Impacts of the customary management in Aguelmam Sidi Ali on Ruddy Shelduck

Khaffou, M. & Chahlaoui, A. 2011. Impacts de la gestion coutumière dans la zone humide d’Aguelmam Sidi Ali (Moyen Atlas, Maroc) sur le Tadorne casarca (Tadorna ferruginea). ScienceLib Editions Mersenne 3: N° 111007. PDF

Abstract

Impacts of the customary management in Aguelmam Sidi Ali wetland (Middle Atlas, Morocco) on Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

All the tribal communities that partake in the use of pastures around the wetlands of Aguelmam Sidi Ali have always agreed to use them following the customary laws founded by their ancestors. It is the system of Agdal which forbids the pasture at the level of the site during the months of March, April and May. The representatives of the collective lands (Naibes) are in charge of the execution of this system. Along this period Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is in full peace in the site in particular in the plain of Taânzoulte which is the major place for its pasture where they reach cleanly stable number during the period October–May. After the opening of Agdal and the arrival of the herds on the site, Ruddy Shelduck is threatened and leaves the plain of Taânzoulte towards the lakes of the site where they reach maximums during period June-September. This study showed the positive impact of the customary management of Aguelmam Sidi Ali wetland on Ruddy Shelduck. The necessity of installation of other measures of protection of this species in the site is compulsory in particular after the opening of Agdal.

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) at Aguelmam Sidi Ali, 02 April 2011 (Photo: Said Lahrouz)

Résumé

L’ensemble des tribus qui partagent les parcours  de la zone humide d’Aguelmam Sidi Ali suivent des décisions fondées par leurs aïeux. Il s’agit du système d’Agdal qui interdit le pâturage au niveau du site durant les mois du mars, avril et mai. Les représentants des terres collectives (Naibes) sont chargés de l’exécution de ce système. Le long de cette période les casarcas (Tadorna ferruginea) sont en pleine quiétude dans le site en particulier dans la plaine de Taânzoulte qui est l’endroit capital pour son pâturage où ils atteignent des effectifs proprement stables pendant la période octobre - mai. Après l’ouverture d’Agdal et l’arrivée des troupeaux sur le site, le Tadorne casarca se trouve menacé et quitte la plaine de Taânzoulte vers les lacs du site où ils atteignent des maxima durant la période juin–septembre. Cette étude montre l’impact positif de la gestion coutumière de la zone humide d’Aguelmam Sidi Ali sur le Tadorne casarca. La nécessité d’installation d’autres mesures de protection de cette espèce dans le site est obligatoire en particulier après l’ouverture d’Agdal.

Geographical situation of Aguelmam Sidi Ali and the adjacent plain of Taânzoulte.

House Buntings at Tangier: are you ready in the Iberian Peninsula?

Up until the publication of ‘The Birds of Morocco’ (Thévenot et al. 2003), the House Bunting (Emberiza sahari - Bruant du Sahara) was only recorded as a vagrant in Tangier. By mid-2000s, it started to breed in the Medina of Tangier (Birding World 19: 263). How the original nucleus population started to breed in Tangier, however, is still a matter of opinion, i.e. captive origin vs. natural arrivals from the south.

What we know for sure is that the House Bunting - no matter what is the very first origin of the birds in the vicinity of the barber’s shop in the Medina was - is now well established in Tangier. Moreover, the Tangier population is increasing and continually expanding to many new districts. Apart from the well-known nucleus population at Tangier Medina described in the note cited above, the House Bunting was found very abundant in the “Casabarata  district” with many singing males and juveniles in May 2009 (Sander Bot & M. Amezian); it was found also in “Brans district” (R. El Khamlichi & M. Amezian) in October 2011 (video below) and most likely occurs also in many other places such as the Kasbah and Marshan districts. 

I think that it should also be noted that this population has come up with some innovation in terms of breeding habitat, as they nest also in palm trees (Cortes 2010) as well  as in the vicinity of the human habitations.

On the other hand, I knew from a Spanish colleague that there was some debate about the nature of House Bunting occurrence in Spain, i.e. natural vagrancy vs. human-assistance (e.g. by ships). For instance, the first ever House Bunting for Spain was considered probably an escaped captive bird (de Juana 1994). From my perspective, I can only say that here the House Bunting is doing very well (as summarised above), so probably more of them will cross the Strait of Gibraltar in the near future. So, be prepared to see them!

