African Harrier-hawk Polyboroides typus [radiatus]
13. African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro Moree
14. Shikra Accipiter badius Sukumono Lagoon
15. Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus Dotom
16. Red-necked Buzzard Buteo auguralis Aboabo
17. Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax Shai Hills
18. Ayres' Hawk-eagle Hieraaetus ayresii
19. Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus Shai Hills
20. Cassin's Hawk-eagle Spizaetus africanus Aboabo
21. Crowned Hawk-eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus Aboabo
22. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Elmina
23. African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
24. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Sukumono Lagoon
25. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Sukumono Lagoon
26. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Sukumono Lagoon
27. Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Sukumono Lagoon
28. Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius Sukumono Lagoon
29. Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus Sukumono Lagoon
30. Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus Sukumono Lagoon
31. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Sukumono Lagoon
32. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Sukumono Lagoon
33. Common Redshank Tringa totanus Sukumono Lagoon
34. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Sukumono Lagoon
35. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Sukumono Lagoon
36. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Sukumono Lagoon
37. Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos Sukumono Lagoon
38. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Sukumono Lagoon
39. Sanderling Calidris alba Sukumono Lagoon
40. Ruff Philomachus pugnax Sukumono Lagoon
41. Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Sukumono Lagoon
42. Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Sukumono Lagoon
43. Royal Tern Sterna maxima Elmina
44. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Elmina
45. Damara Tern Sterna balaenarum Sukumono Lagoon
46. Black Tern Chlidonias
47. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Sukumono Lagoon
48. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata
49. Black-billed Wood-dove Turtur abyssinicus [chalcospilos] Shai Hills
50. Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria
51. Blue-headed Wood-dove Turtur brehmeri
52. African Green-pigeon Treron calva [australis]
53. Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus
54. Red-fronted Parrot Poicephalus gulielmi
55. Black-collared Lovebird Agapornis swindernianus
56. Yellow-billed Turaco Tauraco macrorhynchus
57. Violet Turaco Musophaga violacea Shai Hills
58. Western Grey Plantain-eater Crinifer piscator Shai Hills
59. Pied Cuckoo [sp] Oxylophus jacobinus
60. Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx olivinus Aboabo
61. Klaas' Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
62. African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus
63. Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus
64. Black Coucal Centropus grillii [bengalensis] Sukumono Lagoon
65. Black-throated Coucal Centropus leucogaster Aboabo
66. Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis Sukumono Lagoon
67. Plain Nightjar Caprimulgus inornatus inornatus Dotom
68. Black Spinetail Telacanthura melanopygia Sukumono Lagoon
69. Cassin's Spinetail Neafrapus cassini
70. African Palm-swift Cypsiurus parvus Sukumono Lagoon
71. Common Swift Apus apus
72. Little Swift Apus affinis
73. Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata
74. Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis
75. Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Sukumono Lagoon
76. Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus Aboabo
77. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus Shai Hills
78. White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis
79. Blue-bellied Roller Coracias cyanogaster Tema
80. Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis Aboabo
81. Forest Wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus castaneiceps Aboabo
82. African Pied Hornbill Tockus fasciatus fasciatus
83. Piping Hornbill Ceratogymna fistulator Aboabo
84. Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata
85. Naked-faced Barbet Gymnobucco calvus
86. Bristle-nosed Barbet Gymnobucco peli
87. Speckled Tinkerbird Pogoniulus scolopaceus
88. Red-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus atroflavus
89. Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus Dotom
90. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus Shai Hills
91. Double-toothed Barbet Lybius bidentatus Sukumono Lagoon
92. Yellow-billed Barbet Trachyphonus purpuratus Aboabo
93. Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor Dotom
94. Cassin's Honeyguide Prodotiscus insignis
