Our final day had arrived, we decided to have a lie-in and took breakfast at 7:30am. What a luxury!! We set off at 8:30am for Marrakech, we planned a couple of stops along the way to look for larks. The first stop was some 30km west of Essaouira in open farmland. Our walk produced some interesting species, Stone Curlew, Cream-coloured Courser, Hoopoe, Thekla lark, Marsh Harrier, Little Owl and many Yellow Wagtails. The second stop produced very little because it was now very hot and heat haze restricted our viewing.
We decided to head for the large reservoir 30km south of Marrakech, as we approached the area we found Black-winged Kite, Woodchat and Great Grey Shrikes, we heard several Common Nightingales and also saw Red-rumped Swallow. At the reservoir we found Ruddy Shelduck, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, Osprey, Common Sandpiper and Moroccan Cormorant. A Common Cuckoo had us on the run, we searched but failed to locate it, and during lunch, which was taken on the terrace of a restaurant that overlooked the water, we were entertained by Common Bubuls that were coming to tit-bits from the table.
We have had enough!!!! The group going back to the bus for the last time!!!
Well that was that, the end of the tour, we drove to the Airport with no further sightings to add. Over the last 10-days we had recorded 190 species, heard two more (Wren & Tawny Owl) and seen two subspecies that are likely to be split in the future, Moroccan Wagtail and Long-billed Crested Lark. A great time was had by all and some special memories are going home with us!!!
Thanks for reading this - next year's tour will commence Monday 18th March 2013 if you are interested in joining us book early as this trip is very popular!
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