Vous êtes ici : Home

Home

Latest records

When using this information, please quote their author and www.go-south.org



Call for contribution

 on-line  Bergier, P. 2011. Où voir les oiseaux dans le Sahara Atlantique marocain – Mise à jour septembre 2011 (rév. 1.0). Go-South Bull. 8 : numéro spécial. 98 pages.

I need your help to translate this paper into English. You will find attached on-line the current status of the translation: if you have a couple of minutes, you may translate one or several chapters and forward your translation to me at pbergier@yahoo.fr (don’t pay attention to the bird and animal names, I will do).

Thanks a lot in advance!

22 February 2012

Just finished a fabulous trip to Morocco. The most important sightings were: 31 January: counted 60+ White-headed Duck and 1-2 Marsh Owl at Lac de Sidi Bourhaba, a flock of 200-300 Stone Curlew near Mohammedia. 1 February: 1-3 calling Double-spurred Francolins south of Sidi Yahya. 6 February: ca. 5 Desert Sparrows at nomad's houses/tents east of Erg Chebbi. 9-10 February: 3 Skylark at Tagdilt Track. 12 February: 1-2 Red-throated Pipit at Ouarzazate. 13 February: 1 male Brambling in the cedar forest below Oukaimeden (2388m), 13-14 February: up to 4 Alpine Accentors at Oukaimeden (as well as ca. 200 Crimson-winged Finch, 20 Rock Sparrow and hundreds of Yellow-billed and Red-billed Chough, as well as a Long-legged Buzzard and 2 Atlas Woodpeckers at around 2700m altitude). 14-15 February: 1 dark morph Western Reef Heron and a more or less totally leucistic Little Ringed Plover (photo) at Essaouira. 15 February: 40+ Bald Ibis at Tamri estuary, 4 Pallid Swift south of Smimou (several birds were identified as this species at Oued Massa and Casablanca, whereas swifts at Meknes and Essaouira remained unidentified), 2 Water Pipit at Essaouira. 16 February: 1 Little Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwater, 2 Great Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua at Cap Rhir; 1 Short-toed Eagle at Guelmim 22km marker, 1 juv. Greater Black-backed Gull south of Cap Rhir. 17 February: Adouin's Gull: 100 at Akhfennir and 200 at Oued El Ouaar - these were the largest noted concentrations of the species, 4 Thick-billed Lark and 1 Red-rumped Swallow near Tan Tan 100km marker. 17-18 February: 1 ad. Kelp Gull (photo), 3 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua at Akhfennir, 2 Woodchat Shrike near Tan Tan. 18 February: ca. 5 ad. "large Black-backed Gulls" at Khniffis Lagoon, the birds were too distant to identify Kelp/Greater Black-backed Gull as we didn't do a boat trip, at least 2 Iberian Chiffchaff south of Guelmim. 19 February: 1 ad. Black-legged Kittiwake at Oued Massa. During the trip we were able to read 36 ringed birds (Flamingos, Spoonbills, Glossy Ibis, White Stork, Adouin's Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gulls) (L. Khil, A. & M. Tiefenbach)

22 February 2012

Tout récemment dans la région d’Awserd : une seule observation d'Alouette de Dunn, au moins 5 Prinias avant l'Oued Jenaa, aucune Moinelette à front blanc. En revanche, le Fennec s'est laissé observé furtivement. Contrôle militaire 23 km après Awserd sur la route de Tichla, ce qui nous a couté de passer 2,5 heures dans le camp militaire (avec une observation de longue durée d'une Hirondelle isabelline ; la Tourterelle turque a envahi le camp avec au moins 25 inds, ainsi que le Moineau domestique), puis 2,5 heures dans la gendarmerie royale du village... A Dakhla et Khnifiss, aucun Goéland dominicain. Une Buse variable et une Mangouste à Massa (E. Roualet & A. Le Calvez)

19 February 2012

Two new trip report are available on the Trip reports webpage (B. & C. Recorbet)

18 February 2012

Just finished a 12 day tour to Morocco where it was very cold and consequently very few migrants about. Oued Massa seems to be still saline so no ducks there and no water at Merzouga. Highlights were six Storm Petrels at Agadir yatch marina with six more offshore on pelagic on 6th Feb, 220 Audouins Gulls at Tamri Estuary on 6th Feb, 67 Northern Bald Ibis at Tamri on 6th Feb, a Caspian Tern on Oued Souss on 6th February. Great Egrets are still a bird for the Moroccan rarity committee yet we had one on the river at Aoulouz on 8th Feb, three at Rissani on 12th Feb, one at Barrage el Mansoor Eddhabi on 13th Feb with three the following day. At Oukaiimeden on 4th Feb 60 Crimson Winged Finches and six Alpine Accentors but no Ring Ouzels. One flock of 200 Trumpeter Finches at Barrage el Mansour Eddhabi (Ouarzazate) on 8th Feb with three Red-throated Pipits, with five Red-throated Pipits there on 14th Feb. 100 Trumpeter Finches at km 43 on the Errachidia Road where also six Streaked Scrub Warblers on 10th February (Mark Beevers, Rockjumper Birding Tours)

