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FORESTS OF GHANA

Picathartes Special 1

Sunday 10th April - Tuesday 19th April 2011
(10 days)

Leaders: Nik Borrow and a local naturalist-guide

Group Size Limit: 8

Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate

The stunning Yellow-headed Picathartes (or White-necked Rockfowl) will be our prime target species (Nik Borrow) (This painting is featured on the front of Nik's Field Guide "Birds of Western Africa")

(Note: This is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)

Situated in the heart of West Africa, Ghana was the first sub-Saharan colonial country to gain its independence in 1957 and is now recognized as a friendly, safe and stable African destination. Once known as the Gold Coast, its growing tourist industry has much to offer in the way of a colourful and vibrant culture and a turbulent history, including a coast lined with beautiful beaches and numerous slave forts still standing to remind visitors of a grim episode in the country’s past. A European power struggle over the Gold Coast raged between the 15th and 19th centuries. The Portuguese built a castle at Elmina on the coast in 1482 and their presence was swiftly followed by the Dutch, Swedes, Danes, Prussians and British: all motivated by the lure of gold, ivory and of course slaves.

This interesting English-speaking country is now also firmly on the map for the eco-tourist with a surprising number of large mammals and over 750 species of birds. With the recent rediscovery of the Yellow-headed Picathartes (or White-necked Rockfowl) in Ghana, birders now have the chance to see this unique bird with rather more ease and comfort than in other destinations. During this special tour, which is designed to see as many of the Upper Guinea Forest specialties as possible, we shall make a concerted effort to see the picathartes at one of its nesting colonies. Under dry overhangs, these bizarre birds attach their swallow-like, mud-cup nests to the bare faces of the granitic boulders and inselbergs that are such a feature of the landscape.

We begin our West African adventure in the capital city of Accra, but soon leave for the nearby Shai Hills, where we may well find Blue-bellied Roller and White-crowned Cliff Chat, and perhaps Chestnut Owlet.

Afterwards we shall make a stop at the Winneba Plains on the way to our base for exploring the world-famous Kakum National Park with its canopy walkway where rare butterflies can prove a colourful distraction from the wealth of birds (including many sought-after Upper Guinea Forest endemics). The prime attraction here is the little-known Brown Nightjar, while other great birds include Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Fraser’s Eagle Owl, Brown-cheeked and Black-casqued Hornbills, Little Green, Melancholy (split from Gabon) and Fire-bellied Woodpeckers, Grey-headed Bristlebill, White-tailed Alethe, Finsch’s Flycatcher-Thrush, Sharpe’s Apalis, Kemp’s Longbill and the gorgeous Buff-throated Sunbird.

We shall then head towards the border with Ivory Coast where the superb forest reserve at Ankasa should give us our best chance of finding scarce regional endemics such as Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Green-tailed Bristlebill and Rufous-winged Illadopsis. African Finfoot can be remarkably easy to see here and there is a good chance of Hartlaub’s Duck.

Returning to the forests on the northern edge of Kakum National Park, we shall get our chance to visit a colony of Yellow-headed Picathartes, an experience that should prove to be an amazing highlight of the tour.

A visit to Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary for Afep Pigeon is conveniently en route to our ultimate port of call, the Atewa Range, an upland area that supports remnants of upland evergreen rainforest, one of the most unusual and interesting habitats in Ghana. Here we will have a chance to look for Blue-headed Bee-eater and we have even seen the little-known Baumann’s Greenbul and Nimba Flycatcher here.

Birdquest has operated tours to Ghana since 2008.

Accommodation and Road Transport: The hotels are of normal Birdquest standard throughout. Road transport is mostly by small coach (but by 4x4 vehicles at Atewa), and roads are mostly good or reasonable.

Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy, but there are a few moderate grade walks.

Climate: It will be hot and often very humid. There is likely to be a mixture of sunny and overcast conditions, and rain (sometimes heavy) is possible at any time.

Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.

Pricing

Pricing is available in £ | $

Tour Price: $2960 Accra/Accra. Price includes all transportation, all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.

Single Room Supplement: $311.

Deposit: $440. If booking more than 12 months before departure, the initial deposit is only $220.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.

Pricing is available in £ | $

The splendid Blue-breasted Kingfisher will be another forest speciality to delight us! (Pete Morris)