wolfbirder
Well-known member
At the grand old age of 60, I have now travelled to most of the key birding Countries in the Western Palearctic, and Morocco had never really been too high on my wish list for reasons I am not entirely sure of, maybe it was simply because I didn't fancy the heat nor the ability to order a cool pint of beer (or two) at the end of a long birding day, but this is definitely a shallow reason for avoidance, and is more a reflection on myself than on the Country itself. I was perhaps reticent to travel to a Muslim Country with all its customs, and an perhaps understandable potential dislike of westerners. It was a fear that was unfounded.
As everyone who has been there knows, it is a land of vivid contrast, in terms of landscapes and wealth. Many people live in abject poverty, and your eyes are sometimes instantly drawn to the tents and shacks beside the road, to the harsh reality of life etched upon the faces of the many people stood in the heat hitching lifts, or upon the faces of shepherds tending their flocks of sheep, as much as to the memorable landscapes that sometimes present themselves, with miles of barren stoney desert stretching in front of you yet with snow-capped mountains in the distance. I found the people themselves extremely friendly and helpful, and ok, there are people who want to sell you things, but you can't blame them. Once, I thought I had found the perfect spot to have a break on my long drive to Merzouga, overlooking a river, but as I got out to stretch my legs, out popped a troll from under a bridge with his goods to ruin my sanctuary! I should stress that I never felt in danger or under any threat from anyone at all at any point. One other thing, my trip coincided with Ramadan, I am not really sure how this affected my birding, but make sure you stock upon snacks and water for the day ahead because during the daylight hours, service stations are closed other than for petrol.
LOGISTICS
My reports always take on a similar style, broken into sections, and there are few bird photos for I am primarily a birder.
I travelled via cattle-class Ryan Air from Stansted to Rabat on 21st March for £159 return, the bulk of the cost being due to my suitcase in the aircraft's hold. £5 extra for fast-track was certainly worthwhile at Stansted. A three-hour flight was smooth and I arrived at Rabat early-evening. The return on the 28th was ok too.
Getting Moroccan currency in advance can be difficult, as you are only permitted to take in something like 2000 dirhams, the equivalent of around £150. So upon arrival I withdrew three lots of £150 using an ATM in the arrivals hall using different cards, before picking up my excellent diesel-powered Dacia Sandero from the adjacent Hertz desk. I paid the additional insurance costs as I wanted to be fully covered. It certainly wasn't cheap, but if there was one place I wanted to be fully covered it was Morocco. The helpful Hertz agent took me to the car park and to my car, it was in fact all quite easy at what is a relatively small-scale airport. I also opted for a full tank of petrol.
Most people visiting Morocco land at Marrakesh, and then head southward or eastward to the desert areas, but Ryan Air offer around a dozen Moroccan airport options and the reason I used Rabat was that first of all I wanted to try for Marsh Owl and also check areas near Rabat, before heading to the Atlas Mountains range and then on to the famous Erg Chebbi desert area around Merzouga. Certainly not the most conventional route, but I am aware of my limitations, and the disadvantage of birding alone is that you have to do all the driving. My planned route involved over 1,000 miles and pushed my own endurance limits to their maximum. I knew it was going to be challenging and demanding, facts that concerned me and made the experience a less enjoyable one compared to perhaps Eilat in Israel, where apart from getting there, most of the birding can be done relatively locally. I found E-bird to be a great resource for latest sightings, and I made detailed notes prior to my departure, but they do have limitations, for instance in the desert areas the precise location of a species is lacking and a reference coordinate tends to refer to the starting point only, with birds seen across the whole featureless area.
I booked accommodation via booking.com at three locations, near Rabat Airport at Kenitra for two nights, then near Azrou in the Mid-Atlas Mountains for two nights, and finally at the famous Hotel Yasmina in the Erg Chebbi desert for three nights, a total of £400. You can certainly get cheaper accommodation, but I do value some degree of comfort these days.
I had booked a guide Otman Oulhourchemt from 'Birding Tours Morocco' for my final day on 27th March, to show me those difficult desert species. I had been in regular communication with him, highlighting my wish-list as Desert Sparrow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Fulvous Babbler, Tristram's Warbler, and African Desert Warbler. I had previously seen the Sandgrouse and Egyptian Nightjars very well in Israel, so with time being precious, was happy to omit seeing those exciting species. He confirmed that I should meet him at the entrance of Hotel Yasmina at 7.30am on 27th, something I was really looking forward to.
DRIVING IN MOROCCO
Indeed, this caused me some concern and anxiety, and there are some things that you need to be aware of.
First of all, there are regular police checks, especially as you enter and leave towns and cities. I had carefully planned my route so as to avoid major population centres, because driving in somewhere like Fes or Marrakesh would be very daunting. But there is no need to go into major cities anyway.
Moroccan police are notorious, and jokingly I even made it a 'bucket-list experience' to be stopped and fined by Police, as I felt it was inevitable. As you very slowly approach the checkpoints they will either pull you over or wave you through. If there is a stop-sign, you should stop, and then wait to be waved on. Indeed I fulfilled my wish by getting fined for driving at 5mph rather than stopping at a checkpoint as I left the military town of Errachidia, as I made my way down to the desert later in my trip. He was a smooth operator who tried to steal 400 dirhams from me, I gave him 200. I am not saying you should challenge any fine given, ultimately there is little point protesting. But I had barely done anything wrong. Maybe this reducing tactic is part of the overall approach to rob you of a smaller but still not insignificant amount, equivalent to about £20. He asked me where I live and what I did as an occupation? I told him I worked for Wolverhampton Council, which unsurprisingly drew exactly the same blank and uninterested expression as when I tell people in Wolverhampton that I work for Wolverhampton Council
-. If you are stopped at any checkpoint, and this was the only one I was stopped at (though you may get stopped more often with a car full of birders), they will want to see your car lease papers. The Hertz representative had explained this to me and showed me the folder kept in the car with the information of the car hire, that they will require. Possibly also your passport.
Beware of speed checks, and I would really advise sticking to speed limits which are satisfactory anyway. Police may be hiding behind walls, without you even knowing they may have checked your speed and called to a forward point where you may be pulled over and fined. I only saw a few, but had no idea where they were going to be. Speed limits in towns are 50km/h (30mph), on normal roads it is 100km/h unless signs tell you otherwise (you often see 80 or even 60 signs), and on motorways it is 120km/h (again unless otherwise stated).
The motorways are toll roads, the ones I used were the A5 running along the western coast from north to south from Rabat to Tangiers, and the A2 that ran east from Rabat past Meknes and Fes and on to Algeria. As you approach the toll booths, you must get into the lane with the 'green arrow' signs (usually only one or two lanes), with most lanes being open to what looks like some sort of pass symbol that I presume many locals have (or is this a credit card symbol?). Anyway, the toll booth and barrier will always 'either' be manned, where you pay a maximum 50 dirhams (they give change), or it will be unmanned and you will instead press a button to take a ticket. You retain this ticket and when you exit the motorway you hand the ticket to the toll booth operator at that end and pay him the 50 dirhams. Its a bit confusing at first, but I guess it reduces the need to have every toll booth manned. You don't need to worry which it is, you either pay 50 dirhams, or take a ticket if it is unmanned.
The state of roads across the Country is generally pretty good, there are sections that are being relayed, roadworks are not confined to the UK, it's just that we specialise in them! I suspected that the further into the desert you got, the roads and signs would just disappear, but that is certainly not the case. In fact the roads were generally pretty good everywhere. Signage is usually in both Arabic(?) and French. By carefully pre-planning, you know the routes you are on and the names of the population centres you are heading in the direction of. It's much easier with a navigator alongside, but when you are driving independently it is more difficult. Finally, I cannot recommend an app like maps.me strongly enough, for even without a wi-fi signal it tells you exactly where you are, which can be helpful if you feel you are on the wrong road, or for navigating through towns. It saved me on a number of occasions.
