I set out bright and early with one quest in mind find a Bald Ibis. I have been using the updated Where to Watch Birds in Morocco by Bergier as well as trawling eBird to locate likely areas to see this endangered species.
The roads were very quiet first thing but driving at the speed limit is a must as there are random Police radar traps as well as fixed cameras! I am using Waze (navigation app) which has live traffic updates.
The morning began at the Tamri Estuary walking the scrub looking for passerines. Sardinian Warbler were very vocal along with a secretive Tristram's Warbler. A good number of gulls were resting at the river mouth again Lesser Black-backed were numerous with ten Audouin's making up the numbers. A couple of Sandwich tern had positioned themselves well back from the main huddle of gulls.
Raptors were also active with a Peregrine and a pair of Kestrel in the area. I have double checked the photos and ruled out Barbary Falcon and Lesser Kestrel.
The prize of the day didn't arrive until I moved up to the Water Treatment Works which gave good views of the hills and river valley. I noted three birds flying towards the estuary abandoned the car so that I could get some shots and made a note of where they had come down. I was genuinely excited at this point!
The birds were flighty and eventually landed in the field next to the works outer wall. I scurried up a sand bank and snuck across the field taking up a secluded position and waited for the birds to pass by.
More birds arrived before the flock moved across the valley to a field on a hill behind the car park to the estuary. I counted 29 birds in all and returned to the car park to have lunch! There are local people that will take you to see the Ibis for a fee but on this occassion I had beaten them to it!
After a well earned break I headed back to Agadir via Cape Ghir where a wrong turn had me chance upon a Black Wheatear!
I have gone through my pictures and a Golden Eagle has been identified thanks to my birding guru pal. Thanks Pete!
My first full day had gone in a blink of an eye! Time to prepare for tomorrows adventure!
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