March 14-April 2, 2026 with Tarry Butcher
Ghana 2026 was another successful fun trip with an awesome group. We shared many stories, lots of laughter and spotted some good birds along the way. Highlights of the trip for most was an amazing Rockfowl experience closely followed by displaying Standard-winged Nightjar in Mole National Park. Other top sightings included Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, a surprise Nkulengu Rail, massive Elephants walking through camp and a Black-bellied Pangolin.
Most of the group arrived the day before and did a day trip to Shai hills to kick off the trip; we repeated this the following day officially with everyone, bar a lost bag which hadn’t arrived. Shai as usual was a nice start to the trip, but due to the heat things were playing hard to get, but we did get good views of Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Vieillot’s Barbet, Shikra and Blue-breasted Kingfisher. Unfortunately, Mocking Cliff Chat was not very co-operative with brief views of the male on a high boulder. After lunch we made our way to the coast, birding the southern section of the Sakumono Lagoon picking up African Swamphen, Black Heron, Collared Pratincole, Western Yellow Wagtail and both Great and Yellow-billed Egrets. We made a quick stop in at the airport on the way back to the hotel for a welcome sight of the lost bag. Overall a good introduction to Ghanaian birds and traffic, which we would see more of the next day as we made our way west to Cape Coast.
On route to Cape Coast we had to make an emergency detour off the main road through farms and villages, weaving the bus under power cables and along tiny tracks, all due to the main road being closed by a fuel tanker which had exploded and was still burning heavily. This exciting yet treacherous detour yielded good looks at Grey-headed Kingfisher and Levaillant’s Cuckoo.
Winneba Lagoon was the next official stop and a lucky tide meaning the shore birds were much closer than in previous years. We had views of Curlew Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Western Reef Heron, Black Terns and a surprising Red Knot. West African Crested Terns were playing hard to get with scope views of a tern roost. Winneba Plains was quiet this year due to the heat but we did flush a Long-tailed Nightjar and nice Cardinal Woodpecker. After lunch we did a short tour of the Slave Castle at Cape Coast and made a roadside stop at Fosu Lagoon before making our way north to Rainforest Lodge. Fosu revealed great looks at Woodland and Pied Kingfishers, Reed Cormorant and Wood Sandpiper.
The next day was mainly a travel day, but we did make several short stops along the way to break up the journey, stretch the legs and add some new trip birds. The first of the stops was Brenu Beach farmbush, where a walk down the road yielded some good birds like Marsh Tchagra, Red-winged Prinia, Black-crowned Tchagra, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Tropical Boubou, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Oriole Warbler and Double Toothed Barbet. A really productive morning. Next stop along the road was at Boko Marshes, a small roadside pond which was really quiet this year due to the road upgrades and construction, but we did get views of Orange Weaver and Grey Kestrel. After lunch we made another roadside stop at Ebi River scanning the wetland and exploring the mangroves. Here we found Hartlaub Duck, one of the major targets. Also seen was African Harrier-hawk hunting over the water. Exploring the mangroves, we were able to get good views of Mangrove Sunbird and White-browed Forest Flycatcher. Still missing one target for the day, we made a few more stops at small roadside ponds viewing from the bus and finally we connected with African Pygmy Goose hiding amongst the lilly pads, just before making the turn off to Ankasa. The newly built Ankasa Reserve Lodge is a fantastic platform for the next couple of nights and a welcome sight after the long drive.
Ankasa Forest Reserve is the largest section of primary upper Guinea rainforest in Ghana, and protected by Birdlife International. We started off with a bang, finding a very relaxed White-Crested Tiger-Heron feeding from a muddle puddle in the road, allowing amazing views. The forest ponds were productive with Shining Blue Kingfisher, White-bellied Kingfisher, Red-fronted Ant-pecker and Dwarf Bittern showing well. A small bird party moved through during our time at the ponds, giving us brief views of Ansorge’s Greenbul, Yellow-billed Turaco, Blue-billed Malimbe and West African Wattle-eye. Back to the lodge for lunch, with good birding around the grounds with Slender-billed Greenbul, Reichenbach’s Sunbird, Speckled Tinkerbird and Black Bee-eater seen from the lunch table. Afternoons in the forest are generally quieter, but we did connect with Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetail in the late afternoon before rain sent us searching for shelter in a nearby deserted camp site. With rain putting an ending to birding for the day, we waited for it to stop before heading back to camp hearing Akun Eagle-Owl and seeing a Derby’s Anomalure just before the park gates.
