Adventure, fun and African culture in a wonderful and natural environment

Boboi beach lodge is a great place for birdwatching, with over 260 species of bird in the Kartong area. This maked Boboi, not only the natural choice to see the local species but a great place to base yourself for birdwatching in The Gambia. We can organise tailor-made birdwatching opportunities in the Kartong area and beyond.

The location of Boboi Beach Lodge and the wider Kartong environment provides a unique and varied habitat for birds, of which about a third are migratory, Towards April and May, Kartong provides a stopping off point for trans-migratory species coming in from Ghana and other parts of coastal West Africa. The range of diverse but inter-connected habitats in Kartong include, estuary, mangroves, beach, marsh, wetlands, satflats, paddies, rhun palm forest, orchards, woodlands and scrub. Accessibility to all these habitats is relatively easy from Boboi. The Cassamance area, with the highest rainfall in Senegal and Gambia and with a larger area of natural habitat, is within easy reach, enabling birdwatcher visits for a day or longer.

Boboi Beach Lodge Area

The habitat around Boboi beach Lodge consists of a large area of ruhn palm forest, fringed by beach, a disused laterite quarry, farmland, paddies, orchards, woodlands and bush scrub. This is a relatively unspoiled area that is thinly populated. Boboi Beach Lodge itself is set in a ruhn palm forest and has a mature garden full of flowers and shrubs such as hibiscus that attract both birds and butterflies. The immediate area extends to between 6 – 10 hectares and is very easily accessible. This area provides a suitable habitat for a range of species from the largest pelicans to the smallest sunbirds and includes predators such as harrier hawks, palm nut vultures and ospreys.

Estuary area (river Hallahein) and mangroves.

The Halahein estuary forms a small scale but still unspoiled system of mudflats and mangroves and provides a good habitat for a range of birds that can be easily seen from a small boat. The estuary is a nursery for fish and therefore forms a rich source for juvenile and sometimes larger adult fish which provides a rich and plentiful source of food for birds. The river mouth is very narrow and runs back towards Kartong, parallel with the beach. After one or two kilometres, it turns sharply to the right and starts to snake inland, up towards Brikama for a further 20 or thirty kilometers. Around the river mouth, the area is characterised by shallow water and narrow beach fringed by savana, bush and the occasional baobab tree. This is an ideal habitat for pelicans, waders, gulls and ospreys and fish eagles. After a few kilometres, the creek becomes narrower, dominated by red mangroves which border salt flats and farm land. This forms an ideal habitat for kingfishers, herons and eagrets as well as hawks, vultures and eagles. Boboi Beach Lodge can facilitate tailor made tours and has a small dingy with an experienced captain to enable visitors to explore the area. Birds found in this area include:

Wetlands

The wetlands are an example of a newly formed, man-made habitat. In 2000, the area between Kartong and the beach was identified by the Government of The Gambia as an area suitable for sandmining. For five years sand was extracted in industrial quantities leaving large areas of excavation which formed relatively deep pools of water during the rainy season. Reeds and other aquatic plants quickly took root and later fresh water fish populated the pools. This formed a ready made habitat for birds and, due to the location, was on the West Afirca to Europe migration route. This then enabled migratory species with either a stopping off point along the route or an additional breeding ground. The area covers about 4-5 hectares and is very easily accessible. The wetlands form the centre of this recording area. The wetlands hold water throughout the year, although much diminished after April, this fresh water is a magnet for water birds and migrants. The extensive reed and rush beds provide roost refuge and breeding sites for some species which are difficult to see in the Gambia. Many of the species here are very approachable and allow wonderful photographic opportunities. Birds identified in this area include:

Birdwatching at Boboi