Gambia Trip List - part 10

I'm off on a bit of an excursion tonight, hoping for some good birding tomorrow.... will explain, hopefully with some gripping photos in a day or two! So, while I wait, here's yet more of the Gambia - again, a bit light on photos for this section.

140: White-crowned Robin-chat - quite common, several around the hotel grounds, and easy to see at Abuko, for instance.


141: Snowy-crowned Robin-chat - only seen at Abuko, though I believe these may still occur occasionally around the Senegambia
142: African Thrush - common, easily seen around the hotel, and at numerous other sites


143: Olivaceous Warbler - one seen at Abuko; we had more spectacular things to look at!
144: Melodious Warbler - again, one at Abuko
145: Singing Cisticola - several at Tujering, in company with Red-winged Warblers
146: Whistling Cisticola - two or three at Tujering
147: Zitting Cisticola - paddyfields near Kotu Creek
148: Red-winged Warbler - small group at Tujering, and also seen at Faraba Banta
149: Tawny-flanked Prinia - seen well along the Casino cycletrack, plus other sites with open grassy habitat


150: Green-backed Eremomela - seen at Bijilo and Abuko
151: Northern Crombec - one of the more bizarre looking birds seen (basically a warbler with no tail), at Bijilo and Abuko
152: Yellow-breasted Apalis - seen at Abuko, after a bit of a struggle to get on a rather elusive individual
153: Green Hylia - one at Abuko, apparently quite a difficult species to catch up with. Rather reminiscent of a Radde's Warbler with strong supercilium (though even more strongly marked eye- and crown-stripes) and heavy bill
154: Common Wattle-eye: a great looking bird, seen well at Abuko several times

155: Senegal Batis: one seen fairly well in large trees out on the bush track at Faraba Banta
156: Northern Black Flycatcher: a couple at Abuko, plus one or two elsewhere
157: Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher: several seen at Abuko, but very difficult to photograph well in the shady understorey.


Also seen at Abuko was this interesting bird.... it's doesn't match the (Barlow / Wacher / Disley) field-guide illustration of an African Paradise Flycatcher, since it doesn't have a black belly, but it does have the extensive white in the wing and an exceptionally long tail. Possibly a hybrid, or just un-illustrated form of Red-bellied? The guide does mention that some of the latter can show white coverts and flight feather edges, in conjunction with a longer tail... which would fit. Opinions welcome, though!