Report from a trekking in central Morocco (1 Viewer)

Here "invite" you to take a look at a short report from 28 Dec. 2012 to 4 Jan. 2013.
Apart from some sightings in Marrakech, Ouarzazate or various roads, most of the trip was a real trekking in the Zagora Province, in the inner middle of Morocco.
PDF report here.

Andrea-Bologna said:

Here "invite" you to take a look at a short report from 28 Dec. 2012 to 4 Jan. 2013.
Apart from some sightings in Marrakech, Ouarzazate or various roads, most of the trip was a real trekking in the Zagora Province, in the inner middle of Morocco.
PDF report here.

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Andrea...I was just looking at a possible upcoming trip to Morocco.... did you find it safe? I see your list and those are all new ones to me, being from North America.... Any tips you would suggest other than the Zagora Province? jim

Thanks Andrea, nice photos in that link!

Jim, I am also currently planning a trip there. You should not have any particular worries about safety in Maroc, I think.

About birding in Maroc, I am currently overwhelmed by the amount of info available. There are several books with birding sites available (Bergier, Gosney) and plenty on the internet as well, eg.:
http://www.go-south.org/
http://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/Morocco/hotspots.html

Hi all,

Jim, you are most welcome to Morocco. I am Moroccan and I live in Morocco (as a disclosure!). As dalat said, Morocco is absolutely safe to visit, and foreign birders visit alone the most isolated areas in the country without any problem (and many are members of this forum).

I quoted the following text from a Dutch birder who apparently visited Morocco for the first time. Please visit his website to see it for yourself and for some great photographs: http://www.hansoverduin.nl/travel-tales/taste-of-morocco/

Morocco is – as far as we have experienced – one great country, with stunning nature, a wide variety of birds and most of all very friendly and welcoming people !! A shame that tourists stay away, out of fear of what’s happening in the surrounding countries. Rest assured: Morocco is a ‘must’ to visit. Whether you are into cycling, surfing, birding, culture or whatever: they all have it !

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Also as dalat said, you can just Google (birding Morocco, birds Morocco…) and you will be amazed by the amount of birder-created information available on the web. I also add to the websites mentioned by dalat the following link which contains several trip-reports about Morocco:
http://www.surfbirds.com/Trip%20Reports/morocco.php

Andrea, your Blue Tit should be Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarines (African Blue Tit) and not Cyanistes caeruleus (its European cousin).

Acrocephalus said:

your Blue Tit should be Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarines (African Blue Tit) and not Cyanistes caeruleus (its European cousin).

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Yes, I think I'll update my report!

lmans66 said:

Andrea...I was just looking at a possible upcoming trip to Morocco.... did you find it safe? I see your list and those are all new ones to me, being from North America.... Any tips you would suggest other than the Zagora Province? jim

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hi there,
the other guys already responded to your request. Morocco it's the safest state in N Africa now. I thought Tunisia was nice too, but right now they have some troubles, I hope they will fit soon. I see Egypt and Algeria are regularly visited (ie. trekking - hiking trips) without troubles.
I love N Africa....
About Morocco, just do not watch the movie "Babel" before going there!
:-O

I've done 7 trips in 4 years, with my girlfriend, we don't drive, use local buses and taxis and i spend lots of hours birding on my own and i can honestly say (apart from some of the persistent kids) that i have not had one incident.

I had some kids hassling me for money around Tamri and threatening to 'scare' off the 'Ibbiss' but they were'nt there anyway (seen later, on a seawatch:eek! i let them look thru my scope - they're just kids trying to hustle.

Maroc is used to 'Westerners' wandering about, altho i would'nt feel the same in some of the adjacent 'Maghgreb' at present.......which is a pity.

Laurie:t: