Another early breakfast-call found us in the dining room at 6:30am and after consuming a lovely breakfast we set off on foot towards the Tagdilt Track. Our first bird of the day was a House Bunting which was on the roof of the hotel this was quickly followed by Barn Swallow and a single House Martin.
SOME OF THE GROUP - SOMEWHERE OUT ON THE TAGDILT TRACKWe walked out to the mini-dump a few hundred meters from the hotel entrance, we were hoping for a sighting of Thick-billed Lark but failed to find one, however we were happy to watch Desert Lark, Thekla Lark, Trumpeter Finch, Red-rumped Wheatear and Northern Wheatear. Our driver Ahmed brought the bus over to collect us and as we were embarking a pair of Barbary Falcons flew over.
RED-RUMPED WHEATEAR (FEMALE)
Once inside the bus we set off for the ‘new’ Tagdilt track, which is in fact a tarmac road, several stops along this road produced more species, the best was a Lanner Falcon which flashed across the road in front of the bus. We saw a Marsh Harrier attack a couple of falcons that we perched on the ground near the road, they turned out to be Barbary Falcons, probably the two seen 10 minutes ago. We saw many flocks of Short-toed Larks, our first Temminck’s Horned Lark, Desert Wheatear, Red-rumped Wheatear and, a great find, a Magreb Wheatear.
GREAT GREY SHRIKE
A visit to a mini oasis provided more sightings; 2 Hoopoes, Common Chiffchaff, Long-legged Buzzard, another Marsh Harrier, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Spectacled Warbler, Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, lots more Short-toed Larks, Northern Wheatear and Trumpeter finches.
DESERT WHEATEAR (MALE)
Back on the Tagdilt Track we turned west and headed out onto the ‘hammada’, this stony desert habitat is home to several sought after species. Cream-coloured Coursers gave themselves up quite easily when a flock of 25 flew over the bus, but the Hoopoe Lark took some finding, but what a great find, we actually found a bird sitting on a nest of eggs! Further searching produced Tawny Pipit, several Black Kites, a flock of White Storks, a probable distant Lanner Falcon, White Wagtail and our last bird of the morning was a Lesser Short-toed Lark.
TWO PICTURES OF HOOPOE LARK AND ONE OF THE NEST AND EGGS
At lunchtime we drove into Boumalne Dades to pick up picnic supplies before driving up through the Dades Gorge. Along the way to the head of the gorge we stopped to watch Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, Black Wheatear and Common Bubul. Near the top of the gorge we walked along the road whilst searching the mountain scrub for warblers. The Tristram’s Warbler was our main target and after a short while we found 3 of them, one in particular showed very well.
TRISTRAM'S WARBLER
For the last couple of hours we re-visited the Tagdilt track still searching for the Thick-billed Lark, without success. We find many of the species seen earlier and one nice find was a large number of Short-toed Larks feeding on what appeared to be a large spillage of salt, it was an incredible site.
SHORT-TOED LARKS FEEDING ON THE SALT SPILLAGE
The weather had taken a turn for the worse, it clouded over, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped, so we made a hasty retreat back to the hotel where we had a relaxing couple of hours before dinner.
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