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News The following largely unconfirmed records have been taken from recent editions of the African Bird Club Bulletin for information only. A Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes was photographed at Djoudj National Park on 3 March 2007 and an adult Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan at Saint Louis on 28 February. Impressive numbers of seabirds were counted from N’Gor on 5-28 October, including 112 Bulwer’s Petrels Bulweria bulwerii, 4,433 Cape Verde Shearwaters Calonectris (diomedea) edwardsii, many Cape Verde / Cory’s Shearwaters C. d. edwardsii / borealis, one Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis, 9,739 Sooty Shearwaters P. griseus, 91 Manx Shearwaters P. puffinus, two Little Shearwaters P. assimilis boydi, c.100 Wilson’s Oceanites oceanicus and European Storm-petrels Hydrobates pelagicus, 916 Red (Grey) Phalaropes Phalaropus fulicarius, 4,982 Pomarine Skuas Stercorarius pomarinus, 2,879 Arctic Skuas S. parasiticus, 864 Long-tailed Skuas S. longicaudus, 762 ‘Great’ Skuas Catharacta sp., 692 Audouin’s Gulls Larus audouinii, 6,724 Sabine’s Gulls Xema sabini, 147 Caspian Terns Sterna caspia, 659 Royal Terns S. maxima, 1,043 Lesser Crested Terns S. bengalensis, 11,075 Sandwich Terns S. sandvicensis, four Roseate Terns S. dougallii, 48,148 Common S. hirundo / Arctic Terns S. paradisaea, six Bridled Terns S. anaethetus, two Sooty Terns S. fuscata, 204 Little Terns S. albifrons and 29,309 Black Terns Chlidonias niger. Three Black Storks Ciconia nigra were foraging with three Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia in Djoudj National Park on 6 December 2006. In early 2007, the Djoudj held 10,000 adult Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus and 3,000 chicks, c.1,000 Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor and 34,000 White-faced Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna viduata. An adult Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus was observed on its nest, sheltering a chick from the sun, c.11 km north of Ouarack, Louga area, on 4 March. Hundreds of Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni were seen for the fourth year running in the Kaolack area, on 13-14 January. On 1 March, 110 Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis were counted at Ndigue, in the Djoudj area. A small wader photographed near Langue de Barbarie on 15 January was identified as a Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri; this would be the first for Senegal and West Africa, if accepted. A Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes was photographed in the Djoudj on 3 March; this is apparently only the second for Senegal, the previous record being from January 1991, when one was discovered near Dakar. Over 400 Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus and 70 Senegal Thick-knees Burhinus senegalensis were counted at Technopôle, Dakar, on 10 March. An adult Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan was photographed just south of Saint-Louis on 28 February; this is the sixth record for Senegal. An African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis was at Anambe, south of Velingara in early December. An exceptionally large flock of 620 European Storm-petrels Hydrobates pelagicus was foraging with the incoming tide on the Senegal River at St Louis on 20 April 2006. The third American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica for the country was photographed at Ziguinchor, Casamance, on 16–17 October; the previous records were made in May 1979 and October 2005. A Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida was observed at Kafountine on 21 October; surprisingly, this appears to be only the second for Senegal. Records from December 2005-March 2006 include the following. A Northern Gannet Sula bassana and a Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus were observed at the îles de la Madeleine on 17 February; this is a very early date for the latter species. An exceptionally large flock of 117 Black Storks Ciconia nigra was seen in the Ndiaël on 6 February. A flock of c.1,200 Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor was on Grand Lac in Djoudj National Park (=NP) on 11 February. A Blue-winged Teal Anas discors was with hundreds of Garganeys A. querquedula and Northern Shovelers A. clypeata at Lac Youl, near Malika, east of Dakar, on 3 March. A male American Wigeon Anas americana remained in Djoudj NP from 20 December till at least mid-March. It was joined by another male on 19-20 January; the only previously documented record for West Africa (and for the Afrotropics) was also in the Djoudj in February 1975. Other records from Djoudj NP include a pair of Gadwall Anas strepera on 20 January, with the mid-January count recording three; this species is a very rare visitor to the region. Also there was a flock of c.15 Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca on 19 