Senegal

Day 1: We begin this evening outside Dakar, Senegal, with a welcome talk at our group hotel. For early arrivals, our accommodation is surrounded by plenty of habitat and even a nature reserve offering an easy and safe introduction to Senegal’s birds. After dinner we’ll likely look for Standard-winged Nightjar which roosts a short walk from our hotel.

Day 2: We’ll depart early, making our way north to the frontier town of Richard Toll. Birds should be conspicuous along the road, and we’ll make numerous stops. Charismatic Sahel species such as Long-tailed Glossy and Chestnut-bellied Starlings and both Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers may be among the first, and the skies should be filled with Yellow-billed Kite and occasional groups of White-backed Vulture and Eurasian and Rüppell’s Griffons. If we’re lucky, we may find a carcass surrounded by a horde of these huge and fascinating scavengers. Common species along the road will no doubt include Hooded Vulture, African Gray Hornbill, Piapiac, Pied Crow, Vinaceous Dove, and Little Bee-eater among many others, and we’ll keep an eye on the trees for Vieillot’s Barbet and Senegal Eremomela. 

Our hotel sits on the banks of the Senegal River where those who wish can enjoy a ‘sundowner’ while overlooking the comings and goings along the river. Night in Richard Toll. 

Day 3: We’ll venture farther east to the area around Podor and Gamadji Sare. Here, where the Sahel borders the Sahara, the acacias and low scrub are home to some classic birds of the region—Cricket Warbler, the tiny Sennar Penduline-Tit, Little Grey Woodpecker, and Golden Nightjar. Other species we can expect include African Collared and Namaqua Doves, Sudan Golden Sparrow, both Black and Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robins, and Senegal Batis. There should be many European migrants about including Woodchat Shrike and both Western Olivaceous and Western Bonelli’s Warblers, while Western Black-eared Wheatear is also possible, and perhaps even the recently split Atlas Wheatear. When in an ecological frontier like this, there is always the chance of a surprise—for example, the recent establishment of Horus Swift as a breeding species, a mere 1,000 miles from its nearest known colonies. Night in Gamadji Sare. 

Day 4: We’ll spend another day in the acacia groves and scrub of the north, perhaps catching up with Little Green Bee-eater, White-rumped Seedeater, or species we might be missing. In the more desert-like areas, we’ll try for views of a day-roosting Golden Nightjar and Fulvous Chatterer before driving westwards to the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary. En route, we’ll no doubt explore a few of the dry rice paddies where hordes of Red-billed Quelea and Yellow-crowned Bishop may be feeding and a Greater Painted-Snipe or two may be lurking in a quiet corner. We’ll arrive at our comfortable accommodation near the world-class wetland of Djoudj, our base for the next three nights. Night near Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary. 

Day 5: The Djoudj is a seriously impressive, seasonally refreshed wetland. The first permanent fresh water south of the Sahara, it holds vast numbers of wintering Palearctic waterfowl along with an excellent selection of West African waterbirds. White-faced Whistling-Duck and Garganey are likely in large numbers and the huge colony of Great White Pelicans promises to be a wondrous spectacle. Time permitting, we’ll take a boat ride to get close to them. Other waterfowl include Marbled Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Spur-winged Goose, and Knob-billed Duck. Innumerable shorebirds, cormorants, herons, egrets, ibis, spoonbills, and flamingos will contribute to the cacophony. Also here are Greater Swamp Warbler, Winding Cisticola, and the very localized moptanus race of African Stonechat. In the drier areas, we should find Black Crowned-Crane, another Sahelian specialty, and we’ll search for the stately and declining Arabian Bustard, although views of this are never guaranteed, and for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse. We’ll also hope for a couple of rather tricky estrildids; Quailfinch and Zebra Waxbill, and by now we may be familiar as well with at least two forms of the taxonomically confusing Great Grey Shrike complex. Night near Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary. 

