This morning after our usual early start we visited the Antwikwaa section of Kakum National Park but stayed on the edge abutting farmland which allowed us to watch the local comings and goings of the people as well as the birds. There were children going to school families heading to the fields to work, most walking but the occasional motorbike passed us. I am amazed by everything being carried on their heads most of the women will have a cloth ring under the item but several have nothing.
We passed cocoa plantations and spoke to a brother and sister ( today's photo with William in the middle) who were harvesting the pods for their father. After harvesting they get a group of villagers together to help them break the pods and remove the beans so they can ferment for 5 days before being sun dried and sent to market. Apparently because Ghanaian beans are sun dried they are better quality that Ivory Coast's who fire dry theirs. We also passed small palm nut plantations and then saw the harvested nuts being turned into palm oil at little village plants before being sold on.
After the forest area we drove to Plaso and the River Pre to look for white throated blue swallows, rock pratincole and white headed plover - all were found but the river was a disgusting yellow colour - apparently this is from the gold mining upstream- you do wonder what's in it and it was especially concerning when we saw the river again further downstream and children were swimming in it.
By the river there was also a palm oil local production unit and a couple of wood and carpentry businesses. Preso was full as it was market day so great to watch as we drove through; the amount carried in their heads never ceases to amaze as did the lady with 3 trays of eggs on hers!
As we returned to the hotel for lunch we passed an enormous industrial sized Palm oil plant - with the best cars I have seen in the carpark. I asked William the effect on the little producers - he said there was some but they did work in cooperation.
After a late lunch I went to the pool for my usual swim and relaxed until we went out again at 5.00pm. First stop was the stingless bee centre where we learnt about these little gems and bought some of their honey.
We then walked the track beside the centre looking for our evening dose of birdlife before returning for dinner.

Today some of the birds we saw were :-
white throated, rosy and black bee-eater's, blue headed coucal, after much coaxing a white spotted fluff tail, red rumped tinkerbird, velvet mantled drongo, black and white mannikin and violet backed starling