Bird Twitching

We were up early ate a breakfast of pancakes then set out for a walk to Kotu Stream to see some birdlife. Abigail took her bird book so she could record and identify the birds which we hoped to see. The walk took us along the bottom of the golf course were we saw our first bird a Rose-ringed Parakeet and out onto the main road. Walking past the Garden Nursery Centres selling plants and ceramic pots we took a right across the paddy rice and groudnut fields. The local women were hard at work in the fields weeding also some men were busy chopping back the undergrowth. On route we passed some homes of locals which were just corrugated huts in the middle of a field.

Garden Nursery Centre

Paddy Rice Field's

Hard at Work

We were surprised at the many different types of dragonfly’s red, orange, blue and black in colour which we saw hovering over the mangrove swamps as well as crabs and frogs darting into the pools. Flying overhead we saw Vultures and a large Grey Heron, in total we spotted four different types of Heron as well as Egrets. On exiting the paddy fields and arriving at Kotu bridge there was a Pied Kingfisher sat a few feet away on a post and a Western Reef Heron just stood on a pipe over the stream, mud skippers quickly jumped into the river as we approached. We ate a snack of oranges and drank some water then went on further. We thought it was too good to be true not getting hassled all morning when up popped a couple of Gambians offering us there service for a couple of hours as guides to see the birdlife, eventually Paul had to be quite rude so they would leave us alone. Abigail's bird book proved to be very useful and she was quick to find out which bird we had seen.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Western Reef Heron

Little Egret

Continuing on our way we arrived at the Palma Rima Hotel and were able to gain access to the Hotel after chatting to the maintenance manager, he took us via the reception and poolside area before we made our exit out onto the beach. We walked back along the beach which was very busy as the tourist season has now started, passing some large artwork made out of sand a mermaid, plane and pyramid. Paul was getting more annoyed with the occasional Gambian hustler asking us to buy fruit, juice or jewellery and even a guy who showed us the best route across the stream asked us for a small payment, what cheek. Finally arriving at the Fajara Craft Market we called to see Adam telling him we would be back down after lunch.

We ate lunch then we set off back down to the beach leaving Paul a sleep on the settee. The walk to the beach at the moment is lovely with the flowers overhanging the path no doubt it won’t last long with us now in the dry season. Georgia and her friend who is visiting from England were there and about to leave so we managed to get their sun beds as all the others were taken. We cooled off in the sea, Paul turned up a couple of hours later and took the children in the sea carrying Bradley on his shoulders. Adam then played football with Bradley and built sandcastle’s which Bradley enjoyed jumping on once he had finished. At 5.00pm Paul went to play touch rugby whilst Abigail and Bradley ate a sandwich before we joined him up at Leybato. When Paul had finished I told him that Adam has asked us to join him and his family at his compound for the festival of Tabasky on the 28th November.