Edit (June 2012): First record of House Bunting in Tétouan on the Mediterranean coast of the Tangier peninsula.

House Bunting (Emberiza sahari) feeding on seed, Medina of Tangier, 26 May 2006 (Photo: Ian Thompson).

House Buntings feeding on seed provided by the barber, Medina of Tangier, 26 May 2006 (Photo: Ian Thompson). It is probably from this nucleus that the species spreads to other part of Tangier.

References:

Amezian M, Bensusan K.J., Perez C.E. & Thompson I. 2006. Is House Bunting about to colonise Europe? Birding World 19: 263.

Cortes J. 2010. A House Bunting Emberiza sahari nesting in a palm tree in Tangier, Morocco. Gibraltar Bird Report 9: 44-45.

de Juana A., E. & el Comité Ibérico de Rarezas de la SEO. 1994. Observaciones homologadas de aves raras en España y Portugal. Informe de 1992. Ardeola 42 : 103-117.

Thévenot M., Vernon R. & Bergier P. 2003. The Birds of Morocco. BOU Checklist No. 20. British Ornithologists' Union & British Ornithologists' Club, Tring, UK. 594pp.

bby Mohamed Amezian

Marsh Owl at Oued Martil

While birding at Oued Martil (northern Morocco) on 16 October 2011, my friend Rachid El Khamlichi saw a distant Owl (Asio sp.) flying over and constantly being mobbed by a group of Jackdaws (Corvus monedula). He was able to take some record shots, from which we can see that the species involved was most likely a Marsh Owl (Asio capensis tingitanus - Hibou du Cap). Several birders at BirdForum confirmed this. We think that the species was not seen this far north since decades now. 

Marsh Owl was once breeding in the northernmost marshes of Morocco. Now, the closest breeding population to Martil is located at Tahaddart where Marsh Owl was seen in cereal fields in Oued Gharifa in 2006 and 2007 by Qninba et al. (2009). The region along the Atlantic between Lower Loukkos, Merja Zerga and south to Merja Sidi BouGhaba is the stronghold of the species in Morocco; however, the population is declining even in these areas.

Edit:  Rachid also found (on 7 June 2012) a Marsh Owl road-killed near a village some 40 Km north of lowerLoukkos marshes, which means that some exchange of individuals between the latter wetland and the northernmost marshes still occurs.

Here are some ideas about "What can we do to prevent the extinction of Moroccan Marsh Owl?"

Marsh Owl (Asio capensis) at Oued Martil, 16 October 2011 (Photo: R. El Khamlichi).

Marsh Owl in different flight positions

Marsh Owl and 2 of the Jackdaws

Reference: 

Qninba A., Radi M. & El Idrissi Essougrati A. 2009. Les changements récents dans la composition du peuplement d’oiseaux d’eau nicheurs du Bas Tahaddart (Nord-ouest du Maroc). In: Scapini F., Boffa J.-M., Conrad E., Cassar L.F. & Nardi M. (Eds), Sustainable management of Mediterranean coastal fresh and transitional water bodies: a socio-economic and environmental analysis of changes and trends to enhance and sustain stakeholder benefits. Firenze University Press. Firenze. pp: 171-179. ISBN 978-88-6453-015-4 (online)

by Mohamed Amezian

Notes on some birds from the Sahara (Dahkla, Bir Anzarane and Aousserd)

Some interesting ornithological observations from the Sahara in Go-South Bulletin:

Chevalier, F. & Bergier, P.2011. Notes sur quelques oiseaux observés près de Dakhla, Oued Ad-Deheb. Go-South Bull. 8: 114-124.  

