Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Pygmy Kingfisher |
 Yellow-headed Picathartes |
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Introduction
We went to Ghana with the aim of seeing the main natural habitats and the range of birds found there. On the way, we also hoped to see a number of large mammals and butterflies. While I have visited Africa many times before this was a first trip to the Upper Guinea rain forests which lie behind the Gulf of Guinea coast westwards from Southern Ghana. The grassy-wooded mosaic of the Guinea savannas lies in a belt further to the north and also provides rewarding birding. We opted for an 18 day trip to allow for two or more days at each of the main sites. Our January visit aimed to avoid travel complications during seasonal rains between March and November and enjoy the normally dry and sunny weather of December-February. In the event the dust bearing Harmattan was still evident so skies were hazy with Saharan dust.
Itinerary
The itinerary and our accommodation were planned and booked by our guide Kalu Afasi. In large part our itinerary was one shared by most Ghana birding tours. We duly completed a circuit from our arrival/departure point of Accra to Kakum National Park and the Ankasa Conservation Area, including three coastal sites and then travelled north via Kumasi to the Mole National Park. We returned south from Mole to Accra via the Bobiri and Aweta forests and finished back near the coast at Shai Hills. While on the road we made regular stop-overs and digressions to look at different habitats and see extra species such as the un-missable Picathartes and Egyptian Plover plus some less charismatic fare. The overall aim was not to seek out a list of particular birds but rather to see most of the species in each habitat and hope to pick up some new ones on the way. Travelling as a couple with our guide and driver allowed us to linger and find some tricky or interesting species and to make a follow-up visit where it was needed.
Guide and Logistics
We are pleased to highly recommend Kalu as an outstanding bird guide in the field, with keen eyes, ears and a ‘scope. He worked very hard to get some of our more elusive sightings. His choice of sites to visit and picking our accommodation and brief stopovers was ideal. All the hotel and lodge facilities were of mid-range standard with clean and ‘working’ wc, showers and rooms and provided a choice of ‘in house’ meals. The overall cost was substantially lower than competitors and since the ideal ‘group size’ for forest birding is just one person, we reckon it was a very good experience to travel to Ghana as a duo plus guide. A small family or friends group would also work well with Kalu.
All comprehensive birding tours in Ghana involve some long road journeys from Accra, (usually) going to the west, doubling back and then to the north and back, along busy, often potholed roads. We travelled in a small Hyundai 2wd SUV with limited views and space. Hence, for comfort and good viewing for two (or 3) people a mid-large size SUV or a mid-size 4x4 would be more comfortable and give better views on the road and whilst in parks. This would of course have an impact on costs. Four or more in a group would need to have some discussions with Kalu since they would lose out on sometimes fleeting in-car sightings and interesting chat unless travelling together in a mini-bus. The chat element is an important aspect since Kalu takes cultural tours as well so is a fount of well-informed knowledge about his country when on and off the road (from food choices, the state of the nation, to pointing out illicit roadside hooch production and gold mining). We experienced no hassles during our travels, both because Ghana is a friendly and welcoming country and because Kalu and Wofa ‘looked out’ for us and our gear throughout the trip including a pick-up and drop-off at the airport. Kalu can be contacted via his Ghanaian company ‘Malimbe Tours’, based in Accra (e-mail: malimbetours@yahoo.com) for an itinerary and quote.
Visas
Most visitors to Ghana will need a 3 month single-entry tourist visa at £60 per head. It takes a month or more (in the UK) to process the visa between application and the due return of your stamped passport. The online visa application form is opaque in places until you are informed by the Embassy that every tick-box must be completed even if some of these ‘ticks’ are not relevant to you or do not allow the choice you would like to give! Passports must have at least 6 months remaining after your planned date of departure from Ghana.
Health
An up-to-date Yellow Fever Certificate of Vaccination is required to enter Ghana. Malaria is widespread and experienced routinely by many of the locals so anti-malarials are advised.
Species seen
We recorded a total of 405 bird species of which I had not seen 105 previously (mainly West African endemic species). A species list is attached below. We missed seeing a few heard/called-in species (about 10), particularly amongst the owls. These are not included in our species list. The Picathartes, Hartlaub’s Duck, Finfoot, Long-tailed Hawk, Egyptian Plover, Black and Blue-moustached Bee-eater, displaying Rufous-sided Broadbill and a group of Oriole Warblers were highlights for us. Unfortunately, the Standard-winged Nightjars we saw lacked their ‘standards in January.
