31-12-2023 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - YELLOW BILLED KITE (Milvus migrans ssp. parasitus)

The Yellow-billed Kite is found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, in nearly all types of habitats including forests, wetlands, savannas, and to a lesser extent, arid environments.

The yellow-billed kite is the Afrotropic counterpart of the black kite, of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed kite differs significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate, allopatric species.

They migrate annually to central-east Africa for winter. See how small their feet are? Although they appear large, they only hunt prey like rodents, frogs and insects, but will also spend much of the day on the wing scavenging. 

31-12-2023 BAKAU, GAMBIA - HOODED VULTURE (Necrosyrtes monachus)

 The hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Necrosyrtes, which is sister to the larger Gyps genus, both of which are a part of the Aegypiinae subfamily of Old World vultures. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it has a widespread distribution with populations in southern, East and West Africa. It is a scruffy-looking, small vulture with dark brown plumage, a long thin bill, bare crown, face and fore-neck, and a downy nape and hind-neck. Its face is usually a light red colour. It typically scavenges on carcasses of wildlife and domestic animals. Although it remains a common species with a stable population in the lower region of Casamance, some areas of The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, other regions such as Dakar, Senegal, show more than 85% losses in population over the last 50 years. Threats include poisoning, hunting, loss of habitat and collisions with electricity infrastructure, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered" in their latest assessment (2022). The highest current regional density of hooded vultures is in the western region of The Gambia.

1-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - LONG TAILED GLOSSY STARLING (Lamprotornis caudatus)

The long-tailed glossy starling (Lamprotornis caudatus) is a member of the starling family of birds. It is a resident breeder in tropical Africa from Senegal east to Sudan.

This common passerine is typically found in open woodland and cultivation. The long-tailed glossy starling builds a nest in a hole. The normal clutch is two to four eggs.

This ubiquitous bird is gregarious and noisy, with a harsh grating call.

The adults of these 54 cm (21 in) long birds have metallic green upperparts, violet underparts and a 34 cm (13 in) long purple tail. The face is black with a yellow eye. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller, with a brownish tone to the plumage.

1-1-2024 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - SPECKLED PIGEON (Columba guinea)

Speckled Pigeon is endemic to Africa.

Adult has blue-grey upperparts, and maroon mantle with light purplish reflections. On the wings, inner wing-coverts and tertials are maroon, slightly marked with grey. Outer wing-coverts are grey. We can see large part of wings boldly tipped with numerous white triangles, becoming narrow white fringe on outer greater coverts. Flight feathers are dull grey-brown.

Back to rump is pale grey, ending into darker grey uppertail coverts. All feathers show pale grey tips. Tail Is dark grey with broad black terminal band.

Speckled Pigeon feeds mainly on seeds and cultivated grains. 

1-1-2024 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - RAINBOW AGAMA (Agama agama)

The Rainbow Agama or Red-headed Rock Agama is one of the most colorful reptiles. The species is distributed over most of Sub-Sahara Africa. Males are territorial and defend a relatively small patch of rock aggressively against any intruder. The conservation status of Agama agama, which is also often for sale and kept in private terrariums, is not yet defined by IUCN.

 

1-1-2024 NGALA LODGE, GAMBIA - YELLOW BILLED KITE (Milvus migrans ssp. parasitus)

The yellow-billed kite (Milvus aegyptius ) is the Afrotropic counterpart of the black kite (Milvus migrans ), of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, recent DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed kite differs significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate, allopatric species.

There are two subspecies: M. a. parasitus, found throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa (including Madagascar), except for the Congo Basin (with intra-African migrations) and M. a. aegyptius of Egypt, south-west Arabia and the Horn of Africa (which disperses south during the non-breeding season).

 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - GIANT KINGFISHER (Megaceryle maxima ssp maxima)

The Giant kingfisher is Africa’s largest species of kingfisher. It has a large crest and a big straight black beak. Most of its body is covered with black feathers that are tipped with white spots. A male has an orange breast and its belly is white with some black spots. A female’s breast is black and white spotted and the belly is orange, and the difference between them can be remembered by thinking of a male as wearing an orange shirt and a female wearing an orange skirt.

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - SPLENDID STARLING (Lamprotornis splendidus)

The splendid starling (Lamprotornis splendidus), also known as the splendid glossy-starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia — and is introduced in Belgium. 

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - LAUGHING DOVE (Streptopelia senegalensis)

The laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia where it has established itself in the wild after being released from Perth Zoo in 1898. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. It is closely related to the spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) which is distinguished by a white and black chequered necklace. Other names include laughing turtle dove, palm dove and Senegal dove while in Asia the name little brown dove is often used.

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - WESTERN GREY PLANTAIN EATER (Crinifer piscatore)

 

The western plantain-eater (Crinifer piscator), also known as the gray plantain-eater or western gray plantain-eater, is a large member of the turaco family, a group of large arboreal near-passerine birds restricted to Africa.

This species is a resident breeder in open woodland habitats in tropical west Africa. It lays two or three eggs in a tree platform nest.

These are common, noisy and conspicuous birds, despite lacking the brilliant colours of relatives such as the violet turaco. They are 50 cm long, including a long tail. Their plumage is mainly gray above spotted with brown. The head, erectile crest, neck and breast are brown streaked with silver. The underparts are whitish, heavily streaked with brown.

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - CORAL VINE (Antigonon leptopus)

 Antigonon leptopus is a species of perennial vine in the buckwheat family commonly known as coral vine or queen's wreath. This clambering vine is characterized by showy, usually pink flowers that can bloom throughout the year and large, heart-shaped leaves. A. leptopus is native to the Pacific and Atlantic coastal plains of Mexico, but also occurs as a roadside weed from Mexico south to Central America.  It is widely introduced and invasive throughout tropical regions of the world, including in the south and eastern United States, the West Indies, South America, and the Old World tropics of Asia and Africa. This species is utilized for its edible tubers and seeds, but also for its horticultural properties as an ornamental vine in warmer parts of the world.

2-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - WESTERN RED BILLED HORNBILL (Tockus kempi)

The western red-billed hornbill (Tockus kempi) is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is found from Senegal and Gambia to southern Mauritania and western Mali. There are five species of red-billed hornbills generally recognized now, but all five were once considered conspecific. Some authorities still categorize the group as Tockus erythrorhynchus with the remaining four as its subspecies.

Western red-billed hornbills are small hornbills in the genus Tockus. They have curved red beaks which are more orange on the lower beak and more bright red on the upper beak, with both ending with a dark orange colour. Their heads are greyish white and have black feathers along the back of their heads and neck. They have white plumage on their faces and large dark grey eye rings. Their sclera is dark brown and their pupils are black. Their wings are like all red-billed hornbills, with large and small circles of white feathers surrounded by black feathers on the exterior and white on the upper half of the interior and black on the lower half of the interior. They have long tail feathers that are black on the exterior and a greyish white on the interior.

2-1-2024 CALYPSO BAR, GAMBIA - BROAD BILLED ROLLER (Eurystomus glaucurus)

The broad-billed roller (Eurystomus glaucurus) is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and southern areas of its range towards the moister equatorial belt in the dry season.

The broad-billed roller is 29–30 cm in length. It has a warm back and head, lilac foreneck and breast, with the rest of the plumage mainly brown. The broad bill is bright yellow. Sexes are similar, but the juvenile is a drabber version of the adult, with a pale breast. The broad-billed roller is striking in its strong direct flight, with the brilliant blues of the wings and tail contrasting with the brown back. The call of the broad-billed roller is a snarling k-k-k-k-k-r-r-r-r-r sound.

This is a species of open woodland with some tall trees, preferably near water. These rollers often perch prominently on trees, posts or overhead wires, like giant shrikes.

They are inactive for most of the day, apart from chasing intruders, but in late afternoon they hunt for the swarming ants and termites on which they feed, sometimes in groups of 100 or more rollers. They drink like swallows, dipping their bills into water in flight.

This bird nests in an unlined hole in a tree cavity, laying 2-3 eggs.

The Broad-billed Roller is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying Eurystomus glaucurus will seek out a new mate

The nesting habit of Broad-billed Roller is to create the nest in a hole in a tree trunk. The bird lays eggs which are white in colour and number between 2 to 4

The preferred habitats for Broad-billed Roller are: forests and heavily treed regions

You will normally see the Broad-billed Roller by itself rather than in the company of birds of the same species.

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - HOODED VULTURE (Necrosyrtes monachus)

The hooded vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus, is one of the smallest of the Old World vultures. The species gets its common name from the cream-colored hood, formed from a patch of downy feathers, along the back of its neck to the crown of its head.

The small vulture is scruffy-looking and has a rather short, rounded tail. The male and female vultures appear similar, while females have longer eyelashes than males. Juveniles are similar in appearance to adults, only darker and plainer in color with a purple sheen.

The vulture’s face is usually pinkish-white in color, though it can flush red when agitated. It has dark brown plumage with a feathered nape and hind-neck. The hooded vulture’s long thin black bill leads into its bare face, crown, and foreneck.

Soaring above savannah and human settlements, the hooded vulture typically scavenges on carcasses from wildlife or domesticated animals. They also feed on grasshoppers, grubs, and locusts and congregate during the seasonal emergence of insects.

The hooded vulture feeds at low tide on mussels, lobsters, mollusks, and dead fish along the coast. When limited food is available, the species can go without food for several days by not excreting and in turn slowing down its metabolism. 

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - PLAIN TIGER BUTTERFLY (Danaus chrysippus)

Clearly a relative of the well known monarch, D. plexippus, this species is slightly smaller. Rather more widespread but very scarce in coastal areas of the Mediterranean from Spain to Greece. It has a world wide distribution.

There is almost no variation recorded across its vast worldwide range. There are exceptions in a few places such as east Africa where additional forms are present and appear to be controlled by Mendelian genetics - why the effect is localised is not clear.

Mediterranean coasts from Spain, where it is most frequent, to Greece, but absent from large parts of the cost. North Africa in Morocco to Tunisia where it can be found well inland. Seemingly greatly reduced in the Canary Islands now. Flies at all times of the year, with a period of relative inactivity in winter.

A powerful species, roaming widely. Frequents hot dry places.

3-1-2024 BAKAU, GAMBIA - YELLOW BILLED KITE (Milvus migrans ssp. parasitus)

The yellow-billed kite is the Afrotropic counterpart of the black kite, of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed kite differs significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate, allopatric species. 

2-1-2024 CALYPSO BAR, GAMBIA - COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos)

The common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (A. macularia), make up the genus Actitis. They are parapatric and replace each other geographically; stray birds of either species may settle down with breeders of the other and hybridize. Hybridization has also been reported between the common sandpiper and the green sandpiper, a basal species of the closely related shank genus Tringa.

The common sandpiper breeds across most of temperate and subtropical Europe and Asia, and migrates to Africa, southern Asia and Australia in winter. The eastern edge of its migration route passes by Palau in Micronesia, where hundreds of birds may gather for a stop-over. They depart the Palau region for their breeding quarters around the last week of April to the first week of May.

2-1-2024 CALYPSO BAR, GAMBIA - YELLOW CASQUED HORNBILL (Ceratogymna elata)

The yellow-casqued hornbill (Ceratogymna elata), also known as the yellow-casqued wattled hornbill, is found in the rainforest of coastal regions of West Africa, for example in Côte d'Ivoire. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The yellow-casqued hornbill is one of the largest birds of the West African forest, with adults weighing up to 2 kg (4.4 lb). They live mainly in the forest canopy, rarely feeding on the ground. They live in small family groups containing at least one adult male and female, with one or two immature birds, though they sometimes gather in larger flocks to exploit a major food supply such as an ant or termite nest.

The birds are occasionally preyed upon by crowned hawk-eagles, and they respond to the presence of an eagle (sometimes indicated by its characteristic shriek) by mobbing – approaching it and emitting calls. Since the eagles depend on surprise to make a catch, this frequently causes them to leave the area. Recent research (Rainey et al., 2004) has shown that the birds respond in the same way to the alarm calls that Diana monkeys, which live in the same areas, emit if they notice an eagle, and that they can distinguish the calls made by the monkeys in the presence of eagles from those they make in the presence of leopards, which prey on the monkeys but not on the hornbills.

2-1-2024 CALYPSO BAR, GAMBIA - PIED KINGFISHER (Ceryle rudis)

 

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies. Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their head and flick up their tail.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - HAMERKOP (Scopus umbretta)

 

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) is a medium-sized wading bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements.

The hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians, but shrimps, insects and rodents are taken too. Prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch, but the species is adaptable and will take any prey it can. The species is renowned for its enormous nests, several of which are built during the breeding season. Unusually for a wading bird the nest has an internal nesting chamber where the eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs, and raise the chicks.

The species is not globally threatened and is locally abundant in Africa and Madagascar, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being of least concern.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - GREEN WOOD HOOPOE (Phoeniculus purpureus)

The green wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) is a large, up to 44 cm (17 in) long tropical bird native to Africa. It is a member of the family Phoeniculidae, the wood hoopoes, and was formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe.

This abundant species is a metallic dark green, with a purple back and very long diamond-shaped purple tail. Distinctive white markings on the wings and white chevrons on the tail edges make it easily identifiable, as does its long, thin, curved red bill. Sexes are similar, but immatures have a black bill.

It advertises its presence with its loud kuk-uk-uk-uk-uk call and other vocalisations.

The green wood hoopoe is an insect-eating species. It feeds mainly on the ground, at termite mounds, or on tree trunks, and forms flocks outside the breeding season. Its specialised claws enable it to cling easily to the underside of branches while closely inspecting the bark for insects.

The green wood hoopoe is a cooperative breeder and common resident in the forests, woodlands and suburban gardens of most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in groups of up to a dozen or so birds with only one breeding pair. The breeding female lays two to four blue eggs in a natural tree hole or old barbet nest and incubates them for about 18 days. On hatching, she and the nestlings are fed by the rest of the group, even after they have fledged and left the nest hole. The group is fearless in defence of the nestlings against intruders. This species is parasitised by the greater and lesser honeyguide.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - YELLOW BILLED KITE (Milvus migrans ssp. parasitus)

The yellow-billed kite is the Afrotropic counterpart of the black kite, of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed kite differs significantly from black kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate, allopatric species. 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - SHIKRA (Accipiter badius)

The shikra (Accipiter badius) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the shikra. The shikra is very similar in appearance to other sparrowhawk species including the Chinese goshawk (Accipiter soloensis) and Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus). They have a sharp two note call and have the typical flap and glide flight. Their calls are imitated by drongos and the common hawk-cuckoo resembles it in plumage. 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - BROAD SCARLET DRAGONFLY (Crocothemis erythraea)

The scarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter.

The scarlet dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa. It also occurs across western Asia as far as southern China. It is a very rare vagrant in Britain. Its first record in the country was at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered locations throughout Britain.

A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.

Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 33–44 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in). These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - HOODED VULTURE (JUVENILE) (Necrosyrtes monachus)

The hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Necrosyrtes, which is sister to the larger Gyps genus, both of which are a part of the Aegypiinae subfamily of Old World vultures. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it has a widespread distribution with populations in southern, East and West Africa. It is a scruffy-looking, small vulture with dark brown plumage, a long thin bill, bare crown, face and fore-neck, and a downy nape and hind-neck. Its face is usually a light red colour. It typically scavenges on carcasses of wildlife and domestic animals. Although it remains a common species with a stable population in the lower region of Casamance, some areas of The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau, other regions such as Dakar, Senegal, show more than 85% losses in population over the last 50 years. Threats include poisoning, hunting, loss of habitat and collisions with electricity infrastructure, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "critically endangered" in their latest assessment (2022). The highest current regional density of hooded vultures is in the western region of The Gambia. 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - GREY KESTREL (Falco ardosiaceus)

The grey kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) is an African bird of prey belonging to the falcon family Falconidae. Its closest relatives are the banded kestrel and Dickinson's kestrel and the three are sometimes placed in the subgenus Dissodectes.

It is a fairly small, stocky kestrel with a large, flat-topped head and fairly short wings that don't reach past the tip of the tail when at rest. It is 28–33 cm long with a wingspan of 58–72 cm and a weight of up to 300 grams. The female is 4-11% larger and 5-11% heavier than the male. The plumage of the adult is uniformly dark grey apart from darker wingtips, faint dark streaking on the body and slightly barred flight feathers. The feet and cere are yellow and there is bare yellow skin around the eye. The most similar species is the sooty falcon which has a more rounded head, long wings extending past the tail and less yellow around the eye. 

Juvenile grey kestrels are browner than the adults with a greenish cere and greenish around the eye. Juvenile Dickinson's kestrels are similar but have a barred tail and a more strongly barred underwing.

The grey kestrel is generally silent outside the breeding season but has a shrill, chattering call and a rattling whistle.

It inhabits savannas, open woodland and forest clearings. It favours areas with palm trees, especially near water. It often perches on exposed branches, telegraph poles and wires.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - STRIATED HERON (Butorides striata)

The striated heron (Butorides striata) also known as mangrove heron, little green heron or green-backed heron, is a small heron, about 44 cm tall. Striated herons are mostly sedentary and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from west Africa to Japan and Australia, and in South America and the Caribbean. Vagrants have been recorded on Oceanic islands, such as Chuuk and Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marianas and Palau; the bird recorded on Yap on February 25, 1991, was from a continental Asian rather than from a Melanesian population, while the origin of the bird seen on Palau on May 3, 2005 was not clear. 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - PIED KINGFISHER

Pied kingfishers are widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Males have a double black band across their breast. Females have a black chest that is often broken with a white stripe in the middle. They are sociable birds that are usually found in pairs or small family groups and form large roosts at night.

Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups.

Pied Kingfisher thrives near water bodies, such as rivers, estuaries, lakes, rocky and sandy coasts, lagoons, streams, irrigation ditches, canals, inlets, bays, floodlands, and fresh or brackish water tanks. They perch in nearby trees, posts, poles, and fences. The species has a vast range, occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Asia.

Pied Kingfishers primarily feed on fish, but may occasionally consume aquatic insects, amphibians, frogs, molluscs, and crustaceans. They hunt by hovering around 50 to 65 feet above the water, before plunge diving to catch their prey. With their unique ability, they are considered as the largest hovering bird in the world that can fly without using air currents.

They are skilled not only due to their exceptional hovering ability, but their remarkable vision also plays a vital role in their incredible hunting strategy. These birds can spot the exact position of their victim from above plus their eyesight is not affected by water refraction, allowing them to make sudden movements based on the reaction of their prey.

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - LONG TAILED CORMORANT (Microcarbo africanus)

The reed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus ), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.

The Reed Cormorant or Long-tailed Cormorant is a small, short-billed, long-tailed cormorant found in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a larger subspecies in Madagascar. It frequents a wide variety of freshwater habitats except the fast-flowing streams.

This is a small cormorant at 50–55 cm length and an 85 cm wingspan. It is mainly black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a longish tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.

Sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner, with a white belly. Some southern races retain the crest all year round.

This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to be threatened. It breeds on freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts. 

2-1-2024 LAMIN RICE FIELDS, GAMBIA - GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)

The Great White Egret is a large, white heron. Great White Egrets can look similar to Little Egrets, but they are much larger - the same size as the familiar Grey Heron. Other identification features to look out for include black feet (not yellow), yellow beak (in juvenile and non-breeding plumage) and a different fishing technique, more like that of the Grey Heron.