Arxiu de la categoria: Species

Pyrenees Winter Break 2024

Dates: From February 6th to 10th, 2024
Tour participants: 5
Number of species seen: 110
Tour leader: Carles Oliver

Overview: 10th Pyrenees Winter Break issue. This winter in the Pyrenees has been specially unnormal. The winter started normally, with the first snowfall happening in early November. Soon, the trend changed and we faced several weeks without any snowfall and the high temperatures melted the few snow left. With temperatures ranking 25ºC in January, some high mountain specialties changed their normal routines, especially affected were Snow Finches and Citril Finches, but also Alpine Choughs. This anormal situation, made the tour a bit harder than usual. Despite all of this, we got excellent views in the high mountain specialties and many of the steppe birds, with stunning views on both Wallcreeper and Dupont’s Lark, and 8+ Lammergeiers & 5+ Cinereous Vultures seen.

Day 1. After gathering all the tour participants from their accommodations around the city and enjoy tea & coffee stop we headed to the first birding stop of the tour. During the next hour, we walked around a mosaic landscape with some large trees, bushland and crops.

Here we were delighted to see the first Iberian Green Woodpeckers of the trip, quite active in the early morning. The morning was a bit cloudy and, once again, warm for what we can expect in Barcelona in early February. Small flocks of Common Chaffinches were getting out of the fields, and along with them we saw European Serins and Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Our walk around had a nice start, with a showy Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was calling and drumming from the top of the canopies, and we had really good looks on it for almost five minutes. In this same spot we also got Iberian Green Woodpeckers and a Ring-necked Parakeet exploring some nesting holes. Both Great & Blue Tits were active in the area, and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon did a couple of fast flights in the area, hoping to catch one of the several small birds moving. Other interesting birds here included Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Jay and Common Pheasant. 3 Rock Buntings flew out from the bushes, but unfortunately none of the tour participants had a proper view on them

From the lovely plain in the Llobregat Delta we drove to a small garden around Barcelona where a White-throated Sparrow had been seen. We waited for almost one hour but, unfortunately, the Sparrow didn’t show for us. Still, a nice flock of Red-billed Leiothrix was a great entertainment for us, with some Eurasian Blackcaps and Coal Tits also showing well.

After a short stop for coffees and logistics, we drove up to the hills, with the next stop in the top of the one of the highest mountains between Barcelona and the Pyrenees. Here we had the longest walk of the trip, aiming to connect with the small population of Alpine Accentors living there. Fortunately we didn’t have to walk a lot before a lovely flock of at least 12 Alpine Accentors came to us to offer the group wonderful and very long views, with some of the birds performing right in front of us for several minutes! It was midday and in this small peak, normally covered with snow in early February, the sensation was of being late September! We had a comfortable 15ºC when being at 1700m above the sea level! Even in such a conditions, it was very surprising to find a female Hen Harrier hunting in the slopes of the mountains, and moreover, to see 3 Dartford Warblers singing and chasing each other in the tall vegetation. This is only a summer visitor to this habitat, normally covered by snow. Dartford Warblers spend the winter at lower altitudes, waiting for the snow to melt and temperatures to arise up (this is normally happening by late March or early April).

From here we covered the short distance of driving to the first hillsides of the Pyrenees where, even before arriving to the planned stop, we had to do a stop in one of its minor roads, that appeared covered by hundreds of Finches. Here we got the first excellent views on Common Crossbill, with some superb males singing from the top of the Mountain Pines. Hundreds of Eurasian Siskins were calling and singing here, probably moving North to their nesting grounds in Northern Europe. Eurasian Goldfinch, Coal & Crested Tits, Goldcrest and Mistle Thrush were all seen here, some of them providing great looks. At least 2 Citril Finches were noted inside this massive flock of birds, but they flew over almost unnoticed and I fell to put anyone in the group on the Finches, that fastly disappeared in the forest.

The afternoon was well advanced when we had our last stop of the day. This time to have some time in a lovely subboreal forest. Here, we were again surrounded by Common Crossbills and Siskins and only one minute after leaving the van we had a Black Woodpecker calling not far away. It took us only a pair of minutes to contact with the bird, that was active with a variety of calls to finally stop in a large, dead trunk. There we enjoyed long views as the bird was first calling and then preening before going away. We still had some more time in this lovely habitat, but it didn’t produce anything else out of a pair of showy Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 1 Eurasian Nuthatch.

Close up on Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) to start the tour.

Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) has a small population in the forests around Barcelona.

Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) was worth every step un the hill!

Common Crosbill (Loxia curvirostra) has been a common sight along this winter in the Pyrenees.

We enjoyed rather distant but long views on Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius).

Day 2. After enjoying our breakfast in our quiet accommodation in La Cerdanya valley, we spent the next couple of hours exploring the valley immediately beside. Here, a number of selected stops produced a good list of birds that included large numbers of Mistle Thrushes and Redwings with some Fieldfares but also really good views on Short-toed Treecreeper, Common Crossbills, Crested Tit and, especially, gorgeous looks on Rock Buntings that seemed very active and ready to start the nesting season.

From here, we drove inside Andorra. All the main mountain passes in this area of Catalonia had no snow at the moment, and our only hope to find Snow Finches was to go inside Andorra and do some stops along a mountain pass reaching 2500 metres above the sea level and sky resort located nearby. Once there, we saw that the amount of snow was also really thin, and the sunny weather reduced our chances to connect with the Finches even thinner. Still, we enjoyed very lovely views on Alpine Choughs as they were feeding around the sky resort but also acting almost as Wallcreepers in the buildings around!

Crossing Andorra, we headed South towards the most impressive spot for large raptors in the Pyrenees. Even if the intense Andorran traffic made us go slowly, we arrived to the hillsides around Isona with the sun well high in the sky. Moreover, in our way out of Andorra we got excellent views on White-throated Dippers.

The rest of the afternoon we drove along a pair of tracks, with several stops to enjoy the many birds of prey in the sky. After three hours, a conservative count showed out 7 Lammergeiers, hundreds of Eurasian Griffons and 12 Cinereous Vultures. We got several excellent views, with adult Lammergeiers passing only tens of metres away from the van; Lammergeiers circling along with Cinereous Vultures; or a flock of 15 Griffons and 4 Lammergeiers all circling together to name some of most celebrated sights. Due to the multiple stops to enjoy the several raptors in the sky, we arrived to our accommodation a bit later than expected, but with some unforgettable memories!

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) singing his heart out for us.

Alpine Chough close up in our visit in Andorra.

Lammergeier (Gypaetos barbatus), one of the several enjoyed.

A pair of Lammergeiers almost touching wings.

Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) has a small but healthy population in the Pyrenees.

Day 3. After breakfast, we covered the short distance from Lleida to the first gorges in the Pyrenees. Once there, we spent a couple of hours enjoying the rocky outcrops. Blue Rock Thrush had a short appearance, but Firecrests and Goldcrest gave us long views. In the cliffs, Griffons Vultures were nesting along with Rock Sparrows. In the river along the gorge, Dippers were moving up and down along with Grey Wagtails. Other birds here included Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Cirl Buntings and Sardinian Warbler.

But the main reason to come was another, and a really important one. To be fair, the Wallcreeper overwintering in the gorge didn’t take long to appear, but we had to wait a bit before everybody in the group could connect with it. Still, we were really lucky, and a Wallcreeper appeared at its typical place a bit after 10:00 in the morning. The bird was half way up in the cliff, and not very showy. We had to wait for 5 minutes before the bird, suddenly, decided to come down by the tarmac! The next 10 minutes were some of the most intense in our Pyrenean outings this winter, with extremely close views on this Wallcreeper, while the bird was moving really low along the gorge. At times, we had ti sensation of be able even of touching the bird!

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) at close range. Image by Mark Dowie.

Another great shot on Wallcreeper. Please note the delicate design of the undertail coverts. Image by Mark Dowie.

After enjoying such a wonderful views on the one of the main specialties living in the mountains we drove down to the plains. There, large flocks of European Golden Plovers and Northern Lapwings were waiting for us. We have our lunch stop by a small pond, where we had Northern Shovelers, Common Pochards, Little Grebes, Eurasian Coots & Teals, 2 Green Sandpipers but also large flocks of White Storks in the move from their roosting places around Lleida. The area was also good for small birds and European Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Eurasian Skylark, Crested Lark, Chiffchaff, Linnet, Reed Bunting and Eurasian Tree Sparrow were noted.

After lunch we changed to a second pond, and our visit was granted with nice views on 7 Ferruginous Ducks, a very scarce bird in Catalonia!

Driving East, we arrived to an area with a very different landscape. Here, small but cleverly managed fields still allow a good density of Little Bustards. This species, formerly fairly common in Iberia, had become almost a scarcity, and its winter flocks have been severely decimated. A first stop was done to try to connect with a pair of Black-winged Kites nesting in the area, but we only got a small flock of Woodlarks, several Corn Buntings and multiple views on Red Kite & Marsh Harrier. A bit further, 4 Little Bustards were seen by the road, and we got good views from the van to don’t disturb the birds.

The last stop of the day was deserved to the desert-like ambients South of Lleida, where we had a short walk to enjoy the first Thekla’s Larks of the trip along with lovely flocks of Red-billed Choughs, Spotless Starlings, Rock Sparrows and a Black Wheatear that refused to show for the group! It was already quite late, but we decided to have a very last stop, and our effort was very worth. We still had to get out of the van when we listened and Eurasian Eagle Owl calling from somewhere in the valley. After a fast scanning, we decided to go for a slow short walk, and after a few metres Mark got the bird singing from a dead branch up in the hillside. During the few minutes, we got amazing scope views on the bird while some Redwings were attending their roosting site. A superb way to end another very good day!

Part of the flock of Ferruginous Ducks (Aythya nyroca) seen around Lleida.

Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) female feeding.

Eagle Owl calling from its perch. Image by Mark Dowie.

Day 4. After a sunny start of the trip, this was a grey and rainy day. A difficult weather to search for the specialties living in the steppes. Still, we went to explore the endless plains in central Monegros. A first stop in a small salty lagoon produced the only Kentish Plover of the trip along with Common Shelducks and Black-headed Gulls. From here, we got in the plains, but the muddy tracks made difficult for us to arrive to some locations. Still, we were lucky enough to contact with 2 nice Black-bellied Sandgrouses that provided flying views. 1 Little Owl was also a nice sight while flocks of Calandra & Skylarks were flying over the fields. After a couple of hours checking around the rain became heavier, and we decided to go for a service stop. It was a fortunate choice since the sky cleared right when we were leaving the coffee shop.

Back to the plains, we managed to arrive to a nice spot and soon we found a nice of 11 Pin-tailed Sandgrouses that stayed on a field for us for about 20 minutes. Here we had nice scope views with some good photo and video chances. Several Calandra & Crested Larks were singing here, and as the sun became stronger, the first Mediterranean Short-toed Larks (aka Lesser Short-toed Larks) of the trip were noted. From here we moved into a different section of the plains, and we were lucky to find a nice flock of 31 Common Cranes feeding on the ground at close range, and a closer flock of Eurasian Griffons on the ground, waiting for the weather to improve. Here we also got a nice male Hen Harrier flying over the large fields, and 2 extra Little Owls! But unfortunately the rain started again, even heavier than before and we decided to move away, trying to put some distance from the mud and the rain.

But when we arrive to our new accommodation, the rain was also there for us, and we decided to end the day after enjoying a distant view on a new Little Owl.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouses (Pterocles alchata) feeding under the rain.

Day 5. After enjoying breakfast, we headed out to the large steppes immediatly South of Zaragoza. This is a wonderful are to enjoy steppe birds, with multiple places where to go and try to find the different specialties living in the region. After the generous rain of the previous day, we woke up in a sunny day with only some clouds.

We started driving in the minor tracks crossing the steppes and soon got 2 Black-bellied Sandgrouses in a farming area. Beyond, both Calandra and Mediterranean Short-toed Larks started singing, offering both really good looks. It didn’t take long before we got a first Dupont’s Lark singing. It looked like far away, but then a second bird started singing a bit closer. Some Short-toed Larks were around, feeding and providing some photo opportunities. The wind started to pick up, but both Dupont’s Larks were still singing. We put out the scopes, trying to see them in the ocean of grass in front of us, but we couldn’t contact with the bird..

After 40 minutes of scan we decided to move away and try a different spot. By that time the wind was already strong. A new Lesser Short-toed Lark in good light was welcome by the photographers in the group, but suddenly a second bird appeared right behind the Short-toed Lark. A Dupont’s Lark sitting in the top of a small bush only 10 metres away from us!! Soon we were all having the bird and celebrating our luck.

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens).

Lovely views on a singing Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) after a couple of hours of waiting! Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae) close up to end our exploration of the steppes.

Leaving the steppes, we still had a pair of Red-billed Choughs displaying around and 2 Black-bellied Sandgrouses plus a pair of superb Golden Eagles in the highway. But certainly the wind had picked up in the last minutes. We started the final transfer to Barcelona, having a stop in a lovely lagoon with a wonderful reedbed. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived to the lagoon the wind was so strong that it was almost not possible to stand up, and we had to search refuge in a blind and even inside the van to enjoy our packed lunches. Here, we only got Gadwalls and Great Crested Grebes and the very strong wind made no possible to contact with any passerine living in the reeds.

Despite the strong wind, we still had something to add to our list and a small detour to explore a sheltered gorge produced a nice male Black Wheatear in the top of a small cliff, providing good views to all the members of the group. This very last minute sight was really appreciated, since the first contact with this species, a couple of days before, was poor and not everyone in the group actually so the bird.

After this short stop, we just transferred back to Barcelona to end our tour around the airport by mid afternoon.

List of birds seen during the tour

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phaisanus colchinus)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)
Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia domestica)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Common Crane (Grus grus)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus)
Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus)
Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Hen Harrier (CIrcus cyaneus)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor)
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Picus sharpei)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae)
Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra)
Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White-bellied Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
European Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
European Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus)
Great Tit (Parus majors)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)
Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
Iberian Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
European Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)
Linnet (Acanthis cannabina)
Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

List of mammals seen during the tour

European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

Morocco 2023 birding tour trip report

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Dates: March 14th to 25th, 2023
Number of participants: 9
Tour leaders: Carles Oliver & Sergi Sales
Species of birds: 196

Overview: 10th issue of our tour exploring Morocco in early spring. Arranged with the group months in advance, the tour was for 1 day in order to look for Dupont’s Lark. Our group enjoyed very stable weather all the tour long, with only an afternoon of strong wind that made difficult to find many birds. Temperatures were mild when not cool, making the birdwatching very pleasant during almost all the days. The severe drought affecting the whole Morocco had, anyway, a strong impact in our tour since most of the wetlands visited during the trip were dry or had a very low level of water. The poor water management along with the severe droughts and the over exploted subsoil waters put in a high risk the survival of most of the wetlands in this part of the world. However, we got excellent numbers of steppe birds during the trip, with more Thick-billed & Desert Larks than in any previous tour! Numbers of migratory birds were acceptable and far better than the tour in 2022, when we had almost none of them for 10 days. The excellent views on Dupont’s Lark rank high in the memories of the trip, along with the very enjoyable sights in most desert specialists.

Day 1. After a coordinated arrival to our accommodation in Marrakech, the whole group met for breakfast early in the morning. After enjoying the coffee, tea and some fruits and eggs, we left to explore the Atlas mountains. It was a very sunny day and warm day in Marrakech and before leaving we enjoyed a stop to see the hundreds of Pallid Swifts around, the fast wing beats of the Little Swifts and some urban birds including Eurasian Blackbird, Common Woodpigeon and Red-rumped Swallow.

After negotiating the traffic in Marrakech, a short transfer led us to the first proper stop of the trip. There, a line of mature trees are the perfect nesting habitat for Woodpeckers. A pair of minutes after the group was enjoying the firsts African Blue Tits of the tour, that were to join an interesting selection of birds seen during the transfer including Cetti’s Warbler, Moroccan & Grey Wagtails, African Chaffinches, European Serins, White Wagtails and Lesser Kestrels. A short walk along the tree line produced also Great Tit, Blackcaps and Little Swifts and soon after a Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker flew off from the trees to feed in the almond orchads around. During the next 15 minutes the group enjoyed non-stop views on the female woodpecker while looking for ants in the red soil. The only one Eurasian Wren of trip was heard around, and a lovely Atlas Great Spotted Woodpecker performed really well for us. Before going back to the van, a Short-toed Treecreeper appeared as well. The form living in Morocco, under the mauretanica race, is always a very interesting bird to see, as it likely to be split and be a species in its own. Other birds here included Song Thrush, Grey Heron and the very first Short-toed Snake Eagle of the tour!

Back to the road, we started the transfer up to the top of the Atlas. Along the way we had a lovely stop to enjoy another Maghreb endemic, the Tristam’s Warbler. Scanning a lovely slope full of junipers, it didn’t take us long to locate some of them, and after some time waiting one male came down the slope and showed really well. Here we also got the very first of many Moussier’s Redstarts and lovely views on Rock Buntings plus a very distant Booted Eagle.

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in our way up to the Atlas. Image by tour participant Mark Newsome.

Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii), the only endemic woodpecker in Northern Africa. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffeae) favours decideous trees. Image by Carles Oliver

Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), the local race is a good candidate to become a full species. Image by Carles Oliver

Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola), a specialist of mountain scrublands in the Atlas. Image by Carles Oliver

As we were winning altitude, the landscape changed from the junipers to the Spanish Firs first and then to the high mountain grasslands. There, it was already possible to enjoy large flocks of both Alpine & Red-billed Choughs, and the whole Oukaïmeden was flooded with their characteristic calls. Once parked, a stroll aorund produced several Black Redstarts, Common Rock Sparrows and a pair of Grey Wagtails. The area was really full of locals that have come up in the mountains to enjoy the snow, and we had to go a bit away from them to contact with a first flock of African Crimson-winged Finches! First we found 5, then 7, 11, 15 and so on!! Perched in the buildings and feeding on the ground, this endemics bird to the Atlas provided the group with great views!

Happy with this great views we went for dinner in a restaurant nearby, and better views on both Choughs were done while waited to be served. After lunch, a second stroll around produced not only great views on Mistle Thrush, Thekla Lark, Rock Sparrow and obliging Atlas Horned Larks but also a rather unexpected male Seebohm’s Wheatear (also refered as Atlas Wheatear) feeding in the grasslands! This bird was really celebrated in the group, that was well aware that the fenology of the species (arriving to the Atlas by the end of March after spending the winter in the Southern part of the Sahel) makes the species often difficult to find in this tour.

Atlas Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi), another specialty living in the the Atlas grasslands. Image by Mark Newsome.

Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) on Spanish Fir showing out its name! Image by Mark Newsome.

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a common bird around Oukaïmeden. Image by Carles Oliver

The atlas race of Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is only living in the Atlas high mountain grasslands. Image by Carles Oliver

African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus), another Atlas endemic. Image by Carles Oliver

Here showing the crimson wings. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 2. The day started with a pre dawn walk in the streets of Marrakech. Our goal was to locate the endemic Maghreb Owl, that is having a small population in different gardens of the city. We couldn’t be more lucky when, after only 15 minutes of search, our efforts were granted with a wonderful Maghreb Owl sitting in a small tree! During the next minutes, we all enjoyed great views on it before it flew off, back to the gardens!

After breakfast, transfer to Agadir. Once leaving behind the massive plains around Marrakech, we had a stop near the coast immediately South of Essaouira to enjoy the birds living in the famous Argan trees, a evergreen species that produces a really appreciated seed used in cosmetic industries, lotions and so.

Maghreb Owl (Strix mauretanica) was one of the most celebrated birds of the trip! Image by Carles Oliver

The day was warm but the Atlantic never stop to send fog inland, and during most of the day the ambient was a bit misty. Soon after stopping we had Western Orphean Warblers singing and displaying around, some of them being really obliging! African Chaffinches were common there and with some patience we also found Western Bonelli’s Warbler, European Bee-eater, Common Redstart and Woodchat Shrike. Neil enjoyed the stop so much that decided to stay a bit longer than expected… Nothing serious, only a rather long stroll

From here our next stop was to explore the sandy plains around one largest colony of Northern Bald Ibis. There we has an interesting set of species including some good flocks of Greater Short-toed Larks, Spectacled Warbler, Thekla Lark and a distant Barbary Falcon that was enjoying a prey on the ground. A bit of sea watching was made as we were waiting for the Ibises to appear, adding Audouin’s Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull to our list. There, Mark was lucky enough to have 1 Atlantic Puffin flying North! Some Northern Bald Ibises were flying up and down but always distant.

After about one hour waiting in the area, we finally were rewarded with a nice flock of 8 Northern Bald Ibis landing in the plains only 200 metres away from us. Our group enjoyed great views on them while they were preening and feeding a bit around. Excellent views that were really celebrated by the group. When leaving, we got a flock of migrating Wheatears feeding next to the road: 1 Western Black-eared male, 1 Seebohm’s male, and 2 Northern Wheatears!

After some lunch rest, we drove the short distance to the small Tamri Estuary, were we had the firsts Ruddy Shelducks of the trip along with 20+ Kentish Plovers, Moroccan Wagtail, Audouin’s Gulls and several Western Yellow Wagtail plus Ringed Plovers, Subalpine Warblers, Red-rumped Swallows, Grey Heron, Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Ruffs and 20+ Northern Bald Ibis in flight!

Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis) favours orchads and tall, sparse maquis. Image by Carles Oliver

Northern Bald Ibises (Geronthicus eremita) taking care of their plomage. Image by Carles Oliver

Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauretanica), a common endemic along the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Image by Carles Oliver

Going South, we negotiated the always challenging traffic in Agadir to explore the Souss Estuary, one of the best brackish wetlands in this part of Morocco. Here we had a good selection of waders but always with little numbers if compared with previous years. Some noted species included Eurasian Whimbrel, Black-winged Stilts, Osprey, Grey Plovers, Ringed & Kentish Plovers, Common Redshanks, Greenshanks, both Black-tailed & Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 6 Red Knots as well as Pied Avocets and Oystercatchers. Here the group also enjoyed close views on the beautiful Maghreb Magpies and flocks of tern including several Sandwich Terns and very vocal Gull-billed Terns along with a solitary Common Tern.

From here we drove a last transfer to our accommodation in the Souss-Massa National Park, where we had a fly over Stone Curlew some miles before arriving to our hotel.

Day 3. The cloudy morning provided us with a very comfortable temperature. This day was devoted to explore the Massa River and nearby areas. After breakfast, we only had to walk a few meters to contact with the first of many Black-crowned Tchagras, wonderful bird that was calling and showing out nearby our van. A short drive of only 5 minutes allowed the group to explore a pair of corners with excellent birding. The numbers of migratory warblers were good all along the river, and in the next 90 minutes we got a good array of warblers including Sardinian, Western Subalpine, Western Orphean, Cetti’s, Zitting Cisticola, Iberian Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Western Bonelli’s plus first views on Western Olivaceous Warbler singing and calling in the tamarisks. Moussier’s Redstarts were a common view around while the bush were full of migratory warblers. Flocks of Spanish Sparrows were flying around, and some provided close views along with really obliging Cirl Buntings, African Chaffinches and European Stonechats. Another wonderful spot was a Little Owl perched low in a small bush.

Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis) holds good densities along the Massa River. Image by Carles Oliver

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), a common view around Marrakech and the Atlantic coast. Image by Mark Newsome.

Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri), one of the most atractive birds in the area. Image by Carles Oliver

The African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana) is a very distinctive form, and an eternal candidate to become a full species. Image by Carles Oliver

Up in the air there were small flocks of Little Swifts but also Common & Pallid Swifts while some European Bee-eaters were flying around. In the ponds, the waterfowl was scarce due to the low level of water, but our first stops still produced Common Kingfisher, Glossy Ibis, a lovely Purple Heron and a roosting flock of Night Herons. Tree Pipits, Common Quail and Melodious Warbler were all heard, and we got some views in all of them, out of the Quail.. In one of this ponds, we had the first Brown-throated Martin of the day, all the whole group enjoyed close views on this tiny swallow while hunting insects around. This is a decreasing species in Morocco, currently with only a few colonies left, mainly in the wetlands along the Atlantic coast.

The very last pond before lunch produced not only warblers also Eurasian Teals, Wood & Green Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers.

After lunch the clouds disapeared and the lovely blue sky was back. We went to explore the Massa River mouth. En route, we had Black-winged Kite & Western Marsh Harrier + Tawny Pipit and Greater Short-toed Larks. Once in the area, we were surprised by the few birdlife there. Here we only had distant views Eurasian Spoonbills, Ruddy Shelducks, Northern Shovelers, Kentish Plovers, Greenshanks while the scrublands around had a few migratory warblers and small floks of Common Linnets and European Serins.

Back to our vehicles, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to sea watching in nearby coastal cliffs. Despite the rather misty ambient and the hard light with the sun placed above the sea we got a fine selection of sea birds including several Arctic Skuas moving South (!) as well as small numbers of Balearic, Cory’s & Manx Shearwaters mainly moving North. Large flocks of Oystercatchers were migrating along the coast and, as the afternoon went on, the group was able to catch up with some other sea birds including Pomarine & Great Skuas and some Razorbills, all of them moving back North to their nesting grounds in Europe.

Day 4. This day we left Agadir in a very cloudy ambient that was to be with us until we crossed the Anti Atlas. Beyond there we enjoyed the sun in the Ouarzazate basin, but also the very windy conditions. A first stop was done en route to enjoy a pair of Black-winged Kites by the road. Our group was lucky enough to enjoy some mating, with the mail very nervous and flying all the time from a prominent perch to the female and back. Both individuals were really excited, even with some calls in a species that is really silent in average. The whole scene was ideal to capture some shots of the bird, and it was one of the best raptor experiences along the trip in a country that is having every time less and less birds of prey in its skies due to direct prosecution.

Along with the Black-winged Kites, we also enjoyed here some Crested Larks but also flocks of Spanish Sparrows, Eurasian Blackcaps, Corn Bunting and another singing Melodious Warbler that only gave us partial views..

Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli), a common migratory bird. Image by Carles Oliver

A mating pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanus caeruleus) was a nice surprise during one of the transfers. Image by Carles Oliver

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) ready to land. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Larks (Ammomanes deserti) were this year as common as ever. Image by Carles Oliver

Back in the road we had a pair of additional stops in the road to enjoy the firsts of many Trumpeter Finches and Desert Larks before arriving to the large barrage immediately South of Ouarzazate. There, we spent a pair of really productive hours before the final drive to Boulmane du Dades, but even before arriving to the wetland, in a stop to buy some cold drinks in Ouarzazate we had a first flock of hundreds of Black Kites with several Booted & Short-toed Eagles moving along with them! It was great to see all these birds moving above the city centre as they were flying South to look for some sheltered place to spend the night around the dump.

The dump around Ouarzazate covers a large area, has several access points, and to explore it is always challenging. Just arriving we founds a flock of 8 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters feeding by the access road, and their flights and calls delighted the group for quite long. In that same place, the firsts Maghreb Larks of the trip showed up, providing the group with great views with its typical tame behaviour. Sand Martin, Western Black-eared Wheatear, Desert Lark, Willow Warbler and European Bee-eater were all noted as we moved on and lovely migratory flock of Kentish Plovers resting in the desert delighted us with excellent views before we could reach the proper place to scan for waterfowl. Yes, a small detour was necessary to arrive, and some tamarisks still remember the underneath of our van, but we arrived!

Unfortunately was windy, and the waterfowl was inside the reedbeds. Meadow Pipit, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow Wagtail and Eurasian Coots were noted. At least 2 Montagu’s Harrier, including one male, were seen flying above the reeds along with several Marsh Harriers. It was a bit disappointing but after some wait, a Marsh Harrier flew really low over the reeds and a massive flock of 60+ Marbled Teals appeared in the sky, flying along the reeds and giving good scope looks to the group! After such a wonderful sight, we waited some more time, and smaller flocks of Marbled Teals were again seen moving up and down, but after some time it was clear that we were not going to have a better/closer view on the birds, so we decided to leave towards our accommodation for an evening meal and some rest.

Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) over Ouarzazate. Image by Mark Newsome.

Blue-cheecked Bee-eater (Merops persicus), a wonderful beauty! Image by Mark Newsome.

Maghreb Larks (Galerida macrorhyncha) are common in farmlands around the desert like ambients. Image by Carles Oliver

Kentish Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) chose the desert to do a break on their migration. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 5. A bit windy but sunny day in the endless plains inmediatly South of Boulmane du Dades. This day we were concentrated in locating the many goodies living in the wonderful steppe lands East and South from Boulmane du Dades.

The morning was a bit windy but the firsts stops exploring the steppe lands produced soon good birds including Thekla’s & Greater Short-toed Larks, the first Desert Wheatears of the tour along with the much scarcer Red-rumped Wheatear and the always wonderful Temminck’s Lark. A short walk around the rubbish dump produced one of the main targets of the day, 3 wonderful Thick-billed Larks that were feeding around along with Temminck’s. We could enjoy at least two of them for quite long, and the group was really delighted to enjoy such a great birding, even if the habitat around was not as pristine as one could expect, and definately more smelly than an average patch of steppe.. Despite the poor environment, here we also had White & Western Yellow Wagtails, Little Ringed Plover and Meadow & Tawny Pipits.

From here had a pair more of stops where we had Atlas Buzzard (the status of the cirtensis form, formerly treated as a Long-legged Buzzard race, is under discussion), several Black Kites, Marsh Harriers and 1 Montagu’s Harrier. We also enjoyed really close views on Temminck’s Larks and obliging Desert Wheatears.

The temperature raised up, and our jackets were a bit less essential. Beyond the plain, a number of small canyons lead to the mountainous areas South of the Draa River. A stop in one of the many villages there produced close and long views on Trumpeter Finches along with European Serins, Linnets and Algerian Shrike.

Back to the plains, we went to some farm lands. This is a typical place for Larks to concentrate but this time the area looked like empty. Still, a short walk around produced 3 wonderful Thick-billed Larks feeding around. The trees around had also Woodchat Shrike, Tree Pipit, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Western Subalpine Warbler. From here, a short drive led us to a large, open plain in the middle of the steppes. This is a typical place for Cream-coloured Coursers, and soon we located the first of them. After some cautious approach we all enjoyed wonderful views on them, and finally we counted a minimum of 12 moving around them. When leaving, a pair of Black-bellied Sandgrouses showed up in front of us, and we had enough time to go out and enjoy lovely scope views on both of them!

Female Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta). Image by Carles Oliver

Nothing can compare to the delicate facial & breast pattern on Temminck’s Larks (Eremophila bilopha). Image by Carles Oliver

Even with all that rubbish, Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocorys clotbei) keeps being wonderful! Image by Carles Oliver

Our secret corner worked once more, and this time provided our group with great views on Thick-billed Larks! Image by Carles Oliver

Cream-coloured Coursers (Cursorior cursor) were just arriving to their nesting grounds. Image by Carles Oliver

It took us some time to locate the female Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)! Image by Carles Oliver

Back to our accommodation, we enjoyed a nice lunch and some rest before going to explore a different location. The ondulations around Boulmane produces a number of canyons and we spent some time exploring of them. It didn’t take long before we got the firsts specialties, and Desert Wheatears, Trumpeter Finches and Desert Larks showed really well before enjoying a nice pair of the very scarce and elusive Maghreb Wheatear while moving in the barren slope. This is another Maghreb endemic, only known form a thin stripe crossing Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia and formerly considered conspecific with Mourning Wheatear, a Levant specialty. Atlas Buzzard and Common Kestrels were also noted here, and we also had some views on a roosting Pharaon Eagle Owl that, unfortunately, was really deep inside a hole and never came out enough to provide the group with a full view.

The last stop of the day was quite a change of ambient. Driving up the very scenic Gorge du Dades, with its many wonderful Kashbahs and colourful dressed women, we arrived to a small cliff. Just arrived we had a fast and interesting bird spectacle in front us: 2 Peregrine Falcons being moved by a much smaller, longer tailed, Barbary Falcon! The Peregrines looked like the owners of the cliff at the moment, as we even saw the pair passing food to each other. The Barbary Falcon, higher at all times, disappeared beyond the cliff. We waited for some time to have better views on the Barbary Falcon, and a showy Blue Rock Thrush and some Booted Eagles moving up the valley helped us to have a good entertainment. The Barbary Falcon showed a pair of times more in the sky, and we decided to end the afternoon soon enough to have some rest in the accommodation before dinner.

Spinny-tailed Lizzard (Uromastyx acanthinura). Image by Carles Oliver

Day 6. A transtional day between the high plateaus around Boulmane du Dades and the sandy deserts around Merzouga. The morning was sunny but fresh, with a cold air coming down from the Atlas that made our first stop really comfortable. The first stop in the morning was to look for the rather scarce Saharan Scrub Warbler, an endemic form of the Levant Scrub Warbler living in the sparse bushlands along wadis but also up in the slopes in the Northern slope of the Atlas mountains.

Our short walk produced almost immediately the first Bar-tailed Larks of the trip as well as confiding Mediterranean Short-toed Larks. Walking along the wadi we had a good set of the typical species living in this kind of habitats including Spectacled Warbler, Trumpeter Finches and Deser Wheatear plus migratory species such as Western Subalpine Warbler and Northern Wheatear. After a good while scanning the area we were starting to think about going somewhere else when Rob found 2 Scrub Warblers feeding at close range from us.

The birds, as typical on them, where feeding really low in the base of the small scrubs, making very difficult to see them for longer than a pair of seconds. Jumping from bush to bush, the Scrub Warblers moved really fast along the wadi, covering a lot of ground, flying from bush to bush but also “running” in the sand like tiny Babblers and typically standing by the base of a bush, tail-ups, before disappearing inside the grass.

After enjoying the Scrub Warblers for 20 minutes we started to come to the van, but we still had a pair of sights: First, a Cream-coloured Courser that flew over us while calling and secondly, a pair of Bar-tailed Larks showing quite close, as tame as ever.

Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta saharae) frozen in a jump. A great shot by Mark Newsome.

Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus) feeding on seeds. Image by Mark Newsome.

Desert Wheatear males (Oenanthe deserti) can be really tame. Image by Carles Oliver

From here we drove into a close restaurant and enjoy some shade. After lunch, we covered the short distance to our next accommodation with a number of stops in the way. Desert Grey Shrike was added to our list, as well as Brown-necked Raven. A longer stop to explore another wadi produced good views on the common list of migratory species including Willow, Western Subalpine & Western Bonelli’s Warblers, but also Black-eared Wheatear & Western Orphean Warbler.

The last stop of the day was devoted to the typical habitat of Greater Hoopoe Lark, and it didn’t take long before having the first sight for trip of this really appreciated species: 2 individuals, one of them singing and displaying in flight. A great sight to end another wonderful day!

Day 7. This day was devoted to explore the desert around Merzouga. This is a quite well known place for the many desert specialties living around. It was a sunny and pleasant day all through, with a fresh brise during most of the day.

Our first stop was around a water hole where we did stop to look for Sandgrouses coming to drink water from several kilometers away. We didn’t have to wait long since even before our arrival some flocks of Crowned Sandgrouses were already on the ground, waiting for the best moment to approach the water. After some waiting, we id enjoy several flocks of both Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouses coming to the plain around the small pond, and soon their calls and wing beats filled up the ambient. This was a wonderful moment, and all the tour participants were really happy to see 80+ Crowned & 40+ Spotted Sandgrouses coming to drink water! We left the area with still more Sandgrouses coming to drink water, but we had to move to our next stop, a nomadic camp nearby where a pair of Desert Sparrow was nesting.

It was time for us to enjoy some tea, and our patience in the camp was rewarded with amazing views on a Desert Sparrow male that was feeding right the tents! The bird was really tame and allowed excellent images. Here, a Greater Hoopoe Lark also appeared, and provided the group with the best views on this species along the trip. White-crowned Black Wheatear, Common Redstart and Brown-necked Raven were also noted here.

Leaving this sandy patch of the desert, we drove North into a large wady where a nomad was waiting for us. His expertise was needed to find the next target of the trip, and after a short walk in the wady he brought directly to one Egyptian Nightjar that was roosting in the wadi. Respecting a good distance from the bird, we all enjoyed a wonderful view in this magnificent bird! A further walk around the dunes was also productive and Greater Hoopoe Larks and Desert Wheatears showed well, but the very best of the walk was to find a nice African Desert Warbler doing its way around the sparse vegetation of the wadi! This is again a desert specialist, and one of the most tricky birds to find in Morocco!

Crowned Sandgrouses (Pterocles coronata) around a water hole. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

Spotted Sandgrouses (Pterocles senegallus) have been outnumbered by Crowneds in recent years. Image by Carles Oliver

White-crowned Wheatears (Oenanthe leucopygia) are urban birds in the desert. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Sparrow (Passer ) favoured us with really close views. Image by Mark Newsome

Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), the commoner lark around Merzouga. Image by Carles Oliver

Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptiacus). Image by Carles Oliver

African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti) inhabits along the wadi scrublands. Image by Carles Oliver

Happy after such a great views we went for some rest and lunch in a close accommodation. But in our way we had to do another stop: During the morning we had several flocks of Black Kites migrating North over the desert along with some Western Marsh Harriers, but one of these flocks was joined by a lovely Egyptian Vulture, the only one for the trip!

Our picnic was really tasty and, walking around the accommodation we enjoy it not only Western Subalpine Warblers & other common migratory birds but also Woodchat Shrike, Spanish Sparrow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and a really tame Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri) that posed really well for all the tour participants!

After lunch we tried to improve our rather scarce list of raptors but we were unlucky and the very last stop of the day was devoted to explore a small crop area with some water. Here we had several Western Yellow Wagtails of different races (nominal, Spanish, Italian & British) but also Maghreb Larks, Eurasian Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Northern Grey Shrike, Meadow Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark and Ruddy Shelduck to name a few!

Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava). Image by Mark Newsome

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri), often refered as Saharan Olivaceous Warbler. Image by Mark Newsome.

Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) nest in good numbers in paddy fields. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 8. Due to the long drought and the terrible water management in the areas, the once famous and extremelly famous Merzouga lake is now gone. With the lake gone, this morning we explored a pair of corners in search of a good migratory action.

Firstly we explored the grounds of a nearby hotel, where we got more common migratory birds plus Western Orphean Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Common Whitethroat, European Bee-eater and Woodchat Shrike. From here we drove the short distance to the major palm grove in the area, where we had double figures of Common Whitethroat and Willow Warblers while Garden Warbler, European Turtle Dove and Bluethroat were added to the list. Here we enjoyed also great views on a family group of Fulvous Babbler, including an aberrant individual! This species, anyway, was already seen for some of the tour participants in a pre-dawn walk around our accommodation and shortly the day before in the desert!

In the afternoon the group agreed to do a good exploration some tens of kilometers South from Merzouga. This area, not really explored by most birdwatchers, provided us with a quite pristine landscapes, as it once was Merzouga, along with excellent numbers of Desert, Bar-tailed & Greater Hoopoe Larks. Here Carmine found a lovely flock of 8 Crowned Sandgrouses that provided the group with gorgeous views and good photo chances!

Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca iberiae), the commnest bush warbler in migration in Morocco. Image by Mark Newsome.

This year there were excellent numbers of Fulvous Babblers (Turdoides fulva) around Merzouga. Image by Mark Newsome

Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria). Image by Mark Newsome

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) hunting from a palm shade. Image by Carles Oliver

European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur), a jewel declining all around the continent. Image by Carles Oliver

Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura) was extremelly common South of Merzouga. Image by Carles Oliver

Crowned Sandgrouse shows similar habits to those seen from Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouses. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 9. Transition day from Merzouga to the endless steppe land around Saïda, home of the shy and always challenging Dupont’s Lark! Before leaving the desert, we had a pair of stops. After breakfast we covered a short distance to explore the grounds of another accommodation. Here we didn’t have a lot of time as the owners were not happy with our visit and we were invited to immediatly leave the gardens. A real pity since within 5 minutes we already had enjoyed some good sights including obliging Common Nightingale, Eurasian Hoopoe and Dylan found the 1st Eurasian Wryneck of the trip! Unfortunately it was no chance to try a dialogue with the owners and we left what can be considered as the less welcoming ksar in Southern Morocco!

Around Erfoud we still have a last stop before our long drive North. Our search of a proper pond finally was successful and we found a small pond (we could not consider it as a “proper” one) where we got the only 3 Sedge Warblers of trip along with Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Bluethroat and, nearby, another Wryneck.

After some driving a lunch stop, we arrive to Zaïda in a windy afternoon. Birding was extremelly poor and we only got some distant Temminck’s Larks, a pair of Desert Wheatears and 1 Black-eared Wheatear. But swords were up for the next morning and try to find the famous “ghost bird”!

Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata), another Maghreb endemic. Image by Carles Oliver

Male Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) hiding in dry tamarisks. Image by Carles Oliver

Record shot of an Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) in the desert dunes. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Wheatear (Onenanthe deserti). Image by Mark Newsome.

Day 10. After a nice breakfast we covered the few miles from our accommodation to the place where I saw Dupont’s Larks in 2022. We arrived to place, that was free of wind and had a really pleasant temperature. Bird activity was intense and it didn’t take long before we built a good list including several Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, Thekla Larks, Desert & Red-rumped Wheatears, Trumpeter Finches and a good number of Temminck’s Larks. Driving only 150 metres away from where we got the bird in 2022, Mark found a rather large lark running about 50 metres away from the van, not far from a pair of Desert Wheatears. The bird disappeared behind some bush and, after some wait, a lovely Dupont’s Lark appeared in front of us! The bird was quite far away so we all jumped out of the vans to allow everybody to get good views on the bird, that was feeding in the area for some time before climbing in a bush and sing for some time to replay a distant male. After a pair of minutes, the bird flew off, singing in flight, and flying a long distance away, disappearing beyond the small ondulations of the terrain!

All the tour participants were really excited as the confidence about finding this very difficult bird is always low! We the best was still to come. Decided to get better views, we moved a bit away to check another corner. No birds were listened there so we decided to come back to the area where we first seen the Dupont’s Lark. In the way, 2 Cream-coloured Coursers, Thick-billed Larks & some Black-bellied Sandgrouses were all seen! Back to place we were enjoying some Mediterranean Short-toed Larks displaying ten metres away from the van when a gorgeous Dupont’s Lark just appeared only a few metres to our left! The bird was really relaxed and was feeding around the tussocks of grass. The excitement inside the vehicles was huge, hundreds of images were taken and most of the tour participants decided to go out to enjoy this incredible sight from even closer (but never leaving the road!).

Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis) from our pre-dawn walk. Image by tour leader Sergi Sales.

Black-bellied Sandgrouses (Pterocles orientalis) around Saïda. Image by Mark Newsome.

Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) offered unforgettable views to all the tour participants! Image by Carles Oliver

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) displaying. Image by Carles Oliver

Extremelly happy after such a great views, we started the long transfer to Ouarzazate, where we had the last overnight of the tour. In the way, we still have time to stop and enjoy amazing views on a hatching female Lanner Falcon plus some other goodies including Fat Sand Rat, Desert Larks, Atlas Buzzard and a female Maghreb Wheatear.

At dust, a short stop in a river produced some nice views on Grey Wagtail, Booted Eagle and Cetti’s Warbler before a Barbary Falcon appeared in a fast raid to try to catch one of the Cattle Egrets around. A really nice way to end the day!

The impressive broken terrain South of Boulmane du Dades offers good habitat to a variety of species. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 11. Last day of this tour, one day longer than usual to include Dupont’s Lark in the itinerary. Before driving back to Marrakech by crossing the Atlas, we decided to have another go to the massive barrage South of Boulmane du Dades. This time the weather was clearly better, a calm, sunny and promising morning that was not really productive. A series of stops in the massive dump produced good views on migratory Black Storks and large flocks of Black Kites but little numbers of ducks in the lake.

But, when leaving one of the spots, Carmine found a pair of gorgeous Thick-billed Larks right next to the van that displayed long for us! Leaving the dump behind us, we still enjoyed close views on Little Ringed Plover by the road, and the very last birding stop still produced Little Swift, Common Nightingale, Melodious Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear and a singing Wryneck before we crossed the Atlas back to Marrakech, where we did arrive at mid afternoon, in time for everybody to reach their flights.

Black Kites (Milvus migrans) leaving their roosting place to cross the Atlas. Image by Carles Oliver

The last day we got quite impressive views on Thick-billed Larks. Images by Carles Oliver

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) in flight. Image by Mark Newsome.

Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) in a typical migratory spot. Image by Carles Oliver

List of birds during the tour:

Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)
Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) – heard only
Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Mallard (Anas platythynchos)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius)
Little Swift (Apus affinis)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) -heard only
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus)
Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia sp)
Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Euriasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Audouin’s Gull (Ichtyaetus audouinii)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Sandwich’s Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Pomarine Skua (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
Razorbill (Alca torda)
Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis)
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)
Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Atlas/North African Buzzard (Buteo buteo cirtensis)
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus)
Maghreb Owl (Strix mauritanica)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) – heard only
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Blue-checkeed Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii)
Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha)
Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae)
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
Atlas Shore Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas)
Temmick’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha)
Thick-billed Lark (Rhamphocoris clotbei)
Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti)
Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Eurasian Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi)
Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe halophila)
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga)
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
European Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta saharae)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)
Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis)
Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis)
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
Spectacled Warbler (Curruca conspicillata)
Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca inornata)
Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola)
African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti)
Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenibaenus)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Melodious Warbler (Hyppolais polyglotta)
Isabelline / Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonellis)
Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) – heard only
African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater atlas)
Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla mauritanica)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) algeriensis & elegans races
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis)
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)
Fulvous Babbler (Turdoides fulva)
African Magpie (Pica mauretanica)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis)
Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex)
Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) – heard only
Common Linnet (Liniaria cannabina)
Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus)
African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
House Bunting (Emberiza sahari)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

Pyrenees Winter Break 2023 Trip Report

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Dates: February 8th to 12th, 2023

Number of participants: 6

Number of species seen: 128

Overview: Our 9th Pyrenees Winter Break tour started in the Pyrenees right after a strong snow fall. During the tour the weather was sunny and not especially cold in the mountains. In the plains, we had a morning with some fog, but it didn’t stop us to find all main specialties living there.