We focused on the main track the following day, with brief views of Long-tailed Hawk, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo and good looks at Rufous-sided Broadbill, Hairy-breasted and Yellow-spotted Barbets, Shining Drongo and White-tailed Ant-thrush. No rain in the afternoon meant more time in the forest and we were able to connect with Red-chested Owlet, along with the mob of other birds harassing it, including Black-capped Apalis, Olive and Johanna Sunbirds, Western Bearded Greenbul and Yellow-billed Turaco. Owling after dinner, we were able to find a very responsive Fraser’s Eagle-Owl and heard a pair of duetting African Wood-Owls.
Our final morning in the forest was a slow walk from the lodge over the bridge and along a forest track near the entrance. Birding from the bridge was great in the morning, with brilliant views of African Emerald Cuckoo, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Green and Lemon-bellied Crombecs, Buff-throated and Tiny Sunbirds and flyover West African Pied Hornbill. Along the track we got views of the cute Orange-breasted Forest Robin, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher and Finsch’s Flycatcher-Thrush. Chocolate-backed Kingfisher was heard calling agonizingly close, but even with our best efforts we were unable to locate it. An early lunch and last-minute lodge birding before making our way back to Rainforest Lodge.
The next major birding destination was the highly anticipated Kakum Canopy Walkway, where we spent a full morning and afternoon on the walkway and platforms. Views from the platforms over the forest are absolutely awesome. Dawn chorus and morning activity from the platform were good this year, with early sightings of Blue Cuckooshrike, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Olivaceous Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, African Forest Flycatcher and Forest Penduline Tit. As the morning progressed, we moved to a different platform where we found Forest Scimitarbill, Melancholy Woodpecker, Sharpe’s Apalis, Sabine's Puffback and Violet-backed Hyliota. Two Sun Squirrels building a nest kept us entertained as they scurried around the trees collecting bedding material.
Our afternoon session started with an amazing sighting of West African Green Mamba seen exploring the cavities of a dead tree, far enough away from the platform to be exciting to look at but not too close to worry about it. The large hornbills were shy this year, keeping their distance, but we did get views of Black-casqued and Yellow-casqued Hornbills. Closer to the platform, we found Yellow-browed Camaroptera, White-breasted, Grey-headed and Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Yellow-chinned, Blue-throated Brown, Little Green and Collared Sunbirds. Just before sunset a small mixed family of Spot-nosed and Lowe’s Monkeys moved through the forest below the platform. After sunset we staked out the tree at the entrance and had brief views of Pel’s Anomalure moving up the tree but quickly out of sight.
The following day we targeted farmbush areas on the edge of Kakum National Park, but unfortunately the weather was not on our side with the afternoon cut short due to rain. The morning walk at the Stingless Bee Centre, through stands of bamboo and farmbush, revealed Western Nicator, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Whistling Cisticola and brief views of White-throated and Swamp Greenbuls, while White-spotted Flufftail was heard well but never appeared. We had rain over lunch and more storms rolling in, so the afternoon was quiet, but we did manage to scratch up Icterine, Golden and Western Bearded Greenbul and a distant Purple-throated Cuckooshrike. Avoiding the rain as best as possible, we headed to Jukwa Farmbush where we got Bronze Mannikin, Red-faced Cisticola and a surprise Great Reed Warbler. We stayed out after sunset in search of Long-tailed Nightjar, which was seen well in the road, and then through local knowledge and much confusion we raced off to tiny patch of forest next to a busy main road. We jumped out at a noisy car wash, walked through a small plantation in the forest to find two Nkulengu Rails roosting in a tree, a bird we missed in Ankasa, so nice save here.
ROCKFOWL DAY, but we had a few birding spots to visit before then. Firstly, we spent the morning walking down a narrow farmbush track in the Antwikwaa community forest near Kakum NP. We started with good views of Tambourine Dove and Red-vented Malimbe, but birding was interrupted by a massive Common Emperor Scorpion crossing the track. Eyes back on birds, we soon found Tit-hylia, Bristle-nosed Barbet, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, African Green-Pigeon and Black-winged Oriole. Flying overhead we had views of Red-fronted Parrot, Black Spinetail and distant Rosy Bee-eaters.