Day 6: We’ll have today to search for anything we may still be missing in the region. Otherwise, we’ll direct our attention to the coastal region of Saint Louis, birding various lagoons and beaches. Careful scanning through flocks of Slender-billed, Black-headed and Gray-hooded Gulls may turn up Audouin’s and Mediterranean Gulls. This will also be the best day for shorebirds with a couple dozen species possibly including a vagrant. In the afternoon we’ll head inland for a productive area for Lesser Jacana, African Pygmy-Goose, and Allen’s Gallinule. Night near Saint Louis.

Day 7: Leaving Saint Louis, we’ll drive south to the town of Kaolack.  We’ll spend the afternoon along the river close to the town where we’ll be looking for another key species for the tour, the beautiful Scissor-tailed Kite. As the day wears on, large numbers of these graceful birds gather to roost on a riverine island, along with equally impressive numbers of Lesser Kestrels. These numbers do vary according to local conditions, ranging from many hundreds to many thousands. Nearby, an area of scrub will give us our first chance for White-bellied and Savile’s Bustards. Night in Kaolack.

Day 8: Nearby, an area of open dry country holds one of the tour’s star birds, the taxonomically and geographically enigmatic Quail-plover. Now considered an aberrant buttonquail, it is nowhere common or regular in its huge range across the drier parts of West and East Africa. If the previous season’s rainfall has been good, we’ll have a realistic chance of finding one in the dry bush and savannah. Please note that sometimes locating one requires a lot of walking. Other species could include Temminck’s Courser, Singing Bushlark, and Sahel Paradise-Whydah, while up in the skies we’ll be alert for Beaudouin’s Snake-Eagle and possibly Bateleur. As Quail-plover is such an important bird we’ve given over most of the morning to look for it. After our hoped for success, we’ll drive to the town of of Toubakouta, located on the Saloum Delta. We’ll spend some time birding the delta by boat where we’ll hope to find the locally rare White-crested Bittern, along with a fine variety of shorebirds, raptors, kingfishers, bee-eaters, and swallows. Night in Toubakouta.  

Day 9: If we miss White-crested Bittern, we may try a second boat trip early this morning. Otherwise, we’ll make the drive east to the town of Tambacounda. This is a journey of at least five hours, but there will be stops for birding along the way. Brown Snake-Eagle should be present, along with Grasshopper Buzzard and Long-crested Eagle, while Martial Eagle is a distinct possibility. Recently, Bronze-winged Coursers have been found in the area, and we should have time to track these down. Night in Tambacounda.                   

Days 10-12: Continuing southeast, we’ll approach the border with Mali and the bustling town of Kedougou. There is a lot to look for here with the extremely range-restricted Mali (or Kulikoro) Firefinch high on our list, although we’ll have to check carefully as there are four other firefinch species possible! On one full day, we’ll head to the village of Dindefelo, located at the base of an imposing escarpment. The drive can produce some excellent birding, and we’ll be on lookout for Fox Kestrel, Four-banded Sandgrouse, and Sun Lark, while other possibilities include Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Yellow Penduline-Tit, Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, and White-crested Helmetshrike. As we approach the escarpment, we should encounter a new set of species. Neumann’s Starling is restricted to rocky areas in the Sahel and is hard to find in most places, but here we have a realistic chance. Under the shade of the tall trees, Violet Turaco, Narina’s Trogon, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Green-headed Sunbird, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, and African Paradise-Flycatcher can be expected, while Red-throated Crag-Martin patrol the cliffs and Orange-cheeked Waxbill forage among the houses. There should as well be more Mali Firefinch and Pygmy Sunbird, and Gosling’s Bunting likes the wooded and rocky slopes. Other possibilities could include White-fronted Black-Chat and Dybowski’s Twinspot. With three nights here, we should have plenty of time to catch up with all of our targets. Nights in Kédougou. 