My car was diesel, which was extremely economical. But petrol is relatively cheap in Morocco anyway. The attendants fill your tank for you at most places, and then you can see how much it is and pay them, you should expect to tip a bit. I just signalled 'diesal, full' and that was clear enough. They obviously understand the most basic of signals in most languages.
I didn't find driving in Morocco worse or better than anywhere else. Motorways were fine, main roads were fine too. Getting through small towns was a little stressful at the end of ramadan (darkness) because everyone was out celebrating. Again, where signposts were lacking at junctions, maps.me came to my rescue, but that was rarely the case. But maps.me does use a lot of battery so I generally switched my phone off once I was through any towns and sure I was on the correct road.
Being by myself, I took care of where I drove, but that is just common sense. I didn't want to have to change a tyre, but birders inevitably go along some rough tracks, but use discretion. In the desert areas, if you are unsure whether sand is strong enough, get out and check with your feet. Especially true when turning round on rough tracks.
Reputable firms like Hertz have a 24-hour emergency number in Morocco should you break down. I know Hertz are expensive, but I just feel it may be worth it here.
DAILY ACCOUNTS
21st March
The first bit is always stressful, driving out of an unfamiliar airport via Rabat's busy suburbs, but I quickly got onto the signposted A5 towards Tangiers, and twenty-five miles later I came off at 'Kenitra Centre' where my first hotel for two nights at 'Hotel Relax' was situated less than a mile away. This was a nice hotel, perfect for my needs, and they do a nice pizza! It was dark when I checked in, slightly weary from my day of travel that started at 10am when I left home.
22nd March
The hotel did breakfast from 6.30am, which was a real bonus, and it meant I was out on the road at 7am, and I headed back out on the A5 towards but around and past Rabat, paying the toll each way, and using maps.me I was able to ensure I came off at the correct junction. Hundreds of Cattle Egrets were in some fields, along with smaller numbers of White Storks, with Spotless Starlings also common. Fifteen miles later I was at the Wali Salih Sidi Serraki, a small white chapel by the road at 33.713627, -6.927977, by 8am. This is the key birding area of the Reserve Royale de Chasse where I desperately hoped to see Black-crowned Tchagra, one of my top targets. There are sandy tracks beside the chapel that can be taken for several hundred yards, that then lead left down into an open area, and back at the chapel, 200 metres further along the main road is another track on the right that can be taken, and is especially good for Double-Spurred Francolin (Spurfowl). This second track is only 100 metres long itself and leads to a turning circle. Over three hours birding this pleasant area, I quickly came across a Woodlark, Nightingale, Cuckoo, Woodchat Shrike, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, a few Black Kites, as well as birds I can see from my window like House Sparrow, Robin, Great Tit, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Blackbird, and Wood Pigeon. I briefly heard both the Tchagra and Francolin, but just could not see either, and as the morning progressed and the heat of the day increased, things quietened considerably. The nearby open fields held Corn Buntings and Crested Larks, and there was an Ostrich stood in the middle of a field, looking very out of place.
By mid-day, I rather despondently headed back to the hotel where I had a cuppa and a rest, and then headed out again at about 4pm, back on the A5 northwards this time, around 50 miles to Moulay Bousselham and the infamous Merga Zerga. There are many reports regards the rare Marsh Owl, but E-bird reports recently showed that a few were showing on its eastern perimeter, so I headed off at the sign for Moulay Bouselham, paid the toll fee, and then at the T-junction, instead of turning right towards Moulay, I turned left and headed through the busy small town of Ahmiri, turned right at the traffic island at the top of town, and out back under the A5. Immediately having passed underneath the A5, I parked on the right. I then walked south for a hundred metres and took an obvious sandy road on the right (which I later realised I could probably have driven down) which ran alongside a long row of greenhouses for around 1km (they look obvious on Googlemaps). There were a few little barking dogs to circumnavigate but they quickly retreated, and just like Wolves forward line, their bark was worse than their bite. At the end of the track is a slightly raised water pit, and I sat there initially, with a farmer still ploughing a field between me and the marsh. I watched a male Montagu's Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, and a Kestrel hunt and antagonise Lapwings some way out, whilst a few Crested Larks and buntings flew around. Cattle Egrets were again everywhere, along with a few White Storks. A Maghreb Magpie flew across my field of view, and then away to my right I think I had a Marsh Owl distantly, but I could not say for sure. At about 7pm, the remaining farmer packed in and drove his tractor and plough back inland as ramadan was coming to an end for the day. I then felt able to walk further out alongside their fields to the edge of the marsh, as darkness encroached. My heart fluttered as an owl appeared and quartered the field behind me, but it was just a lovely Short-eared Owl. I ended up standing at 34.844359, -6.238392, and will highlight this point in a photograph at the end of the report. I stood quietly there, and suddenly started hearing a croaking noise nearby. After a few minutes, an owl jumped up and down, flying for just a few seconds, twenty metres away. I knew instantly that this was a Marsh Owl, and after a few minutes it flew around a bit more and even perched up 100 metres away. Shortly afterwards it was joined by a second Marsh Owl, and both flew off towards farm buildings to hunt. Views in the poor light were substandard but clear enough, and I started to walk back, delighted to have connected. As I walked past the greenhouses, one of the birds flew directly over me and down into the field, still croaking away! The fifty mile drive back to the hotel seemed to fly by, and I was back by 9pm.
23 March
I checked out of Hotel Relax at Kenitra and was again out before 7am, ready for my drive east towards the Mid-Atlas Mountain range, but decided first of all to revisit the Reserve Royal de Chasse. At the toll booth on the A5, a Maghreb Magpie showed down to ten metres, and I could see the sky-blue teardrop. I arrived at the Royal Reserve just before 8am. A few Corn Buntings and Crested Larks were again seen nearby, as well as the Ostrich in the exact same spot of an isolated field. Again, I think I was just too late to see the goodies, but 2 Double-spurred Francolin's scampered across the open glade and dived into cover as I rounded a corner. And as I sat in the car by the main road at the entrance to the second track, I was surprised to see another Francolin fly low across the road just twenty metres away. Pleasing though this was, I just could not find a Tchagra, even though I heard it tantalisingly sing sporadically. This was a major blow for me, but hey that is birding! There were 100 Black Kites moving through overhead, as well as 20 European Bee-eaters. I was pleased to find a Western Orphean Warbler low down, and a Common Bulbul perched up to provide good views. But by 11am, I had to move on, accepting defeat regards the Tchagra.
I drove back past Rabat on the A5 toll motorway, and at Rabat joined the N6 that quickly led straight onto the A2 toll motorway eastward. At the first toll booth, I swear I had a coucal on the fence, but then in my own mind I know I am infamous for imagining good birds! 160 miles later, I came off near Meknes and joined the N13 for a 30-mile trip to Azrou, using Maps.me to help guide me through small towns. This was set in the heart of the Mid-Atlas mountain range, and my hotel near Azrou for the next two nights was the pleasant Le Palais des Cerisiers which was ideal for investigating the Cedre Gouraud Forest and the adjacent clear-fell areas. This may not be an obvious area for western birders, but E-bird reports certainly looked productive for a few species. That afternoon, I followed the road into the forest from the hotel, and after just two-three miles, I parked up by an open area and immediately found a pair of Moussier's Redstarts in a small bush, which allowed views down to ten metres. The male was just stunning, and I was delighted to have connected with one of my top targets. Up to 15 Ravens were overhead, but I failed to hear or see any Levaillant's Woodpeckers. Avian activity in general was fairly slow. I slept well that night after a nice meal at the hotel. But no beer-.
