The whole Makasutu area is great for birding & I have no doubt that if our spouses allowed us dawn-to-dusk birding the trip list would be even better!!!
You saw a few species that I missed out on a few weeks before (4/12/09-11/12/09) but I suspect I caught up with a few you missed.
From the heights of the stilted lodge we saw European Bee-eaters & Broad-billed Rollers hawking over the mangroves and on the afternoon of the 6th December there was a massive movement of Common Swifts all heading south-east (but we missed the White-backed Night Herons & Green Crombec). Open bush between "Base Camp" and Brikama (a bit of a walk) consistently held Brown Snake Eagles whilst on one evening we had Four-banded Sandgrouse on the track between Base Camp & the lodges. We also had Cardinal Woodpeckers, African Green Pigeon (along with both Turacos) & African Pied Hornbill at the top end of the "Big Forest" where a family party of White-crested Helmet-Shrikes were also seen.
Our lodge guide Idie took us by canoe to an old community garden which was good for various birds including both Greater & Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starlings, various weavers & Pearl-spotted Owlet. The place was also crawling with Cisticolas -but most will have to go un-named!
In November 2005 Lawrence took us on an evening creek trip to a mangrove island to the east of the lodges where the Black Kites roost. I have never seen so many raptors in one place -there were hundreds (?thousands) of both Yellow-billed & European Black Kites in a massive roost with a liberal sprinkling of Ospreys & a few Palm-nut Vultures. All very impressive though I'm sure that the egret roost (as judged by the overflying numbers of mixed egrets) would easily put this to shame!!!
Once again congratulations on a great report!!
