GHANA TOUR REPORT 2023

23 February - 15 March 2023

by János Oláh

The Ghana tour is one of our classic Africa tours where birders can connect with a good number of Guinea and Upper Guinea forest endemics. Moreover, it does have a major target for almost all birders: the White-headed Rockfowl or as I like the old name better, the Yellow-necked Picathartes! It is a reliable country to see this very special bird indeed and we have seen it on all our tours in the last 10 years. Other countries in the region are less frequently visited by birders due to less tourist facilities and for security reasons. But Ghana is a small and safe country with reasonable roads and a fine selection of birding sites with good infrastructure. It has a wide range of species and many of those are sought-after by birders. In 2023 we have visited the famous Kakum National Park, the mighty Ankasa Reserve on the west, the Bonkro area with Kwabena Sam forest, the Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary, Mole National Park, the fast-disappearing forests of the Atewa Range and the Kalakpa Resource Reserve on the east. It is a great itinerary, and we regularly see 65% of all the birds recorded in the country.

In 2023 we have recorded 458 bird species with only 12 heard-only (66% of all the birds of Ghana). There are not many countries in the World where you can see such a high percentage of the birds in a three-week tour. But Ghana has a lot more to offer as we also recorded 42 species of mammals (a new Birdquest record for the country) and many wonderful butterflies. There were many highlights on the tour, but as usual Yellow-headed Picathartes was the top bird for everybody. However we managed to see many other iconic or sought-after birds like Hartlaub’s Duck, White-throated Francolin, Brown and Standard-winged Nightjars, four species of spinetails, Bates’s Swift, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Grey-throated and Nkulengu Rails, Forbes’s Plover, Rock Pratincole, White-crested Tiger Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Red-chested Owlet, Akun and Fraser’s Eagle Owls, Black and Red-billed Dwarf Hornbills, Blue-bellied and Blue-throated Rollers, Chocolate-backed, African Dwarf and White-bellied Kingfishers, a remarkable ten species of bee-eaters including Rosy and Blue-moustached Bee-eater, Yellow-footed and Spotted Honeyguides, African Piculet, Little Green, Fire-bellied and Melancholy Woodpeckers, Grey Parrot, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Western-bearded and Yellow-bearded Greenbuls, Kemp’s Longbill, Dorst’s and Black-backed Cisticolas, Puvel’s and Rufous-winged Illadopsises, Capuchin Babbler, Copper-tailed and Narrow-tailed Starlings, White-browed Forest Flycatcher, Nimba and Tessmann’s Flycatchers, Buff-throated and Johanna’s Sunbirds, Preuss’s Weaver, Lavender Waxbill, Red-winged Pytilia, Black-faced and Black-bellied Firefinches as well as Gosling’s and Brown-rumped Buntings. Mammals were also great, and we especially enjoyed seeing Benin Tree Hyrax, White-thighed Colobus, Beecroft’s, Pel’s and Lord Derby’s Anomalures, Roan Antilope, Walter’s Duiker and Thomas’s Dwarf Galago.

Out tour started in Accra Airport and early next morning we were out of town birding on the Winneba Plains on our way towards Kakum National Park. Our body had to adjust to the summer conditions as all of us were coming from winter but there were many birds around a we had our first Vieillot’s and Double-toothed Barbets, Yellow-crowned Gonoleks as well as African Cuckoo, Guinea Turaco and Moustached Grass Warbler. The nearby lagoons were good for list-padding, but we enjoyed seeing Western Reef Herons and West African Crested Terns alongside some familiar wintering waders and terns. We arrived at Kakum National Park but our afternoon birding was hampered by a huge storm and we were forced to the farm bush where we saw Grey Kestrel, Piping Hornbill and a few Rosy Bee-eaters in flight.

Early next morning we were in the famous canopy walkway of Kakum National Park. Wow, it is always amazing to be in such a special place at dawn! A distant Congo Serpent Eagle was calling, and Fire-bellied Woodpeckers were leaving their roosting holes. In the canopy of the huge trees, we quickly picked up some goodies like Melancholy Woodpecker, Fraser’s Forest and Ussher’s Flycatchers, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Violet-backed Hyliota and both Golden and Slender-billed Greenbul. Walking from platform to platform you can appreciate being in the forest canopy and we spent most of the morning looking for other canopy-dwelling birds. It was a great experience and over the next few hours we managed to get superb looks of African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, White-crested Hornbill, West African Batis, Sabine’s Puffback, Forest Penduline Tit, Spotted Greenbul, Little Grey Flycatcher, Tit-Hylia, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Little Green and Superb Sunbirds as well as White-breasted, Chestnut-breasted and Grey-headed Nigritas. We also had Common Swifts and Sabine’s Spinetail overhead while a few skulking mammals included Green Bush and Small Squirrels and Spot-nosed and Lowe’s Monkeys. It was also great to see several Wood Warblers in their wintering grounds. The afternoon was quiet, but we did get a few goodies like Black Spinetail and Chestnut-winged Starling. For the last hour of the day, we were back to the canopy walkway, and it was just perfect to observe large number of Black Casqued and Brown-cheeked Hornbills on a fruiting tree. A superb day to finish the day. Well, the day was not over yet as we waited until dusk in the canopy of the rainforest and although the calling Brown Nightjar was not cooperative, we had great looks of the huge Pel’s Anomalure (or Scaly-tailed Flying Squirrel) and on the walk back to the bus we also had a roosting Forest Robin, Demidoff’s Dwarf Galago and Nagtglas’s Forest Dormouse. What a day it was!

We were back to Kakum National Park next morning where a newly opened forest track allowed a few hours of great birding. There were more and more familiar birds and sounds for the group, but we did pick up Cassin’s Spinetail, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue Cuckooshrike, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Copper-tailed Starling and best of all the rare Yellow-footed Honeyguide. After the morning birding we left for the Ankasa Reserve on the far west of the country. We had two great birding stops along the long journey. First, we stopped at a lily covered pond where fantastic African Pygmy Goose and Allen’s Gallinule showed really well, and the fantastic male Orange Weavers were nest building! By late afternoon we arrived at a mangrove area where we had great birding with Hartlaub’s Ducks, Mangrove Sunbird, Shining Blue Kingfisher and we also got lucky to find the unobtrusive White-browed Forest Flycatcher. It was dusk when we rolled into the fantastic new lodge at the edge of Ankasa Reserve and enjoyed the first of many delicious meals. What a change from the camping in the old days!