18 February 2012

Observations à Melilla :

Octobre 2011 : 369 Calonectris diomedea, 11 Morus bassanus, 3 Phalacrocorax carbo, 89 Larus adouinii, 44 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 21 Larus melanocephalus, 32 Sterna bengalensis, 111 Sterna sandvicensis, 84 Hirundo rustica en vol sud, 2 Oenanthe oenanthe, 28 Erithacus rubecula le 1 octobre (8:30-11:30, journée RAM), 2 Turdus philomelos et 2 Phoenicurus phoenicurus le 8 octobre, 6 Pernis apivorus le 22 octobre, 2 Phoenicurus ochruros premiers hivernants le 23 octobre, 5 Pernis apivorus, 1 Aquila fasciata, 10 Apus melba en vol sud et 73 Ptyonoprogne rupestris le 24 octobre, et 6 Phoenicurus ochruros le 30 octobre

Novembre 2011 : 13 Phalacrocorax carbo en vol sud, 1 Pandion haliaetus et 3 Phylloscopus collybita premiers hivernants le 1 novembre, 68 Puffinus mauretanicus, 168 Calonectris diomedea, 325 Morus bassanus, 4 Phalacrocorax carbo, 2 Ardea cinerea, 3 Egretta garzetta, 1 Falco pelegrinoides, 3 Pluvialis squatarola, 7 Catharacta skua, 2 Stercorarius parasiticus, 73 Larus adouinii, 30 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 43 Larus melanocephalus, 3 Sterna bengalensis, 35 Sterna sandvicensis, 2 Apus apus, 37 Ptyonoprogne rupestris et 1 Vulpes vulpes femelle morte sur la plage le 5 novembre (8:30-11:30, journée RAM), 7 Streptopelia turtur, 25 Phylloscopus collybita, 2 Saxicola rubicola, 11 Phoenicurus ochruros, 15 Erithacus rubecula, 1 Natrix maura, 8 Discoglossus scovazzi et 11 Mauremys leprosa le 7 novembre

Décembre 2011 : 2 Podiceps cristatus, 1 Podiceps nigricollis, 2 Alca torda et 5 Larus melanocephalus le 25 décembre

Janvier 2012 : 4 Puffinus mauretanicus, 1 Catharacta skua, 2 Alca torda et 3 Sterna bengalensis le 8 janvier, 43 Morus bassanus, 7 Phalacrocorax carbo, 2 Ardea cinerea, 7 Egretta garzetta, 21 Arenaria interpres, 1à Larus audouinii, 75 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 2 Sterna bengalensis et 5 Sterna sandvicensis le 9 janvier, 2 Ardea cinerea, 2 Accipiter nisus, 2 Falco pelegrinoides, 2 Acttitis hypoleucos, 10 Psitacula krameri, 1 Jynx torquilla, 4 Galerida cristata, 19 Anthus pratensis, 5 Motacilla alba, 2 Motacilla cinerea, 6 Pycnonotus barbatus, 12 Sylvia melanocephala, 3 Sylvia atricapilla, 25+ Phylloscopus collybita, 6 Saxicola rubicola, 4 Phoenicurus ochruros, 8 Erithacus rubecula, 6 Turdus merula, 4 Parus major, Cianistes teneriffae, 20 Fringilla coelebs (13 africana et 7 coelebs), 11 Carduelis carduelis, 8 Carduelis chloris, 4 Carduelis cannabina, 14 Serinus serinus, 10 Loxia curvirostra, 15 Mauresmys leprosa (Anfibios) et 6 Trachemys scripta (amphibien introduit) le 11 janvier, 2 Puffinus mauretanicus, 57 Morus bassanus, 36 Phalacrocorax carbo, 1 Ardea cinerea, 8 Egretta garzetta, 1 Acttitis hypoleucos, 1 Catharacta skua, 31 Larus audouinii, 106 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 1 Sterna bengalensis, 22 Sterna sandvicensis et 2 Alca torda le 14 janvier (8:30-11:30, journée RAM), 1 Larus delawarensis de deuxième hiver le 17 janvier, 28 Puffinus mauretanicus, 26 Morus bassanus, 10 Phalacrocorax carbo, 2 Ardea cinerea, 4 Catharacta skua, 11 Larus audouinii, 35 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 7 Larus fuscus, 2 Sterna bengalensis, 9 Sterna sandvicensis et 1 Balaenoptera physalus d’une vingtaine de mètres le 27 janvier.

