Logistics
Exchange rate is approximately £1.00 = D12.00.
Language: French and Berber. You can get by with a little difficulty in English.
Friday evening flight from London Gatwick to Marrakech Menara International (3h10mins). Flight cost around £85.00 per person return through Royal Air Maroc website http://www.royalairmaroc.com (flight is operated by Atlas Blue).
Car Hire – searched through https://www.cartrawler.com. Agent : Argus Car Hire. Car hire is expensive – approximately £200 for 6 days. I’d advise you don’t take the Extra insurance on offer from the website, as the rental company is going to bill you an extra £6.00 a day in any case. I suggest that this insurance is taken. Avoiding dings, scratches, windscreen chips and accidents in general is extremely difficult – driving conditions explained later.
Fuel costs around D10.00 a litre. Typical meals cost around D250 per couple, while accommodation in modest hotels costs around D300 – D350 per twin room.
Driving conditions - Moroccan driving standards are atrocious, particularly the local Mercedes Taxis, Tour busses and newer trucks. Overtaking 3 or more vehicles around a blind cutback is ‘normal’. It is advisable to allow taxis and tour busses to overtake you as soon as possible – I took to slowing down so that they could do this before I entered any bends in the road.
Traffic police are all over the country and it is best to stick rigidly to traffic laws. You can expect to encounter Road Blocks at least twice a day. I was pulled over for two minor Infractions which carry a D400 fine each. Co-operation and good manors meant I paid a D200 unofficial fine. I wouldn’t suggest attempting to bribe any of the officers, my unofficial fine was a slight surprise and accepted as much.
Itinerary
09/10/2009 - Flight departed Gatwick an hour late – no surprise. Customs is fairly straight forward if not reminiscent of a communist style state. Baggage collection is long and tedious – you are best to move baggage off the carousel otherwise further baggage will not be added to it. Hire car process takes some time and we were hit another £30 for ‘late’ pickup!
10/10/2009 - Our intention was to drive from Marrakech towards Ouarzazate through the morning (Road N9). Roads are well signposted. The drive itself is long and difficult. While the roads are decent dual carriageway, the cutbacks through the high Atlas take time. I would however suggest that driving this road at night is preferable to driving during daylight hours as there are fewer vehicles and one is able to see oncoming traffic much easier.
Ultimately we did not quite reach Ouarzazate as I was too tired to continue driving. We pulled over for 2 hours of sleep before continuing on through Ouarzazate towards Boumale-du-Dades (Road N10). Driving conditions much easier over this entire journey. Birded intermittently along the way, stopping at Mansour Eddahbi Dam and various unnamed spots en route. Arrived in Boumalne-du-Dades around 15:00 in time to check into the hotel (Hotel Soleil Bleu – highly recommended – email the hotel directly for accommodation: le_soleilbleu@yahoo.fr). After checking in, spent a few hours on the Tagdilt Track.
11/10/2009 – Woke up late to have breakfast before attacking the Tagdilt Track proper (the entire road all the way to Tagdilt and back can be done fairly comfortably with a typical saloon car during decent weather). Completed birding in the early afternoon before departing for overnight in Ouarzazate. Checked into hotel late afternoon (La Perle du Sud Hotel – highly recommended – made arrangements via www.travelrepublic.co.uk). Drove back out to Mansour Eddahbi Dam for remaining few hours of daylight.
12/10/2009 – Departed Ouarzazate at 03:00 heading for Agadir. Driving conditions initially difficult from Ouarzazate to Tazenakht (Road N10). From Tazenakht good time can be made on decent roads towards Aoulouz. Cut time on road by taking junction prior to Aoulouz (Road P1706) which connects with the N10 past Taroudant. Took Agadir Airport junction south (Road N1) to the Oued Massa. Arrived a little after 09:00 and spent most of day here. Hotel in Agadir reached at 15:00 (La Petite Suede – would not recommend, shoddy part of town with overzealous car guards). Drove south through rush hour Agadir traffic to reach Oued Souss for a few hours.
13/10/2009 – Departed Agadir for Essaouira (Road N1) at 06:00 with the intention of reaching Cap Rhir for some pelagic birding and Oued Tamri. Winter sea mist made pelagics impossible. Continued further north into Argan habitat. Arrived in Essaouira at 14:00, checked in at hotel (Bahja de Mogador – again, not recommended due to location. Car guards around the sea front lie about directions and are impetuous beyond belief. Steer well clear of downtown! Birded Oued Ksab for the rest of the afternoon.