Day 13: We’ll depart early and make the short journey north to Wassadou. We’ll have most of the day to wander on foot around the wonderful, bird-filled Wassadou Camp, a superb spot on the Gambia River where Egyptian Plover vies for attention with African Finfoot and White-crowned Lapwing. The highly localized Adamawa Turtle-Dove is also present in good numbers. Gorgeous Red-throated and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters breed along the river, and we’ll be able to take a short boat trip to get close to these harlequins of the bird world. The possibilities here are many and include Palm-nut Vulture, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, Giant, Blue-breasted, and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Blue-bellied Roller, Stone Partridge, Swamp Flycatcher, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, African Blue Flycatcher, Bronze-tailed Starling, and Black-faced Firefinch (here of the highly localized race vinacea, sometimes treated as a separate species, Vinaceous Firefinch) among many, many others. 

In the evening we’ll listen for one of Africa’s most sought-after owls: Pel’s Fishing Owl. Sightings are never guaranteed, and the camp can go weeks without seeing them; nonetheless, we have a realistic chance of finding one, along with other nocturnal species such as Northern White-faced Owl, White-backed Night Heron, and Long-tailed Nightjar. Throughout our stay, the company of Green Monkeys, Western Red Colobus, and perhaps a snorkeling Hippopotamus will keep us entertained. Night in Wassadou. 

Day 14: We’ll have all morning to bird around Wassadou, cleaning up on anything we may have missed before driving to the town of Kolda. Night in Kolda. 

Day 15: We’ll continue west to the town of Ziguinchor in the remote region of Basse Casamance, the most southwesterly province of Senegal and separated from most of the country by The Gambia. Along the way we’ll make a stop at a forest reserve to stretch our legs and see what we can find. We’ll check in to our hotel later in the afternoon, then spend the afternoon birding locally. Night in Ziquinchor.

Day 16: Basse Casamance is seldomly visited by birders, but that seems set to change. Here, the last reaches of the Upper Guinea forests end at the Casamance River, and we’ll find an interesting set of birds waiting for us. A forest block near Ziguinchor holds a few pairs of Turati’s Boubou, a species thought to be restricted to the seldom-visited arc of Guinea-Bissau to Sierra Leone and only discovered in Senegal in 2018. Also present are Leaf-love, Western Nicator, Green Hylia, and Square-tailed Drongo.

We’ll head further west towards Cap Skirring. We’ll make stops along the way and our first will be at an area of forest that holds White-spotted Flufftail, White-browed Forest-Flycatcher, Green Crombec, White-throated Greenbul, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Brown Illadopsis, and Chestnut-breasted Nigrita among many others. Night in Cap Skirring. 

Day 17: We'll have the morning to explore this fascinating region and in particular search for another highly localized species - the distinctive Capuchin Babbler. Good numbers of them inhabit this forest, along with Senegal Parrots and Red-bellied Paradise-Flycatchers. As if Capuchin Babblers were not hard enough to see in West Africa, a new proposal to split the species into three has resulted in the birds from Senegal to the western Ivory Coast becoming ‘Grey-hooded’ Capuchin Babblers. If we have time, we’ll search an area of marshes and dry paddy fields looking for such localized species as Quailfinch and Yellow-throated Longclaw. Close attention to quelea could turn up Red-headed among the many Red-billed, and Yellow-crowned Bishop. Our luck with waterbirds will depend on water levels but wintering Montagu’s Harriers and circling vultures should feature. In the afternoon we’ll catch a domestic flight back to Dakar where the tour concludes in time for evening flights home.

2026 Narrative

Our tour began in the quiet coastal town of Popenguine, where a short post-dinner walk produced several Standard-winged Nightjars, accompanied by the raucous calls of Spur-winged Lapwings and a Senegal Thick-knee.

