Morocco & Western Sahara 24th March – 7th April 2018

Participants: Valentin Condal, Paul Dufour, Antoine Reboul Contact: paul.dufour80@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION We are 3 French birders who have done our first trip in Morocco and Western-Sahara. The idea was simply to discover this country and to see the most of species unknown to us. Finding information for birding place in Morocco is quite easy nowadays, we found a lot of good locations in trip reports, http://observado.org, http://ebird.com and on the http://www.bigyearwp.com website that did the same circuit that we wanted to do… For some specific species, we also collected information from our friends that we warmly thank. We chose to combine a trip in northern Morocco and Western Sahara but omitted the eastern part of Sahara in the region of Boulmane Dades – Ourzazate (therefore some species...). Fifteen days is a good timing for this trip but too short to add one or more steps. With some supplementary days, we could have been able to reach M'Hamid El Ghizlane to try to see the Pied Crow or/and the Tiznit area to spot the sandgrouses… But all in all, we were very satisfied of our trip, north and south are two very different regions and the Western Sahara is so much promising that we’ll go back soon! Most of the targets were seen with some highlights: Golden Nighjtar: we were a bit worried for this species which begins to be quiet in this period and we missed it in the first evening in Oued Jenna, we were luckier on the second try… Sudan Golden Sparrow: SGS actually only spend winter in the Oued Jenna area, we luckily spotted three birds in a large flock of Desert Sparrow during our first hour of search. Kelp Gull: the status of the species is always uncertain in the area, and records seem more probable during the summer period (see Jönsson 2011), we found two adults on a large flock of Lesser Black-backed Gull near Afkhennir and one very good candidate of a 2cy bird in the Dakhla bay (see below). Unfortunately, some targets were missed, mostly because we did not go in the good places (Mourning Wheatear, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Tawny Owl ssp mauretanica). We missed the Pharaoh Eagle Owl in Oued Jenna where several birders flushed a bird before and after us, and also missed the Common Buttonquail on the well-known location near Sidi-Abed where no bird was calling during our morning of search. We unfortunately didn’t see any White Wagtail of the supersonata ssp. Noted that we have only seen one species of Sandgrouse, missing especially the Lichtenstein and Spotted Sandgrouses. PRACTICAL FACTS & WEATHER Flights: Paris – Marrakech with Royal Air Maroc (~220 € per person). A bit expensive, it’s clearly possible to find cheaper flights but our dates were a bit inflexible and we wanted to leave from Paris… Car rental: Dirent – paid €450 for 15 days with a Dacia Duster (all insurances included) and two additional drivers. We were very satisfied by the car rental company (very complacent at the return), and the car did the work in the desert. Accomodation: We decided to camp almost every day, because it is simple to be on the spot early in the morning and just because it is so cool to be free to camp almost everywhere (and also because it was less expensive for our tight budget). Moreover, nights are very quiet, temperatures very pleasant at this period and people very friendly. On the Atlantic coast, we suffered several nights of hard wind, which also made sticky all your stuffs with the sea spray.

A tent with self-supporting structure is essential, and we (I) advise a good “2s” tent from Decathlon. Police control : Despite several controls in each city crossed, the time of systematic and careful inspection of the car is over today… We were controlled just a few times and have not encountered any problem, but it is true that speaking French helps a lot in this country… SPECIAL NOTE : Marsh Owl The Marsh Owl is one of the famous target for every birdwatching trip in north Morocco. As everyone knows, the species is drastically declining in his main area around the Merja Zerga lagoon. Local people are accustomed to seeing birdwatcher looking for this species around the lagoon and do not hesitate to take them to flush birds to their nests. This practice is of course regrettable and especially on the part of birdwatchers… On the advice of French birder friends (Pierrick Devoucoux as. pers.), we contacted the owner of the lodge “Le nid du Hibou” located in Moulay Bousselham. The guy is aware of the situation concerning the species and knows it very well. Moreover, during a prolonged winter period, birds are sleeping in trees located not so far from this lodge. In the evening, we observed with him from the roof of the lodge and we had the chance to have good views of two birds leaving their diurnal roosts and passing above us (some meters above !!!). According to Khalil, the owner, owls came back very early in the morning also by passing some meters above the lodge and they do this, every morning and every evening during several months of the year. Admittedly, the lodge price is a bit expensive (for the country) : around 900 MAD for one night for 3 persons with meal and breakfast, but it’s still reasonable. Moreover the food is succulent and Khalil and his family are very friendly. That’s why, we highly recommended to birdwatchers to contact him to try to see this species that way. In any case, if birds did not pass in the last few days above his house, he will tell you and give you some good advices ! Notice: We tried to do in this report an exhaustive list for each area we have visited, it is more than probable that we forgot some species and that more regular species are sometimes omitted. Foremost, this trip was a birding trip and we only indicated in this report our bird observations. First because we did not search a lot the other groups (herps, mammals) and because our knowledges on these subjects are a bit limited… Bird pictures were taken by Paul (https://www.flickr.com/photos/92211588@N08/albums ) and landscapes by Valentin or Antoine.

Day 1: March 24

We arrived at Marrakech Menara Airport at 9am after boarding at 6am at Orly Airport. First sightings in and around the airport: House Bunting, Little Swift, Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Kestrel… We drove to Agadir and the famous wadi Souss. On the road, brief views on: Southern Grey Shrike, Common Bulbul, North African Magpie, White Stork, Black Kite, 1 Booted Eagle, Red-rumped Swallow… In wadi Souss, we spotted classics shorebirds (with a great diversity!) along the spot (30.3630, -9.5770): Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Western Osprey, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Grey and Kentish Plover, Ruff, Common and Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Stone-curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Red Knot, Bar-tailed and Black-

tailed Godwit, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, 1 Little Gull (2 cy), Audouin’s Gull, Gull-billed and Sandwich Tern… Also: some Little Swift, Laughing Dove, at least one Crested Lark ssp? (our only observation on the trip) and several North African Magpie … We then took the road to wadi Massa, a stop on the road (30.0177, -9.5810) allowed us to see Great-spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl ssp glaux, Moussier’s Redstart (a pair), Spanish Sparrow, House Bunting… We arrived at Sidi Wassay at 6pm, just in time for a short walk in the steppe behind the village (30.0505, -9.6801): Eurasian Stone-curlew, Southern Grey Shrike algeriensis, Greater short-toed Lark, Tawny and Tree Pipit. But no Northern Bald Ibis… In the village: a pair of Moussier’s Redstart. We finished our day with a short seawatching session: some Northern Gannets, 1 Pomarine Skua going south. We slept in the fields on wadi Massa (29.9875, -9.6515) listening to the concert of Common Quail and 1 Common Grasshopper Warbler.

Day 2: March 25 We woke up at dawn and birding around the camp site: Common Quail, Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Western Marsh Harrier, 2 Black-crowned Tchagra, Thekla’s Lark, Common Bulbul, Cetti’s, Sedge, Eurasian Reed & Common Grasshopper Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Song Thrush (only seen by Paul), Moussier’s Redstart, Meadow & Tree Pipit, Corn Bunting, Common Chaffinch ssp africana… We drove along the wadi to search for our target and stop here (29.9932, -9.6612) when we heard a singing Olivaceous Warbler. We observed the area and finally get at least 4 Western Olivaceous Warblers, with some good views (see pics). On the spot, we also saw Little Bittern, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, European Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove, Little Swift, 3 Black-crowned Tchagra, Sand Martin, 1 or 2 Brown-throated Martin, Cetti’s Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler, Moussier’s Redstart, Cirl Bunting, a flock of 10 Spanish Sparrows… Another stop a little further on the wadi (29.9659, -9.6622) with 2 Black-crowned Tchagras, 1 Brown-throated Martin, Meadow Pipit, a probable Red-throated Pipit briefly heard, Corn Bunting… We took the road to Sidi Wassay. On the road some sightings: Little Owl ssp glaux, Blue Rock Thrush, House bunting, Black-eared Wheatear, Western Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting, Spanish Sparrow… Arriving at Sidi Wassay 2 Little Owl ssp glaux. We explored the steppe again: Southern Grey Shrike ssp algeriensis, Woodchat Shrike, at least 100 Greater Short-toed Lark (one flock of 40/50 birds in flight), around 30 Lesser Short-toed Lark, Common Chiffchaff, Subalpine & Spectacled Warbler, Moussier’s Redstart, Tawny Pipit. But still not Northern Bald Ibis, we started to be a little worried about it… We took the time to do another seawatching session at the same spot than the day before: 19 Garganey, 29 Northern Shoveler, 7 Northern Pintail going north. Some Northern Gannets, 1 Great Skua… We thought we saw Sandwich Tern migrating far in the sea until we realised with a close group that it was in fact a large number of Gull-billed Terns migrating along the coast, to us, a very unusual view of this species. On the beach, Whimbrel and Sanderling. Then, we took the decision to go to the northern part of the wadi estuary at Sidi R’bat for the Ibis. We walked at this place (30.0789, -9.6687) and after few minutes, a black bird is spotted by Paul flying north along the coast. We take it and big relief: 1 Northern Bald Ibis… Quick sighting but awesome moment. On the estuary 16 Audouin’s Gull, Yellow-legged & Lesser-

1. African Magpie (Pica mauretanica) – Oued Souss / Agadir – 24/03/2018 2. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) – Oued Souss / Agadir – 24/03/2018 3. Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) – Oued Massa – 24/03/2018 4. Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri) – Sidi Wassay – 24/03/2018 5. Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) – Oued Massa – 25/03/2018 6. Western Oliveaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca) – Oued Massa – 25/03/2018