95. Little Green Woodpecker Campethera maculosa
96. Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa
97. Gabon Woodpecker Dendropicos gabonensis
98. Fire-bellied Woodpecker Dendropicos pyrrhogaster Aboabo
99. Rufous-sided Broadbill Smithornis rufolateralis
100. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Sukumono Lagoon
101. Red-chested Swallow Hirundo lucida [rustica] Aboabo
102. White-throated Blue Swallow Hirundo nigrita Dotom
103. Lesser Striped-swallow Hirundo abyssinica
104. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Dotom
105. Preuss' Swallow Hirundo preussi [rufigula] Moree
106. Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus Sukumono Lagoon
107. African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp [alba]
108. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flavissima Sukumono Lagoon
109. Blue Cuckooshrike Coracina azurea Aboabo
110. Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus Sukumono Lagoon
111. Grey Greenbul Andropadus gracilis
112. Slender-billed Greenbul Andropadus gracilirostris
113. Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator
114. Swamp Greenbul Thescelocichla leucopleura
115. Yellow-spotted Nicator Nicator chloris Aboabo
116. Bearded Bulbul Criniger barbatus
117. White-tailed Alethe Alethe diademata
118. Finsch's Flycatcher-thrush Neocossyphus finschii [fraseri]
119. African Thrush Turdus pelios [olivaceus] Sukumono Lagoon
120. Croaking Cisticola Cisticola natalensis Sukumono Lagoon
121. Black-necked Cisticola Cisticola eximius Sukumono Lagoon
122. Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava
123. Sharpe's Apalis Apalis sharpei
124. Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata [brachyura] Shai Hills
125. Yellow-browed Camaroptera Camaroptera superciliaris
126. Violet-backed Hyliota Hyliota violacea
127. Senegal Eremomela Eremomela pusilla Shai Hills
128. Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela badiceps
129. Green Crombec Sylvietta virens Aboabo
130. Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor
131. Green Hylia Hylia prasina
132. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Dotom
133. African Forest-flycatcher Fraseria ocreata Aboabo
134. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Shai Hills
135. Cassin's Flycatcher Muscicapa cassini Moree
136. Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens Aboabo
137. Chestnut-capped Flycatcher Erythrocercus mccallii
138. Black-headed Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer
139. White-necked Rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus Dotom
140. Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae Aboabo
141. Scarlet-tufted Sunbird Anthreptes fraseri
142. Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris
143. Little Green Sunbird Nectarinia seimundi
144. Bates' Sunbird Nectarinia batesi Aboabo
145. Olive Sunbird Nectarinia olivacea
146. Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Nectarinia cyanolaema
147. Buff-throated Sunbird Nectarinia adelberti
148. Olive-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia chloropygia Dotom
149. Johanna's Sunbird Nectarinia johannae
150. Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus [monachus]
151. Large-billed Puffback Dryoscopus sabini
152. Chestnut-bellied Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps
153. Fernando Po Batis Batis poensis Aboabo
154. Brown-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira cyanea Shai Hills
155. Chestnut Wattle-eye Platysteira castanea
156. Common Fiscal Lanius collaris
157. Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina
158. Velvet-mantled Drongo Dicrurus modestus [adsimilis]
159. Pied Crow Corvus albus Sukumono Lagoon
160. Narrow-tailed Starling Poeoptera lugubris
161. Chestnut-winged Starling Onychognathus fulgidus
162. Copper-tailed Glossy-starling Lamprotornis cupreocauda [purpureiceps]
163. Splendid Glossy-starling Lamprotornis splendidus
164. Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus Moree
165. Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis Dotom
166. Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus
167. Vieillot's Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus Dotom
168. Yellow-mantled Weaver Ploceus tricolor
169. Red-vented Malimbe Malimbus scutatus
170. Gray's Malimbe Malimbus nitens Dotom
171. Crested Malimbe Malimbus malimbicus
172. Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis
173. White-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita fusconota Aboabo
174. Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita bicolor
175. Grey-headed Negrofinch Nigrita canicapilla
176. Orange-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda melpoda Aboabo
177. Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullat Shai Hills
178. Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura bicolor Aboabo
179. Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura Aboabo