This is a short trip report for our weekend birding trip to the Middle Atlas, in this post I will write about passerines (this is the report for non-passerines birds and some photographs of Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). Early in the morning (2 April 2011) we start looking for birds. We spend a few minutes watching the beautiful African Blue Tit at the top of a tree near our hotel. Around Azrou, Jackdaws can be seen almost anywhere in large groups. All photographs by Said Lahrouz.
 |
African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarines)
|
 |
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
|
Our first destination site was the lakes of Aguelmam Sidi Ali, but en-route we did make some stops to see some great birds and got a few pictures. We enjoyed good views of Thekla Lark, Common Nightingale, Moussier’s Redstart, Seebohm's Wheatear, Mistle Thrush, Rock Sparrow, European Goldfinch and Corn Bunting.
 |
| Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) |
 |
| Moussier's Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri): a male |
 |
| Moussier's Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri): a female |
 |
| Seebohm's Wheatear: Oenanthe (oenanthe) seebohmi |
 |
| Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus deichleri) |
 |
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
|
 |
| Common Raven (Corvus corax) |
 |
| African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana) |
 |
| European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) |
Continuing our way to Aguelmam Afenourrir lake, we stopped at Ain Kahla cedar forest. We walked through the forest, we find Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Firecrest, African Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Jay, Raven, Chaffinch and Serin. The next 20 minutes was spent watching and photographing good numbers of Thekla Larks, with Eurasian Skylarks (In flight it is one of the most magnificent birds that can be seen). Very satisfied we returned to our hotel to enjoy a good night's sleep.
 |
| Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) |
 |
| European Serin (Serinus serinus) |
 |
| Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae) |
 |
| Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) |
Next day (Sunday 03 April), we left early to look for birds in Ifrane and the surroundings areas. Other special passerine birds found in this area included the Great Tit, Nuthatch (Jaieba Forest
 |
| North part of Dayet Hachlaf |
 | |||
| Our team from left to right: Abdelhak Elbanak, Imad Cherkaoui, Adel Bouajaja and Said Lahrouz |
List of passerine birds observed during the trip :
Thekla Lark
|
Galerida theklae
|
Eurasian Skylark
|
Alauda arvensis
|
Shore Lark
|
Eremophila alpestris atlas
|
Wren
|
Troglodytes troglodytes
|
European Robin
|
Erithacus rubecula
|
Common Nightingale
|
Luscinia megarhynchos
|
Moussier’s Redstart
|
Phoenicurus moussieri
|
Seebohm's Wheatear
|
Oenanthe (oenanthe) seebohmi
|
Blackbird
|
Turdus merula
|
Mistle Thrush
|
Turdus viscivorus deichleri
|
Firecrest
|
Regulus ignicapilla
|
African Blue Tit
|
Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus
|
Great Tit
|
Parus major excelsus
|
Coal Tit
|
Periparus ater atlas
|
Nuthatch
|
Sitta europaea
|
Eurasian Treecreeper
|
Certhia familiaris
|
Maghreb Magpie
|
Pica (pica) mauretanica
|
Eurasian Jay
|
Garrulus glandarius
|
Jackdaw
|
Corvus monedula
|
Common Raven
|
Corvus corax
|
Spotless Starling
|
Sturnus unicolor
|
Rock Sparrow
|
Petronia petronia
|
Common Chaffinch
|
Fringilla coelebs africana
|
European Serin
|
Serinus serinus
|
European Greenfinch
|
Chloris chloris
|
European Goldfinch
|
Carduelis carduelis
|
Common Crossbill
|
Loxia curvirostra
|
Corn Bunting
|
Emberiza calandra
|
I lived in the Middle Atlas for two years (in Ifrane) but I wasn't interested in birds at the time. All I can remember seeing are white storks, Levaillant's woodpecker, and I think what must have been cattle egrets. I really liked Ifrane but I am so annoyed at myself that I didn't look at the birds! Your blog shows me what I was missing...maybe some day I'll get a chance to go back.
ReplyDeleteHi Esmerelda, Glad that the blog posts nurture some nostalgia. I hope that some day in future you will find your way back to truly appreciate the birds especially that know you are interested in them.
ReplyDelete