Swallow!

My first Swallow of Spring flew over the garden at Hilfield this afternoon- the first I have ever had here in March. On top of that, I also saw my earliest ever Hilfield Blackcap on the 30th. What a Spring this has been so far!

Redstart in the garden!

Common Redstart, Hilfield, 29/3/14 

It was a really fantastic surprise to find a male Common Redstart in the garden this morning. A truly stunning bird to have here and a rather scarce one, particularly as late March is rather early for this species which winters in Sub-Saharan Africa to arrive in Britain. I hope it stays around for a while!

There are good numbers of Chiffchaffs singing in the garden right now, and there have been several Meadow Pipits flying over- Spring is certainly well and truly on its way. Hopefully Swallows will be coming soon....

Portland Bill 18th March

With my AS level exams to look forward to this summer, I have been unable to escape out for a morning's birding since returning from Morocco in January, until this morning, when we headed down to Portland. 

We weren't expecting to find anything of particular interest, but I fancied seeing my first spring migrants of the year and at Portland, one always feels that there is a great chance of finding something special.

The highlight of the morning was seeing my first ever Iceland Gull. A second year bird (presumably the one which has been in the Weymouth-Portland area for much of the winter) flew past just offshore. This stunningly-white Arctic species has arrived in Dorset in good numbers this year and it was great to find one for myself. A Sandwich Tern, technically my first summer migrant of the year, also passed the Bill, along with large numbers of the more regularly-occuring gulls, Guillemots and Fulmars.

Large numbers of Meadow Pipits and alba Wagtails were coming in off the sea, and many of both species were around on land. It took some time to find a Wheatear, but then we came across four (three males and a female) near the military compound.

It is certainly a sign of how busy I have been this year that my first birding outing has yielded my first summer migrants. 

Dozens of singing Skylarks added to this sense of spring, while seeing a Raven and several Kestrels; as well as Fulmars, Shags and Guillemots returning to their nests on the cliffs, all combined to create a rather idyllic scene. 

Meanwhile, spring has reached Hilfield, with the first Chiffchaffs of the year in song on the 18th, one of which I saw well. All is looking up after an extremely long and arduous winter.

Morocco part two

On the 3rd January, we left Sidi Kaouki and travelled to Taroudant, with a rather major stop taken on the way. That was at Tamri, now the best place in the world to see the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis. After a very tense two hours of searching the fields around the lagoon, I was lucky enough to find 38 of these magnificent, turkey-like beasts together.

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.

Morocco 31st December-9th January

On the night of the 30th of December, we arrived in Marrakech for a ten day trip to Morocco. The next morning, I spent some time watching the birds from our riad in the centre of town. Marrakech is actually surprisingly good for birds- with House Buntings, Spotless Starlings and Common Bulbuls being especially abundant:

House Bunting, Marrakech

Spotless Starling, Marrakech

House Bunting, Marrakech

House Buntings are endemic to North Africa, but it seems rather bizarre that they have not spread further as they are found in all habitats in large numbers in this region. Equally common in Marrakech are Collared Doves, House Sparrows and Feral Pigeons. There is also a resident breeding population of White Storks in the city, however we sadly did not have time to go and see them on this occasion. Later in the morning, we headed towards Essaouira, where we would stay for the next three nights. On the way, I saw a decent number of White Storks, as well as Southern Grey Shrikes, my first Goldfinches in Africa and many other species. One of those species was Trumpeter Finch- a first for me.

Our hotel was just south of Essaouira, at what turned out to be a very popular destination for surfers. The birding here was absolutely excellent, with two new species for me- Thekla Lark and the resplendent and near-endemic to Morocco Moussier's Redstart- seen on the first afternoon.

Moussier's Redstarts, Sidi Kaouki. This is the male- the female looks very much like a duller-coloured female Common Redstart

The fields behind our hotel swarmed with birds- the remarkably distinctive African Chaffinch, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Serins, Black Redstarts, Stonechats, African Blue Tits and Cirl Buntings all being regularly seen among many common British species.

Cirl Bunting, Sidi Kaouki. This species was once common across southern England, but is now restriced to small patches of the Devon coastline. Thankfully, it is still common in Morocco.

One very pleasant surprise was finding a Turtle-Dove among the numerous Collared Doves. This species rarely winters in coastal Morocco, and this bird was certainly alone. Again, it is another species that has declined in Britain, with a 91% drop in numbers recorded in the last decade- largely caused by merciless shooting of the bird as it migrates over the Mediterranean in Spring and Autumn.

