Southern Morocco 7-14 december 2000

Participants

Troels Eske Ortvad (teo1@image.dk), Sebastian Klein and Kasper Thorup, Denmark

Itinerary

7.12: Copenhagen - Agadir - Oued Massa - Agadir.

8.12: Agadir - Boumalne (Tagdilt Track).

9.12: Boumalne - Cafe Yasmina (Erg Chebbi).

10.12: Cafe Yasmina - Ouarzazate.

11.12: Ouarzazate - Oukaimeden - Agadir.

12.12 Agadir - Oued Massa - Oued Sous - Agadir.

13.12: Agadir- Kap Rhir - Tamri - Agadir.

14.12 Agadir - Copenhagen.

Introduction

Arrived in Agadir at noon. Hired a class-b car at the terminal for 3200 dirhams (including 3 drivers) for seven days (fully insured) by a local Moroccan bureau. The vehicle performed well all 2000+ km. Drove immediately to Oued Massa to tick the coast stuff (Bald Ibis, Marbled Teal, Plain Martin, Black-headed Bush Shrike) which proved relatively easy.

At first light of the second day (8.12) we headed east to Tagdilt Track. In the Sous Valley Dartford and Tristams Warblers and two rather tame Lanner Falcons were pleasant surprises. While passing through the hills between Tizi-n-Bachkoum and the road to Marrakech a glimpse of a passerine with a striking wing-pattern made the car come to a full stop. We soon appreciated that the wing belonged to a brilliant Thick-billed Lark. Arrived at Boumalne by sundown and booked in at Hotel Chems (160 dirhams/3 persons) which served fine Moroccan dishes.

In the crisp morning air of the third day (9.12) the Tagdilt Track was a great experience with its broad selection of steppe-desert species, notably Temminck's Lark and Red-rumped Wheatear. We hoped for Crowned Sandgrouse and was rewarded with two individuals flying in high, late in the morning, declaring their arrival by the characteristic cackling calls (with a whistle note mixed in!). By noon we were back on the tarmac on an easterly course towards the land of the Desert Sparrows. Passed Erfoud in the afternoon and drove (almost) straight to Cafe Yasmina, where we enjoyed great views of the local House Sparrows , but no simplex’. These were, however, found at the nearest cafe in good numbers (c. 50). Stayed at Cafe Yasmina (130 dirhams/3 persons) which serves solid Moroccan dishes.

Early morning of the forth day (10.12) we birded around Yasmina, and had Tristams and Spectacled Warblers. Later in the morning we were at Auberge Kasbah Dakaoua searching for Fulvous Chatterer and Desert Warbler. Despite some two hours of walking up and down the wadi we failed to detect any Desert Warblers but found a gang of Chatterers around some palm trees. By the way, the hotel boss chased us away when we asked permission to visit the hotel gardens. Warbler-stops at the wadis on the way to Erfoud produced little more than Dartfords and Tristams. On the way to Ouarzazate, where we spent the night at Hotel Royal (125 D/3 persons), the most significant sighting was two male Mourning Wheatears (together) by the road somewhere between Skoura and El-Kelaa M´gouna (forgotten the exact location).

The fifth day (11.12) we went on a rather lengthy drive around the Atlas Mountains which to some extent proved a waste of carbon dioxide emission. No snow had fallen in the mountain yet, and Red-billed Chough was the only high-altitude species around at the Oukaimeden ski resort. We were later told that when there is no snow, most alpine species only frequent the resort area in the morning; we were there in the afternoon. On the way down the mountain we found the green-coloured woodpeckers next to the road. Were rather surprised to find that the male displays red feathers distally in the moustachial (malar) stripe.

The sixth (12.12) day we were back on the coast. Began by revisiting the Oued Massa. In the morning Pallid and Little Swifts were feeding low above the valley. The Bush Shrikes were present by both the two lower bridges crossing the river, a Ferruginous Duck lay amongst the Pochards and 2 Ruddy Shelducks passed overhead. Later in the day, at Oued Sous, we added a number of species to the tour-list including 3 Bonelli´s Eagles and 20 first-winter Mediterranean Gulls.

