Drive to Toubacouta and River Ride - Hotel-Lodge Kerr Saloum - 22nd January

 A morning shortish drive to Toubacouta. Afternoon boat ride for White-crested Tiger Heron. 

The original plan was for a morning drive round, drive to Toubacouta with stops and then a boat ride next morning, but because Tiger Herons are easier to see on a falling tide the decision was taken to head for Toubacouta earlier, have lunch and th

We had another stop at a site that seemed full of birds. We had Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Yellow-billed Shrike, Pearl Spotted Owlet, Green Wood Hoopoe, Brown Babbler, Blue-bellied and Broad-biller Rollers and Black-billed Wood Dove. In the skies were Long-crested and Brown Snake Eagle, African Harrier-hawk and Palm-nut Vulture. At one point it was difficult to know which way to look. There was also a huge Hammerkop nest in one of the trees and in a clearing were some tree stumps cut like seats

We then drove to the Kerr Saloum where we checked in and then went for lunch where we were entertained by a small group of Green Monkeys. We had a short look around before walking to the jetty and climbing down into the boat for our river ride.

The guide was great and we were soon ticking off birds as he navigated round the channels and mangroves, he also took us up river and past some islands with various birds roosting. We had 3 White-crested Tiger Herons in total, which was unexpected, along with Great White Egret, Western Reef, Striated and Goliath Herons, Malachite, Pied and Blue-breasted Kingfishers, Royal, Gull-billed and Caspian Terns, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Oystercatcher, Green and Redshank and an Osprey. It was very enjoyable. 

We returned to the Hotel where Brenda and I managed to take a swim before dinner. There was a group of entertainers performing. We went for a walk round the grounds looking for Galagas and other mammals. We couldn’t find anything in the garden so wandered out into the surrounding area. In the branches of a tree we had eyeshine and then managed to identify another Genet which moved along the branches, down the trunk and then ran into some bushes and eventually disappeared. So we wandered back to the hotel and bed.