Morocco

 Moussier's Redstart, a speciality of Morocco © John N Murphy

Saturday 16th February and we departed Dublin at 15.30 in the afternoon for our four hour flight  to Agadir.  I had visited North Africa about 20 years previous taking in Tunisia and the Sahara.  This trip I was hoping to add a few species to my list that I did not catch up with the last time I visited this region.

Agadir © John N Murphy

For the first few days, birding took a back seat as a bit of R&R was done.  On Monday 18th seabirds were very evident along the shore and bay of Agadir, where there was one Manx Shearwater, one Audoiun's and Slender-billed Gulls, one Arctic Skua, 20-30 European Storm Petrels and a Wilson's Storm Petrel that I picked out feeding on the waves in the middle of Agadir Bay.

 Slender-billed Gull at Agadir © John N Murphy

On Tuesday a trip to Marrakech brought us over the Atlas Mountains and onto the high plateaus where there were lots of Black and White-crowned Black Wheatears.  Also on route were many larks and few pipits.  In Marrakech there were Pallid Swifts, Black Kites, White Storks, Laughing Dove and many small passerines in the parks and groves around this region.

 Spotless Starlings © John N Murphy

Crested Lark © John N Murphy

Laughing Dove © John N Murphy

Common Bulbul © John N Murphy

On the 21st & 22nd February I hired a car and spent a day in the Sous Massa National Park about one hour south of Agadir.  Here there were lots of good birds including many Moussier's Redstarts, Yellow Wagtails, Tree Pipit, Cetti's, Fan-tailed, Reed, Subalpine, Sardinian, Wood and Willow Warblers, Plain Martins, Spanish Sparrows, Firecrest and many more.  Here I also got to catch up with the Black-crowned Tchagra, a species new to me along with the M Redstart.

Sous Massa © John N Murphy

 Moussier's Redstarts © John N Murphy

 Yellow Wagtail © John N Murphy

White Wagtail © John N Murphy

Male Sardinian Warbler © John N Murphy

Black-crowned Tchagra © John N Murphy

Common Sandpiper at Sous River © John N Murphy

Lesser Short-toed Lark © John N Murphy

Thekla Lark © John N Murphy

Spoonbills migrating North © John N Murphy

Raven & Black Kite © John N Murphy

 Southern Grey Shrike © John N Murphy

The coast near Cape Rhir, Morocco © John N Murphy