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