The seventh day (13.12) we went up the coast to try to see some seabirds at Kap Rhir and more Bald Ibises at Tamri. Easterly winds and haze was not exactly ideal conditions for seabird watching, so we quickly moved on to Tamri where six Bald Ibises were feeding on the sandy hillside. On the way back to Agadir we stoped to check Laridae´s at Amesnaz. It proved to be a wise choice when an adult Lesser Crested-Tern were found standing on the beach amongst Sandwich Terns.

Below the species account (c. 160 species):

Little Grebe Oued Massa: Common	Tachybaptus ruficollis
Black-necked Grebe Oued Massa: 12.12 2	Podiceps nigricollis
Cory's Shearwater Kap Rhir: 13.12 1	Calonectris diomedea
Balearic Shearwater Kap Rhir: 13.12 15	Puffinus mauretanicus
Northern Gannet Common	Morus bassanus
Great Cormorant Noted	Phalacrocorax carbo
Squacco Heron Oued Massa: 12.12 2 1 km east of eastern reserve entrance gate	Ardeola ralloides
Cattle Egret Common	Bubulcus ibis
Little Egret Noted at the coast estuaries	Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron Noted at the coast estuaries	Ardea cinerea
White Stork Sous Valley: 8/12 1 Oued Sous: 12.12 20	Ciconia ciconia
Glossy Ibis Oued Massa: 7/12 25, 12/12 10 Oued Sous: 12/12 5	Plegadis falcinellus
Bald Ibis Oued Massa area: 7/12 180 (night roost), 12.12 2 in flight Tamri: 13/12 2 ad. + 4 juv. feeding near the last dirt road uphill before (2 km south of) the river mouth	Geronticus eremita
Eurasian Spoonbill Oued Sous: 12.12 20	Platalea leucorodia
Greater Flamingo Oued Massa: 7.12 10, 12.12 10 Oued Sous: 12.12 200	Phoenicopterus ruber
Ruddy Shelduck Oued Massa: 12.12 2	Tadorna ferruginea
Eurasian Wigeon Oued Massa: a few noted	Anas penelope
Gadwall Oued Massa: 12.12 20	Anas strepera
Common Teal Oued Massa: noted	Anas crecca
Mallard Oued Massa: noted	Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Pintail Oued Massa: noted	Anas acuta
Garganey Oued Massa: 7.12 1	Anas querquedula
Northern Shoveler Oued Massa: noted	Anas clypeata
Marbled Teal Oued Massa: 7.12 and 12.12 c. 300	Marmaronetta angustirostris
Common Pochard Oued Massa: noted	Aythya ferina
Ferruginous Pochard Oued Massa:12.12 1 female with Pochards	Aythya nyroca
Tufted Duck Oued Massa: 7.12 3	Aythya fuligula
Common Scoter Kap Rhir: 13.12 1	Melanitta nigra
Black-winged Kite Oued Massa area: 7.12 2, 12.12 1	Elanus caeruleus
Western Marsh-Harrier Oued Massa: 12.12 3 juv.	Circus aeruginosus
Northern Goshawk Oukaimeden: 11.12 1 5 km before	Accipiter gentilis
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Sous Valley: 8.12 2	Accipiter nisus
Long-legged Buzzard Tagdilt Track: 9.12 3, 10.12 1 North of Tizi-n-Tichka: 11.12 1 Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Buteo rufinus
Golden Eagle Taznakht - Ouarzazate: 8.12 1 juv.	Aquila chrysaetos
Bonelli's Eagle Oued Sous: 12.12 3 ad. 3 km up stream	Hieraaetus fasciatus
Osprey Oued Massa: 7.12 5, 12.12 3 Oued Sous: 12.12 2	Pandion haliaetus
Common Kestrel Common	Falco tinnunculus
Lanner Falcon Southern Sous Valley road: 8.12 2 ad. sitting on telephone poles	Falco biarmicus
Peregrine Falcon Oukaimeden:11.12 1	Falco peregrinus
Barbary Falcon Oued Massa: 7.12 1 ad., 12.12 1 ad. Tamri: 13.12 1 ad.	Falco pelegrinoides