These observations were made between Dakhla, Bir Anzarane and Aousserd (map in the document). Some of the observations were already included elsewhere (e.g. in the reports of the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee) but more details are included here, also all the 33 species recorded were photo-documented. This includes the following ones: 

• Aythya affinis (Fuligule à tête noire – Lesser Scaup)
• Geronticus eremita (Ibis chauve – Bald Ibis)
• Circaetus gallicus (Circaète Jean-le-Blanc – Short-toed Eagle):  probable breeding between Gleb Jdiane and Oued Jenaa. 
• Aquila chrysaetos (Aigle royal – Golden Eagle)
• Crecopsis egregia (Râle des prés – African Crake): the 5^th record for the Western Palearctic and the 1^st one outside the Canary Islands.
• Charadrius morinellus (Pluvier guignard – Eurasian Dotterel)
• Turdus torquatus (Merle à plastron – Ring Ouzel)

Circaetus gallicus on nest in Aousserd (Awserd) 18 April 2010 (©: Franck Chevalier)

Hybridisation of Western Reef Heron and Little Egret at Essaouira archipelago

The long-staying dark morph Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) in Essaouira and the nearby Oued Ksob estuary has probably hybridised with the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) at Essaouira archipelago (Mogador). This has been published recently in the journal Alauda:

Qninba, A., Benhoussa, A., Ibn Tattou, M., El Idrissi Essougrati, A.,Ben Haj S. & Rguibi Idrissi, H. 2011. Cas probable d’hybridation Aigrette garzette Egretta garzetta x Aigrette des récifs Egretta gularis dans l’archipel d’Essaouira (Maroc). Alauda 79: 241-242.

Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis at Oued Ksob near Essaouira. (Photo: Franck et Océane Dupraz). 

I should be mentioned that similar cases of hybridization were recorded in Thyna/Sfax, Tunisia (H. Dlensi in Isenmann et al. 2005), in l’Albufera de Valencia, Spain (Dies et al. 2001) and in the Camargue, France (Kayser et al. 2000).

Hybrids:

Any odd-looking egret or apparent hybrid should be reported to the Moroccan Rare Birds Committee in order to gather more information about this subject. To give the reader an idea about the hybrids, I extracted the following from Dies et al. (2001) about the well-known case of hybridisation in Spain: “Apparent hybrids exhibited odd-coloured plumage, with a pale grey body and with white of variable extent on the head, wings and under-parts, even in adult plumage”.

Hybrid Western Reef Heron x Little Egret (Egretta gularis x E. garzetta), Merja Zerga, February 2013. (Javier Elorriaga).

Presumed hybrid Western Reef Heron x Little Egret, Valencia, Spain. (Jules Sykes)

Presumed hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x E. garzetta, Tarragona, Spain, June 2011 (Josep Tantull). 

Picture of a presumed hybrid Western Reef Heron x Little Egret from Valencia, Spain (4-10-2008).

Pictures of a presumed hybrid Western Reef Heron x Little Egret from Barcelona, Spain (20-6-2008).

References:

Dies, J. I., Prosper, J. & Dies, B. 2001. Occasional breeding by Western Reef Egret [Egretta gularis] in eastern Spain British Birds 94: 382-386.

Isenmann, P., Gaultier, T., El Hili, A., Azafzaf, H., Dlensi, H. & Smart, M. 2005. Oiseaux de Tunisie. Birds of Tunisia. SEOF, Paris.

Kayser, Y., Dietrich, L., Tatin, L., & Hafner, H. 2000. Nidification mixte de l’Aigrette des récifs Egretta gularis en Camargue en 1996.Ornithos 7: 37-40.

by Mohamed Amezian

Restoration of Laguna del Cañizar in Spain, we should learn from this!

I came across this news in British Birds website (contributed by Jeremy Brock) about the restoration of Laguna del Cañizar which is a lake in the municipalities of Villarquemado and Cella, Teruel province, Aragon, northeast Spain (see why I posted this at the end of the post):

“Spain’s conservation credentials have received a boost with the restoration of a major inland wetland, originally drained nearly 300 years ago. The Laguna del Cañizar near the village of Villarquemado in Teruel province was drained in 1730 to provide additional land and water for agriculture, and to combat malaria, which was endemic in Spain at that time. Now, thanks to a government initiative, with the help of local conservation volunteers and support from the local villagers, much of the lake has been restored. Work began in 2006 and is still continuing, but there are already substantial areas of open water and reedbeds. When fully restored, this will be the second-largest freshwater lagoon in inland Spain.

Species such as Purple Swamp-hen Porphyrio porphyrio and Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris have already returned, and a substantial population of Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus has established itself. Regular visitors include Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus, Black Stork Ciconia nigra and Great White Egret Ardea alba. A variety of wildfowl, ranging from Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna to Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina are wintering, and the lagoon is visited by large numbers of Common Cranes Grus grus from the major wintering flock at another important wetland, the Laguna de Gallocanta, 40 km to the north.

