Monday 27 June 2016

Ghana 18th, 19th & 20th March 2016

Last few shots from the Ghana trip. We visited Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary on the 19th. Nice piece of rainforest but even during our short visit we were passed by several truckloads of local who were in the "sanctuary" to log under permit.
We managed to pick a few rainforest species but actually managed to miss or hear only several others.

I've attached a list of species that I personally saw during the trip. Other participants saw other species that I didn't encounter which is to be expected. I saw a total of 374 species of which 158 were lifers which wasn't too bad considering I've previously done The Gambia which isn't too far away from Ghana.

Helmeted Guineafowl                                   
Stone Partridge
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Hartlaub's Duck
White-throated Francolin
Double-spurred Francolin
Little Grebe
Woolly-necked Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
Hadada Ibis
Dwarf Bittern
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Striated Heron
Squacco Heron
Western Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Black-headed Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Western Reef Heron
Hamerkop
Reed Cormorant
Black-shouldered Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
European Honey-buzzard
African Cuckoo-Hawk
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Bateleur
Wahlberg's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Red-chested Goshawk
Shikra
Western Marsh-Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Yellow-billed Kite
Grasshopper Buzzard
Red-necked Buzzard
Denham's Bustard
White-spotted Flufftail
African Finfoot
Black Crake
African Swamphen
Senegal Thick-knee
Black-winged Stilt
Spur-winged Plover
Wattled Lapwing
Grey Plover
Ringed Plover
White-fronted Plover
Forbes's Plover
Egyptian Plover
Greater Painted-snipe
African Jacana
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Redshank
Common Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Rock Pratincole
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Arctic Skua
Four-banded Sandgrouse
Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
African Mourning Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Vinaceous Dove
Laughing Dove
Black-billed Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Blue-headed Wood Dove
Namaqua Dove
Bruce's Green Pigeon
African Green-Pigeon
Great Blue Turaco
Guinea Turaco
Yellow-billed Turaco
Violet Turaco
Western Plantain-eater
Blue-headed Coucal
Senegal Coucal
Blue Malkoha
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Klaas's Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Northern White-faced Owl
Greyish Eagle Owl
Akun Eagle-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Long-tailed Nightjar
Standard-winged Nightjar
Mottled Spinetail
Black Spinetail
Sabine's Spinetail
Cassin's Spinetail
Common Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
Bates's Swift
African Palm-Swift
Narina Trogon
Purple Roller
Abyssinian Roller
Blue-bellied Roller
Blue-throated Roller
Broad-billed Roller
Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
White-bellied Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
Shining-blue Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Black Bee-eater
Red-throated Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Green Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Rosy Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Forest Wood Hoopoe
Green Woodhoopoe
Black Scimitarbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
African Pied Hornbill
African Grey Hornbill
Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill
Piping Hornbill
Black-casqued Hornbill
White-crested Hornbill
Bristle-nosed Barbet
Naked-faced Barbet
Speckled Tinkerbird
Red-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-throated Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Yellow-spotted Barbet
Hairy-breasted Barbet
Vieilott's Barbet
Double-toothed Barbet
Bearded Barbet
Brown-backed Honeybird
Lesser Honeyguide
Fine-spotted Woodpecker
Buff-spotted Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Melancholy Woodpecker
Fire-bellied Woodpecker
African Grey Woodpecker
Eurasian Kestrel
Fox Kestrel
Grey Kestrel