Barbary Partridge Oued Massa: 12.12 8 South of Kap Rhir: 13.12 3	Alectoris barbara
Common Moorhen Oued Massa: Common Oued Sous: Common	Gallinula chloropus
Common Coot Oued Massa: Common	Fulica atra
Common Crane Agadir: 8.12 flock heard at night passing the hotel	Grus grus
Eurasian Oystercatcher Oued Sous: 12.12 10	Haematopus ostralegus
Black-winged Stilt Oued Massa: 7.12 2, 12.12 5 Oued Sous: 12.12 100	Himantopus himantopus
Little Ringed Plover Oued Sous: 12.12 15	Charadrius dubius
Common Ringed Plover Oued Sous: 12.12 15	Charadrius hiaticula
Kentish Plover Amesnaz north of Agadir: 13.12 10	Charadrius alexandrinus
Eurasian Golden-Plover Oued Sous: 12.12 5	Pluvialis apricaria
Grey Plover Oued Sous: 12.12 10	Pluvialis squatarola
Northern Lapwing Oued Massa: noted Oued Sous: noted	Vanellus vanellus
Red Knot Oued Sous: 12.12 25	Calidris canutus
Sanderling Amesnaz north of Agadir: 13.12 10	Calidris alba
Little Stint Oued Massa: 7.12 10 Oued Sous: 12.12 20	Calidris minuta
Dunlin Oued Massa: 7.12 20, 12.12 20 Oued Sous: 12.12 20	Calidris alpina
Ruff Oued Sous: 12.12 1	Philomachus pugnax
Common Snipe Oued Massa: 7.12 3, 12.12 3 Oued Sous: 12.12 1	Gallinago gallinago
Black-tailed Godwit Oued Massa: 7.12 25, 12.12 10 Oued Sous: 12.12 5	Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit Oued Massa: 7.12 5 Oued Sous: 12.12 5	Limosa lapponica
Whimbrel Oued Massa: 7.12 5	Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew Oued Massa: 7.12 5	Numenius arquata
Common Redshank Oued Massa: noted Oued Sous: noted	Tringa totanus
Common Greenshank Oued Massa: noted Oued Sous: noted	Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Oued Massa: noted Oued Sous: noted Sous Valley: noted	Tringa ochropus
Common Sandpiper Oued Massa: noted Oued Sous: noted	Tringa hypoleucos
Parasitic Skua Kap Rhir: 13.12 3 Amesnaz: 13.12 2	Stercorarius parasiticus
Great Skua Kap Rhir: 13.12 1	Catharacta skua
Mediterranean Gull Oued Sous: 12.12 20 first-winters Tamri: 13.12 1 first-winter	Larus melanocephalus
Common Black-headed Gull Oued Massa: 7.12 5, 12.12 5 Oued Sous: 12.12 200	Larus ridibundus
Audouin's Gull Oued Massa: 7.12 200, 12.12 25 Oued Sous: 12.12 50 Amesnaz: 13.12 100 Kap Rhir: 13.12 20 Tamri: 13.12 400	Larus audouinii
Lesser Black-backed Gull Common	Larus fuscus
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus
Western Herring Gull Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Larus argentatus argentateus
Mediterranean Yellow-legged Gull Small numbers by the coast	Larus cachinnans michahellis
Gull-billed Tern Oued Sous: 12.12 1	Sterna nilotica
Lesser Crested-Tern Amesnaz, between Kap Rhir and Agadir: 13.12 1 ad. at the beach with Sandwich Terns	Sterna bengalensis
Sandwich Tern Common by the coast	Sterna sandvicensis
Crowned Sandgrouse Tagdilt Track: 9.12 2 flew in from northwest to land 3-500 m south of the junction between the "old" and the "new" (following Gosney 1996) track	Pterocles coronatus
Black-bellied Sandgrouse Tagdilt Track: 9.12 50 feeding 3-500 m south of the junction between the "old" and the "new" (following Gosney 1996) track	Pterocles orientalis
Rock Pigeon Atlas Mountain north of Tizi-n-Tichka: 11.12 20	Columba livia
