Acrocephalus
Well-known member
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Raptors news from Morocco (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Acrocephalus
- Start date
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Spanish Imperial Eagle
At least 4 Spanish Imperial Eagles crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Northern Africa this autumn (all first-year birds). Three were photographed just after crossing the Strait by my friend Rachid El Khamlichi (in Sep, Oct and Nov respectively).
The 4th bird was satellite-tracked from Andalusia and after crossing the Strait he traveled half Morocco and even visited Algeria for a time before going south and then north to an area near Casablanca. There, apparently its final wintering area, it was photographed in late October by Karim Rousselon (plenty of trees for perching and prey). Photos posted in the blog shown in my signature.
At least 4 Spanish Imperial Eagles crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to Northern Africa this autumn (all first-year birds). Three were photographed just after crossing the Strait by my friend Rachid El Khamlichi (in Sep, Oct and Nov respectively).
The 4th bird was satellite-tracked from Andalusia and after crossing the Strait he traveled half Morocco and even visited Algeria for a time before going south and then north to an area near Casablanca. There, apparently its final wintering area, it was photographed in late October by Karim Rousselon (plenty of trees for perching and prey). Photos posted in the blog shown in my signature.
Torchepot
Well-known member
Thanks Mohamed - very interesting
Hope you don't mind - this link should go straight to the article :t:
http://www.magornitho.org/2017/12/spanish-imperial-eagle-migration-2017/
Hope you don't mind - this link should go straight to the article :t:
http://www.magornitho.org/2017/12/spanish-imperial-eagle-migration-2017/
Last edited:
KenM
Well-known member
Likewise Mohamed, a very interesting article, also the links to increased incidence of Yellow-browsed Warbler overwintering in the region. :t:
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
You are welcome!
The same for the Olive-backed Pipit, there should have been more records here as well (Only 4 birds this autumn and all at Rabat by the same observer. But at least, in this case the species needs some efforts to differentiate it from other pipits).
You can post the link as you like! I didn't include it because I thought that the photos are the only additional information in the link and are not central for the news about this known species.
Yes there are more records of Y-b W than in previous years, but still I think the species is under recorded (given the numbers seen in Western Europe).
The same for the Olive-backed Pipit, there should have been more records here as well (Only 4 birds this autumn and all at Rabat by the same observer. But at least, in this case the species needs some efforts to differentiate it from other pipits).
KenM
Well-known member
Over the last few years during late December Mohamed, Olive-backed Pipit x 4, plus Red-throated Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler have all been found overwintering on Fuerteventura (Canary Islands). Perhaps more "hunting" around Rabat and elsewhere in the region, might well produce more overwintering Siberian vagrants?
Cheers
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Poaching
Authorities and NGOs against the poachers again.
A Peregrine Falcon from Finland and a Saker Falcon rescued from poachers in Morocco last November. The Saker was ringed and GPS-tagged but unfortunately died a few days later.
A similar case happened two years ago with a male Peregrine originated from an introduction project in Sweden. When this bird successfully reared 3 young in 2015, it was the first breeding of the species in central Sweden for 60 years. He was a star in that region. After finishing the breeding season, he decided to have a holiday in Morocco so he can enjoy some sunshine. But at his arrival, he found the poachers waiting for him. In the end he was lucky and was released.
Note: the Saker Falcon is rare in Morocco; this bird is only the fifth record. Although some birds, especially in light phase, may have gone unnoticed because they can easily be confused with Lanner Falcons.
Authorities and NGOs against the poachers again.
A Peregrine Falcon from Finland and a Saker Falcon rescued from poachers in Morocco last November. The Saker was ringed and GPS-tagged but unfortunately died a few days later.
A similar case happened two years ago with a male Peregrine originated from an introduction project in Sweden. When this bird successfully reared 3 young in 2015, it was the first breeding of the species in central Sweden for 60 years. He was a star in that region. After finishing the breeding season, he decided to have a holiday in Morocco so he can enjoy some sunshine. But at his arrival, he found the poachers waiting for him. In the end he was lucky and was released.
