Having had enough of emails and relaxing, and having exhausted the possibilities of the three species in the hotel grounds, we went birding this morning. Accompanied by a local guide, Kalu, arranged by Ashanti Tours, we headed east out of town to some shallow lagoons just north of the main coast road. The area was full of birds with plenty of familiar waders, large numbers of Great Egrets and Grey Herons. Wildfowl included White-faced Whistling Ducks, Pintail and Garganey. We carefully checked through the flocks of busily feeding waders; the majority proved to be Little Stints and Ringed Plover, with smaller numbers of Wood, Common, Curlew and Marsh Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Ruff, Whimbrel, and Kitlitz's Plovers. As we reached the south end of the lagoon, we were thinking of heading back when two waders caught our attention as being something different. We moved closer and were very surprised to find not just one but two Pectoral Sandpipers. The 'Birds of West Africa' shows just one documented record of this
species for Ghana, so to have found two on our very first outing was very pleasing indeed, and a new bird for our guide Kalu.
Species Total 1628
Posted 2.40pm, Accra Ghana 29th Feb