14/10/2009 – Our intention was to continue to Marrakech today, but changed plans due to lack of Northern Bald Ibis at this stage. Departed at 04:00 for return journey to Oued Tamri. Still no Ibis, but bumped into some birders who gave us excellent info. We continued on to Agadir and further south to the fishing village of Tifnite. Local guide marched us across the dunes in search of Ibis. Left Tifnite at 13:00 for Marrakech (Road N8). A new road is currently under construction for this route – it did not look as though it would be ready for at least another year or so. Road conditions as per the rest of the country, but many mountain passes to travel on this road with the addition of heavy truck traffic. Arrived in Marrakech around 16:30. Stayed at Ryad Mogador Marrakech (fairly average location, but hotel itself is good.
15/10/2009 – early morning flight out of Marrakech Menara.
Final Distance covered: 1850km
Birding Locations and Species of Interest
Tagdilt Track
Just outside of Boumalne-du-Dades en route to Er Rachidia. A number of various routes available, although the suggested access is from the ‘New’ Tagdilt Track – right turn just prior to kilometre marker ‘Tinghir 48’.
If staying at Auberge Soleil Bleu, check the sightings book for updates.
Long-legged Buzzard few at ‘rubbish dump’
Barbary Falcon single near human habitation
Black-bellied Sandgrouse 1 covey near Tagdilt town
Crowned Sandgrouse 1 covey near start of track
Theckla Lark common throughout
Greater Hooper Lark one flock, very near to Tagdilt town, very accommodating
Greater Short-toed Lark small numbers
Thick-billed Lark small numbers surrounding wadis
Temminck’s Horned Lark common at start of track
Black Wheatear small numbers near human habitation
Desert Wheatear common on track
Mourning Wheatear 3 birds neat start of track
Red-rumped Wheatear common throughout
White-crowned Black Wheatear common on power and telephone lines
Great Grey Shrike (elegans) at military compound
Trumpeter Finch common within wadis
Target Species missed : Cream-coloured Courser, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Bar-tailed Lark, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.
Oued Massa
Reached comfortably from Agadir. Drive south for approximately 55km, taking turnoff at signpost ‘Massa / Sidi-Rabat’ (it is located on the left hand side of the road!)
Greater Flamingo large flock present
Marbled Duck small flocks
Red-crested Pochard common
Barbary Partridge small coveys in farm lands en route to river end
Bonelli’s Eagle 2 individuals
Kentish Plover common on beech
Audouin’s Gull common on beech
Yellow-legged Gull common on beech
Ring-billed Gull at least 3 present on beech amongst Yellow-legged Gulls
Moussier’s Redstart common
Southern Grey Shrike (algeriensis) singles seen relatively often
Sardinian Warbler common
Melodious Warbler at least 2 individuals present, showing very well
Spanish Sparrow small numbers in farm lands
Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler 1 bird in reed scrubs at river end
Cirl Bunting common in village en route to river end
Oued Souss
Just south of Agadir, turn right at Golf du Soleil and drive towards Royal Palace. Park just before Palace on the side of the road and walk along lagoon.
Slender-billed Gull 4 adults still with pinkish underparts
Lesser Crested Tern 1 adult amongst commoner Sandwich Terns
Oued Tamri
Located just past Cap Rhir, the river mouth will come into view, shortly after and gravel road will lead off the road. Park up walk to edge of lagoon. The lagoon cannot be traversed particularly far.
White Stork single adult amongst European Spoonbills
Marbled Duck small flock
Red-crested Pochard common
Kingfisher single amongst reeds
No Northern Bald Ibis today
Essaouira (Oued Ksab)
The Oued Ksab is easily reached just prior to entering town. A bridge is currently under construction over the river, but access is between south and north bank is still available.
Eleonora’s Falcon common along the Oued Ksab
Plain Martin common
Moroccon Wagtail (subpersonata) common
Black-crowned Tchagra heard a number of times along river bank
Tifnite
Easily reached approximately 25km south of Agadir. Fishing town is approximately 10km from junction. Road stops about 500metres from village and it is necessary to walk the rest of the way. Start searching on the western dunes above the village. Ibis often feed within the black bag infested dunes here. It is likely that a local guide will pick you up whether you want them or not. Expect a fee of D100 for their successful services. It was necessary to ascend and descend a number of steep dunes for up to 3km before finally finding the birds. According to our guide, they will be in the area, you may have to walk the full length as we did or get lucky and have them feeding neat he village (best early in the morning between 06:00 and 08:00).
