Ghana Day 8: Ankasa - Jukwa

We took the riverside trail near camp this morning and the highlight was a fantastic Yellow-throated Cuckoo teed up in the scope – such a scarce bird and very poorly known. 

Record shot of Yellow-throated Cuckoo

A flock high up in the canopy held several Yellow-bearded Greenbuls and a Shining Drongo, whilst Rufous-winged Illadopsis and White-tailed Ant-Thrush were only heard. After this little rush of new birds there wasn’t anything else to report and after walking a few kilometres along the main track we returned to camp early and packed our belongings in readiness for our journey back to the Rainforest Lodge at Kakum. Over lunch, Richard found an antswarm which held several White-tailed Alethe, Rufous-winged Illadopsis and even a skulking Nkulengu Rail, a Shining-blue Kingfisher was seen by a few of us, whilst John saw a White-bellied Kingfisher along the stream, as the rest of us were drinking coffee back at camp! After lunch we left Ankasa and saw Both Reichenbach’s and Brown Sunbirds at the usual stake-out. The drive to Rainforest Lodge at Jukwa gave us our first Red-necked Buzzard of the tour.

Ghana Day 7: Ankasa

Our full day in Ankasa forest was a little disappointing as bird activity was very low and most of the birds weren’t tape responsive at all. However, a number of new birds were nailed and we began with a few Blue-headed Wood-Doves along the track as we drove around 7 kilometres deeper into the forest in a couple of jeeps. As we began walking a pair of Western Bearded Greenbuls showed reasonably well before we reached the first pond. Here a White-bellied Kingfisher was present but not seen by everyone and a Yellow-billed Turaco called overhead. Further on a pair of Hartlaub’s Ducks flew off as we reached the second pond and then from here an uphill walk took us to an open area where a Western Bronze-naped Pigeon was scoped. The third pond didn’t have anything to note so we walked back, and then spent quite a long time trying to get on a calling Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill. It was calling from the canopy of a huge tree but several of the group caught a sight of it before it flew away.

We were having lunch brought to us at the old camp and along the way a Black-throated Coucal flew across the track in front of us, and a Blue-throated Roller was scoped on some pylons. We rested for several hours over lunch and then walked back to the ponds but the afternoon was even quieter, although a few people caught up with a White-tailed Alethe that a few of us had seen earlier. 

Here's a couple pics of our camp at Ankasa. Hopefully from next year the new lodge Ashanti are building at the entrance to the forest will be ready - so no need to camp anymore.

Back near our camp at the river a Shining-blue Kingfisher appeared again and a Giant Kingfisher was seen by Ron. After dinner an African Wood Owl was spotlighted at the edge of camp and was a great way to end the day.

African Wood Owl

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.

Ghana Day 5

Just under an hour away from our guesthouse is Nsuta Forest, a seldom-visited piece of reasonably extensive forest. It’s being logged these days and probably not as good as it used to be, yet we found a number of new birds here this morning. Arriving around 6.30am we started walked along a side track that took us far into the forest and we got the ball rolling with a cracking Finsch’s Flycatcher Thrush that came in several times allowing everyone to get on it. Then a few Cassin’s Spinetails flew low over the treetops and we had a pretty decent look at them before they disappeared behind the tall trees. We followed this with scope views of the often-tricky Yellow-billed Barbet, Square-tailed Saw-wing and a great Western Nicator. A Dusky-blue Flycatcher then posed nicely before we headed along a narrow trail where a few of the group got on a Kemp’s Longbill. Whilst tinkering with this bird a Tessmann’s Flycatcher flew in right in front of us. 

Group at Nsuta Forest

Back on the main track we stopped to scan from an open area at the top of a hill and enjoyed nice looks at several Sabine’s Spinetails, a couple Red-fronted Parrots flew right past us, a Blue-throated Roller flew overhead, a Blue-headed Wood-Dove flew by and a pair of Gabonensis Black Cuckoos were called in. Walking downhill we came across a flock of superb Red-billed Hemet-Shrikes and they lingered near us for some time giving great views through the scope. 

Red-billed Helmet-Shrikes - fonescoped.

Red-billed Helmet-Shrike

We then decided to walk back towards the coach as the temperature began to soar and we were seeing more butterflies than birds. A good decision as it turned out, as a pair of scarce Black Dwarf Hornbills were seen. Then a Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher showed briefly and a cracking African Emerald Cuckoo flew in and landed overhead. 

African Emerald Cuckoo - fonescoped

One of the best birds of the morning was the diminutive African Piculet that posed repeatedly over the track. We ended our morning session with Yellow-whiskered Greenbul and Crested Malimbe before returning to the sanctuary of our air-conditioned coach….!

Here's a short video using my iPhone & Swarovski scope of the African Piculet:

We returned to the forest in the late afternoon where a tree full of Great Blue Turacos was the highlight. We also saw Copper-tailed Starling and a few commoner species before waiting for the sun to set. Once it was sufficiently dark we called in a fantastic Fraser’s Eagle-Owl to round off yet another great day.

Fraser's Eagle-Owl