Morocco Marvels and Meanderings 21 - 28 March 2023 (3 Viewers)

[jurek]

Great report! Brings back my own memories! And yes, police!

Guineafowl sighting is really interesting! Moroccan native race is supposedly a distinct subspecies, now likely extinct.

Could you see the differences between subspecies (races sabyi and meleagris are illustrated in the second edition of Collins Bird Guide and app)?

 

[wolfbirder]

Great report! Brings back my own memories! And yes, police!

Guineafowl sighting is really interesting! Moroccan native race is supposedly a distinct subspecies, now likely extinct.

Could you see the differences between subspecies (races sabyi and meleagris are illustrated in the second edition of Collins Bird Guide and app)?

Hi Jurek, thank you.

Unfortunately I did not photograph them, and I should have done but I was on a fast open road and although I stopped and reversed to look I could see a car coming up from behind. I am annoyed now. They had very white heads and necks rather than light blue I would say, but I know that does not determine whether they were reintroduced 'race sabyi'. I was shocked to see them, even if I saw 3 more of clearly domesticated stock near Azrou prison. I have also seen what were clearly domesticated ones in Turkey.

I totally accept that these are not countable as the original population is believed to have died out, but these 6 birds were living wildly in my honest opinion, miles from anywhere on extensively flat, barren stoney fields with no one or no building in sight for miles each way.

The only other literature I can find is this: - "The last known wild population persisted in north-western Morocco between the Oum Er-Rbia near Beni-Mellal and the Sebou River north of Meknes (inland from Rabat) until at least the 1950s, with sightings reported into the 1970s. Additional records from the 2000s in the same general area may represent feral populations of mixed ancestry."

This is the exact zone I saw the 6 birds, near Timahdite, interestingly. So they may at least be from a feral population of mixed ancestry.

 

[wolfbirder]

Another photo taken by the Spanish ringer ............showing the flooded lake adjacent to Yasmina. This area is dry most of the time, and it is here he erected his many nets.

 

[rollingthunder]

Reports from Maroc are always worth reading. You covered a lot of ground and saw some good birds. We have been 14 times in 6 years and have great trips despite no car. We go for 2 weeks move every 3 days by bus/coach and are usually the only Westerners on board. I even enjoyed 27 hours from Agadir to Dhakla. I still need stuff but don't do 'clean up' birding as I enjoy travelling in the place. I would not visit during Ramadan and in case of alcohol issues we go to a Supermarche and get a coupla slabs of Lager and a bottle of wine per day.....just in case.....or is it a case of wine just because we like the stuff! I have had Tchagra at a number of places so I think you were just unlucky - a few were around the Hotel Tamri along with a local pair of Barbary Falcons and obviously the Ibis. Talking of which the 1970's remnants of the Ibis Cafe used by birders is still there but gradually eroding. Worth a pic though.

I always send my notes etc to Patrick Bergier for his database.

Good birding -

Laurie -

 

[Jos Stratford]

I would not visit during Ramadan

Nice trip Nick 👍

In reality, traveling in Ramadan is usually no issue at all, I have visited many Islamic countries during Ramadan. You are not expected to observe Ramadan, though it is obviously polite not to sit eating in front of folk all day If actively travelling, eating and drinking is permitted anyhow and frequently I am offered food/drinks by locals regardless of whether they will also.

In most countries, shops remain open during the day and, even if not, you can just stock up the evening before.

I am currently in Saudi Arabia and, truth be told, it is difficult to see how this trip is being impacted at all by Ramadan - many supermarkets are open as usual and all services, such as transport and petrol stations, operate as normal. Shops do shut about 15 minutes before sunset, but they are open again not long after.

Actually sunset is the best time to travel back to hotel through the city, roads are deserted

 

[wolfbirder]

Reports from Maroc are always worth reading. You covered a lot of ground and saw some good birds. We have been 14 times in 6 years and have great trips despite no car. We go for 2 weeks move every 3 days by bus/coach and are usually the only Westerners on board. I even enjoyed 27 hours from Agadir to Dhakla. I still need stuff but don't do 'clean up' birding as I enjoy travelling in the place. I would not visit during Ramadan and in case of alcohol issues we go to a Supermarche and get a coupla slabs of Lager and a bottle of wine per day.....just in case.....or is it a case of wine just because we like the stuff! I have had Tchagra at a number of places so I think you were just unlucky - a few were around the Hotel Tamri along with a local pair of Barbary Falcons and obviously the Ibis. Talking of which the 1970's remnants of the Ibis Cafe used by birders is still there but gradually eroding. Worth a pic though.

I always send my notes etc to Patrick Bergier for his database.

Good birding -

Laurie -

Cheers Laurie, do all supermarkets sell beer, or just in major cities?
Ryan Air flights are so cheap that I've booked to go back for 3 nights to Ouarzazate end of April.
Might get another chance for TB Lark, Fulvous Babbler, Maghreb Lark, maybe even Tchagra but also perhaps better looks at Tristram's Warbler and Pharaoh Eagle Owl.

 

[wolfbirder]

Nice trip Nick 👍

In reality, traveling in Ramadan is usually no issue at all, I have visited many Islamic countries during Ramadan. You are not expected to observe Ramadan, though it is obviously polite not to sit eating in front of folk all day If actively travelling, eating and drinking is permitted anyhow and frequently I am offered food/drinks by locals regardless of whether they will also.

In most countries, shops remain open during the day and, even if not, you can just stock up the evening before.

