We have spent two rewarding weeks birding in the southern coast of Morocco, including Oualidia, Esaouira, Tamri, Anza-Agadir, Souss-Massa, Goulimine, El Ouatia, Lower Draa, Oued Chebika and the Khiniffis Lagoon in the Atlantic Sahara. The trip has been specially designed to search for overwintering colour ringed gulls and resulted in 660 readings.
In addition, we have spent time observing and photographing the avian specialities of the region. Several close encounters with foraging flocks of Northern Bald Ibises totalling over 100 individuals has been one of the highlights, indeed this is one of the rarest species on earth! The one in the picture showed a special predilection for spiders.
Other great observations have involved 6 Greater Black-backed Gulls in the still poorly explored Khniffis Lagoon, the sneaky Streaked Scrub Warbler, a fierce Glaucous Gull in Esaouira, the display behaviour of Marbled Teals, many Desert and Red-rumped Wheatears, and the loud duet song of the Black-crowned Tchagra. The dramatic landscape in the Saharan oued Chebeika, Ouma Fatma and El Ouaar deserve special mention too.
We are especially grateful to Juan Jose Ramos Melo / Birding Canarias, Rachid El Khamlichi and Mohamed Amezian / Moroccan Birds, and Go-south web for sharing their knowledge on this amazing region.
Further details and pictures will be available soon in our Facebook page and website.