This 3 days itinerary focuses on the Gambia’s east coast where some of the best forest birding await us. The tour will take in Abuko Nature Reserve, Bonto, and Farasutu forests. Together these remnant coastal patches are home to Gambia’s rarest and highly desired forest specialities such as the shy and secretive White Spotted Fluff Tail. African Wood Owl, Yellow bill, alongside Verreaux’s Eagle Owl. Western Bluebill, African Goshawk, Spotted Honey Guide, Buff Spotted Woodpecker Green Crombec, and Green Headed Sunbird. We will also visit hotspot including Marakissa Woods and Lamin Rice Fields, these sites are excellent for variety of water birds, waders and Raptors

Itinerary

Day 1.
This morning, after an early pick up from your Hotel, we’ll head to Farasutu Forest Reserve where we’ll begin the day around the farmland, scrub and forest margins. we’ll look for Four Banded Sand Grouse, Rufous Crowned Roller, Beautiful Sunbird, Black Shouldered Kite, Black Rumped Waxbill, Variable Sunbird, Woodchat Shrike, Bearded Barbet, Grayish Eagle Owl, Both Long Tailed and Standard Winged Nightjar, and Western Bonelli Warbler, we’ll go inside the forest in search of several species including Grey headed Bristle bill, African Wood Owl, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Violet Turaco, African Goshawk and Little Greybull, as the day warms up we’ll stay by pool, where we may see Western Bluebill, Orange Checked Waxbill, Spotted and Lesser Honey Guides, Green Headed Sunbird and many more.
We’ll enjoy lunch at SitaJoy Lodge and later explore the Creek and Mudflat for Yellow Billed Stork, Goliath Heron, and Pink Backed Pelican before heading to Bonto Forest, where we may spot several savannah and forest species such as the very elusive White spotted Fluff tail, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Green Crombec, Yellow breasted Apalis, collared sunbird, along with African Golden Oriole, African Hobby, Klaa’s Cuckoo among others.
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Day 2.
An early start will see us head to Marakissa woodland where we’ll explore the scrub, woodland Rice and River Allahein in search of African Pied Hornbill, African Green Pigeon, White Crested Helmet Shrike, Oriole Warbler, African Scops Owl, White Breasted Cuckoo Shrike, Yellow Throated Leaf love, Lanner Falcon, Long Crested Eagle Black Crake, Giant Kingfisher, and Western Reef Heron, After eating, we’ll visit the Dasilami Wetland and look for wader such as Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Redshank, as well as Gull bill Tern and Sandwich Tern, African Harrier Hawk, Shikra, and Dark Chanting Goshawk are also regularly seen.

Day 3.
Today, we’ll be birding at the famous Abuko Nature Reserve and Lamin Rice Fields. The day will start at the Abuko Nature Reserve where we’ll enjoy a full morning seeking out for both forest , savannah and Wetland species and our long day list may include, Snowy Crowned Robin Chat, Grey Backed Camaroptera, Grey Headed Bristle bill, Western Bluebill, Violet and Green Crested Turaco, Palm nut Vulture, Fanti Saw wing Swallow, Broad Billed Roller, Red Bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Pygmy Kingfisher, and many more.
After Lunch at Lamin Lodge, we’ll visit the Lamin Rice fields, and search for long Tailed Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Black Crake, Blue Bellied Roller, Common Redstart, Green Sandpiper, Greater Painted Snipe, White Crowned Robin Chat, Green Wood hoopoe, Grey Woodpecker, and Western Grey Plantain Eater: it’s sure to be an exciting three days birding.