Turtle-Dove, Sidi Kaouki

The best species we found in these fields was Little Owl- my first in Africa. Two of these stunning birds were seen every day sitting in their favourite place on a stone wall.

 Little Owl, Sidi Kaouki

Other species seen in the fields include Linnet, Cattle Egret, Kestrel, Thekla and Crested Larks, numerous Moussier's Redstart and Sardinian Warbler.

Sardinian Warbler, Sidi Kaouki

The beach at Sidi Kaouki turned out to be a good site for bird-watching as well, with Whimbrels; Grey, Ringed and Kentish Plovers; Turnstones and Sanderlings all common, along with an abundance of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Little Egrets and on one day an Osprey. Moroccan Cormorants were also seen. Just behind the beach, we found a very unexpected wintering Common Redstart.

The garden of the hotel contained many Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, Robins and several very confiding Southern Grey Shrikes.

Southern Grey Shrikes, Sidi Kaouki

On one day, we visited the fishing town of Essaouira. The town is famous for its fish markets and fishing fleet, which attract an immensely large number of gulls. The majority were Lesser Black-backed Gulls, but among them were several Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls. Then, as I was walking along the edge of the port, I found this:

First winter Glaucous Gull, Essaouira (second from the right)- note the white wing tips and pale back colouration.

A Glaucous Gull! This is an extraordinarily rare vagrant to Morocco- from the Arctic. Its most southerly breeding grounds are in Iceland and in winter it very rarely travels as far south as Dorset in winter (let alone Morocco!). This species had been on my radar, after thinking of going to see one at West Bexington in Dorset the week before. I certainly did not expect to see my first of this truly Arctic species in Africa, but was over the moon at having found it.

Near the estuary at Essaouira, I found my first Brown-throated Martins north of the Sahara (this species is abundant in sub-Saharan Africa, but is restricted to Morocco north of it). 

                        

A sleeping Cattle Egret at Sidi Kaouki about to be rudely woken up by a camel. The camel walked up to the egret and pushed it with its nose. 

A rather dopey donkey with the 'town' of Sidi Kaouki in the background. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire area in the picture is transformed into a number of hotels in the near future. Certainly the great beach and proximity to Essaouira and Marrakech gives it the potential to become a major tourist destination. Thankfully, for now, there are still very few visitors.

Chameleons were very common in the garden of our hotel. We found this one next to our breakfast table. 

MEGA RARITY: Brünnich's Guillemot in Portland Harbour!

While settling into a nice, calm Boxing Day morning, I decided to check Bird News Extra, just to make sure I wasn't missing anything special on this sunny day. I was missing something. A Brünnich's Guillemot (first for Dorset- actually first for Britain south of Lancashire and fourth for England) had been found off Osprey Quay. Within forty minutes, we were standing at Osprey Quay enjoying great (if rather distant) views of this mega rare Arctic vagrant as it swum among the boats:

Brünnich's Guillemot, Portland Harbour, 26/12/13

What a great first time to use my new camera that I got for Christmas. Nearby, the Black Guillemot was still off Portland Castle (but sadly still too distant for photography) and two Black-throated Divers and one Great Northern Diver were there too. Feeling very much content, we then headed to Hamm Beach, where two more Black-throated Divers and a Red-necked Grebe were present. What a winter Portland Harbour is having!

As if the day could get any better, we decided to stop off at the Weymouth Glossy Ibis, my second in the UK, showing very well in a flooded football field near Radipole Lake:

Glossy Ibis, Weymouth, 26/12/13

What a great day!

Black Guillemot, Portland Harbour

In atrocious weather, we headed to Portland Harbour yesterday morning in pursuit of a first-winter Black Guillemot that had spent the previous two days off Portland Castle. We arrived at first light, and I immediately found the bird distantly off the castle, only for it to disappear underwater and resurface several minutes later further away. This was a new species for me, a very rare one in Dorset, but a common breeder much further north in this country. While they are jet black in summer, with stunningly red feet, at this time of year, they take on a white plumage, with the small black speckles covering their body simply reminders of their more respledent summer coat. The bird was far too distant for any photography, and the violent wind howling into our faces made viewing difficult, but I was still very pleased with seeing this great species. Also in Portland Harbour, we found two Great Northern Divers and a Black-necked Grebe.

Meanwhile, I heard of the tragic and untimely death of Cameron Bespolka in a skiing accident in Austria. I was at school with Cameron for a brief period of time and we spent many hours talking to each other about birding. He was immensely passionate about birds, and had a great knowledge of them, particularly for someone so young. He died at the age of sixteen, having had a very bright future lying in front of him. Rest in peace Cameron, and sincere condolences to all of the Bespolka family.