Birding Ghana with James & Kojo, Ashanti African Tours, July - August 2017
Wednesday 26th July
5am. Change of plan: rather than early breakfast and being at Shai Hills for dawn, we were out in the dark, walking towards the fields behind the hotel to follow up on a nightjar report. We were diverted for a moment by a Yellow-winged Bat hanging by an outside light, but ten minutes later we were watching a Swamp Nightjar flying past building sites and maize fields on the edge of Tema, giving its “choog choog” song. Its identity was readily confirmed by James Ntakor, our amazing guide with his incredibly sharp eyes and ears.
Back at breakfast, there was light to watch the Black-necked Weavers and Bronze Mannikins in the palms, whilst Yellow-crowned Gonolek called nearby. As soon as we’d eaten, our driver, Kojo, whisked all four of us (my friend Michael and me, along with James and Kojo) to Shai Hills Resource Reserve. We went past the Olive Baboons at the gate, and walked into the wooded savanna with Ishmael (our park guard for the morning).
Our list of characteristic birds of Ghana’s forest-savanna transition zone grew quickly. We watched Stone Partridges calling at us excitedly from a scrub-covered boulder-strewn slope. A Blue-bellied Kingfisher sat resplendent on a bush whilst Callithrix and Spot-nosed Monkeys crashed through the woodland around the inselbergs. A pair of Double-toothed Barbets, very smart in red and black, were also very welcome.
Yellowbill and Northern Crombec were glimpsed. Common Wattle-eye and Snowy-crowned Robin-chat were a struggle at first but gave great views in the end. The cliffs had tantalising splashes of Lanner Falcon droppings on them, but were empty of raptors themselves. A female Cliff Chat watched us from a distant part of the crags, and soon afterwards a pair flew past much closer.
Then we were driving back towards the city. Wires along the roadside had Rufous-crowned and Blue-bellied Rollers and once we were amongst the buildings, Common Kestrels (all of the rufescens race at this time of year), Pied Crows, Hooded Vultures and Cattle Egrets enlivened the journey.
There was another rush of new birds for us at Sakumono Lagoon, a Ramsar site jammed amongst the urbanisation of Greater Accra. Spur-winged and African Wattled Lapwings, Black-winged Stilts, Zitting Cisticola and Great White and Intermediate Egrets were all on display when we arrived. Black Heron and Night Heron flew past, whilst a Shikra, Collared Pratincoles and Black Terns circled over this well-vegetated wetland.
We walked right past a couple of sleepy Senegal Thick-knees which weren’t at all bothered by our attention. An African Swamphen was bizarrely obliging, sitting up on a clump of reed-mace. Greater Swamp Warbler and Winding Cisticola were also in the reed-mace, and Little Bee-eaters hawked above our head. When we got back to the car, James heard the nasal chatter of Yellow-throated Leaflove – with some judicious tape-luring, three of them came to look down at us from an acacia.
We then set off on the drive west. Visitors to Ghana in the dry season may see more migrants, but they miss the beauty of bishops and weavers in breeding plumage. Given that our tour was in the rains – the breeding season for these species – we were very pleased to see these birds looking their best in bright scarlet or yellow by the roadside every few miles.
We had one more stop to make – grasslands with scattered trees in the heart of Winneba Plain. A range of cisticolas, Red-winged Warbler and Tawny-flanked Prinias challenged our ID skills (thank goodness the ever-patient James could keep us straight). A Cardinal Woodpecker paused in a roadside tree, and Marsh Tchagra and Blue-headed Coucal were also on show. Best of all, a strange noise alerted James to a male Black-bellied Bustard – eventually we spotted it standing cautiously in the long grass between distant bushes, like a turkey trying to avoid oncoming Christmas.
We’d been going after quality – trying to find species that we might not come across anywhere else – rather than quantity. However, when we totted up our list that evening, we understood why we felt so bewildered. We had recorded an overwhelming 109 species in our first day birding together in Africa.
Thursday 27th July
We marched through the forest of Kakum National Park to find the famous canopy walkway in light morning mist. In an hour from one of the canopy platforms we’d watched the three big hornbills – Brown-cheeked, Yellow-casqued and Black-casqued – moving between the trees. A Black-winged Oriole danced along a branch and a flock of Rufous-crowned Eremomela rippled through the leaves around us. Fire-bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-billed Turaco showed up. As the day began to warm the mist cleared and the evocative song of Emerald Cuckoos filled the air.
A strange-shaped lump in the branches of one of the nearer trees transformed into a sleeping Pel’s Anomalure (a black and white ‘flying squirrel’), which seemed to have forgotten to return to its tree hole come dawn. It was slumped over its bough for hours, probably snoring – we were glad that it wasn’t seen by the Cassin’s Hawk-eagle and African Goshawk which both went past.
We left the forest for lunch, and afterwards Michael and I explored some farmbush near our lodge in Jukwa, adding a few crop-loving weavers, sunbirds and finches to our lists. When we returned to the canopy walkway we had a dramatic vista of rainforest in front of us, bathed in late afternoon sunshine. Preuss’s Cliff Swallows started to come past, whilst Hairy-breasted Barbet and Forest Chestnut-winged Starlings took turns in the treetops.
An Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo started its siren-like song as dusk fell. There was a medley of monkey calls (three species had made an appearance over the day) and then some hoarse cackling from a distant group of Latham’s Forest Francolin. Finally, a Brown Nightjar sang below us before we set off back to the car park through the white noise of roaring cicadas and katydids. This was Michael’s first day in the Upper Guinea forest, and it had yielded over 50 lifers for him.
Friday 28th July
Bumpy roads took us to fields and secondary forest to the north-west of Kakum National Park. No sooner were we on foot than we came across a fruiting bush which was bursting with birds. That delayed us for nearly half an hour, watching the 18 species attracted by the berries, from Naked-faced Barbet to Yellow White-eye and a range of greenbuls and weavers. A nineteenth species – a medium-sized honeyguide which remained unidentified – appeared momentarily in the bush, before being driven off by a tinkerbird.
Later on that morning, a Cassin’s Honeybird flew past, uttering its buzzing call. Buff-spotted Woodpecker and Forest Penduline-tit were two particularly sought after species that we saw on this walk. White-spotted Flufftail was calling, and a Little Grey Greenbul gave away its identity with its call, before offering good views of its subtle markings. The farmbush had been very productive, finishing with White-rumped Swifts flying over as we returned to the car, but we had another treat before lunch – a big detour on the road home brought us a White-throated Blue Swallow and four Rock Pratincoles on the Pra River at Twifo Praso.
We went south after lunch to explore the country to the west of Cape Coast. Salt pans had Common Sandpiper, Spur-winged Lapwing, Green-backed Heron and Western Reef Egret. A turn to Brenu took us through grasslands with no end of Double-spurred Francolins along with singles of Black-rumped Waxbill and Yellow-throated Longclaw. We had brilliant views of Oriole Warbler in a clump of roadside trees before coming across a pool with a Wood Sandpiper being chased by a family of Black-winged Stilts.
Saturday 29th July
James had lined up another stretch of farmbush and secondary forest for us to explore on the edge of Kakum. Very soon we were getting tantalising glimpses of a Puvel’s Illadopsis as it sang from low perches around us. We were drawn into a strip of secondary forest by the calls of a pair of Red-cheeked Wattle-eye. They led us a merry dance, but we stumbled into a White-tailed Alethe in pursuit of them. We’d just about given up on the Wattle-eyes when one materialised on a palm branch in front of us, gleaming in the gloom for a minute, showing off its scarlet cheeks and contrasting pale blue wattles – surely a strong candidate for our bird of the day.
Black-crowned and Brown-crowned Tchagras, Red-faced and Whistling Cisticolas and Didric and Klaas’s Cuckoos were much in evidence, but suddenly we were distracted by sonorous “poop” calls off in the distance. Sooty Boubou! We hurried further into the farmbush, and James called them in, until we had the pair together in the bushes right next to us. First we were teased by one jumping onto an exposed twig for a millisecond before returning to cover. A bit more patience and a lot of peering through gaps in the leaves eventually gave us a clear view of one of the birds, alternating its deep “pooping” with a hard trill – another special moment in a walk which had already given so much.
Today was also a travel day, and we had the long drive to Ankasa ahead of us. We paused at the saltpans by Cape Coast again, and realised a Lanner Falcon was soaring above us with the Hooded Vultures. A further stop had us enjoying a large Orange Weaver colony and a very tidy male Pygmy Goose, but the hoped-for Allen’s Gallinule was notable by its absence. We saw Brown and Reichenbach’s Sunbirds at the Ebi River but potential roadside Hartlaub’s Duck pools were empty. Just before dusk we arrived to see a Cassin’s Flycatcher perching just above the Ankasa River at the entrance to the National Park, where the onset of night was marked by a Straw-coloured Fruit Bat quartering the river.
Sunday 30th July
Western Bearded and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls, Olive Sunbird and a calling African Goshawk greeted the day as we had breakfast at our camp in the forest of the Ankasa National Park. A group of Crested Guineafowl sprang off the track as we drove to Nkwanta in the heart of the park.
We walked through to the pylon line, passing the tracks of Forest Elephants, which had left a clear trail through the undergrowth. The national park has a swathe cleared through the middle of it for this major powerline which runs to Ivory Coast, but the pylon line did give us a vantage point from which to watch a flock of Great Blue Turacos in a fruiting fig, before a pair of Yellow-casqued Hornbills found the tree.
We headed on into the forest. A flock of Spotted Greenbul was a delight as they scurried through the foliage, raising one wing at a time in a very peculiar fashion. A Red-tailed Bristlebill glared at us from amidst its heavy blue eye-ring.
When the track looped round to the pylon line again, we saw a pair of Blue-moustached Bee-eaters, and a Black Bee-eater joined the many Blue-throated Rollers along the wires. An Emerald Cuckoo, in all its shimmering brilliance, landed on a tree in front of us. We also saw a Forest Wood-hoopoe. To top it all, a Crowned Eagle towered overhead, with its tail fanned into a half-circle.
Another highlight was encountering a driver ant column, which we were alerted to after Michael noticed that his trousers were covered in angry ants. A split second later he realised that they had gone up his trouser legs too. The quick strip and half-naked ant dance which followed provided great amusement for the rest of us.
Lunch was at Nkwanta camp in the heart of the National Park, with Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetails and Square-tailed Saw-wings in attendance overhead. We’d kept busy since we arrived in Ghana and had to have a post-prandial snooze – even the clattering of the large Common Agamas on the tin roof couldn’t keep us awake.
Our late afternoon stroll was brightened by a Dwarf Kingfisher posing beautifully for us, whilst a Chocolate-backed Kingfisher sang in the distance. Spot-nosed Monkeys showed briefly. Yellow-bearded Greenbuls chuckled from the vines and showed us their puffed-out throats. Black-capped and Sharpe’s Apalis made appearances, whilst miaowing Western Black-headed Orioles and Honeyguide Greenbuls tested our hearing. We stayed late, and the day ended with a serenade of reverberating rasping cronks from distant groups of Nkulengu Rails.
Monday 31st July
The chattering of a Green Squirrel was our accompaniment for breakfast, along with the repeated “kwit” notes of the local African Goshawk which was doing its dawn rounds again. A Rufous-sided Broadbill was rattling frenetically, seemingly some distance away. James peered into the trees, and to our amazement spotted the Broadbill on its perch. We got the ’scope on it and gave it the admiration it deserved.
We walked back into the heart of the National Park. We crept up to the first pool, hoping to see Hartlaub’s Duck, but again this species evaded us. Woodland Kingfisher sat above the pond, and a White-bellied Kingfisher called from nearby. Then James pointed out a pair of eyes watching us from the water. It was a Dwarf Crocodile, with its head up, and its short nose and armour-plated eyes breaking the water. We watched fascinated as it scrutinised us, before the head slipped backward into the depths of the pool. The undoubted ‘bird’ of the day was Dwarf Crocodile!
