The Gambia -a remedy for Seasonal Affective Disorder.

[David Nicholson]

Great set of pictures Steve

[Chris Johnson]

Ah Steve, what superb photographs and what memories …

It must be 27 or 28 years ago when I first went there. There were just five hotels specially build for a burgeoning tourist industry. 5-star accommodation, food and service for not a lot of money in those days. Just one bird guide then, but he had immense knowledge and eyesight you only dream about.

With so many places to see in the world we are not ones to keep returning to the same country or spot. It was approximately 15 years later that we decided on a return visit (not something we do lightly as it never seems as good the second time round). We chose a different hotel but still overlooking the coast – it was excellent. Glad we didn’t return to the original hotel as it was looking a bit jaded.

However, the birding and country was as good as ever and more guides to choose from. Birdwatching from the Kotu Bridge was a joy, especially for the Pied Kingfishers fishing close by.

Thanks for the memories, Steve.

[Steve Garvie]

Many thanks for your kind words everyone.

As regards my photographic gear the older photographs were taken with a Canon 1D mkII camera and then more recently with a Canon 7D mkII.

I have used the same telephoto lens (usually with a 1.4x teleconvertor) for years. It is a Canon 500mm f4 IS lens. The lens is the most expensive part of the kit (mine was bought many years ago with an income tax rebate). This lens is widely travelled and has endured some extreme conditions over the years but continues to deliver the goods. The only problem with the high end Canon lenses is that they are a standout creamy-white colour and so I have my lens covered with a rubberised camouflage material (which also offers some dirt/ dust protection).

A 500mm lens with a 1.4x convertor produces a 14x magnification. The 7D mkII camera does not have a full size sensor -its smaller sensor has an area of 22.4mmx15mm but it has a huge linear pixel density of 2433 per cm. When compared to a full sized sensor camera (equivalent to the old 50mm cameras) it crops the image effectively adding another 1.6x magnifiation. So my setup (including the 1.4x convertor) produces an effective magnification of 22.4x. At this magnification any movement of the bird or shaking on my part will be greatly magnified. Getting sharp images is dependent upon a fast shutter speed first and foremost. A good image stabilisation system will allow sharp images of still/slow moving subjects at lower shutter speeds as will a stable tripod. Unfortunately tripod stability is in part a function of weight. Extra speed can be obtained in digital cameras by increasing the sensor gain (ISO setting) though this is at the expense of image quality.

I use a Gitzo 5 series carbon fibre tripod with a Wimberley gimbal head. The tripod, gimbal head, camera, lens and telecovertor have a combined weight of just over 13kg. As I get older it is getting harder to lug this gear around -especially under the heat of an African Sun. 

Chris it is a big wide World out there and sadly life is all too short. Like you I feel that there are so many places to see. However my wife has a soft spot for Mandina Lodges in The Gambia (more of this place later) and as we have effectively acquired a Gambian family we are obliged to keep returning -which is no great chore really. 

[Bernadette]

Thank you for such wonderful pictures.  The kingfishers and bee eaters are stunning.
Most envious to experience such wonderful birds like this, we have a kingfisher in our
garden and that flash of blue skimming over the water is such a delight.

[Steve Garvie]

Many thanks Bernadette.


Another group of colourful birds that leave an impression are the Sunbirds. These iridescent wee birds are superficially similar to the American Hummingbirds but are totally unrelated. Sunbirds feed on nectar and insects but unlike Hummingbirds they do not hover. Their bold colours are in part due to structural pigment in the feathers but are also a consequence of some of the feathers having a complex microscopic structure which acts as a diffraction grating splitting white light into component parts, some of which is absorbed & some reflected. The variable colours produced by this process are bright, reflective, metallic and ephemeral. Colours produced by this means constantly vary in intensity giving the birds a sparkle which brings the feathers to life. This moment-to-moment variation is dependent on the angle & intensity of the incident light.


Male Variable Sunbird (the belly feathers contain yellow pigment but the upper chest feathers produce their colour by diffraction, refraction, reflection and absorption of light).



Male Splendid Sunbird (in indirect diffused light this bird just looks black)



Male Red-chested Sunbird



Male Green-headed Sunbird (A scarce species in The Gambia -it comes to the water bowls at Mandina Lodges)




Male Beautiful Sunbird




This drab hyperactive wee Sunbird is called the Mouse Brown Sunbird or now, more correctly the Mangrove Sunbird. It is really a birder’s bird being endemic to West African Mangrove Forest and is generally difficult to see and photograph. At Mandina Lodges they come to drink and bathe in the water bowls and put on a show for the camera.

[Steve Garvie]

There must be countries that have more species of herons and egrets than The Gambia but I can’t think of any.


A fish is only a hop, a skip and a jump away. (Great White Egret and Little Egret)



If there is a big one and a little one then there has to be one in the middle (Intermediate Egret).



Western Reef Heron (Common on the coast and along the fringes of Mangroves).



Striated Heron  (The smallest species of heron in The Gambia).



Goliath Heron -this is the World’s largest heron at almost 5 feet tall.



White-backed Night Heron. (One of the most elusive herons in Africa)

[Steve Garvie]

Purple Heron.



Black-headed Heron



Black-crowned Night Heron



Squacco Heron


My all-time favourite has to be the Black Egret -known locally as the Umbrella Bird. This sneaky bird uses cloak and dagger techniques to make a catch.

[Chris Johnson]

Another wonderful collection of photographs.

Your Little Egret doesn't have yellow feet - is that a play of the light?

[Jan Tholhuijsen]

The whole reportage, Wonderful. 

[GordonT]

Spectacular photography as always, Steve! Definitely enjoying this nature travelogue.

[Steve Garvie]

Many thanks Chris, Jan & Gordon.

Chris, the yellow toes are just about visible in this image:

[ian mcdonald]

Steve, your photo. of the black egret reminded me of the wildlife series called "a walk on the wildside." I don,t know if you have seen it but it brings a humerous side to wildlife. If you google it, it is worth watching. It is on a BBC site, not a Lou Reed song.

[Steve Garvie]

ABUKO

Abuko is a small nature reserve that is only a short drive away from the main tourist resorts. The core area of the reserve comprises of some permanent freshwater pools and relict gallery forest whilst the reserve extension is secondary forest with an “Animal Orphanage” which was once essentially a small zoo. It is now an injured animal rehabilitation centre though bizarrely it also still holds a breeding group of Spotted Hyenas. Beside the “orphanage” there is a small makeshift corrugated iron hut called the photographer’s hide. There is a small fee to use this hide which overlooks an artificial waterhole. The waterhole at this hide looks like a small forest pool and it attracts a considerable range of birds (-including many shy forest species) which can be photographed up close.



Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher at the “photographer’s hide”.



Western Bluebill bathing at the “photographer’s hide”.



Lavender Waxbill at the “photographer’s hide”.



Orange-cheeked Waxbill at the “photographer’s hide”.



Guinea (Green) Turaco. Abuko is the best place to see this bird though it is also found in other forested areas such as Makasutu (Mandina Lodges).



Violet Turaco

[Margaret]

Greatly enjoyed the beautiful photographs. Many thanks.

[ian mcdonald]

I have just looked for "a walk on the wildside" and it has been removed.