A l’embouchure de la Moulouya le 21 janvier : 3 Podiceps cristatus, 6 Tachybaptus ruficollis, 83 Phalacrocorax carbo, 49 Ardea cinerea, 3 Casmerodius albus, 36 Egretta garzetta, 25 Bubulcus ibis, 2 Ardeola ralloides, 23 Platalea leucorodia, 3 Plegadis falcinellus, 15 Phoenicoptrus roseus, 316 Anas platyrhynchos, 288 Anas clypeata, 7 Anas acuta, 29 Aythya farina, 2 Pandion haliaetus, 2 Elanus caeruleus, 1 Aquila fasciata immature attaquant un Ardea cinerea, 1 Aquila pennata adulte, 2 Circus aeruginosus, 1 Falco peregrinus attaquant un A. fasciata, 2 Falco tinnunculus, 4 Alectoris barbara, 5 Gallinula chloropus, 5 Porphyrio porphyrio, 104 Fulica atra, 61 Charadrius alexandrinus, 4 Charadrius hiaticula, 88 Calideris alba, 3 Tringa nebularia, 1 Tringa glareola, 4 Tringa ochoropus, 2 Numenius pheopus, 13 Gallinago gallinago, 6 Larus audouinii, 8 Chroicocephalus genei, 17 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 5 Larus melanocephalus, 200+ Larus michahellis, 43 Larus fuscus, 37 Sterna sandvicensis, 4 Sterna bengalensis, 3 Alcedo attis, 100+ Ptyonoprogne rupestris, 26 Anthus pratensis, 4 Anthus spinoletta, 19 Motacilla alba, 5 Motacilla subpersonata, 5 Lanius meridionalis algeriensis, 41 Cisticola juncidis, 3 Cettia cetti, 7 Sylvia melanocephla, 2 Sylvia conspicillata, 40+ Phylloscopus collybita, 13 Saxicola rubicola, 2 Phoenicurus ochruros, 6 Erithacus rubecula, 3 Luscinia svecica, 29 Carduelis carduelis, 15 Carduelis chloris, 41 Carduelis cannabina, 9 Serinus serinus, 53 Passer hispaniolensis, 300+ Sturnus unicolor et 1 Sus scrofa (femelle victime d’une collision avec un véhicule) (D. Jerez Abad & R. Ramirez Espinar)

12 February 2012

New posts are available on the excellent Moroccanbirds blog http://moroccanbirds.blogspot.com/
   
    -- Seawatching at Mehdia and Sebou on Sunday 22 January. Interesting records include 20+ Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), 2+ Wilson's Storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), one Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) and a very confident Razorbill (Alca torda) at the jetty of the mouth of Oued Sebou, an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), a Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus), c10 Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus) and a Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) at Mehdia harbour (Imad Cherkaoui, Said Lahrouz & Saâd Hanane, posted 23 January 2012)

    -- Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) near Tétouan. A bird photographed by Mohamed Larbi El Jebari in a marshland between El Malaliyine and Oued El Malah (some 8 Kilometres NE of Tétouan) on 8 January 2012 (Mohamed Amezian, posted 2 February)

12 February 2012

Olive-backed Pipits Anthus hodgsoni. 'Together with Magnus Robb, I worked on my recordings for The Sound Approach during the past Morocco trip. We discovered that the calls I got from two tree pipits at Immouzzer on 23 January 2012 in fact concern Olive-backed Pipits Anthus hodgsoni. The pitch of the calls are diagnostically higher (above 7.5kHz) than in Tree Pipit A. trivialis and the sonagrams also leave no doubt at all that it is hodgsoni, not trivialis' (A.B. van den Berg)

Second record for Morocco. The first one is a bird photographed on 8-9 November 2007 at̀ Agadir (T. Berger & G. Holm, file #07/43 accepted by the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee – Bergier et al. 2009), not far from Imouzzer. Could we imagine that this species is an occasional Winter Visitor to this region but remains undetected?

12 February 2012

The second Bonaparte's Gull for Morocco, an adult, was at Oualidia on 20 january (per Birding World 25: 16).

10 February 2012

Sélection d’observations réalisées dans l'est marocain :
4 février au Barrage Idriss Ier, Prérif : Oie cendrée : 1 ; Tadorne casarca : 50 ; Canard colvert : 1500 ; Canard chipeau : 2 ; Canard souchet : 100 ; Sarcelle d’hiver : 100 ; Grèbe huppé : 15 ; Grèbe à cou noir : 8 ; Grèbe castagneux : 10 ; Flamant rose : 2 ; Spatule blanche : 32 ; Héron cendré : 30 ; Grand Cormoran : 50 ; Aigle de Bonelli : 1 ; Busard des roseaux : 3 ; Faucon crécerelle : 8 ; Grue cendrée : 202 ; Oedicnème criard : 30 ; Avocette élégante : 1 ; Petit Gravelot : 4 ; Gravelot à collier interrompu : 10 ; Chevalier guignette : 1 ; Bécasseau minute : 10 ; Chevalier aboyeur : 1 ; Chevalier sylvain : 1 ; Bécasseau variable : 6 ; Mouette rieuse : 1000 ; Chevêche d’Athéna : 1 ; Hirondelle de rochers : 40 ; Hirondelle rustique : 10 ; Rougequeue de Moussier : 1 ; Moineau soulcie : 2 ; Moineau espagnol : 50 ; Bergeronnette ibérique : 100 ; Bergeronnette du Maroc : 2 ; Bergeronnette de Yarrell : 1 ; Bergeronnette grise : 300 ; Bruant proyer : 30.

5 février au Barrage Mohamed V, Plaines du Maroc Oriental : Fuligule milouin : 400 ; Canard chipeau : 250 ; Fuligule nyroca : 150 ; Fuligule morillon : 30 ; Canard souchet : 400 ; Canard siffleur : 120 ; Tadorne de Belon : 3 ; Sarcelle d’hiver : 400 ; Canard pilet : 35 ; Canard colvert : 3 ; Tadorne casarca : 50 ; Nette rousse : 80 ; Grèbe huppé : 30 ; Grèbe à cou noir : 150 ; Grèbe castagneux : 100 ; Flamant rose : 22 ; Ibis falcinelle : 10 ; Aigrette garzette : 15 ; Grande Aigrette : 15 ; Crabier chevelu : 2 ; Héron cendré : 40 ; Blongios nain : 1 femelle ; Grand Cormoran : 50 ; Balbuzard pêcheur : 1 ; Busard des roseaux : 25 ; Foulque macroule : 3000 ; Gallinule poule-d’eau : 10 ; Echasse blanche : 20 ; Avocette élégante : 50 ; Petit Gravelot : 2 ; Vanneau huppé : 40 ; Chevalier arlequin : 2 ; Chevalier culblanc : 2 ; Chevalier guignette : 1 ; Bécasseau minute : 5 ; Chevalier aboyeur : 2 ; Chevalier sylvain : 1 ; Barge à queue noire : 50 ; Bécassine des marais : 2 ; Mouette rieuse : 40 ; Chevêche d’Athéna : 1 ; Martin-pêcheur d’Europe : 4 ; Hirondelle de rochers : 100 ; Hirondelle rustique : 6 ; Pouillot véloce : 100 ; Fauvette à lunettes : 2 ; Gorgebleue à miroir : 1 ; Rougequeue de Moussier : 3 ; Moineau espagnol : 20 ; Bergeronnette du Maroc : 4 ; Bergeronnette grise : 100 ; Pipit farlouse : 30 ; Bruant des roseaux : 2.

6 février au Cap des Trois Fourches, Plaines du Maroc Oriental : Puffin yelkouan : 1 ; Puffin des Baléares : 50 ; Fou de Bassan : 30 ; Goéland d’Audouin : 3 ; Grand Labbe : 1 ; Pingouin torda : 1 probable.

6 février à la Sebkha-Bou-Areg, Plaines du Maroc Oriental : Canard colvert : 30 ; Canard pilet : 2 ; Canard souchet : 100 ; Canard siffleur : 100 ; Grèbe castagneux : 10 ; Grèbe à cou noir : 10 ; Grèbe huppé : 100 ; Flamant rose : 150 ; Héron cendré : 40 ; Aigrette garzette : 30 ; Grand Cormoran : 75 ; Balbuzard pêcheur : 1 ; Elanion blanc : 1 ; Busard des roseaux : 3 ; Faucon pèlerin « calidus » : 1 ; Foulque macroule : 300 ; Marouette ponctuée : 1 ; Gallinule poule-d’eau : 10 ; Echasse blanche : 10 ; Avocette élégante : 1 ; Grand Gravelot : 2 ; Chevalier guignette : 1 ; Chevalier gambette : 3 ; Chevalier aboyeur : 1 ; Bécasseau sanderling : 50 ; Tournepierre à collier : 3 ; Bécassine des marais : 2 ; Goéland leucophée : 100 ; Mouette rieuse : 200 ; Goéland railleur : 80 à 100; Sterne caugek : 1 ; Goéland d’Audouin : 20 ; Tourterelle maillée : 15 ; Huppe fasciée : 1 ; Torcol fourmilier : 1 ; Hirondelle de rochers : 20 ; Hirondelle rustique : 2 ; Pouillot ibérique : 1 ; Pouillot véloce : 60 ; Gorgebleue à miroir : 1 ; Pipit farlouse : 1 ; Pipit spioncelle : 2 ; Bergeronnette grise : 50 ; Chardonneret élégant : 30 (J. Franchimont & A. Mathurin)

5 February 2012

Pluie le mardi 17 janvier sur Marrakech, Tizi-n-Tichka bloqué par la neige. L’Oukaïmeden est faiblement enneigé le 18 (Roselins à ailes roses, Craves, Chocards et Alouettes hausse-cols, et Renard roux). Jeudi 19, traversée du Tizi-n-Tichka, route bordée de neige, et visite de la Kasbah du Glaoui de Telouet, puis descente sur Aït Benhadou par la nouvelle route goudronnée qui relie désormais ces deux localités. Rien de très notable en ornitho.

Vendredi 20, descente sur la basse vallée du Draa, avec un arrêt mémorable sur les bords du barrage de Ouarzazate, aux abords de la ville. Rarement vu une telle concentration de passereaux : un tapis ininterrompu de Pouillots véloces picorant ça et là dans les roseaux et sur les herbes flottantes au bord du rivage. Des centaines à l’hectare ! Sûr qu’il y avait parmi eux des Pouillots ibériques… Plein de Tadornes casarcas, quelques Sarcelles marbrées, de belles ambiances des cimes du Haut Atlas se miroitant dans la lagune au pied des Flamants roses et des casarcas, et parmi les Bergeronnettes printanières, 4 Pipits à gorge rousse assez coopératifs. Deux observations d’Aigles de Bonelli jusqu’à Zagora.

Lundi 23. Le lac de Merzouga est totalement à sec cette année. Les tamaris au bord du barrage sont excellents pour la Fauvette de l’Atlas. Et il y a plein de Corbeaux bruns et des Alouettes de Clot-Bey. Au Café Yasmina, bon spot à Moineaux blancs à une quarantaine de minutes de marche dans les dunes (1+7+1 individus).

Mardi 24. Plein de Sirlis du désert, d’Alouettes bilophes, d’Ammomanes élégantes, de Traquets du désert, etc dans le lit d’un ancien oued, longue bande végétalisée parsemée de petits buissons près du Café Yasmina.

Mercredi 25. Gorges du Ziz : Deux Aigles de Bonelli. Gorges du Todra, encore de l’Aigle de Bonelli au-dessus des basses gorges. Ecoute nocturne, repasse au Grand-duc dans les gorges, mais sans succès.

Jeudi 26. Il neige un peu et le ciel restera gris et bouché toute la journée pour faire les gorges du Todra. Pas grand-chose sous un temps pareil, une centaine de Craves, des Goundis de l’Atlas. En fin de journée, 3 Fauvettes de l’Atlas, deux oiseaux remuant alarment et lancent des trilles sèches, la queue relevée, l’œil pâle tranchant sur le plumage gris strié de noir : enfin deux Dromoïques du désert !

Vendredi 27 : Piste de Tagdilt, très peu d’oiseaux mais belle diversité : Traquet à tête blanche, 16 Traquets à tête grise, 3 Sirlis du désert, 4 Cochevis de Thékla, 10 Alouettes pispolettes, pas moins de 17 observations de Buse féroce et un Milan noir. 8 Gangas couronnés et 2 unibandes. Gorges du Dadès : un Aigle royal, brièvement harcelé par une Buse féroce, puis un Aigle de Bonelli.

Samedi 28 : Le barrage Mansour Eddhabi est presque aussi intéressant qu’à l’aller (Phragmite des joncs, hivernant très occasionnel) (F. & M. Dhermain)

4 February 2012 (corrected 12 Feb: Olive-backed Pipits instead of Tree Pipits at Imouzzer)

'From 6 to 24 January 2012, Cecilia and I were birding in the south-western corner of Morocco, first for The Sound Approach and then for Limosa Holidays/Travelling Naturalist. First, we drove all the way down the Western Sahara from Agadir to Dakhla/Aousserd and back on 6-16 January to get sounds recorded. Then we birded with three friends in a tour around Agadir and Goulimime on 17-24 January. In all areas, we had a number of surprising sightings, of which a summary is listed below, in chronological order.

On 8 January, just south of El Ouatia/TanTan Plage at N28.27'366" W011.21'13.4", we found a Pharaoh Eagle Owl killed by a car and, given the fact that this area is not mountainous, one may wonder whether the species may perhaps breed on sea cliffs.

On 9 January (and 13 January), at Cafe Chtoukane near Oued Kraa, we watched c 40 Brown-necked Raven but no Pied Crows, and according to local information the latter species was not seen for a very long time (the last report received by Patrick Bergier was from April 2010).

In the late afternoon of 9 January, we had two Golden Jackals walking on the middle of the road to Aousserd at N22. 51'56.67" W014.41'32.72". We camped four nights along the Aousserd road and birded mostly from km 176 eastward, especially at Oued Jenna, where we had a flock of 20 Black-crowned Sparrow-Larks sound-recorded on 10, 11 and 12 January, (only) two Dunn's Larks photographed on 10 January, many 10s of Desert Sparrows (the most common bird and several were nesting), three Lanners but no other raptors except for two Black Kites and a few Kestrels, flocks of three and six Great Spotted Cuckoos in Acacia trees, a Rock Martin photographed at Oued Jenna on 10 January (this bird and maybe a second probably also flew about here on 11 and 12 January), and a flock of six Crag Martins photographed at km 212 (close to Aousserd) on 12 January. Other passerines at Oued Jenna included a male Tristram's, a singing Subalpine (ie, at km 212), two Sardinian and many Spectacled Warblers, and a flock of Fulvous Babblers (a full list of records for the Aousserd area has been submitted to Patrick); interestingly, no Cricket Warblers were present.

