Morocco Feb 2011 Trip Report Final - all - Go-South

Morocco February 2011
A short half term break for a group of Bockhill regulars, Jack Chantler, Phil Chantler, Nigel Jarman,
Brendan Ryan, Gerald Segelbacher and Simon Warry. Nigel did the research and planned the trip and
organised the flights (Easy Jet; Gatwick to Agadir) and Phil sorted the car hire with Europ car. The
rest of us just turned up and enjoyed the birds.
Photos can be viewed on the Bockhill Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/groups/bockhill-birders/
We (i.e. Nigel) found useful information for planning the trip on the Go South website
http://www.go-south.org/ and “A bird watchers guide to Morocco” by Patrick Bergier. Richard
Bonser’s trip reports were helpful except when it came to finding the drinking pool at Asrir!
Itinerary
Wednesday 23 rd February. Arrived in Agadir around mid day and having sorted out car hire we drove
south through the afternoon to Goulimine, birding at various spots along the way picking up our first
Moussier’s Redstarts, White-crowned Black Wheatears and House Buntings. Late afternoon we tried,
unsuccessfully to find the pools described in one of Richard Bonser’s trip reports. Found good
accommodation at the Hotel Adil Moussafir (HAM) in Goulimine, (recommended to by us by the
police at the check point on the way into town but also cited in the Go South accommodation page).
Thursday 24 th February. The day was spent birding desert habitats south of Goulimine up to the
40Km point (all references to Km in the report are Kms south of Goulimine). The early part of the day
was hampered by fog but in the end we managed to connect with most of the desert species we
were hoping for. The day ended searching wadis closer to Goulimine for Scrub warbler and Fulvous
Babbler, succeeding only with the former.
Friday 25 th February. Having failed to find Fulvous Babbler the previous evening, this was the main
target species for the day. The morning was spent around the same two wadis that we had visited
the previous afternoon but without success. In the afternoon we explored a wadi opposite Fort
Akabar (a few Km beyond Asrir), where we finally tracked down a group of babblers. We spent late
afternoon again failing to find Richard Bonser’s pool at Asrir and decided to cut our losses and rush
down to another pool we have found at Km 20. Having stopped 10km south of Goulimine to
photograph camels we then found that the car wouldn’t re-start. We contacted the car hire
company who arranged to send someone down from Agadir (3 hours away at least). As the prospect
waiting around in the dark until around 10pm didn’t appeal, we flagged down some locals who went
away to the local village and returned with some jump leads which allowed us to limp back to our
hotel where the car again gave up. This then created a fresh set of problems in trying to inform the
travelling mechanic that we had re-located. We were resigned to losing the following morning’s
birding and a big chuck of our itinerary when the mechanic finally found us just as we were going to
bed.
Saturday 26 th February. An early start and drive north to Oued Massa. We made good progress and
arrived near Oued Massa shortly after dawn. The car seemed to struggle up the Tisnit Pass and was
clearly not a 100%. We put this down to the altitude and continued on regardless. We had an
excellent morning birding around the river and agricultural land near to Massa village (town) locating

all our target species including Tchagra, Moustached Warbler and Brown-throated Martin. We
arrived by accident at the Oued Massa Reserve where a warden/guide offered to show us Tufted
Duck and Marbled Duck for 400DR. We had read in a trip report that a similar group had a guide
forced upon them but in the end concluded that this had been a good thing. This turned out to be
our experience. Having insisted that we were only interested in seeing Bald Ibis and been told that
they were not here and were very difficult, we eventually gave in and off we went and finally located
three Ibis in a restricted area which we wouldn’t have found for ourselves. This was a real bonus as it
saved us a drive to Tamri which given the state of our car wouldn’t have been feasible. We then
went on to see Marbled Duck which was only a few hundred metres from where we had birded that
morning. The Tufted Ducks proved to be a bonus as they were accompanied by a Ring-necked Duck.
Not having to go to Tamri for the Ibis, we had time to take in Oued Souss where we managed to pick
up Moroccan Wagtail and Ultramine Tit as well as having stunning views of Red-necked Nightjar. We
found a fairly basic hotel somewhere in the outskirts of Agadir on the road towards the airport
Sunday 27 th February. A relaxing morning wandering around the town before setting off to the
airport. The car finally gave up the ghost in a big puff of black smoke near the airport. We
abandoned it on the roadside and walked the last 400 metres. An uneventful flight arriving at
Gatwick at 3.30pm.
Ring-necked Duck Red-necked Nightjar Black-crowned Tchagra
Thick-billed Lark Bald Ibis Tristram’s Warbler