The following morning, we visited the nearby Popenguine Nature Reserve for a brief walk before beginning our drive north. We tallied nearly 50 species, including our target, Gosling’s Bunting. Other highlights included Pearl-spotted Owlet, Green Woodhoopoe, African Gray and Western Red-billed Hornbills, Little Bee-eater, Abyssinian Roller, Senegal Parrot, the gorgeous Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Melodious Warbler, Beautiful Sunbird, and Cut-throat.

We then hit the road. Before long, a group of roosting vultures caught our attention, including more than thirty Eurasian Griffons along with smaller numbers of Hooded, White-backed, and Rüppell’s Vultures. We also encountered our first Chestnut-bellied Starlings of the tour.

Arriving in the outpost town of Richard Toll with a few hours of daylight remaining, we headed to a nearby area of arid scrub in search of two key targets: Cricket Longtail and Fulvous Chatterer. Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Larks fed quietly across the open expanses while a group of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse passed overhead. Eventually, we came across a remarkably cooperative pair of Cricket Longtails and enjoyed extended views as they worked through a few small shrubs directly in front of us.

We welcomed the sunrise the next morning from our accommodations along the Senegal River, watching a steady stream of birds moving up and down the waterway. Among them were Gray-hooded Gull, Caspian Tern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Black-headed Heron, Hamerkop, and Malachite Kingfisher. Unbeknownst to us, a pair of Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls was roosting deep within the tree above us and eventually flushed, providing excellent flight views.

After breakfast, we headed east and birded a patch of scattered trees. We were greeted by the stunning African Green Bee-eater and Common Hoopoe. A pair of vocal Vieillot’s Barbets was present, along with Senegal Eremomela, a few White-rumped Seedeaters, small flocks of Sudan Golden Sparrows, and several Western Bonelli’s Warblers.

Continuing east toward Podor, the best region for the localized Golden Nightjar, we stopped at another site to target Fulvous Chatterer. A Dark-chanting Goshawk swept past, Black Scimitarbill showed exceptionally well, and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and Striped Kingfishers hunted from nearby shrubs. The new birds continued to pile up as we added Brubru, Little Gray Woodpecker, Black Scrub-Robin, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, and many others, along with our main target, several Fulvous Chatterers. On our way out, we picked up a pair of the recently split Atlas Wheatears.

We then visited a nesting colony of White-rumped and Little Swifts. The former, a relatively recent arrival in Senegal, had expanded its range by roughly 600 miles. We also enjoyed a sighting of a few Cut-throats.

The remainder of the afternoon was dedicated to our nightjar search. While wandering through the low shrub habitat, we encountered Blue-naped Mousebird, Great Gray Shrike, and Village Indigobird, while a small pan produced some of our first shorebirds of the trip, including Common Ringed and Kittlitz’s Plovers, Wood Sandpiper, and Common Greenshank. Eventually, a couple of sharp-eyed members of the group spotted a Golden Nightjar, allowing all of us to enjoy excellent views of this highly sought-after species.

The following morning, our focus shifted to the charming Sennar Penduline-Tit. We walked a loop through sparse scrub, eventually tracking down three of these petite penduline-tits, much to our relief. A flyby Lanner Falcon was another welcome addition among the couple dozen species recorded during the walk.

That afternoon, we made our way toward the outskirts of Djoudj Bird Sanctuary, birding along the way. Outside Richard Toll, we found Temminck’s Coursers, Northern Anteater Chats, and no fewer than eleven roosting Long-tailed Nightjars. Closer to our accommodation, an area of wetlands produced Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Great White Pelican, Western Marsh Harrier, Pied Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler, the “Iberian” Yellow Wagtail, African Swamphen, Black Crake, and Winding Cisticola. After a dedicated search, we also tracked down a Savile’s Bustard.

The next morning, we ventured into the heart of the expansive Djoudj Bird Sanctuary, one of the most important birding areas in the region. Our first stop near the entrance revealed an estimated 20,000 White-faced Whistling Ducks packed across the water. This led to an impromptu game of "Where’s Waldo?" as we scanned for the handful of Fulvous Whistling Ducks hidden among them. Other highlights included our first Knob-billed Ducks, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Pied Avocet, Kentish Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Whiskered Tern, and both Lesser and Greater Flamingos.