We left the forest to explore the farmbush beyond the park gate, finding a dead Variable Marsh Snake en route. Once out amongst the fields, we stuck our head into thick bushes to watch a White-spotted Flufftail hurry past, alongside a trickle of water. Gabon Woodpecker put on a good show as it explored the branches of a Musanga cercropiodes tree above us. We also had good views of Blue-throated Brown and Superb Sunbirds, Splendid Glossy Starlings and Blue-billed Malimbe.
As we walked back into the park, to eat at the camp, a White-crested Hornbill flew down the Ankasa river and a White-tailed Ant Thrush shot across the track in front of us. The day was rounded off by the calls of an African Wood-owl.
Tuesday 1st August
James had picked out an atmospheric area of high forest for the morning’s walk. The open understorey was dominated by huge buttress roots and soaring trunks. When Rufous-winged Illadopsis was heard, the visibility was good enough to find it and get it in the ’scope some 40-50 metres away, so we could watch it belting out its rhythmic song.
Kenneth (our park guard for our time at Ankasa), told us the full unexpurgated story of why monkeys hate dogs and pointed out a speciality of the forest floor – the wrinkled-leaved herb to which the National Park has given its name – Psychotria ankasensis. The ‘walking tree’ Uapaca guineensis also grabbed our attention, with its stilt roots holding its trunk high above the ground. An opening in the canopy gave us another look at Blue-moustached Bee-eater – a single bird against the sky on a dead branch high above us.
We had 40 minutes left before lunch and our departure to go back east. We had a quick wander along the riverside, but again there was no Finfoot waiting for us. All thoughts of disappointment were very quickly put to one side as James heard a Thick-billed Honeyguide singing from a ridge. Soon we were watching it intently as it came down to give us a stare. A Finsch’s Flycatcher Thrush was just as well-behaved on our way back to the car, giving us a great send off from a wonderful time at Ankasa National Park.
That afternoon, after battling with traffic on the edge of Takoradi, we got to the Subri Forest Reserve. A flock of 18 Red-fronted Parrots went over, with a small group of Narrow-tailed Starlings also flying past. Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-spotted Barbets and Green Pigeons called around us, and Square-tailed Saw-wings were hawking over the clearings. Then James heard a call, and a Long-tailed Hawk flew over the road to land in clear view in a tall tree.
A heavy shower put an end to our raptor viewing, but before dusk fell the rain cleared and we were out of the car again. As the frogs were reaching a crescendo in the roadside ditches we heard the calls of Spot-breasted Ibis coming into roost, just as an African Wood-owl started to hoot. James stopped the car on the way back to our hotel by a further patch of forest, and played an owl call into the night. Immediately the stars were blocked out as a huge shape glided across the road, and torches were flicked on to light up a very territorial Akun Eagle Owl which glowered down at us for a minute before we left it in peace.
Wednesday 2nd August
The morning saw us back at Subri Forest Reserve. After we’d admired a huge blueish earthworm that was wriggling across the forestry track, we got back to the birds, and realised that Grey-throated Flycatcher and Yellow-billed Barbet were singing on each side of us. The barbet was whistled in by James – despite what the afternoon was to bring, our sighting of this powerful bird was to remain one of our trip highlights.
Three Cuckoo Hawks chased each other through the trees, with one then taking a break on the bare branches of one of the taller trees. Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill was calling whilst we watched Ussher’s Flycatchers and Bristle-nosed Barbet, but better still was the pair of Tessman’s Flycatchers that James spotted just before we had to leave.
Our next site was quite a drive, but one we were greatly looking forward to, given that this was going to be our chance to see Yellow-headed Picathartes. On arrival, we wanted to look around the new school that Ashanti African Tours is about to finish, which will serve the communities of Breku and Bonkro, who live on the edge of forest with a Yellow-headed Picathartes colony. Our driver, Kojo, had been leading the school construction, so we couldn’t have been shown around by anyone more appropriate. We were very impressed with the work – genuine ecotourism in action. We could even listen to a Kemp’s Longbill singing whilst we went round. We did have the Picathartes still to see. The sky had looked threatening all afternoon, and no sooner than we’d entered the forest, it started pouring. James conjured up some umbrellas which took a bit of manoeuvring as we went down the narrow forest path. The rain meant we didn’t hear too much in the forest, apart from the lilting song of an Emerald Cuckoo and the complaints of a range of greenbul species.
It was a long wait for the Picathartes to appear, but as a glasses-wearer, I was very pleased to find that I could keep my spectacles and binoculars dry under the umbrella. Eventually a Picathartes came from over our shoulders, to land in front of us and bounce along a fallen tree trunk. It then ducked under the rock overhangs, perhaps checking on its nest, and emerged onto a stray boulder beyond, all legs, neck and tail, like a characterful but awkward version of our familiar Magpie. This was an experience that the rain couldn’t spoil – every birder should see this bird!
Thursday 3rd August
Having driven north to Kumasi last night, we had a long haul today, to get up to Mole National Park, the ‘Promised Land’ for so many savanna specialities. First though we had a birding stop in the teak plantations, farmbush and logged forest at Offinso.
To our surprise, these underwhelming habitats were full of birds. Ahanta Francolin called from abandoned fields, whilst the lovely song of Black-crowned Tchagra rang out. We saw our only Red-headed Queleas. A pair of Cameroon Indigobird fed on the track, with the immaculate black male imitating the Blue-billed Firefinch which they parasitise. A mystery bird gave a string of imitations, with its rendition of Baumann’s Greenbul giving us momentary hope (Baumann’s was to be the only Ghanaian member of the Bulbul Family which we were not to record on this momentous tour) but despite staying hidden, we decided that this bird was probably an unusual-sounding Snowy-crowned Robin-chat. We were further tantalised by the distinctive deep whistles of Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, but despite at least three individuals being within 100m of us, none of them broke cover.
Early starts and late finishes had us sleeping a lot of the way north, but once we’d turned west in Fufulso, we had our first wonderful taste of the northern savanna. As soon as we’d got out of the car a Black-headed Heron flew past, Red-billed Queleas were squabbling in the dirt with bishops and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus, whilst the trees and bushes seemed full of Little Weavers and Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrikes.
We were now wide awake for the rest of the drive. A Red-necked Falcon on a roadside tree let us screech to a halt to admire it. Stranger still was a Dwarf Bittern looking completely out of a place on top of a bush when we slowed for some roadworks.
Not long afterwards we arrived at the Mole National Park. We checked in to the motel to the sound of Hadadas from the dams below the escarpment and the snuffling of Warthogs which took no notice of us as they hoovered up insects in front of our door.
We went to the old airfield before supper. The deep hoots of a Greyish Eagle-owl as the sun went down was joined by the whistles of a Northern White-faced Owl from further off. We were pleased to see the eagle-owl briefly land on a dead tree, silhouetted against the last of the light, but it was even better to see two of them in the headlights just afterwards, striding around the track in search of prey.
Friday 4th August
Our first full day at Mole was quite something. A fruiting fig tree outside our room was alive with Callithrix Monkeys, Violet Turacos, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbirds and the dazzling pair of Bearded Barbets. We could take in Waterbuck, Kob and Bushbuck in a glance from the motel balcony.
It only got better when we got into the wooded savanna, with James finding us treasures and Robert (our armed park guard) keeping us safe. There were Yellow-breasted Apalis feeding in the treetops, with every bare branch occupied by Red-throated Bee-eaters. A Bateleur flew over, seemingly unembarrassed by its deep deficiency in the tail department. Square-tailed Drongos were a surprise, making us look twice at every Northern Black Flycatcher for the rest of our time at Mole. A Savanna Monitor flopped out of a bush to land in the flood below it. Fanti Saw-wings were all around us. Brubru, Blackcap Babblers, Black-headed Weavers, Beautiful Sunbirds and Black Scimitarbill were also new.
When we got to the first of the dams, James pointed out a Swamp Flycatcher sitting low in the flooded vegetation. From the viewing platform, all thoughts of birds were put to one side as my first ever Bush Elephant lumbered into view. A West African Crocodile (recently found to be a separate species from the Nile Crocodile of eastern and southern Africa) then lazily snaked across the pool, before sinking sinisterly to lie in wait. Senegal Thick-knees, African Jacanas, Yellow-crowned Bishops and Helmeted Guineafowl did their best to remind us that this was meant to be a birding tour.
When we got back for lunch, we found that we’d not locked the door to our room properly. The Olive Baboons had let themselves in, and picked neatly through all our bags. There was no food for them, so we assume that they were left deeply disappointed. This helped us add a baboon flea (not identified to species…) to our trip list, as well as keeping us in conversation with other motel guests who were not quite as fanatical as us when it came to cuckoos and cisticolas.
Whilst James took a well-deserved early afternoon break, Michael and I took a short walk, acquainting ourselves with this new avifauna. At 3pm we were off into the park in the car. Our first stop, in search of Forbes’s Plover, was a ‘successful failure’ – the lack of plovers was more than made up for by Sun Lark and Flappet Lark both putting on a show, and a Dark Chanting Goshawk landing in front of us.
The Violet-backed Hyliota in a mixed flock was off before anyone but James had picked it out amongst the Senegal Eremomelas. We were cheered up by realising there was a Brown-backed Woodpecker in the same flock and locating a Western Banded Snake Eagle soon afterwards. As we drove on, we found two Forbes’s Plovers in area of tracks and sparse grass, both of which allowed close inspection of them and their heavily decorated plumage. We saw several Stone Partridges and Double-spurred Francolins along the dirt roads, and on the way home our headlights illuminated three Long-tailed Nightjars
Saturday 5th August
A morning trip to the airfield yielded a busy flock of around 20 White Helmet-shrikes. A White-throated Francolin started calling, and James attracted it until we could see it on the track. Maize fields at the edge of the park produced another flurry of sightings, including Brown-rumped Bunting and Lizard Buzzard and our only Red-winged Pytilia and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters of the tour.
We drove on to the gallery forest beyond Mognori Village, seeing groups of Piapiac and Green Wood-hoopoes on the way. A Pearl-spotted Owlet was calling, and we soon saw it (or rather, James soon saw it, and pointed it out to us), being mobbed by African Paradise Flycatcher, Senegal Batis and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. James got it in his ’scope, and managed to get a couple of digiscoped photos after we’d finished appreciating its feisty stare. A Marsh Tchagra was a surprise – it seems that this was the first record from the National Park for 42 years.
We headed under the canopy of the gallery forest. A White-crowned Robin-chat was singing loudly; it decided to sit for ages in full view in the lower branches of a riparian tree, despite James warning us that they never settle for long. Michael and I missed the Variable Sunbird that James heard, but we did get good views of Kintampo Rope Squirrel.
We walked on into the savanna, to sit and wait for a bit. It seemed quiet, but half an hour later we realised we’d put 27 species in the notebook, from passing White-backed Vulture to Blue-bellied Roller and Greater Honeyguide. The local troop of Patas Monkeys were sitting nonchalantly by the road as we drove back. Dots were spotted in the sky – a few Hooded Vultures and about 15 White-backed Vultures – and then a soaring Martial Eagle was picked out amongst them.
As we were getting ready to go back out after lunch, an enormous thunderstorm was brewing, putting paid to our plans. Three hours of driving rain and forked lightning made for quite a spectacle, but the only fresh birding interest was the pair of Woolly-necked Storks in the newly-flooded grassland below the escarpment that we could watch from the motel.
Sunday 6th August
After yesterday afternoon’s washout, we were very glad to have elected to have another day at Mole as it felt like we had catching up to do. The Promised Land had delivered on lots of promises, but it felt like there was lots we hadn’t seen.