Day 1: Once all tour participants were collected from the their accommodations around the International Barcelona Airport, a short drive lead us to the Pyrenees. Only 90 minutes away from the city and we were already in a wonderful location, a mountain range hosting all high mountain birds specialties living in the Pyrenees.

It was sunny, but the day before it had been snowing so a pair of high mountain lanes were closed during the morning. Our fist stop was dedicated to explore the meadows around Bagà, where the very first birds of the day and the trip was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that was hunging around the parking place. Here we had some common birds in the area including Cirl Bunting, Black Redstart, Eurasian Blue Tit and Eurasian Nuthatch. Here, the terraced landscape is fulfilled with lines of Poplars and a fast scan produced the first Iberian Green Woodpecker of the tour while was moving high in the trees. Several Common Chaffinches were around, and they all moved down to the ground to feed, followed by the Iberian Green Woodpecker.

Other birds in this first stop included European Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Common Magpie and Eurasian Greenfinch.

After this good start we drove some miles up in a lane. Our goal was to arrive to the limit of the forest (About 1800 metres above the sea level), but we were stopped by a small flock of birds. Here we had the first Mistle Thrushes of the trip along with several Common Crossbills, Coal Tits, and Goldcrests. Still, our guests especially enjoyed the views on both Rock Buntings and European Crested Tits.

Once above the tree limit, we did another non planned stop. A gorgeous Lammergeier (aka Bearded Vulture) was sitting in the top of a rocky outcrop just beside the road, providing the group with incredible views! Common Crossbills were also around, adding with their calls a plus on the mountainous ambients of the sight. After ten minutes of observation, the Lammergeier decided to fly away, passing over the group and providing us with unforgettable memories of that moment.

Wonderful Lammergier (Gypaetos barbatus) during our exploration of the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park. Images by tour leader Carles Oliver

From here we drove higher. Beyond the tree limit there were mixed flocks of Fieldfares and Mistle Thrushes feeding on the snowed slopes. The weather was stable, with only a brise and some scenic clouds, and many birds were taking advantage of the good weather to feed around. Here we saw more Rock Buntings and a flock of 11 Bramblings flew off from one of the last trees up the lane.

When we arrived to the mountain pass, we found chunky three birds feeding by the tarmac. 3 wonderful Snowfinches were right beside us, but unfortunately decided to flew off and down the slope. From here we decided to go for a short walk. Common Ravens were seen around, and a Peregrine Falcon appeared in a fast, low flight going down the slope in a mission. Up to 10 Eurasian Griffons were also seen exploring the thermals before a large flock of 60+ Snowfinches suddenly appeared in a small hillside some 150 metres away from us, and started feeding on the ground. We all enjoyed very much the finch spectacle with several calls, short flights and even fights. We waited a bit, not moving, and we were rewarded with the birds coming down the hillside just beside the tarmac. After 10 minutes of observation, the birds simply decided to go up the slope again, and disappeared beyond some large boulders!

Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) showing nicely in our first day in the mountains

SnowFinches (Montifringilla nivalis) feeding on the slopes. Image by Carles Oliver

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) is a common bird in the broken slopes around the Pyrenees.

Really happy after such a great sight, the group came back to the van, decided to explore that lane a bit more. Only a few miles away, a stop was made. Our short walk was again successful, as we found a lovely, obliging Alpine Accentor feeding really close to the road and, with some patience, we got some great shots on it. The views on the Accentor were perturbed by a large flock of 73 Alpine Choughs that suddenly appeared in the valley, offering good but rather distant views while a Lammergeier appeared again, crossing the valley in some seconds.

Really happy after this really successful start we went all the way down and did our way for the last stop of the day in a scrub hillside not far from our accommodation. It was already early afternoon, offering a calid light for the sightings to come. Our short walk up the hill produced some interesting sights including a large flock of Cirl Buntings feeding on the ground along with 2 Woodlarks, 4 Rock Buntings, 2 Redwings, 14 Rock Sparrows and the firsts Iberian Grey Shrike of the trip. In the skies, several Red Kites were moving around and we counted 3 Griffons Vultures and 1 adult Lammergeier. Here we also had the only Citril Finch of the trip, unfortunately a flying bird that provided poor views.

After this stop we just drove the short distance to our accommodation.

Day 2. After enjoying a lovely breakfast we left our accommodation. The first stop of the day was devoted to explore a lovely corner of the Segre River that crosses the beautiful Cerdanya valley. Here we enjoyed White-throated Dippers, Cirl Buntings, many Redwings and 2 Bramblings among several Chaffinches. Here we also had an Eurasian Woodcock that flew off from a nearby meadow, an uncommon bird to have here in day light!

From here we went up in the forested slopes, to spend some time in a boreal forest. As usual, the area was quite full of activity and it didn’t take us long to enjoy good views on Short-toed Treecreeper, Goldcrest, European Crested Tit, Firecrest and Coal Tit but also Common Crossbill, Goldfinch and Greenfinches. But the most celebrated sight here was a Black Woodpecker moving really low in a pine tree that offered us lovely scope views.

Happy after this lovely views we drove up to Andorra. During the hour long drive, a pair of stops were necessary to enjoy both Lammergeier and Golden Eagle. Once in Pas de la Casa we had a stop for a coffee while enjoying the urban Alpine Choughs that live around the sky resort. By the time of our arrival it was snowing a bit, providing the sight with a wonderful alpine setting!

Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) showed very well around the accommodation

Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) under the snow fall in Andorra. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

From here we drove back to Catalonia to have a final stop in the large fields that are the core of the Cerdanya Valley. There we enjoyed large flocks of Eurasian Skylarks, several flocks of Cirl & Rock Buntings, Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Corn Buntings but also the only 2 Hen Harriers of the tour, including a lovely male.

Day 3. Transfer to a different section of the Pyrenees. We drove West for about 90 minutes before to arrive into a small gorge in a secondary road. This was our first attempt to find a Wallcreeper, and we didn’t have to wait long! We waited for the bird in a small, old bridge, and only a few minutes after we got out of the vehicle, a wonderful Wallcreeper right in front us, providing excellent views for some minutes. The bird, always in search of insects that look for shelter in the rocky crevices, started to climb up the wall and we could follow its itinerary for several minutes. It kept doing short flights, and flickering its wings to show out its wonderful red panels (a way to keep other Wallcreepers away from that cliff).

Here we also had other interesting birds living in the cliffs including Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin. The Wallcreeper, after showing out for about 15 minutes, finally disappeared behind a rock, and this was the time for us to move to our next stop.

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), without doubt the most sought-after bird in the mountains!

Leaving the hills behind, we drove to one of the few corners around Lleida where traditional wheat farming is still dominant. These areas host an abundant birdlife, and the number and variety of birds of prey is quite stunning. It didn’t take long before we had several views on Western Marsh Harriers, Red Kites and also Common Buzzards, some Griffons, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and even 2 Goshawks. All of this before the real goal of this stop appeared in one of its preferred trees: the long-staying Long-legged Buzzard! This bird of prey, nesting from Bulgaria to the East until the Arabian Peninsula, is a huge rarity in Catalonia and always worth a visit! This time we had excellent scope views, and also the chance to compare the size of this large Buzzard with a much smaller Western Marsh Harrier that was perched in a tree next to the Buteo hawk.

A small flock of Little Bustards had been some weeks feeding in a field nearby, and we covered the short distance to enjoy lovely scope views of 7 of this endangered bird, another victim of the farming intensification in Europe.

From this place we drove East to explore some of the dry canyons immediately South of Lleida. A pair of stops here allowed us to enjoy not only Stock Doves, Red-billed Choughs and Little Owl, but also on the scarce Black Wheatear. Here, between the abandoned terraces and the small cliffs of these canyons we were lucky enough to find a female Eurasian Eagle Owl hatching on its nest! A wonderful sight to end the third day of the tour!

Iberian Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis), a lovely Iberian endemic!

Distant to don’t disturb the female Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) on its nest.

Day 4. Early start to explore the massive steppe lands South & West of Lleida. On the contrary of the previous day, the morning was foggy around the city so we decided to go up to the highlands West of Lleida to try to scape the fog. And we did it, partially.

As soon as arriving to the steppes we enjoyed large flocks of Corn Buntings but also Calandra & Mediterranean Short-toed Larks. They were feeding on the ground along with Common Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches. It was sunny, but the fog was not far away and it was moving our way, so we didn’t have a lot of time!

We were lucky and 4 Black-bellied Sandgrouses flew off from a nearby field, allowing great flight views and nice photo opportunities. We scanned in different fields looking for Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, but we were unsuccessful. Finally, we decided to move to lower area to keep scanning. A pair of stops were necessary to enjoy Iberian Grey Shrikes and Thekla’s Larks and by we arrived to the new location the fog started catching us up. It was a pity because at soon as we arrived a flock of 14 Black-bellied Sandgrouse flew off from the field, but 8 more remained. A fast scan in the place allowed us to find 12 Pin-tailed Sandgrouses, some of them really close to us and the fog allowed great scope views despite it ruined the photo chances of the moment.

Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata) can be especially common in the steppes during winter

Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) favours both extensive crops and steppe lands.

Suddenly the fog appeared in our views on Pin-tailed Sandgrouses, even if close, were not shining.

Decided to escape the fog, we drove East to check another place in Los Monegros. There, around Bujaraloz, we went in the search of the small population of Great Bustards that subsists in the area. Here it was sunny and it only took us 5 minutes to find a lovely flock of 17 males walking around in a wonderful field full of flowers. After enjoying this great birds we took our time to check a pair of corners around, where we found more Pin-tailed Sandgrouses but also Merlin and 1 Golden Eagle.

It was already lunch time so we covered the short distance to a small lagoon. From its view point we had a good selection of waterfowl that included Little & Great Crested Grebes, Gadwall, Eurasian Teals, Common Pochards, Shovelers, 5 Red-crested Pochards and 1 male Pintails. The reedbeds around were having some Great White Egrets and Grey Herons and a short walk by reed produced Penduline Tits, ruff views on an elusive Cetti’s Warblers, several Reed Buntings and a shy Bluethroat that not allowed any photo. The fields around were having large flocks of Chaffinches and we were happy to pick up a Brambling from there as well!

From here we had a final stop in a different wetland very close to Lleida, where the fog was still persistent. Here we had short walk along the reeds. It was little movement, but finally our perseverance was rewarded with good views on 2 Bearded Tits that appeared really close in the reeds. They were really celebrated by the tour participants, and the afternoon ended with 2 Common Kingfishers chasing each other in the fog!

Great Bustards (Otis tarda) has only two small populations left in Aragon, and they can be harder than expected to find!

Day 5. Last morning of the trip before heading back to Barcelona Airport. This morning was devoted to explore the wonderful habitat of low, sparse scrubland where the poor understood Dupont’s Lark lives. This species is to be found in poor soils with a rich gradient of salt on it, resulting a landscape of low, scattered scrubs. The songs of both Calandra & Mediterranean Short-toed Larks were constant in the air. The morning was sunny, and the temperature was higher than the day before. We spend some time exploring the area by combining short walks and slow drives, and after less than hour we were enjoying a Dupont’s Lark while feeding on the ground. It was interesting to see the bird excavating the soil with powerful movements of its whole body, pushing its long bill into the soft soil to get a small prey before starting its short, fast runs between the tussocks of grass.

Dupont’s Larks (Chersophilus duponti) favour the poor soils around the Ebro basin.

Many White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) don’t nest any more so to see them in the nest in February is not rare!

This was quite a phenomenal way of ending our tour. After this we just drove back to Barcelona, where we had a final stop around the airport to enjoy Iberian Green Woodpeckers, Eurasian Hoopoes, Zitting Cisticola and a rather unexpected light form Booted Eagle!

List of birds seen:

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia sp)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax)
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) – heard only
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulbus ibis)
Bearded Vulture – Lammergeier (Gypaetos barbatus)
Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)
Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)
Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor)
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Picus sharpei)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Iberian Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Common Magpie (Upupa epops)
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)
Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra)
Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
Woodlark (Lullula arborea)
Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptynoprogne rupestris)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
European Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus)
Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaeus)
Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Eurasian Greefinch (Chloris chloris)
Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
Eurosasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Citril Finch (Carduelis citrinella)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis)

Morocco Birding Tour 2022 Trip Report

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Dates: March 12th to March 25th, 2022
Number of participants: 6
Species seen: 190

Overview. Our 8th tour to Morocco explored again one of the most popular routes in Southern Morocco. Combining excellent mountain birding in the Atlas with the stunning variety of birdlife living in the transitional plains between the mountains and the Sahara, this tour embraces a good array of habitats that provides excellent chances for all the main specialties living in the area. This year, the tour was marked by an unusual cloudy weather and very cold temperatures. During our stay in Agadir, we had general rains in the area, and the snow was appearing a pair of times during the tour. This situation was translated in a poor bird migration, with several trans-Saharan migratory species showing very thin numbers, when not being totally absent from our trip list. Despite the general unusual weather, we got excellent views on all specialties out of Thick-billed Lark. The tour had also a pair of very interesting birds, as males Little Crake and Pallid Harrier were seen both around Ouarzazate.

Day 1: Early breakfast in our hotel in Marrakech before going out and enjoy a sunny but rather fresh day. All tour participants were arriving along the day before in a number of afternoon flights, and we all met for an evening meal.

Before getting to the van we had some nice looks to the Marrakech urban birdlife. A number of Pallid Swifts were flying low, and we got good views on the colour and structure. On the same hotel, two House Buntings were singing their heart out while Sardinian Warblers, Common Bulbuls, Spotless Starlings and Eurasian Greenfinches were also noted.

Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauretanica) showing out its smart blue facial markings

In our way out of Marrakech we had first views on Maghreb Magpies, a recent split from Eurasian Magpies, on the wires or feeding on the ground, often along with Cattle Egrets. Our first stop was to explore a lovely valley in the Atlas. Here, small patches of riverside forests are surrounded by the wallnut orchards while the slopes around are fittered with Juniper srublands. Soon after living the van we had our first Levaillant’s Woodpecker (aka Atlas Green Woodpecker) nicely showing. We could all have excellent views while the bird was slowy moving in the branches of tree, in an interesting warbler-like behaviour. 2 African Blue Tits appeared as well in the same place, and a showy Eurasian Wren was a nice adding. Great Tit was calling in the distance, and European Serins were moving all around. A bit more of time in this wonderful location allowed us to have 3 Little Swifts, our first Moroccan Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker and lovely views on a male Cirl Bunting.

The North African race of Great Spotted Woodpeckers are quite disctintive, showing a darkish tint in the breast and extensive red in the vental area

Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker, the first of many specialities showing in the tour

African Chaffinches are close to the races living in the Canaries but still considered conspecific with the European races

We move on from this wonderful corner to go up in the hillsides. As normal, we had some good roadside birding, and Lesser Kestrels and Eurasian Sparrowhawk were noted while moving up. Once arrived to a typical habitat we had a second stop, successful again. Soon after we got out of the van a wonderful Tristam’s Warbler was moving really close while feeding in the Junipers. Another bird was singing up in the slope and provided good looks while showing on the top of a bush. Around the area we also had two Atlas Coal Tits (a potential split) and a wonderful Rock Bunting calling while doing its way in a barren slope. However, the suprise of the stop was to see 3+ Ring Ouzels (torquatus race) moving in the scrublands and on the ground while looking for berries.

Back to the lane, we kept doing our way up until a large flock of Red-billed Choughs came to us in a wonderful aerial spectacle. The birds were not only playing with the wind in the slopes, but also harrasing an Atlas Buzzard (still considered a race of Long-legged Buzzard, but who knows for how long). A fast stop by the road was required, and happily all the tour participants could connect with this amazing bird of prey, clearly smaller and short-winged than nominals Long-leggeds. But we were still luckier when a Barbary Falcon joined the show for a while, and offered nice views while flying quite lower than the Choughs themselves!

Tristam’s Warblers look for slopes rich in junipers to nest

In our way to Oukaimeden we had the chance to enjoy superb views on cirtensis Long-legged Buzzard (aka Atlas Buzzard)

Happy after such a wonderful road side stop, we kept our way to arrive to Oukaïmeden. Once in the area, we did a short walk in the plain and we fast had a flock of 6 Rock Sparrows that gave us nice views. Black Redstarts and Black Wheatears were around, and we were lucky enough to see White-throated Dipper in the stream and 1 Alpine Accentor that flew along right in front of us, but the main attractions of the place kept elusive for us.

We decided to do a lunch stop, and enjoy the good food up in the mountains. After lunch we went for a second shot in the plains and we were definately luckier, since a female African Crimson-winged Finch appeared sitting on a wire and, after a bit of walk, we all enjoyed excellent views on the bird! It was certainly strange to have a single individual here, contrasting with flocks that we normally find but never mind. We really took that!

A last stop was required before stating going down to Marrakech. In a small corner of the plain (a typical place for them to be) we found 12+ Atlas Horned Lark, a very distictive, resident race of Horned Larks, and again a good candidate for a future split.

Out of mountains, we still decided to go for a final stop before going back to our accommodation. The Southern part of Marrakech has lovely fields and a good array of birdlife living on them. Here we had a stop to and we were granted with a lovely flock of European Serins, Spanish Sparrows, Corn Buntings, Crested Larks, Zitting Cisticolas, European Stonechats plus the views on species such as Moussier’s Redstart and Woodchat Shrike. But the main character and the authentical reason of our stop was to look for Barbary Partridges, and we were lucky enough to find 3+ of them doing their way in the fields, and trying to disapear in the open terrain.

Atlas Horned Laks are endemic of the Atlas high plateaus and slopes, overwintering in the same mountains but at lower altitudes

This year we struggled to find this female African Crimson-winged Finch!

While searching for the high mountain species we had the chance to enjoy some obliging Red-billed Choughs

Day 2. Transfer day from Marrakech to the Agadir area. A transfer was more complicated due to the difficult traffic around Agadir. Our first stop was in Essaouira, where we enjoined some good birds South of the city. Here we had first views on Ruddy Shelducks but also Pied Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, 2 Green Sandpipers, Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 14 Eurasian Spoonbills, Greater Flamingoes, Common Redshanks, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 1 Common Snipe. Some other species, although more distant, included 3 Audouin’s Gulls + 1 Mediterranean Gull and 3 Sandwich Terns roosting along with large numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls (probably coming from the Mogador Island colony) and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Our journey kept to the South, following the wonderful coastal route that, crossing slopes fittered with Argan trees, arrives to the Tamri Estuary. Here we had a walk and soon we had good views on Northern Bald Ibis flying above us. The walk goes along the coastal dunes, with many Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving up in down along the coast. A scan into a flock of gulls roosting in the beach produced to less than 40 Audouin’s Gulls and some nice-looking Kentish Plovers. But the main attraction was still to come when a Northern Bald Ibis just landed a few metres away from us, and started to look for food in the sand. Digging its bill in the dunes, the bird showed really suggessful and got warms and some small insects. After 20 minutes of wonderful sighting, joined by two pairs of Moussier’s Redstart, we did a last stop further South, in the Cape Tamri.

Northern Bald Ibis, with only three colonies in Morocco, is one of the most endangered birds in the region

This location proved in other issues to be excellent for seawatching, but this time all the birds were seen really far away, and the counts were not above 25 Northern Gannets moving North and some Sandwich Terns moving around. The stop was complemented with great views on tame Thekla Larks moving around the rocky outcrops and 2 Algerian Shrikes (the race of Great Grey Shrike living in Northern Morocco and along the Atlantic coast).

We started moving to our accommodation, with a last stop in mind, but our changes of this last birding stop vanished into a large traffic jump due to road works.

Day 3. Our day in the Souss-Massa National Park started with a pair of short walks to catch up with some specialties around. The weather was clearly changing, with a massive low pressure system coming from the Atlantic Ocean and threatening with strong rains and lower temperatures. Still, we managed a pair of successful stops in the morning.

Our first stop was to explore a small corner of the Massa River. In the past, this area showed a wonderful variety of birdlife, including several migratory birds. But this year the water level (like in many other corners along the Massa River) was really low, and the migratory birds almost absent. A short stroll rapidly produced good views on Cetti’s Warbler and African Chaffinches. Several Common Chiffchaffs were moving around, and a obliging pair of Moussier’s Redstart provided great views. In the distance, a Black-winged Kite was whovering above the farming around the river. After some scanning, we were able to locate a wonderful Black-crowned Tchagra moving in the lash vegetation, and with some patience we all enjoyed great and close views on it!

Black-winged Kite next to our accommodation!

This issue again provided excellent views on Black-crowned Tchagra, despite the weather

Little Owl in a fig tree was a rather unexpected sight

The clouds were already coming, and temperature was getting down (collapsing!), but we managed a second stop before the heavy rain arrived. In a small patch of reeds and tamarisks we found the first Western Olivaceous Warbler (aka Isabelline Warbler) of the trip moving in the vegetation and going on with what it sounded like a subsong. 3 Eurasian Spoonbills were feeding in a small pond along with 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Little Ringed Plover. Some Little & Pallid Swifts flew above us, providing good looks while we moving away from the river to have a short exploration of the fields around. A flock of 35 Eurasian Siskins was quite a surprise so far South, but little more could be added out of 1 Meadow Pipit and Moussier’s Redstarts. It started to rain heavily so we decided to go back to our accommodation. In our way back, a Little Owl was a nice find!

The heavy rain tied us to ous hotel until mid-afternoon, when the rain stopped and we could go out. There were still some clouds, but had to move! Another potentially good corner in the river Massa was also rather quiet, but we still had 4 Plain Martins flying around, brief views on 1 Bluethroat, Maghreb Magpies, a distant Western Swamphen, 1 Purple Heron and a small flock of Pied Avocets feeding nearby the bridge. Beyond this point, the area become more bushy, with formidable formations of euphorbias. Here we did a second stop, and we were granted with 3 Western Black-eared Wheatears, European Bee-eaters, Sardinian Warblers, 2 Eurasian Hoopoes, 2 Cirl Buntings at close range and 1 Great Spotted Cuckoo! We were all quite satisfied with this, and we drove back to the hotel for an early dinner. After dinner, more birds!

A short walk from our accommodation, and a bit of luck, provided great views on 1 Red-necked Nightjar calling, flying and briefly stopping around us in a great sight that, for our clients, ranked among one of the 10 better birds of the trip!!!

This stunning and wet male Moussier’s Redstart was extremely tame with our group

Western Olivaceous Warblers nest along the River Massa

Female Cirl Bunting around our accommodation

Superb Spanish Sparrows were feeding at the hotel grounds

Day 4. Transfer day between Agadir and Ouarzazate. The morning was again really cold (only 10ºC!!) and with some rain. Despite the bad weather we did stop in the Massa River, and we had a good hearing on 3 Black-crowned Tchagras singing while a flock of Glossy Ibis was feeding around. A second morning stop in the Souss River estuary was way more productive. Here we got a really good selection of waders feeding in the mudflats along with several Eurasian Spoonbills, some Greater Flamingoes, Mediterranean Gulls and a Lesser Kestrel hunting dragonflies!

