Sunday 28 December 2008
Tuesday 23 December 2008
The Final Cut at last.
Friday 12 December 2008
Birds, Berries, Barbed wire and Belligerance!!
Finally managing to get out on the Tuesday they were playing hard to get and in fact did not show at all. So Wednesday it was another go at these enigmatic little corkers, they had other ideas of course, they had moved on, as it became evident to the gathered hopefuls.
To get Richard Camp's Yahoo group mail on the rediscovery in Shrewsbury was a well welcome relief, at least they had remained in the County, even if the supermarket chain changed names over night!! So as soon as poss it was of Shopping!!!
I arrived just a little after one or two other birders and they were performing like real darlings, and considering the small tree they had descended on I was very pleased indeed. They were a little flighty with all the toing and froing of the Shoppers, as was evident in the manner in which they were feeding, down quick grab as many as possible and of up into the Silver Birch on the other side of the road. At times they were even dropping onto the Cottoneaster under there chosen safe spot.
Now the Barbed wire was in fact Razor wire bordering the site and was not to obtrusive in the pictures if they remained high however some got a little to low. As to the Belligerence that came down to the store manager trying to push us of the car park, where I might add we were in nobodies way nor incommoding any one, in fact we were acting as ambassadors for the Hobby passing on the information etc, but the plain fact that we were there with Cameras and could be taking pictures of their fantastic Logo!!! was not allowed, So I sent him of to speak to his manager I was given a gracious 15 minutes. Talk about jobs worth!!! I am glad I was in a good mood!!
So to the Pictures, right posers they were and a few are posted here for your delectation any comments good or bad will be gratefully received
Friday 5 December 2008
Of Parts sticky! part Deux + 1 (or 3 if you like)
A Sap Collector
From here we walked over to Kotu Creek, bridge, Sewege pools and a few other places, we did not get to Lamin Lodge as our Transport had been booked for a sensible time to get back to the base camp for the evening meal.
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Sticky's part Deux
It was just after this big chappy that we saw the bird most people really want the African Finfoot plonking around the roots of the mangrove it was dark under there but enough was seen to confirm the species, brilliant to say the least but to dark for any chance of a picture,, just seeing it was really enough. For a further two hours we drifted into the Mangroves quietly picking of species after species before we had to turn around, and take a new track/route through to the Kissi Bolong and just 50 meters down we had the second mind blowing mega bird of the trip A fine male Perls Fishing Owl sat out in the open like it was the most natural thing to do, mind you as soon as it realised we was sneaking up on it it was of and never to be seen again.
Suffice to say the species totaliser went up a few notches, the move back across the river to Tendaba camp was as eventful as we picked up on the odd ones we had missed on the way over.As the sun was over the yard arm it was time for second breakfast, which was always liquid of course!! A light bit of shut eye before we strolled down to the Airport!! once again this time with the required Nightjar kit you know powerful torch etc.we disturbed a couple of Four Banded Sandgrouse as we moved through the long grass alongside the rice fields we had selected a likly area /clearing in the grass away from the other people out and noisily plonking after the same target species. We knew we should see all three types here, so we sat and offered our selves up to the Mossies for the next hour and a half. The churring started more or less as soon as it got dark and we could see occasional flutterings around us as they flew against the night sky, couple this with the incessant background noise of crickets frogs and all manner of other insects, including 70 million Mozzies!! oh! and a pair of dueting White Faced Scops Owls it was brilliant.
Did we get all three? well of course, as the others had pushed most of the birds our way, thank you. We did not mention this later at the bar,,, Much!! but they were out again the next night, and with our superb guiding get the all. More free beer.
With our Four days at Tendaba over we were on the long drive/ride back to Bijilo for a bit of R&R wash clothes, clean kit, pour over lists on an extended call over and generally sort out some of the more local areas.
So Lets see what the next blog brings!!
Thanks for Reading
Paul
Monday 1 December 2008
Of Parts hot and sticky!!
This was the question that came on the the SMS a couple of months ago, of course it was and always is, just for emergencies you understand!
Alarm bells started as it was my friends turn to do a trip, and knowing him it could be anywhere from the Amazon basin to Antarctica and as we had both done central and Southern America I was already postulating as to where this time.
We also had the other Bishop but no photo this time.
Base camp!! was in the basic league but the essentials were spot on, cold beer anytime of the day, and at the same price as bottled water it just made sense. Mind you we drew the line at teeth brushing !!! We acclimatised for two days as we patrolled the roadside between Banjul and the Bijilo Forest on the early morning patrol, it was more like Disney's Dawn Patrol with all the trumpeting going on, before the bumsters got up, well most of them at least.
No long lists just the odd photo from here and there.
Day three saw us walking the track through Tanji village to the Paradise inn!! out by the river the huts were basic and by local standards clean with shower and toilet, food was again basic with breakfast a real banquet of cheese, eggs, jam and copious coffee followed with naturally beer chasers!! later in the day.
Up before first light we were on the track down to the salt flat for things like Copper Sunbird, Giant Kingfisher, Pygmy Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher , Wattled, Spur winged and Black headed Plovers, etc. etc.
So by day 4 the trip list was standing around the 165 species with 35 Lifers but as it would happen we were really struggling for the more common stuff, we believe that the extent of water around had kept the birds out in the country rather than the norm, so I am told.
Two days later we are back in the base for some well earned rest!! and a resupply on clean clothes beer etc. before heading out again to Tendaba camp a supposed six hour journey in bush taxi's along with the population of every town on the way, what with police check points followed in 200 meters by Military checkpoints all wanting something or other from someone in the bus finally saw us in the compound a mere 9 hours later and just 100 miles up country.
But the first Kingfisher we saw was the one on the label of the beer bottle. A shower, a feed and retiring early, as the generator went down ,so the beer was getting warm. Daybreak saw us tramping around the airport vainly searching for Storks etc, at 09:00 the temperature was at 33 degrees and it was back for breakfast and lots of coffee before taking a pirogue across into the mangrove swamps for the elusive finfoot and Perls fishing Owl. Well you find out as I get to the next Blog on this place.
An Abysinian Roller or Abby or as it ended up NCIS!!
Till the next one
Paul