Note: the Saker Falcon is rare in Morocco; this bird is only the fifth record. Although some birds, especially in light phase, may have gone unnoticed because they can easily be confused with Lanner Falcons.
jogresh
Bimble and patch
Yes it makes one wonder doesn't it... there was the wild Hungarian bird which was satellite tracked through western Europe and north west Africa to its wintering area at Banc D'Arguin... was this really exceptional?..
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Yes it makes one wonder doesn't it... there was the wild Hungarian bird which was satellite tracked through western Europe and north west Africa to its wintering area at Banc D'Arguin... was this really exceptional?..
Indeed. As in the case of other species, satellite tracking studies reveal some interesting facts. By the way, that Hungarian Saker unfortunately died soon after arriving to Mauritania (but that's normal as 50% of juveniles die before the end of the calendar year, as shown by the study cited in that report).
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
It’s been a while since I haven’t posted here. There were some recent news that range from ‘neutral’ or normal (e.g. Rüppell’s Vultures), quite good (some vulture wing-tagging) to bad (a French GPS-tracked Montagu’s Harrier found dead). They are filed under these two tags:
http://www.magornitho.org/tag/accipitridae/
http://www.magornitho.org/tag/vultures/
http://www.magornitho.org/tag/accipitridae/
http://www.magornitho.org/tag/vultures/
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Lanner Falcons vs Buzzards
Some raptor actions recorded in video.
Lanner Falcon usurping an occupied nest of North African Buzzard after attacks.
The buzzard was incubating 2 eggs when attacked, the falcons went on to occupy the nest and lay their own eggs.
Details here: http://www.magornitho.org/2020/02/lanner-falcon-usurping-buzzards-nest/
Some raptor actions recorded in video.
Lanner Falcon usurping an occupied nest of North African Buzzard after attacks.
The buzzard was incubating 2 eggs when attacked, the falcons went on to occupy the nest and lay their own eggs.
Details here: http://www.magornitho.org/2020/02/lanner-falcon-usurping-buzzards-nest/
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Large Black Kite roosts at Jbel Moussa
Probably the largest roosting of Black Kites recorded on migration through this flyway.
Watch until the end of the video to see the actual roosts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p074MgiDoNc
Next day, 3 March 2020, over 10,000 have passed just over Gibraltar (see, e.g.: https://twitter.com/gonhsgib/status/1234934220436463622).
Probably the largest roosting of Black Kites recorded on migration through this flyway.
Watch until the end of the video to see the actual roosts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p074MgiDoNc
Next day, 3 March 2020, over 10,000 have passed just over Gibraltar (see, e.g.: https://twitter.com/gonhsgib/status/1234934220436463622).
Last edited:
I was South of the High Atlas and it was noticeable that there was no migration in the last ten days of February. The first early signs were on 28/29th February.
It is likely to guess that the sandstorm that impacted the Canaries cut off the northerly movement of species and now, like a cork out of a bottle, they are chasing north again.
We did see a couple of Spoonbills that were so badly abraded that they could hardly fly. It is good to know that at least one species waited.
Acrocephalus
Well-known member
Thanks for mentioning this. At first, we haven't thought about it but now I also think it's very possible this is the case. These sandstorms can indeed stop birds from migrating further, not just slowing their migration but the actual halt of movements. This photo of White Storks standing in the middle of a sand dust is a perfect example (the photo which was taken by Arnoud van den Berg is in the middle of the page).
RafaelMatias
Unknown member
New paper on Spanish Imperial Eagle migration: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-019-01732-0?wt_mc=alerts.TOCjournals
Morandini, V., González, E., Bildstein, K. et al. 2020. Juvenile dispersal in an uninhabited continent: young Spanish Imperial Eagles in Africa. J Ornithol 161, 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-019-01732-0
ABSTRACT
PDF
Morandini, V., González, E., Bildstein, K. et al. 2020. Juvenile dispersal in an uninhabited continent: young Spanish Imperial Eagles in Africa. J Ornithol 161, 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-019-01732-0
ABSTRACT
Similar threads