24 March
I was out by 7am to visit woods ten miles away just before Ifran, which were lovely and peaceful.........for about five minutes!! Then a helicopter from the adjacent airfield started spraying the very-bloody area I was investigating. I have no idea what they were spraying, but I can only hope it was Regaine for my 'very follicly-challenged' scalp. Actually, joking beside, a bald scalp is a very sensitive censor but I wasn't able to detect anything at all landing on me. I was here trying to find Levaillant's Woodpecker, but again there was a total absence of song or drumming, disappointingly. A few Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, as well as Firecrest, 4 Short-toed Treecreepers, 4 Nuthatches, Mistle Thrushes, Great Tits, Blackbirds, African Blue Tits, and a dozen or so African-race Chaffinches. All a bit anti-climatic if I am honest, although 7 Lesser Kestrels were nearby. I took a scenic hoop off the main road between Ifran and Azrou, onto the P7229 that offered potentially great scenery, but little activity. Though I did enjoy cracking views of another male Moussier's Redstart and a smart male Desert Wheatear. I then joined the N13 heading south through the forest, noting around 50 photogenic Barbary Macaques, and dogs. The stoney plateau on the far side produced a fine male Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear. After a rest back at the hotel, I headed back along the track from it for a few miles, and parked at the obvious glade just before the main forest, where I undertook an hour of raptor watching late afternoon. A pair of what I thought were Long-legged Buzzards were showing well, though being harassed by the resident-Ravens. It turns out that these birds, that morphologically resemble Long-legged Buzzards with their pale heads and orange tails, are actually very closed related to Common Buzzard, and should be referred to as North African Buzzard. A Short-toed Eagle also passed overhead, and above it a very pale falcon, that I am sure was a Lanner Falcon. The black obvious moustache and slightly darker underwings of Barbary falcon were certainly lacking. I enjoyed another meal at the hotel and had an early night, still dreaming of that pint of honey-nectar!
25th March
I checked out early, aware that my drive south-west along the N13 road was 240 miles long and would take 5-6 hours. I was really stressed about this, wondering whether I would ever find Hotel Yasmina. As usual, my fears were unfounded, and in general the road system all the way was good.
As I left the Barbary Macaques near Azrou, I started birding as I drove, quickly picking up 4 Rock Sparrows, and then 4 Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear's looking very dapper. Along the fast, open roads, progress was initially good, and around ten miles before Timahdite I stopped quickly as I noted several large Houbara Bustard-size birds in a barren flat field in the middle of nowhere. Usually, you will see a shepherd tending a flock of sheep in the distance, but there was no sign of any human habitation here. I reversed back up and watched what were 6 Helmeted Guineafowl, just twenty metres away. At this juncture, I have to say I have no idea whether these birds are the real thing or part of some introduction scheme, for I thought they were considered extinct in Morocco. I was later to see 3 birds in a field by Azrou prison, that were clearly domesticated. But these birds were in a location that suggested they were as good candidates as possible.
Driving on past Midelt, and starting to rise into the mountains, in quick succession I came across 3 Mahgreb Wheatears with their black backs, but in each case views were brief though conclusive, as they flew off. Further south-east, I was pulled over just upon leaving Errachidia to pleasingly tick off my dodgy 'Moroccan-policeman' incident, and then White-crowned Black Wheatear's became the default-wheatear species past there. I finally arrived at Hotel Yasmina, Erg Chebbi at 2.30pm, more than six hours after leaving Azrou. I was knackered but delighted, could have murdered a beer though!
My room was wonderful and so were the pool and communal areas. It was great to bump into British birdwatchers for the first time on the trip, and indeed birdwatchers of other nationalities too....... American, Spanish, French. There was a Spanish lad undertaking ringing with nearly 20 nets up just outside the hotel, over the area where the lake used to be, and he routinely brought back birds in sacks to ring at a table in the shade. He has been here for over a month, and his reports in French and English can be seen at yasminaprimavera.wordpress.com. He happily allows birders to watch and ask away.
House Sparrows and Collared Doves are constantly around Yasmina, with Bedouin's camels all around the perimeter. The views out to the sand-dunes are spectacular, unlike the rather limited evening meals which nevertheless, were ok for a short break. A walk around the nets revealed a few Western Subalpine Warblers, a couple of Western Bonelli's Warblers, Sardinian Warbler, and the putative Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, rumoured to constitute a future split. There were also many dragonflies around, apparently nearly all Vagrant Emperors.
I slept well that night in my beautiful air-conditioned room.
26th March
After breakfast, I had a leisurely morning, watching the Spanish ringer show 3 Western Subalpine Warblers and a Northern Wheatear. Brown-necked Ravens were flying around, and late morning I decided to venture out to Rissani, which was a town twenty miles away, which was richer in vegetation. En route, I enjoyed cracking views of 2 Hoopoe Larks by the roadside, and in the Rissani suburbs I found the first Laughing Dove and then 4 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. I had seen a colony of 35 birds in Turkey previously, and they have always been one of my favourite birds. So I was delighted to again connect with them, enjoying scope and binocular views down to ten metres as they perched on wires. Their colourful faces remind me of 1970s lollipops, just stunning! I also briefly visited Merzouga late afternoon, in very hot temperatures, and at last found 2 very-confiding House Buntings, quite attractive birds though they should be dead easy here. I missed a male Rock Thrush being rung back at nearby Yasmina, whilst I was out, but failed to find any Desert Sparrows alongside a few hotels en-route. Back at Yasmina, I watched the very pale Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, and somewhat-amusingly found 4 Ruddy Shelducks on the stoney approach track, and later on a fly-by Green Sandpiper. After tea, I had an early night, to ensure I was ready for my big final day with Otman from Birding Tours Morocco.
27th March
I was sat at the front of Yasmina at 7.15am, and watched the mini-bus of birders who had arranged a trip via the hotel (Yasmina) depart with eager anticipation! I sat there, and waited..............and waited. 7.45am, then 8am......at which point my texts to him were going un-replied. He left me standing like a guilty schoolboy, and I openly admit I was in a state of anguish. This was my last full day. Of all the things that might go wrong, this was the last thing I had expected to do just that. We had exchanged concrete emails and confirmed the meeting time and location. Sensing my despair, for without a guide it is very difficult these days to find Desert Sparrows, the proprietor of Yasmina made a few calls and arranged for a local guide Hussein to come and pick me up for the same arranged price of 1100 dirhams. He did just that at 8.15am, he didn't speak any English at all but somehow we got by, at times I didn't know what we were traipsing around looking for, which was quite amusing. Anyway, we first visited the 'sandgrouse' site, where a very pale-fronted Barbary Falcon was sat amongst at least 50 Crowned Sandgrouse and 20 Spotted Sandgrouse. I quickly said I wanted to move on, and Hussein then said "Desert Sparrows" - the two English words he knew! He regularly clicked something whilst he drove, which I presume must have provided him with GPS co-ordinates, and soon we were parked up by a fence. We climbed over the three foot fence, and walked one-hundred metres to a single story building, and having rounded a corner, several sparrows were present around a water cylinder attached to it. Most were House Sparrows, but a stunning male Desert Sparrow flew ten metres and perched on top of a small bush, offering tremendous views for several seconds, before disappearing. I lingered around this spot for twenty minutes whilst Hussein left me to it. 2 pale-brown female Desert Sparrows showed well, low down briefly, but also slinked quickly away. Eventually, another male re-appeared and perched on the water cylinder, looking tall and regal, towering above a smaller male House Sparrow. House Sparrows are supposed to be the larger of the two species, but in this case the Desert Sparrow was 10-15% bigger. The same area also produced a brief but clear Tristram's Warbler that moved over a bush, a Western Bonelli's Warbler, and a Bar-tailed Lark.
