Friday 23 February 2018

Badala Pool Part 2

Over the years I have been visiting The Gambia, the pool situated behind the Badala Park hotel has gone from a great birding spot to one that was virtually in accessible and now, back to brilliant!
The main attraction to me is that it's one of two spots in the locality that's excellent for Greater Painted Snipe which is a real favourite of mine.
Painted Snipe are a rather cautious bird so getting good views isn't easy but on my very first visit I managed to spot one.
A female who had just had a bath.
Greater Painted-snipe. Rostratula benghalensis
She didn't notice me at first and I was able to get closer
Greater Painted-snipe. Rostratula benghalensis
but she must have heard the camera shutter and decided to move!
Greater Painted-snipe. Rostratula benghalensis
Still it was a great start!
A large part of the pool is filled with reeds and that's where many of the birds, including the Snipe often hide out. Hundreds of Cattle Egrets choose it as their overnight roost too but on one visit I also spotted a Purple Heron in there, the only one I saw in TG this year too.
Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea
There was plenty of open water though and along the muddy margins there were several species of waders including the elegant Black-winged Stilt.
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 32018-01-28
There was a pair that stayed for the duration I was there.
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
A couple of Wood Sandpipers and a Greenshank appeared to be more or less permanent residents too and both species allowed really close approach despite me sitting out in the open.
Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia
You never seem to get this close in the UK, certainly not when in open view anyway.
Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia
Fishing further out in the pond was a Little Grebe which didn't get quite as close but presumably because the water was too shallow.
Little Grebe  Tachybaptus ruficollis
but you could still get those low level shots that are not possible from many of the places I visit at home.
My favourite shots though, well beside the Snipe, were of a pair of Speckled Pigeons that dropped in for a drink.
Speckled Pigeon  Columba guinea
Not often you get an opportunity like this one!
Speckled Pigeon  Columba guinea
Another species I was delighted to get close to was Marsh Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper   Tringa stagnatilis
A rather elegant fine billed bird and one I hadn't been able to photograph as well as I would have liked to in the past.
Marsh Sandpiper   Tringa stagnatilis
This one just ignored me!
Marsh Sandpiper   Tringa stagnatilis
A Great Egret dropped by on one visit.
Great Egret  Ardea alba
The setting sun giving me a problem with exposing the whites but the reflections on the pool were lovely.
It was the Snipe that kept dragging me back though, I was determined I could do better. On several visits I failed to locate them but the one day I got lucky, well sort of!
Greater Painted-snipe. Rostratula benghalensis
I had sneaked up on the feeding bird noticed when suddenly a Cattle Egret flew in so low the bird panicked and flew off!
Greater Painted-snipe. Rostratula benghalensis
Curses! I stood up and walked back to the open end of the pool and casually walked out to my favoured spot to photograph the waders.
Stupid me hadn't noticed there she was, sat on the edge of the water, right out in the open.
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
With a quick shake she was off again.
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
Ah well, can't win 'em all!

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for taking the time to write this blog. Many nice pictures and good reading material.

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  2. Thanks for taking the time to comment, I'll get some more on in due course!

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