The day started well with a Familiar Chat joining the Northern Black Flycatchers to pick off the moths around the motel’s outside lights. A pair of Red-billed Hornbills soon obliged once we were out on the savanna, but an unidentified honeyguide was another one that got away. We turned a corner to find a Hamerkop on the track in front, juggling with a freshly-caught catfish, which it eventually managed to swallow. We also appreciated the chance to study a Levaillant’s Cuckoo.
After a while, though, we didn’t seem to be finding anything new, so we went on to what we hoped would be a White-fronted Black Chat site. Our best ‘successful failure’ ensured. As soon as we arrived, an African Golden Oriole called in the distance. With no chats within sight (or within earshot), James led us determinedly towards the oriole. Fat chance, I thought – but the moral of this story is to always have faith in James.
A Yellow-billed Oxpecker shot out of the bushes we passed, heading off to look for its Buffalo (we didn’t find the Buffalo while we were at Mole, so I hope he or she had better luck). Pied-winged, Rufous-chested and Wire-tailed Swallows were hawking. The oriole sounded no closer.
A herd of strange orange, smelly millipedes rippling across the path attracted our attention, but then we were moving on after those elusive fluty calls. James played oriole song back to it, but it came no closer. I would’ve given up, but James is a born hunter. Two Fine-spotted Woodpeckers were a further bonus, which helped to urge us on.
A Striped Kingfisher and a Black Scimitarbill shared a tree along our way, and then James resolutely turned right, pushing through the bushes into the trees. James whispered “He’s here”, pointing, but to no avail – Michael and I could see nothing amongst the mass of leaves and branches. Undeterred, James took us closer, and then it was in front of us – black-masked, pink-billed and bedecked in luminous yellow. We’d been brought nearly a mile, but it was well worth it!
There was no chance for relaxing, as moments later James had picked out the hoots of a Grey-headed Bush-shrike, which came to inspect us from a treetop. We weren’t done though – the next find was a singing Spotted Creeper, which came out into a dead tree.
Mole is full of wonders, but they are not all given up easily. We walked back happy, reflecting on our luck which – combined with James’ skill and determination – had stood us in very good stead.
The morning was a hard act to follow, but no sooner had we headed out in mid-afternoon than we were rung with a report of three Abyssinian Ground Hornbills in the opposite direction. When we got there, there was no sign of them, but it seemed worth having a wander. Five minutes later, there was a whooping of wings, and a male rose out of the trees, flashing its white outer wings, close enough for us to see the red and blue bare skin on its face and throat. Of all the birds we wanted to see at Mole, this had been top of the list.
A celebratory walk was called for, and James and Robert knew just the place. We hadn’t got far when a group of elephants in the trees in front us were a good justification for a change of tack, taking us onto close-grazed tree-lined lawns, with an unseasonal Bush Petronia, Blackcap Babblers in the bushes, flyover Red-headed Lovebirds and a pair of Black-bellied Firefinches. We found an Aardvark hole, but we couldn’t wait to dusk to see if it was occupied, as we had other plans – an hour later we were listening to an African Scops Owl, bleating musically into the darkness.
Monday 7th August
A quick look around the motel gave us our last look at Mole National Park, and then we went to see the ancient mosque and its Red-chested Swallows at Larabanga. Then we were on the road proper, heading east and south.
More Dark Chanting Goshawks and Lizard Buzzards punctuated the journey before we’d got too far. Two stops in the savanna both brought Exclamatory Paradise Whydah sightings – each of males in breeding plumage with their unfeasibly long tails. The second of these stops was brought about by Michael and me being sure we’d seen a Ground Hornbill land in a recently-planted maize field, however unlikely that may sound. When we scanned the field there was no sign of the hornbill, leaving us questioning ourselves, but the Whydah was joined by more Bush Petronias and a Brown-rumped Bunting.
By late afternoon, we’d made it to the Bobiri Forest Reserve, east of Kumasi. We saw three Grey Parrots, a species on the verge of extinction in Ghana. This site had evidence of why – we could see the remains of a makeshift ladder hammered to one trunk by a specialist parrot-trapper in order to gain access to their roosting hole. Thankfully the parrots flew off to roost in the opposite direction, which is probably why they weren’t in a cage somewhere.
We had another night-bird session planned. Nkulengu Rails called again, but not close enough to chase after. A Red-chested Owlet whistled at us and we heard singing Brown Nightjar again. Best of all, though, were the two Demidoff’s Galagos which we caught in the light of our torches as they chattered their way through the vines.
Tuesday 8th August
Early morning at Bobiri had us welcomed by a chorus of Black-winged Oriole, Sharpe’s Apalis, Olive-green Camaroptera and Red-rumped Tinkerbird. Fire-footed Rope Squirrel rushed through the branches above us whilst Honeyguide Greenbul and Crested Malimbe joined the throng.
Yellow-mantled Weavers and Slender-billed Greenbuls filled fruiting trees. Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill and Black Dwarf Hornbill all showed well. Brown-necked Parrot flew over calling and we met yet another displaying African Goshawk. Forest Wood-hoopoe, Blue Cuckoo-shrike and Black Cuckoo were also calling. It had been yet another morning of quality birding, but we had to move on.
On the road to the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, we passed a cloud of about 100 Little Swifts. Soon the striking ridges of the Kwahu Plateau and Atewa Range dominated the vista. On arrival, we had time to explore the farmbush and forest edge adjoining the forest reserve, as a prelude to the following day’s climb. We saw little that was new, but White-throated Greenbul was calling around us, and we had excellent views of Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-tailed Alethe, Yellowbill, Grey Longbill and Rufous-crowned Eremomelas.
When we settled down at the forest edge to await dusk, we found our first Compact Weaver. An odd owl call had us confused at first, but after a while we (well, James) worked it out as a slightly strained-sounding Akun Eagle-owl, probably an immature bird.
Wednesday 9th August
The Atewa Range was capped with cloud when we reached it. Today’s target was the hilltop forest, over 500m above us. The walk was going to be long, hot and humid, but our expectations were high.
Once we’d entered the Forest Reserve, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher started to pipe us uphill, and a group of Cusimanse (a shaggy and sociable species of mongoose) thudded to the ground from the crowns of palms that they’d been foraging in. Malimbes, greenbuls and sunbirds were all around us. We saw a Green-tailed Bristlebill close-up soon afterwards, meaning all three Bleda species had performed for us over the last fortnight.
Butterflies, grasshoppers and crickets were more reason for frequent stops as we made slow but pleasurable progress. Two Blue-moustached Bee-eaters were glimpsed swinging on a vine that we could see through a gap in the canopy. An Nkulengu Rail was flushed and Shrike Flycatcher called repeatedly as we neared the top.
Once we’d reached the ridge, we had our packed lunch within sight of an active Tit-hylia nest hanging in a liana. A male Bioko Batis visited us. Bronze-naped Pigeon and Congo Serpent Eagle were calling. A rattled trill confused James – this is well-worth relating as this was the only time we saw him fail to name a call – we still wonder what that might have been.
We were encountering an incredible diversity of forest species. It was good to see Black-capped Apalis and Red-billed Helmet-shrike again. Our haul continued with Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Forest Scrub Robin and Long-tailed Hawk. Then James locked onto something in a mixed flock and before we knew it, we were watching a male Red-fronted Antpecker, something we hadn’t dared hope to come across. It had been a long hike, but it was such an experience, and we were just sorry that we hadn’t got the time to do it again the next day!
Thursday 10th August
Before we drove east, we explored another area of farmbush below the Atewa Range. Red-faced and Whistling Cisticolas were joined by the songs of Brown-crowned Tchagra and Sooty Boubou. A Black-and-white Flycatcher was good enough to sing from the outer branches of a shade tree above a small cocoa plantation. Black-bellied Seedcracker flew back and forth and we also came across Western Bluebill and another Compact Weaver. The immature Common Fiscal we saw had an interesting plumage, so different from that of the adult, whilst Vieillot’s Barbet was a reminder of how much savanna species have spread due to forest clearance.
Having been spoilt again by the birding quality, we settled down in the car for Kojo to drive us to Volta Region. A stop found reed-mace choking a roadside pool to such an extent that we couldn’t see if Allen’s Gallinule still survived at this site, but our spirits were raised by realising that the vegetation supported a small colony of the very impressive Grosbeak Weaver.
A lunch stop at the Volta River resulted in Brown Sunbird being seen in the trees at the edge of the hotel grounds. A Giant Kingfisher took up a perch on a rock in the garden, where it looked down on the Bar-breasted Firefinches. Long-tailed Cormorant and Intermediate Egret flew along the river.
Late afternoon saw us reach the Kalakpa Resource Reserve, our last site. Mottled Spinetails and African Palm Swifts flew around the Borassus palms. At first all we could hear from a wooded rocky hill was Green Turaco and the frisky whistling of Stone Partridge, but then we heard the distant jumbled mumbling of Leaflove, a speciality of this site.
We walked back to the gallery forest, and waited for dusk at a dam next to the forest. It was quiet for birds, but we were delighted (well, all of us were delighted, except James, who was no fan of snakes) to see an immature West African Rock Python swimming across the far side of the pool. When darkness came, two Black-shouldered Nightjars started singing, and an African Wood Owl hooted from further off.
Friday 11th August
Back at Kalakpa at first light, we watched a pair of Gambian Sun Squirrels chasing through the trees by the camp. The calls of Green Pigeon, Splendid Sunbird, Double-spurred Francolin and Senegal Parrot accompanied us as we walked through the Guinea Grass on our way to the gallery forest, the focus of our last morning’s birding.
In the forest, an old friend, Grey-headed Bristlebill, was singing. Soon we’d noted other forest specialists such as White-throated and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls, Green Hylia and Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher. A jewel-like longhorn beetle, Stenotomis pulchra, blundered into Michael to be grabbed and have its photograph taken. A Brown Illadopsis of the eastern moloneyana race sat up to show its dark throat.
Green Turacos were calling, and the forest floor was scattered with the footprints and droppings of Marsh Cane Rats and Walter’s Duiker (a small antelope recently split from Maxwell’s Duiker). James was surprised to spot Rosy Bee-eaters flying over, fresh in from the Congo, and we were all pleased to get good flight views of this unexpected migrant.
Calls from Forest Robin and Nicator were familiar, but the distant bursts of Capuchin Babbler were new to Michael and me. The eastern (nominate) race of Cameroon Sombre Greenbul – slightly different looking and sounding to the western race we’d been seeing at other sites previously – called as it moved through the tangle of vegetation above us.
We’d already had a whirl of valued additions to the trip list. We were very satisfied, and it wasn’t long until we had to start driving back to Accra to catch our flights. But then came a series of pulsing hoots which James immediately recognised as Narina’s Trogon.
All thoughts of an immediate departure were dropped. James set off through the undergrowth. Michael and I did our best to follow without crashing along too loudly. We paused. It sounded as if we were underneath the Trogon, but as we strained our necks we could see nothing on all the visible branches high above. The sound moved, and we were off again, trying to creep along whilst scanning the canopy, all to no avail.
The sound moved again. After ten minutes of this game, our optimism was fading. It was great to hear the bird, but it wasn’t going to show, was it? We weren’t done quite yet though, and the sound drew us on. Then came the magical moment when James grabbed me by the shoulder, pulling me around some thick vines which were dragging on the forest floor. I peered up through a window in the branches, following his pointing arm. There, over 30 metres above us, sat the male Narina’s Trogon on a horizontal vine lying just under the canopy foliage.
We all gazed in amazement. Its upperparts were ablaze with iridescent green. It had its dark, white-edged tail towards us, with its bicoloured wings neatly tucked over its back. It had its head cocked, watching us, with its pale bill in profile. Its glittering green head had a yellow eyebrow and two yellow wattles below the eye, and from my angle, I could even see a sliver of scarlet red from its flank feathering. What an end to the tour.