We spent the next three days exploring this fantastic forest. It was not easy work, and it was exactly like one of our clients described it on a past tour: ‘you have to extract every single special bird one by one in this forest’. But this is what we did, spending as much time on the field as possible, especially at dawn and dusk we managed to see a lot of goodies. There were several very special moments on this year’s tour, such as watching a calling Congo Serpent Eagle through the scope for minutes, finding a roosting party of five Nkulengu Rails, admiring four Blue-moustached Bee-eaters which we did not see any more on the tour, finding Dwarf Bitterns on two different occasions, watching Red-fronted Antpeckers around their nest (where they successfully finished breeding a few days before our visit), tracking down the rare Grey-throated Rail and got walk-away views of a singing Rufous-winged Illadopsis. However apart from these exceptionally memorable encounters we managed to see a lot more like Bates’s Swift, Blue-headed Wood Dove, White-crested Tiger Heron, Long-tailed Hawk, Red-chested Owlet, Akun Eagle Owl, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted, White-bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, Spotted Honeyguide, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Dusky-crested Flycatcher, West African Wattle-eye, Western Bearded and Yellow Bearded Greenbuls, Sharpe’s Apalis, Pale-breasted and Blackcap Illadopsises, White-tailed Alethe, Finsch’s Rufous Thrush, Forest Robin and Reichenbach’s Sunbird. Special mention should also go for the mammals we located as we got excellent looks of West African Potto, both Beecroft’s and Lord Derby’s Anomalures, Hammer-headed Fruit Bat and Forest Giant Pouched Rat.

It was sad to leave this great forest behind, but we were looking forward the ever-approaching P-day so after a final morning we packed up and left for the Kakum area. The usual lily pond on the way back produced a fine female Greater Painted Snipe apart from the usual candidates. We arrived back to Kakum in the late afternoon where we spent some time in a farm bush area seeing a few more widespread species such as magnificent Black Bee-eater, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Hobby, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher and a skulking Lowland Sooty Boubou for some. We positioned ourselves at a forest edge habitat by dusk where after some nervous waiting we eventually saw a forest-dwelling Brown Nightjar. He was not very cooperative, but nevertheless we got to see it!

It was P-day! In the morning we started in a farm bush area on the edge of Kakum National Park. It was slow birding with a wide range of more common birds, but we also had some excellent encounters such as watching a fantastic male White-spotted Flufftail singing just a few meters away or a party of Rosy Bee-eaters hawking for insect from their designated perches. Temperature was rising so we moved on towards Bonkro. Our first roadside stop was by a dazzling breeding colony of Preuss’s Cliff Swallows while the Pra River area produced the hoped for goodies like several Rock Pratincoles, White-crowned Lapwing and the very smart-looking White-bibbed Swallow. By early afternoon we arrived to Bonkro and settled into the recently built Picathartes Lodge. We were soon off to the forest towards a rocky area where we were hoping to connect with the beautiful and bizarre-looking White-necked Rockfowl. We arrived in time and settled into the viewing platforms. It was thundering in a distance, and we were wondering if the storm will arrive or not. Not much later the first Picathartes arrived, and we had a magical hour with these shy but curious birds. It was an amazing experience just as expected, we could watch them bouncing around, preening and feeding. Definitely a lifetime experience! They remind me to the ground cuckoos of Asia and South America: strong-billed, long-legged, ground-dwelling, fast and shy.
After this overwhelming birding moment, we returned to the lodge and celebrated with a fine dinner and some cold drinks! Next morning, we have visited the Kwabena Sam or Numia forest where we had a wonderful morning seeing some scarce birds like Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Forest Woodhoopoe, Preuss’s Weaver and Tessmann’s Flycatchers to name but a few. After lunch we continued travelling north and we by the afternoon we were birding in the Bobiriy Butterfly Sanctuary. Well, West African forest birding is not particularly lively in the afternoon (sometimes not even at dawn) so we had a quiet afternoon. Nevertheless, we saw a fine Long-tailed Hawk, really beautiful Blue-throated Rollers, a flock of ten African Grey Parrots and after dusk a magnificent Fraser’s Eagle Owl was also tracked down. On the way out of the reserve we saw yet another Pel’s Anomalure and a Cyclops Roundleaf Bat.

It was a travel day towards Mole National Park. Our roadside stop was the old access road to Opro Forest. Well, the forest is gone, agriculture took over. It was a said experience for me as just 5 years ago I was still birding in this amazing patch of forest in the transition zone (between the dry north and the wetter south) seeing many great forest birds. It was the year when we could not reach the far north, so we made some explorations in this area. Ever since Birdquest is returning to this site to look for the beautiful Fiery-breasted Bushshrike which seems to be adapting well to teak plantation and farm bush. On this occasion we were very lucky and got superb looks of this most beautiful bird. In fact, we saw a pair displaying, it was yet another magical birding experience on this tour. As a supporting cast we also observed a male Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, a hard-to-see-well guinea forest endemic. The rest of the day was spent travelling with a distant Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle seen along the way. We arrived at the Mole National Park in the late afternoon and we still had time to track down a Bronze-tailed Starling and after sunset a few Long-tailed Nightjars as well as a fine Northern White-faced Owl!

We had the best part of three days in this birdy national park and made several excursions into various habitats of the park. It was hot, very hot indeed, the mid-day temperature was around 40C, so we maximized our time in the early and late parts of the day. This time of the year the area is rather dry so a lot of birds concentrating around the waterholes. Not only birds but also mammals and we saw African Elephants every day at the waterhole the lodge was overlooking. Most memorable experiences were finding Forbes’s Plover, seeing good number of Black-faced Firefinches as well as a pair of Black-bellied Firefinch, tracking down the localised Dorst’s and Rufous Cisticolas, watching a singing Brown-rumped Buntings, Western Square-tailed Drongo and Red-winged Pytilia along the Mole River gallery forest and our last morning raptor experience! Many years passed now since I saw as many raptors on a single morning like we did in Mole. While having our breakfast we had raptors circling up which included 140 Bateleurs, 115 African White-backed Vultures, 30 Hooded Vultures, 4 White-headed Vultures, 45 Yellow-billed Kites, Grasshopper Buzzard, Ayres Hawk Eagle and Lanner Falcon. Night excursions were also superb with great looks of Red-necked and male Standard-winged Nightjars as well as Roan Antelope and ‘black-tailed’ White-tailed Mongooses. Other goodies included Stone Partridge, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black-bellied Bustard, Abyssinian Roller, Northern Carmine, Red-throated and Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Oriole Warbler, Blackcap Babbler, Grey-headed Bushshrike, African Blue Flycatcher, Sun Lark, White-crowned Robin Chat and Lavender Waxbill.