With two major wetlands within easy reach of each other – and some splendid steppe in between – this relatively unknown area of northeast Spain is well worth a visit.”

Laguna del Cañizar, Teruel province, Sapin (Photo: Ricardo Perez, Brookei blog).

Please compare these beautiful pictures (above and below) with the ugly ones form Smir lagoon, northern Morocco.

Laguna del Cañizar, Teruel province, Sapin (Photo: http://www.ruralvida.es/).

I also found this article: Rubio Dobón J.C. 2007. Pasado, presente y futuro de la laguna del Cañizar. Xiloca 35: 189-200. [PDF file], which its abstract says:

"The Cañizar Lake was one of the largest freshwater wetlands of inner Spain. It extends along the shores of Villarquemado, Cella and Santa Eulalia. Until recently, we didn’t know that it existed. Nowadays, there is a project focused on its partial recuperation. These works have been aimed with a double target: to improve the environment and create an attractive natural area that generates a financial gain related to rural and nature tourism".

More information and photographs in the website of the "Fundación laguna del Cañizar" at: http://www.lagunadelcanizar.es/

And what is the relation of all this to Morocco, the answer in three words: we should learn from this experience. Here in morocco, we are unfortunately in a race against time to destroy our wetlands: Smir wetland (SIBE, Site d'Intérêt Biologique et Ecologique) and the estuary of Oued Moulouya (Ramsar Site, Important Bird Area and SIBE) are being destroyed now. And what is next in line?

One may say "and the recent good action in Sebkha Bou Areg in Nador, have you forget it?" No, I didn't forget, while it is true that Marchica ornithological park was a good initiative but it is equally hard to see that several hundreds of hectares of wetland habitats are being lost somewhere else in Morocco.

Mohamed Amezian

Houbara Bustards released in Algeria

ABU DHABI: 500 captive-bred houbara bustards were released last week in the wild Algeria by Abu Dhabi-based National Avian Research Center (NARC).

Present at the release ceremony in Al Abyadh Sidi Al Sheikh in Al Beidh province were Dr. Nigel Collar, Director of NARC and representative of BirdLife International, a global alliance of conservation organizations working together for the world's birds and people, officials of the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives of hunters societies and wildlife enthusiasts.

Collar said Algeria is one of the natural habitat for the endangered North African houbara bustard which now faces extinction due to over-hunting. "The places were carefully selected to provide the released birds a natural and appropriate diet," he added.

The birds were raised at the National Avian Research Centre (NARC) as part of efforts to protect houbara bustards and its plan to increase its population in their natural habitats across Asia and North Africa.

The houbara lives in remote, empty expanses of desert and semi-desert plains and steppes. It is an opportunistic feeder - eating a variety of plants, seeds and berries as well as ants, locusts, spiders and scorpions. Houbara bustards also eat small lizards, mice and the young chicks of some other birds.

"Hunting is part of the national heritage of Arab and Gulf countries. A draft agreement on increasing houbara bustard population is being prepared by NARC and BirdLife International," Collar further said.

© Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.

A male Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) displaying, ECWP, eastern Morocco (Photo: Christophe Gouraud).

Notes:

- El Abiodh Sidi Cheikh is a municipality in the wilaya of El Bayadh in western Algeria. The location is only distant of about 120-140 Km from the Moroccan border.

- By mentioning Asia, the report news speaks about the houbara bustard as one species, while the former houbara have been split by most taxonomic authorities into two species: the Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) in Africa estwards to the Sinai Peninsula and the MacQueen's Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii) in Asia.

Mediterranean Monk Seal sightings in eastern Morocco

An article about sightings survey of the Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus (Critically Endangered according to the IUCN red list) in the eastern Mediterranean coast of Morocco has been published recently in Aquatic Mammals. Although this is not a bird-related article, we would like to share it with you because it is about one of the world's most endangered Pinniped and obviously one of the most endangered mammal in Morocco. The good news is that the Mediterranean monk seal still present there, but that’s probably not enough (we need some conservations action as the authors concluded).