It was quite a surprise the good number of Black-tailed Godwits in the estuary feeding along with several Black-winged Stilts and Pied Avocets. A minimum of 48 Ruffs were also counted, and 27 Curlew Sandpipers. 3 Spotted Redshanks were also noted along with many Common Redshanks, Grey Plovers, Eurasian Whimbrels and some Wood Sandpipers. A careful scanning revealed also 1 Temminck’s Stint, 2 Red Knots, 4 Eurasian Curlews, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and a flock of 7 Little Stints. Surprisingly we only counted 4 Common Ringed Plovers in the whole estuary!

Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs + Common & Spotted Redshanks feeding in Souss River

A short walk along the more vegetated areas produced some Yellow Wagtails and short views on a (white-spotted) Bluethroat.

After this pleasant stop we went on with our transfer along the Anti Atlas. The roads between Agadir & Ouarzazate goes along one of the best areas for birds of prey in Morocco. With the Tawny Eagle and Chanting Goshawks both gone for long, the area remains as an interesting hot-spot for birds of prey such as Black-winged Kite. Along the road, we counted up to 4 Black-winged Kites, but also Black Kites, our first Short-toed Snake Eagle and 1 Barbary Falcon.

One of the best stops on this road birding provided excellent views on a Great Spotted Cuckoo singing from the top of an Argan Tree. Some tens of miles away from the cuckoo, another stop was mandatory when we found 4 obliging Cream-coloured Coursers and 2 Desert Larks just by the tarmac!

This was the 2nd Great Spotted Cuckoo of the tour. Just by the highway

This year Cream-coloured Coursers seem to be everywhere!

In the afternoon we were already close to Ouarzazate, when we crossed one of the many streams coming down from the Atlas. There, roosting in the reedbeds, there were several Little Egrets and 4 Black-crowneds Night Herons. A stop was, obviously, mandatory!

The vegetation along the stream was full of Sedge Warblers that were feeding along with 1 or 2 Eurasian Reed Warblers while the first Willow Warbler of the trip was moving in a tall grass right beyond. We were really enjoying the views on these little fellas just when 1 male Little Crake decided to walk out of the vegetation, showing himself in a superb afternoon light! The bird was there for 10 minutes, in what it was a lifer bird of more than the half of the group! Then somebody advaced about a bird of prey coming from the right, and we all had the time enjoy a superb Bonelli’s Eagle diving right beyonf the stream, tallons in the front of, probably trying to catch a prey!

Everybody was really excited, and the Little Crake was still in the out, but a Eurasian Wryneck just called in our back. Time to move to the small Almond plantation and try to find the Wryneck. We moved slowly in the fields with scatered large Almond trees, when a small bird just flew off from the grass and landed low in small bush: 1 Common Grasshoper Warbler! It took me 10 minutes to put everyone in the bird, but we did it!!!

Back to the Wryneck operation, we moved around the area and found a lovely European Turtle Dove sitting on a tree. A tour participant found a Woodchat Shrike in a large shrub and we all admired it but, by the time my bins came back to the tree where the Turtle Dove was, it was turned into the Wryneck that we had been looking for!! What a wonderful stop!!

And this is how a road birding day can turn out in a absolutely great birding day!

Male Little Crake in a small stream around Ouarzazate

Surprisingly, this was our only European Turtle Dove of the tour!

Day 5. Early morning start to explore the massive reservoir inmediatly South of Ouarzazate. Weather was still cloudy, and temperatures were far lower than expected. Still, we enjoyed another great day. Instead of heading directly to the reservoir, we drove a bit around the semi desert to try to find some specialties. There we had first views on Desert & White-crowned Black Wheatears but also a pair of Trumpeter Finches and 1 Spectacled Warbler. It was clear that it was some migration, since it was a flock after a flock of Greater Short-toed Larks moving North, and we got 17 Black Storks that seemed to be roosting in a distant plateau East of the reservoir.

Once in the lake, we had good views on both Maghreb & Thekla’s Larks. The shores were full with Ruddy Shelducks and the songs of migratory Sedge Warblers were all over. A distant Water Rail was also noted, while a large flock og 400+ White Storks were roosting in the reeds. On waders, it was low. We only had some Little Ringed Plovers, some Ruffs, Green Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks and 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha), a recent split from Crested Lark

One of the only 3 Alpine Swifts during the tour

A bit beyond we reached a view point over the reservoir and we soon had excellent but distant views over the many Marbled Teals around. We counted a minimum of 80 of them and, along with this really scarce duck, we enjoyed a good array of other ducks including Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers and Eurasian Teals, but also 1 female Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Tufted Ducks, 12 Common Pochards, 5 Garganeys and 2 Northern Pintails. In the lagoon we also got the only Great Crested Grebes of the trip while 2 Alpine Swifts flew over.

After some time scanning the lagoon we started to move. It was still cold and cloudy but it was evident that a good raptor migration was going on. Hundreds of distant Black Kites were cincling and moving North, 1 female Western Marsh Harrier was seen flying low and inmediatly after we got one of the surprises of the trip, a male Pallid Harrier that showed briefly while flying towards the Atlas! Unfotunately not everyone in the group got a proper view on this very scarce bird of prey!!

It was already late in the morning so we started moving East to arrive to our accommodation in Boulmane du Dades for an early lunch. The ambient here was even colder that it was in the morning, and we had lunch by the fire!

During the afternoon we had a first contact with the extensive steppe land inmediatly South of Boulmane. The light was poor and the temperature was only 6ºC, extremelly low for Morocco in this season. Still, it didn’t take long to have first views on Temminck’s Larks, and a proper stroll around produced a pair of Greater Hoopoe Larks, 1 Long-legged Buzzard, 1 Barbary Falcon a flock of 6 Cream-coloured Coursers and some Desert Wheatears.

There were still few numbers of Desert Wheatears in Boulmane and nearby areas

Day 6. Full day enjoying the steppes and gorges around Boulmane. In the morning we had some stops in the plains, adding great views on Trumpeter Finches and Red-rumped Wheatears to our list. We were only 3ºC but the birding was still great, with several Temminck’s Larks around and migratory Greater Short-toed Larks feeding around. A short visit to proper fields around produced 8 Black-bellied Sansgrouses and, for our surprised, they were joined by 1 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse!

We were in a small lowland in the way to the Atlas, and a further exploration of the areas produced excellent views on Little Owls!

Our last stop of the morning was even better. A small corner in the plains that is normally a good place for Larks was having more than ever: 15+ Cream-coloured Coursers, 10+ Greater Hoopoe Larks, Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, Thekla’s Larks and Greater Short-toed Larks were all seen and enjoyed. A Tawny Pipit showed briefly and some bush around produced 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Tree Pipit, Linnets and 4 species of Wheatears (Northern, White-crowned Black, Red-rumped & Desert!).

Trumpeter Finch is, un many locations, the only one Finch around

Little Owl in the plains South of Boulmane. Please note the light brown coloration

In the afternoon the sun finally appeared, and temperature rose. We basically spent the afternoon in a pretty gorge close to Boulmane. There, we enjoyed great views on a roosting Pharaon Eagle Owl, but also a pair of Lanner Falcons, Black Wheatear, Desert Larks, a flyby Red-rumped Swallow and stunning views on a Maghreb Wheatear, one of the most sought-after birds of the country!

We enjoyed great views on a pair of Lanner Falcons

Pharaon Eagle Owl inside its daytime hollow

Maghreb Wheatear, one of two endèmic Wheatears in the region

An old Kashba, the Southern Morocco fancy castles made on clay

Day 7. In the morning we had another walk to explore a different corner in the plains, hoping to connect with Thick-billed Lark. It was no way to find this species but we enjoyed good views on Black-bellied Sandgrouses feeding on the ground and a good set of other larks.

After our en-route lunch we spent some time in a well-known spot in the desert, where we looked for the scarce and unobtrusive Saharan Scrub Warbler. The walk produced Woodchat Shrike, Tawny Pipit, Thekla Lark, Spectacled Warbler and the first Bar-tailed Lark of the trip. After some time looking for the famous Scotocerca, we were about to quit from our day quesy when one of the tour participants advaced us about a bird moving low in the scrubs. It took us about 25 minutes to put everybody in the bird but eventually there they were: A handsome pair of Saharan Scrub Warbler!

Saharan Scrub Warbler lives in low density in desert Scrub lands and barren slopes

Black-bellied Sandgrouses blind perfectly with the stony plains

This year Greater Hoopoe Larks were really common around Boulmane du Dades

After this great sight we just drove to our accommodation down in the desert, with some road birding sights including Booted Eagle and Brown-necked Raven.

Day 8. Our day started in the desert by checking some great places for migratory song birds. Unfortunately, the extremely low temperatures of the last days was affecting the bird migration. Along the morning the number and variety of birds was extremely low. We still had good views on Western Subalpine Warblers, Western Bonelli’s Warblers, Common Redstarts, Eurasian Hoopoes, Willow Warblers and 3 Woodchat Shrikes. 1 Western Black-eared Wheatear was an unexpected sight, and we also enjoyed good views on Bar-tailed & Maghreb Larks.

But the bird of the day was the African Desert Warbler that we found nesting close to one of the main roads in the area, and that was providing really good looks!

Western Bonelli’s Warblers are a common view along the tour

African Desert Warbler in typical nesting site

Day 9. Early morning start to enjoy the birds of the desert. Our first stop was to visit a water hole in the dunes, and our efforts here were granted with great views on 80+ Crowned Sandgrouses and 40+ Spotted Sandgrouses that came down to drink water early in the morning. The images of these Sandgrouses drinking water is something that our clients will never forget!

A short drive for a coffee stop gave us access to one of the few Desert Sparrows left in the area, and we all again enjoyed really good views on a species that is becoming more and more scarce due to the concurrence of House Sparrows in the area. The morning ended with a last stop, this time to see 2 Egyptian Nightjars roosting in the dunes! Another amazing sight!!

During the afternoon, our clients had a free time to explore by their own the dunes and the bushland around the accommodation.

This year Crowned Sandgrouses were surprisingly common in Merzouga

Spotted Sandgrouses on their to the water hole

The impressive sand dunes around Merzouga

Once and again we got amazing views on Desert Sparrows

Day 10. Transfer day from the desert to Marrakech. But in the morning we still had time to explore the extensive palm groves near Merzouga. There we were lucky enough to find a gorgeous Fulvous Babbler! Other good birds in the area included Common Redstart and Maghreb Lark.

Fulvous Babbler, a typical bird of palm groves

Atlas Wheatear inhabits the Atlas high mountain grasslands

The roads in Morocco have improved a lot and only some hours after we were already in the Atlas alpine meadows, were we had another productive stop, adding Atlas Wheatear (a recent split from Northern Wheatear, a short-migratoy species that nests in the Atlas high plateaus and overwinters in the Sahel plains). Here, we also got 3 Booted Eagles migrating North and the only Water Pipit of the trip!

A pair of hours later we were arriving to Marrakech after crossing the Atlas, and a rather massive snowfall that was ending our 8th tour to Morocco, and the one with the most weird weather!!!

In 2023 we will come, same dates. Join for excellent birding and good fun!!

List of bird seen during the tour:

1. Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)
2. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
3. Gadwall (Anas strepera)
4. Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
5. Pintail (Anas acuta)
6. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
7. Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
8. Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
9. Northern Shoverler (Spatula clypeata)
10. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
11. Tutfed Duck (Aythya fuligula)
12. Common Swift (Apus apus)
13. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
14. Little Swift (Apus affinis)
15. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)
16. Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
17. Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronata)
18. Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
19. Feral Dove (Columba livia)
20. Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
21. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
22. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
23. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
24. European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
25. Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
26. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
27. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
28. Little Crake (Zapornia parva)
29. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
30. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
31. Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
32. Eurasian Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
33. Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
34. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
35. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
36. Pied Avocet (Revurvirostra avosetta)
37. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
38. Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
39. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
40. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
41. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
42. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
43. Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
44. Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
45. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
46. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
47. Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
48. Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
49. Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
50. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
51. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
52. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
53. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
54. Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
55. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
56. Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
57. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
58. Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
59. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
60. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
61. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
62. Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
63. Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii)
64. Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
65. Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
66. Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea)
67. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
68. Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
69. Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus)
70. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
71. Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
72. Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
73. Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
74. Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
75. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
76. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
77. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
78. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
79. Great White Heron (Agrodiaetus albus)
80. Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
81. Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
82. Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
83. Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
84. Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
85. Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)
86. Long-legged Buzzard, aka Atlas Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis)
87. Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
88. Little Owl (Athene noctua)
89. Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus)
90. Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegiptius)
91. Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis)
92. Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
93. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
94. European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
95. Atlas Woodpecker (Picus vallantii)
96. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
97. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
98. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
99. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii)
100. Barbary Falcon (Falco peregrinoides)
101. Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
102. Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis)
103. Algerian Shrike (Lanius excubitor algeriensis)
103b. Desert Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor elegans)
104. Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
105. Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
106. Common Raven (Corvus corax)
107. Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
108. Magherb Magpie (Pica mauretanica)
109. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
110. Fulvous Babbler (Argya fulva)
111. Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
112. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
113. Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha)
114. Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae)
115. Temminck’s Lark (Eremolauda temminckii)
116. Atlas Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas)
117. Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
118. Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
119. Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
120. Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
121. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
122. Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
123. Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
124. Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
125. Plain Martin (Riparia paludicola)
126. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptrynoprogne rupestris)
127. Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
128. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
129. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus troquilus)
130. Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli)
131. Firecrest (Regulus ignacapilla)
131. Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca)
133. Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
134. Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenibaenus)
135. Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca saharae)
136. African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti)
137. Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis)
138. Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
139. Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca iberiae)
140. Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola)
141. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
142. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
143. Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
144. Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus)
145. Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
146. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
147. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
148. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
149. Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
150. Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri)
151. European Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)
152. Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
153. Atlas Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi)
154. Desert Wheatear (Onenanthe deserti)
155. Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe halophila)
156. Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
157. Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta)
158. Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
159. White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga)
160. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
161. Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis)
162. Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
163. Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
164. Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
165. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
166. Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)
167. Great Tit (Parus major)
168. African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae)
169. Atlas Coal Tit (Periparus ater atlas)
170. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla mauretanica)
171. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaeus)
172. Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
173. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
174. Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata)
175. Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
176. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
177. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
178. Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
179. Water Pipit (Anthus spinolleta)
180. Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
181. Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
182. Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
183. Linnet (Liniaria cannabina)
184. African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana)
184b. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
185. European Serin (Serinus serinus)
186. African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus)
187. Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
188. Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
189. House Bunting (Emberiza sahari)
190. Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)

List of mammals seen during the tour:

1. Barbary Ground Squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus)
2. Fat Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus)

Thanks for arriving until down here! And, remember, in 2023 we will be back to enjoy the Moroccan birdlife!

OrnitoRepte pela-roques (Tichodroma muraria), Novembre 2021

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En un matí assolejat però freda, els participants en l’OrnitoRepte més agosarat ens vam trobar en un bar a prop de Balaguer per poder fer un cafè calent abans d’encetar la jornada.

Un cop en moviment, diferents rapinyaires van anar creuant la carretera, però no va ser fins arribar a prop dels espadats a on passaríem les primeres hores d’observació a on vam haver de fer una primera parada obligada. I és que una parella d’àguiles cuabarrades (Aquila fasciata) estaven volant força baix a la zona! Vam muntar telescopi i qui va voler va poder fins i tot gaudir d’una de les àguiles aturada al roquissar.

Una molt bona observació i una gran forma de començar la jornada ornitològica! Un cop vam aparcar els vehicles, el primer va ser fer un cop d’ull al riu que travessa la gorja en qüestió. Aquí un blauet (Alcedo atthis) va passsar fugiser, i una merla d’aigua (Cinclus cinclus) s’alimentava entre els còdols. Diferents voltors comuns (Gyps fulvus) volaven ja per la zona, i un xoriguer (Falco tinnunculus) va passar a tota velocitat per la cinglera, fent enmodir la corrua de pit-rojos, mallarengues, tallarols de casquest i cargolets que reclamaven als matollars i bosquines.

Part del grup gaudint del pela-roques. Imatge: Carles Oliver

Les mirades es van centrar ben d’hora en els espadats. Repassar les seves parets llises, forats, esquerdes i ondulacions a la cerca d’alguna forma o moviment sospitosos. Així vam trobar una llunyana merla blava (Monticola solitarius) que prenia els primers rajos de sol al capdamunt d’una cinglera. Passaven els minuts i el grup es disgregava per la gorja. Algun estol de mallarengues cuallargues (Aegithalos caudatus) i un parell de bruels (Regulus ignicapillus) van venir a saludar a una part del grup.

Al llarg de la propera hora van estar-nos en un parell de llocs estratègics, escorcollant les inmenses parets de roca al nostra voltants. Les àguiles cuabarrades, van tornar a aparèixer, i les seves voltes ens van fer entrar en escalfor! Al riu, una cuereta torrentera (Motacilla cinerea) va captar la nostra atenció per un moment quant de cop i volta algú advertí: “quin és aquest ocell que vola per sobre el riu?” Tothom mirada amunt per veure un pela-roques volant per sobre el meandre del riu!!! “Pela-roques, pela-roques”, va ressonar arreu! L’ocell va anar a aturar-se a dalt de tot d’un llunyà pollegó, però amb els telescopis el vam poder veure força bé!

Un minut després d’arribar un segon pela-roques va aparèixer al cel, i el primer Tichodroma va deixar el seu pollegó per fer fora el nou ocells, que va continuar riu amunt, sense aturar-se. Va ser el moment escollit per apropar-nos. Un dels pela-roques havia tornar al mateix pollegó, però força més baix. En atansar-nos el vam perdre vista, i al llarg de deu minuts ningú no va saber més del pela-roques… Però llavors uns quants afortunats el van veure sortir d’un forat a pocs metres de distància! L’ocell va volar al nostra voltant per finalment creuar el riu i aturar-se en una gran paret a on va romandre al llarg de ben bé mitja hora!

Pela-roques (Tichodroma muraria) en plena acció. Imatge de Begonya Torres

Allà tothom el va poder observar a plaer i treure força fotos (un xic desvirtuades per la distància), i observar el curiós comportament d’aquesta espècie d’hàbits tant extrems. Fins i tot el vam poder menjar, ja que en una de les seves excursions per dins de cavitats, va aparèixer amb una Macroglossum stellatarum al bec, el que va fer pujar l’exitació del grup a nivells estratosfèrics!!

Després de ben bé 20 minuts d’observació continuada del pela-roques, vam començar a desfilar cap als vehicles. Els voltors comuns ja volaven alt, com a per a dir adéu a tot el grup. A la sortida de la gorja, però , va ser necessari una nova parada. Desenes de tords ala-rojos (Turdus iliacus) reclamaven i voleiaven pels encontorns. Vam saltar dels vehicles i vam estar una bona estona mirant d’aconseguir una observació mínimament digna d’aquesta espècie. Grives (Turdus viscivorus) i algun tord comú (Turdus philomelos) es van deixar veure bé. Alguns afortunats sí que van poder gaudir d’una bona observació de tord ala-roig, però malauradament la majoria del grup es va haver de resignar a sentir-ne els reclams.

De tornada als vehicles, vam fer via cap al Sud, a la cerca d’una petita llacuna a on de feia unes setmanes s’estaven veient unes quantes Anàtides. Després d’un cafè recostituent, vam cobrir la petita distància que ens separava de la bassa en qüestió. Al poc d’arribar ja vam poder observar el principal atractiu de la bassa, un grupet de 3 morells xocolaters (Aythya nyroca) que nedaven amb la llum del migdia, oferint molt bones observacions. Aquesta és bàsicament una espècie de l’Est de l’Europa, que té a l’Europa Occidental petites poblacions reproductores. A la Península Ibèrica es calculen menys de 20 parelles anuals!

Fotges en primer terme, i morells xocolater en segon terme. Imatge: Carles Oliver

A la llacuna també vam poder gaudir d’una bona selecció d’espècies típiques d’aquestes zones com cabusset (Tachybaptus ruficollis), fotja comuna (Fulica atra), ànec coll-verd (Anas platythynchos), xarxet comú (Anas crecca), ànec cullerot (Spatula clypeata) i morell de cap roig (Aythya ferina). La bassa bullia de vida, i també ho feien els camps que l’envoltaven: Hi havien estols de cruixidells (Emberiza calandra) i aloses comunes (Alauda arvensis), cogullades comunes (Galerida cristata) i passerells (Liniaria cannabina) junt amb cornelles (Corvus corone) i grans estolls d’estornells (Sturnus sp.).

Les Arpelles comunes (Circus aeruginosus) i algun aligot comú (Buteo buteo) anaven repasant els estols d’ocells a la cerca d’alguna presa fàcil mentre els insectívors més petits, com els bitxacs comuns (Saxicola rubicola) no badaben davant l’oportunitat d’enxampar algun insecte. A la llunyania, algunes fredelugues (Vanellus vanellus) van assenyalar el camí per escrutar els camps més detingudament, i el nostre esforç va trobar la recompensa en un petit estol de daurades grosses (Pluvialis apricaria) que, si bé no es van deixar veure massa estona a terra, sí que ens van deixar gaudir amb els seu vol.

Amb aquesta última observació i alguns repicatalons (Emberiza schoeniclus) que ja passaven volant cap al canyissar des dels camps a on s’havien estat alimentant, vam acabar un matí ben profitós que va deixar a tothom ben content, i amb ganes de molts més OrnitoReptes!!!

Podeu consultar els propers OrnitoReptes ací: https://barcelonabirdingpoint.com/ornito-reptes/?lang=ca

Pyrenees Winter Break (+ Ebro Delta), 2020 Trip Report

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Number of days: 6

Tour participants: 5

Dates: February 6th to 11th, 2020

All images along the tour by Brian Buffery, Giovanni Grieco and tour leader Carles Oliver.

The tour participants to the tour flew into Barcelona prior the tour started. We met the next morning in their hotel neat the airport for an early morning transfer to the Pyrenees. Temperature was high as a result of several days of high pressures, and temperatures escalating above 20C in the days before the tour started.

Day 1. Once in the Pyrenees, we drove up until 1600 metres high and spent some time in a rocky slope with small cliffs. There, we got good views on Rock Buntings, singing and showing up really well. European Crested Tits were also noted, but we didn’t have any other good bird. From there, the lovely lane brought us throught Mountain forests with small flocks of Mistle Thruses and Common Crossbills. Once the forests end, the lane crosses some alpine meadows show. Due to the long period of high temperatures, the snow was few, and concentrated in a certain slopes. We spent some time scanning, with little success. Only a few Eurasian Griffons were moving in the sky, joined by 1 Common Raven.

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), a common but always wonderful flycatcher to see.

We spent some time scanning the snowed slopes with little luck, and we were about to leave when 3 Snowfinches flew from a spinned slope, really high up in the mountain. Despite teh birds were extremelly far away we decided to spend some time scanning the slope. But nothing. Sowe drove half a mile, and scan again. And now we were more lucky as a nice flock of about 25 Snowfinches showed in the sky, flying from a close slope. The birds we actually doing some short flights to inmediatly reland in the slope, so we got excellent views on the birds walking on the snow, feeding and preening. Unfortunately all birds were a bit far up in the slope, so not really excellent chances for photography. We spent about half an hour waiting for the birds to eventually come down the slope and have closer views. Unfortunately the birds never came really closer.

Happy after the enjoying a species I was not expecting to find, we kept our way and came back to the mountain pass. There, there was a good number of Eurasian Griffons passing by, producing some really good views. Here we also got excellent views on a flock of Alpine Chough flying over, calling, and playing in the sky as only a Chough can do.

