Some of the 38 Northern Bald Ibises at Tamri
This species has been one I have always wanted to see. They were once widespread across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, but there range has been contracting for several hundred years. A particularly rapid contraction took place in the last century, and by 2000, the only wild birds were in Morocco and Syria. Since then, the Syrian Civil War has taken its toll on the migratory ibises there (which previously wintered in Sudan) and this year it was sadly reported that only one bird remained at their colony. Thankfully the resident Moroccan population seems stable, with number (very slowly) increasing. They still only have two breeding sites- at Tamri and at Souss Massa- with a combined total of approximately 250 wild birds in existence, but plans are underway to reintroduce the bird into Austria, Spain, Algeria and Turkey (where semi-wild birds breed and are then caged in winter to prevent migration). Hopefully the future will be bright for this stunning and extraordinarily distinct species with a highly traumatic history.
While watching the ibises, a Spectacled Warbler popped up just next to me. It was the first I had seen of this species and there were several Northern Gannets offshore.
Spectacled Warbler, Tamri
I had one last thing to do in Tamri before we moved on- to visit the lagoon. There, we found a Marsh Harrier, an Osprey, several Shovelers and Mallard and a huge number of gulls.
Audouin's Gulls (in front), with Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the background at Tamri.
Among the gulls were approximately 350 Audouin's Gulls, my first of this exotic-looking gull. This species' fortunes have taken a remarkable turn for the better- not long ago it was almost extinct and at the same time only seven were known to have wintered at Tamri. Now, counts of up to 800 are not uncommon, and the population in Spain's Ebro Delta has increased to 10 000 pairs. It really is an encouraging story of bringing a species back from the brink.
Sadly no Slender-billed Gulls were present, but it was great to see this Osprey circling above the lagoon:
Osprey, Tamri
The next day, we visited Morocco's most famous reserve- Souss Massa. Once this was a Garden of Eden for wildlife, with thousands of waders, herons, flamingos, ducks and other species, not to mention Ostriches, Addax, Oryxes and Gazelles. Sadly the latter four species were exterminated during the French rule of Morocco by hunters, but there are plans to reintroduce all of them. Extreme flooding several years ago connected Oued Massa, once a freshwater lagoon, to the sea, and its new salinity proved disastrous for waterfowl numbers. That, combined with horrific sand slides covering its once wader-infested muddy shores, has given the place a rather sad and depressing aura. Our guide reported that not long ago, it was almost impossible to find a single bird on the Oued, but it seems that they are gradually returning as the water begins to lose its salinity. We were rather disappointed by the Oued as nothing had warned us of what it had become, but there was still a decent number of species present, if not decent numbers of each species. The highlight at the Oued was finding four Ruddy Shelduck, my first genuinely wild birds of this species, following dozens of captive birds in London's parks.
Ruddy Shelduck, Oued Massa. The three birds in front to the right are Pintails and those to the left are Garganey.
Otherwise, the area was almost completely devoid of ducks, with just six Pintail, two Garganeys (not a common bird in winter here) and a Common Shelduck seen. Wader numbers were better, with numerous Ringed, Kentish and Grey Plovers, Dunlins, Greenshanks, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Common Sandpipers and Sanderlings present. Another Osprey was seen there, and among the many hundred gulls were about 80 Audouin's Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls and 20 Sandwich Terns. But somehow no Slender-billed Gulls again! Best of all, however, were three Caspian Terns. This enormous, Herring Gull-sized Tern (the largest tern in the world) ```with a great carrot of an orange bill is a scarce wintering bird here.
Caspian Tern, Oued Massa
On top of that, several Great and Little Egrets, Grey Herons, six (previously several thousand wintered here) Greater Flamingos and a Little Owl were seen. A Black-crowned Tchagra was heard, but not seen.
Earlier in the day, we had visited a 'secret pool' just outside the reserve, with one major target. But before that, just as we approached the reserve, we found two of these beside the road:
Cream-coloured Courser, just outside Souss Massa reserve
This beautiful desert species was a first for me, and one that was certainly not expected at Souss Massa. Apparently the bird is regular here in February and March, spending the rest of its time in the Sahara. Remarkably, two years ago, one was found on a golf course in Hertfordshire!
We then came to the 'secret pool,' where, after some extensive searching, 25 Marbled Teals were found.
Marbled Teal, Souss Massa
This respledent duck, the only member of its genus Marmonetta, has declined in recent years across its range and is now classified as vulner. Thankfully, it seems to still be found in decent numbers in the grassy pools just outside Souss Massa reserve. Nearby were hundreds of Swallows, Crag and Brown-throated Martins and six Pallid Swifts. Also seen were a Common Kingfisher, a Long-legged Buzzard, three flying Glossy Ibises and a Spoonbill. Another Black-crowned Tchagra was heard (and again not seen), while Cetti's Warbler, Common Teal and Spanish Sparrows were my first in Africa.
Our hotel at Taroudant (a long two and a half hour drive from Souss Massa) had superb gardens, however nothing more exciting than a Sardinian Warbler was to be found in them. A flyover Green Sandpiper that briefly circled overhead was a surprise. However, a lack of any real excitement bird-wise allowed to me focus on photographing some of the more common species found there:
African Chaffinch- surely not the same species as our British Chaffinches, but not yet split.
House Sparrow bathing at Taroudant
Common Bulbul at Taroudant
Our next destination was the Ourika Valley in the Atlas Mountains. Our route took us through the photogenic Tizi'n Test Pass
The Tizi'n Test Pass
The pass is filled with birdlife, and I saw several Stone-Curlews, a Dipper, a Blue Rock Thrush and two Black Wheatears among many other great species.
We visited Bab Ourika very briefly last January, when I enjoyed a superb half an hour of walking behind the hotel. On this occasion, fewer species were present, but among the more common Moroccan species we found three Rock Buntings and twelve Barbary Partridges (a species nearly endemic to North Africa).
Barbary Partridge, Ourika Valley
It was great to see nine Lesser Kestrels hawking for insects over the fields near the hotel- this is a habit that Common Kestrels do not have. The overall highlight here, however, was seeing my first Levaillant's Woodpecker, albeit distantly. This species is endemic to the Atlas Mountains and was a fine way to end the trip.
