Lyster the cuckoo migrating through Morocco

Five Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) were caught at their breeding grounds in East Anglia, England, UK, and tagged with a small 5g satellite tags to track their movements to their winter quarters in Africa.
Four Cuckoos entered Africa between Algeria and Libya, three of them (baptised Kasper, Clement and Chris) crossed the Sahara desert at or close to its widest point.

A fifth bird, Lyster has taken the unexpected south-western route into Africa. It appears that he crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and entered Africa through Morocco between 9 and 11 August. As of 22nd August (when transmission last received) it is still at its stopover site at an area with artificial pools just outside the town of Had Soualem, about 20 km SW of Casablanca.

More about the BTO's project "Tracking Cuckoos into Africa".

Birds, nests and local experiences…

I came across an article (dated 4 July 2011) in an Moroccan web-portal about the discovery of a nest of a Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) in Kebdana, Oulad Daoud, Ras El Ma, Province of Nador, eastern Morocco (the species is new to their area, due the enthusiasm about this event). The discovery made by the “Coopérative Agricole Attadamoune” in summer 2008, and since then they regularly monitored the area and protected the nest from eventual threats. The birds returned to breed in the area the following years and this year another nest was discovered some 3-4 Km apart from the first one. 

On the other hand, the Coopérative regretted the disappearance of the only breeding pair of Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata) from their area.

Coopérative Agricole Attadamoune (تعاونية التضامن الفلاحية) is based in Oulad Daoud centre, Ras El Ma, Province of Nador, eastern Morocco.

p.s. It is very encouraging to see as many as possible local people in the countryside interested in protecting their birds and their natural heritage. I liked this experience and thought I would share it with you.

Mohamed Amezian

Eleonora's Falcons at Bouknadel colony

The Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is a medium-sized raptor that breeds colonially on steep sea cliffs, islands and islets on the Mediterranean sea, the Canary Islands and the Moroccan Atlantic coast. The Eleonora’s Falcon winters in Madagascar and start to return to the breeding grounds by the end of April and early May. Two breeding colonies of this summer visitor bird are known in Morocco:  one on Mogador Islands off Essaouira and the other on mainland cliffs at Bouknadel north of Salé (The only mainland colony of the world).

These photographs were taken recently by Imad Cherkaoui during his visit with Adel Bouajaja to Bouknadel on July 31^st 2011. They estimated that c. 20 pairs of Eleonara’s Falcon are breeding in this colony this year.

p.s. For recent information about the Eleonora’s Falcon colony of Essaouira islands (Mogador), please refer to the following report: 

Qninba, A., Rguibi Idrissi, H., Benhoussa, A., Mante, A., Azafzaf, H., Peyre, O., Radi, M. & El Idrissi Essougrati, A. 2010. Note naturaliste sur l'avifaune nicheuse de l'archipel d'Essaouira (côte atlantique marocaine). Rapport inédit. Programme PIM-Archipel d’Essaouira, HCEFLCD (Maroc) & Conservatoire du Littoral (France), 24pp. [PDF file]