We saw 25 larger mammal species including Elephant, Roan Antelope and Bushbuck. We also came across a wide range of butterflies amongst Ghana’s 925 species.
Little Grebe
Long-tailed Cormorant
Grey Heron
Black-headed Heron
Purple Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
White-backed Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Western Reef Egret
Black Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Intermediate Egret
Great White Egret
Hamerkop
Green-backed Heron
Woolly-necked Stork
Hadada Ibis
White-faced Whistling Duck
Hartlaub's Duck
African Pygmy Goose
Palm-nut Vulture
African Harrier Hawk
Bateleur
Hooded Vulture
White-headed Vulture
African White-backed Vulture
Black Kite
Yellow-billed Kite
Eurasian Marsh Harrier
Western Banded Snake Eagle
Black-shouldered Kite
African Cuckoo Hawk
Bat Hawk
Congo Serpent Eagle
Long-tailed Hawk
Shikra
Gabar Goshawk
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting Goshawk
African Goshawk
Grasshopper Buzzard
Red-necked Buzzard
Wahlberg's Eagle
Cassin's Hawk Eagle
African Hawk Eagle
Common Kestrel
Peregrine
Lanner Falcon
Grey Kestrel
African Hobby
White-throated Francolin
Ahanta Francolin
Double-spurred Francolin
Stone Partridge
Helmeted Guineafowl
White-spotted Flufftail
Black Crake
African Jacana
African Finfoot
Black-bellied Bustard
Denham's Bustard (Stanley's Bustard)
Senegal Thick-knee
Black-winged Stilt
Egyptian Plover
Great Painted-snipe
Rock Pratincole
Collared Pratincole
Spur-winged Lapwing
White-headed Lapwing
African Wattled Lapwing
Ruddy Turnstone
Common Ringed Plover
Grey Plover
Black-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew
Little Stint
Sanderling
Dunlin
Curlew Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Ruff
Common Redshank
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Black Tern
Sandwich Tern
West African Crested Tern (formerly Royal Tern)
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
Bruce's Green Pigeon
African Green Pigeon
Tambourine Dove
Blue-headed Wood Dove
Speckled Pigeon
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon)
Red-eyed Dove
Vinaceous Dove
Laughing Dove
Namaqua Dove
Blue-spotted Wood Dove
Black-billed Wood Dove
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Senegal Parrot
Red-fronted Parrot
Grey Parrot
Yellow-billed Turaco
Green Turaco
Western Grey Plantain-eater
Violet Turaco
Great Blue Turaco
Klaas's Cuckoo
Didric Cuckoo
African Emerald Cuckoo
Yellow-throated Cuckoo
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
Yellowbill
Black Coucal
Senegal Coucal
Barn Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
African Scops Owl
Greyish Eagle Owl
Black-shouldered Nightjar
Long-tailed Nightjar
Standard-winged Nightjar
Mottled Spinetail
Black Spinetail
Common Swift
Little Swift
African Palm Swift
African Pygmy Kingfisher
White-bellied Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
Shining-blue Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Black Bee-eater
Blue-moustached Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Rosy Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Red-throated Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Broad-billed Roller
Blue-throated Roller
Rufous-crowned Roller
Blue-bellied Roller
Abyssinian Roller
Green Wood-hoopoe
Black Wood-hoopoe
Forest Wood-hoopoe
Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill
Black Dwarf Hornbill
African Pied Hornbill
Piping Hornbill
African Grey Hornbill
Red-billed Hornbill
Brown-cheeked Hornbill
Yellow-casqued Hornbill
Black-casqued Hornbill
White-crested Hornbill
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Speckled Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-throated Tinkerbird
Yellow-spotted Barbet
Red-rumped Tinkedbird
Hairy-breasted Barbet
Naked-faced Barbet
Bristle-nosed Barbet
Vieillot's Barbet
Bearded Barbet
Double-toothed Barbet
Greater Honeyguide
Lesser Honeyguide
Thick-billed Honeyguide
Cassin's Honeyguide
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Fine-spotted Woodpecker
Gabon Woodpecker
Little Green Woodpecker
Buff-spotted Woodpecker
Brown-backed Woodpecker
Grey Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Fire-bellied Woodpecker
African Piculet
Rufous-sided Broadbill
Flappet Lark
Sun Lark
Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark
Rock Martin
White-throated Blue Swallow
Barn Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Preuss's Cliff Swallow
Square-tailed Saw-wing
Fanti Saw-wing
Tree Pipit
Plain-backed Pipit
African Pied Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Blue Cuckoo-shrike
Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike
Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike
Little Greenbul
Little Grey Greenbul
Cameroon Sombe Greenbul
Slender-billed Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Common Bulbul
Yellow-throated Leaflove
Simple Leaflove
Swamp Palm Bulbul
Honeyguide Greenbul
Icterine Greenbul
Golden Greenbul
White-throated Greenbul
Spotted Greenbul
Western Nicator
Red-tailed Greenbul
Western Bearded Greenbul
White-bearded Greenbul
Yellow-bearded Greenbul
Green-tailed Bristlebill
Grey-headed Bristlebill
Red-tailed Bristlebill
African Thrush
Forest Robin
White-tailed Alethe (Fire-crested)
Finsch's Flycatcher Thrush
White-crowned Robin Chat
Common Redstart
Common Nightingale
Northern Wheatear
Whinchat
Familiar Chat
Mocking Cliff Chat
Little Rush Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
Green Hylia
Rufous-crowned Eremomela
Senegal Eremomela
Green-backed Eremomela
Green Crombec
Northern Crombec
Lemon-bellied Crombec
Oriole Warbler
Violet-backed Hyliota
Yellow-browed Camaroptera
Olive-green Camaroptera
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Kemp's Longbill
Grey Longbill
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Red-winged Warbler
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Black-capped Apalis
Sharpe's Apalis
Zitting Cisticola
Short-winged Cisticola
Whistling Cisticola
Red-faced Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Singing Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Northern Black Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Cassin's Flycatcher
Little Grey Flycatcher
Tessmann's Flycatcher
Dusky-blue Flycatcher
Lead-coloured Flycatcher
Ussher's Flycatcher
Fraser's Forest Flycatcher
African Paradise Flycatcher
Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher
African Blue Flycatcher
Chestnut-capped Flycatcher
Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher
Black-and-White Flycatcher
Shrike Flycatcher
Senegal Batis
Common Wattle-eye
West-African Wattle-eye (Chestnut W-eye)
Red-cheeked Wattle-eye
Blackcap Illadopsis
Puvel's Illadopsis
Blackcap Babbler
Brown Babbler
Yellow-headed Picathartes (Rock Fowl)
White-shouldered Black Tit
Tit-Hylia
Yellow White-eye
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Pygmy Sunbird
Fraser's Sunbird
Green Sunbird
Western Olive Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Little Green Sunbird
Buff-throated Sunbird
Reichenbach's Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Tiny Sunbird
Olive-bellied Sunbird
Copper Sunbird
Splendid Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Superb Sunbird
Johanna's Sunbird
Common Fiscal
Yellow-billed Shrike
White Helmet-shrike
Red-billed Helmet-shrike (Chestnut-bellied)
Grey-headed Bush-shrike
Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike
Northern Puffback
Sabine's Puffback
Yellow-crowned Gonolek
Marsh Tchagra
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Western Black-headed Oriole
Black-winged Oriole
African Golden Oriole
Fork-tailed Drongo
Velvet-mantled Drongo
Shining Drongo
Piapiac
Pied Crow
Narrow-tailed Starling
Forest Chestnut-winged Starling
Copper-tailed Glossy Starling
Splendid Glossy Starling
Purple Glossy Starling
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Violet-backed Starling
Long-tailed Glossy Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Starling
House Sparrow
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Bush Petronia
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow Weaver
Little Weaver
Compact Weaver
Heuglin's Masked Weaver
Orange Weaver
Village Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Vieillot's Black Weaver
Yellow-mantled Weaver
Preuss's Golden-backed Weaver
Blue-billed Malimbe
Crested Malimbe
Red-vented Malimbe
Red-headed Malimbe
Red-headed Weaver
Grosbeak Weaver
Black-winged Red Bishop
Northern Red Bishop
Yellow-mantled Widowbird
Yellow-crowned Bishop
Red-winged Pytilia
Grey-crowned Negrofinch
Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch
White-breasted Negrofinch
Western Bluebill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Lavender Waxbill
Black-rumped Waxbill
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
Bar-breasted Firefinch
Red-billed Firefinch
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
Exclamatory Paradise Whydah
Pin-tailed Whydah
Village Indigobird
Yellow-fronted Canary
Brown-rumped Bunting
Gosling's Bunting (Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting)