Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Peterborough

Tomorrow is Thawsday according to the forecasts so I made the most of the ice and snow at lunchtime today.

The birds and squirrel were feeding on Yew in the Cathedral grounds, where there were 5 species of thrush, and the ice sculptures were nearby and in Bishop's Road Gardens.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis


Song Thrush Turdus philomelos


Blackbird Turdus merula







Canon Powershot SX10IS

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Bollards...

...no Shag at Peterborough Town Bridge and Embankment today.



Canon Powershot SX10IS

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Snow Boar

Or should that be snow bore. A bit of snow and we can't stop talking about it. Anyway it is rather lovely and I really liked these captive Boars at Ring Haw today.







Canon Powershot SX10IS

Starling

Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Morocco species lists

Click here for the full account of the trip.

Birds (98 species)
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - c.200 on Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Shoveler Anas clypeata - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris - 30-40 Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Pochard Aythya ferina - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara - 1 around highest trees near Oukaimeden
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides - 4 at Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis - In towns with running rivers; up to 100 in Goulmima
Little Egret Egretta garzetta - singles in a few places
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Black Stork Ciconia nigra - 2 at Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus - small flock at Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus - One hunting SE of Marrakech
Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus - 1 near adult just below Oukaimeden
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus - 4 at Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus - singles in many places
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus - singles in desert areas and 3 in Boumalne Tip area, a dozen or more in all
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos - 1 immature flew over Boumalne Tip heading for the Anti Atlas
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus - fairly common in and around towns
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus erlangeri - 5 in total, mainly singles but 2 together west of Erfoud
Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides - 1 juvenile hunting finches at Oukaimeden
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus - 3 at Rissani
Common Coot Fulica atra - c.100 Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - 2 on running river west of Erfoud
Phalarope sp. Phalaropus sp. - 5 on Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus - Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus - c.30 over calling at Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis - c.40 on Tagdilt Steppe
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon Columba livia - scattered in and around towns with presumed wild birds at Oukaimeden
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus - 2 in High Atlas valley
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto - fairly common in towns
Laughing Dove Stigmatopelia senegalensis - small numbers around Erg Chebbi hotels and palm groves near Erfoud and Rissani
Little Owl Athene noctua - 1 in El Keela M'Gouna at night
Levaillant's Woodpecker Picus vaillantii - 1 female feeding by the road in High Atlas valley
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major - 1 calling near Restaurant Soleil in High Atlas valley
Greater Hoopoe-Lark Alaemon alaudipes - fairly common in desert areas
Thick-billed Lark Ramphocoris clotbey - 3 at Boumalne Tip
Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cinctura - fairly common north of Merzouga and 3 at Boumalne Tip
Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti - small numbers in most desert areas; birds in eastern sandier desert paler than those in stony desert further west
Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens - 5+ at Boumalne Tip
Crested Lark Galerida cristata - Small numbers in desert areas; at least 2 races involved
Thekla Lark Galerida theklae - a few in rocky desert areas especially near edge of foothills
Skylark Alauda arvensis - several at Boumalne Tip
Atlas Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris atlas - 1 at Oukaimeden
Temminck's Lark Eremophila bilopha - fairly common on Tagdilt Steppe
Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris - common around damper oueds and rocky gorges
Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula - c.20 feeding over the pool at Rissani and 1 SE of Erfoud
Swallow Hirundo rustica - 1 at km43 east of Goulmima
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis - 1 at Oukaimeden
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea - 1 in High Atlas valley
White Wagtail Motacilla alba - ubiquitous; in all habitats from dry desert to towns and valleys; most assumed to be alba but distinctive call from those at Dayet Srij probably indicated subpersonata
Garden Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus - fairly common in and around palm grove and vegetated valleys
Dipper Cinclus cinclus - 2 at Oukaimeden
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes - at top of High Atlas valley
Robin Erithacus rubecula - at top of High Atlas valley
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - several at Oukaimeden; singles in cultivated areas near towns
Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri - a pair at km43 east of Goulmina
Stonechat Saxicola torquatus - small numbers scattered throughout scrubby desert areas
Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta - common on Iknounen road and small numbers in surrounding desert areas
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti - small numbers in deserts wsouth of Erfoud
Maghreb Wheatear Oenanthe halophila - 1 male by road 2km west of Riad Timadrouin
White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga - very common outside of the mountains; 1-200 seen throughout
Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura - several in High Atlas foothills and adjacent rocky desert
Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius - small numbers in rocky places and outskirts of towns
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus - 30 of the torquatus race on hillside in High Atlas above last settlement before Oukaimeden
Blackbird Turdus merula - Erfoud town, Todra Gorge and High Atlas
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus - Several at Oukaimeden, including some singing
Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti - 1 at pool in Rissani
Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta - up to 5, possibly a family party, at km43 east of Goulmima
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla - several in Todra Gorge
African Desert Warbler Sylvia deserti - 1 at fossil digging on Kasbar Said road from Erfoud, another possible north of Kasbar Said and good views of a singing male in south of the Kasbar
Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata - 2 at the fossil diggings on the Kasbar Said road and 2 at km43 east of Goulmima
Tristram's Warbler Sylvia deserticola - 2 in tamarisks at the north end of the Erg Chebbi hotels
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala - 2 at south end of shortcut to Goulmima and several along High Atlas valley
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita - fairly common and widespread
Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla - several at top of High Atlas valley
Ultramarine Tit Cyanistes (teneriffae) ultramarinus - at Oukaimeden and along the High Atlas valley
Great Tit Parus major - Oukaimeden
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis elegans - regular in deserts and suburbs
Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus - many at Oukaimeden
Red Billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax - many at Oukaimeden
Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis - up to 16 in the deserts north of Merzouga but large numbers only seen early morning
Raven Corvus corax - 2 in High Atlas north of Oukaimeden
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor - common in and around Marrakech
House Sparrow Passer domesticus - very common around habitation throughout
Desert Sparrow Passer simplex - a pair at Cafe Caravan with up to 6 seen in the area by another birder
Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - c.30 at Oukaimeden
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs - European race common at Oukaimeden, singles of African race seen around Ait Mannsour and in lower part of High Atlas valley
Serin Serinus serinus - Todra Gorge, High Atlas valley and Oukaimeden
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis - around Ait Mannsour on Tizi n Tichka pass
Linnet Carduelis cannabina - c.200 at Oukaimeden
African Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys alienus - c.300 at Oukaimeden, near bottom of long ski lift at dawn then later dispersed higher along the track
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus - 50 at pool on Kasbar Said road from Erfoud; 12 on northern edge of Merzouga town
Rock Bunting Emberiza cia - 1 at highest settlement below Oukaimeden
House Bunting Emberiza sahari - quite unobtrousive but present in most towns and at Boumalne Tip; one inside airport departure lounge after dark
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra - singles at Boumalne Tip and along Route d l'Ourika south of Marrakech