black Backed Gull, Caspian Tern, Thekla’s Lark, Common Bulbul, Sardinian Warbler, Moussier’s Redstart (a pair), Common Linnet, European Serin… The twitch of the Ibis done, we drove to our next hotspot, the Guelmim’s area. On the road: numerous Cream-colored Courser, Desert & Black Wheatear, Long-legged Buzzard, Northern Raven. We stopped for lunch at Sidi Ifni (29.3875, -10.1701), with some shorebirds: Greater Flamingo, Kentish, Common ringed & Little ringed Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint and Common Redshank. Also 4 Black Wheatears. Arriving in the desert in a little town after Guelmin, Arsir (28.9223, -10.0080): Woodchat Shrike, Thekla’s Lark, Black & Black-eared Wheatear. We finished the day in a track to find a good place to sleep. Start of the track here (28.9344, -10.0216) and what a place: at least 16 Cream-colored Coursers, 4 Thick-billed Larks, 3 Greater Short-toed Larks, a flock of 17 Fulvous Babbler, Black, Northern, Desert & Black-eared Wheatear, our firsts Red-rumped Wheatears. At dusk 2 Sandgrouses sp. in flight (too far…) for Antoine and a Peregrine Falcon. After this incredible day, we found a good place to sleep in the middle of nowhere, but due to the strong wind, we had, from the second day, filled the car of dust and sand J

Day 3: March 26 Again, awake at dawn, a short session of birding in the area (28.9330, -10.0327): Laughing Dove, Eurasian Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Southern Grey Shrike algeriensis, Woodchat Shrike, Thekla’s Lark, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Sardinian & Spectacled Warbler, 6 Fulvous Babbler, 2 Red-rumped Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Greater Short-toed Lark... We returned on Guelmin for food at the Marjane shop, on the parking 1 White-crowned Wheatear and House Buntings in the store (of course). On the way to the lagooning a stop here (28.9601, -10.1165) looking promising according to old reports, but only “few” birds: Southern Grey Shrike ssp algeriensis, Woodchat Shrike, Common Chiffchaff, 2 Western Olivaceous Warblers, Zitting Cisticola, Sardinian Warbler. On the lagooning site, we took the track on the north: >150 Ruddy Shelduck, 1 Common Shelduck, >200 Marbled Ducks, Little-ringed Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Black-winged Stilt. We detected 2 large Falcons sp. Circling the cliffs in the north of the lagooning, but by the time we got closer, impossible to find them anymore… We explored the area and finally found one of our target: 1 singer Streaked Scrub Warbler with some good views on the top of bushes and also 2 Thick-billed Larks, first Desert Larks (2 birds), Subalpine & Sardinian Warblers, Red-rumped & Desert Wheatears, Trumpeter Finch, Spanish Sparrow. We moved to spots where Mourning Wheatears were announced few weeks earlier. The location made us ask questions. It’s far from the usual distribution area of the Mourning Wheatear in Morocco and there are no description or pics of birds on the sightings. But they are on our road so we decided to try them. A large Falcon circling over the road made us stop here (28.8527, -10.2172). A Lanner Falcon showing well and our only sighting of the trip. Arrived at first Wheatear’s spot (28.8263, -10.4101): first Temminck’s Lark, Thick-billed Lark & Greater Short-toed Larks, Common Chiffchaff, Subalpine Warbler, Red-rumped (1st summer) & Desert Wheatear, Trumpeter Finch but none Mourning Wheatear. On the second spot (28.8360, -10.4344): White-crowned, Black & Red-rumped (1st summer again J) Wheatears, House Bunting but still not Mourning Wheatears…

1. Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola) – Oued Massa – 25/03/2018 2. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) – Oued Massa – 25/03/2018 3. Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus) – Oued Massa – 25/03/2018 4. Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) 5. Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey) – Near Asrir – 25/03/2018 6. Red-rumped Wheatear 1st summer male (Oenanthe moesta) – Near Guelmin – 26/03/2018

We finally took the road to the Khenifiss National Park with stops at the different estuary along the coast. Greater Flamingos, Osprey, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Avocet, Common ringed Plover, Audouin’s & Slender-billed Gull, Caspian, Sandwich & Gull-billed Tern, Black Wheatear, WY Wagtail… We decided to sleep in the car park in Khenifiss (the cost for parking here during the night is 20 MAD), we spotted in the lagoon from the cliff: some Great Black-backed Gull, a 2cy Peregrine/Barbary Falcon, 1 Red-throated Pipit, Osprey, Black-crowned Night Heron, Caspian Tern, Slender-billed Gull… We managed to check all the “big” gulls to be sure about their identity; the lack of white edge in the internal primaries is easy to see even from far distance to remove the Kelp doubt. The white spot on P10 is a bit trickier from far, some 4cy birds can present an “adult” plumage with a reduced spot on P10, or they might be hybrids…