Mo, G.; Bazairi, H.; Bayed, A. & Agnesi, S. 2011. Survey on Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) sightings in Mediterranean Morocco. Aquatic Mammals 37(3): 248-255.  DOI 10.1578/AM.37.3.2011.248

Abstract: 

Knowledge on Mediterranean monk seal distribution throughout the central-eastern Mediterranean Moroccan coasts is not abundant and has not been consistently assessed throughout time. Results of a questionnaire survey directed at 205 artisanal fishers operating out of 18 landing sites of central-eastern Morocco, and extending over 210 km of coast, are hereby reported. The information on reported monk seal sightings amounts to 141 observations reported for the period 1971 to 2005, with the highest number of reported sightings for the year 2004 amounting to 32. More than 58% of the study area is characterized by rocky cliffs of alternating height, and monk seal sighting frequency was mostly reported for four subareas. However, only two of these, Cap Trois Fourches and Ras Kebdana, seem to be utilised in recent times and seem to be areas where immediate conservation actions should be enacted in order to safeguard remaining seal nuclei. The remoteness of these sites and the presence of the nearby nature reserve in the Chafarinas Islands may contribute to the protection of a nucleus of monk seals, which is likely to benefit from the proximity to the nearby Algerian border where monk seals could survive. Immediate conservation actions should be enacted in the identified subareas, and a regional strategy, including the nearby Algerian areas as well as the western Moroccan area of the Al Hoceima National Park, should be implemented so as to avoid further population fragmentation in this area of the western Mediterranean.

Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) (Photo: Association Nature Initiative).

Distribution of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) (© Matthias Schnellmann/ The Monachus Guardian).

Mohamed Amezian

Pectoral Sandpiper in Oualidia lagoon

If you are near Oualidia lagoon on the Atlantic coast, take the opportunity to find the Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos - Bécasseau tacheté) that was seen there on 2 October 2011 by Alain Mathurin and his colleagues. This is the 8^th record for Morocco and the 1^st since 1999. Many thanks to Alain for this record and for letting us know about it (but I feel sorry that I am too far away). Thanks to Karim Laïdi as well for posting the photograph at: http://gomac.megaplog.com/

Pectoral Sandpiper at Oualidia lagoon, on 2 October 2011. (Karim Laïdi) 

Moroccan Birds 

Sebkha Bou Areg ornithological park

HM the King launches works to build ornithological park in Nador, worth MAD 70m

Nador - King Mohammed VI launched, on Monday in Nador, the construction works of an ornithological park in Marchica, worth 70 million dirhams.

Stretching on an area of 74 hectares, it will be the biggest park for birds in the south of the Mediterranean.

The park, whose construction works are due for completion in 2014, is expected to attract 150,000 visitors a year, thus contributing to job-creation and to socio-economic development.

HM the King also enquired about the progress of depollution works of the banks of the lagoon. He had presided, last year, over the signing ceremony of an agreement on the depollution of Marchica lagoon’s banks and protecting its environment, for 75 million dirhams.

HM the King Mohammed VI launches works to build an ornithological park in Nador, 3 October 2011 (Photo: MAP). 

SM le Roi lance les travaux de réalisation d'un parc ornithologique à Marchica, d'un coût global de 70 MDH

Nador- SM le Roi Mohammed VI, que Dieu L'assiste, a procédé, lundi à Nador, au lancement des travaux de réalisation d'un parc ornithologique à Marchica pour un coût global de 70 millions de dirhams (MDH).

• Le plus grand parc aux oiseaux dans la région du sud de la Méditerranée.
• Un parc de 74 ha devant attirer près de 150.000 visiteurs par an.

A cette occasion, des explications ont été fournies au Souverain sur ce projet écologique qui consiste en la réalisation, sur une superficie de 74 Ha (10 km de sentiers), du plus grand parc aux oiseaux dans la région du sud de la Méditerranée.

Ce projet, à caractère pédagogique et scientifique, s'inscrit dans le cadre du plan d'action de l'Agence pour l'Aménagement du site de la Lagune de Marchica qui porte également sur la réhabilitation de plusieurs sites pour reconstituer et valoriser l'écosystème de la lagune.

Ce parc aux oiseaux, dont les travaux prendront fin à l'été 2014, sera réalisé sur les anciens bassins de lagunage des eaux usées de la ville de Nador.