Julian Branscombe
julian@jbranscombe.co.uk
Birding with James Ntakor – an appreciation
Being out in the field with James was a revelation. I’ve been birding in the UK for nearly forty years, including five years as a full-time professional ornithologist carrying out surveys of breeding and wintering birds, as well as having spent countless hours doing surveys as a volunteer, patch-watching or migrant hunting.
Whilst I am no slouch with my bird finding and identification skills, I have often been out in the field in the UK with people who are sharper-eyed, better at picking up calls and quicker to pick up definitive identification features on distant or moving birds. However, whilst I may be used to better birders, what I wasn’t prepared for was quite how exceptional someone could be in the field.
Michael felt similarly. His experience matches mine, and we’ve done a lot of birding together. Indeed, we both stumbled onto what proved to be the first Chestnut Bunting for Britain whilst birding in Papa Westray (the Orkney island which is now my home) in October 2015.
James was so sharp-eyed, picking up movements we hadn’t noticed, often making identifications – proved later when the bird was seen well by us all – before any of us had realised a bird was present in the vegetation beside us. He was beyond belief when it came to spotting birds in a tangle of foliage, branches and vines. All we can presume is that his senses were keenly trained by his time spent hunting in the forest near Kakum National Park from an early age.
His ears were incredible (when not filled with leaves to keep out the sweat-bees). The faintest calls were identified; sometimes we could pick up these distant noises by straining our ears; often they only became apparent when James whistled the birds in, or got out his MP3 player to tape lure them. He seemed to know the calls and songs of absolutely everything – and we tried his patience by asking him about nearly everything! He’d be a very rich man if he got a Cedi for every time I asked about what proved to be yet another call of Olive Sunbird or Common Bulbul over our 17 days in the field.
Time and time again he proved to us the identity of the calls he was naming, getting us excellent views of the species whose voices he was naming. Just three times did we see him stumped. Once was with an odd-sounding disyllabic owl call at Atewa – the second note sounded a bit like the Sandy Scops Owl notes we’d heard on CD, but he didn’t buy that as an explanation and persisted until he was confident it was ‘just’ a slightly odd-sounding Akun Eagle Owl, probably an immature. At Offinso, we had a songbird give a procession of songs, including imitations of Baumann’s Greenbul – despite being close (and having a recording of its own song played back to it) we couldn’t see the bird. It didn’t sound all that much like the Snowy-crowned Robin-chats we’d been hearing previously on the tour but James’ best guess was that was what it was. Lastly, the trill of a bird flying over when we were on top of the Atewa Range sounded distinctive, so I asked James about it, being 100% confident he’d give me an ID as he had so many times before, but to my amazement his face was one of bemusement, and he said he had no idea. I still wonder what that could have been!
I understand James is typical of the guides employed by Ashanti African Tours. They know their country and its avifauna very well, have exceptional senses, and have honed their observational skills to a remarkable degree. Whilst the wildlife of Ghana was superb, and the country and its people were very welcoming and interesting, the unexpected pleasure was realising how acutely some people – like James – are able to observe wildlife. Just as importantly, he (and Kojo) were both charming and patient. We couldn’t have been in better company. We are deeply indebted to them for all that they gave us.
1 White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocynga viduata – in small numbers at Sakumono Lagoon, wetland between Takoradi and Ankasa, near the Subri River Forest Reserve and at Mole.
2 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis – one seen flying over the savanna near the motel at Mole.
3 African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus – one male seen at the wetland between Takoradi and Ankasa
4 Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris – regular in small numbers at Mole and heard once at Kalakpa.
5 Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani – a flock of about eight flushed in the early morning from the track between Ankasa Gate and Nkwanta.
6 Stone Partridge Ptilachus petrosus – a pair seen well at Shai Hills, with birds seen or heard on several occasions at Mole, and heard once at Kalakpa.
7 Double-spurred Francolin Pternistes bicalcaratus – recorded at Shai Hills, Winneba Plain, Brenu, Mole and Kalakpa.
8 Ahanta Francolin Pternistes ahantensis – heard once at night in farmbush near Ankasa, and from farmbush at Offinso Forest.
9 White-throated Francolin Peliperdix albogularis – seen at the old airfield, Mole.
10 Latham’s Forest Francolin Peliperdix lathami – heard at dusk from the canopy walkway at Kakum.
11 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis capensis – seen at a wetland between Takoradi and Ankasa, and on the way to Subri Forest.
12 Rock Dove Columba livia – seen widely in urban areas.
13 Bronze-naped Pigeon Columba iriditorques – heard from the ridge in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
14 Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata – common in all open habitats and some disturbed forests such as Bobiri.
15 Vinaceous Dove Streptopelia vinacea – common at Winneba Plain, Mole and Kalakpa.
16 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis – widespread and common, particularly around urban and cultivated areas, only absent from closed forest.
17 Bruce’s Green Pigeon Treron waalia – one group seen at Mole.
18 African Green Pigeon Treron calva – common in all the forest locations and at Mole.
19 Black-billed Wood Dove Turtur abyssinicus – present at Mole.
20 Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer – recorded widely in farmbush, but not noted around Mole.
21 Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistra – recorded widely in farmbush, disturbed forest and forest edge
22 Blue-headed Wood Dove Turtur brehmeri – recorded in forest at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
23 Black-shouldered Nightjar Caprimulgus pectoralis – two individuals heard singing at Kalakpa, one of which was seen as it flew close, investigating the playback.
24 Swamp Nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis – one bird singing at dawn in farmbush on the edge of Tema.
25 Long-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus climacuras – one pair and one single seen on the tracks within Mole National Park in an evening drive.
26 Brown Nightjar Veles binotatus – heard singing at Kakum, with male then lured in to sit in clear view on vines below canopy platform; also heard singing at Bobiri.
27 Mottled Spinetail Telecanthura ussheri – seen on the edge of Kakum and at Kalakpa.
28 Sabine’s Spinetail Rhaphidura sabini – only seen at Ankasa, with around 15 individuals on 30th Jul.
29 Cassin’s Spinetail Neofrapus cassini – a single seen over farmbush NW of Kakum National Park on 27th Jul and one seen over Nkwanta Camp at Ankasa on 30th Jul.
30 African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus – seen widely, especially in open habitats.
31 African White-rumped Swift Apus caffer – three birds seen over farmbush NW of Kakum National Park on 27th Jul.
32 Little Swift Apus affinis – abundant, especially around habitation and bridges, seen at most sites.
33 Black-throated Coucal Centropus leucogaster – frequently heard around forest and forest edge, but never seen.
34 Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis – often seen or heard around savanna sites and in farmbush and villages near Kakum National Park.
35 Blue-headed Coucal Centropus monachus – seen well on several occasions, and heard more frequently, at coastal grasslands (Winneba, Brenu) and in farmbush and forest edge around Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
36 Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus – seen well on occasion, but heard much more frequently, in woodland and forest at Shai Hills, Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa.
37 Levaillant’s Cuckoo Clamator levaillantii – seen well at Shai Hills and Mole.
38 Klaas’s Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas – recorded widely in forest zone (especially in forest edge and disturbed forest) and at Mole.
39 African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus – common in forest and forest patches; frequently heard singing; great views of males at Kakum and Ankasa.
40 Didric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius – seen and heard around Kakum (especially in villages and farmbush) and at Mole and Atewa.
41 Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Chrysococcyx olivinus – one seen in flight and heard singing from the canopy walkway at Kakum, and heard again at Ankasa on our last morning there.
42 Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius – seen and heard at Mole, and heard at Atewa.
43 Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus – heard singing at Bobiri.
44 Nkulengu Rail Himantornis himantopus – calling groups heard distantly at Ankasa and Bobiri, and a bird flushed during the day whilst walking up to the ridge at Atewa.
45 Black Crake Amaurornis flavirorstra – two birds seen at Sakumono Lagoon.
46 African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascarensis – a bird was ridiculously obliging at Sakumono Lagoon, sitting up on a tangle of dead reed-mace for ten minutes, only 40 metres away.
47 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus meridionalis – seen at Sakumono Lagoon and wetlands between Cape Coast and Ankasa.
48 White-spotted Flufftail Sarothura pulchra – heard frequently around Kakum, Ankasa, Subri and Atewa, with brief views obtained in farmbush near Ankasa.
49 Black-bellied Bustard Lissotis melanogaster – a male was seen well in the end on the Winneba Plains, with another being seen briefly at Mole.
50 Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata – easily the least frequently recorded turaco, with the only records being a group of about 10 birds which were watched in forest adjacent to the pylon line at Ankasa, and birds which were heard at Subri.
51 Western Grey Plantain-eater Crinifer piscator – recorded widely, often whilst travelling, or in farmbush areas, but seen every day at Mole.
52 Green Turaco Tauraco persa – heard or seen at Shai Hills, farmbush around Kakum, Brenu and Kalakpa.
53 Yellow-billed Turaco Tauraco macrorhynchus – recorded frequently from forest at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri and Atewa, giving good views at times.
54 Violet Turaco Tauraco violacea – seen well at Shai Hills and Mole.
55 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus – up to four birds seen in the grassland around the dams below the motel at Mole, or roosting in a dead tree in the woodland to the west.
56 Hamerkop Scopus umbretta – seen daily at Mole.
57 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus – an individual was seen flying over the vegetation at Sakumono Lagoon.
58 Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii – a bird watched for five minutes in the top of a roadside bush on 3rd Aug, when we were on the way to Mole, was one of the more bizarre sightings of the tour.
59 Green-backed Heron Butorides striata – seen frequently at Sakumono Lagoon, other coastal wetlands in the south-west and at Mole.
60 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides – recorded at Sakumono Lagoon and daily at Mole.
61 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis – recorded widely, especially in inhabited and farmed areas; not seen at Mole or in closed forest.
62 Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala – singles seen between Fulfulso and Mole National Park, but not at Mole itself.
63 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea – seen at Sakumono Lagoon and at a pool west of Takoradi.
64 Great Egret Ardea alba – recorded at Sakumono Lagoon and wetland near Cape Coast.
65 Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia – several seen at Sakumono Lagoon, with singles in a roadside wetland in the south-west and flying along the River Volta.
66 Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca – one was seen flying over Sakumono Lagoon.
67 Western Reef Egret Ardea gularis – a dark-phase single was seen on two dates at salt pans near Cape Coast.
68 Spot-breasted Ibis Bostrychia rara – several birds heard gathering to roost at Subri Forest Reserve.
69 Hadada Bostrychia hagedash – heard or seen every day at Mole.
70 Long-tailed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus – small numbers seen at Sakumono Lagoon and along the River Volta, with a single seen at salt pans near Cape Coast.
71 Senegal Thick-knee Burhinus senegalensis – two seen on the boundary between grassland and woodland near Sakumono Lagoon, with a single on the margin of wetland at Brenu, and up to four around the dams at Mole.
72 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus – at least 40 were seen at Sakumono Lagoon, with two at salt pans near Cape Coast and four at Brenu.
73 Forbes’s Plover Charadrius forbesi – prolonged views of two birds close to the car at Mole.
74 Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus – small numbers at Sakumono Lagoon with two birds at the salt pans near Cape Coast.
75 African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegalensis – small numbers at Sakumono Lagoon, salt pans near Cape Coast and at the dams at Mole.
76 African Jacana Actophilornis africanus – present at Sakumono Lagoon, a roadside wetland in the south-west and at the dams at Mole.
77 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – singles at Sakumono Lagoon on 26th Jul and salt pans near Cape Coast on 28th Jul.
78 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola – a single at a pool near the road to Brenu on 28th Jul.
79 Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola – around 50 individuals were hawking over the wetland at Sakumono Lagoon on 26th Jul.
80 Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis – four birds were on the rocks below the bridge on the Pra River at Twifo Praso on 28th Jul.
81 Black Tern Chlidonias niger – eight birds were seen flying over Sakumono Lagoon on 26th Jul.
82 African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides – single birds were seen at Kakum and Ankasa, and three individuals were at Subri.