Mammals
Fat Sand Rat Psammomys obesus - many at Boumalne Tip
Gundi Ctenodactylus gundi/vali - at Boumalne Tip
Jird Meriones (Pallasiomys) sp. - one or two in desert areas
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes - 1 on cliffs west of rissani

Amphibians
African Green Toad Bufo boulengeri - Damp wadi west of Rissani

Lepidoptera
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui - very common
Moroccan Orange-tip Anthocharis belia - 1 at Boumalne
Clouded Yellow Colias croceus - several
Also unidentfied Apollo and Fritillary species in mountains

Four Days in the Moroccan Deserts

Earlier this year I found a couple of days leave I'd forgotten I had, tucked down the back of the sofa. With this unexpected good fortune I started formulating plans to cash in my cycling credits on a CO2 busting assault on the Moroccan deserts and quickly had a few people interested in joining the venture.

Another bit of good fortune was Dave Gosney bringing out his updated guide to the desert areas which took a huge amount of effort out of the planning. We aimed to cover most of the area SE of Marrakech in just four days. Could we do it and what might we see? Read on...

Day 1 - Friday, 4 Dec 2009

Actually the trip started the previous day with an uneventful afternoon flight from East Midlands to Marrakech. East Midlands is a very relaxed affair compared to Stansted and we were soon winging our way over the Isle of Wight, Brest peninsular, Bay of Biscay, Picos de Europa and Algarve before getting our first sight of Africa as the sun set over the Atlantic to the west.

Isle of Wight


Marrakech from the air looking east with the airport just on the right of the shot.