Common Wood-Pigeon Oued Sous: 12.12 5	Columba palumbus
Eurasian Collared-Dove Common, widespread	Streptopelia decaocto
Laughing Dove Small numbers by the coast	Streptopelia senegalensis
Little Owl Boumalne: 8.12 2 on telephone wires at dusk	Athene noctua
Pallid Swift Oued Massa: 12.12 30+ feeding low in the morning. Only few noted later in the day	Apus pallidus
Little Swift Oued Massa: 12.12 10+ feeding low above the river in the morning, non seen later in the day. Non seen from the hotel in downtown Agadir	Apus affinis
Common Kingfisher Oued Massa: 7.12 1	Alcedo atthis
Eurasian Hoopoe West of Taroudannt: 8.12 1 - also noted elsewhere	Upupa epops
Eurasian Wryneck Oued Massa: 12.12 1-2	Jynx torquilla
Levaillant's Woodpecker Oukaimeden: 11.12 2-3 in old deciduous trees in the canyon just below the last village before the ski resort	Picus vaillantii
Bar-tailed Desert Lark West of Taznakht: 8.12 10 Auberge Dakaoua, Erfoud: 10.12: 5	Ammomanes cincturus
Desert Lark Noted from Taznakht and eastward, where common.	Ammomanes deserti
Greater Hoopoe-Lark Common in the dry desert	Alaemon alaudipes
Thick-billed Lark In hills between Tizi-n-Bachkoum and road to Marrakech in stony habitat where dirt road signposted "Hamam" runs south: 8.12 1	Ramphocoris clotbey
Greater Short-toed Lark Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Calandrella brachydactyla
Lesser Short-toed Lark Tagdilt Track: 9.12 200 - also noted elsewhere	Calandrella rufescens
Crested Lark Common	Galerida cristata
Thekla Lark Common	Galerida theklae
Eurasian Skylark Sous Valley: 8.12 1 Tagdilt Track: 9.12 10	Alauda arvensis
Temminck's Lark Tagdilt Track: 9.12 50	Eremophila bilopha
Plain Martin Oued Massa: 7.12 10, 12.12 10	Riparia paludicola
Sand Martin Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Riparia riparia
Eurasian Crag-Martin Oued Massa: 7.12 100, 12.12 100 Tizi-n-Tichka: 11.12 100 down the southern side - also noted elsewhere	Hirundo rupestris
Barn Swallow Common by the coast	Hirundo rustica
Red-rumped Swallow Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Hirundo daurica
Northern House-Martin Oued Massa: 7.12 5, 12.12 5	Delichon urbica
Meadow Pipit Common in habitat	Anthus pratensis
Iberian Yellow Wagtail West of Taroudannt: 8.12 200 - also noted elsewhere	Motacilla flava iberiae
Grey Wagtail Taliouine: 8.12 2 Oued Sous: 12.12 2	Motacilla cinerea
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
European White Wagtail: Common, widespread	Motacilla alba alba
Moroccan White Wagtail: Taliouine: 8.12 1 Oued Massa: 12.12 1	Motacilla alba subpersonata
Garden Bulbul Common, widespread	Pycnonotus barbatus
Winter Wren Atlas Mountains: common	Troglodytes troglodytes
European Robin Common	Erithacus rubecula
Black Redstart Common, widespread	Phoenicurus ochruros
Moussier's Redstart Common, especially by the coast	Phoenicurus moussieri
Common Stonechat Common, widespread	Saxicola torquata
Desert Wheatear Auberge Kasbah Dakaoua, Erfoud: 10.12 2 in the wadi West of Jorf: 10.12 1	Oenanthe deserti
Red-rumped Wheatear Tagdilt Track: 9.12 15	Oenanthe moesta
Mourning Wheatear Skoura - El-Kelaa M´gouna: 10.12 2 males by the road	Oenanthe lugens
White-tailed Wheatear Noted from Taznakht and eastward where common	Oenanthe leucopyga