83 African Harrier Hawk Polyboroides typus – seen frequently around Kakum, Ankasa, Subri and Kalakpa, and on two occasions at Mole.
84 Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis – seen occasionally at Ankasa, Kakum, Mole, Atewa and Kalakpa.
85 Congo Serpent Eagle Dryotriorchis spectabilis – heard distantly by James alone from the canopy walkway at Kakum, but heard clearly by all of us from the ridge at Atewa.
86 Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus – seen daily at Mole.
87 Western Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus cinerascens – one seen well at Mole.
88 White-headed Vulture Trindonoceps occipitalis – singles seen on three occasions at Mole (all individuals were female, but with one bird seen twice round the motel, and another bird being seen a fair way further north in the park, at least two individuals were involved).
89 Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus – seen widely, with the species having declined less in Ghana than in most parts of Africa, including up to four around Tema Docks, up to six at Cape Coast, up to seven at Takoradi and at least fifteen above the motel at Mole.
90 African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus – seen daily at Mole, with the highest count being sixteen birds together.
91 African Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus – the vantage point offered by the pylon line meant we had brilliant views of one soaring over the forest at Ankasa.
92 Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus – birds were seen twice at Mole, one soaring with vultures, the other flying low through the wooded savanna with prey.
93 Cassin’s Hawk-eagle Aquila africana – an immature was seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum.
94 Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus – seen several times in and around Mole, and whilst travelling through Volta Region.
95 Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates – seen twice at Mole, and a total of three times on the two journeys along the Larabanga to Fufulso road.
96 African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro – seen daily at Kakum and Ankasa, with singles also recorded at Bobiri and Atewa.
97 Shikra Accipiter badius – singles seen by the hotel in Tema, over Sakumono Lagoon, by the River Volta and at the hotel in Ho.
98 Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus – seen brilliantly well at Subri, and heard in the forest at Atewa.
99 Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum – great views of one called in at the gallery forest near Mognori, Mole.
100 Red-chested Owlet Glaucidium tephronotum – one heard calling after dusk at Bobiri.
101 African Scops Owl Otus senegalensis – one heard and seen after dark just outside Mole National Park.
102 Northern White-faced Owl Ptilopsis leucotis – one heard on the edge of Mole.
103 African Wood Owl Strix woodfordi – heard at Ankasa and at Kalakpa.
104 Greyish Eagle Owl Bubo cinerascens – common at Mole, where seen most evenings.
105 Akun Eagle Owl Bubo leucosticus – one seen well after dusk at Subri, with another bird heard calling after dusk at the edge of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
106 Narina’s Trogon Apaloderma narina – a few notes of song heard at Bobiri, and then a male seen very well at Kalakpa.
107 Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus – a male seen at Mole, with a probable sighting of another bird in farmland next to the road from Damongo to Fufulso.
108 African Pied Hornbill Lophocerus fasciatus – easily the most frequently encountered hornbill, seen at all the forest sites, often in loose flocks of up to 20.
109 African Grey Hornbill Lophocerus nasutus – small numbers seen at Shai Hills, Mole and Kalakpa.
110 Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill Lophocerus camurus – heard at Subri and two seen well at Bobiri.
111 Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus – just one record (of a pair) at Mole.
112 Black Dwarf Hornbill Horizocerus hartlaubi – one seen well at Bobiri.
113 White-crested Hornbill Horizocerus albocristatus – heard at Kakum, with a single seen at Ankasa, and at least one encountered on the edge of the Atewa Range.
114 Black-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna atrata – several birds heard and then seen flying past the canopy walkway at Ankasa.
115 Yellow-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna elata – a pair seen at Kakum from the canopy walkway, and another pair then seen well feeding at Ankasa.
116 Piping Hornbill Bycanistes fistulator – only seen on the approach to Ankasa, at the Ankasa National Park itself, and at Subri, but appeared frequent in small numbers at these sites.
117 Brown-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes cylindricus – several seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum, heard once at Ankasa, and also heard once at Atewa.
118 Green Wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus – groups seen at Shai Hills and Mole.
119 White-headed Wood-hoopoe Phoeniculus bollei – heard at Bobiri.
120 Forest Wood-hoopoe Rhinopomastus castaneiceps – one bird seen well at Ankasa.
121 Black Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus aterrimus – singles encountered on three occasions at Mole.
122 Cassin’s Honeybird Prodotiscus insignis – heard and seen on two dates at farmbush and secondary woodland sites near Kakum.
123 Thick-billed Honeyguide Indicator conirostris – one heard singing and then seen well near the river at Ankasa.
124 Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus – one seen at Kalakpa in the gallery forest.
125 Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator – seen several times at Mole, with all plumages (male, female and immature) observed.
126 Fine-spotted Woodpecker Campethera punctuligera – seen once at Mole.
127 Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa – one seen in the farmbush near Kakum.
128 Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli – James saw a pair in a mixed species flock at Ankasa, but a bird at Atewa was more obliging.
129 Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens – great views of one in a roadside tree on Winneba Plain.
130 Gabon Woodpecker Dendropicos gabonensis – seen briefly by James in farmbush near Kakum, but then seen well in farmbush near Ankasa, and twice at Atewa.
131 Fire-bellied Woodpecker Chloropicus pyrrhogaster – recorded from Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa, heard drumming more often than seen, but reasonable views obtained on two occasions.
132 Grey Woodpecker Mesopicos goertae – seen in a strip of trees near Sakumono Lagoon, and recorded at Mole on three dates.
133 Brown-backed Woodpecker Ipophilus obsoletus – seen once at Mole.
134 Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccandon duchaillui – seen well at Kakum, and heard regularly (and seen less often) at Ankasa and Subri, and on one occasion at Atewa.
135 Bristle-nosed Barbet Gymnobucco peli – several in a fruiting bush in farmbush near Kakum, with another seen at Subri.
136 Naked-faced Barbet Gymnobucco calvusi – also present near Kakum, and seen again at Atewa.
137 Speckled Tinkerbird Pogonolius scolopaceus – frequently seen and heard at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bobiri and Atewa.
138 Red-rumped Tinkerbird Pogonolius atroflavus – common but rarely seen in forest and forest edge at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bobiri and Atewa.
139 Yellow-throated Tinkerbird Pogonolius subsulphureus – heard in forest at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa, giving good views on occasion.
140 Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogonolius bilineatus – seen well at Shai Hills, and also heard in farmbush at Jukwa (near Kakum) and Atewa.
141 Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogonolius chrysoconus – common at Shai Hills and Mole.
142 Hairy-breasted Barbet Tricholaema hirsuta – seen well at Kakum and Subri, and also noted at Anksa, Bobiri and Atewa.
143 Vieillot’s Barbet Lybius vieillotii – seen in wooded savanna at Shai Hills, and in farmbush around Kakum, Offinso and Atewa.
144 Double-toothed Barbet Pogonornis bidentatus – a pair were watched at close range in bushes at Shai Hills, and one was also seen briefly on the same day on Winneba Plain.
145 Bearded Barbet Pogonornis dubius – a pair was usually in a fruiting fig tree outside our room at Mole.
146 Yellow-billed Barbet Trachylaemus purpuratus – recorded at Ankasa and Subri, with an excellent view of one bird at the latter site.
147 Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki – common at Mole.
148 Rosy Bee-eater Merops malimbicus – at least three individuals (probably more) passing over Kalakpa on 11th August.
149 Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus – a family party was found in farmbush at the edge of Mole.
150 Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus – pairs were seen at Sakumono Lagoon, and again at a roadside wetland to the west of Takoradi.
151 Black Bee-eater Merops gularis – one was seen along the pylon line at Ankasa, with another bird being seen at Subri.
152 Blue-moustached Bee-eater Merops mentalis – a pair was watched on the pylon line at Ankasa, with another individual being seen in closed forest quite close to Ankasa gate on another date. A pair were seen on the walk up to the ridge at Atewa.
153 Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias naevius – one was seen on roadside electricity lines near Shai Hills, and another was seen between Kumasi and Techiman.
154 Blue-bellied Roller Coracias cyanogaster – quite frequent in the transition zone (being seen at Shai Hills, between Kumasi and Techiman) and at Mole.
155 Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis – present at Kakum and Ankasa, with at least 16 along seen along the pylon line at the latter site.
156 African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta – recorded around Kakum, a number of times at Ankasa (including excellent views in the former farmbush at Nkwanta) and at Mole.
157 White-bellied Kingfisher Corythornis leucogaster – seen once on the river at Ankasa, and heard daily around the pools there, and again at Subri.
158 Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristata – present at salt pans near Cape Coast and at Mole.
159 Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys – heard once at Subri, as a bird shot past along a stream crossed by the road.
160 Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maximus – a bird sat on a large rock by a hotel car park alongside the River Volta; judging by the amount of droppings on this rock, it is a favoured perch.
161 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis – present at Sakumonona Lagoon, at salt pans near Cape Coast, a roadside pool west of Takoradi, and a pool along the road from Fufulso to Damongo.
162 Chocolate-backed Kingfisher Halcyon badia – this species teased us repeatedly with its calls from the forest at Ankasa on two dates, and Atewa on one date.
163 Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica – seen or heard at Shai Hills, Kakum, Ankasa, Mole, Atewa and Kalakpa.
164 Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis – widely encountered in gardens, roadsides and farmbush.
165 Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti – only recorded once, with a single bird giving sustained views from a treetop at Mole.
166 Common Kestrel Halcyon tinnunculus rufescens – seen several times around Tema and Accra, and in the vicinity of Cape Coast.
167 Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus – seen around Kakum, Mole, along the road between Fufulso and Techiman, and in several places along roads between Kumasi and Ho.
168 Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera – a Red-necked Falcon sitting in the top of a tree close to the roadside was one of the highlights of the drive from Fufulso to Mole.
169 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus – one bird was watched circling on the edge of Cape Coast.
170 Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus – the only records were of one bird heard near Ankasa gate, and three seen and heard at Bobiri.
171 Red-fronted Parrot Poicephalus gulielmi – recorded at Ankasa, Subri (where one flock of 18 was seen flying over), Bobiri and Atewa.
172 Brown-necked Parrot Poicephalus robustus – three seen at Bobiri.
173 Senegal Parrot Poicephalus senegalus – subspecies senegalus seemed common at Mole, and the brighter-fronted subspecies versteri was equally common at Shai Hills and Kalakpa.
174 Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri – common at Mole.
175 Red-headed Lovebird Agapornis pullarius – a pair were recorded flying over at Mole.
176 Rufous-sided Broadbill Smithornis rufolateralis – heard from the canopy platform at Kakum, and each day at Ankasa, with one bird being seen well, albeit at some distance, at the latter site.
177 Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga phoenicea – recorded at Shai Hills and Mole, with it seeming common in the northern savanna.
178 Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga quiscalina – a young male was watched for some time at Bobiri, whilst the species was also recorded at Atewa.
179 White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike Ceblepyris pectoralis – there were two brief encounters with birds at Mole.
180 Blue Cuckoo-shrike Cyanograucaulus azurea – birds were glimpsed, and clearly heard, at Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa.
181 African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus – a male was tracked down with great skill at Mole, but after all that effort, another bird appeared right in front of us later the same day in another part of the National Park.
182 Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus – common at Ankasa, where seen well, and also recorded at Atewa.
183 Black-winged Oriole Oriolus nigripennis – recorded at Kakum, Subri, Offinso, Bobiri and Atewa; seen well on several occasions.
184 Shrike Flycatcher Megabyas flammulata – James heard and glimpsed a bird on the first day at Kakum, but it went unrecorded by the rest of us until a bird was heard repeatedly calling as we approached the top of the ridge at Atewa.
185 Black-and-white Flycatcher Bias musicus – heard in farmbush at Kakum, and near Ankasa, but not seen well until a male was watched singing from trees in farmbush near Atewa.
186 White-crested Helmet-shrike Prionops plumata – a flock of about 20 birds were watched moving through the scattered trees and bushes by the old airfield at Mole.