After Mole we were still heading north towards the Burkina Faso border to track down a few special birds. After a longish drive we arrived to the Tongo Hills. It was an interesting area with some great stone formations. A late afternoon birding here produced Fox Kestrels, White-rumped Swifts, White-crowned Cliff Chats, Rock-loving Cisticola, Gosling’s Bunting and more Lavender Waxbills. Early next morning we drove to the Sapeliga area where we had Greater Spotted Cuckoo, Black-headed Lapwing, Yellow Penduline Tit, West African Swallow, Chestnut-bellied Starling, Speckle-fronted Weaver, African Silverbill, White-rumped Seedeater and Golder-breasted Bunting. The key target was Egyptian Plover along the White Volta River, and it did not disappoint us. Amazing birds and we could watch a pair as long as we wanted feeding along the river shoreline. An afternoon visit to Tono Dam also gave up the hoped for specialties, and we got great looks of the localised Black-backed Cisticola, African Green Bee-eater, Four-banded Sandgrouse and Quail Finch. The following day we had to go back all the way to Kumasi, the longest travelling day of the tour with not much birding. A short stop at the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary gave us two different troops of the much-localised White-thighed Colobuses.
Next morning, we were back for a morning visit to the Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary and this time we tracked down the most wanted birds in the reserve! We had a breeding Black Dwarf Hornbill almost side by side with a breeding White-crowned Hornbill and African Piculet as well as a surprise Little Green Woodpecker also gave superb looks. Our next port of call was the mighty Atewa Range. Unfortunately, this area is not officially protected and whereas it is classified as an Important Bird Area is somehow not incorporated into the protected areas. There has been plenty of logging in the last few years and apparently there are talks about a bauxite mine too. Hunting pressure is also very obvious as we saw both Maxwell’s Duiker and Royale Antelope being sold as bushmeat and we could experience it too. We saw many gun shells in the forest, virtually no mammals – not even a squirrel – on a 17km long round journey and just as we left the forest at dusk a hunter was entering it. Anyway, on our first afternoon we spent some time in the farm bush area and saw Lowland Sooty Boubou and Blue-shouldered Robin Chat. The following day we had the longest walk of the tour and we climbed from 300 meter to 800 meter in search of some rare birds. We were very lucky with the weather and it was not as difficult walk then expected, birding all day in forest habitat was very pleasant. We saw a wide range of forest birds and although lots of them were already familiar we admired Yellow-billed Turacos, Blue Malkoha, African Emerald Cuckoo, Long-tailed Hawk, Yellow-spotted, Hairy-breasted Barbets, Yellow-throated and Red-rumped Tinkerbirds, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, West African Wattle-eye, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Honeyguide Greenbul, Kempf’s Longbill, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Black-capped Apalis, Narrow-tailed Starling, Forest Scrub Robin, Ussher’s and Little Grey Flycatchers as well as Johanna’s Sunbird. Icing on the cake was eventually finding the rare Nimba Flycatcher and we all got great looks of this difficult and very localised bird! The following morning, we concentrated on some remaining birds in the area and tracked down Puvel’s Illadopsis, Black-bellied Seedcracker, Western Bluebill, African Firefinch and also got excellent looks of male Buff-throated Sunbirds eventually.

After visiting the Atewa Range we drove further east and crossed the Volta River on our way to the Kalakpa Resource Reserve. This was the final destination on our tour and we were looking for a few special birds at the reserves’ riverine habitat. Our first afternoon was rather frustrating and the shy Capuchin Babblers remained leader-only but after dusk we had a fantastic African Scops Owl and started our nightjar quest with a singing Fiery-necked Nightjar (this nigriscapularis race used to be called Black-shouldered Nightjar but now has been lumped) and continued with as many as 11 Long-tailed Nightjars, a Plain Nightjar and three Standard-winged Nightjars of which two were full breeding plumaged males with full ‘standards’ growing out of the middle of their wings. It was a remarkable evening! The following day was hard work, slow birding but finally our hard work and persistence paid off and we managed to see the notoriously difficult-to-see Capuchin Babblers. We had a party of six birds as they were mobbing something and we could stay with them for over 20 minutes. If anybody has been looking for this bird at this location it will appreciate how difficult to see them. We also had other interesting birds like Stone Partridge, Guinea Turacos, Nkulengu Rail, Blue-bellied Roller, Marsh Tchagra, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and moloneyana race of the Brown Illadopsis. It was also a superb day for mammals and after dusk we saw Thomas’s Dwarf Galago, Mona Monkey and Benin Tree Hyrax. Our final morning was spent in more open habitat where we added Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Melodious and Eurasian Reed Warbler to our list and also could admire Blue-bellied Rollers in the morning light. On our way back to Accra airport we made a detour along the Volta River in search of the Pied-winged Swallow but unfortunately, we had no luck with these rather nomadic birds. They were regular in this area for a few years but recently were not seen. Scanning all the swallows and martins we picked up Rock Martin as the last new bird for our list. Finally, we got back to Accra airport by the evening where our tour ended and we departed to various destinations or some lucky participants stayed on for more touring in this remarkable region! All in all, it was an action-packed tour to Ghana which is undoubtedly a key destination for birders who want to see the Upper Guinea endemic birds including the incomparable Yellow-headed Picathartes or as it is called nowadays the White-necked Rockfowl.

BIRDS OF THE TOUR

1st: Yellow-headed Picathartes

2nd: Red-cheeked Wattle-eye

3rd: Forbes’s Plover

4th: Nkulengu Rail

5th: Rosy Bee-eater & Standard-winged Nightjar

SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED

BIRDS

White-faced Whistling Duck  Dendrocygna viduata

Spur-winged Goose  Plectropterus gambensis

Hartlaub’s Duck ◊  Pteronetta hartlaubii  Two sightings in the Ankasa area. Great birds!

African Pygmy Goose  Nettapus auritus

Helmeted Guineafowl  Numida meleagris

Stone Partridge ◊  Ptilopachus petrosus  We had good looks in the Mole NP. Also seen in Kalakpa Reserve.

Latham’s Francolin ◊ (Forest F)  Peliperdix lathami  Heard only.

White-throated Francolin ◊  Campocolinus albogularis  Despite much effort it was only seen by the leader.

Ahanta Spurfowl ◊  Pternistis ahantensis  Heard only.

Double-spurred Spurfowl  Pternistis bicalcaratus

Brown Nightjar ◊  Veles binotatus  One was seen in Kakum National Park.

Red-necked Nightjar  Caprimulgus ruficollis  Great looks of this one in Mole NP. Near threatened.

Fiery-necked Nightjar ◊  Caprimulgus pectoralis  It was seen at Kalakpa Reserve. Used to be called Black-shouldered Nightjar but it has been recently lumped. 

Plain Nightjar ◊  Caprimulgus inornatus  Great looks in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Long-tailed Nightjar  Caprimulgus climacurus

Standard-winged Nightjar  Caprimulgus longipennis  We saw three different males with full wing ornaments. Magical!

Mottled Spinetail  Telacanthura ussheri  It was seen at Kakum NP and Kalakpa Reserve.

Black Spinetail ◊  Telacanthura melanopygia  A singleton was seen in Kakum NP.

Sabine’s Spinetail  Rhaphidura sabini  A flock of 10 ween at Ankasa gave the best looks!

Cassin’s Spinetail  Neafrapus cassini  Two sightings: one in Kakum and one in Bonkro.

African Palm Swift  Cypsiurus parvus

Common Swift  Apus apus

Pallid Swift  Apus pallidus

Little Swift  Apus affinis

White-rumped Swift  Apus caffer  Six were seen at the Tongo Hills.

Bates’s Swift ◊  Apus batesi  Two of these rarely seen swifts were seen over the Ankasa forest.

Great Blue Turaco  Corythaeola cristata  Heard only..

Western Plantain-eater  Crinifer piscator

Violet Turaco ◊  Tauraco violaceus  It was seen in the Mole NP area and Kalakpa Reserve.

Yellow-billed Turaco  Tauraco macrorhynchus  Common in forested habitat.

Guinea Turaco (Green T)  Tauraco persa  Common in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Black-bellied Bustard  Lissotis melanogaster  One was seen in Mole NP.

Black-throated Coucal ◊  Centropus leucogaster  This secretive bird was seen by some at Bobiri Sanctuary.

Senegal Coucal  Centropus senegalensis  The all black morph was also seen in the Kakum NP area.

