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Sketches from Morocco

By Martin Eccles (martin.eccles AT doctors.org.uk)

We were east of Ouarzazate and in the early southern Morocco spring. Yesterday we travelled over the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech. This morning we were to spend the morning in stone desert looking for larks.

The civilised thing about desert birds is that they aren’t quick to rise in sub-zero temperatures. So … a 09.00 start and out onto the Tagdilt Plain. Our first birds were a pair of Red-rumped Wheatears. Having stopped to watch them we then had an amazing run of birds - Hoopoe Lark flying past the bus, two Thick-billed Larks, Temminck’s Horned Lark and then Short-toed Larks, Lesser Short-toed Larks, Thekla Larks and one Bar-tailed Desert Lark.
Great Bustards

Black-bellied Sandgrouse, a pair of talon grappling Lanners, a Booted Eagle and an immature Bonelli’s Eagle rounded off a fabuous morning.
Great Bustards

Calandra Larks