Birdwatching in the Koofung Forest Park, The Gambia
Our lodge in The Gambia (Footsteps Eco-Lodge) was perched upon the edge of a protected area of forest known as the Koofung Forest Park. As a result, it was a renowned spot for birdwatching. Now, I’m going to be totally honest here. I have never ever seen the appeal of birdwatching. There I said it! I’ve always dismissed birds and been focused on larger, more powerful animals such as big cats. However, this indifferent perception was starting to change. Last year I went on safari in Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka and was mesmerised by the colourful array of birds I saw. Our guide would give snippets of information about them and I became excited every time I managed to capture one with my lens. At Footsteps Eco-Lodge many of the guests we had encountered were keen ‘birders’. They sat with their binoculars and a couple had some mighty impressive cameras, their zoom lenses coated in a camouflage wrap. I even heard rumours that the BBC’s wildlife presente...