African Chaffinch White-crowned Black Wheatear Hoopoe Lark
See http://www.flickr.com/groups/bockhill-birders/ for full photos of the trip
Species Account
(Distinctive or local subspecies are indicated where appropriate- just in case they are ever split!)
Eurasian Wigeon 6 Oued Massa 26 th
Eurasian Teal One Oued Massa 26th
Mallard 6 Oued Massa 26 th
Northern Shoveler 3 Oued Massa 26 th
Marbled Teal One Oued Massa 26 th
Tufted Duck 3 Oued Massa 26 th
Ring-necked Duck Female, Oued Massa 26 th
Barbary Partridge Two on hillside 40km south of Goulimine 24th
Little Grebe Several Oued Massa 26 th , also seen at Oued Souss 26th
Northern Gannet Several off Oued Massa 26th
Great Cormorant Fairly common Oued Massa 26 th , (P c maroccanus)
Little Bittern Four Oued Massa 26 th ,
Black-crowned Night- 9 Oued Massa 26 th ,
Heron
Cattle Egret Widespread in small numbers
Little Egret Scarce, seen Goulimine and Oued Massa
Grey Heron Recorded at Asrir and Oued Massa
Purple Heron 2, Oued Massa 26th
White Stork One, Asrir 23rd
Glossy Ibis One, Oued Massa 26th
Northern Bald Ibis At least three on cliff top at Oued Massa 26th
Eurasian Spoonbill One, Oued Souss 26th
Black-shouldered Kite One near Agadir airport 27 th
Black Kite Singles Goulimine 23 rd , south at Goulimine 24 th ; 5 between Goulimine and
Oued Massa 26th
Marsh Harrier Males 35Km south of Goulimine on 24 th and near Asrir on 26th
Montagu’s Harrier Imm Oued Sayad on 23 rd
Long-legged Buzzard 3 around Km 20 on 24 th (B r cirtensis)
Bonelli’s Eagle Adult at Km 33 on 24th
Eurasian Kestrel Very common
Lanner Falcon One seen at Km 33 but sadly with obvious jesses 24th

Peregrine One, Oued Massa 26 th
Barbary Falcon One at Km 20 on 24 th ,
Osprey One, Oued Souss 26th
Moorhen Seen at Oued Sayad on 25 th and Oued Massa 26th
Coot One, Asrir 23 rd , several Oued Massa 26th
Common Crane 3, Oued Massa 26 th ,
Black-winged Stilt One, Oued Sayad 25 th , 40 Oued Souss 26th
Stone Curlew Heard Oued Sayad 24 th & 25 th , at Km 10 on 25 th and Oued Souss 26 th . One
seen at Oued Massa 26th
Cream-coloured One at Km 22 and six at Km 33 on 24 th
Courser
Little Ringed Plover 7, Oued Sayad 25 th , several Oued Souss 26th
Grey Plover 3, Oued Souss 26 th ,
Sanderling 2, Oued Massa 26 th
Common Snipe 7, Oued Massa 26 th
Whimbrel One, Oued Massa 26th
Curlew 6, Oued Souss 26 th
Greenshank Singles, Oued Massa and Oued Souss 26 th
Green Sandpiper 2 Oued BouIssafene 24 th , one on 25 th , Singles Oued Sayad 25 th and Oued
Souss 26th
Common Sandpiper Several, Oued Souss 26th
Yellow-legged Gull Recorded at Oued Massa and Oued Souss 26 th
Slender-billed Gull 2, Oued Souss 26 th
Audouin’s Gull One, Oued Souss 26 th
Black-headed Gull Several, Oued Souss 26th
Lesser Black-backed
Gull
One Oued Massa 26th
Sandwich Tern Several off Oued Massa 26th
Black-bellied
24 at Km 33 and 2 at Km 24 on 24th
Sandgrouse
Rock Dove Common
Wood Pigeon Several Oued Massa & Oued Souss 26 th
Collared Dove Common and widespread
Laughing Dove 4 Asrir 23 rd , several Oued Sayad 25 th , common Oued Massa 26 th
Little Owl 2 Oued Massa 26th
Alpine Swift 2, Oued Massa 26 th
Pallid Swift One Oued Massa 26 th , common around Agadir 27 th
Little Swift 4 around 5Km south of Goulimine 25 th
Hoopoe 2 seen on 24 th and 25 th
Bar-tailed Desert Lark c 10 between 20 Km and 33 Km, 2/3 near Asrir on 24 th (A c arenicolor)
Desert Lark At least three on 24 th (A d algeriensis/payni)
Hoopoe lark 6 at Km 33 on 24 th
Thick-billed Lark 4 at Km 22, and four at Km 33 on 24 th
Short-toed Lark Very common in desert areas 2000+ on 24 th , 150 on 25 th
Lesser Short-toed Lark A few seen at Km 20 on 24 th
Thekla Lark Common and widespread (G t erlangeri)
Temminck’s Lark 8 between Km 20 & Km 33 on 24 th
Brown-throated Martin 3 at Oued Massa 26 th (R p mauritanica)
Sand Martin 2 seen on 25 th and 26 th
Barn Swallow A steady small northwards passage was noted most days