January; this Palearctic migrant is a rare visitor to the area. A single flock of at least 170 Black Crowned Cranes Balearica pavonina was observed in the Ndiaël on 4 February, with a total of over 250 counted during the same day. A Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii, seen well in Djoudj NP on 13 February, is a new species for the park. A Laughing Gull Larus atricilla was noted at Siné Saloum on 28 December. In the southern part of Ndiaël Faunal Reserve, a Kordofan Lark Mirafra cordofanica was found on 14 February. A Fulvous Babbler Turdoides fulvus was seen well near Richard-Toll in January; the species was found breeding at this site in 2004. A Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting Emberiza tahapisi was encountered at Popenguine on 18 February. In October 2005, an American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica was present at Technopole, Dakar, on 29th. In December 2005, two Nearctic vagrants were found: an American Wigeon Anas americana at Djoudj National Park on 20th, probably a young male, and a Laughing Gull Larus atricilla at Siné Saloum on 28th. The following records were reported in October 2004-March 2005. A White-crested Tiger Heron Tigriornis leucolopha was photographed at Toubakuta, Siné Saloum, on 2 October. On 16 January, three Little Bitterns Ixobrychus minutus were seen in Djoudj NP (=National Park), one of which appeared to be a male of the African race payesii; there appear to be few confirmed records of this race from Senegal. A male Blue-winged Teal Anas discors was found among a large flock of Garganey A. querquedula in Djoudj NP on 4 March 2005; there are only two previous records from Senegal, both of males in early March (Morel & Morel 1990. Les Oiseaux de Sénégambie) in 1975 and 1979. As in 2004, hundreds of kestrels leaving their roost near Kaolack on 16 January appeared to be predominantly Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni with a few Common Kestrels F. tinnunculus; they were still present in early February. A very large female Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus, presumably of the race calidus, was seen well in Djoudj NP on 18 January. A male Common Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis was between Tambacounda and Kaolack on 6 February. What appears to be the first Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida for Senegal was sighted in a mixed bird party in dense riparian woodland along the Gambia River at the Campement Safari, Mako, just outside the eastern limits of Niokolo Koba NP, on 21 December; the species was seen again and photographed on 16 February. Records from 1–8 December 2004 in the extreme north-west include two Black Storks Ciconia nigra in Ndiaël Faunal Reserve on 4th and five in Djoudj National Park on 7th. At least ten Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca were in the Djoudj on 3rd. Birdlife appeared quite different form previous years: several normally common species were scarce (with European White Stork Ciconia ciconia conspicuously absent), while a few others were encountered for the first time. Up to three Bearded Barbets Lybius dubius were seen daily near Bango village, St Louis, during that first week of December; this is a significant northward range extension. Four Kordofan Larks Mirafra cordofanica were found in Ndiaël on 4th and three Cricket Warblers Spiloptila clamans near Marigot Two on 2nd. Other records from the period November 2003 to January 2004 include the following. Fifteen Black Storks Ciconia nigra were counted in Djoudj National Park on 28 December; the species winters in the park in October to March. On 25 January one was observed with a metallic ring on the left leg and a white ring with a letter 'S' on the right and a flock of 29 near Kaolack was seen on 12 December. An exceptionally large flock of at least 550 European White Storks C. ciconia was at a seasonal lake at Ndiaël on 4 December. A Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus was at N'Dayane, south of Dakar on 8 December. Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus were reported from near Dakar (one, 3 December), near Kaolack (singles, 14 and 16 December), and the Louga area (eight at various roadside casualties, 25 January, and one, 30 January). An immature Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus was in the Bango area, near St Louis on 26 January; this Palearctic migrant appears to winter in the area in small numbers. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio, observed on 2 November at the Technopole wetland, Dakar, appears to be resident in the area. On 7 December a Denham's Bustard Neotis denhami was seen near Djoudj National Park. A Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys was on a small stream in Niokolo Koba National Park on 1415 December. A Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis was found in the Bango area, St Louis on 26 January; this species was first recorded in northern Senegal in 1989 and the birds were ascribed to ssp. asbenaicus although the measurements were somewhat large. The very greyish colouration of the bird at Bango does not match this form an undescribed race? A group of four Fulvous Babblers Turdoides fulva were nest building in the Richard Toll area on 28 January; there are few records for northern Senegal and this may constitute the first confirmed breeding record. A male Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus was seen in Djoudj National Park on 29 January. Records from the period July to December 2002 include the following: Nineteen Black Storks Ciconia nigra were present at Ndiaël Faunal Reserve on 5 December; a Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris was at N'dayane, south of Dakar, on 27 November. A European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus with almost entirely white underparts was noted near Toubakouta on 17 October; there are few records of this species in Senegal. An adult Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was east of Diourbel on 13 December and three sub-adult Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus were at a carcass south of Saint Louis on 27 November. The latter are regularly victims of poisoning; a juvenile ringed as a nestling in France was shot in the Toubacouta area six months later, on 7 December 2001. Seven Short-toed / Beaudouin's Snake Eagles Circaetus gallicus / beaudouini were counted in a patch of savanna of 3 km from Toubakouta on 27 October; four Brown Snake Eagles C. cinereus were seen together near Madina Djikoye, Toubakouta, on 6 November. A Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus was observed near Keur Lahine, Toubakouta, on 15 November; this eagle has dramatically decreased in the area since the 1980s. Two Denham's Bustards Neotis denhami were recorded near Toubakouta in October and two more in November; in certain years with few rains in the north, there is an influx of this declining species in the south. Savile's Bustard Eupodotis savilei is still present in the Guinguinéo area, although decreasing; it is more common towards the Gambian border. At a seasonal lake in Ndiaël Faunal Reserve c5000 Gull-billed Terns Sterna nilotica were roosting on 23 November. Four-banded Sandgrouse Pterocles quadricinctus were observed coming to drink at dawn and dusk, at pools formed at public taps in Kaolack town in July-August, and in Guinguinéo, north-east of Kaolack, in October and November. Adamawa Turtle Doves Streptopelia hypopyrrha were regularly seen (at least four birds were involved) at Niokolo-Koba National Park on 1517 December. A juvenile Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus was at Popenguine Reserve on 28 November. About 20 Great Spotted Cuckoos Clamator glandarius were seen migrating north near Madina Djikoye, Toubakouta, in mid-July; this is an unusually large number of a species which has decreased notably since the 1970s. A Pel's Fishing-owl Scotopelia peli was found at Niokolo-Koba National Park on 1617 December. Six Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters Merops hirundineus and c20 Northern Carmine Bee-eaters M. nubicus were observed at the Djikoye River, near Madina Djikoye, Toubakouta on 2125 December; these species are rare in the area. In Delta du Saloum National Park, a Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor was seen on 13 December. Two Little Grey Woodpeckers Dendropicos elachus and three Sennar Penduline Tits Anthoscopus punctifrons were found south of Marigot Three on 7 December. Two Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weavers Plocepasser superciliosus were nest-building south of Thies on 19 December. Two Orange-breasted Waxbills Sporaeginthus subflavus were at Djoudj National Park on 25 November. In January 2002, a flock of c60 Intermediate Egrets Egretta intermedia was at Marigot One on 5th. Six Black Storks Ciconia nigra were also there and a further nine at Ndiaël Reserve on 7th. A flock of c300 European White Storks Ciconia ciconia flew over Ndiaël Reserve on 7th. A Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus was seen in Saloum National Park on 12th. Two female African Finfoot Podica senegalensis were on the Gambia river in Niokolo Koba National Park between 15-19th, an unusual sighting in this area. Also in Niokolo Koba, a group of at least six Adamawa Turtle Doves Streptopelia hypopyrrha were near Simenti lodge on 16-19th. Two Alpine Swifts Tachymarptis melba flew over Simenti lodge on 18th and one was seen over Kaolack on 19th. Three Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters Merops hirundineus were in Saloum National Park on 12-13th. A Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus was seen in Niokolo Koba on 15-17th. A Greater Hoopoe-Lark Alaemon alaudipes was observed in Ndiaël Reserve on 7th; this species appears to have been regular here during the last three years. Last page update 21st July 2008 |
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