some people just rock

I found an internet website that lists "birding pals." I didn't know what to expect, but I shot off emails to the two people listed for Senegal.

Here's an email i got back (and Michele, after your natural history classes, don't you wish you were coming with me!). What's remarkable is his specificity, enthusiasm, and helpfulness - offering his brother-in-law to take me around? Wow. Of course, I have a miserable time taking advantage of people's helpfulness usually, but I often force myself because it enrichens me so.

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Don't miss the opportunity to do some birdwatching in Senegal. The local birdlist is about 630 birds. Dakar itself has some surprisingly species-rich wetland areas in the middle of the city, which have produced flamingo, little bittern, black crake and painted snipe. Also in Dakar don't miss a visit to National Park 'Iles de La Madeleine' where you may find birds like osprey, bridled tern, and red-billed tropicbird as well as rare trees such as the dwarf baobab. The Small Cost (Petite Côte), South of Dakar, has landscapes that are dominated by the Senegalese national tree, the giant baobab, a biotope on itself, in which many different bird species nest, including mottled spinetail, vulture species and the rare pied-winged swallow. The coastal plains regularly have sparrow-larks, Temminck's courser, cream-colored courser and black-headed lapwing. The rocky hill-sides may produce spectacular panoramic views and sightings of the famous stone partridge, the dark chanting goshawk or the stunning cinnamon-breasted bunting. The sine Saloum river delta (including Sine Saloum National Park), a vast area with mangroves (home to the huge python of Seba), has feverish swamps, woodlands and tree savannas. More than ten different heron species are found there. The further you go south, the denser the wooded savannas and forest patches become, with fauna and the entire flora changing rapidly in accordance. Fatala Forest, at a few kilometers from the border with The Gambia, hosts most if not all of the typical 'Guinean' forest species, including green touraco, spotted honeyguide, longcrested eagle and Bruce's green pigeon to name just a few.
In the north, of course you have the Djoudj national parc and a few other national parcs, all very interesting for waterbirds and european winter-migrants. So it all depends how much time you have [insert my name here]. As a field guide I recommend "Birds of Africa South of the Sahara" by Sinclair and Ryan. I can email you a checklist if you like in both french and english. If you are looking for a birdwatcher to accompany you, it is unlikely that I will be available that time of the year (I will visit my father in Belgium) but I am sure my brother-in-law would be happy to help you organize your birdwatching and accompany you. He is a birder too and knows all the good spots very well. Just let me know the days that you would like to do birdwatching and we will make a plan.