Allen’s Gallinule and Pallid Harrier (1 Viewer)

[Mohamed Amezian]

Allen’s Gallinule photographed at Gleib Jdiane on the Dakhla-Aousserd road by Mohamed Mediani on 18 February 2016.

Also, a Pallid Harrier photographed at Oued Massa by Mark Beevers on 16 Feburuary.

 

[Ratal]

Pallid Harrier always a stunning raptor to see.

Envious, sounds a great trip.

 

[cafe birder]

I heard this bird calling soon after dawn on 16th feb but despite going back 3 times I never even glimpsed it. Its a bit frustrating that it then popped out in front of someone else.

Paul and I had two very small, comparitively short necked cormorants with rather bulbous heads fly off from behind the fishing boats at the south end of Dakhla bay on 17th feb. Unfortunately these flew into an area directly into the sun. I strongly suspect that they were long-tailed cormorants(which I have seen elsewhere in Africa) but the light was too bad to confirm them. Worth a look for anyone still in the area though. We will post a trip report shortly.

Howard

 

[Mohamed Amezian]

Pallid Harrier always a stunning raptor to see.

Envious, sounds a great trip.

Indeed, the Pallid Harrier is a good raptor to see especially that we are used to see its three sister species. I have seen one last year in northern Morocco far away, so I still consider myself I haven't seen it properly.

I heard this bird calling soon after dawn on 16th feb but despite going back 3 times I never even glimpsed it. Its a bit frustrating that it then popped out in front of someone else.
Howard

Did you mean the Allen’s Gallinule? If so, I was as unlucky as you with this species, I had only seen a dead bird at Tahaddart estuary in January 2011. No live bird yet.

 

[Mohamed Amezian]

Long-tailed Cormorant

Paul and I had two very small, comparitively short necked cormorants with rather bulbous heads fly off from behind the fishing boats at the south end of Dakhla bay on 17th feb. Unfortunately these flew into an area directly into the sun. I strongly suspect that they were long-tailed cormorants (which I have seen elsewhere in Africa) but the light was too bad to confirm them. Worth a look for anyone still in the area though. We will post a trip report shortly.

Howard

This would have been very good, as it hasn’t been recorded in the region for a long time now.

Here is what the Bird of Morocco (Thévenot et al. 2003) says about the species:

Accidental visitor to the Cap Blanc Peninsula on the Morocco-Mauritanian border (Milon 1959, Mahé 1985), only 3 coastal records further north: 4 at Puerto Rico near Dakhla, 14 Apt 1955, and 20 at Lagtoa, 16 Apr 1955 (JV); One at the Massa estuary in Souss, 5 Apr 1982 (R. E. Hansen).

 

[cafe birder]

hi acrocephalus. yes it was the galinule I heard but I wanted to check the call of mauritainian toad before I mentioned it in case I made a mistake. Back home now and have had a chance to research these calls and happy that it was not a toad. I heard a string of higher pitched calls followed by two of the classic allens gallinule adult calls so it is possible that there is more than one bird present.

I am hoping that someone gets to see the cormorants at the southern tip as we just did not get enough detail on them in flight to confirm the species.

regards Howard

 

[Mohamed Amezian]

Oued Massa

A possible Allen’s Gallinule in the reed bed along Oued Massa (29.9701430, -9.6587820). Yesterday, Fabian Schneider and co. heard calls consistent with those of Allen's Gallinule but they were not sure 100%.

In late December 2014, a young bird was photographed at this site.