Only a pair of minutes after the Chough did its show, a large raptor was seen along with Eurasian Griffons. Moving slowly above the slope, an impressive adult Lammergeier was moving to our position. Everybody connected with the bird of prey way before the bird was close, so everybody enjoyed excellent views on the bird approaching us… The majestic bird just passed over us, the snow reflecting on the underwings so we all enjoyed the details of the axiles, the underwinds and its iconic moustache. The bird was around for some minutes, and we still had a second Lammergeier passing by before we moved to our accommodation for some rest.

We got our first views on Lammergeier (Gypaetos barbatus) in the first morning of the tour.

After some resting, we still had time to explore a wooded slope in search of some new species. The area was full of Common Crossbills, some of them singing. A lovely Iberian Green Woodpecker was a celebrated spot in the group. The area was full of birds: Eurasian Siskin, Mistle Thrush, Rock Bunting, Short–toed Treecreeper and Crested Tit were also noted. Big flocks of migratory Common Chaffinches were around. We did a number of stops along the lane, and among them 2 Citril Finches passed over our heads, calling. Unfortunately only one tour participant had a view in these birds.

The afternoon was going away and as the night came we moved to a proper spot for the most difficult of the Owls in Europe. We didn’t have to wait long because soon after sunset we had a Tengmalm’s Owl singing quite close to our van! The bird started singing about 80 metres away so we just walked inside the open woodland, trying to find the small owl. We enjoyed a wonderful listening but despite our efforst, we never so this scarce owl!

Sunset is to arrive to the Pyrenean subboreal forest.

Day 2. After a good rest, we just started our second day by spending some time in the same lane where we were the last afternoon. Our goal was to have better views on Citril Finches. But that morning we were no lucky about them. After this we spent the rest of the morning in a mountain pass closeby. A huge flock of above 70 Red-billed Choughs was feeding on the greenish slopes that were supposed to be snowed. High temperatures for 15 days in a row right before the arrival of the group had been meltering the snow, and despite our efforts we were uncapable to find any Alpine Accentor, the main goal of the morning.

Crag Martin (Ptynoprogne rupestris) showinfg the tail markings.

After lunch we drove to the steppes for some afternoon birding. Our first stop was to check some corners looking for one of the most sought-after species in this habitat. Meanwhile, we enjoyed very much to find a large flock of over 150 Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Several other species were recorded around including Eurasian Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting, European Stonechat, Eurasian Skylark, Northern Lapwing, Common Kestrel, Crested Lark, Common Buzzard, Meadow Pipit and several more!

To spot Little Bustards (Tetrax tetrax) out of the nesting season can be difficult.

In our second stop we were more lucky, and after some scanning we found 12 Little Bustards in a nearby field. They were hiding in a filed with tall vegetation and we could only count them after a long wait and search of the small neck appearing above the grass. While enjoying them, we got other good birds around including 1 Great White Egret, Grey Heron , Mistle Thrush and Zitting Cisticola.

But a good surprise was to come. In a nearby field, a large flock of over 150 European Golden Plovers was resting. It look like the typcical large premigratory flock. While trying to count the Bustards, Gio was scanning the plovers and he was lucky enough to find out a 1st winter Eurasian Dotterel right in the center of the flock! What a nice spot!!!

Eurasian Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus) in a flock of Golden Plover close to Linyola.

After such a great spot we just moved to a nearby wetland for the last stop of the day. The large fresh water lagoon is placed in the middle of a large plain, and attracks good number os Western Marsh Harriers that roost in the reedbeds. We counted no less than 23 of them! Eurasian Teals, Northern Shovelers, Common Snipes, Reed Buntings, Water Rail, Northern Lapwings, Red–crested Pochards and big numbers of Great Cormorants and Western Jackdaws were all enjoyed, but probably the best birds for most of the tour participants were the Western Swamphens showing in the reedbeds, and noisily calling as the sunset approached. A wonderful end of the day!

During the afternoon we found this roosting place with +150 Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus).

Day 3. This day we drove up a long valley, into the a Catalan shire called Pallars, to look for some Pyrenean especialities. Our first stop was in a huge gorge. There, we hope for the most wanted bird for many birdwatchers visting the Pyrenees in winter, the Wallcreeper. During a pair of hours we walked and scouted the rocks all around, hoping for any movement in the cliffs. White–bellied Dippers were singing, very active in the river, and we counted 4 in single corner of the river! Some Eurasian Griffons were also moving in the sky, and didn’t take long until the massive silouhette of 1 Lammergeier appeared from the massive cliffs. Red Kite and Rock Bunting were also enjoyed.

After a long search, we finally found an extremelly distant Wallcreeper in a big, plain rock face. Only 1 tour participant saw the bird, so we all spent a lot of time trying to refind the bird. Some minutes passed away, and nobody was having the Wallcreeper…but suddenly a something moved in the rocks really close to us, inmediatly at the other side of the river: Wallcreeper!

Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), always a challenging bird!

We were having a Wallcreeper right there, and this time everyone in the group found the bird without difficulties! We spent a pair of minutes enjoying of the bird moving in the rock face, beside a huge cavity. As always, it was great moment for anyone in the group!! After taking photos and recording videos we were enjoying the bird until it moved away from the rock face… and then came the typical question, was that the same bird that we were looking for extremely high up, or was it a different one? Who knows…

In this stop we still enjoyed a pair of other good birds before going for a coffee stop as Short–toed Treecreeper and Eurasian Crag Martin showed really well in our way to the car.

After our pic-nic stop, we spent a pair of hours exploring a wooded lane, a wonderful spot for Citril Finches. Again, Common Crossbills were common and active. There were flocks of Eurasian Goldfinches and Common Chaffinches and, while scanning the flocks looking for something different, we enjoyed 2 superb Lammergeiers flying ove us in beautiful light. After a long, long scanning, 2 Citril Finches were seen when driving down the lane so we inmediatly stopped, with the finches calling around and moving in the trees for a some seconds before they moved away as they seemed associated to a huge flock of Common Chaffinches. We scanned over and over the flock but we were uncapable to refind them. Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Hawfinch were noted in the while.

One of the 4 Lammergeiers (Gypaetos barbatus) seen during that day.

The last stop of the day was to look for Eurasian Black Vulture. The Catalan Pyrenees holds a small population of about 50 individuals, concentrated in a pair of valleys but expanding in range and numbers. The whole day had been poor in raptor activity and, when we did arrive to the observation place, the raptor activity was minimal. Still, there were some Eurasian Griffons flying and after some hard scanning we found at least three distant Eurasian Black Vulture circling along with them. Another Lammergeier was also found, by the way. Here we also enjoyed some small birds including Cirl Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Sardinian Warblers. After this stop we drove back to our accommodation for a good dinner and rest.

Day 4. Early morning start to explore the steppes. After a transfer we did arrive to the dry lands where most of the specialities are to be found. Unfortunately the weather was not good at all, as it was extremelly windy… Windy days can be terrible in the steppes, being quite easy to miss most (or all) the good birds in such a conditions.

But we were confident so our first stop was in a corner were Sandgrouses use to feed in early morning. A first look to the area revealed no activity at all. Only 1 or 2 Calandra Larks were flying, almost no songs in the sky. A distant Red Kite was the most notiable… We moved slowly along the lane, carefully scanning the fields that were hurt by the wind. It took us a good while until we found the first Black–bellied Sandgrouse on the ground. A male. Did an effort to get the scopes out so everybody could enjoy despite the really strong wind. Some minutes later, a small flock of 5 Pin–tailed Sandgrouses moved from a nearby filed, coming closer to us. It took some time to put everybody in the birds as they mild so well even if it was so few grass! Our happiness was complete when we realised that there were also some Black–bellied Sandgrouses on the ground, only few metres away from the Pin–tailed’s!! So, at the end, we had both species together side by side, feeding, preening and enjoying the hard morning weather!

Due to very strong winds, this is the best image we got on a Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis) during one of the last tours to Morocco. No images during this tour…

A short drive in the area around provided us with good views on Thekla, Calandra & Sky Larks. Also Little Owl, Iberian Grey Shrike and Red–billed Chough. Due to the wind it was again little movement of raptors in the sky, or that is what it looked like until 4 Golden Eagles appeared in the sky at the same time! Two adults and 2 juveniles playing long time with the wind at short range.

This obliging Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was the first of the 5 seen during the day!

After a coffee stop we still had time to enjoy some good views on Lesser Short–toed Larks before changing the habitat to explore some cliffs nearby.

The short drive to the clay cliffs produced several White Storks, some of them in their nests, Spotless Starlings, and Common Buzzards. Once arrived, we were suprised by a bird moving in the cliff.A Wallcreeper!!! Amazing. It is not normal to see a Wallcreeper so low, and it is even more strange to see it in a clay cliff which is not especially in the middle of the plains! Again everybody enjoyed the bird while moving up. Higher, a Blue Rock Thrush was also really showy. After a pair of minutes enjoying the bird we lost it and spent some time looking for the Black Wheatears living in this spot. After some minutes we had a pair of Black Wheatear moving in the broken slope. Here we also got the firsts Black Redstarts and Common Chiffchaffs of the tour.

This Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) was totally unexpected, and shared cliff with Blue Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear.

After such a wonderful stop, we faced our transfer to Ebro Delta, a pair of hours of driving with several surprises in the way. The area between Lleida Steppes and Ebro Delta is a complex, hilly area crossed by Ebro river. It is good nautral border and a natural corridor that many birds use between the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees. The afternoon was sunny and calm and soon we realised that it was a good number of birds of prey migrating. After a pair of stops we had 1 Short-toed Snake Eagle, 1 Black Kite, 1 Northern Goshawk, several Common Buzzards and a few Eurasian Sparrowhawks moving North.

Once in Ebro Delta, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the Northern Bay, where we enjoyed good views on a long list of species. Slender-billed & Audouin’s Gull were the most celebrated but the list also included Whiskered, Caspian & Sandwich Terns, Black-necked Greve, Red-crested Pochard, Kentish Plover, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Knot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Little Stint, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, big flocks of Greater Flamingoes and Mediterranean Gulls plus ruff views on a female Bluethroat that showed shortly due to the strong wind! After such a great end of the day, we drove to our accommodation for a good rest and plentiful dinner.

Day 5. After enjoying our breakfast we went out to take a fast look to a small pond just by our hotel. There, we had a good surprise as a male Little Bittern moved in the reeds providing good looks. Cetti’s Warbler and Little Egret were also seen there!

But our first serious stop of the day was by the largest fresh water lagoon in the delta, called l’Encanyissada. A pair of stops were enough to catch with some of the most sought-after species. While flocks of Greater Flamingoes were passing over, we enjoyed wonderful views on Western Swamphens. In the lagoon there were flocks of Black–necke Grebes but out attention was focused in the reedbeds. Cetti’s Warbler was showing well in some small plants by the reeds and 2 Water Pipits were seen in a nearby channel along with Green Sandpiper. But all alarms went on when a “tak-tak” came from the reeds. There was a Moustached Warbler just along the edge of the reedbed, calling and moving really low in the brown steems. It didn’t take long until all tour participants were enjoying good views on this shy species!

But the bird spectacled kept going. A flock of 5 Wood Sandpipers flew over right at the same time that 1 White–spotted Bluethroat male called from the reedbed. A bit of scan was required before all tour participants enjoyed excellent views on this bird. The male was actually quite showy and it was calling a pair of times as it was moving along the shore of the channel. A further scan along different channels revealed at least 5 Bluethroats, 2 of them being males in full summer plomage.

Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) in typical winter habitat.

After such a successful stop we decided to move on to explore some salt marshes. The area is an important nesting place for several species, including Audouin’s Gull, and we could see that many of them were already back in the area. At least 80 Audouins’s were there along with Caspian Terns, Grey Plovers, Kentish & Common Ringed Plovers, 100s of Dunlins and at least 7 Little Stints in the middle.

Audouin’s Gulls (Ichthyaetus audouinii) already busy in their colony.

From there we end the morning by exploring a sand bar facing South. This is a good place where to enjoy waders, Terns and Gulls. Several Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, as the sand bar protects a large inner bay. Along with them, 4 Black–throated Divers were fishing and offering great views, but the best was to discover 1 Great Skua resting on the sea, far away but still offering a god view. Closer, flocks of Dunlins & Kentish Plovers were really appreciated by the group, along with the Slender–billed Gulls side by side to Mediterranean Gull. A good way to walk the path of telling them apart. Northern Gannet and Ruddy Turnstone were also enjoyed in this stop.

Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) has become a common view in Ebro Delta.

To enjoy our picnic we went inside a wooded hide. From the hide, it didn’t look like a lot of birds, but we were having a good fun with the nice views on Western Swamphens and Cetti’s Warbler while a Booted Eagle was circling. Suddenly, a Great Spotted Cuckoo crossed the lagoon to stop right beside the hide! Wonderful!! This species of cuckoo arrives really early in the season and by the end of February you can expect some of them moving around, but due to the few time we had in the steppes, I was not expecting to see them at all!

Slim numbers of Booted Eagles (Aquila pennata) overwinter in Ebro Delta.

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) is a scarce migratory bird in Ebro Delta itself.

During the afternoon we drove up along a lane to explore a mountainous areas some 30 miles away from Ebro Delta. It is extremelly windy and we had to drive up and down the lane a pair of times before we succeed, but finally we got what we were looking for and 2 Alpine Accentors were seen in the lane, right in front of the car!!! The birds were just feeding by the lane despite the extremelly strong wind but unfortunately they flew off down the slope before we could take any image of them…

Spanish Ibex (Capra hispanica) in a typical view.

Really happy about this spot, we moved to our final stop. A lovely Mediterranean gorge hosts some really good specialities. Weather conditions were hard so bird activity was really low. Still, we got good views in a female Spanish Ibex and we were about to leave when a call came from high up the cliff and a wonderful male Bonelli’s Eagle came down to inmediatly display over the valley. It called again just when dramatically dived in the sky to come back to the cliffs in a fast movement!!! What a incredible sight to end the day!!!

Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) displaying in late afternoon.

But this was not all. After dinner we just went out to the hotel grounds, were the tour participants enjoyed wonderful vews on 1 Eurasian Scops Owl that is actually nesting in a nest box right there!!!

Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) already at nest at the end of February!

Day 6. Our last day of the tour we spent the morning in the delta. In our first stop we were scouting a large marshy area: big flocks of Black–winged Stilts and Pied Avocets were resting there along with Northern Shovelers, Pintails, Black–tailed Godwits, Common Kingfishers, Shelducks and other goodies. Beyond this spot, the paddy fields around provided good birding and an accurate scan we enjoyed good views on 30 or more Ruffs but also Dunlins, European Golden Plovers, huge flocks of Glossy Ibises, obliging Lesser Short–toed Larks and 1 Peregrine Falcon (probably a calidus race).

Young Greater Flamingoes (Phoenicopterus roseus) love to feed in the paddy fields.

It was time to head back to the airport but we still had time for a pair of fast stops around Barcelona. Our picnic stop by the airport reported Water Pipit. The afternoon was rainy and cold but we still tried to get the impressive Red-billed Leiothrix, an alien species living in some well forested areas in Greater Barcelona. By the time we did arrive, the temperature was low but we still managed good views on Firecrest as well as Monk Parakeet, Coal, Long–tailed and European Crested Tits.

Ans this was the end of this wonderful tour to the Pyrenees, despite the really high temperatures!! Already ready for our next adventure, happening very soon.

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Extremadura & Gredos 2019 (+ Pyrenees). Trip Report

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Tour Participants: 5

Dates: From April 15th to April 26th, 2019

Number of species of birds seen: 227

Summary

During the tour the temperature ranged from 02ºC to 29ºC. We recorded 7 mammal species, over 227 species of birds and 3 species of reptiles. The species mentioned in the daily summaries are only some of those seen.

Day 1: Monday 15 April: Madrid to La Mancha Humeda and onto Extremadura.

Our trip begun with us meeting for a breakfast at our Hotel in Madrid. After meeting our local Guide and driver Carles we negotiated the Madrid traffic and made our way for the Navaesca lagoon and wetlands. As we left the city and headed into the Winelands and agricultural fields on route we enjoyed sightings of: Common Magpie, Black Kite, Common Wood Pigeon and Crested Lark.

Our first stop after a well deserved coffee break was Navaesca Lagoon south west of Madrid and here we enjoyed some amazing birding with highlights being: 50+ White-headed Duck, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Shelduck, Black-headed Gull, Ruff, Common Greenshank, European Penduline Tit, Bearded Reedling, Greylag Goose, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red-crested Pochard, Little-ringed Plover and European Goldfinch to name a few. Luck was on our side this morning as we had really top cracking views of these species, we managed brief views of a Moustached Warbler but this unfortunately avoided us despite numerous attempts to relocate. We enjoyed our lunch watching the Whiskered Terns and had a good fly by sighting of a Mediterranean Gull.

White-headed Ducks (Oxyura leucocephala) are a scarce resident duck in Central Spain and along the Mediterranean coast. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

After lunch the wind picked up and bird activity died down so we made our way to the Extremadura region. On our way to the Extremadura region we enjoyed road side sightings of: Booted Eagle, European Griffon Vulture, European Black Vulture, White Storks nesting, European Stonechat, Hawfinch, Western Marsh Harrier and Corn Bunting. At our accommodation in Extremaduta we enjoyed amazing next door birding including sightings of European Blue Tit, Black Kite, Red-rumped Swallow, Iberian Magpie, Common Cuckoo, Black-winged Kite, European Bee-eater, Mistle Thrush, Common Chaffinch, Great Tit, Woodchat Shrike, White Wagtail, and Booted Eagle.

We got daily great views on Black-winged Kites (Elanus caeruleus) during our stay in Extremadura. The fact that one pair nested in our accommodation grounds helped a bit 🙂 Image by Carles Oliver

What a great start to our tour as we enjoyed sunset over the snow capped Monfrague Mountains. Our dinner was enjoyed over a glass of red wine as we chatted about the excellent first day we have enjoyed. Also hearing common cuckoo call its characteristic cuckoo clock call again is always an enjoyable experience. We all slept well after a great day of birding.

Day 2: Tuesday 16 April. Monfragüe National Park.

Our morning begun nice and early with breakfast at our lodge as we could hear the birds waking up. We could hear Common Cuckoo calling from the breakfast table, which is not to shabby. We made our way towards the open fields know to be a good spot for both Little and Great Bustards. Lady luck was on our side and one of the first birds we saw in the area was a stunning male Little Bustard which offered us excellent views and and a flight display- wow this was enjoyed by all as these birds are now critically endangered so getting good views of this male was enjoyed by all. Just as we thought what more could we ask for, we had an incredible sighting of a Great Bustard displaying, what a pleasure. After some scanning we found a lek of about 5 males displaying for one females attention, it’s was most comical and most enjoyable to watch this behavior. Other highlights included: female Montagu’s Harrier, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Skylark, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Whinchat, European Stonechat and Red-legged Partridge.

A quick coffee stop was enjoyed overlooking the Gredos mountain range, here we enjoyed a spectacular sighting of both Spainish Imperial Eagle and Cinereous Vulture flying right over us and giving us amazing views. On route to Monfragüe National Park we enjoyed sightings of: European Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Great Tit, Eurasian Wren, Eurasian Blackcap, Woodlark, Spanish Sparrow, Lesser spotted Woodpecker and we hade a brilliant sighting of Western Orphean Warbler- sometimes a difficult bird to see!. As we enjoyed our lunch in the Oak fields we were treated to stunning views of a pair of Short-toed Treecreepers– it was most enjoyable to watch their behavior and antics. As we made our way into Monfragüe we enjoyed a cracking sighting of a Short-toed Snake Eagle with a snake in its mouth as it flew by and over us.

Little Bustard (Tetrix tetrix) showing really well in our tour. Image by Carles Oliver

The Monfragüe National Park is a special protected area for Birdlife in Spain and we enjoyed some wonderful sightings of the Griffon Vultures flying over us and in-front of us. Other top sightings included: Cinereous Vulture, Blue Rock Thrush, Sardinian Warbler, Rock Bunting, Black Redstart, Subalpine Warbler, Crag Marting, Peregrine Falcon and Black Stork. It was truly an amazing day birding in Extremadura and we all had a wonderful and busy day. As we made our way back to our accommodation we all chatted about the various sightings we enjoyed and also got chatting about the various conservation efforts been made in Europe to protect birds.

Day 3: Wednesday 17 April. The Caceres Plains and Arrocampo wetlands.

Our day started nice and early with breakfast and coffee as we got ready for another exciting day of birding in Spain. We made our way to Campo Lugar to improve our views of Great Bustard. On route in the town of Campo Lugar we had great views of Pallid Swift. In the grasslands we were rewarded with excellent views of Great Bustard which was enjoyed by all. Other highlights included: Gull-billed Tern, Northern Raven and Calandra Lark.

In the town we enjoyed a lovely coffee in a small Spanish coffee shop and were treated to exceptional views of Lesser Kestrel colony on a tower, we also had a good view of our first Iberian Grey Shrike of the trip. After our coffee stop we made our way to check the nest boxes put up for the European Rollers and we had good views of the birds nesting and even mating- these are incredible birds that make an extraordinary migration from Southern Europe to Southern Africa and its amazing to see the birds in Spain that we see in Southern Africa. We also enjoyed sightings of Eurasian Hoopoe and Iberian Grey Shrike.

One of the many Great Bustards (Otis tarda) that we enjoyed in Extremadura. Image by Carles Oliver

We made our way to Alcollarin Dam to see which migrant water birds would be around and enjoy our lunch. Our day just got better and better from this point and we enjoyed some incredible birding at the dam and we had sightings of: Collared Practincole, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Common Kingfisher, Temminck’s Stint, Kentish Plover, Common Kingfisher, Eurasian Spoonbill and Black Tern– this is some incredible birding for Southern Europe and everyone enjoyed the avian gems on show. Just as we thought things could not get better we had a lovely sighting of two European Otters swimming in water in front of this- truly amazing and a mammal lifer for all on the trip. As we travelled we chatted about our great day and I enjoyed learning from Larry A about North America and the great birding he enjoys in the State of California. It was also intresting to hear from Larry how the Black Tern in the States is a different tern to the one we have just seen in Spain. Larry also enjoyed the sighting of the Temminck’s Stint as it was a bird he wanted to see.

Spanish Magpie (Cyanopica coocki), a must-seen endemic to get when birding in Southern Spain and Portugal. Image by Carles Oliver

The views of about 30 Collared Practincoles impressed Pam as they flew over head. We enjoyed some down time at the accommodation before dinner and enjoyed a wonderful dinner and some good Spanish wine as we chatted about our wonderful day, birding stories and finished off our listing.

Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae) in the grasslands near Campo Lugar. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 4: Thursady. 18 April. Extremadura to the the Ebro Valley.

Our day begun a little earlier than normal as we decided we would check out the Arrocampo wetlands before moving onto the Ebro valley. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast before heading to the wetlands. Lady Luck was on our side and as we arrived at the wetland and made our way to the hide, we had a great sighting of a male and female Ferruginous Duck fly up and give us brilliant views of this hard to see species of Duck in Europe. It’s estimated that there are about 7 pairs left of these birds in Iberia so seeing a pair was really exciting and enjoyed by the whole group. The birds also decided to come and land on the pond in front of us and we got some really good views of this beautiful duck. Other highlights at the wetlands included: a Purple Heron, Little Bitten, Western Swamphen, Savi’s Warbler, Sand Martin and we unfortunately only managed to hear Water Rail. We were soon back on the road and heading for the Ebro Valley, today was set aside as a day of travel and we had a good 5 hours drive to get to the Ebro Valley and our accommodation.