I am currently in Saudi Arabia and, truth be told, it is difficult to see how this trip is being impacted at all by Ramadan - many supermarkets are open as usual and all services, such as transport and petrol stations, operate as normal. Shops do shut about 15 minutes before sunset, but they are open again not long after.

Actually sunset is the best time to travel back to hotel through the city, roads are deserted

Thanks Jos, and I agree, and in fact perhaps roads are quieter during the day during Ramadan.

 

[simmojunior]

Agreed. Ramadan was no trouble. A few cafes were shut but plenty open, alcohol available at hotels and roads quiet.

 

[rollingthunder]

From what I gather it is to do with alcohol licenses. The current King devolved his family from making money from alcohol and so the Maroc supermarket chains afaik do not sell anymore and it is restricted to the French ones which are fare fewer in number. We all know that it is available in Muslim countries any time but I am talking about not being ripped off in hotels i.e. the real World. As for travel - I do not drive so have to sit on buses with the locals. I doubt whether any travelling birders, Jos aside, ever do that. Everybody I know hires a car and pays through the nose accordingly. It seems as though Ramadan is a breeze - careful what you wish for.....

Laurie -

 

[opisska]

Well Ramadan can have consequences - we nearly died in Tajikistan because we hired a driver who was a devout muslim and refused to accept the "travellers' exception", so he got very little sleep between evening and morning eating, then did not drink the whole day and then fell asleep several times behind the wheel on steep mountain roads ... one of the reasons I like doing all driving myself

And what really is fun is Eid-al-fitr (or however it is spelt in various places), the three days after the end of Ramadan. Once we have spent those three days in Istanbul, because we were not aware of this and there was no way to leave town except for walking, everything was booked solid as in many muslim countries this is the time when everybody travels. Guess what, I am gonna see how it looks like in Jakarta pretty soon, I managed to book the tickets exactly to be comign back through Jakarta on the eve of Eid.

 

[Jos Stratford]

I do not drive so have to sit on buses with the locals. I doubt whether any travelling birders, Jos aside, ever do that. Everybody I know hires a car and pays through the nose accordingly.

Jos hates buses 😅

If I am not paying through the nose accordingly, I tend to hitchhike or just walk

 

[rollingthunder]

If you really want to see Ramadan, with none of the exotic birding, spend a few days where I live in the West Midlands where the roads are still cluttered but at least alcohol is freely available..........because we have Batham's brewery

https://bathams.co.uk/our-brews/

 

[MKinHK]

Thanks for another great report Nick. Some mighty desirable birds on your list - and definitely quality over quantity.

Cheers
Mike

 

[wolfbirder]

Thanks for another great report Nick. Some mighty desirable birds on your list - and definitely quality over quantity.

Cheers
Mike

Many thanks Mike.

It was disappointingly quiet I must admit, but worth the goodies!

 

[jogresh]

Another photo taken by the Spanish ringer ............showing the flooded lake adjacent to Yasmina. This area is dry most of the time, and it is here he erected his many nets.

Interesting and enjoyable report Nick, I can't wait to get back there. The Ouarzazarte option sounds interesting.
Good luck on your return visit, take a bottle of whisky/vodka with you, I did in Oman.
Interesting about the lake by Yasmina - was the Dayet Srij full do you know?.. 🤔

 

[wolfbirder]

Interesting and enjoyable report Nick, I can't wait to get back there. The Ouarzazarte option sounds interesting.
Good luck on your return visit, take a bottle of whisky/vodka with you, I did in Oman.
Interesting about the lake by Yasmina - was the Dayet Srij full do you know?.. 🤔

Hi Jogresh

Yeah I can't wait to go back to do the area around Boulmalne Dades and nearby, hope to get Thick billed Lark and Pharaoh Eagle Owl and Maghreb Lark.

I didn't even go to the Dayet Srij whilst I was at Merzouga, so sorry can't help with that but I suspect it was dry.

 

[simmojunior]

Hi Jogresh

Yeah I can't wait to go back to do the area around Boulmalne Dades and nearby, hope to get Thick billed Lark and Pharaoh Eagle Owl and Maghreb Lark.

I didn't even go to the Dayet Srij whilst I was at Merzouga, so sorry can't help with that but I suspect it was dry.

Dayet Srij was completely dry. It hasn't had water since 2023.

 

[wolfbirder]

Just returned from a 2nd three-night trip to Ouarzazate, Morocco courtesy of £60 return flights via Ryan Air from Stansted, in an attempt to claw back some species I missed on my first trip a few weeks back.

Failed miserably to see Levaillant’s Woodpecker or get better views of Tristram’s Warbler, but managed 3 lifers with 3 Thick-billed Larks, 2 Maghreb Larks, 2 Fulvous Babblers, plus General good birding including distant Pharaoh Eagle Owl at its nest, 4 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, 3 Temminck’s Horned Larks, 7 species of Wheatears including 8 Red-rumped and a Maghreb.

Birding was still very slow though, as was driving, hard to cover long distances anywhere.

Still might return later in the year for Tchagra.

 

[Muppit17]

Dayet Srij was completely dry. It hasn't had water since 2023.

Dayet Srij last had water in March 2020 and even then only a few puddles. You have to go back to autumn 2019 for a lake.

 

[Muppit17]

Dayet Srij last had water in March 2020 and even then only a few puddles. You have to go back to autumn 2019 for a lake.

Just to clarify, based upon the OP. Dayet Srij is not the lake by Yasmina, but is (was) about a kilometer to the west of the Merzouga to Rissani road. The lake around Yasmina hasnt had water since the last big rains (2014? )