In the night of 12/13 January, we camped at a little pool at the Gleb Jdiana village, where we had, eg, a Common Snipe feeding all night, 30 Crowned Sandgrouse, 100 Spotted Sandgrouse and 10s of Temminck's Larks present all morning, at least six Collared Doves including a peculiar leucistic one, and a presumed Rock Martin (not photographed).

On 13 January, we inspected the coasts and mudflats of Dakhla, watching mind-boggling numbers of gulls, terns and waders, such as a total of 1400 roosting Caspian Terns near the tip of the peninsula.

On 14 January, at 14:00, we arrived at Lagune de Khnifiss, where we camped at Naila in the night of 14/15 January but did not find any Cape Gull. The Khnifiss highlights were seven Ospreys, eight Black-necked Grebes, two Great Black-backed Gulls (a subadult and an adult), a first-winter Glaucous Gull photographed on 15 and 16 January (the first for the Western Sahara), 10 Cream-coloured Coursers flying high northward on 15 January, a Plain Martin photographed when it came to the seaside cliffs in the late afternoon of 15 January, a well-photographed Scrub Warbler on 15 and 16 January, and a female Moussier's Redstart (our southernmost) on 16 January.

At Oued Chebeika, on 15 January, another two Cream-coloured Coursers migrated north. Generally, Barn Swallows were abundant and Common Chiffchaffs numerous as winterer or migrant along the entire Western Saharan coast; we also watched quite a few House Martins and Crag Martins and, on 14 and 15 January, we noted an obvious northward movement by a good number of Black Kites (a total of 48 between 175 and 1 km south of Laayoune on 14 January and 74 between 1 and 41 km north of Akhfennir on 15 January).

On 16, 20 and 21 January, at Goulimime, we sound-recorded/photographed a confiding pair of Scrub Warblers near Asrir, watched up to 70 Thick-billed Larks with Temminck's and other lark species c 25 km south of Goulimime, sound-recorded a pair of Lanners at Asrir, watched a flock of Fulvous Babblers here as well, and had a Black-winged Kite on a wire 8 km south of Goulimime on 21 January.

On 17 January, at Oued Souss, two Marbled Ducks, a juvenile Barbary Falcon, 25 first-winter Mediterranean Gulls and perhaps up to 30 Plain Swifts flying north (too) high above the palace just before dusk were the highlights.

On 19 January, from a boat at 6 km off Agadir, we counted, eg, c 80 British Storm Petrels, 40 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, a possible Madeiran Storm Petrel (not well-photographed though) and two Pomarine Skuas.

On 22 January, at Oued Massa, we found, eg, 16 roosting Common Cranes, a Common Chaffinch (by sound), a Common Starling (in a flock of Spotless), a Black-winged Kite, and a Great White Egret of which we could not decide whether it concerned the American or the European subspecies. In the hills north-east of Agadir, on 18 and 23 January, we found, eg, a male Tristram's Warbler (on 18 January above Alma), two Olive-backed Pipits (at Imouzzer on 23 January), and a male Levaillant's Woodpecker (on 23 January above Alma; one of the biggest surprises)'.

(Arnoud B van den Berg for The Sound Approach and Limosa Holidays/Travelling Naturalist)

2 February 2012

Recent records from Agadir area : on 15 January, c 20 Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler, Spanish Sparrow, House Martins flying northeast, 1 Swallow (Hotel Iberostar), c4 Plain Swift, c4 Swallow and Crag Martin flying overhead in a loose circus (The Plain Swift appeared darker than normal swift, with no visible white throat patch. A scaled down version of a Swift, of similar size to the Swallows – Agadir Marina), 2 Swift Agadir (Hotel Intouriste)
On 16 January, a few Gannets and 3 Osprey flying north (Agadir Beach), a Stonechat at Aourir, a Blue Rock Thrush at Oulma:
On 17-18 January at Tifrit-Paradise Valley (maquis west of Tifrit): Sardinian Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 2 Greenfinch, Moussiers Redstart, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Black Headed Bush Shrike, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Serin, 5 Goldfinch, 2 African Blue Tit, 2 Bonelli's Eagles, c10 Crag Martin, 1 Kingfisher. A Horse Shoe Whip Snake in the Palmerie. At Aourir/Banana Beach (lagoon): 6 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret , 2 Bald Ibis (head land north of Banana Beach)
On 19 January: 86 Bald Ibis over the dune land scrub south of Oued Massa. 2 Crag Martin and 2 Blue Rock Thrush at Barrage Youssef ben Tachfine
On 20 January, an Osprey flying south at Agadir Beach. The next day, a male Sardinian Warbler eating discarded lettuce beside the hotel pool! And 4 Swift at Hotel Intouriste, Agadir (R. Moss)

1 February 2012

Observations près de la côte à Salé le 1 février : 10 Calonectris diomedea, 28 Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis (including 7 P. c. marrocanus), 18 Egretta garzetta, 1 Falco perigrinus, 4 Falco tinnunculus, 8 Alca torda, 2 Chroicocephalus genei, nombreux Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Larus fuscus et Larus michahellis, 15 Thalasseus sandvicensis, 15 Calidris alba, 3 Tringa totanus, 2 Actitis hypoleucos, 5 Galerida cristata, 1 Monticola solirarius, Motacilla alba, 4 Saxicola rubicola, 6 Phoenicurus ochropus et 50 Corvus monedula (I. Cherkaoui)

