GHANA 5–20 August 2010 Leaders: Robert Nkator and Vaughan Ashby

This Upper Guinea rainforest and savannah special tour takes us to the rarely-visited and unspoilt Ankasa rainforest, near the border with Ivory Coast, a beautiful forest protecting some wonderful species and the only site in Ghana for White-breasted Guineafowl. We will also visit the world-famous Kakum National Park with its canopy walkway (which we arrange to be opened early for a number of mornings during our tour). One of the many highlights of our tour is undoubtedly the visit to a Yellow-headed Picathartes nesting site. Finally, we will also visit the fabulous Mole National Park with its tame elephants.

Day 1 Flight from London to Accra where our local guide will meet us. We then transfer to our comfortable hotel for an overnight stay

Day 2 Our first full day in Ghana starts early as we visit the nearby Shai Hills reserve, an expanse of savannah, grassland and woodland. The birding here is excellent and we hope to find African Grey Hornbill, Mocking Cliff-chat, Senegal Parrot, Croaking Cisticola, White-crowned Robin-chat and many more species. After a late breakfast, we visit the nearby Sukumona Lagoon where we will look for Black and Striated Herons, Long-tailed Cormorant, Garganey, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, African Spoonbill and Senegal Thick-knee to mention just a few. Later we head west towards the Cape Coast where we find the amazing Kakum National Park. En route, we will be stopping at a grassland reserve and lagoon. Here we will search for Siffling and Short-winged Cisticolas, Copper Sunbird, Flappet Lark, Red-winged Prinia, Yellow-shouldered Widowbird, Black-necked Weaver, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Moustached Grass-warbler, displaying Black-winged Bishops, Black-crowned Tchagra, Plain-backed Pipit and Black-bellied Bustard. Around the lagoon, we will look for Squacco and Purple Herons, Purple Swamphen, Spur-winged Lapwing, African Pygmy-goose, Western Reef-egret, Yellow Bishop and many more species before our arrival at Hans Cottage, our base for the next three nights. Our hotel is a very comfortable establishment built over a lake, which contains Nile Crocodiles and is teeming with birdlife including African Pygmy, Pied, Giant, Woodland and Malachite Kingfishers and Vieillot’s, Village and Orange Weavers.

Days 3–4 A prompt start as we head for an early opening of the world famous canopy walkway at Kakum National Park. Over the next two early mornings, we will be spending the most critical bird-viewing hours 40 meters above the forest floor on the canopy walkway with platforms are large enough to support telescopes. The Kakum National Park protects critically-endangered primary guinea tropical rainforest and the species we hope to see from the canopy includes Green Hylia, Violet-backed Hyliota, Yellow-bellied Crombec, Little Grey Flycatcher, Grey-headed, White-breasted and Chestnut-breasted Negrofinches, Grey Longbill, White-headed and Forest Woodhoopoes, West African Batis, Western Bluebill, Blue Cuckooshrike, Chestnut-bellied Helmetshrike, Large-billed Puffback, Sharpe’s Apalis, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Brown-cheeked, Black-and-white-casqued, Black-casqued and Piping Hornbills, Preuss’s and Golden-backed Weavers, Red-headed and Red-vented Malimbes, Rosy Bee-eater, Yellow-spotted and Hairy-breasted Barbet, Red-fronted, Brown-necked and Grey Parrots and Velvet-mantled Drongo. The raptors we aim to see include Red-necked Buzzard, Palm-nut Vulture and Congo Serpent-eagle to mention just a few. During the heat of mid afternoon, we have the option of birding around the forest of our hotel, resting around the hotel pool and bar or you could choose to go on a cultural excursion to Cape Coast visiting Cape Coast and Elmina castles. We visit the Antikwaa section of Kakum National Park for late afternoon birding hoping to see Little and Black Bee-eater’s, Blue-throated Roller, White-crested Hornbill, Red-rumped and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds, Kemp’s Longbill, Ussher’s Flycatcher, African Forest-flycatcher and, if we are lucky, White-spotted Flufftail.

Day 5 Another early start this morning and we will be concentrating our attention on the many trails within and surrounding the park, which are very productive. We can aim to find Fire-crested Alethe, Common and Grey-headed Bristlebills, Collared and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, Blue-headed Wood-dove, Black Dwarf and Red-billed Dwarf Hornbills, Black-headed Paradise-flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Forest Robin, Red-chested Goshawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Guinea Turaco, Fire-bellied and Gabon Woodpeckers, Black-throated Coucal, Western Black-headed Oriole, African Finfoot and if we are lucky we may spot Congo Serpent-eagle, African Pitta, Forest Francolin, Forest Scrub-robin and Spotted Honeyguide. After a late breakfast, we set off for Ankasa in the western region of Ghana for what should be a major highlight of the tour. Ankasa is a rarely visited pristine tropical upper guinea rainforest protecting some wonderful species. We arrive in the late afternoon and check into our accommodation before heading to Ankasa for early evening birdwatching; we hope to see Akun and Fraser’s Eagle-owls and African Wood Owl before returning to our accommodation in preparation for the next mornings birding.

Days 6–7 We dedicate day six and the morning of day seven to birdwatching in Ankasa. Species we hope to find are Olive Ibis, Hartlaub’s Duck, African Finfoot, African Crowned-eagle, Great-blue and Yellow-billed Turacos, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Black-capped, Puvel’s and Brown Illadopsis, Common and Green-tailed Bristlebills, Yellow-bearded and Red-tailed Greenbuls and if we are lucky during early evening birding, we may spot Shelley’s Eagle-owl and Nkulengu Rail. After a final mornings birding we set off for Brenu Beach where our main target will be Preuss’s Swallows.