187 Red-billed Helmet-shrike Prionops caniceps – pairs or small flocks were encountered at Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa.
188 Senegal Batis Batis senegalensis – birds were seen on two dates at Mole.
189 Bioko Batis Batis poensis – a male was watched for some time in open forest on the ridge at Atewa.
190 Red-cheeked Wattle-eye Platysteira blissetti – a bird eventually showed beautifully in secondary forest in an area of farmbush near Kakum, whilst calling birds were later heard from dense cover near the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
191 West African Wattle-eye Platysteira hormophora – this species was a reasonably frequent member of mixed species flocks encountered at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa.
192 Common Wattle-eye Platysteira cyanea – we soon became familiar with the clear, simple song of this species, hearing it at Shai Hills (where we also had excellent views), Winneba Plain, farmbush near Kakum, Mole and by the hotel at Ho.
193 Brubru Nilaus afer – seen or heard each day at Mole.
194 Northern Puffback Dryoscopus gambensis – recorded at Shai Hills and Mole.
195 Sabine’s Puffback Dryoscopus sabini – seen or heard at Ankasa, Offinso and Atewa.
196 Marsh Tchagra Bocagia minuta – seen at Winneba Plain, and again at the edge of the gallery forest at Mole.
197 Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis – recorded from farmbush near Kakum and again near Atewa.
198 Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus – the beautiful song of this species often confused Michael and me (but it never confused James) at Shai Hills, Winneba Plain, near Kakum and at Mole.
199 Yellow-crowned Gonolek Laniarius barbarus – seen very well at the hotel at Tema at the start of the trip, but thereafter mainly heard, being recorded at most of the savanna and farmbush sites.
200 Sooty Boubou Laniarius leucorhynchus – watching a duetting pair in farmbush near Kakum was a highlight of this tour, with calls also heard from farmbush near Atewa
201 Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike Malaconotus sulfureopectus – birds were heard from the savanna and Winneba Plain and at Mole, with glimpses of birds obtained at the latter site.
202 Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike Malaconotus cruentus – three individuals were heard calling from close by in the teak plantations and farmbush at Offinso.
203 Grey-headed Bush-shrike Malaconotus blanchoti – one bird was seen fairly well in the treetops on the edge of woodland at Mole, after we’d spent a while trying to track it down from its calls.
204 Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii – a bird was seen well in the wet, wooded savanna not far from the motel at Mole, with birds also being heard around the gallery forest at Mole.
205 Shining Drongo Dicrurus atripennis – birds were recorded each day at Ankasa, as well as also being heard at Atewa.
206 Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis – readily seen at Shai Hills and Mole, and also present by the hotel in Mole.
207 Velvet-mantled Drongo Dicrurus modestus – frequently seen in and around Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bonkro, Bobiri and Atewa.
208 Northern Fiscal Lanius humeralis – frequent in farmbush and along roads in the forest region.
209 Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina – groups recorded around Accra, at Mole and from the road when travelling through Volta Region.
210 Piapiac Ptilostomus afer – groups were seen in the woodland at Shai Hills and in farmbush at the edge of Mole.
211 Pied Crow Corvus alba – seen every day except for when we were in the heart of Ankasa and Mole National Parks, and on the ridge at Atewa.
212 Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus nitens – frequently heard singing in Ankasa, and also recorded at Subri and Atewa.
213 African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis – seen each day at Mole.
214 Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer – recorded in the rainforest at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa and in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
215 Yellow-headed Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephalus – at least one bird showed well in pouring rain at the nesting cliffs above Bonkro.
216 Fraser’s Sunbird Deliornis fraseri – found in mixed flocks in the forest at Ankasa and Atewa.
217 Brown Sunbird Anthreptes gabonicus – seen where the main road to Ivory Coast crosses the Ebi River, and in a hotel car park in trees along the River Volta.
218 Western Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes longeumarei – after Michael and I were both too slow to spot the first one that James found at Mole, we were very relieved to get a good view of a female one our last day at Mole.
219 Green Sunbird Anthreptes rectirostris – seen or heard at Kakum, Bobiri and Atewa.
220 Little Green Sunbird Anthreptes seimundi – seen at Kakum.
221 Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris – often recorded in farmbush and forest edge at most of the forest sites which we visited.
222 Reichenbach’s Sunbird Anabathmis reichenbachii – a bird was watched close to the road at the Ebi River crossing.
223 Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea – this species with its seemingly endless variety of calls plagued us with misidentifications at all of the forest sites, where it was one of the commonest species.
224 Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis – a bird was seen well at Brenu, near Cape Coast, with James also picking it up in the gallery forest at Mole.
225 Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra cyanolaema – seen or heard each day in all of the forest sites visited; a pair nest-building at Atewa on 8th Aug.
226 Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis – frequent at Mole.
227 Buff-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra adelbertii – only recorded at Kakum and Atewa.
228 Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus – heard by James at the edge of the gallery forest in Mole.
229 Olive-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris chloropygia – seen in farmbush and forest edge at Kakum, Ankasa, Offinso, Atewa and Kalakpa, with birds nest-building at Atewa on 8th Aug.
230 Tiny Sunbird Cinnyris minulla – seen well at Kakum and also recorded at Ankasa and Bobiri.
231 Copper Sunbird Cinnyris cupreus – widely recorded in savanna and around gardens and farmbush in the forest region.
232 Splendid Sunbird Cinnyris coccinigaster – encountered in fewer places than Copper Sunbird, but the two species often occurred at the same sites.
233 Beautiful Sunbird Cinnyris pulchellus – seen daily at Mole.
234 Johanna’s Sunbird Cinnyris johannae – present at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bobiri and Atewa.
235 Superb Sunbird Cinnyris superba – recorded at Kakum, Ankasa, Offinso, Atewa and Kalakpa.
236 Grosbeak Weaver Ambylospiza albifrons – breeding at a roadside pool, filled with reed-mace, surrounded by farmbush, on the road east from Atewa. Four recently constructed nests noted, with two pairs seen.
237 Little Weaver Ploceus luteolus – seen daily at Mole, and also recorded along the roadside between Fufulso and Damongo.
238 Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis – recorded around gardens and farmbush in Tema, Jukwa, Mole and Atewa.
239 Orange Weaver Ploceus aurantius – a small colony on the riverside adjacent to the salt pans near Cape Coast, and a larger colony on a roadside pool to the west of Takoradi.
240 Black-headed Weaver Ploceus melanocephalus – seen twice in the damp wooded savanna at Mole.
241 Vieillot’s Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus – frequent in farmbush in the forest region.
242 Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus – recorded widely in the southern part of the country, often with Vieillot’s Black Weaver.
243 Yellow-mantled Weaver Ploceus tricolor – seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum and at Bobiri.
244 Maxwell’s Black Weaver Ploceus albinucha – seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum, at Subri and at Atewa.
245 Compact Weaver Ploceus superciliosus – singles seen on two occasions in farmbush near Atewa.
246 Blue-billed Malimbe Malimbus nitens – seen around Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa, in farmbush or by forest pools.
247 Crested Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis – seen in the forest at Kakum and Atewa.
248 Red-vented Malimbe Malimbus scutatus – recorded in the farmbush near Kakum and in the forest at Ankasa.
249 Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis – seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum, on both visits to Subri and at Atewa.
250 Red-headed Quelea Quelea erythrops – several birds in low cover under a pylon line between the farmbush and logged forest and Offinso.
251 Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea – two birds including a male in breeding plumage with Estrildid finches at a roadside pool between Fufulso and Damongo on 3rd Aug.
252 Yellow-crowned Bishop Euplectes afer – seen at Sakumono Lagoon and at Mole.
253 Black-winged Bishop Euplectes hordeaceus – in farmbush near Kakum, Subri, Mole and Atewa.
254 Northern Red Bishop Euplectes franciscanus – frequent in savanna and farmbush.
255 Yellow-mantled Widowbird Euplectes macroura – seen at most savanna sites and at farmbush around Kakum.
256 Red-fronted Antpecker Parmoptila rubrifrons – a male showed well on the ridge at Atewa.
257 Grey-headed Nigrita Nigrita canicapillus – common in and around all the forest sites visited; its song was a big part of the soundtrack to this tour.
258 Chestnut-breasted Nigrita Nigrita bicolor – recorded at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
259 White-breasted Nigrita Nigrita fusconotus – seen and heard at Kakum and Atewa.
260 Red-winged Pytilia Pytilia phoenicoptera – seen once at farmbush on the edge of Mole, but its brood parasite (Exclamatory Paradise Whydah) was seen at two places between Damongo and Fufulso, indicating this pytilia’s widespread distribution in this part of Ghana.
261 Black-bellied Seedcracker Pyrenestes ostrinus – heard and seen in flight in farmbush around Kakum and Atewa.
262 Western Bluebill Spermophaga haematina – recorded in farmbush near Kakum and Atewa and along a forest track in Ankasa.
263 Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta – present in the hotel garden at Tema, around Kakum and by the River Volta, whilst its brood parasite (Wilson’s Indigobird was also found in Mole, where this firefinch occurs too, of course, although we didn’t see it there).
264 Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonsticta rara – two birds seen at Mole.
265 Blue-billed Firefinch Lagonsticta rubricata – recorded at Shai Hills, in farmbush at Jukwa (near Kakum) and Offinso.
266 Orange-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda melpoda – recorded at Winneba Plain, in farmbush at Jukwa (near Kakum) and in and around Mole National Park.
267 Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes – a single was seen in a field at Brenu, and it was recorded again in farmbush on the edge of Mole.
268 Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus – common in and around Mole.
269 Black-faced Quailfinch Ortygospiza atricollis – a pair of birds were very confiding at Shai Hills.
270 Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullata – found almost everywhere outside closed forest.
271 Black-and-white Mannikin Spermestes bicolor – in farmbush and grassland around Kakum, Ankasa, Atewa and Kalakpa.
272 Magpie Mannikin Spermestes fringilloides – two were seen in roadside bushes as we drove to Bonkro, and one was also heard flying over farmbush close to Atewa.
273 Cameroon Indigobird Vidua camerunensis – a pair were seen at Offinso, close to a host species, the Blue-billed Firefinch; the male (in breeding plumage) was imitating the Blue-billed Firefinch song.
274 Wilson’s Indigobird Vidua wilsoni – seen at the hotel at Tema, with a pair also seen in the damp wooded savanna in the southern part of Mole, where the male was noted as imitating Bar-breasted Firefinch song; the males were in breeding plumage at both sites.
275 Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura – seen frequently in farmbush in the forest region, and at Mole.
276 Exclamatory Paradise Whydah Vidua interjecta – males in breeding plumage were seen at two sites on the drive back from Damongo to Fufulso, with one male being seen in an area of grazed savanna with bushes, and the other male sitting on a dead tree in a maize field.
277 Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser superciliosus – seen daily at Mole.
278 Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus – seen every day, apart from when we didn’t leave Ankasa National Park in daylight.
279 Bush Petronia Gymnoris dentata – one seen in the south of Mole National Park on 6th Aug, and then at least one more in a flock of small seed-eating birds in a maize field on the road from Damongo to Fuflso on 7th Aug.
280 African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp – seen daily around Accra and Jukwa (near Kakum).
281 Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys – one seen on bare ground on the seaward side of Sakumono Lagoon.
282 Yellow-throated Longclaw Macrony croceus – a single recorded in the coastal savanna at Brenu.
283 Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica – seen in farmbush at Jukwa (near Kakum) and at Mole.
284 Brown-rumped Bunting Emberiza affinis – one was seen in farmbush (maize with scattered trees) at the edge of Mole, with another seen in the same habitat along the Damongo to Fufulso road.
285 White-shouldered Black Tit Melaniparus guineensis – present at Shai Hills and Mole.
286 Forest Penduline Tit Anthoscopus flavifrons – we had thought we’d missed our chance to record this species after James picked up a small group of Forest Penduline Tits from the Kakum canopy walkway which did an immediate disappearing act; thankfully we saw two birds in farmbush to the north-west of Kakum the following day.