European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) were a common view in several areas along this tour. Image by Carles Oliver

On the way we had panned a stop to try and find Bluethroat and Rufous-tailed Thrush but unfortunately the weather was not playing along and we had cold and rainy weather high up in the mountains with temperature dropping to 3 degrees Celsius- not ideal for bird watching. We did however get sightings of: European Serin, Eurasian Jay and Eurasian Robin. Our efforts were also rewarded with a wonderful sighting of a Common Salamander- Salamandra salamandra. This was a great find and this amphibian gem was enjoyed by the group, especially by Pam and myself.

We made our way to the Ebro Valley slowly as most of the drive was in the pouring rain, which did not help our birding efforts. As we approached our accommodation we went to the site where Dupont’s Lark occurs and tried our luck in locating this sought after species. Unfortunately the weather didn’t help us and the gusting wild and cold made finding the bird impossible. We did however enjoy views of a Golden Eagle hunting European Rabbits. We enjoyed a quick shower and freshen up before enjoying a lovely dinner together and a good nights rest.

Day 5: Friday 19 April. Ebro Valley and transfer to Pyrenees.

Our morning begun nice and early so we could get out and try for the Dupont’s Lark again. After breakfast we headed for the area we had been in the previous day searching for the Lark and our luck changed for the better. With the weather being calm and cool with no rain and wind we knew this was our best chance to see the bird. Lady Luck again was on our side and within 30 minutes we had spectacular views on a male Dupont’s Lark– this was just great and made up for our efforts from yesterday. The bird performed well and we could all enjoy this beauty. Larry was particularly chuffed as he had thought we would not see the bird- patience and perseverance paid off.

Other highlights for the morning included: Greater Short-toed Lark, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, European Turtle Dove, Calandra Lark, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Carrion Crow and Willow Warbler. After a short coffee break we made our way to an area to try and improve our views of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse and this we did with 5 birds showing well in the scopes- we then got treated to a fly by and all had awesome views of these magnificent birds. Another highlight was a male Pallied Harrier flying over the grasslands which we all managed to get good views of- this species is rare in Spain and was a good record for the tour.

In the tour we were lucky and enjoyed multiple and long views on Dupont’s Larks (Chersophilus duponti) in the wonderful steppes close to Codo. Image by Carles Oliver

We stopped to enjoy some of Spain’s old castles and made our way to lunch in the town of Bujaraloz and after a wonderful lunch enjoyed some birding at a nearby pond with us seeing: Green Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and Northern Shoveler. We made our way onto the Pyrenees and our accommodation. A strategical stop was made at a spot to try and find Black Wheatear and this paid off with us getting some good views on a pair, we also enjoyed sightings of good numbers of Griffon Vultures as well as Thekla Lark, Sardinian Warbler and Spectacled Warbler. We made our way into the Pyrenees Mountains and the birding that lay ahead of us was off the charts with us getting good views of Long-tailed Tit, Egyptian Vulture, Bearded Vulture and a male Wallcreeper moving along the rock face, this was a magical end for this day, probably one of the best days during the tour!

This male Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) delighted us with great, but a bit distant views, just in our first stop into the Pyrenees. Image by Carles Oliver

We quickly freshened up and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at our accommodation at, the foot hills of the Pyrenees. What a brilliant day.

Day 6: Saturday 20 April. The Pyrenees.

Our morning once again begun nice and early so we could get into the high mountains of the Pyrenees and target some of the special birds of the high altitudinal areas. After a lovely home cooked breakfast we made our way to the Portalet mountain pass at about 2000m above sea level. We had a few high mountain birds to target.

Not really an average sight on Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus). Image by Carles Oliver

The snow capped mountains and the scenery was absolutely spectacular and we enjoyed taking in the magnificent part of Spain before crossing into France. Soon after entering France we enjoyed some good birding with us getting good views of: Bearded Vulture, Northern Wheatear, Red Kite, Yellowhammer, Water Pipit, Alpine Accentor which put on a wonderful display. We also enjoyed the antics of the Alpine Marmots on the cliffs. We also had spectacular close up views of both Alpine and Red-billed Chough. What a great morning of birding.

Lammergeier (Gypaetos barbatus) showing superbly during our tour. Image by Carles Oliver

We enjoyed launch overlooking the snow capped mountains and made our way further into France to continue our birding and try for the elusive White-backed Woodpecker- we unfortunately only could hear this bird and could not get any views on the species, we did however enjoy good views of: Ring Ouzel, Tree Pipit, Common Firecrest, Citril Finch– a good bird to see and with exceptional views which made Larry’s day, Eurasian Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Goldcrest and a Song Thrush displaying for us- all in all some good birding. We made our way back up the Pyrenees through the maze of tunnels and into Spain to get to our accommodation in time for a lovely home cooked traditional meal. This is exactly what the group needed and we all had a well deserved nights rest after another good days birding.

The very scarce and located Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conscipillata) was really showy in the early afternoon. Image: Carles Oliver

Day 7: Sunday 21 April. The Pyrenees.

Another early start was on the cards for us in order to get out to the San Juan de La Monastery to try for the elusive Black Woodpecker. A quick walk around our accommodation after our lovely breakfast yielded us good views of Common Rock Sparrow– our first bird for the day and new for the trip. At the monastery luck was on our side and we managed to get several views of the hard to find Black Woodpecker. We also enjoyed very close up views of: Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Crested Tit, Coal Tit and Eurasian Jay.

After a long search, we finally managed great looks on this Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris). Image by Carles Oliver

Despite the rather poor light, Ring Ouzels (Turdus torquatus) gave us great sights up in the Pyrenees. Image by Carles Oliver

We made our way further into the Pyrenees towards Echo valley. Roadside birding included Griffon Vultures, a Booted Eagle being mobbed by a Red Kites and Egyptian Vulture. We headed high up into the mountains to our lunch stop and while having lunch enjoyed great sightings of Dunnock, European Robin and Coal Tit. We birded the area after lunch and had some really good birding with highlights being Citril Finch, Cirl Bunting, White-throated Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Short-toed Treecreeper, Marsh Tit and Common Chiffchaff. We all had some time to relax before dinner and enjoyed another wonderful home cooked meal by our host. The place we are staying is a traditional Spanish farm house that was built in the 1700s and had been tastefully upgraded and gives a lovely warm feel to it. The host is so welcoming and Larry S, Larry A, Pam and I really enjoyed staying here. The warm hospitality and traditional home cooked meals were welcomed and enjoyed by all. We all had a good nights rest after another great days birding in the Pyrenees.

Day 8: Monday 22 April. Lleida Steppes.

We had a slightly earlier start today so we could get into the lower Step areas and Open fields of the lower Pyrenees to target a few birds we had missed. After a lovely home cooked breakfast we said our goodbyes to our wonderful host and headed out. The area in which we started our birding has some of the best Steppes and open grassland in Spain and as soon as we got into the area we had a wonderful sighting of a Short-eared Owl that was perched and proceeded to give us a wonderful fly by- a highlight for all on the tour and a great start.

We enjoyed some good birding with highlights being: Little Owl, Black-eared Wheatear, Calandra Lark, Common Redstart, Tawny Pipit, Whinchat, Thekla, Greater-short Toed and Lesser-short Toed Larks. The hard scan around pay off when we finally got 2 Great Spotted Cuckoos feeding in an open field. We managed to get long and wonderful views on both birds on the ground, but we could not get too much close of them since they were feeding on a sensitive field, nesting ground for Sandgrouses and Larks. After a slight drive and a short coffee stop we stopped along a small stream and enjoyed some more birding with our first views of: Eurasian Golden Oriole, Wood Warbler, Common Nightingale and Alpine Swift. We also had some really good views of Rock Bunting and Cirl Bunting.

Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) in a late evening sight that included some great vocalisation. Image by Carles Oliver

We made our way further south to Fraga, just outside or Lleida and checked into our accommodation for the night. We decided to take a slight afternoon break as tonight we are going to take a night drive and target some of the nocturnal birds in the area. We all deserved the slight bit of downtime and after a slightly earlier dinner went off into the late afternoon and night to see what nocturnal birds we could find. Luck was once again on our side and we had an incredible night drive with us getting great views of Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Western Barn Owl and Eurasian Scops Owl. We were very lucky to get great views of all of these species and it made it an Owltastic day, with us seeing 5 species of owl in the day, that being: Short-eared Owl, Little Owl, Eurasian Eagle-Owl, Western Barn Owl and Eurasian Scops Owl. We all enjoyed a good nites rest after another great days birding.

Day 9: Tuesday 23 April. Lleida to Ebro Delta.

Another early start was on the cards for this morning so we could make our way to the Ebro Delta but still try and connect with a few birds we need in the area. After a lovely breakfast we were soon on the road and heading for the flowing step landscape just outside of Lleida. The break in the rain meant we could try see what birds were active and we had some good sightings with highlights being: Common Nightingale– finally some good views, Eurasian Hobby, Ortolan Bunting, Subalpine Warbler– great views, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rock Sparrow and improved views of Eurasian Jay.

Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is a scarce migratory bird in Catalonia. Due to a huge irruption, during the tour we enjoyed a good number of them. Image by Carles Oliver

A stop along the nearby stream yielded us with a great sighting of Hawfinch- a difficult and tough bird to see, and we got good views. We soon were back on the road, heading for the Mediterranean coast. A quick lunch stop was enjoyed at a local tapas bar before making our way to a spot to try for Dartford Warbler– luck was on our side and we enjoyed good views on a pair of birds and also got some good views on a Common Whitethroat– the first for the trip. We soon moved onto a local wetland to check for any migrating birds and got rewarded with good views of Wood Warbler, Western Bonelli’s Warbler and Eurasian Tree Sparrow.

We made our way down to the coast and arrived at the Ebro Delta in the late afternoon to some perfect weather conditions and we got treated to some exceptional and exciting birding. We enjoyed views of: Curlew Sandpiper( breeding plumage), Eurasian Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Slender-billed Gull, Dunlin, Common Shelduck, Garganey, Western Osprey and Bar-tailed Godwit in breeding plumage which was enjoyed by all as no one had seen the bird before in breeding dress.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) in almost full summer plomage at Ebro Delta. Image by Carles Oliver

As we left the bay we had the most incredible sightings of Audouin’s Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull and Eurasian Curlew all sitting in the open offering excellent photo opportunities and also gave us a chance to compare the different Gills next to each other and therefore learn how to ID them. Both Larry’s enjoyed this opportunity. We made our way to our accommodation close to the Ebro Delta, settled in and had a lovely dinner talking about our great day and completing our lists. We all had a good nites rest after another great day.

Day 10: Wednsday 24 April. Ebro Delta.

We begun our day once again with an early start and a lovely breakfast and then headed out to explore the Ebro Delta and surrounds for the day. A walk around our accommodation yielded us sightings of Black-crowned Night Heron, Mediterranean Flycatcher (a really good bird to have in Catalonia since is nesting in the islands of the Western Mediterranean), European Pied Flycatcher and Little Bittern. We made our way north into the Delta to the point and had some really good birding with highlights being: Icterine Warbler, Western Yellow Wagtail, Purple Heron, Collared Pratincole and Red-crested Pochard. Unfortunately the wind picked up badly and this halted our birding, we decided to stop for a coffee break and try plan B.

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorac nycticorax), a common nesting heron at Ebro Delta. Image by Carles Oliver

Baillon’s Crake (Porzana pusilla), a wonderful sight close to Ebro Delta! Image by Carles Oliver

We did have some excitement in one of the Subalpine Warblers we saw and photographed as we thought it could have been the recently split- Moltoni’s Warbler but after extensive checking and sending pics to experts we decided that is was a Western Subalpine Warbler. We also enjoyed watching a flock of about 50 Yellow Wagtails in a field close to the car and this gave us a chance to study the different races and we decided we have races from Italy, Iberia, NW Africa and Central Europe all in one spot- interesting stuff which was enjoyed by all but especially Larry S as he could also photograph the birds well. Our plan B kicked into place and we decided to enjoy lunch in a near by hide and boy did this work out as we had some exceptional birding which included: Little Stint, Baillon’s Crake, Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Common Snipe and Wood Sandpiper. What a lunch stop!

Ebro Delta is always a guarantee and this time provided with really close views on Collared Pratincoles (Glareola pratincola). Image by Carles Oliver

The biggest surprise of our lunch was the Jack Snipe that showed up and was on display feeding right in front the hide offering exceptional views- this was truly amazing as this is a hard bird to see and to see it so well was amazing. The bird was also a lifer for all on the trip. We decided to take a slight break from the wind before heading out again in the late afternoon. The afternoon was enjoyed coming to grips with the different Gulls and Terns of the area, and we enjoyed the late afternoon watching the terns coming into roost, we enjoyed good sightings of Caspian, Little and Whiskered Terns. We enjoyed a lovely traditional dinner at the lodge while we chatted about the excitimng day and also enjoyed working through our checklists and rounding off another great day. After dinner we enjoyed a slight walk around the accommodation and got good views of the nesting Eurasian Scops Owl.

And this Jack Snipe (Lymnocriptes minimus) was probably the most celebrated bird of the tour. Image by Carles Oliver

Although this Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii) moulting to summer plogame (see the Black center in the wing feathers) was also a hit! Image by Carles Oliver

Day 11: Thursday 25 April. Ebro Delta and Tortosa Beseit Natural Park.

We started our day once again nice and early with a lovely breakfast before heading out for some birding. The weather looked promising and we enjoyed great views of Black-crowned Night Heron at our accommodation. We made our way into the Delta and had a good sighting of Common Reed Bunting at the local wetland, the species we saw is actually Iberian Reed Bunting, the race is know as Witherbyi and could in the close future become a new split and species so it was really good to get good scope views on this endangered species. Other highlights included: Common Shelduck, Caspian Tern, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Great Reed Warbler and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) controlling its territory from an advantatged point. Image by Carles Oliver

We made our way off the Delta towards Tortosa Beseit Natural Park to try a spot we know of for Bonelli’s Eagle. Luck was on our side and we arrived at the nesting area and had great views of the pair sitting up on the rocks, we also managed to get great scope views on a chick sitting on a neat nest- wow what a great sighting of this endangered Eagle. We made our way down into the Delta for lunch and had some good road side sightings of Short-toed Snake Eagle and Booted Eagle. Just before we lunch we got lucky and had a Red-footed Falcon fly by us while driving and we managed to relocate the bird and have exceptional views. The bird was flying and hawking insects and also perched close to us. We enjoyed lunch in the field and had our first European Honey Buzzard for the trip fly pass and offer decent views.

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), again a scarce migratory bird in Catalonia that we were lucky yo enjoy in Ebro Delta. Image by Carles Oliver

We decided to take a short break before heading out in the afternoon to do some shore birding. Our afternoon birding was a great success with us enjoying some top birding at one of the local hides. Highlights at the hide included: Melodious Warbler, Water Rail, Eurasian Spoonbill, Temminck’s Stint, Marsh Sandpiper, Willow Warbler and fabulous views of the Jack Snipe in-front of us in the open purring on a show. We had a fabulous sunset over the water with the Greater Flamingoes and Pied Avocets offering us great shots as we got the reflections off the water- what an incredible way to spend our last evening on tour. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and chatted about the great day and tour we have had and how it’s sad that it’s already over. We all enjoyed the wine on offer and took a short walk outside to locate the resident Eurasian Scops Owl and we all have good views of the bird on the nest box. We all have a good nites rest after another great day.

Melodious Warbler (Hyppolais polyglotta) showed really in Ebro Delta along with its much scarcer relative Icterine Warbler (Hyppolais icterina). Image by Carles Oliver

Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) provided with great sights in our accommodation at Ebro Delta. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 12: Friday 26 April. Ebro Delta to Barcelona via Llobregat Delta.

Our final day of the tour started with a lovely breakfast and a walk around our accommodation. The weather was juts perfect for our last day and our walk after breakfast rewarded us with great views of a Garden Warbler which was new for the trip. We were soon on the road and made a short stop along the coast to scan for sea birds and this rewarded us with scope views of a Mediterranean Storm Petrel, closer to the shore we enjoyed views of Lesser Black-backed Gull and a European Shag sitting on the rocks giving us wonderful views.

Mediterranean Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii), a splitable race to take in count. Image by Carles Oliver

Soon we were back on the road towards Barcelona and the Llobregat Delta to see what we could find. We decided to bypass Barcelona and spend some time at the Llobregat Delta before ending the trip later in the afternoon in Barcelona. A stragic stop just outside of the Llobregat Delta rewarded us with good sightings of a pair of Iberian Green Woodpeckers; we got some really good views of these birds. We also enjoyed views of Monk and Rose-ringed Parakeet. Larry S took some time to enjoy and photograph the Common Swifts flying over head. We moved onto the Delta to enjoy our lunch in one of the bird hides. This worked our really well and we enjoyed some good views of: Northern Shoveler, Garganey, Collared Pratincole, Ferruginous Duck, Common Shelduck, Ruff, Common Greenshank and Common Redshank. What a way to enjoy our final lunch of the tour. We then knew we had to make our way into the hussel and bussel of Barcelona City to get to our hotel for the night.

After negotiating the Barcelona traffic we made it to our hotel in the city center and it was time to say our goodbyes after an incredible birding trip through the country of Spain. It’s always sad saying bye to lovely guests like Larry S, Pam and Larry A and it’s was an end to an incredible tour. We had a great time together, the trip was enjoyed by all and I had a great time. Our goodbyes were said and it’s always rewarding to have guests say they loved the tour and will back with us again. I would like to thank Larry S, Pam and Larry A for a wonderful trip, for the Enthusiasm, patience and all the laughs and good times we enjoyed.

And this was the end of the trip. Please contact us for more birding in Spain and other countries by info@barcelonabirdingpoint.com or visit our website with plenty of information about, http://www.barcelonabirdingpoint.com

Is April the best month for birding in North-East Spain?

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Every little time we got requests of birdwatchers that, interested about coming to do some birdwatching in Catalonia, ask us about what it is the best time to come.

Well, this is always depending on what do you want to see… But it is not wrong to think on spring as being probably the best time for birdwatching. In the Mediterranean this means a combination of excellent, sunny weather with pleasant temperatures, high activity of the nesting species (resident or not) and tones of migratory birds in their way to Northernmost nesting grounds.

I personally love April. It is just because of the really good general birding. This is probably one of the best moments in the year for Crakes. And not talking about listen them, but talking on seeing them! Migration goes in excellent numbers along Mediterranean wetlands and, along with warblers, waders and raptors, it is always possible to enjoy Spotted Crakes (Porzana porzana) or Little Crakes (Porzana parva). Early April is also a good time to look for Iberian Chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus ibericus) as they hang around in their way to their nesting grounds. Along the month waves of Short-toed Eagles (Circaetus gallicus), Black Kites (Milvus migrans) and Montagu’s Harriers (Circus pygargus) are to arrive to their nesting grounds. Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) are already defending their territories as they arrive as early as early-mid February.

Spotted Crakes (Porzana porzana) show up all along March and April in all kind of wetlands. Numbers are highly variable depending on the year. Image: Carles Olive

Egyptian Vultures keep expanding in Catalonia. They arrive as early as February. Image: Carles Oliver

By mid April Woodchat Shrikes (Lanius senator), Spectacleds (Sylvia conspicillata), Subalpines (Sylvia cantillans) and Orphean Warblers (Sylvia hortensis) will be all at their nesting grounds, but it is mandatory to keep searching for not-that-common birds in migration that can easily include Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin), Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) along with some Balearic Flycatchers (Muscicapa tyrrhenica) to be discovered among the many Spotted Flycatchers (Muscicapa striata).

Western Subalpine Warblers (Sylvia cantillans) are a common migratory bird all along April. From 10th onwards they can also be found at their nesting grounds around. Image: Carles Oliver

Wood Warblers (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) are exclusivelly migratory birds in Catalonia, an rather scarce! They normally are to be found in mixed migratory warblers flocks. Image: Carles Oliver

But probably the best is that all of that can be done while still enjoying on Wallcreepers (Tichodroma muraria) in the Pyrenees as they still goes up. They are not that “easy” to find as in winter but still is mandatory to check some spots! And now, while looking for them, it is likely yo see superb Common Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis) or Rock Buntings (Emberiza cia) singing around!

In the wetlands, Bluethroats (Luscinia svecica) keep going North and more active as never before so it gets easier to locate them, and Iberian Reed Buntings (Emberiza s. whiterby) are also showing well within its tiny range! Small flocks of waders and beautiful ducks such as Garganeys (Anas querquedula) can be seen in every wetland and you can enjoy male Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) going up with their splendid spring plomages. Few days ago we just got a mixed flock of Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) along with Pied Avocets (Recurvirostra avosetta), Ruffs and Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa) only 30 minutes after enjoying a Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) singing right in front of us…

Garganeys (Anas querquedula) show up in good numbers all along April. Image: Carles Oliver

Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) in flowering steppe vegetation. April at its best. Image: Carles Oliver

No mention to the steppes… they are never as beautiful as are in April. And are really productive! Many areas are carpeted by yellow, red and white flowers and Little Bustards (Tetrax tetrax) sing in the middle of the flowers while flocks of Sandgrouses (Pterocles sp.) and Stone Curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus) feed around. You will listen some 100s of Calandra Larks (Melonacorypha calandra) and Corn Buntings (Emberiza calandra)… you may think; “it would not be 100s!”. Yes, 100s

In the fields, flocks of Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava spp.) feed along with Pipits (meadow, tree, red-throated?), Great Spotted Cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) will always be really busy and noisy at this time while small parties of tiny Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanii) move up and down in the air…

Great Spotted Cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) are superb birds! Arriving along March, they are especially active in early April. Image: Carles Oliver

Yes, spring is here and, maybe is not that important whether April is the best moment to enjoy birds in Catalonia or not. It is still a wonderful time to come and enjoy!

Check out our birding trips at barcelonabirdingpoint.com our contact us to design your birding adventure at info@barcelonabirdingpoint.com

Fuerteventura Birding Tour 2016. Trip report

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Dates: December 6th to 10th, 2016

Number of participants: 3

Weather conditions: Sunny all long. We had, as usual, early morning clouds but breaking after 10am. A soft brise was also present most of the days. Temperatures; 18ºC to 24ºC.

Day 1. December 7th. After our late afternoon arrival to Fuerteventura from our Barcelona flight we woke up early in our seaside hotel in El Cotillo to enjoy a good breakfast before starting birding. Still, in the gardens of our hotel a first of many, many Spanish Sparrows (Passer hispanoliensis) was spotted doing its typical call. This is the only one species of Sparrow living in the island being really common in every single garden! After breakfast we did the short transfer to our first location. El Cotillo-La Oliva area is a well known area for steppe birds, hosting most (if not all) the especialities living in the island. In our first stop we soon located some Berthelot’s Pipits (Anthus berthelotii), the first Canary Islands endemic of the trip, along with several very vocal Lesser Short-toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens).

