Barberie

Twenty kilometers south of Saint-Louis is Parc National De La Langue De Barberie, a national park and birding hotspot that straddles the Langue de Barberie peninsula and a section of the mainland. A shared taxi to the sleepy village of Mouit brought us close to the entrance of the park. Areas of the park are accessible only by pirogue and the park office arranged one for us.

At different times of the year, different species of birds use the little islands in the river to breed.  Right now they were primarily taken up by White Pelicans, Grey-headed Gulls and Caspian Terns. We also spotted a few African Spoonbills, Cormorants, Reef Herons and various sandpiper species among others. There were several young ones in the mix and the adults were noisily guarding them. Our boat went around these islands for a closer look, sometimes venturing too close for comfort (of the birds). Visiting as we were with the national parks staff, we found this a little strange. We could clearly see that we were stressing the birds and had to ask the boatman to back off. The birds didn't need loud outboard motors coming close and defeat the very reason they chose these parts for breeding. We also made a stop for a few minutes to enjoy the beach on the Atlantic coast before heading back to park headquarters.

There are a few private resorts along the coast outside the park. The idyllic Zebra Bar which has some rustic shacks and bungalows with views of the river and ocean was a perfect place to relax and have a spot of lunch before we returned to Saint-Louis in the afternoon, holding tightly to our belongings. Welcome to Senegal!