287 Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae – recorded in farmbush near Kakum, at Ankasa and at Atewa, with the latter site offering the best views of all, where a pair were tending a nest (perhaps just recently built) hanging from a vine on top of the ridge on 9th Aug.
288 Green Hylia Hylia prasina – this species was a perpetual sound of the forest at all the sites we visited, giving good views on a number of occasions.
289 Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster – James was the only one of us to see this species, when we stopped to go through a mixed species flock in the savanna at Mole.
290 Violet-backed Hyliota Hyliota violacea – one was seen from the Kakum canopy walkway.
291 Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea – a displaying bird was seen on two dates at Mole.
292 Sun Lark Galerida modesta – pairs were seen twice at Mole.
293 Western Nicator Nicator chloris – recorded at Kakum, Subri, Bobiri, Atewa and Kalakpa, usually heard but seen well on occasion.
294 Green Crombec Sylvietta virens – recorded at Kakum, Subri, Atewa and Kalakpa.
295 Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta dentii – seen and heard at Kakum and Bobiri.
296 Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura – glimpsed at Shai Hills and Mole.
297 African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis – singing at Winneba Plains and Mole.
298 Kemp’s Longbill Macrosphenus kempi – heard in farmbush around Kakum, from degraded forest at Subri and Bonkro and in and around the forest at Atewa, with the best views being obtained at Atewa.
299 Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor – recorded at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Atewa and Kalakpa.
300 Oriole Warbler Hypergerus atriceps – present in wooded grassland towards the coast at Winneba Plain and Brenu (being seen particularly well at the latter site) and heard daily at Mole.
301 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis – seen well at Sakumono Lagoon.
302 Croaking Cisticola Cisticola natalensis – prominent in areas of lightly-wooded savanna at Shai Hills and Kalakpa.
303 Rufous Cisticola Cisticola rufus – seen and heard daily at Mole.
304 Short-winged Cisticola Cisticola brachypterus – recorded at Shai Hills, Brenu and Kalakpa.
305 Whistling Cisticola Cisticola lateralis – heard in farmbush around Kakum, Ankasa, Subri and Atewa, and also present at Kalakpa.
306 Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops – in farmbush around Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa, and also seen regularly at Mole.
307 Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans – recorded at Shai Hills, in farmbush around Kakum and at Mole.
308 Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes – seen well singing from the waterside vegetation at Sakumono Lagoon.
309 Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava – recorded at Shai Hills, Winneba Plain, around Kakum,Brenu, Offinso, Mole, Atewa and Kalakpa.
310 Red-winged Warbler Prinia erythroptera – seen singing away at Winneba Plain and also seen in the northern savanna on a stop on the road between Damongo and Fufulso.
311 Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis lavida – seen daily at Mole.
312 Black-capped Apalis Apalis nigriceps – recorded at Ankasa and Atewa.
313 Sharpe’s Apalis Apalis sharpii – seen on occasion, and heard much more frequently, at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa.
314 Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura – recorded at all sites, only absent from closed forest.
315 Yellow-browed Camaroptera Camaroptera superciliaris – recorded from the forest at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bobiri and Atewa.
316 Olive-green Camaroptera Camaroptera cholornata – heard singing away relentlessly from the farmbush by Kakum, and Ankasa, Subri, Bobiri and Atewa. Seen reasonably well at Ankasa, when it was attracted by James imitating the whistles of Red-chested Owlet.
317 Senegal Eremomela Eremomela pusilla – seen on four dates, at Shai Hills and Mole.
318 Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela badiceps – a flock were seen well from the canopy walkway at Kakum, with more birds being seen on the ridge at Atewa, and in the farmbush next to the Forest Reserve.
319 Greater Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens – seen singing in the reed-mace at Sakumono Lagoon.
320 Square-tailed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne nitens – frequent at Ankasa and Subri.
321 Fanti Saw-wing Psalidoprocne obscura – several birds were seen on two dates at Mole.
322 Rufous-chested Swallow Cecropis semirufa – seen at Mole and Atewa.
323 Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis – recorded around Accra, Cape Coast and Kakum.
324 Lesser-striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica – seen frequently around Cape Coast and the fringes off Kakum National Park.
325 Preuss’s Cliff Swallow Pterochelidon preussi – seen distantly from the canopy walkway at Kakum, and on wires in a village on the way between Kakum and Twifo Praso.
326 Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula – seen once at Mole.
327 Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii – seen on two dates at Mole.
328 White-throated Blue Swallow Hirundo nigrita – one bird seen over the Pra River at Twifo Praso.
329 Pied-winged Swallow Hirundo leucosoma – seen on three occasions at Mole.
330 Ethiopian Swallow Hirundo aethipica – the commonest swallow seen in the southern half of the country, frequently seen around habitation.
331 Red-chested Swallow Hirundo lucida – seen well by the mosque at Larabanga, and probably also the swallow seen when driving through towns from Larabanga to Fufulso.
332 Little Greenbul Eurillas virens – frequent in dense cover at or around all forest sites and Kalakpa.
333 Little Grey Greenbul Eurillas gracilis – seen well in farmbush near Kakum, and also recorded at Bobiri, Atewa and Kalakpa.
334 Ansorge’s Greenbul Eurillas ansorgei – recorded at Ankasa (both in the forest, and seen well once in a small patch of secondary woodland amidst farmbush outside the park) and Atewa.
335 Cameroon Sombre Greenbul Eurillas curvirostris – the leoninus race was recorded at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa, showing well at times, whilst the nominate race was seen and heard in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
336 Yellow-whiskered Greenbul Eurillas latirostris – heard frequently in forest (including well-grown secondary forest within farmbush) at all forest sites, and at the gallery forest at Kalakpa; seldom seen.
337 Slender-billed Greenbul Stelgidillas gracilirostris – frequently encountered, often seen, at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Offinso, Bombiri and Atewa.
338 Golden Greenbul Calyptocichla serinus – seen well at Kakum from the canopy walkway, and also recorded in nearby farmbush, at Ankasa and at Atewa.
339 Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator – frequently heard and occasionally seen at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri, Atewa and Kalakpa.
340 Spotted Greenbul Baeopogon indicator – a group seen well in branches overhanging a forest path at Ankasa, with at least two birds also seen at Subri.
341 Simple Leaflove Chlorochila simplex – recorded from woodland at Shai Hills, from farmbush around Kakum, Offinso and Atewa.
342 Yellow-throated Leaflove Altimastillas flavicollis – three birds were seen well on the edge of cover between Sakumono Lagoon and the built-up area to the west, whilst birds were also heard at Mole.
343 Swamp Palm Greenbul Thescelocichla leucopleura – recorded at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Atewa and Kalakpa; particularly good views of birds feeding in fruiting bush in farmbush near Kakum.
344 Leaflove Pyllastrephus scandens – a group heard from a wooded rocky hill in the savanna at Kalakpa.
345 Icterine Greenbul Phyllastrephus icterinus – recorded daily at Ankasa, and on the ridge at Atewa.
346 White-throated Greenbul Phyllastrephus albigularis – encountered once on the edge of Kakum National Park, and then at the edge of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve and at Kalakpa.
347 Red-tailed Bristlebill Bleda syndactylus – seen well at Ankasa, and also recorded at Bobiri.
348 Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximius – heard from closed forest at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa, being seen at close range at the latter site.
349 Grey-headed Bristlebill Bleda canicapillus – heard at Kakum (including in forest patches within farmbush), Ankasa, Bobiri, Atewa and Kalakpa, with good views obtained at the edge of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
350 Western Bearded Greenbul Criniger barbutus – heard frequently and seen occasionally at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Bonkro, Bobiri and Atewa.
351 Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus – frequently encountered at Ankasa, and also heard in the forest at Bonkro and Atewa.
352 Yellow-bearded Greenbul Criniger olivaceus – heard daily at Ankasa, with reasonable views obtained on a two occasions.
353 Common Bulbul Pyconotus barbutus – almost ubiquitous, only going unrecorded on days spent entirely within the forest at Ankasa.
354 Chestnut-capped Flycatcher Erythrocercus mccallii – seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum, and from closed forest at Bobiri and Atewa.
355 Yellow White-eye Zostera senegalensis – seen in farmbush near Kakum and Atewa, as well as at Mole.
356 Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens – the western subspecies gularis was heard and glimpsed at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa, whilst the subspecies moloneyana with its dark throat was seen well at Kalakpa.
357 Pale-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis rufipennis – recorded on two dates at Ankasa, and once at Atewa, with views obtained at the latter site.
358 Blackcap Illadopsis Illadopsis cleaveri – encountered daily at Ankasa and again at Atewa.
359 Rufous-winged Illadopsis Illadopsis rufescens – one heard singing at Ankasa, in closed forest to the east of Ankasa Gate, showed very well in the end.
360 Puvel’s Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli – a singing bird was seen in secondary forest within farmbush near Kakum.
361 Brown Babbler Turdoides plebejus – seen well in scrub near Sakumono Lagoon, heard at the gallery forest at Mole, with a small group seen very well at the side of the road just outside the park gates at Mole as we headed out one morning.
362 Blackcap Babbler Turdoides reinwardii – heard at Shai Hills, and recorded daily at Mole, where individuals gave close flight views on two occasions.
363 Capuchin Babbler Phyllanthus atripennis – a distant group was heard in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
364 Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonotus – a singing bird was seen well at Mole.
365 Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus – a bird was seen in flight at Mole.
366 Narrow-tailed Starling Poeoptera lugubris – a flock of five birds was seen flying over farmbush, between forest patches, on the edge of the Subri River Forest Reserve.
367 Forest Chestnut-winged Starling Onychognathus fulgidus – a group of about a dozen birds was seen regularly on the day spent on the canopy walkway at Kakum, whilst the species was also recorded from the ridge at the Atewa Range.
368 Copper-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis cupreocauda – two were seen flying over at Subri, and birds were also seen or heard at Bobiri and Atewa.
369 Purple Glossy Starling Lamprotornis purpureus – seen around Accra.
370 Splendid Glossy Starling Lamprotornis splendidus – encountered at Kakum, Ankasa, Subri, Offinso, Atewa and Kalakpa.
371 Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis caudatus – small flocks were seen several times at Mole.
372 White-tailed Alethe Alethe diademata – recorded on six days, being seen well in high secondary forest within farmbush near Kakum and at Atewa, and also present at Ankasa.
373 Forest Scrub Robin Tychaedon leucosticta – one singing on the ridge at Atewa.
374 Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallida – seen in farmbush near Kakum, and on two dates at Mole.
375 Northern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis edoliodes – seen at Shai Hills and daily at Mole.
376 Fraser’s Forest Flycatcher Fraseria ocreata – heard once at Ankasa.
377 Swamp Flycatcher Muscicapa aquatica – one confiding individual watched in a backwater of Dam 2 at Mole.
378 Cassin’s Flycatcher Muscicapa cassini – a pair seen regularly on the downstream side of the bridge at Ankasa Gate.
379 Little Grey Flycatcher Muscicapa epulata – an adult was feeding a fledged juvenile in an open (previously burnt) area of forest on the top of the ridge at Atewa.
380 Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens – one was seen from the canopy walkway at Kakum.
381 Dusky-blue Flycatcher Muscicapa comitata – recorded from farmbush and forest at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
382 Tessman’s Flycatcher Muscicapa tessmanni – a pair was observed in an area of forest at Subri which had undergone quite recent selective logging.
383 Ussher’s Flycatcher Muscicapa ussheri – seen in the forest canopy at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
384 Lead-coloured Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus – present at Shai Hills.
385 Grey-throated Flycatcher Myioparus griseigularis – recorded at Ankasa, Subri and Atewa, finally being seen well at the last site.