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Grey Parrot
Red-fronted Parrot
Senegal Parrot
Rufous-sided Broadbill
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Senegal Batis
Fernando Po Batis
Chestnut Wattle-eye
Brown-throated Wattle-eye
Red-cheeked Wattle-eye
White Helmetshrike
Red-billed Helmetshrike
Orange-breasted Bushshrike
Sabine's Puffback
Northern Puffback
Common Gonolek
Brubru
White-breasted Cuckooshrike
Blue Cuckooshrike
Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike
Purple-throated Cuckooshrike
Yellow-billed Shrike
Northern Fiscal
African Golden Oriole
Western Oriole
Black-winged Oriole
Square-tailed Drongo
Shining Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Velvet-mantled Drongo
Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher
African Paradise Flycatcher
Piapiac
Pied Crow
White-necked Rockfowl
African Blue-Flycatcher
Dusky Crested Flycatcher
White-shouldered Black-Tit
Western Nicator
Flappet Lark
Sun Lark
Common Bulbul
Slender-billed Greenbul
Little Greenbul
Little Grey Greenbul
Ansorge's Greenbul
Plain Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Golden Greenbul
Honeyguide Greenbul
Simple Greenbul
Swamp Palm Bulbul
Icterine Greenbul
Western Bearded Greenbul
Red-tailed Greenbul
Yellow-bearded Greenbul
Square-tailed Saw-wing
Fanti Sawwing
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
White-bibbed Swallow
Pied-winged Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Preuss's Cliff Swallow
Moustached Grass Warbler
Grey Longbill
Northern Crombec
Lemon-bellied Crombec
Chestnut-capped Flycatcher
Green Hylia
Tit Hylia
Willow Warbler
Wood Warbler
Western Olivaceous Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Red-faced Cisticola
Rock-loving Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Short-winged Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Red-winged Warbler
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Sharpe's Apalis
Oriole Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
Yellow-browed Camaroptera
Senegal Eremomela
Rufous-crowned Eremomela
Puvel's Illadopsis
Pale-breasted Illadopsis
Blackcap Babbler
Brown Babbler
African Yellow White-eye
Yellow-bellied Hyliota
Violet-backed Hyliota
Copper-tailed Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling
Splendid Glossy-Starling
Purple Glossy-Starling
Long-tailed Glossy-Starling
Chestnut-bellied Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Chestnut-winged Starling
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Finsch's Rufous Thrush
African Thrush
White-tailed Alethe
Fraser's Forest Flycatcher
Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Cassin's Flycatcher
Olivaceous Flycatcher
Little Grey Flycatcher
Dusky-blue Flycatcher
Ussher's Flycatcher
Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
White-crowned Robin-Chat
European Pied Flycatcher
Whinchat
Mocking Cliff Chat
Fraser's Sunbird
Mangrove Sunbird
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Little Green Sunbird
Grey-chinned Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Pygmy Sunbird
Reichenbach's Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Buff-throated Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Olive-bellied Sunbird
Tiny Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Splendid Sunbird
Johanna's Sunbird
Superb Sunbird
Copper Sunbird
Grey-headed Sparrow
Bush Petronia
White-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Thick-billed Weaver
Little Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Orange Weaver
Village Weaver
Vieillot's Black Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Yellow-mantled Weaver
Maxwell's Black Weaver
Preuss's Weaver
Red-vented Malimbe
Blue-billed Malimbe
Red-headed Malimbe
Crested Malimbe
Black-winged Red Bishop
Yellow-mantled Widowbird
White-breasted Nigrita
Chestnut-breasted Nigrita
Grey-headed Nigrita
Bar-breasted Firefinch
Red-billed Firefinch
Black-faced Firefinch
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Lavender Waxbill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Black-rumped Waxbill
Orange-breasted Waxbill
African Silverbill
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
Magpie Mannikin
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
Plain-backed Pipit
Yellow-fronted Canary
West African Seedeater
Gosling's Bunting
Brown-rumped Bunting


