KenM
Well-known member
My normal mode of birding is to FYO...ie not to frequent known sites, unless ''absolutely having to'', in order to connect. The previous day's excursion was a good example, North African Blue Tit being extremely local, I believe Betancuria and Pajara being the two main sites for this species...hence the ''four wheels''.
Wednesday morning I set off by myself and drove NNE some 20 minutes until I found an area that looked as though It could hold Houbara. Two hours later after walking some 1.5km, I'd drawn another blank...Berthelot's Pipit, Lesser Short-Toed Lark, Barbary Partridge, Southern Grey Shrike, Hoopoe and Raven being the sites total.
I then drove off further West, before locating another ''suitable'' looking area, parked the car, then moved off into an adjoining stoney desert area, with a modicum of cover. I'd walked some 1.5 miles into the interior, couldn't see the car, and it was mid-day plus (quite hot!).
The going was a little uncomfortable, if the rocks didn't turn your ankles the thorny scrub would ''get stuck in'', whereupon I found a farm track which I followed being easier underfoot. First birds of note that I encountered was a distant Egyptian Vulture, then two Common Buzzards (other than what I'd seen before at the previous stop) plus a ''heard only'' and alien to my ears, until the liquid bubbling notes morphed into two Black-Bellied Sandgrouse exploding from the ground into the air.
Camera at the ready I got off a couple of shots, this was indeed a tremendous reward for the effort employed, just a few moments later I saw the heads of an unspecified number of Cream-colored Coursers running through the cover, then taking off into the ''blue'', once again taking a film clip and some shots...what superb birds they are, in flight the mixed party of adults (showing an orange under-tail with contrasting black bars...I didn't know that!) with the more conservatively clad immatures...10 birds in total!
I felt that I needed to lie down such was the excitement, however time and Houbara (please), wait for no one. The next hour or so was spent scanning but to no avail, thus I decided to take a break and head back to (and relocate) the car. Still stopping and scanning as I walked back, when another two BBSandgrouse broke cover, with a few more resulting shots taken. I then scanned again, when I saw some 200m+distant what looked like a ''periscope'', slowly pushing up through the scrub, surely an illusion..the ''would be neck'' looking too slender? It then turned sideways..and I very calmly deduced Houbara!!!
What took place next...is still baffling! Camera at hand, I proceeded to film the bird over said distance....now you see it!...now you don't! I took care to stay on the farm track procuring relatively small images, but good enough to see what it was. I then decided that there was too much heat haze, thus I headed back to the car for some refreshment, thinking If I wait for an hour the light might improve, and perhaps If I can reconnect, better images might ensue.
Circa 3pm, I left the car and headed back along the farm track knowing that the odds were against me relocating the Houbara. Some time had elapsed before I heard the bubbling of more BBSandgrouse, and the dry ''Cher-Cher'' calls of Barbary Partridge. Intermixed occasionally with these calls was a single note call that I ''knew not what'' coming from behind. It was then that I picked up the ''periscope'' head of Houbara, again circa 200m away, and it appeared to ''head raise'' then run toward in a crouched manner, and it seemed to be activated, every time the call was made, to the point of closing down from c200-150mm!!
The next few minutes were ''unbelievable''...being a competent mimic on occasion, I thought I'd give it a go! I elicited the ''single note'' contact call (a touch louder) the bird responded immediately, running toward (head erect) after the call was made then crouching and stopping, until I called again. This was repeated about six times until the bird was c15-20 metres away!!! At this point I called once more and it altered course away to my right, showing what I can only describe as ''threat display'' fanning tail and opening wings...I'm still head-scratching on this, as the call does not appear to be mentioned in literature!
For obvious reasons I'm not going to describe the call or give a location! Needless to say I took some shots and film clips, If I'm able to make a copy then erase the sound I will YouTube it for general consumption.
I enjoyed an extra glass that evening, FWIW If that was bizarre, then my next encounter was equally so, and that's a film clip that I can share :eek!:
Wednesday morning I set off by myself and drove NNE some 20 minutes until I found an area that looked as though It could hold Houbara. Two hours later after walking some 1.5km, I'd drawn another blank...Berthelot's Pipit, Lesser Short-Toed Lark, Barbary Partridge, Southern Grey Shrike, Hoopoe and Raven being the sites total.
I then drove off further West, before locating another ''suitable'' looking area, parked the car, then moved off into an adjoining stoney desert area, with a modicum of cover. I'd walked some 1.5 miles into the interior, couldn't see the car, and it was mid-day plus (quite hot!).
The going was a little uncomfortable, if the rocks didn't turn your ankles the thorny scrub would ''get stuck in'', whereupon I found a farm track which I followed being easier underfoot. First birds of note that I encountered was a distant Egyptian Vulture, then two Common Buzzards (other than what I'd seen before at the previous stop) plus a ''heard only'' and alien to my ears, until the liquid bubbling notes morphed into two Black-Bellied Sandgrouse exploding from the ground into the air.
Camera at the ready I got off a couple of shots, this was indeed a tremendous reward for the effort employed, just a few moments later I saw the heads of an unspecified number of Cream-colored Coursers running through the cover, then taking off into the ''blue'', once again taking a film clip and some shots...what superb birds they are, in flight the mixed party of adults (showing an orange under-tail with contrasting black bars...I didn't know that!) with the more conservatively clad immatures...10 birds in total!
I felt that I needed to lie down such was the excitement, however time and Houbara (please), wait for no one. The next hour or so was spent scanning but to no avail, thus I decided to take a break and head back to (and relocate) the car. Still stopping and scanning as I walked back, when another two BBSandgrouse broke cover, with a few more resulting shots taken. I then scanned again, when I saw some 200m+distant what looked like a ''periscope'', slowly pushing up through the scrub, surely an illusion..the ''would be neck'' looking too slender? It then turned sideways..and I very calmly deduced Houbara!!!
What took place next...is still baffling! Camera at hand, I proceeded to film the bird over said distance....now you see it!...now you don't! I took care to stay on the farm track procuring relatively small images, but good enough to see what it was. I then decided that there was too much heat haze, thus I headed back to the car for some refreshment, thinking If I wait for an hour the light might improve, and perhaps If I can reconnect, better images might ensue.
Circa 3pm, I left the car and headed back along the farm track knowing that the odds were against me relocating the Houbara. Some time had elapsed before I heard the bubbling of more BBSandgrouse, and the dry ''Cher-Cher'' calls of Barbary Partridge. Intermixed occasionally with these calls was a single note call that I ''knew not what'' coming from behind. It was then that I picked up the ''periscope'' head of Houbara, again circa 200m away, and it appeared to ''head raise'' then run toward in a crouched manner, and it seemed to be activated, every time the call was made, to the point of closing down from c200-150mm!!
The next few minutes were ''unbelievable''...being a competent mimic on occasion, I thought I'd give it a go! I elicited the ''single note'' contact call (a touch louder) the bird responded immediately, running toward (head erect) after the call was made then crouching and stopping, until I called again. This was repeated about six times until the bird was c15-20 metres away!!! At this point I called once more and it altered course away to my right, showing what I can only describe as ''threat display'' fanning tail and opening wings...I'm still head-scratching on this, as the call does not appear to be mentioned in literature!
For obvious reasons I'm not going to describe the call or give a location! Needless to say I took some shots and film clips, If I'm able to make a copy then erase the sound I will YouTube it for general consumption.
I enjoyed an extra glass that evening, FWIW If that was bizarre, then my next encounter was equally so, and that's a film clip that I can share :eek!: