Ghana Days 3-5

Thursday 23rd

After breakfast we birded a different area of Kakum National Park at Antwikwaa. This was one of the best mornings we had in the Guinea forest as we saw lots of really good birds here including Red-cheeked and West African Wattle-eyes, White-crested and Piping Hornbills, Lowland Sooty Boubou and Western Bluebill.

Red-cheeked Wattle-eye

West African Wattle-eye

White-crested Hornbill

We drove to another site thirty minutes away where there we taped in a White-spotted Flufftail and then saw a group of 27 Rosy Bee-eaters perched up in a tree. This was one bird I really wanted to see well as last time I only saw one fly over. 

Rosy Bee-eater

There was also Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Red-rumped Tinkerbird and Melancholy Woodpecker amongst many other birds.

Red-rumped Tinkerbird

We carried on driving and made a stop by the River Pra where there were two groups of Rock Pratincoles perched on rocks in the middle of the large fast flowing river. Also here was White-bibbed Swallow, another bird I didn’t see on my last visit.

Rock Pratincole

It was then time to go back to the hotel for a late lunch and a rest. In the afternoon we visited Abrafo Forest and walked up a wide track where we saw Yellow-spotted and Hairy Barbets, Black Cuckoo, Black-throated Coucal and Red-throated Malimbe.

Black-throated Coucal

On the way back to the hotel at dusk we stopped by the road and called in Fraser’s Eagle-Owl.

Fraser's Eagle-Owl

Friday 24th

We checked out of the hotel after breakfast and returned to Abrafo Forest where we walked along the same track. Pairs of Black-casqued and Brown-cheeked Hornbills flew over and Black Dwarf and Northern Red-billed Hornbills were seen perched. Also seen here were several Tambourine Doves belting over the path (they rarely stop out in the open), Little Green Woodpecker, Blue-throated Roller and good views of Black Bee-eater.

Blue-throated Roller

Black Bee-eater

Black-winged Oriole

We left at 9.00 as we had a long drive ahead. After three hours we stopped at a lake for a birding break and saw Little Bee-eater, Malachite Kingfisher and White-faced Whistling Ducks. After a lunch stop we carried on driving but had a few more stops along the way. Along the Ebi River we saw Mangrove Sunbird and later on stopped for African Pygmy Goose. We visited a colony of Orange Weavers around the back of a little village.

African Pygmy-Goose

Little Bee-eater

Orange Weaver

At the junction to our hotel we had to transfer vehicles as the road was too bad for our bus. We loaded everything into one Landrover and then drove up to Ankasa Lodge which was a new and fairly plush place with cabins overlooking the forest edge. This was the furthest west we would visit. There was time for some birding around the grounds where there was Red-bellied Paradise-Flycatcher and various sunbirds.

Cabins at Ankasa Lodge

Dining area at Ankasa Lodge

Reichenbach's Sunbird

At dusk we walked up the main forest track to look for Nkulengu Rail. They are almost never seen during the day and the best chance to locate them is at dusk when they call and fly up into a tree to roost. James stopped us a minute's walk up the main track and asked if we were ready before turning on a torch and pointing to four of these elusive rails roosting on an overhanging branch. He had located them there the previous week and luckily for us they kept coming back to the same roosting spot. 

Nkulengu Rail

We then walked further into the forest and found a responsive African Wood Owl.

Saturday 25th

We took a Landrover deep into the forest where we parked up by a clearing and then walked a short distance to a small lake, Here we saw both Shining Blue and White-bellied Kingfishers. Even better was a skulking Dwarf Bittern in the vegetation at the back of the lake. Birding in the forest produced a Red-chested Owlet and a host of flycatchers and greenbuls before we headed back to the lodge for lunch.

Land Rover on the muddy track

The Kingfisher Pool

Shining-blue Kingfisher

White-breasted Kingfisher

Red-chested Owlet

Our scheduled departure at 3pm was delayed due to rain but it stopped later on so we managed a short walk into the forest. James spotted some movement along a little stream deep in the forest and through the scope we got good views of another rarely seen rallid – Grey-throated Rail. Some of us also saw Rufous-sided Broadbill.