Blue-headed Coucal  Centropus monachus

Blue Malkoha  Ceuthmochares aereus  Fairly common in Atewa and Kalakpa.

Great Spotted Cuckoo  Clamator glandarius  One in the Sapeliga area.

Levaillant’s Cuckoo  Clamator levaillantii  A total of eight were seen.

Diederik Cuckoo (Didric C)  Chrysococcyx caprius  Three were seen on the tour.

Klaas’s Cuckoo  Chrysococcyx klaas  Many sightings.

Yellow-throated Cuckoo ◊  Chrysococcyx flavigularis  Great looks of this scarce bird in the Bonkro area.

African Emerald Cuckoo  Chrysococcyx cupreus  Common bird on this tour.

Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo ◊ (Whistling L-t C)  Cercococcyx mechowi  Heard only.

Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo  Cercococcyx olivinus  Best looks in the Kakum NP area.

Black Cuckoo  Cuculus clamosus  Two sightings.

Red-chested Cuckoo  Cuculus solitarius  Heard only.

African Cuckoo  Cuculus gularis  Three sightings.

Four-banded Sandgrouse  Pterocles quadricinctus  A few were seen at Tono Dam.

Rock Dove (introduced) (Feral Pigeon)  Columba [livia] domestica

Speckled Pigeon  Columba guinea

Mourning Collared Dove (African M D)  Streptopelia decipiens

Red-eyed Dove  Streptopelia semitorquata

Vinaceous Dove  Streptopelia vinacea

Laughing Dove  Spilopelia senegalensis

Black-billed Wood Dove  Turtur abyssinicus

Blue-spotted Wood Dove  Turtur afer

Tambourine Dove  Turtur tympanistria

Blue-headed Wood Dove  Turtur brehmeri  Fantastic bird and we had great look sin Ankasa.

Namaqua Dove  Oena capensis

Bruce’s Green Pigeon  Treron waalia

African Green Pigeon  Treron calvus

White-spotted Flufftail  Sarothrura pulchra  Superb looks of a male in the Kakum farmbush.

Grey-throated Rail ◊  Canirallus oculeus  A party of three were seen by some at Ankasa. Rare bird.

Common Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus

Allen’s Gallinule  Porphyrio alleni  We counted as many as seven birds on the lily ponds near Takoradi.

Black Crake  Zapornia flavirostra

Nkulengu Rail ◊  Himantornis haematopus  A party of five were seen roosting at Ankasa. Also flushed at daytime in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Little Grebe  Tachybaptus ruficollis

Senegal Thick-knee  Burhinus senegalensis

Black-winged Stilt  Himantopus himantopus

Spur-winged Lapwing (S-w Plover)  Vanellus spinosus

Black-headed Lapwing  Vanellus tectus

White-crowned Lapwing (W-headed L)  Vanellus albiceps

African Wattled Lapwing  Vanellus senegallus

Grey Plover (Black-bellied P)  Pluvialis squatarola

Common Ringed Plover  Charadrius hiaticula

Forbes’s Plover ◊  Charadrius forbesi  One of the real specialties of Mole NP and we had good looks!

Egyptian Plover ◊  Pluvianus aegyptius  We had amazing looks on the Volta River! Special bird indeed!

Greater Painted-snipe  Rostratula benghalensis  A female was seen on the lily pond near Takoradi.

African Jacana  Actophilornis africanus

Eurasian Whimbrel  Numenius phaeopus

Bar-tailed Godwit  Limosa lapponica  Near threatened.

Ruddy Turnstone  Arenaria interpres

Curlew Sandpiper  Calidris ferruginea  Near threatened.

Sanderling  Calidris alba

Little Stint  Calidris minuta

Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos

Green Sandpiper  Tringa ochropus

Wood Sandpiper  Tringa glareola

Spotted Redshank  Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia

Collared Pratincole  Glareola pratincola  Just one was seen near Tono Dam.

Rock Pratincole  Glareola nuchalis  A total of 14 were counted on the Pra River rocks.

West African Crested Tern (A Royal T)  Thalasseus albididorsalis

Sandwich Tern  Thalasseus sandvicensis

Common Tern  Sterna hirundo

Black Tern  Chlidonias niger

Woolly-necked Stork (African Woollyneck)  Ciconia [episcopus] microscelis

Reed Cormorant (Long-tailed C)  Microcarbo africanus

Hadada Ibis  Bostrychia hagedash

White-crested Tiger Heron ◊  Tigriornis leucolopha  We had brief looks on the ponds in the Ankasa forest.

Dwarf Bittern  Ixobrychus sturmii  Two were seen in Ankasa.

Striated Heron (Green-backed H)  Butorides striata

Squacco Heron  Ardeola ralloides

Western Cattle Egret  Bubulcus ibis

Grey Heron  Ardea cinerea

Black-headed Heron  Ardea melanocephala

Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea

Great Egret (African G E)  Ardea [alba] melanorhynchos

Intermediate Egret (Yellow-billed E)  Ardea [intermedia] brachyrhyncha

Little Egret  Egretta garzetta

Western Reef Heron (W R Egret)  Egretta gularis

Hamerkop  Scopus umbretta

Black-winged Kite  Elanus caeruleus

African Harrier-Hawk (A Gymnogene)  Polyboroides typus

Palm-nut Vulture  Gypohierax angolensis

European Honey Buzzard  Pernis apivorus

African Cuckoo-Hawk  Aviceda cuculoides

Hooded Vulture  Necrosyrtes monachus  Up to 20 were seen together in Mole NP. Critically endangered.

White-backed Vulture (African W-b V)  Gyps africanus  Up to 115 were seen together in Mole NP. Critically endangered.

White-headed Vulture  Trigonoceps occipitalis  Four were seen in Mole NP. Critically endangered.

Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle ◊  Circaetus beaudouini  A juvenile bird was seen on our way to Mole NP. Vulnerable.

Congo Serpent Eagle ◊  Dryotriorchis spectabilis  We could watch this great bird calling from its morning perch in Ankasa. A pair was seen.

Bateleur  Terathopius ecaudatus  A total of 140 were seen on our last morning in Mole NP. Amazing raptor morning it was! Endangered.

Booted Eagle  Hieraaetus pennatus

Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle  Hieraaetus ayresii  Great looks on our raptor morning at Mole NP.

Lizard Buzzard  Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Dark Chanting Goshawk  Melierax metabates

Long-tailed Hawk ◊  Urotriorchis macrourus  We had three encounters with this forest skulker but our best views were at Bobiri Sanctuary.

Red-chested Goshawk ◊  Accipiter toussenelii  Best looks in the Kakum farmbush.

Shikra  Accipiter badius

Western Marsh Harrier  Circus aeruginosus

Yellow-billed Kite  Milvus aegyptius

African Fish Eagle  Haliaeetus vocifer

Grasshopper Buzzard  Butastur rufipennis

Red-necked Buzzard  Buteo auguralis

Pearl-spotted Owlet  Glaucidium perlatum  One was seen in the Mole NP.

Red-chested Owlet  Glaucidium tephronotum  One was seen in the Ankasa forest.

Sandy Scops Owl ◊  Otus icterorhynchus  Heard only. in the Ankasa forest. If the well-known call on the CD is this bird at all.