Some scanning around produced 2 Hoopoes (Upupa epops) landing on some rocks, one of them doing its wonderful song. A male European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) was spotted in the steppe and broke some hearts as a close relative of it was expected instead… still, this was the only European Stonechat of trip!

Berthelot’s Pipit (Anthus berthelotii) is probably the commonest passerine in Fuerteventura.

In our way to our very first important stop we enjoyed views on Canary Islands Ravens (Corvus corax tingitanus), a superb and very different bird from European race due to their shorter tail, more rounded wings, smaller head and very distinctive (rather crow-like) calls. This a good candidate for a future split… In the distance, some Stone Curlews were calling but we could not locate them…

Once we stopped we immediatly spotted a magnificient Houbara Bustard (Chlamidotis undulata) preening about 100 metres away from us. The bird was really concentrated in cleaning its plomage so we could enjoy it as long as necessary to have excellent views. At the same time we kept scouting looking for some females but we had no luck… Instead we had some really confiding Canary Islands Shrikes (Lanius (elegans) koenigi) around. The status of this bird is still controversial. Nowadays there are two main theories; the first arguing to be a different species (Lanius koenigi), the second (and more accepted) arguing to be conspecific with Desert & Algerian Shrikes (Lanius elegans koenigi), and still some other theories. Wherever these birds were really cooperative and photographers appreciated very much really close views on them.

We kept scanning ditches around and our work proved not to be unhelpful since we had 2 Barbary Partridges (Alectoris barbara) feeding in one of the ditches. It was a great spot since this can be a difficult bird to spot so it was great to have so early in the trip!

Canary Island Shrike (Lanius (elegans) koenigi) is a splitable endemic easy to find in Fuerteventura.

Barbary Partridges (Alectoris barbara) can be difficult to spot but we had several good sights on them.

After such a good start we decided to explore a small canyon (barranco) close by. Several Berthelot’s Pipits were around and here we had very good views on some really confiding Spectacled Warblers (Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis). We decided to walk a bit up the “barranco” and, after only 100 metres of walk we found an extremelly close Fuerteventura Chat (Saxicola dacotiae) male on a Cactus. Soon after we found the beautiful female around and enjoyed of very long and close views on them. This is the only endemic bird of Fuerteventura and one of the main target birds for any single birdwatcher visiting the island…

Fuerteventura Chat (Saxicola dacotiae) is restringed to this island and a must for any birdwatcher visiting it!

While enjoying the chats we also had another good encounter since a small flock of about 6 Trumpeter Finches (Bucanetes githagineus) came to stop only 20 metres from us! Again, we could enjoy them quite long while feeding on seeds in tiny bush. A few after a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo insularum) appeared in the sky. This is again an endemic race of the Canaries, and a bird that looks like quite different from continental forms! In this barranco we also had our firsts Greenish Black-tips (Elphinstonia charlonia) moving around along with Painted Ladys (Vanessa cardui) and 1-2 Red Admirall (Vanessa atalanta).

Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus) is the commonest finch in Fuerteventura.

After such a wonderful mid-morning we decided to have a change and go to Los Molinos reservoir, the main wetland in the island. In our way to the reservoir we stopped a pair of times to enjoy some flocks of Spanish Sparrows. Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and Robin (Erithacus rubecula) were also seen. Our last stop produced also 2 Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) but, unfortunately I was the only one to see them…

Even before arriving to Los Molinos reservoir we started to enjoy the visit. Birding in this location is highly variable depending on water level but this time we were lucky, as water level was high and the whole “barranco” beyond the dump was having water running down. 1 Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus dacotiae) was gliding over and allowed us excellent views on this (again) endemic race! Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) we common this year as we count no less than 60 of them in the lake! When approaching the reservoir we had really close views on them. Some of the birds around included Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) +70, Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) 2, Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) 3, Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) 1, Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 1, Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) 6, Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) 2, Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) 2 and 3 Little Egret (Egretta Garzetta).

Lesser Short-toed Larks (Calandrella rufescens) are good imitating other birds. This bird imitated Fuerteventura Chat, Stone Curlew and Berthelot’s Pipit amongst other birds.

The best birds in the wetland this time were +15 Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus) and one unexpected Garganey (Anas querquedula). Here we also had our only one Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) of trip, perched on a wall along with Canary Islands Shrike & Hoopoe, good combination of birds! It was lunch time so we head to a close place to enjoy some food and, why not, some shade! Before that we had to do an emergency stop since a Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus majorensis) was spotted perched in one slope. Despite the bird was quite far away, we enjoy good views on the bird while feeding around joined by a pair of Ravens… This was a good spot and, surprisingly, our only Egyptian Vulture in this trip!

Spanish Sparrows (Passer hispanoliensis) are the only sparrows in Fuerteventura.

After lunch we came to the semi-desert area around El Cotillo. Here we spent some time scanning some farming areas, where we had 2 Barbary Partridges and our only one Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) of trip. A short drive around the area produced our main target that afternoon since 3 obliging Cream-coloured Coursers (Cursorior cursor bannermani) were located, doing their typical short runs. They were really cooperative and delighted the whole group! Nevertheless it was considered one of the birds of the trip!!

We hept moving in this area, having always confiding Berthelot’s Pipit around. Not long after we had a flock of 5 Black-bellied Sandgrouses (Pterocles orientalis) flying not far away from us… They stopped in a hill but, as we had not so much light left, we decided to move.

We still had to have a last stop. After a short transfer we arrive to an area were one of the main targets of the trip is normally moving. A short wait was done in late afternoon light and then, with the very last light, it was appearing a wonderful Barbary Falcon (Falco peregrinoides) with a prey, flying fast around the valley! We were lucky as the bird decided to do a pair of rolls in the air so we could have good views on the falcon before desappeared! We were all really happy of having such a view on a bird that many birdwatchers visiting the island are missing!! The population here is tiny, probably only 2-3 pairs!! Happy after such a successful day, we head back to our hotel for some rest (& good food!).

Day 2. December 8th. After the success of the day before, we decided to do a pre-dawn start and go to the same place where we had our first Houbara Bustard the day before. When we arrived to the place the bird was immediatly located and we were delighted to see it in full display! It was evident that that place was his lek this year. Displays of Houbara Bustard are really spectacular and even funny. Males place the head rear on their back and then open and show all white feathers in their breast and along the neck. Once in this position, the bird starts running in small, 5-6 metres of diameter cercles. Like this, the bird looks like having no neck, neither head. It looks like a running snow ball, actually! We enjoyed very much of such a exhibition, that was repeated several times. Unfortunately the bird was a bit far away to take any proper photo… After such a good start in our second day we decided to do some further exploration in the same area, that was soon producing to more distant males displaying in different corners, in the semi-arid countryside. No females were spotted, suprisingly!

When we were about to leave the area we had a wonderful Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus insularum) sat down some meters away from our car! This was a wonderful spot and photographers in the group (once again) really appreciated it! Stone Curlews living in Canary Islands are, in average, darker and more contrasted than those living in Africa and are good candidates for a future split.

Stone Curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus insularum) are not uncommon in Fuerteventurs, but always challenging to find.

After leaving the semi-desertic area we headed towards maybe the only one reliable spot for Atlantic Canary (Serinus canaria) in Fuerteventura. We arrived quite at midday to the place and soon after parking we had a male Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) singing close by. This sight was followed by our only one seen Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) of the trip. After some meters of exploration we listened some Canaries moving up the slope, at the other side of the barranco, so we headed to that area and soon we were enjoying a wonderful, 4-5 metres away male singing and calling from its perch. As an interesting point, this male looked like being imitating the calls of African Blue Tits… never listened thst before. This finch is also an endemic bird but this time shared by Canary Islands, Maderia and Açores.

Atlantic Canary (Serinus canaria) is Macaronesian endemic having a tiny population in Fuerteventura.

We counted up to 4 Atlantic Canaries in the slope, not a big number but enough for the small group! Several obliging Spectacled Warblers were also very active in that slope, singing from the bush land but also performing song flights so we invested some time in having even better views than the previous day! Even before being back to the village we had our last target bird in this location, as 1 African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus) was seen flying over our heads. We followed this bird to have better views and soon were enjoying really close views on two individuals in a dense tree, joined by 2 Chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus collybita).

African Blue Tits (Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus) are conspecific with those living in Morocco.

We also had some wonderful butterflies here, including the first Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) of the trip, Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshallii) and +5 Bath White (Pontia daplidice). A Blue butterfflie was also flying around but couldn’t have proper views on it…

Bath White (Pontia daplidice) is probably the commonest butterfly in the mountainous orchads in Fuerteventura.

We leaved Betancuria for our next stop, this time in the South part of the island. After lunch we arrived to the area around Oasis Park Fuerteventura, where so scaped birdlife can be seen. Just a few miles before arriving a new Laughing Dove was spotted crossing the road in flight. Again I was the only one in having the bird our efforts in recolate the bird were useless. Once we arrived to the are around Oasis Park we had some good views on impressive Monarch (Danaus plexippus) joined by some Plain Tigers (Danaus chrysippus). These butterflies were really celebrated by the group! We did some walks around but only had 3 Chiffchaffs, +2 Blackcaps singing from some bush, 1 Robin and the omnipresent Spanish Sparrows & Collared Doves… A bit more of effort was done and we finally got something as 1 Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) was appearing and showing well (although distant) in the top of one tree. It looks like there is a small population breeding around this zoo. We still had some more time around but only produced a small Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) flock calling inside a fenced area…

Red-vented Bubul (Pycnonotus cafer), an scaped that is probably having a tiny self-sustained population.

We decided to change our location and explore the urban “forest” at Costa Calma. We found the place really quiet and for 10-15 minutes we only had 2 Chiffchaffs… and Spanish Sparrows. But when thinking about leaving the area we spotted a wonderful Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus). We approached the bird until we could have really good views (and shots) and then is when we realised a second YB was calling deeper inside the canopies! That was a really good bird a quite celebrated. We still had some more time is this spot, hoping for something different but we only got a flock of 7-8 Eurasian Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis).

One of the two self-found Yellow-browed Warblers (Phylloscopus inornatus) at Costa Blanca.

It was only one hour left until dark so we decided to explore some semi-desert areas around Costa Calma. Right when arriving to the designated place we had a wonderful flock of 13 Black-bellied Sandgrouses that allowed a long sight while feeding on ground in the afternoon light. A short drive after this encounteer we also had really good views on 2 close Cream-coloured Coursers showing really well! We still had time for a further exploration and got what we were looking for… 2 magnificient females Houbara Bustards feeding close by, in lovely sunset light. This time we really enjoy the way they delicatelly feeding on the bush around and how they were running around in the middle of the steppe land!

Houbara Bustard (Chlamidotis undulata) was showing really well almost daily along our trip!

An amazing view to end a wonderful second day of the trip!!

Day 3. December 9th. This day we were supposed to “jump” to Gran Canaria to add some different species and, especially, the really scarce Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla polatzeki). Unfortunately this option was finally not possible and we had to stay in Fuerteventura. We invested the morning in scan the shore around El Cotillo. Here we spotted Eurasian Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) in several spots as well as Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula). Along the coast several Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis atlantis), a slightly smaller and less powerful race if compared with the nominal race living in the Mediterranean. Other birds appearing here include 2 Sandwich Terns (Sterna sandvicensis), 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) and my first ever Trumpeter Finch by the sea! The best birds along the morning, still, were located around El Cotillo, where we had +13 Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), 3 Dunlin (Calidris alpina), 1 Little Stint (Calidris minuta) and 1 Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).

Kentish Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) is a good resident bird along Fuerteventura beaches.

Several stops were done to scan the sea, looking for Shearwaters or other sea birds but, unfortunately, nothing of interest was spotted along the whole morning… After lunch we came back to the semi-desert area, trying to have a second look on Barbary Falcon. We explored the same area where we had the bird a pair of days before but we had no luck. Instead we got a new flock of 4 Black-bellied Sandgrouses, really close views this time, as well as a lovely view on a pair of Barbary Partridges that, this time, was allowing good shots.

Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara), always a good bird!

Day 4. December 10th. Last morning in the island. We decided to have a last look to the semi-desert specialities. 3 Houbara Bustards were located again easily but the best of that visit was 1 Stone Curlew close by the dart road. After this good start we decided to go for Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis), a species that had been escaping from us, so far. We stopped in the same area I spotted two individuals a pair of days ago and we were lucky since we had a really good view on a bird perched in a wire even before leaving the car!

Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) is a pretty scarce dove in the Canary Islands, and beautiful bird!

As we were close to Los Molinos reservoir we spent some time there, as well. New and excellent views on Fuerteventura Chats and Trumpeter Finches were done and allowed good photos. We also added some new species to the tour list. 5 Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were seen along with 2 Pintails (Anas acuta), 2 Eurasian Wigeons (Anas penelope) and 4 Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) but the best birds in this stop were the flocks of at least 18 Black-bellied Sandgrouses flying really low all around and stopping to drink water around the reservoir! It was a lovely view and quite unexpected, actually!

Female & male Fuerteventura Chats (Saxicola dacotiae), personally the besg bird living in Fuerteventura!

Right before arriving to the airport we still had time to do some exploration in some Golf courses nearby. 2 Ruddy Shelducks were walking along the greens, a very different sight! 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Common Ringed Plovers and 1 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) were also seen as well as 2 White Wagtails (Motacilla alba), 2 Grey Wagtails (Motacilla cinerea), 1 Chiffchaff and a pair of Greenfinches (Chloris chloris) flying around…

And this was the end of a really successful trip, expecting to have a even better trip in 2017 or early 2018, when we will look for the very scarce Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch!

Join us for more fun & birds!!!

Morocco: from Atlas to Sahara tour. 2016 issue

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Dates: from April 1st to April 10th, 2016

Number of participants: 5

Number of species: 189 + 4 races

This is the official report of the 2016 issue Moroccan early spring trip by Barcelona Birding Point led by Carles Oliver. Our trip started this year in 1st April, some weeks later than in previous issues but having more or less the same itinerary.

Day 1. After a good breakfast in our hotel in Marrakech we head to the Atlas. Here the landscape becomes more wet than around the city and the valleys start to show river side forests along every single stream while the slopes around are covered by juniper scrub lands.

Our first stop in this ambient fastly produced the first birds of the trip. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major numidus) showed really well in the popplars. Right behind us we had 5 Hawfinches (Coccothraustes coccothraustes buvryi) showed out in the top of a close orchad tree. Some other birds around included African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), European Serin (Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) and African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus), what a beauty!

Common Nightingales (Luscinia megarhychos) were singing around but we could not get any view on them, yet! Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) and White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) were all the time flying around while the firsts Red-rumped Swallows (Cecropis daurica) of many during the trip showed well flying over the orchads. Andreas spot also the first Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) of the trip calling from the top of a roof!

The main goal of the stop was, still, not hard to find out as a male Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vallantii) was appearing along the tree line and showing really close. We all got excellent views on the bird moving along the tree and even drumming! What a bird!!

The African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana) is a common view in the Moroccan forests and it is also a possible future split. Image: Carles Oliver

Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vallantii), a scarce near-endemic living in the Atlas Northern slope. Image: Bauke Kortleve

Our second stop of the day produced also a really good list of birds. Only after getting out of the car we got +4 Sardinian Warblers (Sylvia melanocephala) along with 5 migratory European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster). Soon after we got excellent views on the local race of Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans inornata) singing and hiding, as tipically, really well, in the scrublands. A short walk in the area produced a Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), a briefly seen pack of Barbary Partridges (Alectoris barbara), a male Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) singing from a perch,+4 Red-rumped Swallows (Cecropis daurica) and one wonderful Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) singing from a really tall perch and flying away. But the best of the stop were the awesome views on Tristam’s Warbler (Sylvia deserticola) when a male came out from the bush land around. We were lucky as we could follow the bird among the vegetation for some minutes!!! This bird is also a Moroccan near-endemic and, well, sometimes not easy to spot.

Tristam’s Warbler (Sylvia deserticola), a tricky near-endemic warbler living in mountanious open scrubs. Image: Carles Oliver

After that we just head to Oukaïmeden, the main stop of the day, since it is the best place for high mountain birds in Morocco. Still, even before arriving to Oukaïmeden we had to stop three times. The first spot to enjoy a flock of +8 Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanii). The second stop produced a wonderful combination of raptors in the sky with both Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis) and Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) soaring over the slopes and a wonderful flock of over 40 Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax). In the last stop we enjoyed a pair of light forms Booted Eagles (Aquila pennata) disturbed by Ravens (Corvus corax).

Once in Oukaïmeden we promptly had our first Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) and the near-endemic Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi), counting over 20 of each of them at the end of our stay in Oukaïmeden. A flock of over 200 Alpine Choughs (Pyrrhocorax graculus) were flying over the opositte slope, impressive! A short walk around produced a good flock of Common Rock Sparrow and, alomg with them, Linnets (Acanthis cannabina), 2 Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus deichleri) and our 3 Common Chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) along the trip. Soon after Bauke spot the first Atlas Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas) of the day! Walking around we spot about 30 of them and didn’t have to wonder more to have our 2 firsts African Crimson-winged Finches (Rhodopechys alienus) showing close but briefly!! Still expecting a better views we walk a bit more further when Bauke spot, in a private moment, wonderful flock of 5 finches perched on a rock. What a view! This was to rank among the highlights of the trip!

Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seehbomi), again a near-endemic living in the high mountain grass lands in Morocco and Algeria. Image: Bauke Kortleve

Atlas Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas), an endemic race (and possible future split) endemic of NW African high mountains. Image: Carles Oliver

African Crimson-winged Finches (Rhodopechys alienus) has been recently split from Asian Crimson-winged Finch. This was, of course, one of the highlights of the trip! Image: Carles Oliver

After a good lunch around we still enjoyed of the beautiful view of over 100 Choughs feeding on the grasslands around. They were mainly Alpine but some Red-billeds were providing really close views! A little walk further away still produced some really good birds. 1 Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) was singing from the top of a ridge. Below, 4 Water Pipits (Anthus spinolleta) were feeding along the stream along with a pair of Grey Wagtails (Motacilla cinerea), Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) and Mistle Thrush. A wondwerful Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) male was really celebrated in the group and gave us excellents while moving on ground. The last bird in appear up here was a distant but good view on a Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), a bird which has here its southermost population. Before coming back in our car, we still had 1 Booted Eagle in the sky.

Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) light form flying. This species nest in good numbers around Marrakech. Image: Bauke Kortleve

A new stop in a phantastic Spanish Fear (Abies pinsapo) spot produced some birds regarded to canopies. Coal Tits (Periparus ater) and Firecrests (Regulus ignicapilla) showed really well. A flock of 4 Siskins (Spinus spinus) was a really good bonus!

Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus), a gorgeous bird that we could enjoy up to 4 times along the tour. Image:Bauke Kortleve

Day 2. An early morning start for our transfer to the area around Agadir. In our way we could see some flocks of European Bee-eaters in their migratory way and both Woodchat (Lanius senator) and Algerian Shrikes (this last a probable future split from Northern Grey Shrike).

Once arrived there we did a stop in the Tamri Stuary. From here we could see our 2 firsts Northern Bald Ibises (Geronthicus eremita) preening by the water. It was a far but really intense view because all the extremely delicated situation of this species worldwide! A fast view on the stuary produced a flock of 5 Eurasian Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), 2 Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) and a good flock of gulls and terns roosting on the beach.

We decided to do along the beach to have better views on the Ibises. Soon we discovered a pair of Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) that provided excellent views along with Moroccan Wagtails moving on the beach while several Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) were moving over us. During the walk we had at least 2 Subalpine Warblers (Sylvia cantillans) in the scrubs along the sandy area. When arrived closer to the stuary we had excellent views on the Ibises but also good views on +20 Audouin’s Gulls (Larus audouinii) sleeping on the beach along with +20 Sandwich Terns (Sterna sandvicensis) along with Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis), 2 Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), 2 Common Ringed Plovers (Charadrius hiaticula) and Eurasian Coots (Fulica atra). In the way back to the car we had more views on Subalpine Warblers and a pair of flocks of Spanish Sparrows that had wonderful views on some males showing full summer plumage.

Not satisfied with the views we had on Northern Bald Ibises we went to explore the fields around expecting to find any group feeding on the sandy areas or going for water somewhere. After a short exploration we had some individuals flying around. Finally, we had at least 7 individuals moving on the slopes, feeding on ground and enjoyed of really close views of birds flying around us!!!

Above & below Northern Bald Ibises (Geronthicus eremita) flying in some of the really close views we enjoyed in Tamri. Images: Bauke Kortleve

These slopes are also great for other birds as we had at least 2 Spectacled Warblers (Sylvia conscipillata), Thekla Larks (Galerida theklae) and wonderful views on at least two pairs of Black-eared Wheatears (Oenanthe hispanica). Before leaving the area we had to stop again since a Long-legged Buzzard was soaring really close of the car, along with 1 Common Kestrel. Close by we also enjoyed 1 Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus brookei).

Our next stop was in Cape Tamri, expecting to have some migratory sea birds. We did not do a long stay because of the strong (and cold) wind but still we had +100 Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) flying North along with +3 Manx Shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus) and, the best, 1 Razorbill (Alca torda). This bird was my first Razorbill so far South, despite during this winter it had been some sights along this coast.

Last stop of the day was to explore the Souss River just beside Agadir. This really well known site is excellent to locate gull, terns and waders that cannot be located anywhere else during the trip! Before arriving we had some beautiful views on Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) and Moroccan Magpie (Pica pica mauretanicus). The mudflats along the river had +30 Grey Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola), 1 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), Curlew (Numenius arquata), 2 Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), several Eurasian Oystecatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), Common Ringed Plovers and good views on 5 Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica), a pair of them showing a wonderful summer plomage.

There were several flocks of gulls in the mudflats. Scanning them we had 5 Mediterranean Gulls (Larus melanocephalus), 2nd year all of them, +15 Slender-billed Gulls (Chroicocephalus genei) and Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) along with Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A big flock of over 50 Gull-billed Terns (Gelochelidon nilotica), some of them offering great views all around. Here we also had our firsts Zitting Cisticolas (Cisticola juncidis) of the trip. When arriving to our hotel we still had a wonderful view on a flock of over 40 Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus) flying over the area. Without doubt was an incredible end for our second day of the trip!

Day 3. Even before getting inside the car we already had a pair of really good birds. A pair of Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri) was showing really well (and close) and, beyonf them, a pair of wonderful Stone Curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus) were sleepping in the bare slope. After a good view from the scope we just got inside the car and approached the birds, getting excellent views on them without disturbing them!

During the trip we had estremely close views on a pair of Stone Curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus) roosting just by one of our accommodations. Image: Carles Oliver

Our first stop in the morning produced an amazing range of birds. A small pond in the river Massa produced our Savi’s Warbler (Locustella naevia) and Little Crake (Porzana parva) listened in the reeds around. Here we also had good views on +3 Isabelline Warblers (Iduna opaca), Iberian Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae), 2 Cetti’s Warblers (Cettia cetti), 2 Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), several Subalpine Warblers (Sylvia cantillans) and Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) as well as commoner birds including Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficallis), African Chaffinch, Sardinian Warbler, Common Bulbul and several Laughing Doves (Streptopelia senegalensis). The area around was being highly productive and we could wish to do not move from there in the whole week!! We came out of the vegetation to have a better view on the pond when a Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) appeared flying over the small pond. The bird was really celebrated although the best bird in the stop were two wonderful Black-crowned Tchagras (Tchagra senegalensis) appearing really close to us. We could enjoy of really close views on the birds while moving on ground and around us. What a start for the day!

The Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis) has in Morocco its most Northern population and the only one in the whole Western Palearctic. Image: Carles Oliver

Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri), a wonderful near-endemic that can be surprisingly common in some areas. Image: Carles Oliver

This was our only one Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) during the trip. A bird that was highly celebrated by the group. Image: Bauke Kortleve

The transfer to our next stop produced wonderful views on a group of 4 European Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) in the wires along the road. New stop, new pond. First sight here were two beautiful Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) sleeping in a tamarisk with a wonderful Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) singing right beside them. What a good combiation of birds! Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Little Grebe were also present here.

In the fields around we spotted a pair of European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) and Corn Buntings (Miliaria calandra) while both Black-crowned Tchagras and more Turtle Doves were singing around us. A new Little Bittern was appearing from the reeds and flying over the pond but unfortunately we couldn’t relocated when stopping again among the vegetation. At the same time a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) joined the pond, stopping close to the Grey Heron. Again some Isabelline & Subalpine Warblers were moving by the edge of the reeds and our only one Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) of the trip flew over us moving to the West…

Last stop of the morning. A tiny pond that was really productive for migratory birds. Again Subalpine Warblers and Blackcaps were moving here as well as Western Bonelli’s Warbler. A carefully scan of the area produced Isabelline Warbler, European Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Sedge Warbler, Willow Warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus), Cetti’s Warbler as well as 3 Squacco Herons (Ardeola ralloides), 1 Great White Egret (Chasmerodius albus), Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) and Italian Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava cinereocapilla). The third Little Bittern (this time, a male) appeared from the lush vegetation! Here we also had the “rarity” of the trip; a Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) showing really well, but rather shortly, in a tamarisk along with other warblers. This is a quite scarce bird in migration in West Europe and NW Africa so we can considered as the “best” bird of the trip! After such a successful morning we just came back to our accommodation for a good lunch and a bit of rest! During the afternoon we just travelled back to Marrakech after enjoying a bit of the dunes in the National Park.

Day 3. This day we were just crossing the Atlas to start exploring the Southern slope of this huge mountain range. But before and during the crossing we had some good stops.

First stop of the morning we did some birding in the olive orchads immediatly around Marrakech. Here we had some of the near-endemic Spotless Starlings (Sturnus unicolor) as well as several Common Bulbuls (Pycnonotus barbatus). Sardinian Warblers, African Chaffinches and Greenfinches we also present along with Africcan Magpies. Flocks of Little (Apus affinis) and Pallid Swifts (Apus pallidus) were flying over us. Here we had a good selection of migratory birds. Subalpine & Willow Warblers were common and we had also 2 Common Whitethroats (Sylvia communis) and Western Bonelli’s Warbler. The first of many Common Redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) were also showing out here and we also enjoyed the first Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) of the trip showing really well in the out and even allowing good comparitions with both Willow and Isabelline Warblers!

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) is a common (and beautiful) migratory bird in Morocco. Image: Bauke Kortleve

The second stop of the trip was even more interesting. While driving the road up to Ourika Valley Bauke was having a new pack of Barbary Partridges by the road and a Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) was appearing in the sky. We stop, of course. We all had excellent, but short, views on the Kite flying around. Scanning the fields around we had a Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) on a post. Also a really good bird. There, European Stonechats (Saxicola rubicola), Cirl Buntings, Zitting Cisticolas and Corn Buntings were all showing well.

A bird calling not far from us decided us to explore a bit further away, just at the moment that 2 Great Spotted Cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) were appearing, calling both of them, from the olive trees! We had great views on the birds flying and, after some wait, we had them also on a tree top, calling, preening and giving us a really good show!!

Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius), sometimes a tricky bird, gave us an excellent view and was considered as one of the highlitghs of trip by some members of the group. Image: Bauke Kortleve

While driving up the Atlas we still had to stop a pair of time. The first because of a really close Short-toed Eagle flying over the car and the second because Andreas spot 2 European Rollers (Coracias garrulus) on a wire just by the road. Those birds gave us excellent views (and shots) during a pair of minutes. After they were living we just came out of the car to enjoy the landscape and at this moment a small flock of 6 migratory? Lesser Kestrels (Falco naumanii) passed over us, flying North!

European Roller (Coracias garrulus) was an unexpected (and very wellcome) bird while crossing the Atlas. Image: Bauke Kortleve

Moment to have lunch, and some birds. 2 Booted Eagles were flying over the terrace while waiting to be served. Around the restaurant 1 Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) was singing quite close so we decided to try to have a look on the bird. And what a look!! We could see the bird calling and singing during 5 minutes, extremely close (4 metres?). Not bad for be waiting in a restaurant!

This Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) was the first of many of them during the trip. Image: Carles Oliver

Our driving along the Atlas still gave us some more birds. Louise spot 2 Ravens and 1 Long-legged Buzzards. We did a pair of stops expecting to have, soon or later, some migratory raptors. Unfortunately we had nothing and our only migratory success were over 25 European Bee-eaters and a big flock of +100 Western House Martins (Delichon urbicum).

Once in the Northern slope we did a first stop in a typical migratory area. Here we had close views on common migratory birds such as Subalpine Warblers (Sylvia cantillans), Western Bonelli’s Warblers, Woodchat Shrike and great views on 2 Western Orphean Warblers (Sylvia hortensis) skulking inside a tiny almond tree along with Great Tit. The bird was also really celebrated! This place also offered our first of many Maghreb Larks (Galerida macrorrhyncha), a recent split from Crested Lark.

After some minutes of scanning a tiny almod tree this Western Orphean Warbler (Sylvia hortensis) was finally giving us wonderful views! Image: Bauke Kortleve

A last stop of the day was done along the road to look for the near-endemic, and very scarce, Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe lugens). After some scanning of the slopes around we got a really nice male up in the ridge of the cliff, moving in and out of some big hollows. What a bird! A probable female was also moving down in the slope but couldn’t be confirmed because of the wind and because the bird was disappering in the slope. We still had some more scanning trying to have better views but was impossible to relocate the birds and only got White-crowneds…

Stream in the Atlas Northern slope. This kind of ambients can be really productive. Image: Bauke Kortleve

After such a good day we just did the short transfer to our accommodation, located in a wonderful oasis-like area. During the short transfer we still had a Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) and 1 British Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava flavissima) in some fields being irrigated as well as several Maghreb Larks and some family groups of White-crowned Black Wheatears were spotted as well as a pair of migratory Northern Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) as well as our firsts Fat Sand Rats (Psammomys sp.).

Day 5. Early morning start and first scanning of the area around our accommodation. In the stream nearby we found 2 Little Ringed Plovers (Charadrius dubius) and 1 Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) along with Grey Heron. A first stop in the steppes around produced 2 Desert Larks (Ammomanes deserti) and a first look on Desert Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor elegans) despite the really, really strong wind…

The day before, by passing with the car, we just saw a good place with some water so we decided to do a stop there and enjoy the birds moving around. We had a good flock of over 20 Yellow Wagtails (mainly Iberian), 3 Little Ringed Plover, +4 Common Sandpipers and one pair of Ruddy Shelducks being this the first close view on this species so far.

After that we just went to the big dam immediatly South of Ouarzazate. Here, as always, there were tones of birds. Andreas spot 5 Eurasian Spoonbills roosting in the edge of the water while +100 Greater Flamingoes and +60 Glossy Ibises were feeding around. Here we also had our firsts Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) as well as +15 Collared Pratincoles (Glareola pratincola) roosting in the mudflats. Other birds here include 1 Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) and our only one Dunlin (Calidris alpina) of the trip. Our only Calidris, actually…

Great White Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Cattle Egret were all around the dam and 1 Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) was also flying over.

Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorhyncha), a recent split and a common bird in farm land ambients South of the Atlas. Image:Bauke Kortleve

Also in the mud around, several Yellow Wagtails were feeding… and along with them were pipits… I think the very first pipit we had that day was a meritory Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus), being this species a scarce migratory bird in Morocco. At least 3 Water Pipits (Anthus spinolleta) were there along with the wagtails along with 2 Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis), a rather late birds.

Migratory birds were moving around and Bauke spotted the first Blue-checkeed Bee-eater (Merops periscus) of the trip and the unfortunately only sight on Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus), a female. A small flock of Common Swift (Apus apus) was also moving here along with several House Martins and Sand Martins (Riparia riparia) and some beautiful Red-rumped Swallows (Cecropis daurica).

On the water, huge flock of +200 Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata) gave us good views and a distant Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) was a good bird to add to the bird list of the trip. Around the water, in the tiny riparian vegetation we had a Chiffchaff moving on ground as well as the most strange sight on Savi’s Warbler (Locustella luscinioides) I’ve ever had. The bird was clearly nervous and moving in the open, showing really well despite the really strong light. It was moving also on ground for a while, a behaviour quite common, but normally impossible to see in the field.

During the trip we also enjoyed other wildlife, like this wonderful and impressive Bell’s Dabb Lizzard (Uromastyx nigriventris). Image: Bauke Kortleve

After arrived to our accommodation in Boulmane du Dades, we still had the afternoon to enjoy the famous Tahdild Road. That afternoon we had our firsts sights of many Temminck’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha), a wonderful, beautiful bird for me. We had also our only 2 Cream-coloured Coursers (Cursorior cursor) in a long, wonderful sight of the birds running in the steppe-lands. 1 Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae) was also showing well and we had our firsts 2 Thick-billed Larks (Rhamphocoris clotbei) flying over the steppes. Unfortunately only Gerda had them along with me so the next day our goal was to find a better ones!

Day 6. Full day in the steppe-lands around Boulmane and also some time to enjoy the Gorge du Dades. A first stop in the steppe land immediatly around Boulmane produced 3 Red-rumped Wheatears (Oenanthe moesta) and wonderful views on +6 Trumpeter Finches (Bucanetes githagineus) along with with Thekla, Temminck’s and our only one Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) of the trip. 2 Seehbom’s Wheatears and 2 Woodchat Shrikes were a nice bonus, especially the wheatears!

Temminck’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha) a wonderful beauty living in the highland steppes. Image: Carles Oliver

A second stop around produced +3 Desert Wheatears (Oenanthe deserti) and wonderful views on Lesser Short-toed Larks (Calandrella rufescens) & Fat Sand Rats. 1 Long-legged Buzzard was moving around and he had good views on the bird while perched in the steppe. 4 more Trumpeter Finches were also a good bonus here.

Third stop, this time in a good corner for larks and sandgrouses. We walked along one “stream” and got really nice views on Desert Wheatears and a favolous male of Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocori clotbei) that Andreas spot moving on the sand. We all enjoyed really good views on the bird while typically moving in the open areas, looking for food. As always, several Temminck’s Larks were also around and, when coming back to car, we still had a wonderful Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) moving on ground and providing us with really good views while following it!!

In this issue we have had, again, wonderful views on Thick-billed Larks ( Ramphocoris clotbei) being this male the first we had on ground. Image: Bauke Kortleve

After lunch and some rest we just went around to explore one gorge just by Boulmane. Here we start to scan around when, suddenly, the impressive call of a Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) came to our ears. The bird was really, really close so we just ketp slowly moving and scanning around until Bauke was finding the bird in a hollow in the cliffs! We all enjoyed the bird while sleeping and calling every 4-5 minutes… What a view!!

Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) at its roosting place. It is wonderful to remember it singing among the rock while sleeping! Image: Bauke Kortleve

In the gorge around we also had some other birds including Common Kestrel, White-crowned Black Wheatears, Crag Martins (Ptynoprogne rupestris) and Desert Larks that showed really well and allowed really close views! An impressive Bell’s Dab Lizzard (Uromastyx nigriventris) was also a good bonus for all the group.

Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti), a common bird living in semi-desertic areas. Image: Carles Oliver

After that we still had some time to explore the Gorge du Dades. A first stop here looking for a better view on Barbary Partridge produced nothing at all… Despite this and along the road, we had some Blue Rock Thrushes and Black Wheatears as well as +10 Crag Martins (Ptynoprogne rupestris).

The next stop provided us with a distant but good view on a Barbary Falcon (Falco peregrinoides) right in the top of a cliff. The bird didn’t stole the show and after a pair of minutes just left the cliff to directly fly towards a really distant Booted Eagle that was on ground! After some fight in the air, the Falcon just left the area a second Booted appeared in the sky, stopping both of them on a dead tree up in the top of the cliff. A really different view from those I’m more used in the Pyrenees!

Still in our way back to the hotel we had to do a stop in the road since another Barbary Falcon was flying just over the car and did an incredible flight down chasing a small bird and losing itself in the palm orchards around the Dades River…

Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) is a near-endemic bird living in cliffs and bare slopes. Image: Carles Oliver

Day 7. Early morning start with the main goal to locate some Sandgrouses, a bird that was scaping us, so far. A pair of stops during the morning provide us with good looks to many interesting birds including +8 Red-rumped Wheatears, Desert Wheatears, Trumpeter Finches, Temminck’s Lark, Greater Short-toed Larks, 4 Long-legged Buzzards (including 2 juveniles) and 4 migratory Black Kites (Milvus migrans) but so signal of Sandgrouses any where…

Typical semi-arid countryside at the Southern slope of the Atlas mountains. Image: Bauke Kortleve

Finally we arrived to one place with some water… we didn’t have to wait for long until the first flock of Sandgrouses was appearing flying around! 4 Black-bellied Sandgrouses (Pterocles orientalis) showed their great way of flying! We decided to go closer to the water and had really close, wonderful views, on a pair of Black-bellieds, great! After some waiting there we could determine that at least 25 Black-bellied Sandgrouses were moving there in different flocks and we enjoyed of great views on some big flocks in the slopes around the water. Unfortunately we had to leave the area without signal of Crowned Sandgrouses (Pterocles coronatus), a bird that we finally missed during the trip, despite the many efforts to find one!

Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis). This year we enjoyed of extremely close views on this bird. Always a wonderful experience! Image: Carles Oliver

Male (left) and female (right) Black-bellied Sandgrouse approaching to a pool in the morning light. Image: Carles Oliver

After such a wonderful encounter we just drove some mile East to explore a point where in 2015 we had Scrub Warbler. Unfortunately, a walk around only produced Spectacled Warblers, Woodchat Shrike, Maghreb Lark and a distant Lanner Falcon.

After lunch, we explore a second location for Scrub Warbler. A walk around was extremely productive. Along the ouadi (local name for the dry river beds in the desert and semi-desert) we had some flocks of Trumpeter Finch, Woodchat Shrike, 2 pairs of Spectacled Warbler, several Temminck’s Lark and one wonderful Thick-billed Lark moving around us!!

The scanning of the many scrubs around was not producing the desired bird until Bauke spot 3 Scrub Warblers (Scotocerca inquieta saharae) about 50 metres from us. It was probably a family group and the birds showed out for some seconds. We fastly moved there to re-scan all the area but unfortunately we couldn’t have again the birds. Still, when looking for them, we got again a distant Lanner Falcon and a really unexpected Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura) moving in the sandy area!! A good bonus, anyway!

This Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura) was a great surprise while scanning for Scrub Warblers. Image: Bauke Kortleve

In our way down to our hotel in Merzouga we still had time to admire some of the many flocks of Blue-checkeed Bee-eaters moving in the oases along the road including some really close views!

Definately not a bad view on Blue-checkeed Bee-eaters (Merops persicus). Male and female that were also maiting by the car. Image: Carles Oliver

Day 8. Our day in the desert started in an excellent way. While waiting for some of the group, Gerda and I had a wonderful Lanner Falcon perched on ground directly in front of our hotel!! The bird just flew off and came to us, flying really close to the main building, going behind it and reappearing soon after joined by… a second Lanner!! Amazing!

The first stop of the day produced some typical migratory birds such as Common Redstart, Subalpine Warbler, Willow Warbler and European Bee-eater. Still, the main sight here was a phantastic pair of Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) showing out really well while perched along with House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) or while looking for food in the dunes around… what a beauty!

Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex) was one of the highlights of the trip and we enjoyed of walk-away views on them. Image: Bauke Kortleve

In our second stop that day we explore a “ouadi”. Here we had our first of many (+8) Greater Hoopoe Larks (Alaemon alaudipes) that day. The birds were singing and displaying in a wonderful view, despite being a bit far away. Other birds here include Desert Grey Shrike, 3 Black Kites migrating North, Woodchat Shrike and 1 Greater Short-toed Lark. Still, no signal of the main goal in this stop… Some minutes later we had one of them calling and, finally, our local guide spot 1 African Desert Warbler (Sylvia deserti) about 200 metres “down” the ouadi. After a fast run towards the bird (and after a second running, actually…) we finally had really good views on one of the warblers (there were two moving around).

African Desert Warbler (Sylvia deserti) was finally appearing, despite required a long scanning (and some running!). Image: Bauke Kortleve

Happy for the good bird and the good exercise we came to the car. In the transfer we had some Brown-necked Ravens (Corvus ruficollis) flying here and there as well as several Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) flying North.

In our next stop we had 2 Egyptian Nightjars (Caprimulgus aegyptius) roosting on ground under the scarce vegetation of another ouadi. We, of course, had really long views on them and observed how they were oppening the eyes every minute or so, to check the area around… Other birds here included African Desert Warbler and Hoopoe Larks singing around and 3 Bar-tailed Larks! After some driving we also got 2 Spotted Sandgrouses (Pterocles senegalus) showing really close. It was also an excellent sight and very good for photographers in the group. After some more driving we had up to 8 Spotted Sandgrouses in different locations… Still, we didn’t get any Crowned, that was again the main goal of the driving.

Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius), again one of the highlights of the trip. This year we enjoy two birds while roosting. Below, Spotted Sandgrouses (Pterocles senegalensis), a “common” sandgrouse living in the desert. Images: Carles Oliver

After a good lunch we just kept looking for birds. In the oasis-like areas we had several Maghreb Larks, Blue-checkeed Bee-eaters, Turtle Doves, Greenfinches, White-crowned Black Wheatears, House Buntings, Laughing Doves and Common Kestrels but probably the best birds there were 1 Little Owl (Athene noctua) roosting in a tiny cliff and two family groups of Fulvous Blabblers (Turdoides fulva) skulking really low and inside the low palm trees, moving on ground and performing their really characterystic calls. Again a wonderful bird! We just finished the day with some relax in our hotel and, who wanted, enjoyed also the Common Nightingale and even Orphean Warbler showing in the grounds of the hotel.

Day 9. Just when opening the door of my room that day I could see a good day was waiting for us since a Grasshoper Warbler (Locustella naevia) was right in front of me, 5 metres to me, moving in the open! Unfortunately I didn’t have my bins ready… well, I was not expecting such a sight!!! I have to say that it was the first of the day, but not the last. The first stop of the day was in an oasis-like area, just following a small stream surrounded by large tamarisks. Here we soon listened our first Saharan Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri), a race that some argue as being a different species from Eastern Olivaceous. A minimum of 5 individuals were singing around and, after some carefully scanning of the canopies, we all had good views on the birds! Other birds moving here included also Isabelline, Willow, Subalpine & (many) Western Bonelli’s Warblers. Blue-checkeed Bee-eaters were flying around along with European Bee-eaters, a nice combination!

Rufous Bush Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes) was again one of the highlitghs of the trip and a bit unexpected sight due to the dates of the trip. Image: Carles Oliver

After spending quite a long time enjoying the birds in the stream we spent the rest of the morning trying to locate Crowned Sandgrouse around. Unfortunately we had no contact with this species althought we still got 2 Trumpeter Finches and really close view on 2 Hoopoe Larks and +30 Brown-necked Ravens, many of them really close.

Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis) can be common around the desert. Image: Bauke Kortleve

Even before having lunch we had time to take a look into a pool in the desert. Here we had no big surprises out of Sedge & Eurasian Reed Warblers singing in the reeds, Little Ringed Plover and Little Grebe enjoying the water and 1 Marsh Harrier flying over…

Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), a quite common bird in the desert that gave us great views on its wonderful display flights. Image:Carles Oliver

During the afternoon we just did a walk in a forested land close to our hotel. This was probably one of the best spots in the trip… here we had +6 Common Redstarts moving along with both +2 Spotted (Muscicapa striata) and +5 Pied Flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We spent some time enjoying really close views on both Savi’s (Locustella luscinioides) and Grasshoper Warblers (Locustella naevia), both of them skulking in the vegetation and showing really close! Bauke spot two new Scrub Bush Robins moving on ground! Willow, Western Bonelli’s and Subalpine Warblers were all around us and we also got Turtle Dove and Eurasian Reed Warbler in the orchads. While walking in the area Louise spot a Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus) moving in the canopy. After several scanning we finally managed to have the birds (there were two!), first in a short flight and finally both of them flying up in the sky and moving to the North, hopefully expecting to arrive to South-West Europe in the next days!!

Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis), a common bird in the oases-like areas. Image: Bauke Kortleve

This was a really wonderful end of our really last birding day in the trip… I could personally be there for weeks but it was already dark so we came to our accommodation to have a good dinner and rest!

Day 10. The very last day of the trip was a long, but good, transfer from Merzouga to Marrakech. In the way up we still had some good surprises, like a wonderful Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) flying really low over the car around Rissani! It is always nice to see them in Morocco, since there are really few left of them in the country…

White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga) becomes a common view immediatly South of the Atlas mountains. Image: Bauke Kortleve

One stop after lunch produced several warblers. Out of the “normal” migratory birds down here we got again nice views on Western Orphean Warbler, Goldfinch and Saharan Olivaceous Warbler.

While crossing the Atlas we had a pair of stops to try to find some raptors. Again we were not really lucky and we only got a really distant eagle moving East. It was a Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) but unfortunately nobody in the group had good views on the bird. A second stop in the Atlas was more productive. Here we had African Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail, +5 Nightingale, Blackcap, Winter Wren, Great Tit, European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) and our only one Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) of the trip! Probably the best birds in this stop were a gorgeous Booted Eagle, dark form, hunting in the fields around and 3 Hawfinches showing really well just by the road. Excellent!

The very last stop of the trip was in some open fields, no very far away from Marrakech. Here we had good views on Stonechat, Woodchat Shrike and a new Western Orphean Warbler was showing a bit far, but well, good views after all. The best bird was, still, the 4 Barbary Partridges enjoyed while moving on ground in the fields. This bird didn’t offer any good view during the trip so far so it was a wonderful end for the trip!!

When we finally arrived to our hotel we were a bit tired of the long trip but we really satisfied of the wonderful trip we had. Weather this year was perfect all the days and we all enjoyed a good group of birdwatchers with really interesting chatings about the natural and human history of Morocco…

Sunset in Ourika Valley, in our very last stop of the trip… Image: Carles Oliver

Well, this was the trip… 2017 issue of the trip will run from 21st March to 30th March. Do you really wan to miss it?

You can have more images of the trip by following this LINK Many thanks to Bauke Kortleve for sharing his excellent images!!

To see the report of the 2015 issue please follow this LINK

Barcelona Birding Point Blog

Welcome to the official blog site of Barcelona Birding Point, a travel agency specialised in birding & wildwatching tours. Here you will find trip reports, detailed information about some of our tours, tips on conservation and more. By Carles Oliver

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