Today was the day we hoped to see the elusive yellow headed PICATHARTES or rock fowl.
As we visit the nesting site as it roosts we didn't have to be at Bonkuru village until around 2pm.
That said we we up at our normal time and after breakfast went to the Abrafo Forest near Kakum to see what we could find and were rewarded after ferreting around in thick bushes with seeing the blue shouldered robin chat and Purvel's Illadopsis - a small yellow/green/brown bird with a more attractive name than appearance! We then walked down a track again watching the comings and goings and passing uprooted palms being drained of their sap which trickled into small plastic containers and then used to produce a type of local gin - we also passed the small distilling operations. On the healthier side we also passed small banana and plantain plantations. After a good few hours birding we went back to the hotel, collected our bags and packed lunch and headed off to Bonkuru. As we made good time and would arrive too early we took a quick walk up a forest track and found a long tailed hawk and a blue cuckoo-shrike.
Now on time we headed off to the villages - there are actually two who look after the Picathartes sites in conjunction and with the support of Ashanti tours. To preserve the future of the bird Ashanti along with the money we pay for the trips are going to build a new school to ensure the children understand the benefits of preservation as well as learning other life skills.
The villages were quite poor compared to others we have seen - one of their crops is cocoa - as I saw the beans being tended while drying in the sun.
As we drove through the first village we collected one young lad who was going to be one of our guides and when we got to the other there seemed a queue to be the other with arguments breaking out between the men - we were whisked off and William went off to discuss with them and eventually caught up with us accompanied by an older more mature man. For part of the walk we were accompanied by some lovely children who were practicing their English - which was excellent - they turned off and looked as if they were heading off for a swim somewhere as they had a few towels with them.
We walked up to the site which was open and clear and told where the bird would come - so I spent time, got my camera primed and waited. We were told they usually return between 1530 and 1630 so before this time a took a photograph of its nest on the rock overhangs - it was made of mud and like an enlarged swallows nest (today's photo). 1630 passed and it had still not arrived 1730 came and went with still no sign. The guides had a 'con flab' and William said 'It's not 6 yet we are going to another site' I followed as we made what can only be said to be a made sweat inducing dash with a final steep uphill to another site and after resigning myself to not seeing Picathartes I saw one hop on to a rock to my right and 3 others were coming and going to my left. The light was fading fast but I was able to take a short video of it hopping over the rocks then flying up to its nest just under the overhanging rock and getting inside. Phew - much relief and perspiration all round we made it and saw what can only be described as a unique bird! We now however had to make it back down to the village after a short stop to see if we could find the Acun Eagle owl which we heard then saw the shape of in the fork of a large tree. The rest of the journey was not uneventful as we tripped over tree roots and I found to my horror that the sharp pains under my trousers were caused by an invasion of black ants. The only solution was to drop my trousers and kill ever last one of the little monsters who had taken the wrong turn when we step into them on the trail. Finally we got back to the village and were reunited with Pres our driver. We said thank you and tipped our two guides while William paid a rather excitable man from the communities who was collecting the fees; he then insisted on a lift back to his village - which was initially resisted but then William relented but an uneasy peace remained.
Having dropped the men off we had another 2 hour drive to Kumasi and our overnight stop. William called ahead and we had a vegetable pizza was awaiting our 10 pm arrival. We consumed some not all and then were off to bed as even with luxury of a 6am breakfast tomorrow we still need some time for sound sleep.
What an adventurous day - it had lots of twists, turns, ups and downs both literally and metaphorically!