Immigration and car hire formalities out of the way, at 19:30 we started our long overnight drive to the eastern dunes. We saw very little on the drive east. A Fox sp (Ruppel's or Fennec) showed in the headlights briefly 20km east Ouazazate and the driver saw a Little Owl in El Keela M'Gouna. Somewhere on the descent from the High Atlas we spotted the rear end of what looked like a large pig trotting down a track out of sight - Wild Boar?

A brief stop for a hour's kip just east of Boumalne was the only interuption in the 11 hour drive before we finally detected the first signs of dawn around Rissani. The light quickly improved as we headed south from here towards Merzouga and the first real bird of the trip revealled itself at 06:30; Brown-necked Raven feeding on a roadkill Jerboa species. There were up to 16 of these between here and Merzouga and it was a lifer for all of the team, as were the next four species: Bar-tailed Desert Lark, Hoopoe Lark, White-crowned Black Wheatear and Trumpeter Finch. Crikey!

Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cinctura



Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes


The Trumpeters were in a very bird rich area near the football pitch on the northern edge of Merzouga village. Also here: c.10 Hoopoe Larks, 1 Crested Lark (suitably pale and long-billed - radonii or macrorhyncha?), 4-5 Bar-tailed Desert Larks, 4 White-crowned Black Wheatears, Desert Weatear, Southern Grey Shrike, House Sparrows and White Wagtails.

White-crowned Black Wheatears would prove to be very common and we saw a couple of hundred or more in total. One of them here hopped up very close to the car. This was to become a feature of the deserts but more of that later.

A cream-crowned Marsh Harrier passed by heading for the lake which was our next stop.

Dayet Srij (Lake Merzouga)
We took a track west past the football pitch that led over a low ridge to reveal a huge lake with plenty of water present and clearly rather a lot of birds. Sorting these out was to take quite some time and reveal a few surprises. Some trips have walked around the lake and that might be worth the extra time but we just scoped it from the eastern shore.

Present in large numbers were Ruddy Shelduck (c.200) and Coot (c.100). Also on the water 30-40 Marbled Duck, Shoveler, Pochard, Little and Great Crested Grebes and the first surprise, 5 Phalaropes feeding close together near the middle. These were rather distant so are best left unidentified but it seems Red-necked have been recorded here.

The margins held Grey Herons, the odd Little Egret, 4 Squacco Herons, a few Cormorants, including some pale fronted presumed maroccanus, and another surprise, 2 Black Storks. It was a little while before we noticed a few 10s of Greater Flamingos on the far shore when they all put their heads up behind some reeds.

Around the reservoir 4 Marsh Harriers hunted, there were many White Wagtails, some giving a distinctive buzzing call unlike any other M. alba calls and perhaps indicitive of subpersonata, 1 Long-legged Buzzard, giving us our first taste of this species' upright, falcon-like jizz when perched, and a few Black-headed Gulls. A presumed Lanner hunting on the far side was followed by a definite male perched on the ridge close to the tracks.

Lanner Falco biarmicus erlangeri


We had our first stroke of real luck here with a party of c.30 Crowned Sandgrouse that flew over close by calling. More Sandgrouse were seen on the far side of the lake but were unidentifiable.

The first of many Painted Ladies seen during the trip showed here.

A brief stop for supplies in Merzouga town revealed Common Kestrel, House Sparrows, Crag Martins and Feral Pigeon.

Merzouga, a wild-west style town


A truly barren landscape in places


Approaching the Erg Chebbi from Merzouga



Travelling north along the edge of the Erg Chebbi past the hotels we saw Collared Doves, 4 Stonechats and several Laughing Doves and had our first taste of the Erg Chebbi up close.

Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis


Erg Chebbi



As we neared the northern edge of the dunes we picked up some showy White-crowned Black Wheatears, another Desert Wheatear and found 2 Tristram's Warblers in tamarisks with 2 Chiffchaffs.

Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti, male


Tristram's Warbler Sylvia deserticola


White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga



While watching the Tristram's Warblers we had left the doors to the car open and two first-winter White-crowned Black Wheatears were feeding on, under and inside the car. We began to notice during our time in the desert areas that stopping the car anywhere near WCB Wheatears would cause them to come and feed on the car. They have clearly learned that insects are killed or attracted to cars and are making use of this.