Day 4: March 27 Difficult night in the car park, lot of wind, sand and sea spray… Maybe not the best plan before a day of driving across the Western- Sahara. In the morning, around the camp: Greater Short-toed Lark, 1 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Nightingale without tail, Meadow Pipit, 3 Tree Pipit, >3 Red-throated Pipit, a pair of Black Wheatear… Still a lot of waders in the lagoon and we counted at least 15 (!) Great Black-backed Gull around the colony. We took the road to Dakhla around 8am, on the road until Boudjour: Black Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Red-rumped Wheatear, White-crowned Wheatear, Cream-coloured Courser, Thekla’s Lark, 1 Barbary Falcon on a pylon and in flight around (26.4857, -13.9346) … During lunch time: Red-rumped Wheatear, Thekla’s Lark, a possible Scrub Warbler briefly seen… Then between Boudjour and Dakhla: Long-legged Buzzard, Common Kestrel, YLW, >30 White Wagtail, Temminck’s Lark, some Shrike a bit far and our firsts Brown-necked Raven flying along the road! Between Dakhla and Gleb Jidiane in the afternoon: our firsts Greater Hoopoe Lark and Bar-tailed Lark. After a day of driving, we finally reached Gleb Jidiane (23.6126, -15.7237) and his water tower so attractive for birds: Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, 1 Wryneck, 3 Bluethroat, 1 Common Redstart, >15 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, a possible Iberian, 1 Woodchat Shrike, 3 YLW, Laughing and Collared Dove, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Snipe, 3 Little-ringed Plover, Thekla’s Lark of new sandy ssp theresae.

Day 5: March 28 Night in Gleb Jidiane with a wake-up at dawn with a big crossover just parking beside our tent. It was a team of Dutch birders coming for the sandgrouses, a nice meeting with these guys that we’ll see again and again during our stay in the area. In the morning: 1 Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, 1 Western Bonelli’s Warbler, >1 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffchaff, Nightingale, 2 Bluethroat, 1 Wryneck, 2 Woodchat Shrike, 2 Southern Grey Shrike, 22 (in two flights) Temminck’s Lark, Trumpeter Finch, 2 Greater Short-toed Lark, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 1 Northern Wheatear, 1 Blackcap, 1 Greater Hoopoe Lark… We then reached a spot known for the Dunn’s Lark (23.4005, -15.3299) almost 40km after Gleb Jidiane. We managed to find 4 Dunn’s Lark in awful conditions, a very strong and warm (around 40°C) wind coming from the desert, bringing a lot of sand. A nice welcoming in the desert place. Except this lark: Greater Hoopoe Lark, Bar-tailed Desert Lark, Desert Lark,

1. Streaked Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta) – Near Guelmin – 26/03/2018 2. Red-rumped Wheatear female (Oenanthe moesta) – Near Guelmin – 26/03/2018 3. Temminck’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha) – Dakhla road – 27/03/2018 4. Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae theresae) – Gleb Jidiane – 27/03/2018 5. Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes) – Aousserd road – 28/03/2018 6. Great grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor elegans) – Oued Jenna – 29/03/2018

Cream-coloured Courser, Brown-necked Raven. Some migratory birds: Black-eared Wheatear, Subalpine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Sardinian Warbler, Nightingale, Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier… A bit farther (23.3189, -15.2184): 3 Thick-billed Lark, Temminck’s Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Desert Lark, Bar-tailed Lark… A short break for lunch time in a wide wadi (unexplored ?; 23.2530, -15.1648): our firsts (>25) Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, >15 Desert Sparrow with few males, 2 Rufous Babbler, a lot of Northern Wheatear, Bee-eater, Wryneck, Southern Grey Shrike, Brown-necked Raven, Common Redstart and some swallows… Some Long-legged Buzzard and a nest of Brown-necked Raven after, we arrived at Oued Jenna around 5pm. 10 meters from the car, first unknown sound: 3 Cricket Warbler with a singing male. Also: >20 Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, >30 Desert Sparrow and some migratory passerines. We parked the car and explored the north part until the night, Valentin informed us that he had a large flock of Desert Sparrow with some “yellow” birds inside. We managed to have good views on these birds greatly expected: 2 males and 1 female of Sudan Golden Sparrow. Otherwise: 2 Southern Grey Shrike ssp elegans, Woodchat Shrike, Collared Dove, Marsh Harrier, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Pipit sp., Greater Short-toed Lark, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, >10 Chiffchaff, >15 Subalpine Warbler, >3 Orphean Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, >5 Sardinian Warbler, >10 Fulvous Babbler… First try for the Golden Nightjar with the Dutch team, unfortunately no sound coming from the wadi to let us hope…

Paul & Antoine looking the Sudan Golden Sparrows in Oued Jenna – 28/03/2018

Day 6: March 29 We woke up at Oued Jenna before dawn for a new try for the Nightjar but as the evening of the day before, the bird stayed quiet. We first explored the area in the north of the road then until 11am the south part, we saw a lot of migratory and breeding passerines among them: our firsts Eastern Olivaceous Warbler ssp reiseri, >5 pairs of Cricket Warbler, ~40 Black-crowned

1. Cricket Warbler (Spiloptila clamans) – Oued Jenna – 28/03/2018 2. Sudan Golden Sparrow (Passer luteus) – Oued Jenna – 28/03/2018 3. Fulvous Babbler (Turdoides fulva) – Oued Jenna – 28/03/2018 4. Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis) – Oued Jenna – 29/03/2018 5. Baltic & LBB Gulls (Larus fuscus intermedius & fuscus fuscus) – Dakhla bay – 01/04/2018 6. Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi) – Aousserd – 30/03/2018