1 February 2012

Récentes observations dans le nord du pays : dortoir de 1176 Ciconia ciconia et 3 premiers Apus pallidus à Kénitra le 20 janvier, 18 Puffinus mauretanicus à la jetée de Mehdiya et 41 Oxyura leucocephala au lac de Sidi Bou Rhaba le 21 janvier, un Aythya collaris (mâle nuptial), au moins 2000 Anas clypeata, 3000 Aythya ferina, 440 Aythya nyroca à Dayet Aoua le 25 janvier. 52 Tadorna casarca à Dayet Chahlouf, un Falco columbarius et 1 Elanus caeruleus à Meknès, plus d’une cinquantaine de Falco naumanni au Port de Mehdiya le 28 janvier (Renaudier et H. Jahaid)

1 February 2012

January rarities have included a Great Egret at Oued Massa, 40+ Manx Shearwaters at Agadir, a Madeira Storm Petrel at Agadir, Greater Black-backed Gulls at Khnifiss, Plain Swifts at Khnifiss and Agadir, and Glaucous Gull at Khnifiss. Interestingly, Pied Crows appeared to be absent from the Oued Kraa area, and all the people I asked at the Cafe Chtoukane told me that the birds were 'fini', not seen for a long time. Also, it is of interest that Oued Jenna and the other breeding sites of Cricket Warbler along the Aousserd road were very dry, and that I could not find any Cricket Warbler. Apparently, the species is partially migratory and not resident (A.B. van den Berg)

25 January 2012

Observations sur le lac oriental de Douyiet le 24 janvier (lac toujours bien en eau après les fortes pluies enregistrées au cours du mois de novembre 2011, et ce, malgré une sécheresse quasi persistante depuis plus d’un mois et demi) : 60 Chipeaux, 1200 Souchets, un Siffleur, 31 Sarcelles marbrées, 200 Sarcelles d’hiver, 9 Cigognes blanches et trois autres sur leurs nids sur une antenne-relais à Douyièt-village, 73 Flamants roses, un Milan noir très précoce, 12 Busards des roseaux, un Elanion, 100 Gravelots à collier interrompu, un Bécasseau de Temminck, 50 Bécasseaux minutes, 4 Bécasseaux variables, un Chevalier culblanc, un Chevalier arlequin, 2 Barges à queue noir, 11 Bécassines des marais, 17 Combattants, 171 Mouettes rieuses, plusieurs Bergeronnettes printanières (dont 30 iberiae et un mâle adulte cinereocapilla), une Gorgebleue, 12 Bruants des roseaux (J. Franchimont)

22 January 2012

The excellent Moroccanbirds blog http://moroccanbirds.blogspot.com/ include many good posts, including recent ones by Abdelhak Elbanak (Birding around the city of Kénitra, posted 18 January), Mohamed Amezian (Maghreb birds, posted 17 January), and Imad Cherkaoui, Said Lahrouz and Abdelhak Elbanak (Razorbill off Salé, posted 16 January)

Bald Ibis: the results of the 2011 breeding season are available on another excellent blog http://northernbaldibis.blogspot.com/

21 January 2012

Records from Essaouira. In November 2011, three color-marked spoonbills were from the Dutch scheme and one was from Spain. On 25 November, I was observing at a Martin nest beside the estuary at Essaouira, when two horsemen flushed an owl from bushes beside the river. I therefore got a good indication of size, which seemed right for Asio flammeus. The bird flew across the river for about 100m, and its shape was definitely that of either A. flammeus or A. otis. I clearly saw rufous patches on the wings at the primary bases, which would fit either species. There was no sign of ear tufts. The wing tips appeared black, and the underparts white, suggesting A. flammeus, but I was not able to see whether there was a white trailing edge to the wing, which would have decided it. Therefore I am very confident it was one of these two species, and believe it was probably A. flammeus, but could not entirely rule out the alternative.

On a recent visit (8-15 January) I followed up on a number of Brown-Throated Sand Martin nests but the population seems quite sparse this year. The only new record for the Essaouira list was a Common Buzzard, but I also had an Osprey on the river estuary one day. Otherwise, the birds present were mainly the familiar residents and winter visitors. A color-marked flamingo was from Algeria (Peter Greig-Smith)

20 January 2012

A new paper is available in Go-South Bulletin:

14 Januery 2012

Une vingtaine de Choucas des tours au Douar Mghitene à proximité de Merja Zerga le 9 janvier. Un seul sujet observé vers mi-décembre sur le toit de l'immeuble où j'habite à Salé (quartier Bettana). Pullulation de l'écrevisse des marais de Louisiane dans le Rharb et les marais du Loukkos (Abdellatif Al Ouardi, Centre de Recherche Forestière, Rabat)

