Morocco - A Bald Ibis Break!

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1 Naturetrek 5-9 March 2009 Serin Laughing Dove Moussier s Redstart Barbary Partridge Report compiled by Richard Bashford Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W:

2 Morocco - A Bald Ibis Break! Tour Leader: Richard Bashford (ornithologist) Participants: Eric Leese Liz Leese Jo Carnegie Christine Philbin Ann Livesey Day 1 Thursday 5th March Dry, sunny, clear, light breeze, pm strong breeze Landed Agadir 12.10, lunch and journey to Sidi R Bat via Oued Sous, arrive Ksar Masa A short break in Mocorro with little driving, great food and next to a nature reserve yes please! For our small group of Naturetrekkers, this was just what we were after. First things first though food! A few minutes after leaving the airport, we had our first Tajine a dish named after the cooking pot but essentially an earthenware slow cooker! The meal is usually a mixture of meat and vegetables, utterly tender, rich in flavour and just what we needed. A short drive to Oued Sous gave us our first opportunity to see some birds including Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gulls, Grey Plovers, Curlews and an obliging Barbary Partridge perched in a tree by the bus. An hour south of here and we were driving across semi-desert to our hotel although you would be forgiven for thinking we d taken the wrong route. But after twenty minutes, we saw the coastal village and our hotel, perched on the edge, giving us astounding views of the Atlantic. After settling in, we ate one of the first of many excellent meals. It was a very windy evening hope it calms down tomorrow! Day 2 Friday 6th March Fine, sunny, light breeze pm Walk north from hotel, morning walk to reserve, lunch at hotel Walk to reserve to far entrance. As dawn broke, we set out north from the hotel garden and up the coast. The most numerous bird was Shorttoed Lark, there were loads of them singing away in the sky and easily outnumbering the Crested Larks. On the buildings in the village we had our first good views of Moussier s Redstart, then back for breakfast before walking south into the reserve. The lagoon was home to many fabulous things, and this being a key time for migration, the species were different every day. The bushes rattled with the calls of Sardinian and Sub-alpine Warblers and the fluty Black-crowned Tchagras. Although the latter skulk and take some finding, there were several pairs here and we had a number of excellent views. On the lagoon itself, we saw a variety of waders, Black-winged Stilts, Green Sandpipers and Whimbrel. Among them were Little Egrets and larger numbers of Spoonbills. The best sighting was given away when we heard a distinctive trumpeting call echoing across the hillside. Cranes! A group of 85 had just alighted and were spiralling up and off, calling continuously. They left six which were to remain for the rest of our stay. Of particular note before returning to the hotel was a fine Egyptian Mongoose running along the shore. Naturetrek April 09 1

3 After a big, leisurely lunch on the terrace during the heat of the day, Eric and Richard walked back to the reserve along to the far end while the rest of the party relaxed by the pool. We added Quail, Ruff, Laughing Dove and Marbled Duck to the trip list and enjoyed great views of a Black-crowned Tchagra. By early evening, we were ready for our meal which didn t disappoint! Day 3 Saturday 7th March Pre breakfast walk to Massa Lagoon, Semi desert, Fields east of Massa Village to river course, Lunch at reserve entrance, Walk alongside Massa Pools, western Massa river crossing and hillsides south of river, semi desert. After a pre breakfast walk to Massa lagoon (Ruddy Shelduck, Spotted Redshank), we had breakfast and then met our driver to explore a little by driving back across the stony desert area behind the village. Here we stopped at a random area to scan and hit the jackpot with a small group of stunning Cream-coloured Coursers. Short-toed and Crested Larks sang all around. Here too was a Montagu s Harrier floating over the desert. We then explored further up the river walking across through a series of small fields to the river course here we saw Fan-tailed Warblers, Palm Doves, Stonechats and a number of the stunning Moussier s Redstarts. It was a bit of a surprise with a Tawny Eagle overhead as we returned to the bus. Pools by the park entrance held Squacco Heron, Cetti s Warbler, Cattle Egret and Wild Boar. We had the use of a 4 x 4 so we also spent some time exploring the eerily beautiful coastal area south of the river seeing Kentish Plover, Woodchat Shrike and Wheatear. Our drive back to the hotel provided us with more Cream coloured Coursers and a flyover Lesser Short-toed Lark. Day 4 Sunday 8th March Pre breakfast walk to reserve, walk north from hotel, lunch at hotel , Walk to reserve to far entrance The traditional pre breakfast walk provided excellent views of a couple of Barbary Partridge perched in trees, Common and Green Sandpipers, Pintail and the six Cranes. A few groups of Common Scoter passed by over the sea. Our walk today was north of the hotel where we saw more Scoter passing, Gannets and the odd Sandwich Tern. In the arid coastal vegetation, we scanned for the expected Stone Curlews and soon found a pair which, with some careful stalking, gave good views. Short-toed Larks provided a constant background tune! On the way back, fifty Greater Flamingos flew north over the sea the light was perfect simply stunning! At lunchtime a Bald Ibis flew north over us as we settled down for some food. After the heat of the day had passed, while some relaxed by the pool/massage/sauna, Eric and Richard headed back to the reserve Spoonbills, Flamingos, Snipe, Pochard, Palm Dove and more Marbled Ducks. Day 5 Monday 9th March Massa Lagoon, journey to Agadir. Stansted Before heading back to Agadir on our last day, we had one last visit to the lagoon and saw two fishing Ospreys, Marsh Harrier and four Black Kites. A bit of migration in action! 2 Naturetrek April 09