Sparrow Lark, >10 Desert Sparrow, 1 Red-rumped Swallow, 2 Spectacled Warbler, 1 Orphean Warbler, Barn Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 1 Hoopoe, 2 Wryneck, 3 Common Redstart, >10 Southern Grey Shrike ssp elegans, >3 Western Bonelli’s Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, >5 Sardinian Warbler, >30 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 9 Collared Dove, 1 Black Kite, Bee-eater and a large falcon very far in the north… We took the road to Dakhla and did some stops along the road to search the African Desert Warbler. No Desert Warbler but some nice species as usual: Long-legged Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Desert Wheatear, Desert Bar-tailed Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow Lark (until the road sign “Dakhla 108km”), Southern Grey Shrike, Greater Hoopoe Lark… A quick stop in the middle of the afternoon to Gleb Jidiane permitted to us to see a Spotted Crake, to find a dead Scops Owl on the road, 2 Green Sandpiper, Little-ringed Plover, 1 Common Grasshopper Warbler walking between the feet of Paul, a pair of Trumpeter Finch, 2 Bluethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Sulbalpine Warbler. In the evening, a session of birding around the lagoon: Greater Flamingo, Kentish Plover, European Spoonbill, LBBG, Audouin’s Gull and a Falco sp. probably a peregrine above the city…

Day 7: March 30 After a comfy night in Dakhla, we decided to have a look in the lagoon. We took the direction of Lassarga (the end of the peninsula). In the city: a Falco sp., Little Swift, Laughing Dove… We did some stops along the road to check the different gull’s flocks: at least one adult of Baltic Gull, 1 probable Yellow-legged Gull atlantis and a bird firstly recalling a Great-black Backed Gull or a huge LBBG… We took a lot of pictures keeping in mind the possibility to have a Kelp Gull…

All at home, we talked about this bird with Pierre-André Crochet, Thibaut Chansac, Peter Adriaens, Sylvain Reyt… Reading the paper of Chris Gibbins (Identification of first cycle Larus dominicanus vetula: The Cape Gull of good hope? see refs), the “secondary skirt” very marked seeming a very good point… It seems quite impossible to find a LBBG with a similar skirt, at least with no abraded greater coverts. For the rest, large LBBG could exist, at least not so elongated birds with strong bills... Here, the bird shows a very broad bill with a gonydeal angle extremely marked. The greenish legs are also a good point, rarely seen in LBBG of the same age. Concerning moult, the bird presents a “northern hemisphere” moulting pattern, which is very unusual but already seen in french birds (2001 and 2018) … As suggested by Chris Gibbins “perhaps we should abandon any thought of moult being useful for picking out a Cape Gull?”, in fact a bird which has been in northern hemisphere for several years could adjust his moulting pattern… It’s of course not the case for our immature birds but in contrast Kelp Gulls seem now to breed in western Africa in Senegal at least, and it could be interesting to check their moulting patterns… All in all, this bird is very promising and is might be a Kelp Gull … From the cliffs, we saw in the sea: 4 African Royal Tern, 2 Arctic Skua, Gull-billed and Sandwich Tern, a lot of Northern Gannet… Far in the lagoon: 2 Ruddy Shelduck, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Kentish Plover… A bit ambitious, we took the sandy track after the small fisherman village of Lassarga and… stucked the car in the sand J 2 minutes after, friendly guys brought us back on the road but the military guards have forbidden us the access to the area ...

Putative Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) – Dakhla – 30/03/2018

A bit disappointed, we reached the other part of the lagoon at the basis of the peninsula close to the Kite-surf spot. We spotted a group of 6 African Royal Tern coming close enough with the high tide, Paul took some pictures and sound recordings for a paper in preparation that aims for the identification of Royal Tern subspecies. Also: a close group of Great Cormorant with apparently both subspecies maroccanus / lucidus, Sandwich Tern, Caspian Tern, Little Tern, Slender-billed Gull, 3 Marbled Duck, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Dunlin, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper… Motivated as ever, we did a short stop in Gleb Jidiane before taking the road again for Aousserd. Woodchat Shrike, Thekla’s Lark, Willow Warbler, WY Wagtail, Northern Wheatear, Spectacled Warbler, Little-ringed Plover… Far away, 2 Dunn’s Lark, Desert Bar-tailed Lark, a lot of Barn Swallow in migration, Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, Desert Sparrow… Arrived at Aousserd, a short military control and we rapidly joined the Dutch guys to have a look of an aberrant Seebohm’s Wheatear they found earlier in the day (see pic). The bird was close to the butcher place around Camel carcass with a Woodchat Shrike, Bluethroat and some WY wagtails. Around : >50 Brown-necked Raven, >3 White-crowned Wheatear, 2 Black Kite, 2 Long-legged Buzzard, House Sparrow, Collared Dove, Desert Sparrow, Southern Grey Shrike ssp elegans, 1 Cricket Warbler, a probable Peregrine Falcon, Common Kestrel and at least 5 Pale Crag Martin ! The birds were around the water tower and also some far in the mountains. Unfortunately, no sign of the enigmatic Crested Lark… After a drink with our friends, we took the direction of Oued Jenna for the evening. Just enough time to set the tent, we joined the Dutch guys again near the road… Some minutes after, an expected song finally came! A Golden Nightjar was singing somewhere in the oued, we tried to approach it by different ways but the bird was moving a lot… After some try, we reached a rocky place where the bird was singing, we tried to have a look with our torchs and BINGO! The bird was there, singing on the ground! After some flight views, some hugs of victory, we left to avoid too much disturbance… What a day, again! J