Northern Bald Ibis approximately 300 individuals on sea facing dunes
Peregrine Falcon (brookei / minor) 2 individuals hunting – exact sub-species is still considered debateable
Contacts
Clayton Burne solomaverick@gmail.com Please do contact me for any info or advice
Literature
Collins Bird Guide Mullarney, K., Svensson, L., Zetterstrom, D. & Grant, P. 1999.
ISBN: 0-00-711332-3
Birdwatchers Guide to Morocco Bergier, P. & Bergier, F 2003.
ISBN: 1-871104-09-2
I use Global Twitcher for all my listing purposes – www.globaltwitcher.com
#, Species , Date, Location
1 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
2 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
3 Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
4 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
5 Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
6 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
7 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
8 Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
9 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
10 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
11 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
12 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
13 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
14 European White Stork Ciconia ciconia
2009-10-13 Oued Tamri, Tamri
15 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
16 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
17 Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita
2009-10-14 Tifnite
18 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
2009-10-12 Arazane, nr Taroudant
19 Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
20 Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
21 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
22 Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
23 Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae
2009-10-13 Essaouira
24 Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
25 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
2009-10-14 Tifnite
26 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
27 Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
28 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
29 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
30 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
31 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
2009-10-13 Essaouira
32 Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
33 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
2009-10-14 Tifnite
34 Common Redshank Tringa totanus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
35 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
36 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
2009-10-13 Essaouira
37 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
38 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
39 Sanderling Calidris alba
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
40 Little Stint Calidris minuta
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
41 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
42 Dunlin Calidris alpina
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
43 Audouin's Gull Larus audouinii
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
44 Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
45 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
46 Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
47 Slender-billed Gull Larus genei
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
48 Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
49 Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
50 Little Tern Sterna albifrons
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
51 Black Tern Chlidonias niger
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
52 Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
53 Crowned Sandgrouse Pterocles coronatus
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
54 Rock Pigeon Columba livia
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
55 European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
56 Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
57 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
58 Little Owl Athene noctua
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
59 Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
2009-10-13 Oued Tamri, Tamri
60 Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
2009-10-12 Arazane, nr Taroudant
61 Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
62 Greater Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
63 Thick-billed Lark Ramphocoris clotbey
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
64 Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
65 Crested Lark Galerida cristata
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
66 Thekla Lark Galerida theklae
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
67 Temminck's Horned Lark Eremophila bilopha
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
68 Plain Martin Riparia paludicola
2009-10-13 Essaouira
69 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
70 Common House Martin Delichon urbicum
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
71 White Wagtail Motacilla alba
2009-10-13 Essaouira
72 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
73 Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
74 Common Blackbird Turdus merula
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
75 Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
76 Streaked Scrub-Warbler Scotocerca inquieta
2009-10-11 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
77 Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
78 Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
2009-10-13 Oued Tamri, Tamri
79 Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
80 Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
81 Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
82 Western Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais opaca
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
83 Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
84 European Robin Erithacus rubecula
2009-10-12 Oued Souss, Agadir
85 Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes
2009-10-13 nr Smimou
86 Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
87 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
88 European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
2009-10-13 nr Smimou
89 White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
90 Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
91 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
92 Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
93 Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
94 Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti
2009-10-11 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
95 Great Tit Parus major
2009-10-13 nr Smimou
96 African Blue Tit Cyanistes teneriffae
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
97 Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
98 Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
99 Common Magpie Pica pica
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
100 Common Raven Corvus corax
2009-10-13 nr Smimou
101 Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor
2009-10-12 Arazane, nr Taroudant
102 House Sparrow Passer domesticus
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
103 Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
104 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
2009-10-13 Essaouira
105 European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
2009-10-12 Arazane, nr Taroudant
106 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
2009-10-10 Mansour Eddahbi Dam, Ouarzazate
107 Trumpeter Finch Rhodopechys githagineus
2009-10-10 Tagdilt Track, Boumalne-du-Dades
108 Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir
109 Striolated Bunting Emberiza striolata
2009-10-10 Ouarzazate
110 Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
2009-10-12 Oued Massa, nr Agadir