FROM THE ANTI-ATLAS TO THE ATLANTIC:AN ATLAS WHEATEAR TRIUMPH-DAY 9

After yesterday’s epic adventures and a magical night in a Moroccan castle, today had big shoes to fill as we wrapped up our journey west toward the Atlantic coast.

Before breakfast, we hiked to the top of a nearby hill to watch the sunrise wash over the Anti-Atlas. 

A lone Black Stork glided lazily across the valley at dawn, while a Short-toed Eagle lifted off from its overnight roost in a nearby tree. Two Barbary Partridges scurried across the hillside, and five male Northern Wheatears had clearly arrived overnight as fresh migrants. Sadly, there was still no sign of the elusive Atlas Wheatear, the one real speciality missing from our list after seven days of searching. Time was ticking.

Following what the team unanimously voted the best breakfast of the trip so far, fresh pastries, excellent coffee, and local honey, we headed out for the day’s birding. Our first stop was a serene little lake in the middle of nowhere.

It quickly produced a few welcome trip ticks: a handsome drake Northern Pintail, two Common Teal, and a skulking migrant Sedge Warbler working the reeds. A majestic Osprey plunged dramatically into the water but surfaced empty-taloned. At the same time, a Tree Pipit and flocks of hirundines and Phylloscopus warblers hinted at the site’s importance as a migration stopover. Black-eared Wheatear, Spectacled Warbler, and Trumpeter Finch kicked off the morning in style, and we even spotted a couple of terrapins sunning themselves, an identification challenge we’re still debating.

A two-hour drive through the rugged Anti-Atlas mountains followed, with everyone scanning every boulder and crag in the hope of finding that phantom wheatear. No luck… until we pulled over for a quick coffee break. As we stepped out of the van, a single wheatear zipped across the road and landed on an upside-down red Coca-Cola crate. “Atlas Wheatear!” came the excited shout, and chaos instantly followed. Everyone piled out of the van, one team member even snapping his glasses in the frenzy. Fortunately, the bird cooperated beautifully.

(c)Owen Parsons

(c) Jack Pettit

Atlas Wheatear

(c)Dennis Morrison

This near-mythical species, formerly known as Seebohm’s Wheatear, posed obligingly for the next half hour, giving us outstanding views and plenty of photos. Success at last! We celebrated with steaming saffron tea before continuing our journey west.

Hamid, pouring the saffron tea

Yes, it was found perched on here

After a delicious lunch among the Anti-Atlas peaks, we stopped to stretch our legs in an olive grove.

Our guide, Hamid, was determined to track down a Western Orphean Warbler. The grove quickly produced a pair of dazzling Moussier’s Redstarts and a striking male Common Redstart. Then, right on cue, a male Western Orphean Warbler burst into song nearby. After a brief game of hide-and-seek through the branches, we were rewarded with fantastic close views of this chunky Mediterranean warbler. 

(c) Jack Pettit

Western Orphean Warbler

(c)Dennis Morrison

As a bonus, a Moroccan Spur-thighed Tortoise lumbered through the undergrowth, a wonderful non-avian addition to the day’s sightings.

Moroccan Spur-thighed Tortoise

(c)Owen Parsons

By evening, we rolled into Agadir, the Atlantic breeze a welcome change after the mountains.

Just half an hour before dusk, we watched thousands of gulls streaming north offshore, joined by 60 elegant Greater Flamingos and a dozen stately Great White Egrets heading toward their evening roosts. 

Greater Flamingo

As we closed out the day over a round of well-earned beers, a Stone Curlew flew overhead, its haunting call echoing through the twilight, an atmospheric reminder that tomorrow’s coastal birding promises even more excitement.

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BEE-EATERS AND EAGLES-DAY 8

Today was supposed to be a post-free day since it was mostly about travel. But it turned into an absolute legend of a day, even with six hours in the car driving from the Algerian border through central Morocco toward the Atlantic coast.

We rose early to catch a breathtaking sunrise over the Saharan dunes, where Bar-tailed Larks scampered about, and a pair of Great Grey Shrikes busily fed their brood of three freshly fledged chicks.

We reluctantly left our amazing hotel, but soon pulled over in a patch of arid desert. A short walk through the low scrub revealed two incredibly showy Saharan Scrub Warblers, far more cooperative than the single skulker we’d seen earlier in the trip.

Saharan Scrub Warbler

Nearby, a pair of Spectacled Warblers chased each other playfully, while a Northern Elegant Gecko delighted the herp enthusiasts in the group.

Spectacled Warbler

(c)Owen Parsons

Northern Elegant Gecko

(c) Jack Pettit

A long drive followed, broken up by a delightful lunch stop where we added Eurasian Siskin to the trip list. On the next stretch, just as we were all starting to doze off, the minibus suddenly pulled over. Hamid scanned the riverbank and grabbed the scope. His grin gave it away; he’d nailed the target.

Perched high in a distant bare-branched tree were six magnificent Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, a mega-wanted bird for all of us and a lifer for most. Their vibrant green plumage shimmered in the light, accented by striking blue cheeks, bold black eye stripes and warm yellow-brown throats. These elegant birds, about a foot long with elongated central tail feathers, were a sight to behold.