7 January 2012

Three new papers are available in Go-South Bulletin:

7 January 2012

Old records of interest from December 2010 – January 2011 : 3+ Water Pipit Anthus spinoleta with several Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis at Barrage de Ouarzazate on 29 December, 3+ Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens and 2 African Desert Warbler Sylvia nana near M’Hamid on 31 December, a Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus on a nest built on an acacia c. 15 km East of Taroudant on 2 January, 3+ Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata, a Common Gull Larus canus and 3+ Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus at Oued Tamri on 3 January (J.J. Ramos Melo, F. Torrents & R. Muñoz)

20 December 2011

Joyeuses fêtes de Noël, à bientôt en 2012 / Merry Christmas and see you soon in 2012.

20 December 2011

Mid December at Essaouira: all the active nests of Plain Martin found so far this season were solitary (surprising for a supposedly colonial species). During the week I was there, there were groups of spoonbills present regularly on the river and the Water treatment ponds. Otherwise, the most interesting record was a Great-Spotted Cuckoo, present over a three-day period (P Greig-Smith)

20 December2011

A new trip report is available on the Trip reports webpage (J.J. Ramos & Birding Canarias)

17 December 2011

A male Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis in eclipse plumage photographed at 'Ferme du maraichage 1' on 15 December (F. Chevalier). This farm is close to Mijk, Dakhla, where a male stayed from April until mid-May. Is it the same bird returning to its winter grounds?

17 December 2011

The 2nd International Conference “Algerian ornithology at the dawn of the third millennium” (CIOA2–2012) is planned to be held on 5-7 May 2012. More info at  https://sites.google.com/site/cioa2algeria/

10 December 2011

A new trip report is available on the Trip reports webpage (E. Roualet & NOF Travel)

2 December 2011

La Faculté des Sciences de Ben M’sik de Casablanca et le GREPOM (Groupe de REcherche pour la Protection des Oiseaux – Morocco programme de Birdlife international) organisent en partenariat avec le Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts et Lutte Contre la Désertification et l’institut scientifique, la VIème édition des Journées Oiseaux d’Eau et Zones Humides qui se tiendra à la Faculté des Sciences de Ben M’sik du 23 au 25 février 2012, sous le thème : La recherche scientifique au service de la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes. Contact : Rhimou EL HAMOUMI, Laboratoire d'Ecologie et d'Environnement, Unité Biodiversité et Développement durable, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'sik (joezh6@yahoo.fr)

2 December 2011

A Douyiet le 28 novembre : Tadorne de Belon : 11 ; Canard colvert : 450 min ; Canard chipeau : 180 min ; Sarcelle d'hiver : 160 min ; Canard pilet : 1 femelle ; Canard souchet : 2465 min ! ; Sarcelle marbrée : 212 min ! ; Fuligule milouin : 2355 min ! ; Nette rousse : 300 min ; Fuligule nyroca : 40 min ! ; Fuligule morillon : 2 min ; Erismature à tête blanche : 200 min ! ; Grèbe à cou noir : 7 min ; Grèbe castagneux : 160 min ; Grèbe huppé : 15 min ; Héron gardeboeuf : 62 min ; Aigrete garzette : 9 min ; Héron cendré : 2 min ; Flamant rose : 40 , dont seulement 3 adultes. ; Busard des roseaux : 6 min ; Elanion blanc : 1 couple. ; Faucon crérecerellette : 8 ; Gallinule Poule-d'eau : 60 min ; Foulque macroule : 200 min ; Foulque caronculée : 150 min ; Talève sultane : 1 adulte (2nde observation de l'espèce sur le site depuis les années 1970 !). ; Echasse blanche : 3 ; Petit Gravelot : 1 ; Gravelot à collier interrompu : 40ne min ; Bécasseau minute : 15ne min ; Bécasseau variable : 2 min ; Chevalier culblanc : 3 min ; Chevalier arlequin : 7 min ; Chevalier aboyeur : 1 min ; Combattant varié : 3 mâles et 1 femelle. ; Mouette rieuse : 207 min ; Pigeon colombin : 50ne min ;; Martin-pêcheur d'Europe : 1 ; Rousserolle effarvatte : 6 min (hivernage possible, déjà constaté à de nombreuses reprises sur le site antérieurement) (J. Franchimont)

26 November 2011

Le lac oriental de Douyièt, accessible au public, est bien en eau aujourd'hui. Parmi les données les plus remarquables, 10 Tadornes de Belon, 800 Canards souchets, 40 Flamants roses, 1 Aigle de Bonelli immature, 8 Busards des roseaux, 1 Faucon pèlerin, 23 Vanneaux huppés, 12 Bécassines des marais, 2 Bécassines sourdes, 40 Bécasseaux minutes, 9 Tourterelles maillées, 25 Bruants des roseaux, 230 Moineaux espagols (J. Franchimont).

23 November 2011

Selection of a November trip include:

    • -