Blue Cuckoo-shrike

Preuss's Weaver

Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill

White-throated Bee-eater

Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Red-chested Goshawk

Second calendar dark morph Honey Buzzard

African Cuckoo Hawk

African Harrier Hawk and Red-necked Buzzard
Dark Chanting Goshawk

Northern White-faced Scops Owl
Shai Hills

Oliver photographing White-billed Buffalo Weavers.

Baobab Tree

Pristine front grounds of one of our hotels which included building rubble, foundations of an old building and the remains of a burnt litter - luxurious!!

Birding in Bobiri.

Birding in Bobiri.

Gold mine

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats


Ghana 18th, 19th & 20th March 2016

Last few shots from the Ghana trip. We visited Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary on the 19th. Nice piece of rainforest but even during our short visit we were passed by several truckloads of local who were in the "sanctuary" to log under permit.
We managed to pick a few rainforest species but actually managed to miss or hear only several others.

I've attached a list of species that I personally saw during the trip. Other participants saw other species that I didn't encounter which is to be expected. I saw a total of 374 species of which 158 were lifers which wasn't too bad considering I've previously done The Gambia which isn't too far away from Ghana.

Helmeted Guineafowl                                   
Stone Partridge
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Hartlaub's Duck
White-throated Francolin
Double-spurred Francolin
Little Grebe
Woolly-necked Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
Hadada Ibis
Dwarf Bittern
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Striated Heron
Squacco Heron
Western Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Black-headed Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Western Reef Heron
Hamerkop
Reed Cormorant
Black-shouldered Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
European Honey-buzzard
African Cuckoo-Hawk
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Bateleur
Wahlberg's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Red-chested Goshawk
Shikra
Western Marsh-Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Yellow-billed Kite
Grasshopper Buzzard
Red-necked Buzzard
Denham's Bustard
White-spotted Flufftail
African Finfoot
Black Crake
African Swamphen
Senegal Thick-knee
Black-winged Stilt
Spur-winged Plover
Wattled Lapwing
Grey Plover
Ringed Plover
White-fronted Plover
Forbes's Plover
Egyptian Plover
Greater Painted-snipe
African Jacana
Bar-tailed Godwit
Whimbrel
Redshank
Common Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Rock Pratincole
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Arctic Skua
Four-banded Sandgrouse
Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
African Mourning Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Vinaceous Dove
Laughing Dove
Black-billed Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Blue-headed Wood Dove
Namaqua Dove
Bruce's Green Pigeon
African Green-Pigeon
Great Blue Turaco
Guinea Turaco
Yellow-billed Turaco
Violet Turaco
Western Plantain-eater
Blue-headed Coucal
Senegal Coucal
Blue Malkoha
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Klaas's Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Northern White-faced Owl
Greyish Eagle Owl
Akun Eagle-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Long-tailed Nightjar
Standard-winged Nightjar
Mottled Spinetail
Black Spinetail
Sabine's Spinetail
Cassin's Spinetail
Common Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
Bates's Swift
African Palm-Swift
Narina Trogon
Purple Roller
Abyssinian Roller
Blue-bellied Roller
Blue-throated Roller
Broad-billed Roller
Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
White-bellied Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
Shining-blue Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Black Bee-eater
Red-throated Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Green Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Rosy Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Forest Wood Hoopoe
Green Woodhoopoe
Black Scimitarbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
African Pied Hornbill
African Grey Hornbill
Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill
Piping Hornbill
Black-casqued Hornbill
White-crested Hornbill
Bristle-nosed Barbet
Naked-faced Barbet
Speckled Tinkerbird
Red-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-throated Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Yellow-spotted Barbet
Hairy-breasted Barbet
Vieilott's Barbet
Double-toothed Barbet
Bearded Barbet
Brown-backed Honeybird
Lesser Honeyguide
Fine-spotted Woodpecker
Buff-spotted Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Melancholy Woodpecker
Fire-bellied Woodpecker
African Grey Woodpecker
Eurasian Kestrel
Fox Kestrel
Grey Kestrel
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Grey Parrot
