Ghana, Day 4, 27 November 2023 - Kakum area, Bokoro Lily Pond & Ankobra River

Our last morning in the Kakum area was back at the scene of the previous evenings soaking.

On the way a flock of Preuss's Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows was by the bridge in Bremang before we set off for a long walk along yesterdays logging track. During our exploration we found a few of our most sought after birds - Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Rufous-crowned Erememola, Ansorge's Greenbul, African Emerald Cuckoo, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Tiny Sunbird and a showy Red-chested Goshawk being the pick of the bunch. A brief African Pygmy Kingfisher flashed across the track while Spotted Greenbul, Velvet-manted Drongo, Ussher's Flycatcher, Buff-throated Sunbird, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Green Sunbird, Chestnut-winged Starling and Blue Cuckooshrike provided a splendid back-up cast. 

 

After lunch and a freshed up back at the Rainforest Lodge (plus Mottled Spinetail and Diderik Cuckoo) we hit the road again as we made our way towards the next main phase of the trip - at Ankasa. The first of 2 stops along the way was at the charmingly named Bokoro Lily Pond. He we struck lucky with 2 Allen's Gallinules which nobody had imagined we would see on the trip. Also ticked there was Orange Weaver nest building on an island plus 7 Cotton Pygmy Geese, 8 White-faced Whistling Ducks, Woodland Kingfisher, Little Bee-eater, Copper Sunbird, African Jacana, Northern Fiscal, Spur-winged Plover and Purple Heron of note.        

The other stop was at a roadside wetland/river Ankobra. Here the star birds were Mouse-brown Sunbird feeding hidden young in the nest, Reichenbach's Sunbird, a fly-over Black-bellied Seedcracker, Swamp Greenbul, Malacite Kingfisher and Black-headed Paradise Flycatcher. 

Arriving at the start of the entrance track to Ankasa we tranfserred into a beaten up Landrover which was to be our transport for our stay there. An extremely bumpy, muddy and uncomfortable rise later we were at the lovely lodge just as it got dark. After dark a quick spotlight walk gave us some lovely views of West African Potto near our rooms.