We then embarked on a boat trip to the massive pelican breeding colony. Along the way, we spotted African Pygmy-Goose, Black Stork, African Spoonbill, Black Herons performing their signature umbrella display, and several African Fish Eagles. The colony itself was an impressive spectacle, with approximately 7,500 Great White Pelicans crowding the nesting grounds. The water also supported West African Nile Monitors, West African Crocodiles, and several Common Warthogs along the shoreline.

The remainder of the day was spent scanning the vast pan and sorting through tens of thousands of ducks. Among them, we picked out our first Northern Pintail, Marsh Sandpiper, and Gull-billed Tern, along with a bonus six Marbled Ducks, a species not recorded every year. On our departure, we stopped to admire a Montagu’s Harrier and several dozen Black-crowned Cranes.

The next day, we turned our attention to the coastal city of Saint-Louis to look for species that would be difficult or impossible to find once we moved inland. Our first stop in town added Black-bellied Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Slender-billed, Black-headed, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Common and Sandwich Terns, and plenty of Pink-backed Pelicans.

A series of lagoons produced Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, and Dunlin, while the coastal barrier island yielded a pair of Audouin’s Gulls and an offshore Northern Gannet.

After enjoying a local peanut soup for lunch and making a caffeine stop at a local coffee roaster, we took a midday break. Some birded the lush gardens of our accommodation, others took a dip in the pool, and a few caught up on sleep. Later, as temperatures began to cool, we returned to several productive wetland areas where we found Allen’s Gallinule, Lesser Jacana, several River Prinias, and an impressive 150 Collared Pratincoles.

We set off early the next morning for the long drive toward Kaolack. Along the way, we stopped to stretch our legs and added Mosque Swallow and Lappet-faced Vulture.

Continuing on, we reached Kaolack for lunch before checking into our hotel. The afternoon held exciting prospects as we prepared to visit a nearby island where Scissor-tailed Kites gather to roost. As sunset approached, we crossed a narrow channel by canoe and walked the secluded island to witness the spectacle up close. Hundreds of Scissor-tailed Kites swirled overhead before settling into the tallest trees, joined by a few Lesser Kestrels. We also recorded our first Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin of the tour.

The following morning, we headed to a Quail-Plover site to try our luck with one of the region’s most elusive species. A dedicated search ultimately produced three different individuals, allowing us to enjoy prolonged views of this remarkable bird. A Small Buttonquail also appeared, providing an excellent opportunity for comparison alongside a couple of Singing Bushlarks.

As the morning progressed, we continued toward Toubacouta, arriving at our beautiful accommodation overlooking the Saloum Delta. That afternoon, we set out by boat to explore the delta, navigating narrow channels lined with overhanging mangroves. Our primary target was the elusive White-crested Tiger-Heron. Although the heron remained out of sight, for the moment, we added Black-billed Wood-Dove, African Finfoot, Eurasian Curlew, Goliath Heron, Shikra, Wire-tailed Swallow, and Mouse-brown Sunbird.

The next morning, we waited for the tides to shift before heading back out in search of the tiger-heron. The cool morning breeze was a welcome change, and bird activity was high, including our first and only Eurasian Oystercatchers of the trip. Turning our attention to the mangroves, it did not take long before we spotted a White-crested Tiger-Heron fully exposed on a tangle of mangrove roots. The sighting was met with plenty of celebration.

Buoyed by our success, we returned to pack up before continuing east toward Tambacounda. A few brief stops along the way produced additional Savile’s Bustards, Pygmy Sunbird, Stone Partridge, a Sahel Paradise-Whydah, and a pair of locally rare Bronze-winged Coursers.

As we continued south, the landscape began to transform. The arid Sahel gradually gave way to lusher savanna, bringing an influx of new species. Increased rainfall and denser vegetation created a noticeable shift in both the scenery and the birdlife.

