A birder we met while out and about told us of the excellent Calypso Bar and Restaurant in Bakau that has shaded tables and seating areas close to a freshwater pool that draws in lots of birds and also has crocodiles. We therefore made two visits to the Calypso Bar on our quiet days between birding excursions, and we certainly weren’t disappointed.
The star bird at the Calypso was a Black-casqued Hornbill, a bird that is quite rare for The Gambia and usually found from Sierra Leone eastwards to South Sudan and also in Angola. We were told by bird guides that the hornbill was usually found close to the water tower at the Calypso and that was where we found him. The light was a bit difficult for photography but we managed to get a few reasonable shots.
Throughout our time at the Calypso there was a near-constant stream of Caspian Terns skimming the freshwater lake for a drink. This certainly let me practice photographing birds in flight.
During the day the staff fed the crocodiles with fish, which was always entertaining.
Other birds we saw around the pool at the Calypso Bar included Broad-billed Roller, Black Crake, Great Cormorant, Pied Kingfisher and Little Bee-eaters.