386 Snowy-crowned Robin-chat Cossypha niveicapilla – seen well at Shai Hills and also heard in the farmbush near Kakum and at Mole, and probably also responsible for a strongly-mimetic song heard at Offinso.
387 White-crowned Robin-chat Cossypha albicapilla – recorded on three dates at Mole, being seen particularly well in the gallery forest.
388 Forest Robin Stiphrornis erythrothorax – heard each day at Ankasa, and also recorded at Atewa and in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
389 Familiar Chat Oenanthe familiaris – present around the motel at Mole.
390 Mocking Cliff Chat Thamnolea cinnamomeiventris – a pair were seen at Shai Hills.
391 White-tailed Ant Thrush Neocossyphus poensis – recorded at Kakum, Ankasa and Atewa.
392 Finsch’s Flycatcher Thrush Stizorhina finschi – heard at Kakum, Ankasa, Bobiri and Atewa, being seen well at Ankasa.
393 African Thrush Turdus pelios – recorded around Accra, Jukwa (near Kakum) and Ho.
Mammals
1. Western Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis – The loud cries of this species were heard just after dusk on one occasion at Ankasa. The calling was relatively brief, and did not reach the full crescendo typical of this species.
2. Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis – Dung and tracks of this species were found at Ankasa, particularly in the area to the north of Nkwanta Camp.
3. Bush Elephant Loxodonta africana – Up to seven seen daily at Mole.
4. Aardvaark Oryceteropus afer – A recently-used Aardvaark burrow was seen at Mole, but sadly we did not encounter the animal itself.
5. Olive Colobus Procolobus verus – This species was only recorded at Kakum, and there just by James, who noted individuals with a group of Spot-nosed and Lowe’s Monkeys.
6. Olive Baboon Papio anubis – A well-known group lives on the main road around the park gates at Shai Hills, which was seen well, whilst the group living around the Mole Motel were very entertaining pests, keeping the motel staff very busy in trying to keep them away from bedrooms and people with food.
7. Patas Monkey Erythrocebus patas – Seen daily at Mole, with a group near the accommodation for the Mole park staff which was well-habituated to people.
8. Callithrix Monkey (Green Monkey) Chlorocebus sabaeus – Shai Hills, Mole
9. Mona Monkey Cercopithecus (mona) mona – Heard calling from the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
10. Lowe’s Monkey Cercopithecus (mona)) lowei – Seen from the Kakum canopy walkway, with the individuals being part of a mixed group of monkey species several hundred metres away.
11. Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey Cercopithecus (cephus) petaurista – Groups were seen at Shai Hills, Kakum and Ankasa. The individuals at all these locations will have been of the subspecies petaurista.
12. Demidoff’s Galago Galagoides demidoff – Individuals were heard briefly on one occasion at Ankasa, and then a group was heard around us after dark at Bobiri, with two individuals being seen well in torchlight at a distance of about 10m.
13. Brush-tailed Porcupine Atherus africanus – The only record was a rather sad one, with a dead individual being offered for sale as bushmeat along the roadside as we neared the Atewa Range, on our way from Kumasi.
14. Marsh Cane Rat (‘Grasscutter’) Thryonomys swinderianus – Dead individuals were for sale at the roadside in several locations in the forest region; footprints of this species were in abundance in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
15. Red-legged Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus rufobrachium – Seen once at Ankasa.
16. Gambian Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus gambianus – Two were seen at Kalakpa, in the trees around the park guards’ camp.
17. African Giant Squirrel Protoxerus stangeri – One seen in the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
18. Western Palm Squirrel Epixerus ebii – One seen near Nkwanta camp at Ankasa.
19. Fire-footed Rope Squirrel Funisciurus pyrropus – Seen on several occasions at Kakum, Ankasa.
20. Kintampo Rope Squirrel Funisciurus substriatus – One seen at close range in the gallery forest near Mognori, on the edge of Mole National Park.
21. Green Bush Squirrel Paraxerus poensis – Heard at dawn around the camp near Ankasa Gate on two occasions.
22. Striped Ground Squirrel Xerus erythropus – Seen in farmbush near Kakum and in the savanna at Mole.
23. Pel’s Anomalure Anomalurus peli – The sighting of this large ‘flying squirrel’ was perhaps the mammal highlight of the trip. Although this species is described as “wholly nocturnal”, spending the day in a tree hole, an individual was seen for the whole morning spent at the Kakum Canopy Walkway, sleeping slumped over a branch in full view in the thin foliage of a tree close to one of the canopy platforms.
24. Emin’s Giant Rat (Gambian or Giant Pouched Rat) Cricetomys emini – Individuals were seen on two occasions after dark, with three animals around a hut between the canopy walkway and car park at Kakum, and a single animal being seen on the edge of the track between Nkwanta and Ankasa Gate at Ankasa National Park. Skinned and smoked individuals of what were presumably this species were also seen for sale along the roadside in the forest region.
25. Zebra Mouse Lemniscomys sp. – A Zebra Mouse was seen streaking across the track running through farmbush near Kakum.
26. Straw-coloured Fruit Bat Eidolon helvum – One was seen hunting over the Ankasa River as the dusk began to fall.
27. Yellow-winged Bat Lavia frons – Seen very well near the hotel on the edge of Tema.
28. Tree Civet (African Palm Civet) Nandinia binotata – The eye-shine of one was spotted high in a tree in torchlight near the visitor centre at Ankasa Gate, before it streaked off through the branches; the animal was seen a bit better when relocated in the canopy on the other side of the car park.
29. Common Cusimanse Crossarchus obscurus – A group was disturbed from its foraging in the crown of palms on the edge of the Atewa Forest Reserve. At least four individuals were seen as they dropped to the ground and ran off.
30. Red River Hog Potamochoerus porcus – We had the rootlings made by this species pointed out to us in damp spots in the high canopy forest to the east of Ankasa Gate.
31. Common Warthog Phacochoeus africanus – These charming animals were seen daily at Mole. A very tame group spent its time around the motel, whilst other animals were seen in the savanna.
32. African Buffalo Syncerus caffer – The droppings of this species were seen in the low ground not far to the north of the motel at Mole, but unfortunately the animals themselves were not seen.
33. Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus – This beautiful bovine ungulate was seen daily at Mole.
34. Maxwell’s Duiker Philantomba maxwelli – The distinctive latrines of this small antelope were seen at Ankasa.
35. Walter’s Duiker Philantomba walteri – Latrines like those of Maxwell’s Duiker from Ankasa were noted in the gallery forest at Kalakpa. This is a recently-recognised species, very similar to Maxwell’s Duiker, which is considered to replace Maxwell’s Duiker to the east of the River Volta.
36. Red-flanked Duiker Cephalophus rufilatus – One was seen once at Mole as it ran across the track in front of our vehicle.
37. Western Kob Kobus kob kob – Seen daily at Mole, with several individuals often in sight when looking down from the escarpment where the motel sits.
38. Defassa Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa – Seen daily at Mole, often in groups of around six or seven
Reptiles
1. African Dwarf Crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis – One of the biggest frustrations of the trip was when James saw the eyes of a Dwarf Crocodile sinking below the surface of a small forest pool on our first full day at Ankasa. Thankfully, on our fourth visit to this pool, we all saw the head of a Dwarf Crocodile above the water as it floated in the shallows, about 10m away. It then slipped under the surface, to reappear on the surface slightly further off, before disappearing again.
2. West African Crocodile Crocodylus suchus – Only slightly less exciting than the Dwarf Crocodiles were our repeated sightings of West African Crocodile (recently recognised as genetically distinct from the Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus) at Mole. Individuals were seen actively swimming and floating in Dams 1 and 2, with two individuals watched basking on the banks of a stream nearby.
3. Common Agama Agama agama – This beautiful lizard was seen very widely, often around villages and camps, at most of the sites we visited around the country. The breeding condition males at Mole motel had colouration which was distinctly more yellowish than orangey in colouration, but scale counts from photos suggested that they were still from the Agama agama species. The Mole males were similar in colouration to the male from Senegal (Fig A-44, pg. 73) in Trape, Trape & Chirio (2012), whilst all the breeding condition males seen in the forest and forest fringe areas had much brighter orange areas, as shown in the illustrations from Ivory Coast and Nigeria. The females at Mole also had prominent dull-orange patches on their flanks, which was not noticed in individuals seen elsewhere in Ghana. It is possible that further study will indicate that Agama agama actually includes two species in Ghana, one in higher rainfall areas, and the other in the northern savanna.
4. African Half-toed House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia – The geckos observed closely in the lodge at Jukwa and at a village near Ankasa gate both proved to be of this species.
5. Five-lined Skink Trachyleps quinquetaeniata – This beautiful species was common around the motel at Mole.
6. African Savanna Monitor-lizard Varanus exanthematicus – Two were seen and a third heard at Mole, all of them running down, or falling from, trees and landing in standing water below.
7. Variable Marsh Snake Natriciteres variegata – an individual was found dead (run over) on the track about 100m into the Ankasa National Park, thus about 100m from the Ankasa River.
8. West African Rock Python Python sebae – an immature snake of uncertain length (probably around 2-3m) was seen swimming across a small dam next to the gallery forest at Kalakpa.
Amphibians
1. Bufo maculatus – A recently run-over individual of this toad was found on a track in farmbush on the edge of the Atewa Range.
2. Amniramna occidentalis – One individual of this Ranid frog was seen on the edge of a forest stream in the National Park to the east of Ankasa Gate.
3. Treefrogs! – heard everywhere, and never seen! Forest, farmbush and savanna species were heard widely. Not managing to see any of them was one of the big regrets of this trip, but luck, time & energy are all finite.
Invertebrates
Beetles – a distinctive looking longhorn (Cerambycidae) beetle – Stenotomis pulchra – was photographed in the gallery forest at Kalakpa. This species may well be common and widespread in Ghanaian forests, having also been photographed at Kakum by other visiting naturalists. Dung beetles were apparent at Mole in particular.
True bugs – what looked a bit like a brightly-coloured Tortricid moth at Atewa gave away its true identity when it sprang off rather than flying away. It was later identified from a photo as the leafhopper (Lophophidae) Elasmocelis trimaculata.
Butterflies – James pointed out a wide range of butterflies – whilst not one of the company’s specialist butterfly guides, he confidently recognised about half the species we saw, putting most others to Genus. We couldn’t keep up with the names, but we had something like 100 species identified for us, encountering more species than that overall.
Grasshoppers and crickets – Various big individuals were seen widely, some with stunning colours, others with strange shapes. Some were found by day, others were noted at dawn where they had been attracted to outside lights left on overnight. It could’ve been a great tour if we had concentrated on these alone!
Bitey stuff – There were a few mosquitoes and other biting flies around, but they generally weren’t too bad, with the exception of one hotel room where one or two mosquitoes seemed to have spent a good chunk of the night sampling what my arm had to offer. In my limited experience, summer in the south of France is much, much worse! Sweat-bees were a bit of a nuisance at Kalakpa and Mole in particular, fussing round our faces, but perfectly tolerable (although James did stuff his ears with leaves, to keep them at bay, at one point). We didn’t have any real problems at all (but were glad to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever, and to be taking anti-malarials).
Millipedes – Giant millipedes were seen frequently, particularly in closed forest. A colonial group of small orange, stinking millipedes was seen on a track at Mole National Park. They had a fascinating mode of movement, with the tightly-packed group moving forward in ripples as a result of the millipedes from the back running forward across the backs of the rest of the ‘flock’. When they got to the front, they stopped, and another wave of the group then ran from the back to the front.
Spiders – We weren’t looking hard for spiders, but we enjoyed finding an impressively large and well-marked jumping spider on the canopy platform at Kakum. Other striking spiders included a large yellow-and-black orb weaving species, seen at various locations, whilst at Kalakpa there was a bizarre species with a strongly-sculptured abdomen, drawn into points, on webs between bushes.