The transition was immediately apparent as we made our way toward Kédougou, our base for the next three nights, where raptors stole the show. It seemed as though we were stopping every few miles for another species. By the end of the drive, we had tallied Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Grasshopper and Lizard Buzzards, African Harrier-Hawk, Bateleur, African Hawk-Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, and Brown Snake-Eagle, along with several bonus Abyssinian Ground Hornbills.

Following a midday break during the heat of the day, we headed out for some targeted birding in the late afternoon. Our first stop produced an excellent sighting of a Sun Lark, which provided fantastic photo opportunities. Not long afterward, we found half a dozen Mali Firefinches, a highly localized species and another welcome addition to the trip list.

We wrapped up the day at a spectacular escarpment, where we waited for Neumann’s Starlings to arrive at their evening roost. While waiting, we enjoyed sightings of Violet Turaco, Martial Eagle, Fox Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, White-crested Helmetshrike, Yellow-billed Shrike, Brown Babbler, and Mocking Cliff-Chat. As dusk approached, an astounding 19 Neumann’s Starlings appeared along the ridgeline as an excellent ending to another productive day.

The following morning began with a pair of Northern White-faced Owls roosting just outside our hotel grounds. The rest of the morning was spent birding areas south of town. Temperatures rose quickly, but we still managed to add Northern Yellow White-eye, Purple Starling, Lavender Waxbill, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Red-throated Bee-eater, Beaudouin’s Snake-Eagle, Gray-headed Bushshrike, Spotted Flycatcher, and Purple Roller, among others.

By midday, the heat had become intense, so we broke for lunch and an afternoon respite. Later, we headed back out in search of anything we might still be missing. To our surprise, we found a pair of Croaking Cisticolas, a species with only a handful of records in the country. At dusk, we positioned ourselves near a wet area where Double-banded Sandgrouse come in to drink, and sure enough, seven birds appeared. Greater Painted-Snipe and Common Snipe also provided brief views, along with a couple of Green Sandpipers.

The next morning promised excellent birding, and we set off early to reach the village of Dindefelo during the cooler morning hours. Nestled at the base of an escarpment, this area offered the chance to target a range of species unlikely to be encountered elsewhere on the tour.

We spent the entire morning birding the waterfall trail on foot, finding Guinea Turaco, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Gabar Goshawk, Narina Trogon, Bearded Barbet, Willcock’s Honeyguide, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Snowy-crowned and White-crowned Robin-Chats, a migrant European Pied Flycatcher, Familiar Chat, Western Violet-backed, Green-headed, and Splendid Sunbirds, Olive-naped Weaver, Magpie Mannikin, and the incredibly elusive Dybowski’s Twinspot. The trail culminated at a beautiful waterfall and offered a clear view of the sky above, where we spotted a pair of Red-throated Crag-Martins flying overhead.

Following lunch, we worked our way back toward our accommodation, stopping along the way for a pair of Red-necked Falcons that appeared to be nesting in a palm tree, as well as a Gray Tit-Flycatcher. We also revisited the same wetland from the previous day, where we enjoyed improved views of Common Snipe and Green Sandpipers and picked up a flyover Quailfinch.

The next morning, we walked a loop outside of town in search of several difficult species. The effort paid off with sightings of Brown-backed Woodpecker, Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah, Brown-rumped Bunting, and a pair of Red-winged Pytilias.

That afternoon, we headed toward Camp Wassadou, where we would spend the night. It was a relatively relaxed afternoon, with some participants taking time to rest while others enjoyed the seemingly endless birding around camp. Before dinner, we shifted our focus to the river and set out by boat. The excursion proved highly productive. At this time of day, many species gather along the shoreline to drink, and we enjoyed several European Turtle-Doves among the masses of more common doves and pigeons. Several lapwing species were present, including our first White-crowned Lapwings of the tour. Hadeda Ibises announced their presence with their unmistakable calls, while the raptors put on an impressive show, highlighted by our first Western Banded Snake-Eagle.