Red-fronted Parrot
Senegal Parrot
Rufous-sided Broadbill
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Senegal Batis
Fernando Po Batis
Chestnut Wattle-eye
Brown-throated Wattle-eye
Red-cheeked Wattle-eye
White Helmetshrike
Red-billed Helmetshrike
Orange-breasted Bushshrike
Sabine's Puffback
Northern Puffback
Common Gonolek
Brubru
White-breasted Cuckooshrike
Blue Cuckooshrike
Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike
Purple-throated Cuckooshrike
Yellow-billed Shrike
Northern Fiscal
African Golden Oriole
Western Oriole
Black-winged Oriole
Square-tailed Drongo
Shining Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Velvet-mantled Drongo
Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher
African Paradise Flycatcher
Piapiac
Pied Crow
White-necked Rockfowl
African Blue-Flycatcher
Dusky Crested Flycatcher
White-shouldered Black-Tit
Western Nicator
Flappet Lark
Sun Lark
Common Bulbul
Slender-billed Greenbul
Little Greenbul
Little Grey Greenbul
Ansorge's Greenbul
Plain Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Golden Greenbul
Honeyguide Greenbul
Simple Greenbul
Swamp Palm Bulbul
Icterine Greenbul
Western Bearded Greenbul
Red-tailed Greenbul
Yellow-bearded Greenbul
Square-tailed Saw-wing
Fanti Sawwing
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
White-bibbed Swallow
Pied-winged Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Preuss's Cliff Swallow
Moustached Grass Warbler
Grey Longbill
Northern Crombec
Lemon-bellied Crombec
Chestnut-capped Flycatcher
Green Hylia
Tit Hylia
Willow Warbler
Wood Warbler
Western Olivaceous Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Red-faced Cisticola
Rock-loving Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Short-winged Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Red-winged Warbler
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Sharpe's Apalis
Oriole Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
Yellow-browed Camaroptera
Senegal Eremomela
Rufous-crowned Eremomela
Puvel's Illadopsis
Pale-breasted Illadopsis
Blackcap Babbler
Brown Babbler
African Yellow White-eye
Yellow-bellied Hyliota
Violet-backed Hyliota
Copper-tailed Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling
Splendid Glossy-Starling
Purple Glossy-Starling
Long-tailed Glossy-Starling
Chestnut-bellied Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Chestnut-winged Starling
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Finsch's Rufous Thrush
African Thrush
White-tailed Alethe
Fraser's Forest Flycatcher
Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Cassin's Flycatcher
Olivaceous Flycatcher
Little Grey Flycatcher
Dusky-blue Flycatcher
Ussher's Flycatcher
Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
White-crowned Robin-Chat
European Pied Flycatcher
Whinchat
Mocking Cliff Chat
Fraser's Sunbird
Mangrove Sunbird
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Little Green Sunbird
Grey-chinned Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Pygmy Sunbird
Reichenbach's Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Buff-throated Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Olive-bellied Sunbird
Tiny Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Splendid Sunbird
Johanna's Sunbird
Superb Sunbird
Copper Sunbird
Grey-headed Sparrow
Bush Petronia
White-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Thick-billed Weaver
Little Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Orange Weaver
Village Weaver
Vieillot's Black Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Yellow-mantled Weaver
Maxwell's Black Weaver
Preuss's Weaver
Red-vented Malimbe
Blue-billed Malimbe
Red-headed Malimbe
Crested Malimbe
Black-winged Red Bishop
Yellow-mantled Widowbird
White-breasted Nigrita
Chestnut-breasted Nigrita
Grey-headed Nigrita
Bar-breasted Firefinch
Red-billed Firefinch
Black-faced Firefinch
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Lavender Waxbill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Black-rumped Waxbill
Orange-breasted Waxbill
African Silverbill
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
Magpie Mannikin
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
Plain-backed Pipit
Yellow-fronted Canary
West African Seedeater
Gosling's Bunting
Brown-rumped Bunting


Blue Cuckoo-shrike

Preuss's Weaver

Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill

White-throated Bee-eater

Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Red-chested Goshawk

Second calendar dark morph Honey Buzzard

African Cuckoo Hawk

African Harrier Hawk and Red-necked Buzzard
Dark Chanting Goshawk

Northern White-faced Scops Owl
Shai Hills

Oliver photographing White-billed Buffalo Weavers.

Baobab Tree

Pristine front grounds of one of our hotels which included building rubble, foundations of an old building and the remains of a burnt litter - luxurious!!

Birding in Bobiri.

Birding in Bobiri.

Gold mine

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats

Straw-coloured Fruit Bats