Day 8: March 31 After a pleasant night in Oued Jenna, we have rapidly reached the spot of African Desert Warbler kindly given by our Dutch friends. On the spot (23.0214, -14.8442), we rapidly spotted a male of African Desert Warbler singing at the top of the different bushes around us. Then around, we saw: Greater Hoopoe Lark, Desert Bar-tailed Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, 1

1. African Royal Tern (Sterna maxima albididorsalis) – Dakhla bay – 30/03/2018 2. Pale Rock Martin (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta) – Aousserd – 30/03/2018 3. Golden Nightjar (Caprimulgus eximius) – Oued Jenna – 30/03/2018 4. African desert Warbler (Sylvia derserti) – Aousserd road – 01/04/2018 5. Dunn’s Lark (Eremalauda dunni) – Aousserd road – 01/04/2018 6. Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus) – Gleb Jidiane – 01/04/2018

Thick-billed Lark, 2 Dunn’s Lark (see pic), >10 Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, >5 Desert Sparrow. On the way-back to Dakhla, some raptors in active migration: Montagu’s Harrier, Common or Lesser Kestrel (maybe some common locals), Black Kite and >15 Brown-necked Raven. We did a short stop in Gled Jidiane around midday with not much hope…but lucky we were, a pair of Crowned Sandgrouse was first in the desert close to the site and then came to have a drink! We drove all the rest of the day to the north to reach Afkhennir for sleeping. From the car: >10 Montagu’s Harrier, 5-10 Marsh Harrier, Cream-coloured Courser, Brown-necked Raven and of course larks everywhere…

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) – Afkhennir – 01/04/2018

Day 9: April 1 We slept on the car park in Khenifiss, this time with less wind than the previous time… A lot of migrants were present around small houses: >15 Hoopoe, 2 Windchat, 2 Common Redstart, 3 Woodchat Shrike, >30 Western Yellow Wagtail with 2 flavissima, >15 White Wagtail, 5 Bluethroat, 2 Red-throated Pipit, 2 Tree Pipit, NC Meadow Pipit, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Sardinian Warbler, 1 Blue Rock Thrush, 1 Common Rock Thrush, Falco sp. (briefly seen), 1 Black-crowned Night Heron… On the lagoon, lot of shorebirds, only two putative pairs of Great-black Backed Gull, >150 Eurasian Spoonbill… We took the road of the north and did a first stop near Afkhennir, after we have seen a large flock of gulls from the car. Pretty fast, one bird stuck on our eyes and some seconds after we announced an adult of Kelp Gull. Just the time to take some pictures and the flock flew away, in the direction of a building site far away. Valentin took the scope to look at them and announced two adults of Kelp Gull, together on the side of the Lesser-backed Black Gull flock. Birds came again to the beach where we took a lot of pictures… We drove to the north by stopping at the different “embouchures” along the coast: a lot of Audouin’s Gull, Greater Flamingos, Western Osprey, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Desert Wheatear, Red-rumped Wheater, Trumpeter Finch, Cream-coloured Courser, Long-legged Buzzard and then a group of almost 40 Black Scoter. Also, some passerine migrants: Woodchat Shrike, Subalpine Warbler, Western Yellow Wagtail, Blackcap, Northern Wheatear… An immature of Peregrine Falcon a bit far on an electric pylon close to Tan-Tan.

In the afternoon, we did a stop in a marsh area along the road to Guelmin (28.8192, -10.3850), with a feeling of the end of the desert: Trumpeter Finch, >30 Spanish Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Zitting Cisticola, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike, Common Whitethroat, Subalpine Warbler, WY Wagtail, Willow Warbler… And we finally reached the lagooning area of Guelmin, hoping to find sandgrouses (the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is apparently quite common in the area…). We counted: 21 Gull-billed Tern, 3 Kentish Plover, 1 Common-ringed Plover, 5 Little-ringed Plover, >200 Marbled Duck, >100 Ruddy Shelduck, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, >10 Common Coot… but no sandgrouses.

Day 10: April 2 We spent a very pleasant night close to the lagooning area of Guelmin, hoping to see Sandgrouses in the morning… Unfortunately, no sandgrouses and mostly the same birds as yesterday. We added: 4 Kentish Plover, Desert Wheatear… We took the road of Laqsabi Tagoust, for a spot (28.970412, -10.227904) where Pale Crag Martin were seen during the last winter. A very nice place with a lot of migrants and local birds: 3 Western Olivaceous Warbler, 5 Subalpine Warbler, 1 Western Bonelli’s Warbler, NC Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Zitting Cisticola, 3 Woodchat Shrike, 1 Bluethroat, House Bunting, Thekla’s Lark, Black-eared Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Trumpeter Finch, Common Bulbul … but also : 8 Black-winged Stilt, 5 Little-ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Redshank, a pair of Ruddy Shelduck, 9 Marbled Duck, 1 Ferruginous Duck… Several Reed Warbler were calling, among them some very probable breeders belonging to the North African ssp ambiguus. Pictures of the only individual we correctly saw shows most probably an Eurasian Reed Warbler (see pic).