4 Although we d seen some change over our stay, we hadn t seen too much in the way of movement but things were different this morning. Swallows were passing - over 100 in an hour! Two Ruddy Shelducks joined the waders, herons and egrets on the lagoon. Back by the hotel, two Mediterranean Shearwaters passed by. Our short drive to Agadir airport provided us with two more species both swifts with an Alpine Swift not far from the hotel and some Little Swifts by a nesting area in a small town, and well as more Black Kites. A shame we couldn t stay longer! This was a superb little trip hardly any travel, fantastic wildlife within walking distance and a fabulous place to stay with excellent food. Looking forward to returning! Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek ing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit to sign up. Naturetrek Facebook We are delighted to launch the Naturetrek Facebook page so that participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans. Setting up a personal profile at is quick, free and easy. The Naturetrek Facebook page is now live; do please pay us a visit! Naturetrek April 09 3

5 Species Lists Birds (h = heard only) March Common name Scientific name Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 3 Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 2 4 Gannet Sula bassanus Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Moroccan Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo maroccanus Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1 8 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 3 9 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodi Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita 1 14 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Gadwall Anas strepera Teal Anas crecca Pintail Anas acuta Shoveler Anas clypeata Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 3 23 Pochard Aythya ferina 1 24 Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Black Kite Milvus migrans 8 26 Montagu s Harrier Circus pygargus 1 27 Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 1 28 Osprey Pandion haliaetus 2 29 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax 1 30 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara 1 1+h 2 32 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropu Coot Fulica atra Common Crane Grus grus Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus h h 5 38 Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 1 41 Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 3 42 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Dunlin Calidris alpina Sanderling Calidris alba Ruff Philomachus pugnax 6 46 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Naturetrek April 09

6 March Common name Scientific name Curlew Numenius arquata Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Redshank Tringa totanus Greenshank Tringa nebularia Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii c.50 c Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Slender-billed Gull Larus genei 2 59 Western Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis michahellis Herring Gull Larus argentatus 1 61 Western Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus graellsii 62 Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis h? 64 Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon Columba livia 65 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaoto Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Little Owl Athene noctua 2 69 Alpine Swift Apus melba 1 70 Little Swift Apus affinis 3 71 Common Swift Apus apus Crested Lark Galerida cristata Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens 1 75 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica rustica Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 2 77 White Wagtail Motacilla alba Yellow Wagtail sp Motacilla flava Spanish Wagtail Motacilla flava iberiae 1 80 Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus 3+h Robin Erithacus rubecula Stonechat Saxicola torquata Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe 2 85 Blackbird Turdus merula mauritanicus Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti 4h 1h 87 Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala 2h Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Great Tit Parus major 1 93 Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala 1+h 1+h 1 1h 94 Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Moroccan Magpie Pica pica mauritanica Starling Sturnus vulgaris 2 97 Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis 10 Naturetrek April 09 5

7 March Common name Scientific name House Sparrow Passer domesticus 100 'North African' Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs africana Serin Serinus serinus Linnet Acanthis cannabina Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis parva Greenfinch Carduelis chloris voousi House Bunting Emberiza sahari Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus 2 Mammals Wild Boar Egyptian Mongoose Barbary Ground Squirrel Butterflies Swallowtail Clouded Yellow Greenish Black-tip Small White Painted Lady Moths Crimson Speckled Retiles and Amphibians Spanish Terrapin Sp 6 Naturetrek April 09

Morocco - A Bald Ibis Break!

Morocco - A Bald Ibis Break! Naturetrek 14-18 February 2012 Report compiled by Mohamed Zaki Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: info@naturetrek.co.uk