Ghana Days Seven to Ten- Mole National Park

We spent 29th March to 1st April travelling north to Mole National Park and then back (checklists for those dates HERE). We had two full days birding at Mole with 119 species recorded on 30th March HERE and 111 on 31st March HERE. 

There were so many highlights including the mind blowing Denham's Bustard, the prehistoric Abysinnian Ground Hornbill,  Egyptian Plover, White-throated Francolin, Emin's Shrike, Gambaga Flycatcher, Dorst's and Rufous Cisticola, Yellow-bellied Hyliota and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters.

Also a nice selection of Palearctic migrants on their way north. 

On the mammal front we had a really good selection of safari animals including Savannah Elephants, Roan Antelope, Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Kob, Patas and Calathrix Monkeys, Olive Baboons, Warthogs, Blotched Genet, White-tailed Mongoose,  Ground Striped Squirrel, Yellow-winged Bat and Senegal Galago.

There were also Nile Crocodiles, West African Mud Turtles and various skinks (to identify) and we also ran the moth trap at nights with a nice range of savannah species (also to identify).

Trip report HERE. 

Denham's Bustard (above and below). Shockingly good bird. 

Abysinnian Ground Hornbill 

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Blue-breasted Kingfisher

Egyptian Plover- we had these on the way back from Mole outside the national park

Brown-backed Woodpecker 

Yellow-bellied Hyliota

Stone Partridge

Gambaga Flycatcher 

Emin's Shrike- top of wish list 

Brown-rumped Bunting

Pale Flycatcher

White-backed Vulture

White-headed Vultures

Dorst's Cisticola

Wood Warbler. Several of these in the forest and savannah zone with birds in Mole presumably on the move as they tend to winter in the rain forest. Other Palearctic migrants recorded included Common and Pallid Swifts, House Martins, Barn Swallows, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warblers (surprisingly still there as birds were arriving in the UK at the same time) and we also had Honey Buzzard in the south. 

Savannah Elephants (above and below).

Warthog

Olive Baboon

Calathrix Monkey

Hartebeest

Roan Antelope

Waterbuck

Kob

Nile Crocodile 

View over Mole National Park. An incredible contrast to the rain forests of Southern Ghana

Ghana Day Six- Picathartes Day

We started the day off (28th March) at the Ebekawopa (Abrafo) Forest Reserve near Kakum. 50 species in about two and half hours HERE with highlights including Rosy Bee-eater and good views of Hairy-breasted Barbet and African Piculet. 

We then headed north and stopped off at the Pra River HERE for the two specialities Rock Pratincole and White-throated Blue Swallow. 

It was then on to Nyamebe Bepo forest to pay homage to the Picathartes (as it was Kojak's first time to Ghana it was a neccessary pilgrimage). We had five birds performing around their rock theatre and while we were waiting it was also a good opportunity to absorb the forest sounds with Black Cuckoo, Plain Greenbul (Cameron Sombre), Red-tailed Bristlebill and Western Bearded Greenbul calling/singing. Checklist HERE.

We then (sadly for me but happily for Kojak), had to say goodbye to the rain forests of the south and started heading north to the woodland savannah zone. We stopped off for the night north of Kumasi at a hotel that was still being built and ended up in the basement with a somewhat distrubed night as a big storm followed by a power cut and then the generator going on (in the basement next to my bed!)

Trip Report HERE.

White-necked Rockfowl/ Picathartes (above) 

Rosy Bee-eater (above and below) 

Hairy-breasted Barbet (complete with hairy breast)

Yellow-billed Barbet

Green Crombec

Swamp Bulbul 

African Piculet

White-throated Blue Swallow

Rock Pratincole

Picathartes habitat

Ghana Day Five, Breakdown Day

The plan for today (27th March) was to head to Kakum NP via the Carmelite Sunbird spot and do the afternoon on the canopy walkway. After doing the moths. at the breakfast briefing, Kojak was considering whether to get dropped off at a Beach resort for the rest of the trip because not only had the tough birding at Ankasa broken his spirit but he also suffers from vertigo and didn't want to go on the walkway. It looked like it was going to be a man down situatuon so we set off on our journey with things in the air. 

Within an hour or so we were pulling over on the side of the road for the third time this trip (two previous stuck in the mud episodes). This time a hydraulic brake fluid pipe had been damaged and was pumping out hydraulic fluid resulting in complete brake loss. Alex and Robert managed to fix the pipe and while they were doing that Kojak and I had a quick look round the farm bush habitat we were in. A few trip ticks and the fortuitous result of lifting Kojak's birding spirits as the birding was easy (as it was his first trip to Ghana we should have started off in farm bush and did the common birds first before heading into the tough forests looking for tricky targets). Ebird checklist from the road HERE . Highlights included Piping Hornbills, some nice views of Lesser Striped Swallows, Dusky-blue Flycatcher and Chestnut-backed Weavers. 

We were back on the road but a few minutes later the quick fix had broken and we lost all brake power again. Fortunately we stopped outside a mechanics so while we waited an hour and a half to get it fixed properly Kojak and I explored the farm bush in that area. Checklist HERE. Further trip ticks included Honey Buzzard, Black and Little Bee-eaters, Reichenbach's Sunbirds and good numbers of Red-vented Malimbes in the coconut plantations. 

We were now back on the road (after a 2.5 hour delay) and headed to Half Assini near the Ivory Coast border. A few miles later and the air conditionig belt broke so we were on the side of the road again. After removing the belt and now not having any air con we carried on to Half Assini where while watching the Carmelite Sunbrids HERE Alex and Robert got the air con fixed. Three breakdowns in one day and a total of five breakdowns for the trip in as many days. 

By now we had racked up a 3 hour or so delay and then got stuck in coast road traffic. We picked up lunch from Robert's wife and daughter again but by the time we approached Kakum it was nearly dusk so we had to abandon the plan of trying out the canopy walkway. In the Elmina area there were some salt pans where we noticed a flock of Black Herons flying over the road. We pulled over and intersected a roost movement of Black Herons where we counted 125 birds- one of the highest counts for Ghana HERE.

We finally arrived at our hotel after a long problematic day but Kojak was in better spirits and decided to stay on the tour. 

Live Trip Report HERE. 

Carmelite Sunbird (lifer)

Reichenbach's Sunbird

Dusky-blue Flycatcher

Male Honey Buzzard

Lesser Striped Swallow and Speckled Tinkerbird

Black Herons going to roost

Robert and our troubled truck