A nice spot close to Laqsabi Tagoust – 02/04/2018 In the afternoon, we drove to the Egyptian Nightjar spot, located in Souss region in a dry river area upstream the city of Agadir. In the evening: >5 Black-shouldered Kite, >5 Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Red-rumped Swallow, Bee-eater, Northern and Black-eared Wheatear, Cream-coloured Courser, Eurasian Stone Curlew and finally before dark, we saw 2-3 times in our light a singer of Egyptian Nightjar which began to sing just before 8pm.

Day 11: April 3 From our bivouac spot in the early morning: Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Greater Short-toed Lark, Thekla’s Lark, Cream-coloured Courser, Black-eared Wheatear, Southern-grey Shrike, 1 Spectacled Warbler, Northern Wheatear, Common Whitethroat, Great-spotted Cuckoo. On the road to Asni, at the beginning of Atlas Mountains: 1 Black-shouldered Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, European Turtle Dove, Southern Grey and Woodchat Shrike. A bit higher: first Rock Bunting, Common Crossbill… We did a stop on the road there (30.8544, -8.3718) and had good views on a singing male very confiding of Tristram’s Warbler (see pic), also 1 Moussier’s Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush and a singing but far Levaillant’s Woodpecker. After Tizi N’Test, we did our first sightings of several new species for the trip: Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Blackbird, Coal Tit ssp atlas, Great Tit, North African Blue Tit, Eurasian Jay, Moussier’s Redstart. Several stops were made in the different crossed valleys: Common Cuckoo, Sardinian Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Cirl Bunting, Common Bulbul, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Alpine Chough, European Bee-eater, Red-rumped and Barn Swallow, Booted Eagle… We reached Oukaïmeden around 5pm, and first stopped around the lake: Long-legged Buzzard, Black Kite, Alpine and Red-billed Chough, Black redstart, Black Wheatear, Common Chaffinch. Then far away: Horned Lark (4 far high in the mountain), 7-8 Crimson-winged Finch, Mistle Thrush (only seen by Paul J), North African Blue Tit, Eurasian Wren, Rock Bunting, Black Redstart... 30 minutes after arriving, fog was installed and we could not see far from 3 meters away… For the evening, we took the way-back to find a place to sleep. On the road, we heard at least two Levaillant’s Woodpecker and saw: Booted Eagle, Moussier’s Redstart, Eurasian Sparrowhawk… We found a nice place close to a stream in a forest (31.2384, -7.8625) where we saw: 2 Levaillant’s Woodpecker (see pic), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Great Tit, African Blue Tit, Common Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper…

Day 12: April 4 In the morning, we saw again the 2 Levaillant’s Woopecker from our campsite, with Common Crossbill, North African Blue Tit, Common Wood Pigeon… We went back to Oukaïmeden, earlier and under the sun this time. On the road: Long-legged Buzzard, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue Rock Thrush, 1 Black Wheatear, 5-10 Moussier’s Redstart, 4 Rock Bunting, Mistle Thrush, 1 Black Redstart. We stopped just before the last car park and climbed the adjacent hill: 2 males of Seebohm’s Wheatear where displaying, 2 Crag Martin, Black Redstart. We finally had very good views on a pair of Horned Lark ssp atlas, beyond this neck colour and the non-streaked back, this subspecies looks longer than the nominate one… Also 4 Crimson-winged Finch, more than 30 Rock Sparrow (we didn’t see any yesterday!), Red-billed and Alpine Chough… We did another stop close to the point of view above the village: nice views on 2 singing male of Black Redstart ssp aterrimus, Blue Rock Thrush, 3 Seebohm’s Wheatear (one female, see pic), Moussier’s Redstart, Rock Sparrow, Mistle Thrush…

1. Crimsom-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sanguineus alienus) – Oukaïmeden – 04/04/2018 2. Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii) – Oukaïmeden road – 04/04/2018 3. Horned Lark male (Eremophila alpestris atlas) – Oukaïmeden – 04/04/2018 4. Horned Lark female (Eremophila alpestris atlas) – Oukaïmeden – 04/04/2018 5. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros aterrimus) – Oukaïmeden – 04/04/2018 6. Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata) – Sidi Boughaba – 05/04/2018 7. White-headed Duck male & female (Oxyura leucocephala) – Sidi Boughaba – 05/04/2018 8. White-headed Duck male (Oxyura leucocephala) – Sidi Boughaba – 05/04/2018