From that point, I was totally relieved, and we spent another hour and half 'bombing' across the stoney desert at times, but failing to really find much except 3 more wonderful Hoopoe Larks, 2 more Bar-tailed Larks, 2 Desert Larks, 2 Desert Wheatears, and several White-crowned Black Wheatears. Hussein scrambled up a hill to check a Pharaoh Eagle Owl nest hole, which was unsurprisingly empty, and a chat with a local farmer failed to unearth what I presume might have been Egyptian Nightjars within his small plantation. Hussein walked all around looking for these birds, even 200 metres away from the plantation, which came up negative but still produced another Hoopoe Lark in flight, and Desert Wheatear. A couple of wild camels were seen as well as a group of 8 wild ponies (Onagers?). By 11.30am I was back at my hotel, and despite not having found African Desert Warbler nor Fulvous Babbler, I was just relieved at having enjoyed cracking views of Desert Sparrows, having pushed myself so hard to drive all that way to get here. It could have been so much worse without any guide, though if Othman had turned up, it could have been so much better! He eventually replied apologising, saying he had been in hospital, in which case there is not much more to say.
After a short rest back at Yasmina, I again drove the ten miles to Merzouga, where I checked out a wooded area called the 'The Igrane' that had a water-filled gulley running along its length. Even during the heat of the afternoon, this was a lovely area to check out, even if it was primarily filled with House Sparrows and Collared Doves. There was also a Western Subalpine Warbler, a Hoopoe, and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 'zipping' over the tree-tops, but I could not find resident Fulvous Babblers here, frustratingly. There were swarms of Vagrant Emperor dragonflies darting around.
Back at Yasmina, I watched the Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and a Balearic Woodchat Shrike being ringed, and I enjoyed a walk around the nets for a final time. I suffered a bit of an upset stomach that night, I had just had too much sun I think.
28th March
Regrettably, it was time to leave Yasmina, and I bid farewells and set off at 7am, on my long, eight-hour journey back the same way to Rabat Airport nearly 400-miles away. Of course, I did stop for a bit of birding, including at the seemingly-empty Zaida Plains. I am sure larks such as Thick-Billed and Temminck's are out there somewhere, but I was never going to connect during a thirty-minute search. Elsewhere, in the mountains, I did see a pair of Atlas Horned Larks, 2 more Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatears, and the first Black-eared Wheatear. I was totally drained when my Sandero pulled into the Hertz car park at Rabat Airport, but in fact I had coped with everything very well, with no mishaps on the road. I was even more knackered by the time I landed back at Stansted at 1am, yet the fresh British air on the walk to Stansted Airport short-term car park reinvigorated me, and I drove home with ease, arriving at 4am. But it has taken me a few days to recover! Beer has helped-.
SUMMARY
Despite being badly let down by my guide, I still saw most of my most-desired birds, including 11 lifers. The best of these being Desert Sparrow, Moussier's Redstart, and Marsh Owl. I was gutted not to find Black-crowned Tchagra, and also dipped on African Desert Warbler and Fulvous Babbler, which were both obtainable around Erg Chebbi. It was lovely to see Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Hoopoe Lark again, but I would have liked to have enjoyed clearer views of Pharaoh Eagle Owl than those brief flight ones I obtained in torchlight in Israel.
Ryan Air also fly to Ouarzazate, so I may return later this year to try for Thick-billed Larks and maybe more mountain species.
I saw less than 90 species, which is poor for a week, groups of birders invariably get around 150+, but I made no attempt to see waders or coastal birds for instance. So all in all I feel I have done pretty well. It was challenging, stressful, difficult, but enlightening, wonderful, and rewarding in equal measure.
BIRD LIST (lifers in bold)
Ruddy Shelduck - 10 seen
Helmeted Guineafowl - 6 in barren fields near Timahdite, and 3 feral birds in Azrou
Common Quail - one heard at Merga Zerga
Double-spurred Francolin - 2 'skittish' birds seen briefly, and another more closely at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Common Crane - 2 at Merga Zerga
Common Swift - at least 2
Pallid Swift - 2 over Merga Zerga
Common Cuckoo - heard at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Spotted Sandgrouse - around 20 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Crowned Sandgrouse - around 50 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Wood Pigeon - at least 50 seen
Collared Dove - numerous
Feral Pigeon - numerous
Laughing Dove - 1 seen near Rissani
Northern Lapwing - around 20 seen at Merga Zerga
Green Sandpiper - 1 at Erg Chebbi
White Stork - at least 50 seen
Cormorant - several seen
Western Cattle Egret - around 1000 seen
Grey Heron - a single bird seen near Midelt
Short-toed Eagle - 2 birds seen in Mid-Atlas
Sparrowhawk - 2 seen near Rabat
Marsh Harrier - 1 at Merga Zerga
Montagu's Harrier - 1 male at Merga Zerga
Black Kite - 150 seen
Common Buzzard - 1 at Reserve Royale de Chasse, and 2 North African Buzzards at Azrou
Marsh Owl - 2, possibly 3 at Merga Zerga
Hoopoe - 2 birds seen
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - 5 birds seen
European Bee-eater - 20 birds seen
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 birds seen
Lesser Kestrel - 8 near Ifran
Common Kestrel - around 15 seen
Lanner Falcon - a single bird over Azrou
Peregrine (Barbary) Falcon - 1 at Erg Chebbi
Woodchat Shrike - around 5 seen including 1 of Balearic-race
Jay - 2 seen
Maghreb Magpie - 3 seen
Jackdaw - 15 seen at Azrou
Raven - around 50 seen
Brown-necked Raven - around 15 seen
Coal Tit - several seen near Ifran
African Blue Tit - around 10 seen
Great Tit - several seen
Greater Hoopoe Lark - 6 birds seen around Erg Chebbi
Bar-tailed Lark - 3 birds seen around Erg Chebbi
Desert Lark - 2 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Woodlark - 1 at Reserve Royal de Chasse
Crested Lark - around 20 seen
Thekla Lark - 1 near Azrou
Horned Lark - 2 of 'Atlas' race seen
Common Bulbul - 3 seen
Barn Swallow - around 30 seen
House Martin - several seen
Western Bonelli's Warbler - several seen around Erg Chebbi
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 1 individual of the Saharan-race seen at Erg Chebbi
Blackcap - 1 seen
Western Orphean Warbler - 1 seen at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Tristram's Warbler - 1 seen clearly but briefly
Sardinian Warbler - a few seen
Western Subalpine Warbler - around 10 seen around Erg Chebbi
Firecrest - at least 2 seen
Nuthatch - 4 seen
Short-toed Treecreeper - 4 seen
Spotless Starling - many seen
Mistle Thrush - several seen
Blackbird - around 15 seen
Robin - 1 bird seen
Nightingale - 1 bird seen
Moussier's Redstart - a pair then another male seen near Azrou
Northern Wheatear - 2 birds seen
Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear - around 6 seen near Azrou
Desert Wheatear - 1 male near Ifran, and at least 2 more in Erg Chebbi area
Western Black-eared Wheatear - 1 male seen
Black Wheatear - 2 seen
White-crowned Black Wheatear - at least 20 seen
Maghreb Wheatear - 3 birds seen somewhere near Midelt
Rock Sparrow - 4 birds seen near Azrou
House Sparrow - numerous
Desert Sparrow - 2 males and 3 females at Erg Chebbi
Common Chaffinch - around 20 birds seen, mainly of African race
Greenfinch - 6 birds seen
Linnet - 3 birds seen
Corn Bunting - at least 2 seen
House Bunting - 2 seen
PHOTOS
1) Map of Merga Zerga showing where I went to see Marsh Owls
2) Aerial photo of same area, and you can clearly see long white line of greenhouses I walked alongside.
3) A photo of the final section down to the marsh. You can just make out the water hole, and then beyond it 2 small sheds, which take you to the edge of the 'marsh proper'. DO NOT ENTER THE MARSH. This causes immense disturbance to the remaining birds.
