Ghana Day 6: Nsuta to Ankasa

We returned to Nsuta Forest and walked along the main road but it was very quiet so decided to head along the trail we took yesterday. We did get a pair of active Fraser’s Forest Flycatchers along the road but nothing else. Once we were along the trail a White-crested Hornbill was perched on a dead stump and showed very well in the scope. 

White-crested Hornbill in the mist - fonescoped

Then a Yellow-billed Turaco was seen, followed by Dusky-blue Flycatcher, and a little later a Grey-throated Flycatcher showed in a dark area of canopy. Further on we saw Grey Longbill and Spotted Greenbul, before bird of the day, a fantastic Red-thighed Sparrowhawk flew by and landed in a large tree allowing us just long enough to get a scope on it. Wow! 

We couldn’t really top that but a large tree help a pair of Chestnut-capped Flycatchers and a singing Black-capped Apalis, with a pair of Sabine’s Puffbacks closer and a Tiny Sunbird feeding right in front of us. After this little flurry of activity we began walking back to the coach, stopping to scope a pair of obliging African Piculets over the track and Anthony and I saw a Black Dwarf Hornbill along the way as well.

We left after lunch and headed towards our next base at Ankasa, but along the way we stopped at a small roadside marsh to view a colony of Orange Weavers. There was also a fine Black-bellied Seedcracker on view constantly as it collected nesting material right in front of us. 

Here's a short video of the seedcracker.....

And it was about now that the heavens opened and we had some really heavy rain that ruined our chances of finding Reichenbach’s Sunbird so we proceeded to Ankasa, arriving around 4pm. Our arrival was greeted by a pair of scarce Cassin’s Flycatchers along the river and for those of us that waited later a cracking Shining-blue Kingfisher perched below the bridge.