We drove across Marrakech to reach the north of the country. From the car: Common Bulbul, Barn and Red-rumped Swallow, Black Kite, White Stork, Little Swift, Pallid and Common Swift… Crossing fields between Marrakech and the sea, we did a stop here (32.0131, -8.2093). We saw around this point: >15 Calandra Lark, >20 Greater-short Toed Lark, Southern-grey Shrike, Cream-coloured Courser, 1 Barbary Partridge, at least 2 Maghreb’s Lark singing above fields, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Kestrel, Black Kite, Swallows, Thekla’s Lark, Corn Bunting… Another stop at the view of a flight of falcons permitted to us to see at least 3 Lesser Kestrel hunting with at least 2 commons. We finally reached Sidi Abed and the spot of Common Buttonquail but the wind was very strong in the evening, and nothing was singing…

Day 13: April 5 We spend the first hours of the day on the well-known location for Common Buttonquail near Sidi Abed. Despite a perfect weather, the species remained quiet all the morning… (Dutch birders contacted the species two weeks later, it was maybe a bit early in the season…) Otherwise: Common Quail, Tree Pipit, European Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove, Gull-billed Tern, Woodchat Shrike, Little Owl (some pale bird like in the desert, others more typical), Thekla’s Lark, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Common Redstart … and numerous Common Swift in active migration along the sea. We drove to Dar Bouazza (33.5445, -7.7594), near Casablanca, an attractive site located in a not so natural area. We saw our first Red-knobbed Coot, also 1 Spotted Crake, between 5 and 10 Purple Swamphen, Little-ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Common-ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, Gull-billed Tern, 2 Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, 2 Little Bittern, at least 2 Collared Pratincole, Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard with pullis, Garganey, Little Grebe… Also, some passerines: European Turtle Dove, Laughing Dove, Wryneck, 1 possible Sedge Warbler (briefly heard) and the regulars … We then took the direction of Sidi Boughaba in the afternoon, we saw again almost 20 Red-knobbed Coot with chicks, and more than 15 White-headed Duck, all males were displaying around few females (see pics). Also, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Greater Flamingo, Black Kite (very numerous), 5 Booted Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, 2 Northern Raven, Common Jackdaw (one flight), North African Magpie, Great Tit, North African Blue Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Sardinian Warbler… We finally drove to the Merja Zerga lagoon with a first stop along the sea in the north-west area (34.8479, -6.2958): Long-legged Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Gull-billed Tern, Purple Heron, 3 Squacco Heron, Little Owl, European Goldfinch (our only sighting of the trip), a pair of Black-eared Wheatear, Western Yellow Wagtail, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Linnet, European Serin... At least 2000 shorebirds very far among them: Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Oystercatcher… We called at the lodge “Le nid du Hibou” in Moulay-Bousselham in order to spent the night and to see the majestic Marsh Owl (see details in introduction).

Day 14: April 6

We spotted from the roof of the lodge from 7am, unfortunately too late for the owls which have already reached their diurnal hide; North African Blue Tit, Common Bulbul, House Bunting, Eurasian Sparrowhawk… Khalil, the lodge owner, proposed us to do a short circuit in boat on the lagoon, we expected to detail the large flocks of shorebirds we saw yesterday far away and terns. Close to the harbour, we saw in gull’s flocks: Audouin’s Gull (at least 10 ringed birds), Lesser-backed black Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Black-headed Gull, a possible Mediterranean Gull or Common gull (2cy very far over the lagoon), Caspian Tern (> 10), Little Tern, Sandwich Tern. There were less shorebirds than the day before and we did not manage to detail a lot: Grey Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Eurasian Whimbrel, Kentish Plover, Common-ringed Plover, Little Stint, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper… Around midday, we took the road to Sidi-Bettache (33.7085, -6.9256) to search for the Double-spurred Francolin. It was a hard battle to see this species, we began by walking into high impenetrable bushes during several hours until Valentin flushed one from higher trees in a dense dale, the bird came very close to him when he played a short call of playback (!). Quite quiet in the afternoon, 3 birds began to sing around 6pm and we finally saw one of them 3 hours later, flushed from the bush where it was singing. In the area: Long-legged Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle (2: possible pair), Booted Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, Barbary Partridge (2 flushed by Paul), Stone Curlew, European Bee-eater (>100 in one flock), Common Cuckoo, European Turtle Dove, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Common Bulbul, Common Nightingale, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, North African Blue Tit and a lot of fringillidae…

Day 15: April 7 Tough wake up with a heavy rain which started at 5 am, we had planned to search again for the Double-spurred Francolin but it was quite discouraging… We drove to Marrakech… From the car: Glossy Ibis, White Stork, Calandra Lark, Swifts and as usual a lot of Larks sp. Galerida ssp… We took our flight around 4 pm with last views on House Bunting between our feet in the airport. REFERENCES Gibbins C. Identification of first cycle Larus dominicanus vetula: The Cape Gull of good hope? http://birdingfrontiers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/identification-of-first-cycle-cape-gull.pdf Jönsson O. 2011. Great Black-backed Gulls breeding at Khniffis Lagoon, Morocco and the status of Cape Gull in the Western Palearctic. Birding World 24(2): 68-76.