Black Wheatear Common in the mountains at low and medium altitude. One noted by the coast at Tamri	Oenanthe leucura
Blue Rock-Thrush Oued Massa: 7.12 1 by the coast 4 km north of	Monticola solitarius
Ring Ouzel Oukaimeden: 11.12 1	Turdus torquatus
Eurasian Blackbird Common, widespread	Turdus merula
Song Thrush A few noted in the Atlas Mountains and Sous Valley	Turdus philomelos
Cetti's Warbler Oued Massa: Common by the river. Often heard singing, one individual seen.	Cettia cetti
Zitting Cisticola Oued Massa: Common Tamri: 13.12 1	Cisticola juncidis
Eurasian Reed-Warbler Oued Massa: 7.12 1, 12.12 1	Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Dartford Warbler Sous Valley: 8.12 1 at southern road Auberge Kasbah Dakaoua, Erfoud: 10.12 3 Wadi south of Erfoud (site 8 in Gosney 1996): 10.12 1	Sylvia undata
Tristram's Warbler Sous Valley: 8.12 1 by southern road Cafe Yasmina: 10.12 5 Auberge Kasbah Dakaoua, Erfoud: 10.12 5 in the wadi - also noted elsewhere	Sylvia deserticola
Spectacled Warbler Cafe Yasmina: 10.12 5	Sylvia conspicillata
Sardinian Warbler Common, widespread	Sylvia melanocephala
Blackcap Common	Sylvia atricapilla
Common Chiffchaff Common, widespread	Phylloscopus collybita
Pied Flycatcher Taliouine: 8.12 1	Ficedula hypoleuca
Fulvous Chatterer Auberge Kasbah Dakaoua, Erfoud: 10.12 10 around palm trees in the wadi	Turdoides fulvus
Coal Tit Common in the Atlas Mountains	Parus ater
Blue Tit Common in the Atlas Mountains	Parus caeruleus
Great Tit Noted in the Atlas Mountains	Parus major
Black-headed Bush Shrike Oued Massa: 2-4 by both the bridged crossing the river indicated on the Gosney (1996) map	Tchagra senegala
Great Grey Shrike Common, widespread	Lanius excubitor
Eurasian Jay Oukaimeden: 11.12 1 in the woody valley north of	Garrulus glandarius
Black-billed Magpie Lower Sous Valley: 8.12 100 Agadir - Oued Massa: 12.12 30	Pica pica
Red-billed Chough Oukaimeden: 11.12 20	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Brown-necked Raven South of Erfoud: Common	Corvus ruficollis
Common Raven Oukaimeden: 11.12 2 Agadir - Tamri: 13.12 5	Corvus corax
Spotless Starling Common, widespread	Sturnus unicolor
House Sparrow Common, widespread	Passer domesticus
Spanish Sparrow Oued Massa: 12.12 10	Passer hispaniolensis
Desert Sparrow Cafe Yasmina, and the cafe just south of: 9.12 50, 10.12 40	Passer simplex
Rock Sparrow Tizi-n-Tichka pass: 11.12 8	Petronia petronia
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs
Common Chaffinch: Common, at least in the mountains	Fringilla coelebs coelebs
North-west African Chaffinch: Common in the dry lower altitudes, not noted at higher altitudes	Fringilla coelebs africana
European Serin Common	Serinus serinus
European Greenfinch Common	Carduelis chloris
European Goldfinch Common	Carduelis carduelis
Eurasian Linnet Common	Carduelis cannabina
Trumpeter Finch Taliouine: 8.12 15 Taznakht - Ouarzazate: 8.12 40 Cafe Yasmina: 10.12 10 South of Erfoud: 11.12 10	Rhodopechys githaginea
Cirl Bunting Lower Sous Valley: 8.12 3	Emberiza cirlus
Rock Bunting Taznakht - Ouarzazate: 8.12 1 Common in Atlas	Emberiza cia
House Bunting Common	Emberiza striolata
Corn Bunting Cafe Yasmina: 9.12 1	Miliaria calandra