Senegambia Hotel Gardens, The Gambia, 20/02/2010

5pm to 6:20pm. Weather: Hot & sunny.

First full day on holiday & I joined the hotel's guided garden bird walk for a wander round the hotel grounds which are well known for the number of species they hold (though apparently not as many as they used to hold). Later in the week I saw four birders with telescopes come through the grounds although they were not staying at the hotel. The group was guided by Tamba Suso who told us about other guided trips available & afterwards I signed up for Lamin Lodge. Tamba ended up becoming our trusted guide for the whole holiday & not just for birding, he took us out to Senegambia Market as well. However the birding was excellent in the hotel gardens & allowed me to start to feel more comfortable with my own identifications. The walk started at the birdwatching hut that sits in the middle of the hotel's grounds & which always seemed to have a few people in it.

Brown Babbler - pair on the way to the birding hut, after these first two I saw many afterwards, their bright orange eye was very distinctive;
African Grey Hornbill - Tamba immediately showed his expertise by pointing to a female high up in a palm tree.

Piapiac - a couple foraging on a lawn, 1 juvenile;
Red-Billed Hornbill.
Senegal Coucal - foraging amongst the longer grass, according to Tamba for snakes, a striking bird & not at all shy. Another was seen later foraging in a smaller quadrangle area between room blocks.
Red-Necked Falcon - Tamba heard it calling first & then it flew rapidly over the hotel's grounds, pursued by crows;
Pied Crow.
Yellow-Crowned Gonolek - stunningly-coloured bird, unmistakeable & the first of many I saw around the hotel, apparently the normally shy species has benefitted from the all hotels' gardens along the coastal strip & it was a definite favourite of mine during the holiday.

Bronze Manakin - a chattering flock amongst the top of a tree, & after I knew what they were I noticed they were very common in the grounds;
White-Crowned Robinchat - another wonderfully colourful bird & seen frequently around the rounds;
Red-Eyed Dove.
African Thrush - feeding on the lawns with robinchats & doves;
Green Wood Hoopoe - three flew in to the top of a palm tree where despite the foliage's shadows I could pick out some of their rich green colour, red bill & long, spotted tail - another cracker;
African Paradise Flycatcher - I spotted this one elusively flitting in the shadows of a thicket of trees & scrub close to my room & Tamba called it immediately. It was as active as it was elegant & was soon lost in the dense thicket;
Hooded Vulture, Black Kite, Long-Tailed Glossy Starling.
Black-Necked Weaver - foraging on apparently waste-ground from construction efforts adjacent to next door's hotel, the Kairaba, more boldly-marked than the village weaver even in non-breeding plumage;
Oriole Warbler - another treat, Tamba quickly spotted this unusual bird as it rapidly foraged amongst the higher branches, unfortunately it soon moved out of view.

Blackcap Babbler - boldly foraging on the ground with more thrushes;
Beautiful Sunbird - just before returning to the bird hut I saw one at the top of a palm bathed in evening sunlight allowing a straightforward identification from metallic colours & long tail-streamers;
Red-Billed Firefinch - on the way back to the room only a few feet from the path & not at all shy.

22 species, 15 new species.