This trip was realized with a Belgian agency : nature et Terroir with one of the founders as guid: Alain Bouchat. We visited all the West part of the Country except the Casamance. The both sites the most remarkable were the Djoudj in the North well known by naturalists, and the delta of the Sine Saloum in the South with the forest of Fatala. I particulary loved the lodge of Bandiala near Missira in the heart of the Sine Saloum for the beauty and the interest of the site as well as for the reception of the owners. Do not hesitate to contact them and to go to this place: nadir.doumandji@fao.org
The cruise to the island of "la Madeleine" was also very nice, and not only for Red-billed Tropicbird: I had the chance to observe at less than 50 meters a Brown Booby. For a first day it was fine. This species was indeed rather rare in Senegal coasts and I particularly love the sea birds.
Finaly I saw more than 220 species and more than 150 in the Sine Saloum where we stayed more than 4 days. However I have not the impression to have saw all the species in this place ! The fifth day, before going back to Dakar, a small walk of barely two hours in the morning allowed me to see four new species near the lodge...
In conclusion, the first day was marked by the Brown Booby and the front last day was marked by a meeting with a group of Atlantic Humpback Dolphin. It was a rare species and the probability of see it was very thin.
I forgot the Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, but I advise you to go and see the pictures...
| 27/01 | Dakkar Calao Hotel , Madeleine Island, Gorée Island, Rose Lake |
| 28/01 | Rose Lake, Road to the "langue de Barbarie" |
| 29/01 | "Langue de Barbarie" |
| 30/01 | "Langue de Barbarie", Saint Louis, Djoudj |
| 31/01 & 01/02 | Djoudj |
| 02/02 | Road to the Sine Saloum |
| 03/02 au 07/02 | Sine Saloum, Fatala Forest |
An essential book : A field Guide to Birds of the Gambia and Senegal of Clive Barlow, Tim Wacher & Tony Disley Publisher: PICA Press.