Just back from a fortnight in The Gambia with Birdfinders, where it was very hot indeed. Maximum we recorded was a little over 39C on a number of afternoons.A new Ice Age seems to have started here whilst I've been away.
We saw 327 species including a few "heard only" which compares very well with the 295 by the tour a fortnight earlier and 312 a year ago - a very wet Wet Season suggested as a possible reason for the improvement on 2009.
Highlights for me included Egyptian Plover; Black Crowned-crane; Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters; Diederik, Levaillant's and Klass's Cuckoos; over 30 species of raptor including 3 separate Long-crested Eagles sat by the road; Little Green Woodpecker and Crimson Seedcracker which were both the fourth sightings for The Gambia according to our guide. Finfoot eluded us. I would be happy to provide further details if anyone is interested.
The camaraderie amongst the participants also addeed to the enjoyment - all levels and ages were united by a common passion, and I don't think I heard a cross word from anyone. This makes a change from some of the threads I have read here as I checked to see what the weather had brought in my absence.
Rob
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