African Scops Owl  Otus senegalensis  Great looks in Kalakpa Reserve.

Northern White-faced Owl  Ptilopsis leucotis  Two were seen in the Mole NP.

Fraser’s Eagle-Owl ◊  Bubo poensis  Eventually a calling bird was seen well in the Bobiri Sanctuary.

Akun Eagle-Owl ◊  Bubo leucostictus  A pair was seen in the Ankasa forest.

African Wood Owl  Strix woodfordii  Several sightings.

Narina Trogon  Apaloderma narina  Ot remained leader only in Kalakpa Reserve.

Forest Wood Hoopoe ◊ (F Scimitarbill)  Phoeniculus castaneiceps  One was seen near Bonkro.

White-headed Wood Hoopoe  Phoeniculus bollei

Green Wood Hoopoe  Phoeniculus purpureus

Black Scimitarbill  Rhinopomastus aterrimus

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (Northern G H)  Bucorvus abyssinicus  One was seen in Mole NP. Vulnerable.

Northern Red-billed Hornbill  Tockus erythrorhynchus

African Pied Hornbill ◊ (West A P H)  Lophoceros [fasciatus] semifasciatus  Common throughout.

African Grey Hornbill  Lophoceros nasutus

Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill (D H)  Lophoceros camurus  A pair was tracked down in the Ankasa forest.

Piping Hornbill ◊ (Western P H)  Bycanistes [fistulator] fistulator  It was seen in the Kakum farmbush.

Brown-cheeked Hornbill ◊  Bycanistes cylindricus  Excellent looks from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP. Vulnerable.

Black-casqued Hornbill (B-c Wattled H)  Ceratogymna atrata

Black Dwarf Hornbill ◊ (Western Little H)  Horizocerus [hartlaubi] hartlaubi  Great looks in the Bobiri Sanctuary.

White-crested Hornbill ◊ (Western Long-tailed H)  Horizocerus [albocristatus] macrourus  We had good looks in Kakum, Bonkro and Bobiri.

Purple Roller (Rufous-crowned R)  Coracias naevius

Abyssinian Roller ◊  Coracias abyssinicus  Common in the north.

Blue-bellied Roller ◊  Coracias cyanogaster  Excellent looks in the Kalakpa area.

Blue-throated Roller  Eurystomus gularis  Best looks were in Bobiri Sanctuary.

Broad-billed Roller  Eurystomus glaucurus

Chocolate-backed Kingfisher  Halcyon badia

Grey-headed Kingfisher  Halcyon leucocephala

Striped Kingfisher  Halcyon chelicuti

Blue-breasted Kingfisher  Halcyon malimbica

Woodland Kingfisher  Halcyon senegalensis

African Dwarf Kingfisher ◊  Ispidina lecontei  Great looks in the Ankasa forest.

African Pygmy Kingfisher  Ispidina picta

White-bellied Kingfisher ◊  Corythornis leucogaster  Great looks in the Ankasa forest and at Atewa.

Malachite Kingfisher  Corythornis cristatus

Shining-blue Kingfisher  Alcedo quadribrachys

Pied Kingfisher  Ceryle rudis

Blue-moustached Bee-eater ◊  Merops mentalis  A lucky observation of four birds in the Ankasa forest. Near threatened.

Black Bee-eater  Merops gularis  Stunning bird, many sightings.

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater  Merops hirundineus

Little Bee-eater  Merops pusillus

Red-throated Bee-eater  Merops bulocki

White-throated Bee-eater  Merops albicollis

African Green Bee-eater  Merops viridissimus

European Bee-eater  Merops apiaster

Rosy Bee-eater ◊  Merops malimbicus  Excellent perched views in the Kakum farmbush.

Northern Carmine Bee-eater  Merops nubicus

Bristle-nosed Barbet ◊  Gymnobucco peli  A single bird was seen in the Kakum area.

Naked-faced Barbet  Gymnobucco calvus

Speckled Tinkerbird  Pogoniulus scolopaceus

Red-rumped Tinkerbird  Pogoniulus atroflavus

Yellow-throated Tinkerbird  Pogoniulus subsulphureus

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird  Pogoniulus bilineatus

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird  Pogoniulus chrysoconus

Yellow-spotted Barbet  Buccanodon duchaillui

Hairy-breasted Barbet  Tricholaema hirsuta

Vieillot’s Barbet  Lybius vieilloti

Double-toothed Barbet  Lybius bidentatus

Bearded Barbet ◊  Lybius dubius  Many great looks in the north, especially in Mole NP.

Yellow-billed Barbet ◊ (Western Y-b B)  Trachyphonus [purpuratus] goffinii  Just one was seen in the Kakum area.

Cassin’s Honeybird  Prodotiscus insignis

Yellow-footed Honeyguide ◊  Melignomon eisentrauti  Excellent looks of this rare bird in the Kakum area. Near threatened.

Lesser Honeyguide  Indicator minor

Spotted Honeyguide ◊  Indicator maculatus  One was seen in the Ankasa forest and one heard at Kalakpa.

Greater Honeyguide  Indicator indicator  Heard only.

African Piculet ◊  Sasia africana  Superb looks of this tiny bird in Bobiri Sanctuary. Three were seen.

Buff-spotted Woodpecker  Pardipicus nivosus

Brown-eared Woodpecker  Pardipicus caroli

Fine-spotted Woodpecker ◊  Campethera punctuligera  A male was seen in Mole NP.

Little Green Woodpecker ◊  Campethera maculosa  One was seen well in the Bobiri Sanctuary.

Fire-bellied Woodpecker ◊  Chloropicus pyrrhogaster  Several excellent looks in various forests.

Cardinal Woodpecker  Dendropicos fuscescens

Melancholy Woodpecker ◊  Dendropicos lugubris  Our best looks were obtained in the canopy walkway in Kakum NP.

African Grey Woodpecker (Grey W)  Dendropicos goertae

Common Kestrel  Falco tinnunculus

Fox Kestrel ◊  Falco alopex  About six birds were seen in the Tongo Hills.

Grey Kestrel  Falco ardosiaceus

Red-necked Falcon (African R-n F)  Falco [chicquera] ruficollis  A leader only sightings along the Volta River.

African Hobby  Falco cuvierii

Lanner Falcon  Falco biarmicus  Fantastic sighting as one was dive bombing an Ayre’s Hawk Eagle.

Grey Parrot  Psittacus erithacus  Fantastic birds, ten were seen coming to roost in the Bobiri Sanctuary. Endangered.

Red-fronted Parrot  Poicephalus gulielmi

Senegal Parrot  Poicephalus senegalus

Rose-ringed Parakeet  Psittacula krameri

Rufous-sided Broadbill ◊  Smithornis rufolateralis  Great looks of this special bird in the Ankasa forest.

Senegal Batis ◊  Batis senegalensis  Several were seen in the Mole NP and Kalakpa Reserve.

West African Batis ◊  Batis occulta  Superb looks of a pair from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP.

West African Wattle-eye ◊  Platysteira hormophora  Regular sightings of both sexes.

Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Common W-e)  Platysteira cyanea

Red-cheeked Wattle-eye ◊  Platysteira blissetti  Fantastic looks of this shy species!