After leaving Kakum, we made two road-side stops, firstly a nesting colony of Preuss’s Swallows at a bridge over a small stream. We were lucky to find them landing on the ground to collect nesting material in an open area. Then our next stop was the small town of Twifo Praso along the Pra River to view Rock Pratincole and White-throated Blue Swallow. Also, really good looks at Senegal Coucal on the roof of a small palm oil production area. A short roadside lunch before our main destination for the day, the newly built Ashanti Picathartes Guest House.
We had time to check in and drop bags before making our way into the forest. The walk took about an hour but would have been shorter had we not seen a Pangolin next to the path, a highlight sighting for most of the group. We found a Black-bellied (Long-tailed) Pangolin right next to the path at about eye level. It just tucked its head into a small bunch of leaves ignoring us completely. What a privilege and beautiful animal, but we had Rockfowl to find, so back on the trail and up the hill to the rock roost. We made our selves comfortable on the wooden benches and were rewarded with six rockfowl hopping around the roost for about 40 min before making our way back to the guest house before dark. A very successful day.
We spent the following morning in a new section of the Kwabena-Sam Forest, seeing Blue-headed Coucal, Tessmann’s Flycatcher, African Piculet, Grey Greenbul and Gray Longbill well, and battled with Puvel’s and Brown Illadopsis remaining a heard only.
Making our way further north, we headed towards Mole National Park, a full day's drive from Kumasi. Breaking the long drive up with a few short birding stops, we found Guinea Turaco and African Gray Hornbill at Opra Farmbush before lunch, and a productive stop at Fufulso Ponds produced Greater Painted Snipe, Namaqua Dove, Grasshopper Buzzard, Quailfinch, Yellow-billed Ox-peckers, Lesser Honeyguide, Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, African Silverbill and Black-rumped Waxbills. Arriving at Zania Lodge just on sunset.
We used this as a base, exploring different sections of the park on morning and afternoon walks. First morning we focused on a small pond area and waited for smaller birds to come down to drink, seeing Swamp Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Red-billed, Bar-bellied and Black-bellied Firefinches. Moving to the nearby waterhole, we found Black Crake, Red-winged Pytila, Gray and Black-Headed Herons and hundreds of White-faced Whistling Ducks. Overhead the skies were busy with Bateleur, White-backed, Hooded, Palm-nut and White-headed Vultures.
The afternoon session was disrupted by rain, forcing us to explore different sections where we found Denham's Bustard and five Forbes's Plovers before sunset. After sunset, we had the great view of displaying Standard-winged Nightjars, a major highlight for the trip, with two males displaying in an open area. Greyish Eagle-Owl to wrap things up on the drive back to the lodge made for another great day.
Our trip to the White Volta was successful with 3 Egyptian Plovers, 2 adults feeding a fledged chick. The route back from the Volta was also productive, with good views of Blue-bellied Roller, Abyssinian Roller, Violet Turaco, Purple Heron and Red-necked Falcons. The afternoon produced the worst sweat bees James had ever seen, making birding tough. We did find Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Moustached Grass-Warbler, Wooly-necked Stork and Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver and the cherry on top, an African Scops-Owl and Long-tailed Nightjar.
Birding from the Zania Lodge pool area was very productive with Bearded Barbet, Rock-loving Cisticola, Lavender Waxbill, Pygmy Sunbird, Red-headed Weaver, Senegal Parrots and Violet Backed Starlings giving great views, with Elephants and Kob drinking at the waterhole below.
Our last full day in Mole was again rain disrupted, but we did manage to find African Spotted Creeper, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Black Cuckoo, African Golden Oriole, Emin’s Shrike, Woodchat Shrike and Striped Kingfisher in the morning, as well as a brief but awesome view of Abyssinian Ground Hornbill which didn't hang around and flew off deeper into the bush. Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Greater Honeyguide, Stone Partridge and White-throated Francolin were all seen well in the afternoon. On the way back to the lodge, we flushed a small herd of Roan Antelope, my first in Mole.
Our last stop in Mole National Park was a quick stop at the Mole Motel viewing point on the morning of departure, which produced Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Spur-winged Goose, Pallid Swift and better looks at Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike. We made a short stop at the Larabanga Mosque and then it was the long drive back to Kumasi.