Day 8 Today we head towards Aboabo on the north-east boarder of the park. We arrive before first light and hope to find Plain and Long-tailed Nightjars on the road leading up to the camp. We will spend all morning birding the area. After lunch we set off for a remote village in the Ashanti region of Ghana for what should be the highlight of our birdwatching tour. On our arrival we trek into the forest our destination is a nesting site for Yellow-headed Picathartes. There are around 30 nests at this location and catching a glimpse of this remarkable bird gives an amazing feeling. We then transfer to Kumasi, check into our hotel and reflect on a wonderful day’s birdwatching.

Day 9 We leave Kumasi after breakfast heading towards Mole National Park. We can expect to see different bird species as we gradually enter the Sahelian savannah plains of northern Ghana. On our arrival at Mole National Park we check into the Mole Hotel, the only accommodation in the area. Situated on a 250m high escarpment over looking this park, it offers breathtaking views. It is an amazing feeling to be sitting around the pool on the hotel terrace watching African Savannah Elephants bathing in the two nearby watering holes. In the evening we set off for evening birding around the Mole Airstrip where we hope to see displaying Standard-winged and Freckled Nightjars. The airstrip is also productive for owls

Days 10–11 We awake early and bird from the hotel terrace and watch the dawn activity. We hope to see Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Lavender and Orange-cheeked Waxbills, Red-throated Bee-eater, Grey Woodpecker, Red-billed and Bar-breasted Firefinches, Senegal Batis, Stone Partridge, Beautiful and Pygmy Sunbirds, Abyssinian Ground-hornbill. The watering hole attracts Senegal Thick-knee, Greater Painted-snipe, Saddle-billed and Woolly-necked Storks and Hadada Ibis. Raptors are common in Mole and we hope to see White-headed, Hooded, and White-backed Vultures, African and Ayres’s Hawk-eagles, Bateleur, Short-toed and Brown Snake-eagle, Lizard Buzzard, African Hobby, Lanner Falcon and several species of harrier. We will take guided walks into the woodland that surrounds the waterhole in the cooler early morning and late afternoons. We will expect to encounter Bruce’s Green-pigeon, Purple and Long-tailed Glossy-starlings, White-shouldered Black-tit, Senegal Eremomela, Oriole Warbler, Violet Turaco, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Blackcap and Brown Babblers, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Spotted Creeper, Northern Puffback, Rufus Cisticola, Swamp and Lead-coloured Flycatchers and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird. During the heat of the afternoon we have the option of a cultural excursion to nearby Larabanga and the 14th century mud and stick mosque, or birding around the hotel grounds. Alternatively we could relax on the terrace around the pool. In the afternoon and early evenings we will search for the amazing Pel’s Fishing-owl.

Day 12 After a final morning birding on the terrace of the hotel and after a hearty breakfast, we depart for Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. As we venture northwards the landscape becomes more savannah woodland. We pass through many villages and stop at Tamale for lunch and refreshments. Tamale is Ghana’s third largest city and is the capital of the Northern Region. We arrive in Bolgatanga in the late afternoon and check into our guesthouse for the evening. We will set off for late afternoon birding at the Tongo Hills where our main target species will be Fox Kestrel and Rock-loving Cisticola before returning to our accommodation in the evening.

Day 13 An early start as we watch the dawn activity around the Tono Dam. We hope to find a variety of egrets, waders and herons. In the late afternoon we shall bird the surrounding woodlands looking for Dark Chanting-goshawk, Stanley and White-bellied Bustards, Forbes’s Plover, Red-winged Pytilia, Swallow-tailed and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters and many more species before our dinner followed by a final evening’s birding around the dam, which is particularly productive for owls.

Day 14 After breakfast we set off on the journey to Kumasi. En route we will stop for lunch and birding breaks. If time permits on our arrival in Kumasi we will visit the Owabi reservoir for early evening birding before transferring to our hotel.

Day 15 We wake early to visit Bobiri Forest Reserve, which is actually a butterfly sanctuary. On arrival, we will search this lush forest for Swamp Palm-greenbul, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Cuckoo, Green-headed Sunbird and Western Nicator. Some of the many raptors present include, Cassins Hawk-eagle, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk and African Cuckoo-hawk to mention just a few. After a late breakfast, we set off for Atewa arriving early afternoon in time for lunch. The afternoon will be spent birding before transferring to our hotel for our evening meal and to relax.

Day 16 Sadly this is our final day in Ghana. We have an early start this morning as we return to the Atewa Range: this is the only site in Ghana where we can see the Blue-headed Bee-eater. Other specialities include the endangered Rufous-winged Illadopsis, Narina Trogon, Great Blue Turaco, Dusky Crested- flycatcher and Olivaceous Flycatcher. We will set off for Accra after lunch arriving in time for dinner. After washing and changing in our day rooms, we will transfer to the airport for our return flight home.

General Information The temperature will generally be warm to hot and rain may be experienced despite it being the dry season. Humidity can be high in the south and central regions. The pace is easy, but the heat can be uncomfortable at times. Some days we will split the birding into two sessions, with a break at the hotel in the middle of the day, so we can relax. There are a number of health requirements and you must consult your GP in this respect. Insects are not a major problem. Accommodation is in twin-bedded rooms in medium-standard hotels with private facilities and air-conditioning, except at Mole Motel where we will have fans.

Group size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 6; maximum group size: 12 with 2 leaders.

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