4) The marsh area itself.
5) Barbary Macaque near Azrou. He needs a beer to cheer him up too!
6) Wali Salih Sidi Serraki chapel, at Reserve Royale de Chasse.
As everyone who has been there knows, it is a land of vivid contrast, in terms of landscapes and wealth. Many people live in abject poverty, and your eyes are sometimes instantly drawn to the tents and shacks beside the road, to the harsh reality of life etched upon the faces of the many people stood in the heat hitching lifts, or upon the faces of shepherds tending their flocks of sheep, as much as to the memorable landscapes that sometimes present themselves, with miles of barren stoney desert stretching in front of you yet with snow-capped mountains in the distance. I found the people themselves extremely friendly and helpful, and ok, there are people who want to sell you things, but you can't blame them. Once, I thought I had found the perfect spot to have a break on my long drive to Merzouga, overlooking a river, but as I got out to stretch my legs, out popped a troll from under a bridge with his goods to ruin my sanctuary! I should stress that I never felt in danger or under any threat from anyone at all at any point. One other thing, my trip coincided with Ramadan, I am not really sure how this affected my birding, but make sure you stock upon snacks and water for the day ahead because during the daylight hours, service stations are closed other than for petrol.
LOGISTICS
My reports always take on a similar style, broken into sections, and there are few bird photos for I am primarily a birder.
I travelled via cattle-class Ryan Air from Stansted to Rabat on 21st March for £159 return, the bulk of the cost being due to my suitcase in the aircraft's hold. £5 extra for fast-track was certainly worthwhile at Stansted. A three-hour flight was smooth and I arrived at Rabat early-evening. The return on the 28th was ok too.
Getting Moroccan currency in advance can be difficult, as you are only permitted to take in something like 2000 dirhams, the equivalent of around £150. So upon arrival I withdrew three lots of £150 using an ATM in the arrivals hall using different cards, before picking up my excellent diesel-powered Dacia Sandero from the adjacent Hertz desk. I paid the additional insurance costs as I wanted to be fully covered. It certainly wasn't cheap, but if there was one place I wanted to be fully covered it was Morocco. The helpful Hertz agent took me to the car park and to my car, it was in fact all quite easy at what is a relatively small-scale airport. I also opted for a full tank of petrol.
Most people visiting Morocco land at Marrakesh, and then head southward or eastward to the desert areas, but Ryan Air offer around a dozen Moroccan airport options and the reason I used Rabat was that first of all I wanted to try for Marsh Owl and also check areas near Rabat, before heading to the Atlas Mountains range and then on to the famous Erg Chebbi desert area around Merzouga. Certainly not the most conventional route, but I am aware of my limitations, and the disadvantage of birding alone is that you have to do all the driving. My planned route involved over 1,000 miles and pushed my own endurance limits to their maximum. I knew it was going to be challenging and demanding, facts that concerned me and made the experience a less enjoyable one compared to perhaps Eilat in Israel, where apart from getting there, most of the birding can be done relatively locally. I found E-bird to be a great resource for latest sightings, and I made detailed notes prior to my departure, but they do have limitations, for instance in the desert areas the precise location of a species is lacking and a reference coordinate tends to refer to the starting point only, with birds seen across the whole featureless area.
I booked accommodation via booking.com at three locations, near Rabat Airport at Kenitra for two nights, then near Azrou in the Mid-Atlas Mountains for two nights, and finally at the famous Hotel Yasmina in the Erg Chebbi desert for three nights, a total of £400. You can certainly get cheaper accommodation, but I do value some degree of comfort these days.
I had booked a guide Otman Oulhourchemt from 'Birding Tours Morocco' for my final day on 27th March, to show me those difficult desert species. I had been in regular communication with him, highlighting my wish-list as Desert Sparrow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Fulvous Babbler, Tristram's Warbler, and African Desert Warbler. I had previously seen the Sandgrouse and Egyptian Nightjars very well in Israel, so with time being precious, was happy to omit seeing those exciting species. He confirmed that I should meet him at the entrance of Hotel Yasmina at 7.30am on 27th, something I was really looking forward to.
DRIVING IN MOROCCO
Indeed, this caused me some concern and anxiety, and there are some things that you need to be aware of.
First of all, there are regular police checks, especially as you enter and leave towns and cities. I had carefully planned my route so as to avoid major population centres, because driving in somewhere like Fes or Marrakesh would be very daunting. But there is no need to go into major cities anyway.
Moroccan police are notorious, and jokingly I even made it a 'bucket-list experience' to be stopped and fined by Police, as I felt it was inevitable. As you very slowly approach the checkpoints they will either pull you over or wave you through. If there is a stop-sign, you should stop, and then wait to be waved on. Indeed I fulfilled my wish by getting fined for driving at 5mph rather than stopping at a checkpoint as I left the military town of Errachidia, as I made my way down to the desert later in my trip. He was a smooth operator who tried to steal 400 dirhams from me, I gave him 200. I am not saying you should challenge any fine given, ultimately there is little point protesting. But I had barely done anything wrong. Maybe this reducing tactic is part of the overall approach to rob you of a smaller but still not insignificant amount, equivalent to about £20. He asked me where I live and what I did as an occupation? I told him I worked for Wolverhampton Council, which unsurprisingly drew exactly the same blank and uninterested expression as when I tell people in Wolverhampton that I work for Wolverhampton Council
-. If you are stopped at any checkpoint, and this was the only one I was stopped at (though you may get stopped more often with a car full of birders), they will want to see your car lease papers. The Hertz representative had explained this to me and showed me the folder kept in the car with the information of the car hire, that they will require. Possibly also your passport.Beware of speed checks, and I would really advise sticking to speed limits which are satisfactory anyway. Police may be hiding behind walls, without you even knowing they may have checked your speed and called to a forward point where you may be pulled over and fined. I only saw a few, but had no idea where they were going to be. Speed limits in towns are 50km/h (30mph), on normal roads it is 100km/h unless signs tell you otherwise (you often see 80 or even 60 signs), and on motorways it is 120km/h (again unless otherwise stated).
The motorways are toll roads, the ones I used were the A5 running along the western coast from north to south from Rabat to Tangiers, and the A2 that ran east from Rabat past Meknes and Fes and on to Algeria. As you approach the toll booths, you must get into the lane with the 'green arrow' signs (usually only one or two lanes), with most lanes being open to what looks like some sort of pass symbol that I presume many locals have (or is this a credit card symbol?). Anyway, the toll booth and barrier will always 'either' be manned, where you pay a maximum 50 dirhams (they give change), or it will be unmanned and you will instead press a button to take a ticket. You retain this ticket and when you exit the motorway you hand the ticket to the toll booth operator at that end and pay him the 50 dirhams. Its a bit confusing at first, but I guess it reduces the need to have every toll booth manned. You don't need to worry which it is, you either pay 50 dirhams, or take a ticket if it is unmanned.
The state of roads across the Country is generally pretty good, there are sections that are being relayed, roadworks are not confined to the UK, it's just that we specialise in them! I suspected that the further into the desert you got, the roads and signs would just disappear, but that is certainly not the case. In fact the roads were generally pretty good everywhere. Signage is usually in both Arabic(?) and French. By carefully pre-planning, you know the routes you are on and the names of the population centres you are heading in the direction of. It's much easier with a navigator alongside, but when you are driving independently it is more difficult. Finally, I cannot recommend an app like maps.me strongly enough, for even without a wi-fi signal it tells you exactly where you are, which can be helpful if you feel you are on the wrong road, or for navigating through towns. It saved me on a number of occasions.
My car was diesel, which was extremely economical. But petrol is relatively cheap in Morocco anyway. The attendants fill your tank for you at most places, and then you can see how much it is and pay them, you should expect to tip a bit. I just signalled 'diesal, full' and that was clear enough. They obviously understand the most basic of signals in most languages.