The real highlights came near the end of the excursion. First, a pair of elegant Egyptian Plovers fed along a sandbar. Then, just before dusk, the Northern Carmine Bee-eater colony came in to their colony, creating a spectacle of color. Additional highlights from the boat trip included Broad-billed Roller, Mottled Spinetail, and three species of primates: Green Monkey, Guinea Baboon, and Western Red Colobus.

After dinner, a dedicated search rewarded us with excellent views of a Pel’s Fishing-Owl just a short walk from our accommodation.

The following day was primarily a travel day, but before departing, we had the morning to explore the camp and nearby trails. The productive outing added Adamawa Turtle-Dove, Fine-spotted Woodpecker, Oriole Warbler, Bronze-tailed Starling, and additional views of Egyptian Plovers, among other species. We then continued on toward Kolda for the night.

The following morning, we headed west into the Casamance region of Senegal. Our first stop at a protected forest area yielded African Golden Oriole, Lesser Blue-eared Starlins, and the highlight of the morning in the form of a Yellow-bellied Hyliota. Further along, we stopped for Blue-bellied Rollers and a nesting pair of Palm-nut Vultures before checking into our hotel and having lunch along the Casamance River.

Following lunch, we visited a nearby patch of forest, known for occasionally turning up some surprises. Unfortunately, the area had experienced more disturbance in recent years and had a number of people, but we still managed to spot some great species, including West African Pied Hornbill, Sharpe’s Drongo, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Green Hylia, and an unexpected group of Capuchin Babblers!

Southwest Senegal is the only region in the country where you can find many West African species that spill just over the border. One particularly exciting species, the Turati’s Boubou, has only recently become chaseable in the country and was the main focus of our next morning.

We arrived at a small village and began birding in an area with impressive trees towering over the farm plots. Unfortunately, this forest patch is shrinking every year, but thankfully, many birds are still thriving here. We added Ahanta Spurfowl (heard-only), Eurasian Wryneck, Green Crombec, Gray-headed Bristlebill, Little Greenbul, Leaf-Love, and Variable Sunbird to our growing list.

Next, we turned our attention to the elusive Turati’s Boubou, a species found only in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Retracing our steps to a reliable location from previous tours, we quickly found a pair. These birds are typically quite secretive, but this pair sat out in the open for an incredible amount of time duetting for us. Elated, we began working our way back towards our vehicle stumbling upon a pair of White-fronted Black-Chats, another scarce species in Senegal.

In the afternoon, we traveled toward Cap Skirring along the coast, our final destination. Along the way, we birded a few fragmented forests, but the midday heat made it challenging. However, we did have a White-throated Greenbul, heard a Black-throated Coucal, and found yet again a small group of Capuchin Babblers.

One of the main reasons we visit the southwest of Senegal is to search for the Capuchin Babbler, and by now we had already had them at two separate locations. However, we were still hoping to get better views. We headed up the coast from our beachside accommodation and began searching a nice patch of coastal forest. We tallied nearly 50 species during our walk including our first White-throated Bee-eaters, Bearded Barbet, Yellow-gorgeted Greenbuls, and a surprise family group of African Cuckoo-Hawks, only the third eBird record for Senegal, let alone family group! Interestingly, the first two sighting for Senegal occurred over the previous two weeks in the SE corner of the country. Turning our attention to the babblers, they proved hard to get, however, we did see a single individual mixed in among the more common Blackcap and Brown Babblers. 

Our final stop of the trip was overlooking the Atlantic Ocean adding our final two new birds to the group triplist in the form of West African Crested Tern and a single Kelp Gull.

We enjoyed our final lunch together celebrating a successful Senegal tour, packed our bags, and headed to the local airport for our flights back to Dakar and eventually home.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   - Ethan Kistler

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