Teriya Bugu, on the banks of the Bani river two hours drive north of Segou, is an affordable retreat and vacation center that was begun by a Catholic priest with a vision for environmentally responsible tourism that would produce economic benefit for local people. The center continues to operate after his death under the management of a Malian Non-Governmental Organization. Teriya Bugu provides employment for a considerable number of Malian families plus schooling for their children. Teriya Bugu advertises their facility as an excellent place for birding. It is good, but most of the species there are also readily seen if one visits Bamako, Mopti, and the Dogon area.
Teriya Bugu runs on mostly solar power and produces much of its own bio-gas for cooking; most of the food served in the dining hall they grow themselves. They also produce their own honey and jam, and a large section of the property is devoted to bee hives and fruit trees. There are large gardens and many kinds of trees, which are watered from the river. Teriya Bugu is located at 13 12’ 31” N, 5 31’ 50” W.
For recreation, there is a swimming pool, basketball court, paddle boats, two horses for riding, and also cultural visits can be organized to local villages. The center keeps giant tortoises and gazelles in some areas of the gardens that are fenced in. They also (unfortunately) keep a pair of crowned cranes and a number of peacocks freely roaming the grounds.
A short walk from the center is an extensive lagoon and a fishing village; this plus the hotel grounds is where I birded. (Be careful in areas by the lagoon bank, where the surface of the mud has dried and formed a crust, but underneath it is the consistency of quicksand.)
The accommodations are clean and basic—beds, mosquito nets, fans, flourescent lights, bathrooms with running water and showers. The week we visited, the hotel ran out of soap, so we purchased some from the vendors who have small stands just outside the gate. The food was basic and healthy (salad, rice or coucous with meat or poultry and vegetables, and fruit).
To get to Teriya Bugu, you can arrange for transoportation from San, Bla, or Segou. If driving from Bamako or Segou: after crossing the Bani river on the large bridge, there are signs indicating that the “Teriya Bugu.” turn-off is approaching. After turning off the paved road, you have a 50 minute drive on dirt tracks through farmland and bush; the road is in places rutted and rough. This would NOT be a good road to try to follow at night, despite the small “TB” signs that indicate what track to take when there are forks in the trail. Teriya Bugu’s telephone is 223-223-10-00; the email is resa@tb-mali.com
Web address www.tb-mali.com
Phalacrocorax africanus Long-tailed (Reed) Cormorant
Ardea cinerea Grey Heron
probable Ardea purpurea Purple Heron
Egretta alba Great White Egret
Egretta garzetta Little Egret
Ardeola ralloides Common Squacco Heron
Butorides striatus atricapillus Striated (Green-backed) Heron
Scopus umbretta Hamerkop
pandion haliaetus Osprey
Chelictinia rioccourii African Swallow-tailed Kite
heard Ptilopachus petrosus stone partridge
Gallinula chloropus Comon moorhen
Pluvianus aegypticus Egyptian Plover (Crocodile Bird)
Vanellus spinosus Spur-winged Lapwing
from car Vanellus tectus Black-headed Lapwing
Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper
Treron waalia Bruce's Green Pigeon
Columba guinea Speckled Pigeon
Streptopelia decipiens African Mourning Dove
Streptopelia vinacea Vinaceous Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata Red-eyed dove
Streptopelia senegalensis Laughing Dove
Turtur abyssinicus Black-billed Wood Dove
from car Oena capensis Namaqua Dove
Psittacula krameri Rose-ringed Parakeet
Poicephalus senegalus Yellow-bellied (Senegal) Parrot
Crinifer piscator Western Grey Plantain-eater
Centropus senegalensis Senegal Coucal
from car Glaucidium perlatum Pearl-spotted Owlet
Cypsiurus parvus African Palm Swift
Apus apus Common swift
Ceryle rudis Pied Kingfisher
Merops pusillus Little bee-eater
Merops orientalis Little Green Bee-eater
Coracias abyssinicus Abyssinian Roller
Tockus erythrorhynchus Red-billed Hornbill
Pogoniulus chrysoconus Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Heard Indicator indicator Greater honeyguide
Hirundo lucida Red-chested Swallow
Motacilla flava flava Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail
Pycnonotus barbatus Common Bulbul
Cossypha albicapilla White crowned robin chat
Hippolais [Acrocephalus] (pallida) opaca Western Olivaceous Warbler
Camaroptera brachyura Grey-backed camaroptera
Phylloscopus sibilatrix Wood Warbler
probable Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus collybita Chiffchaff
Acrocephalus scirpaceus Reed warbler
Melaenornis edolioides Northern Black Flycatcher
Turdoides plebejus Brown Babbler
Turdoides reinwardtii Blackcap Babbler
Zosterops senegalensis African Yellow White-eye
Cinnyris pulchella Beautiful Sunbird
Dryoscopus gambensis Northern Puffback
Laniarus barbarus Yellow-crowned Gonolek
from car Corvinella corvina Yellow-billled Shrike
Ptilostomus afer Piacpiac
Lamprotornis caudatus Long-tailed Glossy Starling
from car Lamprotornis [Spreo] pulcher Chestnut-bellied Starling
ploceus melanocephalus Black-headed weaver
Ploceus cucullatus Village Weaver
from car Bubalornis albirostris Buffalo weaver
Lagonosticta senegala Red-billed Firefinch
Vidua … Whydah sp. -juvenile