I didn't find driving in Morocco worse or better than anywhere else. Motorways were fine, main roads were fine too. Getting through small towns was a little stressful at the end of ramadan (darkness) because everyone was out celebrating. Again, where signposts were lacking at junctions, maps.me came to my rescue, but that was rarely the case. But maps.me does use a lot of battery so I generally switched my phone off once I was through any towns and sure I was on the correct road.
Being by myself, I took care of where I drove, but that is just common sense. I didn't want to have to change a tyre, but birders inevitably go along some rough tracks, but use discretion. In the desert areas, if you are unsure whether sand is strong enough, get out and check with your feet. Especially true when turning round on rough tracks.
Reputable firms like Hertz have a 24-hour emergency number in Morocco should you break down. I know Hertz are expensive, but I just feel it may be worth it here.
DAILY ACCOUNTS
21st March
The first bit is always stressful, driving out of an unfamiliar airport via Rabat's busy suburbs, but I quickly got onto the signposted A5 towards Tangiers, and twenty-five miles later I came off at 'Kenitra Centre' where my first hotel for two nights at 'Hotel Relax' was situated less than a mile away. This was a nice hotel, perfect for my needs, and they do a nice pizza! It was dark when I checked in, slightly weary from my day of travel that started at 10am when I left home.
22nd March
The hotel did breakfast from 6.30am, which was a real bonus, and it meant I was out on the road at 7am, and I headed back out on the A5 towards but around and past Rabat, paying the toll each way, and using maps.me I was able to ensure I came off at the correct junction. Hundreds of Cattle Egrets were in some fields, along with smaller numbers of White Storks, with Spotless Starlings also common. Fifteen miles later I was at the Wali Salih Sidi Serraki, a small white chapel by the road at 33.713627, -6.927977, by 8am. This is the key birding area of the Reserve Royale de Chasse where I desperately hoped to see Black-crowned Tchagra, one of my top targets. There are sandy tracks beside the chapel that can be taken for several hundred yards, that then lead left down into an open area, and back at the chapel, 200 metres further along the main road is another track on the right that can be taken, and is especially good for Double-Spurred Francolin (Spurfowl). This second track is only 100 metres long itself and leads to a turning circle. Over three hours birding this pleasant area, I quickly came across a Woodlark, Nightingale, Cuckoo, Woodchat Shrike, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, a few Black Kites, as well as birds I can see from my window like House Sparrow, Robin, Great Tit, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Blackbird, and Wood Pigeon. I briefly heard both the Tchagra and Francolin, but just could not see either, and as the morning progressed and the heat of the day increased, things quietened considerably. The nearby open fields held Corn Buntings and Crested Larks, and there was an Ostrich stood in the middle of a field, looking very out of place.
By mid-day, I rather despondently headed back to the hotel where I had a cuppa and a rest, and then headed out again at about 4pm, back on the A5 northwards this time, around 50 miles to Moulay Bousselham and the infamous Merga Zerga. There are many reports regards the rare Marsh Owl, but E-bird reports recently showed that a few were showing on its eastern perimeter, so I headed off at the sign for Moulay Bouselham, paid the toll fee, and then at the T-junction, instead of turning right towards Moulay, I turned left and headed through the busy small town of Ahmiri, turned right at the traffic island at the top of town, and out back under the A5. Immediately having passed underneath the A5, I parked on the right. I then walked south for a hundred metres and took an obvious sandy road on the right (which I later realised I could probably have driven down) which ran alongside a long row of greenhouses for around 1km (they look obvious on Googlemaps). There were a few little barking dogs to circumnavigate but they quickly retreated, and just like Wolves forward line, their bark was worse than their bite. At the end of the track is a slightly raised water pit, and I sat there initially, with a farmer still ploughing a field between me and the marsh. I watched a male Montagu's Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, and a Kestrel hunt and antagonise Lapwings some way out, whilst a few Crested Larks and buntings flew around. Cattle Egrets were again everywhere, along with a few White Storks. A Maghreb Magpie flew across my field of view, and then away to my right I think I had a Marsh Owl distantly, but I could not say for sure. At about 7pm, the remaining farmer packed in and drove his tractor and plough back inland as ramadan was coming to an end for the day. I then felt able to walk further out alongside their fields to the edge of the marsh, as darkness encroached. My heart fluttered as an owl appeared and quartered the field behind me, but it was just a lovely Short-eared Owl. I ended up standing at 34.844359, -6.238392, and will highlight this point in a photograph at the end of the report. I stood quietly there, and suddenly started hearing a croaking noise nearby. After a few minutes, an owl jumped up and down, flying for just a few seconds, twenty metres away. I knew instantly that this was a Marsh Owl, and after a few minutes it flew around a bit more and even perched up 100 metres away. Shortly afterwards it was joined by a second Marsh Owl, and both flew off towards farm buildings to hunt. Views in the poor light were substandard but clear enough, and I started to walk back, delighted to have connected. As I walked past the greenhouses, one of the birds flew directly over me and down into the field, still croaking away! The fifty mile drive back to the hotel seemed to fly by, and I was back by 9pm.
23 March
I checked out of Hotel Relax at Kenitra and was again out before 7am, ready for my drive east towards the Mid-Atlas Mountain range, but decided first of all to revisit the Reserve Royal de Chasse. At the toll booth on the A5, a Maghreb Magpie showed down to ten metres, and I could see the sky-blue teardrop. I arrived at the Royal Reserve just before 8am. A few Corn Buntings and Crested Larks were again seen nearby, as well as the Ostrich in the exact same spot of an isolated field. Again, I think I was just too late to see the goodies, but 2 Double-spurred Francolin's scampered across the open glade and dived into cover as I rounded a corner. And as I sat in the car by the main road at the entrance to the second track, I was surprised to see another Francolin fly low across the road just twenty metres away. Pleasing though this was, I just could not find a Tchagra, even though I heard it tantalisingly sing sporadically. This was a major blow for me, but hey that is birding! There were 100 Black Kites moving through overhead, as well as 20 European Bee-eaters. I was pleased to find a Western Orphean Warbler low down, and a Common Bulbul perched up to provide good views. But by 11am, I had to move on, accepting defeat regards the Tchagra.
I drove back past Rabat on the A5 toll motorway, and at Rabat joined the N6 that quickly led straight onto the A2 toll motorway eastward. At the first toll booth, I swear I had a coucal on the fence, but then in my own mind I know I am infamous for imagining good birds! 160 miles later, I came off near Meknes and joined the N13 for a 30-mile trip to Azrou, using Maps.me to help guide me through small towns. This was set in the heart of the Mid-Atlas mountain range, and my hotel near Azrou for the next two nights was the pleasant Le Palais des Cerisiers which was ideal for investigating the Cedre Gouraud Forest and the adjacent clear-fell areas. This may not be an obvious area for western birders, but E-bird reports certainly looked productive for a few species. That afternoon, I followed the road into the forest from the hotel, and after just two-three miles, I parked up by an open area and immediately found a pair of Moussier's Redstarts in a small bush, which allowed views down to ten metres. The male was just stunning, and I was delighted to have connected with one of my top targets. Up to 15 Ravens were overhead, but I failed to hear or see any Levaillant's Woodpeckers. Avian activity in general was fairly slow. I slept well that night after a nice meal at the hotel. But no beer
-.24 March
I was out by 7am to visit woods ten miles away just before Ifran, which were lovely and peaceful.........for about five minutes!! Then a helicopter from the adjacent airfield started spraying the very-bloody area I was investigating. I have no idea what they were spraying, but I can only hope it was Regaine for my 'very follicly-challenged' scalp. Actually, joking beside, a bald scalp is a very sensitive censor but I wasn't able to detect anything at all landing on me. I was here trying to find Levaillant's Woodpecker, but again there was a total absence of song or drumming, disappointingly. A few Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, as well as Firecrest, 4 Short-toed Treecreepers, 4 Nuthatches, Mistle Thrushes, Great Tits, Blackbirds, African Blue Tits, and a dozen or so African-race Chaffinches. All a bit anti-climatic if I am honest, although 7 Lesser Kestrels were nearby. I took a scenic hoop off the main road between Ifran and Azrou, onto the P7229 that offered potentially great scenery, but little activity. Though I did enjoy cracking views of another male Moussier's Redstart and a smart male Desert Wheatear. I then joined the N13 heading south through the forest, noting around 50 photogenic Barbary Macaques, and dogs. The stoney plateau on the far side produced a fine male Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear. After a rest back at the hotel, I headed back along the track from it for a few miles, and parked at the obvious glade just before the main forest, where I undertook an hour of raptor watching late afternoon. A pair of what I thought were Long-legged Buzzards were showing well, though being harassed by the resident-Ravens. It turns out that these birds, that morphologically resemble Long-legged Buzzards with their pale heads and orange tails, are actually very closed related to Common Buzzard, and should be referred to as North African Buzzard. A Short-toed Eagle also passed overhead, and above it a very pale falcon, that I am sure was a Lanner Falcon. The black obvious moustache and slightly darker underwings of Barbary falcon were certainly lacking. I enjoyed another meal at the hotel and had an early night, still dreaming of that pint of honey-nectar!
25th March
I checked out early, aware that my drive south-west along the N13 road was 240 miles long and would take 5-6 hours. I was really stressed about this, wondering whether I would ever find Hotel Yasmina. As usual, my fears were unfounded, and in general the road system all the way was good.
As I left the Barbary Macaques near Azrou, I started birding as I drove, quickly picking up 4 Rock Sparrows, and then 4 Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear's looking very dapper. Along the fast, open roads, progress was initially good, and around ten miles before Timahdite I stopped quickly as I noted several large Houbara Bustard-size birds in a barren flat field in the middle of nowhere. Usually, you will see a shepherd tending a flock of sheep in the distance, but there was no sign of any human habitation here. I reversed back up and watched what were 6 Helmeted Guineafowl, just twenty metres away. At this juncture, I have to say I have no idea whether these birds are the real thing or part of some introduction scheme, for I thought they were considered extinct in Morocco. I was later to see 3 birds in a field by Azrou prison, that were clearly domesticated. But these birds were in a location that suggested they were as good candidates as possible.
Driving on past Midelt, and starting to rise into the mountains, in quick succession I came across 3 Mahgreb Wheatears with their black backs, but in each case views were brief though conclusive, as they flew off. Further south-east, I was pulled over just upon leaving Errachidia to pleasingly tick off my dodgy 'Moroccan-policeman' incident, and then White-crowned Black Wheatear's became the default-wheatear species past there. I finally arrived at Hotel Yasmina, Erg Chebbi at 2.30pm, more than six hours after leaving Azrou. I was knackered but delighted, could have murdered a beer though!
My room was wonderful and so were the pool and communal areas. It was great to bump into British birdwatchers for the first time on the trip, and indeed birdwatchers of other nationalities too....... American, Spanish, French. There was a Spanish lad undertaking ringing with nearly 20 nets up just outside the hotel, over the area where the lake used to be, and he routinely brought back birds in sacks to ring at a table in the shade. He has been here for over a month, and his reports in French and English can be seen at yasminaprimavera.wordpress.com. He happily allows birders to watch and ask away.
House Sparrows and Collared Doves are constantly around Yasmina, with Bedouin's camels all around the perimeter. The views out to the sand-dunes are spectacular, unlike the rather limited evening meals which nevertheless, were ok for a short break. A walk around the nets revealed a few Western Subalpine Warblers, a couple of Western Bonelli's Warblers, Sardinian Warbler, and the putative Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, rumoured to constitute a future split. There were also many dragonflies around, apparently nearly all Vagrant Emperors.
I slept well that night in my beautiful air-conditioned room.
26th March
After breakfast, I had a leisurely morning, watching the Spanish ringer show 3 Western Subalpine Warblers and a Northern Wheatear. Brown-necked Ravens were flying around, and late morning I decided to venture out to Rissani, which was a town twenty miles away, which was richer in vegetation. En route, I enjoyed cracking views of 2 Hoopoe Larks by the roadside, and in the Rissani suburbs I found the first Laughing Dove and then 4 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. I had seen a colony of 35 birds in Turkey previously, and they have always been one of my favourite birds. So I was delighted to again connect with them, enjoying scope and binocular views down to ten metres as they perched on wires. Their colourful faces remind me of 1970s lollipops, just stunning! I also briefly visited Merzouga late afternoon, in very hot temperatures, and at last found 2 very-confiding House Buntings, quite attractive birds though they should be dead easy here. I missed a male Rock Thrush being rung back at nearby Yasmina, whilst I was out, but failed to find any Desert Sparrows alongside a few hotels en-route. Back at Yasmina, I watched the very pale Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, and somewhat-amusingly found 4 Ruddy Shelducks on the stoney approach track, and later on a fly-by Green Sandpiper. After tea, I had an early night, to ensure I was ready for my big final day with Otman from Birding Tours Morocco.
27th March
I was sat at the front of Yasmina at 7.15am, and watched the mini-bus of birders who had arranged a trip via the hotel (Yasmina) depart with eager anticipation! I sat there, and waited..............and waited. 7.45am, then 8am......at which point my texts to him were going un-replied. He left me standing like a guilty schoolboy, and I openly admit I was in a state of anguish. This was my last full day. Of all the things that might go wrong, this was the last thing I had expected to do just that. We had exchanged concrete emails and confirmed the meeting time and location. Sensing my despair, for without a guide it is very difficult these days to find Desert Sparrows, the proprietor of Yasmina made a few calls and arranged for a local guide Hussein to come and pick me up for the same arranged price of 1100 dirhams. He did just that at 8.15am, he didn't speak any English at all but somehow we got by, at times I didn't know what we were traipsing around looking for, which was quite amusing. Anyway, we first visited the 'sandgrouse' site, where a very pale-fronted Barbary Falcon was sat amongst at least 50 Crowned Sandgrouse and 20 Spotted Sandgrouse. I quickly said I wanted to move on, and Hussein then said "Desert Sparrows" - the two English words he knew! He regularly clicked something whilst he drove, which I presume must have provided him with GPS co-ordinates, and soon we were parked up by a fence. We climbed over the three foot fence, and walked one-hundred metres to a single story building, and having rounded a corner, several sparrows were present around a water cylinder attached to it. Most were House Sparrows, but a stunning male Desert Sparrow flew ten metres and perched on top of a small bush, offering tremendous views for several seconds, before disappearing. I lingered around this spot for twenty minutes whilst Hussein left me to it. 2 pale-brown female Desert Sparrows showed well, low down briefly, but also slinked quickly away. Eventually, another male re-appeared and perched on the water cylinder, looking tall and regal, towering above a smaller male House Sparrow. House Sparrows are supposed to be the larger of the two species, but in this case the Desert Sparrow was 10-15% bigger. The same area also produced a brief but clear Tristram's Warbler that moved over a bush, a Western Bonelli's Warbler, and a Bar-tailed Lark.
