Will have a trip report up soon.
Just a sample for now.
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=4gWHu1l3eSM
Owen
Morocco 31st of May – 8th of June 2008
We flew from Gatwick to Marrakech early on Saturday morning and picked up our hire car upon arrival. To say that our car was the chariot of birding productivity we had hoped for would be a downright lie. It was...quite frankly...a heap. And a constant worry of breakdown was not a help to the naturally stressful state that is driving in morocco.
After ticking off white stork from the airport car park (a long overdue bogey tick for me), our first destination was the ski resort of Oukaimeden in the hopes of connecting with Crimson Winged Finch. On a very cloudy day at 3000 meters this site was quite literally freezing! An amazing situation for the end of May. The finch was not to be sadly, but other good birds seen here included Shore Lark, Rock Sparrow, Alpine and Red billed Chough, Thekla Lark, Black Redstart, Moussiers Redstart, Seebohms Wheatear and Barbary Partridge. With birds such as Black Wheatear, Short toed eagle, Garden Warbler, Common Bulbul, House and Rock Buntings, Quail, Subalpine Warbler, Great spotted and Levaillants Green woodpecker on the way up.
We stayed overnight in the hotel ju ju, a comfortable hotel undergoing refurbishment with truly fabulous food. (Indeed it was probably the best food of the whole trip).
On day 2 we made our way back down the mountains from Oukaimeden and over the Tichka pass nabbing Roller, Bee-eater, Long Legged Buzzard and Western Olivaceous Warbler en route. Indeed Olivaceous Warbler was exceptionally common tack-ing away in every patch of bushes in every ravine. On the opposite side of the Atlas Mountains, down into the arid plains we began to see our first White Crowned Black Wheatears and Desert Larks from the car.
We arrived at the Tagdilt track that evening and drove down the dump track, instantly connecting with Short toed Lark, Lesser short toed Lark, Desert Lark, Bar Tailed Desert Lark, Temmincks Horned Lark, Trumpeter Finch and the awesome looking Thick Billed Lark, all feeding together in a large mixed flock. This flock was closely attended by various plumages of both Red Rumped and Desert Wheatears. We then drove down the Inouene road, turning off after about 8km onto the farm track on the right. This track produced numerous Cream Coloured Coursers and Lanner Falcon.
We stayed in the birder popular Auberge du Soleil Bleu, A very comfortable traditional hotel (that means no booze but nice decor) with excellent food. I have to say that I quite liked the style of these more rustic hotels, no menu just a case of “do you want to eat?” and you get whatever they cook up. And it is always good!
Up in the wee hours the next morning of the 3rd day in the hope of connecting with sandgrouse species. These were unfortunately lacking (despite extensive searching) but we again saw all the birds of the previous evening along with the brilliant Hoopoe Lark. Several Long legged Buzzards and a Lanner Falcon were hunting the area and Desert Wheatears and Red Rumped Wheatears were numerous. We also encountered Cream Coloured coursers with both newly hatched chicks and fully grown Juveniles.
After Breakfast, serenaded by Little Owls and House Buntings on the breakfast veranda, we headed east to the Todra Gorge in the hopes of Mourning Wheatear and Tristrams warbler. Again our target birds were in short supply, with even the local Bonnelli’s eagle avoiding us. The gorge provided spectacular views of Crag Martin and Pallid Swift but little else of note other than spectacular scenery.
We made our way from here to Erfoud and on out towards Erg Chebbi. Our original intention was to stay at derkaua, however we were somewhat hijacked by a Local guide who insisted that the Auberge was pointless at the moment as it was relatively bird less. (The Local Egyptian Nightjars have seemingly moved to a wadi some Kilometres away). We were then guided (Expertly I might add) out through the desert to the Cafe Jasmina arriving in near darkness (a rather hairy experience).
The cafe was exceptionally comfortable with very good food.
Day 4 was again an early start with a short walk across to the camel caravan producing Brown Necked Raven ad our main Target, Desert Sparrow. A truly charming species and easily one of the highlights of the trip. The dried up lake at the back of Jasmina produced several Western Ollys and White Crowned Black Wheatears, as well as Southern Grey Shrike.
Making our way out of the desert we encountered yet more Hoopoe Larks and stopped at the Derkauoa Auberge (Confirming it to be very very birdless) seeing only Woodchat shrike here.
We then drove down to Merzouga and Lake Dayet. This was a fantastic site, and surprisingly full of water. Birds seen here included hundreds of Greater Flamingo and well over 1000 Ruddy Shelduck. Marbled teal were also in abundance, with several Gullbilled and Black Terns patrolling the lake. Waders included Ringed and Kentish Plovers, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Black Winged Stilt.