This year Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary was quiet, probably due to the amount of rain in the evening. We walked down the main track past the main center, getting good views of Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk and Red-billed Helmetshirke with a surprise sighting of Narina Trogon wrapping up the morning. We made our way further south to Linda Dor, and spent the afternoon birding a nearby forest road. Again rain delayed us greatly, but once we were able to get out we found Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Vieillot’s Barbet, Olive-naped, Village and Chestnut and Black Weavers.
Our final morning was probably one of the most productive forest session we had on the entire trip. Birding along a road through a forest section, we finally caught up with Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Western Long-tailed Hornbill, Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Olive-green Camaroptera and Red-tailed Greenbul, all of which had been only heard up too that point. We also had a surprise Garden Warbler and Northern Yellow White-eye.
It was sadly the end of the trip as we had our final meal together and made our way south back to Accra, with a final bit of shopping before the airport and heading home. Special thanks go to the amazing group, to James our fantastic local expert, Ebenezer our local butterfly expert, Ashanti African Tours and Sharon from the Office.
Till next year, Rockrunner
Here is a list of Mammals and Butterflies seen on the trip.
MAMMALS:
African Straw-colored Fruit Bat (Eidolon helvum)
Tomb Bat sp. (Taphozous sp.)
Northern Lesser Galago (Galago senegalensis)
Demidoff's Dwarf Galago (Galago demidoff) (HEARD)
Spot-nosed Monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista)
Lowe's Monkey (Cercopithecus lowei)
Green Monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus)
Common Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas)
Olive Baboon (Papio anubis)
Striped Ground Squirrel (Euxerus erythropus)
Fire-footed Rope Squirrel (Funisciurus pyrrhopus)
Green Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus poensis)
Small Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus punctatus)
Red-legged Sun Squirrel (Heliosciurus rufobrachium)
Pel's Anomalure (Anomalurus peli)
Derby’s Anomalure (Anomalurus derbianus)
Black-bellied Pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla)
Northern Giant Pouched Rat (Cricetomys gambianus)
Forest Giant Pouched Rat (Cricetomys emini)
Rusty-spotted Genet (Genetta fieldiana)
Common Slender Mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus)
African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Western Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax dorsalis) (HEARD)
Desert Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus)
Northern Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)
Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)
Kob (Kobus kob)
Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)
BUTTERFLIES:
Regular Club-Dot Sailer (Neptis melicerta)
Brown-spot Bush Brown(Bicyclus madetes madetes)
Large-striped Swordtail (Graphium antheus)
Plain Tiger Butterfly (Danaus chrysippus)
Westwood’s Acraea (Stephenia pseudegina)
Mocker Swallowtail (Papilio Dardanus)
Blue Monarch (Tirumala petiverana)
Common striped swordtail (graphium politeness)
Citrus Swallowtail (papilio demodocus)
African Emigrant (catopsilia florella)
Common Grass Yellow (eurema hecabe)
African Spirit (leptosia alcesta)
Common Tiger (danaus chrysippus)
Uniform Bush Brown (bicyclus uniformis)
Variable Eggfly (hypolimnas antedon )
Diadem or False Tiger (hypolimnas misippus)
Blue Diadem (hypolimnas salmacis)
African Blue Tiger (tirumala petiverana)
Forest mother-of-pearl (protogoniomorpha parhassus)
Dark Blue Pansy (junonia oenone)
Yellow Pansy (junonia hierta)
Brown Pansy (junonia stygia)
Soldier Pansy (junonia terea)
African Joker (byblia anvatara)
Common Yellow Glider (cymothoe caenis)
Common Pathfinder (hamanumida daedalus)
Widespread Forester (euphaedra medon)
Common Blue-banded Forester (euphaedra harpalyce)
Large Spotted Acraea (acraea zetes)
Common Leopard fritillary (phalanta ophalanta)
Angular Glider (harma theobene)
Forest Glade Nymph (aterica galene)
African Beak (libythea labdaca)
Large Tiger Blue (hewitsonia boisduvalii)
You can see my complete trip report on eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/492500
You can see my iNaturalist report of non-avian taxa at this link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ghana-2026-field-guided-birding-tours
You can download a combined PDF of this page and the eBird report at this link: https://fieldguides.com/triplists/gha26TRIPLIST.pdf
-- Tarry Butcher