Fiery-breasted Bushshrike ◊  Malaconotus cruentus  Magical looks of a singing pair.

Grey-headed Bushshrike  Malaconotus blanchoti  We could witness a party of 5 displaying birds in Mole NP.

Orange-breasted Bushshrike (Sulphur-b B-s)  Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Marsh Tchagra  Bocagia minuta

Brown-crowned Tchagra  Tchagra australis

Black-crowned Tchagra  Tchagra senegalus

Sabine’s Puffback ◊ (Large-billed P)  Dryoscopus sabini  A few were seen in forest habitats, the first one at Kakum NP.

Northern Puffback  Dryoscopus gambensis

Lowland Sooty Boubou ◊  Laniarius leucorhynchus  Another notorious skulker seen in the Kakum and Atewa farmbush.

Yellow-crowned Gonolek ◊  Laniarius barbarus

Brubru  Nilaus afer

White-crested Helmetshrike (White H)  Prionops plumatus

Red-billed Helmetshrike ◊ (Chestnut-bellied H-s)  Prionops caniceps  Beautiful bird, many great looks!

Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher (Vanga F, B-a-W F)  Bias musicus

White-breasted Cuckooshrike  Ceblepyris pectoralis

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike  Campephaga phoenicea

Purple-throated Cuckooshrike  Campephaga quiscalina

Blue Cuckooshrike  Cyanograucalus azureus

Yellow-billed Shrike  Corvinella corvina

Northern Fiscal  Lanius humeralis

Western Oriole (W Black-headed O)  Oriolus brachyrynchus

Black-winged Oriole  Oriolus nigripennis

African Golden Oriole  Oriolus auratus

Fanti Drongo ◊  Dicrurus atactus  Commonly seen in appropriate habitat.

Glossy-backed Drongo  Dicrurus divaricatus

Shining Drongo  Dicrurus atripennis

Western Square-tailed Drongo ◊  Dicrurus occidentalis  Tricky to see and shy bird. A pair was seen in Mole NP.

Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher  Trochocercus nitens

Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher (Black-headed P F)  Terpsiphone rufiventer

African Paradise Flycatcher  Terpsiphone viridis

Piapiac  Ptilostomus afer

Pied Crow  Corvus albus

White-necked Rockfowl ◊ (Yellow-headed Picathartes)  Picathartes gymnocephalus  Bird of the trip as usual! We got fantastic performance from four birds at Bonkro. A true specialty, THE bird to see on this tour. Vulnerable.

African Blue Flycatcher  Elminia longicauda

Dusky Crested Flycatcher ◊  Elminia nigromitrata  One was seen at Ankasa forest.

White-shouldered Black Tit  Melaniparus guineensis

Forest Penduline Tit ◊  Anthoscopus flavifrons  Two were seen from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP and one in the Ankasa forest.

Yellow Penduline Tit ◊  Anthoscopus parvulus  Great looks near Sapeliga in the north.

Western Nicator (Yellow-spotted N)  Nicator chloris

Flappet Lark  Mirafra rufocinnamomea  Heard only.

Sun Lark ◊  Galerida modesta  It was seen in Mole NP.

Slender-billed Greenbul  Stelgidillas gracilirostris

Golden Greenbul  Calyptocichla serinus

Red-tailed Bristlebill (Common B)  Bleda syndactylus  Heard only.

Green-tailed Bristlebill ◊  Bleda eximius  A very shy bird if you don’t come across ants. It was only seen by some at Atewa. Near threatened.

Grey-headed Bristlebill ◊  Bleda canicapillus  We had several good looks.

Spotted Greenbul  Ixonotus guttatus

Swamp Palm Bulbul  Thescelocichla leucopleura

Simple Greenbul (S Leaflove)  Chlorocichla simplex

Honeyguide Greenbul  Baeopogon indicator

Western Bearded Greenbul ◊  Criniger barbatus  Excellent looks in the Ankasa forest.

Red-tailed Greenbul  Criniger calurus

Yellow-bearded Greenbul ◊ (Y-throated Olive G)  Criniger olivaceus  Excellent looks in the Ankasa forest. Vulnerable.

Little Greenbul  Eurillas virens

Yellow-whiskered Greenbul  Eurillas latirostris

Plain Greenbul (Cameroon Sombre G)  Eurillas curvirostris

Little Grey Greenbul (Grey G)  Eurillas gracilis

Ansorge’s Greenbul  Eurillas ansorgei

White-throated Greenbul ◊  Phyllastrephus albigularis  Roosting bird seen at Bonkro and other in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Icterine Greenbul  Phyllastrephus icterinus

Common Bulbul  Pycnonotus barbatus

Square-tailed Saw-wing  Psalidoprocne nitens

Sand Martin  Riparia riparia

Rock Martin  Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Wire-tailed Swallow  Hirundo smithii

White-bibbed Swallow (W-throated Blue S)  Hirundo nigrita

Barn Swallow  Hirundo rustica

Red-chested Swallow ◊  Hirundo lucida  Regular sightings in the north.

Ethiopian Swallow  Hirundo aethiopica

Common House Martin  Delichon urbicum

Mosque Swallow  Cecropis senegalensis

Lesser Striped Swallow  Cecropis abyssinica

West African Swallow ◊  Cecropis domicella  A single one was seen near Sapeliga.

Preuss’s Cliff Swallow ◊  Petrochelidon preussi  Superb looks at a breeding colony near the Pra River.

Moustached Grass Warbler (African M W)  Melocichla mentalis

Kemp’s Longbill ◊  Macrosphenus kempi  Two sightings in Atewa.

Grey Longbill  Macrosphenus concolor

Northern Crombec  Sylvietta brachyura

Green Crombec  Sylvietta virens

Lemon-bellied Crombec  Sylvietta denti

Chestnut-capped Flycatcher  Erythrocercus mccallii

Green Hylia  Hylia prasina

Tit Hylia  Pholidornis rushiae

Wood Warbler  Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Willow Warbler  Phylloscopus trochilus

Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus scirpaceus  Rare bird in Ghana, one was seen in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Melodious Warbler  Hippolais polyglotta

Red-faced Cisticola  Cisticola erythrops

Singing Cisticola  Cisticola cantans

Whistling Cisticola  Cisticola lateralis

Rock-loving Cisticola  Cisticola emini

Dorst’s Cisticola ◊  Cisticola guinea  A singing male was tracked down in Mole NP. Localised bird!

Short-winged Cisticola (Siffling C)  Cisticola brachypterus

Rufous Cisticola ◊  Cisticola rufus  Great looks in Mole NP.

Zitting Cisticola  Cisticola juncidis

Black-backed Cisticola ◊  Cisticola eximius  Three birds were seen near Tono Dam.

Tawny-flanked Prinia  Prinia subflava

Red-winged Prinia  Prinia erythroptera

Yellow-breasted Apalis  Apalis flavida

Black-capped Apalis  Apalis nigriceps

Sharpe’s Apalis ◊  Apalis sharpii  Our best sighting was at Ankasa forest. Near threatened.

Oriole Warbler ◊  Hypergerus atriceps  One was seen in Mole NP, a rather skulking individual.