Making our way north, we checked numerous suitable sites for species such as Desert Warbler and Fulvous Babbler with zero success. However we did encounter numerous Blue Cheeked Bee-eaters and, once we had entered the Ziz valley, phenomenal numbers of Rufous Bush Robins.
We pushed our way through Er racchiddia and back to Boumalne, again staying at the Soleil Bleu with the hope of sandgrouse again in the morning.
Out early onto the Tagdilt again on day 5, we were again disappointed with no sandgrouse in sight. We again had several Thickbilled larks and all the usual species here.
After breakfast we moved on towards Ouarzazate, checking wadis along the way for the Elusive Mourning Wheatear. However, after a ...slight mishap shall we say, regarding someone locking the car keys in the boot of the car, we lost 5 hours between waiting for roadside rescue and a locksmith to cut a key for our predicament.
With a big chunk of time lost we pushed on to the Sous valley, staying the night in the rather Plush Hotel de Salam in Taroudant. This was listed as the most expensive Hotel in taroudant, however this still equated to just 40 Euros per person (you wouldn’t get B’n’B for that in Ireland) and it was well worth it. This was the most incredible hotel I’ve have ever stayed in with awesome grounds and relaxing surroundings....and they served beer! (Always a bonus). Birds in the grounds included Common Bulbul, House Bunting, Kestrel, Western Olivaceous warbler and Common, Pallid and Little swift easily visible above. I cannot recommend this accommodation enough to birders, as apart from the quality of the place, it lays outside the old city walls (and driving in there is a nightmare that is best avoided).
Day 5 was spent mooching around the Sous Valley in search of raptors, connecting easily with numerous Black Shouldered Kites, Lanner Falcons and Barbary Falcons, with numerous booted eagles, Bonnellis eagle, Black Kite and Honey Buzzard also seen. Apart from a distant view of a possible Immature Tawny eagle, we failed to connect with this species at all. It was nonetheless an excellent day, with superb views of all raptors recorded.
Day 6, we made our way towards the coast and the Oued Massa, picking up a close Short toed eagle on the way. The Oued Massa was a superb site and produced numerous new species for the trip. Straight off the bat was a surprise Black Bellied Sandgrouse over the river itself. We then connected with a stunning Black Crowned Tschagra before even entering the national park (beside the pools just before the entrance) and several Laughing Doves in this area also.
Moving into the park, we were delight to see a family of wild Boars feeding by the river, with birds such as Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Moroccan cormorant, Sandwich, Common, Arctic and Black terns, and numerous waders such as Sanderling, Greenshank, Black Tailed Godwit, and Curlew.
We pushed on through the park, my mouth salivating at the prospect of some Seawatching from the watchpoint of Sidi Rabat. I was very impressed by this site. With a handy veranda on the local cafe/hotel making an ideal comfortable site (with supplied refreshments), I felt almost guilty that the usual buttock cramp and starvation that I usually associated with a seawatch was not being observed.
Despite only a few Cory’s Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua seen here (we arrived a few hours too late to make the most of the on shore winds) this site has incredible potential. And is one I would Love to return to and spend a few days exploring.
Making our way back through the park, we bumped into one of the wardens who told us that (for a small fee of course) he could take us to where the Bald Ibises fed. Warning us that it was some kilometres away and that we would have to walk through the desert, we set of south over the river.
Barely a kilometre down the road, I turned to talk to the warden and ask his name. His response was probably the highlight of the trip for me. “My name is Ibram, Please don’t drive over the Bald Ibis”. I turned to see a flock of 17 Bald Ibis walking around on the road, including many juveniles. I was even more surprised to see the warden step out of the car, surely the birds would fly? Nope. They simply walked right by us, affording stunning views. We were very lucky not to have had to walk for these birds as the desert heat at this time of the day was extreme. God damn ugly hideous birds...but extremely enjoyable regardless.
We then returned to the pools picking up a few plain martins at this site.
Again staying in Taroudant, we made our way over the Tizi n Test pass next day in a last ditch effort to connect with Tristrams Warbler and Tawny eagle. Immediately after the turn off the road for Tizi n Test (between Taroudant and Aolouz) is an area of cultivation (on the left hand side, bordered by walls made of dead scrub) we had several singing Tschagras and a Lanner Falcon. The area here seems to be some of the least touched argan steppe, and the hills further down the road on the left look to be a prime watchpoint for raptors ( I was kicking myself for not having found the area sooner).
Over the test pass, we saw very little apart from a few Booted eagles, Peregrine, Subalpine warblers and Crag martins. The valley of Imil and Asni produced Levaillants Green Woodpecker, Golden Oriole and a huge colony of Cattle egrets and a small colony of White Storks.
We flew out from Marrakech the following morning with over 30 Ticks under the belt. Not at al a bad trip. But some of the usual gen is definitely either out of date, or non-applicable beyond April.
A few more shots