Birding trip report Gabon (Gamba area) 14-29 Sep. 2009

John van der Woude    www.jvanderw.nl

1. text and photos  - 
2. GPS waypoints, maps  (this page) -   3. Species list


Summary of waypoints around Gamba, for details see maps below.
For GPS waypoints see bottom of page.
Note: location of roads is very sketchy on all maps.
For scale, only use the above map.


GPS waypoints NW of Gamba
440: just NW of Engen petrol station
441: at 11.8 km from Engen station along main road to Sette Cama, go right
442: territorial Forbes' Plover
443: end of this road, new plantation?
444: start of sandy side road North, not visited
447: start of Totou lake road, into tall forest
448: shallow lagoon between sea and Matsiegui lake
449: left car here for walk to 448
450: start of track to 449/448
451: start of laterite side road South from main road to Sette Cama
452: start of another road into forest North
461: half open savannah near end(?) of road that starts at 452


GPS waypoints SE of Gamba
425: Yenzi compound (home)
426: entrance of Yenzi compound
427: airport entrance
428: start of 'mangrove road' opposite airport, to beach
429: start of road to Vera plains, Tondou, Bibonga, Bouda etc.
430: left fork for road into degraded woodland E of Yenzi lake
431: side road left, nice woodland
Note: between 430 to 432 a chain may be present (none during our visit); ask key at village right
432: important fork: left to comm.tower & Tondou, right to Bibonga & Bouda
437: P along asphalt road to Colas etc., good habitat & start of long track North
438: on 4th or so plain between forest blocks (as seen from 437)

439: along asphalt road to Colas etc., Cassin's and Black Spinetail
462: good spot along asphalt road to Colas
445: leave Bouda road here for Bibonga forest
433: entrance of Bibonga forest (track)
436: interesting forest gap along Bouda road
434: 'secret valley' at border of Bouda forest, good viewpoint for raptors
435: leave road to Bouda here for 434
446: entrance to 'Mark's forest' (Sabine Spinetail here)


GPS waypoints for Tondou forest on Vera plains East of Gamba/Yenzi
453: fork: left to comm.tower, right to small settlements; keep right
454: keep right
455: keep left
456: collapsed end of old road to Tondou, just before ridge, park here
457: on old Tondou road, not yet in the forest itself
458: start of Tondou forest (old road)
459: N end of Tondou forest
460: good track coming from forest West; this is alternative route to Tondou forest, via:
463: keep right (comm.tower is left)
469: keep right
468: keep right
467: entrance to plantation forest, park here and walk easy track to 460 and continue on track
466: keep right
465: take indistinct track right
464: back on old laterite road to Vera

Waypoints in WGS84

W 425    S02°46'21,51" E010°02'16,71"
W 426    S02°46'59,90" E010°02'14,60"
W 427    S02°47'12,36" E010°02'43,80"
W 428    S02°47'20,07" E010°03'02,36"
W 429    S02°47'54,65" E010°03'53,44"
W 430    S02°47'45,62" E010°04'00,80"
W 431    S02°46'11,63" E010°03'37,16"
W 432    S02°46'59,67" E010°06'20,83"
W 433    S02°46'54,94" E010°10'13,98"
W 434    S02°48'09,18" E010°13'35,21"
W 435    S02°48'40,64" E010°13'26,93"
W 436    S02°47'46,79" E010°11'23,74"
W 437    S02°49'17,10" E010°05'10,63"
W 438    S02°48'31,25" E010°05'34,87"
W 439    S02°50'32,63" E010°06'42,15"
W 440    S02°43'35,66" E009°59'15,08"
W 441    S02°40'28,12" E009°54'46,14"
W 442    S02°38'31,56" E009°54'07,54"
W 443    S02°36'55,11" E009°54'39,21"
W 444    S02°39'14,29" E009°54'30,05"
W 445    S02°47'44,84" E010°10'11,88"
W 446    S02°48'43,42" E010°07'31,01"
W 447    S02°42'48,85" E009°59'20,89"
W 448    S02°43'04,88" E009°56'31,35"
W 449    S02°43'19,02" E009°56'36,60"
W 450    S02°43'10,92" E009°57'27,03"
W 451    S02°42'35,12" E009°57'47,44"
W 452    S02°42'57,50" E009°58'15,56"
W 453    S02°46'33,25" E010°07'18,11"
W 454    S02°46'30,30" E010°07'25,31"
W 455    S02°46'27,06" E010°07'33,60"
W 456    S02°45'53,39" E010°07'58,99"
W 457    S02°45'09,94" E010°08'24,35"
W 458    S02°44'38,17" E010°08'31,74"
W 459    S02°43'48,25" E010°09'05,19"
W 460    S02°45'03,32" E010°08'19,37"
W 461    S02°41'44,52" E010°00'07,84"
W 462    S02°50'59,70" E010°07'16,23"
W 463    S02°45'47,45" E010°07'21,82"
W 464    S02°44'39,72" E010°08'29,21"
W 465    S02°44'40,59" E010°08'24,62"
W 466    S02°44'43,20" E010°08'21,91"
W 467    S02°45'24,60" E010°07'38,87"
W 468    S02°45'30,72" E010°07'23,80"
W 469    S02°45'37,48" E010°07'19,65"
W 470    S02°45'48,76" E010°07'21,97"
W 471    S02°46'33,49" E010°07'18,01"