Grey-backed Camaroptera  Camaroptera brevicaudata

Yellow-browed Camaroptera  Camaroptera superciliaris

Olive-green Camaroptera  Camaroptera chloronota

Senegal Eremomela  Eremomela pusilla

Rufous-crowned Eremomela  Eremomela badiceps

Common Whitethroat  Curruca communis

Northern Yellow White-eye  Zosterops senegalensis

Brown Illadopsis  Illadopsis fulvescens  Heard only.

Brown Illadopsis ◊ (Moloney’s I)  Illadopsis [fulvescens] moloneyana  Three birds were seen very well in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Pale-breasted Illadopsis  Illadopsis rufipennis

Blackcap Illadopsis  Illadopsis cleaveri

Puvel’s Illadopsis ◊  Illadopsis puveli  Fantastic looks of a singing bird at Atewa.

Rufous-winged Illadopsis ◊  Illadopsis rufescens  Fantastic looks of a singing bird at Ankasa. Near threatened.

Capuchin Babbler ◊ (Black-capped C B)  Turdoides [atripennis] rubiginosus  Difficult as usual but eventually a party of six birds were tracked down and we stayed with them for over 20 minutes. Near threatened.

Brown Babbler  Turdoides plebejus

Blackcap Babbler  Turdoides reinwardtii

Violet-backed Hyliota ◊  Hyliota violacea  A single one was seen from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP.

Copper-tailed Starling ◊ (C-t Glossy S)  Hylopsar cupreocauda  We got perched views in Kakum and Ankasa. Near threatened.

Bronze-tailed Starling (B-t Glossy S)  Lamprotornis chalcurus

Splendid Starling (S Glossy S)  Lamprotornis splendidus

Purple Starling (P Glossy S)  Lamprotornis purpureus

Long-tailed Glossy Starling  Lamprotornis caudatus

Chestnut-bellied Starling ◊  Lamprotornis pulcher  About 20 were seen near Sapeliga in the north.

Violet-backed Starling  Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Chestnut-winged Starling (Forest C-w S)  Onychognathus [fulgidus] hartlaubii

Narrow-tailed Starling  Poeoptera lugubris  Superb looks on a fruiting tree at Atewa.

Yellow-billed Oxpecker  Buphagus africanus

Finsch’s Rufous Thrush ◊  Stizorhina finschi  First seen at Ankasa forest.

White-tailed Ant Thrush  Neocossyphus poensis  Heard only..

African Thrush  Turdus pelios

White-tailed Alethe ◊  Alethe diademata  First seen at Kakum NP and also good looks in Ankasa.

Forest Scrub Robin ◊  Cercotrichas leucosticta  One was seen by some at Atewa.

Fraser’s Forest Flycatcher  Fraseria ocreata

White-browed Forest Flycatcher  Fraseria cinerascens

Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher (G-t F)  Myioparus griseigularis

Grey Tit-Flycatcher (Lead-coloured F)  Myioparus plumbeus  Heard only.

Nimba Flycatcher ◊  Melaenornis annamarulae  One was seen well in the forest of Atewa. Tour highlight! Vulnerable.

Northern Black Flycatcher  Melaenornis edolioides

Pale Flycatcher  Melaenornis pallidus

Spotted Flycatcher  Muscicapa striata

Swamp Flycatcher  Muscicapa aquatica

Cassin’s Flycatcher  Muscicapa cassini

Little Grey Flycatcher ◊  Muscicapa epulata  It was first seen from the walkway in Kakum NP and also got good looks in Atewa.

Dusky-blue Flycatcher  Muscicapa comitata

Tessmann’s Flycatcher ◊  Muscicapa tessmanni  Superb looks of two different birds in the Bonkro area. Rare!

Ussher’s Flycatcher ◊  Muscicapa ussheri  Several were seen, the first one from the canopy walkway at Kakum NP.

Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat  Cossypha cyanocampter  One was seen in the Atewa farmbush.

Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat  Cossypha niveicapilla

White-crowned Robin-Chat ◊  Cossypha albicapillus  Several great looks in Mole NP.

Forest Robin ◊ (Western F R)  Stiphrornis [erythrothorax] erythrothorax  Seen well in Ankasa.

Forest Robin ◊ (Dahomey F R)  Stiphrornis [erythrothorax] dahomeyensis  Heard only.

Forest Robin ◊ (Ghana F R)  Stiphrornis [erythrothorax] inexpectatus  One was spotlit in Kakum NP.

European Pied Flycatcher  Ficedula hypoleuca

White-crowned Cliff Chat ◊  Thamnolaea coronata  Three were seen at the Tongo Hills.

Fraser’s Sunbird (Scarlet-tufted S)  Deleornis fraseri

Mangrove Sunbird ◊ (Brown S)  Anthreptes gabonicus  Finally we had good looks at the Ebi River.

Little Green Sunbird  Anthreptes seimundi

Yellow-chinned Sunbird ◊  Anthreptes rectirostris  First seen in Kakum NP but also in Atewa.

Collared Sunbird  Hedydipna collaris

Pygmy Sunbird ◊  Hedydipna platura  Several excellent looks in the north.

Reichenbach’s Sunbird ◊  Anabathmis reichenbachii  Fairly common around Ankasa.

Green-headed Sunbird (Olive-backed S)  Cyanomitra verticalis  It was seen in Mole NP and Kalakpa Reserve.

Blue-throated Brown Sunbird  Cyanomitra cyanolaema

Olive Sunbird  Cyanomitra olivacea

Buff-throated Sunbird ◊  Chalcomitra adelberti  What a beauty! Best looks of males were in Atewa!

Scarlet-chested Sunbird  Chalcomitra senegalensis

Olive-bellied Sunbird  Cinnyris chloropygius

Tiny Sunbird  Cinnyris minullus

Beautiful Sunbird  Cinnyris pulchellus

Splendid Sunbird  Cinnyris coccinigastrus

Johanna’s Sunbird ◊  Cinnyris johannae  Several sightings throughout, first in Kakum NP.

Superb Sunbird  Cinnyris superbus

Copper Sunbird  Cinnyris cupreus

Sahel Bush Sparrow (Sahel Bush-sparrow)  Gymnoris dentata

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow  Passer griseus

House Sparrow (introduced)  Passer domesticus

White-billed Buffalo Weaver  Bubalornis albirostris  One was seen near Sapeliga by some.

Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver  Plocepasser superciliosus

Speckle-fronted Weaver  Sporopipes frontalis

Thick-billed Weaver (Grosbeak W)  Amblyospiza albifrons

Little Weaver  Ploceus luteolus

Olive-naped Weaver  Ploceus brachypterus  Many great sightings. A recent split from Black-necked Weaver P. nigricollis.

Orange Weaver ◊  Ploceus aurantius  Fine breeding dressed males were seen on the lily ponds near Takoradi.

Village Weaver  Ploceus cucullatus

Chestnut-and-black Weaver ◊  Ploceus castaneofuscus  Many good looks! Officially split now from Vieillot’s Black Weaver.

Black-headed Weaver (Yellow-backed W)  Ploceus melanocephalus

Yellow-mantled Weaver  Ploceus tricolor

Maxwell’s Black Weaver ◊  Ploceus albinucha  Several were seen in forest habitat. Especially common in the Atewa area.