From that point, I was totally relieved, and we spent another hour and half 'bombing' across the stoney desert at times, but failing to really find much except 3 more wonderful Hoopoe Larks, 2 more Bar-tailed Larks, 2 Desert Larks, 2 Desert Wheatears, and several White-crowned Black Wheatears. Hussein scrambled up a hill to check a Pharaoh Eagle Owl nest hole, which was unsurprisingly empty, and a chat with a local farmer failed to unearth what I presume might have been Egyptian Nightjars within his small plantation. Hussein walked all around looking for these birds, even 200 metres away from the plantation, which came up negative but still produced another Hoopoe Lark in flight, and Desert Wheatear. A couple of wild camels were seen as well as a group of 8 wild ponies (Onagers?). By 11.30am I was back at my hotel, and despite not having found African Desert Warbler nor Fulvous Babbler, I was just relieved at having enjoyed cracking views of Desert Sparrows, having pushed myself so hard to drive all that way to get here. It could have been so much worse without any guide, though if Othman had turned up, it could have been so much better! He eventually replied apologising, saying he had been in hospital, in which case there is not much more to say.
After a short rest back at Yasmina, I again drove the ten miles to Merzouga, where I checked out a wooded area called the 'The Igrane' that had a water-filled gulley running along its length. Even during the heat of the afternoon, this was a lovely area to check out, even if it was primarily filled with House Sparrows and Collared Doves. There was also a Western Subalpine Warbler, a Hoopoe, and a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 'zipping' over the tree-tops, but I could not find resident Fulvous Babblers here, frustratingly. There were swarms of Vagrant Emperor dragonflies darting around.
Back at Yasmina, I watched the Saharan Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and a Balearic Woodchat Shrike being ringed, and I enjoyed a walk around the nets for a final time. I suffered a bit of an upset stomach that night, I had just had too much sun I think.
28th March
Regrettably, it was time to leave Yasmina, and I bid farewells and set off at 7am, on my long, eight-hour journey back the same way to Rabat Airport nearly 400-miles away. Of course, I did stop for a bit of birding, including at the seemingly-empty Zaida Plains. I am sure larks such as Thick-Billed and Temminck's are out there somewhere, but I was never going to connect during a thirty-minute search. Elsewhere, in the mountains, I did see a pair of Atlas Horned Larks, 2 more Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatears, and the first Black-eared Wheatear. I was totally drained when my Sandero pulled into the Hertz car park at Rabat Airport, but in fact I had coped with everything very well, with no mishaps on the road. I was even more knackered by the time I landed back at Stansted at 1am, yet the fresh British air on the walk to Stansted Airport short-term car park reinvigorated me, and I drove home with ease, arriving at 4am. But it has taken me a few days to recover! Beer has helped
-.SUMMARY
Despite being badly let down by my guide, I still saw most of my most-desired birds, including 11 lifers. The best of these being Desert Sparrow, Moussier's Redstart, and Marsh Owl. I was gutted not to find Black-crowned Tchagra, and also dipped on African Desert Warbler and Fulvous Babbler, which were both obtainable around Erg Chebbi. It was lovely to see Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Hoopoe Lark again, but I would have liked to have enjoyed clearer views of Pharaoh Eagle Owl than those brief flight ones I obtained in torchlight in Israel.
Ryan Air also fly to Ouarzazate, so I may return later this year to try for Thick-billed Larks and maybe more mountain species.
I saw less than 90 species, which is poor for a week, groups of birders invariably get around 150+, but I made no attempt to see waders or coastal birds for instance. So all in all I feel I have done pretty well. It was challenging, stressful, difficult, but enlightening, wonderful, and rewarding in equal measure.
BIRD LIST (lifers in bold)
Ruddy Shelduck - 10 seen
Helmeted Guineafowl - 6 in barren fields near Timahdite, and 3 feral birds in Azrou
Common Quail - one heard at Merga Zerga
Double-spurred Francolin - 2 'skittish' birds seen briefly, and another more closely at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Common Crane - 2 at Merga Zerga
Common Swift - at least 2
Pallid Swift - 2 over Merga Zerga
Common Cuckoo - heard at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Spotted Sandgrouse - around 20 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Crowned Sandgrouse - around 50 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Wood Pigeon - at least 50 seen
Collared Dove - numerous
Feral Pigeon - numerous
Laughing Dove - 1 seen near Rissani
Northern Lapwing - around 20 seen at Merga Zerga
Green Sandpiper - 1 at Erg Chebbi
White Stork - at least 50 seen
Cormorant - several seen
Western Cattle Egret - around 1000 seen
Grey Heron - a single bird seen near Midelt
Short-toed Eagle - 2 birds seen in Mid-Atlas
Sparrowhawk - 2 seen near Rabat
Marsh Harrier - 1 at Merga Zerga
Montagu's Harrier - 1 male at Merga Zerga
Black Kite - 150 seen
Common Buzzard - 1 at Reserve Royale de Chasse, and 2 North African Buzzards at Azrou
Marsh Owl - 2, possibly 3 at Merga Zerga
Hoopoe - 2 birds seen
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - 5 birds seen
European Bee-eater - 20 birds seen
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 birds seen
Lesser Kestrel - 8 near Ifran
Common Kestrel - around 15 seen
Lanner Falcon - a single bird over Azrou
Peregrine (Barbary) Falcon - 1 at Erg Chebbi
Woodchat Shrike - around 5 seen including 1 of Balearic-race
Jay - 2 seen
Maghreb Magpie - 3 seen
Jackdaw - 15 seen at Azrou
Raven - around 50 seen
Brown-necked Raven - around 15 seen
Coal Tit - several seen near Ifran
African Blue Tit - around 10 seen
Great Tit - several seen
Greater Hoopoe Lark - 6 birds seen around Erg Chebbi
Bar-tailed Lark - 3 birds seen around Erg Chebbi
Desert Lark - 2 birds seen at Erg Chebbi
Woodlark - 1 at Reserve Royal de Chasse
Crested Lark - around 20 seen
Thekla Lark - 1 near Azrou
Horned Lark - 2 of 'Atlas' race seen
Common Bulbul - 3 seen
Barn Swallow - around 30 seen
House Martin - several seen
Western Bonelli's Warbler - several seen around Erg Chebbi
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 1 individual of the Saharan-race seen at Erg Chebbi
Blackcap - 1 seen
Western Orphean Warbler - 1 seen at Reserve Royale de Chasse
Tristram's Warbler - 1 seen clearly but briefly
Sardinian Warbler - a few seen
Western Subalpine Warbler - around 10 seen around Erg Chebbi
Firecrest - at least 2 seen
Nuthatch - 4 seen
Short-toed Treecreeper - 4 seen
Spotless Starling - many seen
Mistle Thrush - several seen
Blackbird - around 15 seen
Robin - 1 bird seen
Nightingale - 1 bird seen
Moussier's Redstart - a pair then another male seen near Azrou
Northern Wheatear - 2 birds seen
Seebohm's (Atlas) Wheatear - around 6 seen near Azrou
Desert Wheatear - 1 male near Ifran, and at least 2 more in Erg Chebbi area
Western Black-eared Wheatear - 1 male seen
Black Wheatear - 2 seen
White-crowned Black Wheatear - at least 20 seen
Maghreb Wheatear - 3 birds seen somewhere near Midelt
Rock Sparrow - 4 birds seen near Azrou
House Sparrow - numerous
Desert Sparrow - 2 males and 3 females at Erg Chebbi
Common Chaffinch - around 20 birds seen, mainly of African race
Greenfinch - 6 birds seen
Linnet - 3 birds seen
Corn Bunting - at least 2 seen
House Bunting - 2 seen
PHOTOS
1) Map of Merga Zerga showing where I went to see Marsh Owls
2) Aerial photo of same area, and you can clearly see long white line of greenhouses I walked alongside.
3) A photo of the final section down to the marsh. You can just make out the water hole, and then beyond it 2 small sheds, which take you to the edge of the 'marsh proper'. DO NOT ENTER THE MARSH. This causes immense disturbance to the remaining birds.
4) The marsh area itself.
5) Barbary Macaque near Azrou. He needs a beer to cheer him up too!
6) Wali Salih Sidi Serraki chapel, at Reserve Royale de Chasse.
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