@robcrank68.bsky.social has designated today’s #BirdOfTheDay to be #butts. I offer you a Western Grey Plantain Eater enjoying a vigorous bath. 🤣 #gambia #birds

@robcrank68.bsky.social’s #BirdOfTheDay is #LookingAtYou. This Lizard Buzzard is definitely giving me a hard stare! 😀 #gambia #BirdOfPrey

We’re lucky enough to have a nesting pair of Oriole warblers that come to our pool daily. Here they are contemplating a bath. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #birdingphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds

We’re always happy to see our Western Bluebills. This female is showing off her beautiful white belly spots. @balabacamp.bsky.social #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

A very damp and disheveled African Pygmy #kingfisher after diving for insects in our bird pool. @balabacamp.bsky.social #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds #nature

My contribution to the #BirdOfTheDay theme #Mr&Mrs. A pair of Western Bluebills at our bird bowl. The female is on the right. #gambia #birds #BirdPhotography

A rather beautiful Yellow-throated leaflove taking a look around. 😍 @balabacamp.bsky.social #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #birds #nature

The Violet turacos is one of Balaba Nature Camp’s most stunning visitors. This beauty is showing off its iridescent plumage with just a hint of its red under feathers. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlife #birds #nature

Our field guide describes the Western Bluebill as ‘uncommon’ so we’re delighted that we have a nesting pair here at Balaba Nature Camp. Here you can see the male taking a bath and the female enjoying a snack. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #birdingphotography #wildlifephotography #birds #nature

@alan678.bsky.social has chosen ‘any bird with grey’ for today’s #BirdOfTheDay. Here’s a Western grey plantain eater having a vigorous bath in a very small bowl! 🤣 #birds #birdphotography

No photo yesterday as we were out on the Allahein river watching the birds (and crocodiles!). Today’s bird is the beautiful Lavender waxbill. 😍 #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

@alan678.bsky.social has designated today’s #BirdOfTheDay is ‘swan’. The alternative is a bird on a post. Here’s a little Buff-spotted #woodpecker near our bird pool in The Gambia. #birds #gambia #birdphotography

A pair of Snowy-crowned robinchats checking out our pool area. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #birdingphotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

Surprisingly, the Hooded #vulture is #endangered so it’s nice that we have our own resident vultures. This one likes to sit on the roof of our house. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay from @alan678.bsky.social is #paddling. Here’s a Shikra taking a dip in our Gambian bird pool. #gambia #birding #birdofprey #birdphotography

This Agama lizard was resting on a roof beam in our bird hide in The Gambia. #gambia #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #nature #reptile #reptilesofinstagram

A rather beautiful White-crowned Robinchat taking a look around our Gambia compound. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

We often hear the Common Wattle-eye around the compound but we don’t often get a clear view. This little beauty was surveying the garden area. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds #nature

Oops! It’s tricky to keep your balance in the wind with such a long tail! 😳 A Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher on a windy day! #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #naturephotography #birds #nature

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay today chosen by @alan678.bsky.social is #green. This greenfinch is decidedly unimpressed with the rain. 🤣 #birds

It’s hard to believe how loudly the Pied Crows can call until you’ve heard them. They are incredibly noisy! 😳 #birdwatching #gambia #birding #birdingphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

All #Gambian glossy starlings have stunning colours. This Purple Glossy Starling is demonstrating why it’s called ‘glossy’. 😉 #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #birds

I was so busy trying to photograph the White-crowned Robinchat that at first I didn’t even notice the African Beauty snake photobombing in front of it! 🤣 #birdwatching #gambia #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds

A male Violet-Backed #starling showing off his stunning plumage. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

A crowd at the bird bowl, including Lavender Waxbills, red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu, a Little Weaver and. Western Bluebill. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #birdingphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

Today’s #BirdIfTheDay from @robcrank68.bsky.social is ‘Any bird with three or more colours’. Here’s a White-crowned Robinchat demonstrating three colours beautifully. 😉

The theme for #BirdOfTheDay is ‘Any bird having a bath’. Here’s a Western Grey Plantain Eater squeezing into a small bowl for its bath. 🤣 #gambia #birdwatching #birdphotography @robcrank68.bsky.social

A pretty little Yellow White-Eye taking a look around. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

#birdoftheday theme today is #notabranch. Here’s a male Buff-spotted #woodpecker ready to take a dip in our clay bird bowl. @robcrank68.bsky.social #gambia #birds #birdphotography

A rather beautiful Nile Monitor lizard at our bird pool in The Gambia. #gambia #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #nature

Just discovered #birdoftheday with @robcrank68.bsky.social Today’s theme is a bird with yellow on it. I’m offering a Yellow-throated leaflove seen at our bird pool in The Gambia. #birds #birdphotography

Got some fabulous #fungus growing in our garden in mid Devon. I think this is Parasol fungus - check out the tennis ball for size comparison!

We’re lucky enough to see the Lizard Buzzard regularly at our bird pool at Balaba Nature Camp. Here it’s checking it’s safe to take a bath. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #birdsofprey #naturephotography #birds #nature

We’re always happy to see the little Buff-Spotted #Woodpecker when he comes for a bath. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #birds

The African Golden Oriole is a fairly regular visitor to our Gambian bird camp, especially when there are ripe berries to be enjoyed. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

One of our quieter visitors, the Grey-Headed Bristlebill likes to come later in the day when the noisier birds have gone. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds

The Shikra is a daily visitor to Balaba Nature Camp in The Gambia. It usually enjoys the pool to itself while the other birds watch on. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #birdsofprey #wildlife #birds #nature

A male Red-Bellied Paradise #Flycatcher showing off his spectacular tail. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

We’re lucky enough to have Red #Hornbills nesting in our birding lodge in The Gambia. This one is foraging on the ground. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #birds #nature

It’s not only birds that like to drink at our bird pool in The Gambia. This Ground squirrel is a daily visitor too. #gambia #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #nature

A White-Crowned Robinchat checking out its surroundings at our bird pool area in The Gambia. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds

The beautiful little African Pygmy #Kingfisher is a daily visitor during the rainy season, and comes fairly regularly at other times. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds #nature #birdsofbluesky

I can’t understand why humans feel the need to shoot birds like grouse. Just take a look at these beautiful drawings by Benji. It’s not only the grouse that suffer but other wildlife too. ☹️

We see the Blackcap Babblers most days but I never get tired of seeing their beautiful blue eyes. 😍 #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlife #birds #nature

I know times are hard but if you’re able, please support Benji in his bid to raise money for four charities.

A little group of Bronze Mannikins sharing a branch. #birdwatching #gambia #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

We occasionally see Blue-Cheeked Bee Eaters flying over our compound in The Gambia but this photo was taken in Kartong where I got a bit closer. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #birdingphotography #wildlife #birds #nature

Getting a bit crowded around the bird bowl when the Brown Babblers descend in force! #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #BirdingCommunity #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds

Speckled Pigeons often nest in our roof space, which can be annoying when they make a racket early in the morning! But they’re so beautiful it’s difficult to be too frustrated. #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #BirdingCommunity #wildlife #naturephotography #birds #nature

The rim of the bird bowl was too crowded for this Village Weaver to get a place. So it sat underneath and drank from the run-off instead. Very clever! #birdwatching #gambia #birdphotography #birding #wildlifephotography #wildlife #naturephotography #birds