Ghana Days 6-8

Sunday 26th

After breakfast we took a different Landrover into the forest but this one conked out so we had to send for yet another one. New birds for the trip included Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Parrot, Forest Robin, White-tailed Alethe, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher and Fraser’s Forest Flycatcher. 

Chocolate-backed Kingfisher

Pale-breasted Illadopsis

We returned to the lodge late morning and then packed up and reloaded the Landrover for the return trip along the approach road. We decanted back into our minibus and drove to a Brenu Grassland.

The change of habitat gave us a different selection of birds including a pair of duetting Tropical Boubou, Black-crowned Tchagra and a variety of weavers and sunbirds. We continued onto the Rainforest Lodge back in Jukwa.

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tropical Boubou

Monday 27th

After checking out of  the hotel we made our way to an area of scrub and grasslands along the Jukwa Krobo Road. Here we found Blue-headed Coucal, Marsh and Brown-crowned Tchagras, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Mottled Spinetail, more Rosy Bee-eaters and plenty of other birds before we had to leave for the long drive to our next site.

Guinea Turaco

Marsh Tchagra

Simple Greenbul (the name has nothing to do with its cognitive abilities!)

Common Fiscal, regularly seen whilst driving

We arrived mid-afternoon and checked into a new community-based lodge at Bonkro next to the Forest. This accommodation meant we didn’t have to walk far to the site. Next to a large boulder some benches had been built so we made ourselves comfortable and waited for the event. 

After 45 minutes, the first White-necked Picathartes was seen. It bounded along in front of us in a series of jumps and perched up in a nearby tree. Just as it vanished we got a message from one of the local villagers that had accompanied us along the walk that they had found a Pangolin! 

We were torn by wanting to go and see it and waiting for more Picathartes but after a minute we decided to go. It was only a minute away and we were soon watching one of these rare spiny mammals sleeping up a tree. We then realised we’d stepped onto a swarm of ants and had to rapidly leave the area and de-ant before we could resume our vigil on the benches.

Long-tailed Pangolin

A little while later another Picathartes came in and perched up and was soon followed by three more of these strange looking birds. They are a very unique family of birds that have no obvious looking close relatives. Over the next two hours we watched them bounce around the rocks and up into the trees, preening before eventually making their way to their nests to roost for the night. Fully sated, we made our way down the track as darkness fell.

White-necked Picathartes

After dinner we walked back to our cabins across the lawn and straight into another load of ants who took a particular liking to Lynne. A major de-anting session was required before it was safe to retire for the night.

Tuesday 28th

Today was mostly a driving day as we headed up north to Mole National Park. The journey took 12 hours as we moved out of the humid forests of the south and into the dry Sahel region. In the afternoon we did manage to see quite a few species at one short stop at Janikura Marshes. Raptors such as Booted Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard and Lanner began to appear and the default pigeon became Vinaceous Dove with its ‘tomahawk-tomahawk’ call.

Grasshopper Buzzard

Spur-winged Lapwing

Vinaceous Dove

We checked into the Mole Motel which is on the edge of an escarpment looking down over the park. Just outside our rooms we could see down to the waterhole below.

waterhole at Mole