Outre sa dimension écologique, le parc ornithologique de Marchica devrait attirer près de 150.000 visiteurs par an, contribuant ainsi à la création d'emplois et au développement socio-économique dans la mesure où sa gestion nécessitera deux types de profils métiers: des agents responsables de l'entretien des espaces verts, des chemins et des postes d'observation ainsi que des guides ornithologiques qui assureront les visites guidées.

En vue de capitaliser sur les expertises internationales et d'inscrire le parc aux oiseaux de Marchica dans le réseau scientifique des grands parcs naturels, des échanges sont menés avec les instances en charge du parc naturel du Marquenterre de la Baie de la Somme en France.

SM le Roi Mohammed VI, que Dieu L'assiste, a, par la même occasion, pris connaissance de l'état d'avancement des travaux de dépollution des berges de la lagune réalisés par la société MARCHICA MED grâce à la contribution conjointe du ministère de l'Intérieur, du Secrétariat d'Etat chargé de l'Eau et de L'Environnement, de la province de Nador et de l'Agence de l'Oriental.

Ainsi, l'année 2011 a connu la dépollution de l'embouchure de Oued Bouserdoun à travers l'évacuation de 26.000 m3 de déchets solides et le nettoyage du cordon dunaire et des plages d'Arekmane et de Bni Ansar.

SM le Roi Mohammed VI, que Dieu L'assiste, avait présidé en juin 2010 la cérémonie de signature de la convention relative au projet de nettoyage et de dépollution des berges de la lagune de Marchica et à la protection de son environnement, doté d'une enveloppe budgétaire de 75 millions de dirhams.

Both texts (English and French) were published by MAP, the Moroccan official news agency.

Resighting colour-ringed Sanderlings

The Sanderling (Calidris alba - Bécasseau sanderling) is a small wader that breads in the High Arctic tundra of eastern Canada, Greenland and northern Siberia and has a worldwide distribution outside the breading season.

Despite its large distribution and its occurrence in areas (sandy beaches) accessible to people, birdwatchers and biologists very little is known about Sanderlings compared to many other common wader species.

In this context, a Workshop on Sanderlings was held during the International Wader Study Group conference in Jastrzębia Góra, Poland in 2008. During the discussion session of this Workshop it was decided to instigate a new International Wader Study Group project on Sanderlings. The aims of this project are to create a large international network of collaborators who will be encouraged to step up colour-ringing and resighting Sanderlings, especially in currently underrepresented countries.

And what can we, both local and visiting birders/ornithologists, do here in Morocco for this? We can pay more attention to these Sanderlings and to report any colour-ringed individuals to their respective ringing scheme. So by doing this, we are making your birding count.

For more information about the Sanderlings using the East Atlantic Flyway see the review of Reneerkens et al (2009):

Reneerkens, J., Benhoussa, A., Boland, H., Collier, M., Grond, K., Günther, K., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Hansen, J., Meissner, W., de Meulenaer, B., Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y., Piersma, T., Poot, M., van Roomen, M., Summers, R.W., Tomkovich, P.S. & Underhill, L.G. 2009. Sanderlings using African–Eurasian flyways: a review of current knowledge. Wader Study Group Bull. 116: 2–20. 

And for more information about the International Wader Study Group project on Sanderlings please refer to this website: http://www.waderstudygroup.org/res/project/sanderling.php

A colour-ringed Sanderling found at Oued Martil, northern Morocco

Rachid El Khamlichi during one of his regular visits to Oued Martil found a colour-ringed Sanderling on 17 September 2011 and after some correspondence with Jeroen Reneerkens and others, they couldn’t find the origin of the bird (the colours were not seen properly, due to the distance). Fortunately, Rachid went back on September 22^nd, and found and photographed the bird. The Sanderling was ringed in Sandgerði, Iceland during its northward migration on 18 May 2010 by the research team of J. Reneerkens. Since it was ringed, this bird was re-sighted several times in its stopover site in Iceland (in and around the ringing site) in springs 2010 and 2011 and once in France in spring 2011.

Colour-ringed Sanderling re-signted in Martil, 22 September 2011. The bird has a green flag on the left upper leg, two yellow rings on the lower left leg, and a red ring, above a yellow ring on the right lower leg
(Photo: Rachid El Khamlichi). 

Thanks to Jeroen Reneerkens (University of Groningen, The Netherlands) for his quick correspondence with Rachid and for providing the sightings history of the Sanderling.

by Mohamed Amezian