We inched closer for epic views as they launched into action, gracefully hawking insects right over our heads with acrobatic swoops and dives.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Their rolling calls filled the air as they devoured a flurry of dragonflies, including several impressive Vagrant Emperors. A soaring Bonelli's Eagle overhead only added to the magic.

We pressed on toward our destination, but not without one more emergency stop for a mesmerising migration, 12 majestic Short-toed Snake Eagle circling overhead.

Short-toed Snake Eagle

The spectacle continued at the hotel with another 22 heading north, joined by a lone Black Stork.

What a day.

Me, Denis and Marc 

Tomorrow brings another travel leg, a five-hour journey to the Atlantic coast. But who knows what gems our rest stops might turn up. Stay tuned!

A DREAM DAY BIRDING IN THE MOROCCAN SAHARA-DAY 7

Some days in the field feel almost unreal, and today was one of those rare “pinch yourself” moments. Our team spent the day birding deep in the Moroccan Sahara, guided by Hamid, whose knowledge of his home patch made the experience truly special.

The adventure began the night before. Armed with a thermal imager, we wandered through the desert under a sky bursting with stars. Tiny Desert gerbils and Jerboas bounced across the sand like miniature kangaroos.

Desert Gerbils

Nearby, a pair of Subalpine Warblers roosted quietly in the bushes while Moroccan Toads croaked in the darkness. A few of us stayed wrapped in blankets on the veranda, soaking up the stillness and the incredible night sky.

At sunrise, the desert came alive. 

Its not every day in life you wake to the sun rising over the Sahara Desert

On a short walk, we spotted Ruddy Shelducks, three striking Great Grey Shrikes, and several migrating Subalpine Warblers. The fluty songs of Hoopoe Larks echoed across the sandy landscape, a sound that perfectly captured the spirit of the desert.

After breakfast, we headed out in two 4x4s, racing across the dunes and plains.

Along the way, we enjoyed fantastic views of Cream-coloured Coursers right from the jeep windows and Brown-necked Raven.

Brown-necked Raven

(c)Dennis Morrison

Cream-coloured Courser

 (c)Dennis Morrison

Our first stop was a small watering hole, where an unforgettable spectacle unfolded. The air suddenly filled with the calls of sandgrouse as more than a hundred Spotted Sandgrouse and dozens of Crowned Sandgrouse swooped in to drink.

Crowned Sandgrouse

(c)Dennis Morrison

Spotted Sandgrouse

(c)Dennis Morrison

Later, we visited a small Bedouin camp where Desert Sparrows hopped around the tents.

Me and Hamid Chillin 

Hamid, organising the next stop

Males and females were busy courting and nest-building while Fulvous Babblers squabbled over scraps of cake, and a Spanish Sparrow was seen.

Fulvous Babbler

(c)Dennis Morrison

Desert Sparrow

(c)Dennis Morrison

Spanish Sparrow

(c)Dennis Morrison

With warm tea in hand, we watched Woodchat Shrikes and more migrating warblers moving through the bushes.

Out on the open plains, we added Hoopoe Lark, Desert Wheatears, Maghreb Larks, and White-crowned Wheatears. 

Hoopoe Lark

(c) Jack Pettit

Then came another highlight when a small pale bird dashed across the sand and began to sing as an African Desert Warbler, a true specialist of this harsh landscape.

African Desert Warbler

(c)Dennis Morrison

Perhaps the most surprising moment came when a local Berber man guided us to a patch of desert vegetation where two perfectly camouflaged Egyptian Nightjars rested on the ground. Their sandy plumage blended almost invisibly with the desert floor.

Egyptian Nightjar

(c)Dennis Morrison

In the afternoon, we visited a large desert lake, an oasis bursting with birdlife.

Western Subalpine Warblers were singing. Greater Flamingos flew overhead while Black-winged Stilts, Ruddy Shelduck, Kentish Plovers, and Avocets patrolled the shoreline. Ducks were everywhere, including Marbled Ducks, Ferruginous Ducks, Pochards, and Shovelers. Marsh Harriers cruised above the reeds, and a pale Booted Eagle drifted across the sky, and a Black-eared wheatear showed well.

Black-eared Wheatear

(c)Dennis Morrison

Western Subalpine Warbler

(c)Dennis Morrison

Greater Flamingo

(c)Dennis Morrison

Black-winged Stilt

(c)Dennis Morrison

Ruddy Shelduck

(c)Dennis Morrison

As the day drew to a close, we took one final stroll around camp. Great Grey Shrikes were feeding their chicks nearby, while Cream-coloured Coursers and Bar-tailed Larks wandered across the sand. One persistent searcher even turned up a desert scorpion beneath a rock.

Cream-coloured Courser

(c) Jack Pettit

It was a day filled with unforgettable sightings, beautiful desert landscapes, and the kind of wildlife encounters that remind you why birding is such a joy. Tomorrow we head west toward the Atlantic coast, where new habitats and new birds await.

The Crew