House Martin One, Oued Sayad 25 th
Red-rumped Swallow At least two passing north with Barn Swallows on 24 th , one at Little Swift
site on 25 th
Tawny Pipit c 15 on 24 th , one Oued Massa 26 th
Meadow Pipit One, Oued Sayad 24 th and at Oued Massa 26 th
Tree Pipit Singles Oued Sayad 25 th and Oued Massa 26 th
Yellow Wagtail 3 Iberian males, Oued Sayad 25 th
White Wagtail Widespread in small number
“Moroccan” White One Oued Sayad 25
Wagtail
th , at least three on golf course at Oued Souss 26 th (M
a subpersonata)
Common Bulbul Recorded daily in small numbers
Robin Singles Asrir 23 rd , Oued Sayad 25 th & Oued Massa 26 th
Bluethroat 2, Oued Massa 26 th
Black Redstart One at pass south of Tisnit 23 rd and Oued Sayad 25 th
Moussier’s Redstart Widespread in small numbers, 3 on 23 rd , one on 24 th , five on 25 th and 10
on 26 th
Common Stonechat Singles Oued Sayad 25 th , Oued Massa 26 th
Northern Wheatear One near Goulimine 23 rd , 6 south of Goulimine on 24 th , 2 on 25 th
Black-eared Wheatear Male Oued Sayad 25 th
Desert Wheatear Fairly common in desert areas, 23 rd , 24 th & 25 th
Red-rumped Wheatear One Asrir 23 rd , c 10 various locations on 24 th , c 6 on 25 th
White-crowned Black
Wheatear
Three Goulimine/Asrir 23 rd , 4 Asrir area on 24 th
Black Wheatear 2+ on 23 rd and 24 th ( O l syenitica)
Eurasian Blackbird 2-3 on 23 rd & 25 th , several Oued Massa 26 th (T m mauritanicus)
Song Thrush One, Oued Sayad 25 th , 2 Oued Massa 26 th
Scrub Warbler 2 at Oued Bouissafene (c Km 12) 24 th , family party of five near Asrir on
25 th (S i saharae)
Blackcap One, Oued Massa 26 th
Western Orphean
Warbler
One at Km 22 on 24 th
Sardinian Warbler Several Oued Sayad 25 th , very common Oued Massa 26 th
Spectacled Warbler Very common in Oued Sayad area 24 th & 25 th , also seen at other locations
Subalpine Warbler Common around Oued Sayad 25 th, also seen in other locations south of
Goulimine
Tristram’s Warbler Single males 22km south of Goulimine and Oued Bouissafene 24 th (S d
maroccana)
Sedge Warbler 2 at Oued Bou Issafene 24 th , one Oued Sayad 25 th , 4+ Oued Massa 26 th
Moustached Warbler 2 Oued Massa 26 th
Zitting Cisticola Several heard/seen on 25ht & 26 th
Grasshopper Warbler One in desert scrub at Km 22 on 24 th
Cetti’s Warbler Recorded at Oued Sayad 25 th and Oued Massa 26 th
Reed Warbler Several Oued Massa 26 th
Willow Warbler One at Km 20 on 24 th
Chiffchaff Common in desert scrub and Wadis
Fulvous Babbler A group of 23 were eventually found in the Wadi opposite the entrance to
Fort Akabar on the 25 th (T f maroccanus)
Great Tit 2 at the Tisnit Pass on 23 rd , also seen at the airport on the 27 th ( P m
excelsus)
African Blue Tit 2-4 seen at Oued Souss on 26 th

Great Grey Shrike Fairly common with up to 40 seen on some days. Most birds were the
darker algeriensis race although we did encounter several paler birds
showing influences of elegans
Woodchat Shrike Several seen most days
Black-crowned Tchagra Two were eventually tracked down at Oued Massa and gave good views.
Other birds were heard signing at the same location (T s cucullata)
“Moroccan” Magpie Common around Agadir, 23 rd and 26 th but not seen in the Goulimine area
(P p mauritanica)
Spotless Starling Common around Agidir but scarcer in the south
House Sparrow Seen daily
Spanish Sparrow Common south of Goulimine with some large flocks seen especially
towards Asrir
“African” Chaffinch Several seen well in the agricultural areas of the Oued Massa on the 26 th
(F c Africana)
Serin One seen at Oued Sayad on 25 th , exceptionally common at Oued Massa
on 26 th
Greenfinch Seen in the Airport car park on 23 rd and 27 th
Goldfinch 2/3 seen daily. All seemed to be standard European birds and not the
Moroccan/African race
Linnet One Oued Sayad 25 th
Trumpeter finch 8 seen near Goulimine on 23 rd , very common in the desert areas south of
Goulimine on 24 th , a few seen in the more vegetated areas we visited on
the 25th
Cirl Bunting 4 Oued Massa 26 th
House Bunting First two seen at the Tisnit pass on the 23 rd . Six seen around Goulimine
on the 25 th and several seen on the 26 th . A much smarter bird than we
were expecting (E s sahara)
Corn Bunting Common including large numbers singing in scrubby desert habitats
130 species