MOROCCO - FEB 8TH DAY 2 OF 10

Ourika Valley – Oukaimedan (Toubkal National Park)

- this 10 day tour was organised by 'Bird ID' based in Norway, to test your ID skills go to :

www.birdid.no

What a great day our first full day proved to be. The weather was fantastic with bright blue sky and all day sunshine. It was cold to start with but even at 2000 meters it was fairly warm later in the day.

THE REAR END OF AN ALPINE ACCENTOR

We started the day at 6:30am with a walk in the meadows below the hotel, it was dark as we emerged from our rooms but as we waited for light near the river we were rewarded with the sighting of a Woodcock, then another good bird for the trip a Barbary Falcon flew over us. We walked to the river and noted lots of Eurasian Chiffchaffs, also many Blackcaps and House Buntings. Other birds seen during the walk were; African Blue Tit, the lovely African chaffinch, Serin, Cetti’s Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Little & Cattle Egrets. During breakfast we were joined by the local Common Bulbuls, House Buntings and House Sparrows.
A FAT MOUSSIER'S REDSTART TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND GRASS STALKS!


The rest of the day was spent driving up to the village of Oukaimedan in the Toubkal National Park. We stopped a few times on the way up, the first stop was very productive. Viewing a rock-strewn hillside from the road produced Moussier’s Redstart, a beautiful male and then a Levaillant’s Woodpecker appeared! Several Black Redstarts were found, also Rock Bunting and up to three Barbary Partridges. In the sky above us we watched a Golden Eagle soaring and a couple of Ravens ‘cronked’ by.

Next stop was a small pine forest, we hoped for a Firecrest sighting but had to be satisfied with Coal Tits, Mistle Thrush, our first Long-legged Buzzard and an Alpine Chough which was flying together with a Raven?
Oukaimedan was absolutely crowed with day visitors, you can’t blame the hordes that drive up from Marrakesh because the whole place is so picturesque and with the snow being so thick many people were skiing. We drove through the village only stopping to admire a Water Pipit and a mixed flock of Red-billed and Alpine Chough.
AN OBLIGING CIRL BUNTING
Our journey finished at the Telecoms tower high above the village, we searched the mountain top for montane species and soon we found a small flock of Alpine Accentors. A buzz of excitement rippled through the group but soon our attention was diverted to a Blue Rock Thrush and then another Barbary Partridge. We walked down the track back towards the village and located a female Black Wheatear, a flock of Rock Sparrows and several Black Redstarts.

Finally we drove to the top car park near the ski-lift, it was manic, hundreds of people milled about. We quickly walked up the mountain pass away from the maddening crowd and found solace in a deserted Berber village in the form of Crimson Winged Finch, Rock Sparrow and Atlas Horned Lark. Job done we returned to the car and found a small flock of the lovely finches sitting on a wall!!!
Driving back down the hill we parked to eat our lunch as we watched Dipper, Wren and Grey Wagtail. Other stops produced more Moussier’s Redstarts, a flock of nearly 200 Red-billed Chough, a single Cirl Bunting and a couple more Long-legged Buzzards.
THE GROUP WALKING BACK DOWN THE VALLEY AFTER FINDING THE CRIMSON-WINGED FINCH

Back at the hotel we sat on the terrace drinking HOT mint tea as we watched another Levaillant’s Woodpecker and ALSO many species seen earlier in the day, a couple of new species for the trip were Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Common Moorhen.