| Leading Tours since 1987
Itinerary: Day 1: We fly to Accra, arriving early evening. Overnight in Accra. Day 2: This morning we head north to the Atawa Range Forest Reserve. Atawa is a moist semi-deciduous forest and particularly rich in breeding birds. We hope to locate Forest and Ahanta Francolins, Nkulengu Rail, Guinea and Yellow-billed Turacos, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-throated Coucal, Black Bee-eater, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Tessmann's Flycatcher, Green Hylia, Grey Longbill, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike and White-throated Blue Swallow. Birds which are nationally scarce in Ghana still occur here - Afep Pigeon, African Broadbill, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Least and Spotted Honeyguides and Red-tailed Bristlebill. Raptors which are present include African Goshawk, Crowned Eagle and the elusive and rare Long-tailed Hawk. We stay in a local small hotel near to the forest reserve.
Days 4-5: Kakum and the Canopy Walkway, which is unique in this part of the world, is said to be possibly the best rain forest birding in Africa. We make two dawn visits to this unique birding area. The track leading up to the start of the Walkway offers Rufous-thighed Sparrowhawk, Fire-crested Alethe, Finch's Flycatcher-thrush, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, White-breasted Negrofinch, Yellow-throated Barbet, Collared and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, Little, Slender-billed and Honeyguide Greenbuls, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird and Forest Wood-hoopoe. Species seen from the Walkway on previous tours include: Yellow-spotted and Hairy-breasted Barbets, SabineÕs Puffback, Red-headed and Red-vented Malimbes, Speckled and Yellow-throated Tinkerbirds, Sharpe's Apalis and Blue-throated Roller. Other birds of this superb park that we have recorded are Crowned Eagle, Ayres and Cassin's Hawk-eagles, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, White-crested, Yellow-casqued, Black-and-white-casqued and Brown-cheeked Hornbills, KlassÕs and Didric Cuckoos, Usher's Flycatcher, Green and Green-headed Sunbirds, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Cassin's and SabineÕs Spinetails, Grey-headed Bristlebill, Sabine's Puffback, Olive and Grey Longbills, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Honeyguide, Spotted, Icterine and Golden Greenbuls. Black Bee-eaters are also occasionally at Kakum and, if not too late in the year, Rosy Bee-eaters may be present. We return to our hotel for brunch each day and stay there in the heat of the day. During the late afternoon we visit a plantation area situated on the eastern part of Kakum NP for Palm-nut Vulture, White-rumped Swallows, Red-faced Cisticola, Blue-billed Malimbe and Orange-cheeked Waxbills. On another afternoon, we visit a coastal lagoon for Intermediate Egret, Black Tern and, perhaps, late migrant waders. As dusk falls, a visit for roosting Preuss's Swallows is planned.
Day 8: In the morning we head east towards Accra and make several stops on route. We may find African Black Crake, Black-shouldered Kite, Violet Turaco, African Moustached Warbler, Red-winged Warbler and African Hobby. Early afternoon sees us back in Accra where we have a late lunch before repacking and taking the flight home. Arrival in the UK is on the following morning. * * * * *
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Ghana,
situated in West Africa, is virtually unknown to birdwatchers
and holds numerous rare and sought after regional specialties.
The infrastructure of Ghana is probably the best in West
Africa, with Accra being its modern capital. Our tour
takes us from coastal forest regions in the west to the
Atawa Forest complex north of Accra. As this tour takes
place in the wet season, many forest species are at their
most vocal. In addition to this, a range of bishops and
widowbirds are present in breeding plumage. 
Day
3: Pre-breakfast return visit to Atawa where we may
find Naked-faced Barbet, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Black-winged
Oriole, Tit Hylia and Western Bluebill. After breakfast we head
southeast to Kakum National Park for a three-night stay. As
we progress, we may encounter Lizard and Red-necked Buzzards
and Gabar Goshawk whilst a small lake may yield Greater Painted
Snipe and African Black Crake. By mid-afternoon we arrive at
our hotel close to Kakum National Park. The gardens of the hotel
have colonies of Orange and Village Weavers which are sometimes
attacked by African Harrier Hawks.
Days
6-7: This morning we pay a final visit to the Walkway
before heading east to our next hotel at Assin Fosu for a two-night
stay. In the afternoon, under the guidance of staff from the
Ghana Wildlife Society, we have the opportunity to see and study
the little-known Yellow-headed Picathartes on its breeding grounds.
The next morning and afternoon we head to the northern section
of Kakum National Park and walk the forest trails there. Species
present in the area include, Gabon and Buff-spotted Woodpeckers,
Black, Sabine's and Cassin's Spinetails, Blue-throated Roller,
Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black-casqued and Yellow-casqued
Hornbills, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Cassin's and Yellow-footed
Honeyguides, African Shrike Flycatcher, Blue Cuckoo-shrike,
a wide range of greenbuls, bristlebills and bulbuls, White-tailed
Ant-thrush, sunbirds including Little Green, Buff-throated and
Tiny, Maxwell's Black Weaver, Chestnut-winged Starling, malimbes
and negrofinches. |