White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga, first-winter feeding in car


Continuing our trip around to the northern edge of the Erg Chebbi we began searching in earnest for Desert Sparrows. We stopped at several camel holdings without any luck and were approached by a chap from the Cafe Caravan who said they had been at his place but for some reason we decided to carry on to Cafe Jasmina across the totally dry lake bed. Then we struck very lucky indeed. While checking a large group of Camels we met Gary and his wife, who were staying there on their honeymoon. He had seen 5 sparrows at Caravan early on but none just now. However one had been showing minutes before at Jasmina. We headed there with the intention of having lunch and watching out for the bird.

Shortly after we arrived Gary drove up behind us to say there were two birds back at Caravan so we headed back there with him. We followed him back and just as we got there a really pale male Lanner swooped in a took prey from a Common Kestrel. However the real show was to follow and we are eternally grateful to Gary and his missus for making the trip back to get us.

The pair of Desert Sparrows perfomed fantastically well around some Bedouin rugs hung out in a patch of sand strewn with camel dung.

Desert Sparrow Passer simplex (with thanks to Gary and his wife)
Male



Female


Desert Sparrow and paparazzi


We ended up staying here for a very late lunch, chatting to Gary, his wife and the owner of Cafe Caravan over our first 'Berber Whisky', the hot, sweet mint tea of the area. Our first Tagine eventually turned up but it was worth the wait and not just because it was our first proper meal for over 24 hours.

Cafe Caravan



With just a few hours of daylight left we reluctantly moved on and headed through Rissani, encountering another Long-legged Buzzard on the way. Then we stopped at a small pool, well surrounded by vegetation and starting to dry out, that seemed to be used as a bit of a cesspit. Anyway the birds seemed to love it and it was the Common Bulbuls that first attracted us to it.

Otherwise there were 3 Moorhens, White Wagtails, House Sparrows, a Black Redstart, many Chiffchaffs, a House Bunting (not seen by me), 2 Laughing Doves, Collared Doves and a Cetti's Warbler scalding a cat as it moved through the low vegetation.

Then we took a closer look at the hirundines wheeling overhead and realised they were Rock Martins, an unexpected tick for all of us. The paler impression and lack of covert contrast were quite clear once you got your eye in.

Heading west from Rissani we encountered Southern Grey Shrike, Black Redstart, Crested Lark and a small mammal that was probably a Jird species, just before a river with a decent amount of water flowing. Here were Grey Heron, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Little Egret, Pied Wagtails, Crested Larks, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Common Bulbuls and a Long-legged Buzzard.

Time was now against us and we were rather tired as we valiantly attempted to reach the Eagle Owl site a bit further to the west. But despite a heroic hike out to the cliffs the light was failing fast and we only managed to find a couple of large sparrow roosts in lone bushes and a Red Fox before it got too dark. The only hint was a distant call that could have been Eagle Owl from even further along the ridge.

We headed back to the car encountering this Green Toad on the way and found a hotel in Erfoud where we went over notes and photos in the bar which served beer accompanied by olives, nuts and meat nibbles. An excellent end to our first day in Africa.

African Green Toad Bufo boulengeri


Day 2 - Saturday, 5 Dec 2009

The Hotel Tafilalet did us proud at breakfast and as dawn broke we were treated to the sight of 15 Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret passing overhead. There were also plenty of House Sparrows, Feral Pigeons, a White Wagtail and Blackbird over along with a Sparrowhawk.





We headed out of town on the desert road SE towards Kasbar Said pausing only briefly to admire the plastic bags soaring majestically (and confusingly) over the hills. Our first stop was at the fossil diggings where once again White-crowned Black Wheatear took advantage of our car.

White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga



As we pulled up a small bird flitted up from the base of an adjacent bush and with everyone out of the car in record time showed itself briefly to be a Desert Warbler. Unfortunately that was more or less the last we saw of it and despite a thorough search we only came up with a couple of Spectacled Warblers, more White-crowned Black Wheatears and a Jird, probably Sundeval's Jird.

Presumed Sundeval's Jird Meriones crassus


Undetered, we headed south again but didn't get far as there were masses of birds at a drinking pool where the road bends right; c.50 Trumpeter Finches, 6 Desert Larks, a White Wagtail and a lone Rock Martin.

Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus





Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti, very variable colouration - pale like this one in the south but darker and more heavily marked nearer the Atlas


Pushing south again past Desert Wheatear and Long-legged Buzzard we saw another glimpse of a probable Desert Warbler just north of the Kasbar Said but the main show was to be in the scruby sand-filled wadi just to the south. Here a male sang and showed very well, while there were Desert and Hoopoe Larks around as well.

Desert Warbler Sylvia (nana) deserti


We decided to move back north now to try for Scrub Warbler. On leaving Erfoud on the Jorf road we found a pair of Blue Rock Thrushes getting frisky on the walls of a building; "luvly jubly" as the friendly Moroccan who stopped to talk to us said when he found out we were from England. Obviously impressions of the English are formed from documentaries such as Only Fools and Horses!

A pair of Lanners were stooping at each other 5-10km further on, a Long-legged Buzzard showed and there were Common Bulbuls and a couple of Laughing Doves on the edge of palm groves.

More Moroccan bonhomie was to be encountered as we pootled through Jorf. A sharp bit of metal on the road resulted in instant deflation for one tyre and four team members alike. But we needn't have worried. In seconds there were many offers of help, either with wheel changing or with getting the tyre fixed. As it happened there was a mechanic just across the road and in 15 minutes we were back on our way with the spare tyre on and the puncture mended and tyre reinflated. We had to haggle with the mechanic, but in reverse. He wouldn't take any money at first but we managed to beat him up to 40 Dirham (c.£3.30!). What a great country! I even got a lifer out of it as a couple of House Buntings showed along with a few Common Bulbuls and a couple of Clouded Yellows.

The route took us past Bedouin wells, more Camels and several Southern Grey Shrikes, the ever present White-crowned Black Wheatears and a few Desert Larks were seen.





We then took a promising-looking shortcut between the Erfoud-Tinejdad road and Goulmima. One stop produced 3 Stonechats, 2 Sardinian Warblers, a Southern Grey Shrike and Long-legged Buzzard.

Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis elegans


East of Goulmima, at the Errachidia 43/4km post we parked by the wadi, prepared to walk out to the bushes described in the Gosney guide, but only got a couple of hundred yards before we encountered the first Scrub Warbler. This turned out to be one of the most entertaining stops of the trip as up to 5 Scrub Warblers (perhaps a family party) showed fantastically well along with a pair of Moussier's Redstarts (to be the only ones of the trip surprisingly), 3 Spectacled Warblers, 4 Stonechats, a Southern Grey Shrike, a Kestrel, a Swallow and a rather short-billed Crested Lark. A large flock of small birds further up the wadi could well have been Lesser Short-toed Larks and there were more Painted Ladies, a small lizard and a Jird species.

Scrub Warbler Scotocerca inquieta theresae



Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri
Male



Female


Returning through Goulmima we noticed up to 100 Cattle Egrets roosting on the roofs of the taller buildings. Refueling on the eastern edge of Tinejdad a Blue Rock Thrush showed and leaving the town on the western side we got our best views so far of House Bunting.

A Cattle Egret and a Sparrowhawk greeted us as we drove into Tinihir and began a late evening drive up the Todra Gorge. there were plenty of Crag Martins here and the vegetated lower parts had Serin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Redstart and Common Bulbul. 2 Blue Rock Thrushes were higher up as the light began to fail.

Bottom of Todra Gorge


We stayed at the very reasonably priced Chez Christophe on the west side of Tinihir. Good food but bring a pillow substitute as the ones here felt like they were filled with concrete.



Day 3 - Sunday, 6 Dec 2009

Woke to the sound of House Bunting calling outside the hotel somewhere. Another excellent breakfast and we were on our way past more White-crowned Black Wheatears, Southern Grey Shrikes and Stonechats until the 18km post from Tinihir. Here we encountered our first Red-rumped Wheatears, a pair, along with 3-4 Thekla Larks and a Desert Lark (darker than the ones further southeast).

Thekla Lark Galerida theklae


Driving through Riad Timadrouin revealed a Sparrowhawk and Serin but just 2km further west was the next treat; a spanking male Mourning Wheatear. We also saw 5 Black Wheatears here and another of the darker Desert Larks.

Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens, male




Mourning Wheatear site


Our next stop was the rubbish tip outside Boumalne. The first birds were right by the main road at the 48km marker but there were many scattered throughout the tip area. Temminck's Larks were among the most numerous with plenty of Skylarks and White Wagtails, several Thekla Larks, 5 Lesser Short-toed Larks, 3 Bar-tailed Desert Larks, 2 Desert Larks, 2 Thick-billed Larks, Red-rumped Wheatears and 3 Long-legged Buzzards. With a Hoopoe Lark a bit further along the track that made 8 species of lark here. We also had a jammy flyover Golden Eagle.

Thick-billed Lark Rhamphocoris clotbey


Temminck's Horned Lark Eremophila bilopha


Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta, male



Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus cirtensis


The tip area was bristling with entertaining Fat Sand Rats.

Fat Sand Rat Psammomys obesus




Driving further along the Tagdilt Track produced scattered Temminck's, Desert and Thekla Larks but was otherwise rather uneventful until we got to an area on the NE edge of the first hills. Here a Lanner was chasing Hoopoe Larks and about 40 Black-bellied Sandgrouse were seen feeding and in flight.

Returning along the metalled Iknouinen Road there were many Red-rumped Wheatears and we ended up back at the spot where we had kipped for a few hours on the drive through the first night.

Middle of nowhere?




It was about 13:00 by now and with a long drive across the Atlas ahead of us we turned west through Boumalne where more Crag Martins and Common Bulbul were encountered along with a Moroccan Orange-tip.




More White-crowned Black Wheatears, Southern Grey Shrikes, Crag Martins, Cattle Egrets and Blue Rock Thrush accompanied the drive into the foothills, with a Little Egret on the river at El Keela. Black Wheatears started appearing on the drive up into the mountains where Chiffchaff and Common Bulbul were in the valley.




With the last of the light on the descent from Tizi-n-Tichka we saw a few Goldfinches and a cracking male African Chaffinch right by the road.

We had noticed another tyre was going down so stopped to get that pumped up before heading up into the moutains again. Once more the garage we stopped at wouldn't take anything without coercion and gave us excellent directions for the shortcut across to the mountain road.

We arrived at the Oukaimeden ski resort at 20:00 to find it pretty well shut but managed to knock on a window and get the attention of the guys at Chez Juju, where the first reaction was come and join our meal! In the end we had a three course one of our own with beer and berber whisky while reading the bird log the hotel keeps.

Day 4 - Monday, 7 Dec 2009

Up at dawn before breakfast but in the mountains the light was reluctant to say the least. The birds on the other hand were magnificent. It was bitterly cold as we walked across ice to the ski lifts opposite the hotel while Choughs flew over in large flocks high above. At the bottom of the long ski lift were c.300 Crimson-winged Finches lining the cables. They just kept arriving and many were feeding in the compound of the small building just past the lift gear. The light was unfortunately very poor for photography and when we returned later the birds had dispersed up the hill a short way and were far less obliging. If you are after the finches here, do visit at dawn as the views were amazing.

Crimson-winged Finch Rhodopechys sanguinea


About 30 Rock Sparrows and 200 Linnets also vied for our attention but that was then captured by a young Barbary Falcon making repeated passes through the flocks with a dashing Merlin-like flight. This bird obligingly perched up in full view a couple of times giving us a great opportunity to study the diagnostic features.

Also around here were Black Redstarts, Chaffinches (European style), White Wagtails, Rock Doves, Mistle Thrush and there were 2 Dippers in the small stream.

We returned to the hotel for breakfast which was taken outside in the very sunny but still very cold conditions. Linnets, Great Tit, Ultramarine Tits, Chaffinches, Black Redstart, Blackbird, a Meadow Pipit and hoards of Alpine and Red-billed Choughs were on show throughout.

Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus


Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax


Views of Oukaimeden










We took another walk back up to see the finches but they were much flightier and very difficult to photograph. A single Atlas Horned Lark showed briefly but we decided to move on.

The slow tyre had gone down overnight so another wheel change (again with local assistance) saw the repaired tyre pressed into service for the run back to Marrakech.

Only a little way past the manned barrier on the way down, next to a huge vertical rocky face on the right hand side, we encountered a near-adult Lammergeier which treated us to extraordinary extended views. this was followed very soon after by a pair of Common Ravens circling.

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus



The view back down to the plains


But the good fortune wasn't to end there, or even with the Barbary Partridge seen well by the side of the road among some of the first pines on the descent.

Shortly after that, just above the first buildings encountered on the descent, the bank was alive with Ring Ouzels. About 30 were noisily flitting about the junipers. There were also several Barbary Ground Squirrels about here, Mistle Thrushes, Serin and a Rock Bunting.

Descending further we encountered a few Firecrests at a bend across a broad gully where there were also Common Bulbul calling and we had Wren and Robin.

Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus


A few kilometers further on the road crossed the valley again to head east on the south side of the river and we were passing through small settlements making frequent stops to look for woodpeckers. At one of these we spotted another birder, a friendly Spanish chap and while we were chatting to him Chris noticed a female Levaillant's Green Woodpecker feeding high on the bank right by the road. It had been there all along, unseen by any of us.

Many photos were taken much to the delight of the school children walking back up the hill. They thoroughly enjoyed looking through the scopes and at the photos.

Levaillant's Green Woodpecker Picus vaillantii, female



The rest of the descent was characterised by Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Ultramarine Tits, the odd Sardinian Warbler and Black Wheatear, Common Bulbuls, a Sparrowhawk and a Cattle Egret.

Shortly after the woodpecker we stopped for our final excellent Tagine of the trip at the Restaurant Soleil. Great Spotted Woodpecker called nearby, Ultramarine Tits showed well, there were Serin, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinch and Wren about and a Little Egret and Grey Wagtail flew along the river. 2 Woodpigeons over here were the only ones of the trip.




We continued our descent out of the mountains past mineral, pottery and textile shops plus the odd saddled Camel until we reached the plains.



The rest of the drive back to Marrakech revealed Stonechats, Southern Grey Shrikes, a Corn Bunting, Sardinian Warbler and, nearer the city, Collared Doves, Spotless Starlings, a Sparrowhawk and a few Cattle Egrets. But Morocco had one more pleasant surprise to throw at us. We pulled over for a roadside bird, which failed to show again, only to spot a fairly distant Black-shouldered Kite hovering over land SE of the city.

Back at the airport we took a last look at Spotless Starlings, Feral Pigeons, House Sparrows, and a few House Buntings but the last bird of the trip was a House Bunting flying around inside the departure lounge well after dark.

House Bunting Emberiza (striolata) sahari


The Arrangements and Tips

We flew with Ryanair, booked a car with Europcar through an online booking agency and did not book any accommodation in advance. It might be advisable to book the accommodation at Oukaimeden in advance, especially if, like us, arriving late out of season, as we had to knock on a window to get them to open up the hotel. Otherwise it was easy to find good cheap accommodation with good food.

The overnight drive from Marrakech to Merzouga took about 11 hours including a stop for an hour or so in the small hours. On the way back the drive from Boumalne to Oukaimeden took about 7 hours. The road up to the resort is quite quick and well signposted from the Route de l'Ourika out of Marrakech. It would take about 1.5 hours from Marrakech without stops.

Rocky desert roads were passable in our 4 door saloon, in fact on occasions we just drove straight across the desert, but sandy roads are to be avoided. It wouldn't take much to get stuck in any moderate build up of sand.

The driving in town is a bit mad and signposting a bit hit and miss. Almost anywhere at night you can come across people on foot, donkey, bike, scooter or even the odd lorry with no lights.

First light is at about 06:00 at this time of year with birds appearing from about 06:30. By 17:00 light was failing fast and by 18:00 it was completely dark.

The weather was cloudless throughout and well over 20 degrees in the daytime. It felt very warm at times. Locals said this was much warmer than usual for the time of year. Nights were cold. It was near freezing in the desert on the first night. The mountain resort was very cold with plenty of ice about in the early morning.

Morocco is an amazingly friendly country. Everywhere we went we were treated like old friends and everyone was keen to help or just chat. Nearly everyone speaks good French but we found most spoke some English too. Learn the odd word of Arabic or Berber though to be polite - "Shokran" is "Thank you" and generally goes down well.

You do get hassled in some places, e.g. around Merzouga/Erfoud for hotels and/or trips into the desert. If you aren't interested just say so politely and people leave you alone. Often folk just want to talk and try out their English, Spanish or German.

Full species list