Preuss’s Weaver ◊  Ploceus preussi  Breeding birds were tracked down near Bonkro.

Blue-billed Malimbe  Malimbus nitens

Red-headed Malimbe  Malimbus rubricollis

Crested Malimbe  Malimbus malimbicus

Red-headed Quelea  Quelea erythrops

Red-billed Quelea  Quelea quelea

Black-winged Red Bishop (B-w Bishop)  Euplectes hordeaceus

Northern Red Bishop (Orange B)  Euplectes franciscanus

Yellow-mantled Widowbird (Y-shouldered W)  Euplectes [macroura] macroura

Bronze Mannikin  Spermestes cucullata

Magpie Mannikin ◊  Spermestes fringilloides  One was seen by some in the hotel garden near Kakum NP.

Black-and-white Mannikin  Spermestes bicolor

African Silverbill  Euodice cantans

Red-fronted Antpecker ◊  Parmoptila rubrifrons  A pair and a juvenile was seen in the Ankasa forest. Definitely a hard-to-come by bird and a tour highlight. Near threatened.

White-breasted Nigrita (W-b Negrofinch)  Nigrita fusconotus

Chestnut-breasted Nigrita (C-b Negrofinch)  Nigrita bicolor

Grey-headed Nigrita (G-crowned Negrofinch)  Nigrita canicapillus

Lavender Waxbill ◊  Glaucestrilda caerulescens  Many and easily seen in the north. Very smart looking bird!

Orange-cheeked Waxbill  Estrilda melpoda

Black-rumped Waxbill  Estrilda troglodytes

Quailfinch (African Q)  Ortygospiza atricollis

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu  Uraeginthus bengalus

Western Bluebill  Spermophaga haematina

Black-bellied Seedcracker  Pyrenestes ostrinus

Red-winged Pytilia ◊  Pytilia phoenicoptera  We were lucky to get multiple views of different sexes in the Mole NP.

Red-billed Firefinch  Lagonosticta senegala

African Firefinch (Blue-billed F)  Lagonosticta rubricata

Black-bellied Firefinch  Lagonostict rara  A pair was seen very well in the Mole NP.

Bar-breasted Firefinch  Lagonosticta rufopicta

Black-faced Firefinch ◊  Lagonosticta larvata  It was a surprise to see good numbers of these usually scarce birds in Mole NP.

Indigobird sp  Vidua chalybeate / wilsoni  Cannot tell to species level in non-breeding plumage. Several were seen in Mole NP.

Pin-tailed Whydah  Vidua macroura

Exclamatory Paradise Whydah ◊  Vidua interjecta  A few were seen in the Mole NP. Males too but none in full breeding dress.

Western Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava

African Pied Wagtail  Motacilla aguimp

Yellow-throated Longclaw  Macronyx croceus

Tree Pipit  Anthus trivialis

White-rumped Seedeater ◊  Crithagra leucopygia  We saw a small party near Sapeliga.

Yellow-fronted Canary  Crithagra mozambica

Gosling’s Bunting ◊  Emberiza goslingi  About five were seen in the Tongo Hills.

Brown-rumped Bunting  Emberiza affinis  Excellent looks of a singing male in Mole NP.

Golden-breasted Bunting  Emberiza flaviventris

MAMMALS

Western Tree Hyrax  Dendrohyrax dorsalis  Heard only.

Benin Tree Hyrax ◊  Dendrohyrax interfluvialis  Two were seen in the Kalakpa Reserve. This is a recently described species.

African Elephant  Loxodonta africana  As many as 11 were seen together in Mole NP. Giants!

Common Cusimanse  Crossarchus obscurus  It was seen in the Ankasa forest.

White-tailed Mongoose  Ichneumia albicauda  About three were seen in Mole NP.

Common Warthog  Phacochoerus africanus

Roan Antelope ◊ Hippotragus equinus  Two adults and two young ones were seen in Mole NP.

Kob  Kobus kob

Walter’s Duiker  Philantomba walteri  Two were seen in the Kalakpa Reserve. East of the Volta River this species replaces Maxwell’s Duiker P. maxwellii.

Bushbuck  Tragelaphus scriptus

African Straw-coloured Fruit-bat  Eidolon helvum

Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat  Epomophorus gambianus

Hammer-headed Fruit Bat ◊  Hypsignathus monstrosus  Two sightings in the Ankasa forest.

Cyclops Roundleaf Bat  Doryrhina cyclops  One was photographed in Bobiri Sanctuary.

Northern Lesser Galago (Senegal G)  Galago senegalensis  It was seen in Mole NP and in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Demidoff’s Dwarf Galago ◊  Galagoides demidoff  Regularly heard and seen a few times in forest.

Thomas’s Dwarf Galago ◊  Galagoides thomasii  A pair was seen in the Kalapka Reserve. They were identified by their call.

West African Potto ◊  Perodicticus potto  Amazingly good looks in Ankasa this year!

Lowe’s Monkey  Cercopithecus lowei  Great looks from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP.

Mona Monkey  Cercopithecus mona  East of the Volta River, one was seen in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey  Cercopithecus petaurista  Great looks from the canopy walkway in Kakum NP.

Green Monkey (Callithrix M)  Chlorocebus sabaeus  Common in Mole NP.

Tantalus Monkey  Chlorocebus tantallus  East of the Volta River, we saw them in the Kalakpa Reserve.

White-thighed Colobus ◊  Colobus vellerosus  Two parties were seen in the Boabeng-Fiema Reserve.

Patas Monkey  Erythrocebus patas  A few were seen in Mole NP.

Olive Baboon  Papio anubis  Common in Mole NP.

African Savanna Hare (Scrub H)  Lepus victoriae

Nagtglas’s African Dormouse ◊  Graphiurus nagtglasii  Two were seen in Kakum NP.

Fire-footed Rope Squirrel  Funisciurus pyrropus

Kintampo Rope Squirrel ◊  Funisciurus substriatus  Heard only.

Gambian Sun Squirrel  Heliosciurus gambianus

Small Sun Squirrel ◊  Heliosciurus punctatus

Red-legged Sun Squirrel  Heliosciurus rufobrachium

Green Bush Squirrel ◊  Paraxerus poensis

Giant Forest Squirrel (African G S)  Protoxerus stangeri  Just one was seen in the Kalakpa Reserve.

Striped Ground Squirrel  Xerus erythropus

Beecroft’s Flying Squirrel ◊ (B Scaly-tailed Squirrel)  Anomalurus beecrofti  A total of eight sightings!

Derby’s Flying Squirrel (Lord D Scaly-tailed Squirrel)  Anomalurus derbianus  Two sightings in Ankasa.

Pel’s Flying Squirrel ◊ (P’s Anamalure, P’s Scaly-tailed Squirrel)  Anomalurus pelii  This beauty was seen twice, in Kakum NP and in the Bobiri Sanctuary.

Forest Giant Pouched Rat (E Giant P R)  Cricetomys emini  One was seen in the Ankasa forest.

Gambian Rat (G Giant P R)  Cricetomys gambianus  One was seen near the Kalakpa Reserve.

Gracile Tateril  Taterillus gracilis  Several were seen in the Mole NP.