Morocco - Merzouga to Ouikaimenden

I like to take my birding at an easy pace and achieve alot of personal satisfaction having planned a trip myself. I have been on organised trips and find them generally very tiring but you do generally get to see most key species! 

Fully guided trips are between 9 to 14 days whereas I have spent just short of three weeks in Morocco incorporating a journey across the Atlas mountains. This has included two stays with Riad Dades Birds who have provided guides around the Tagdilt Track and the desert.

I was on a return journey to Agadir via Ouikaimenden a journey of 932km and had booked night stays at Riad Dades Birds and Riad Chay and Boutique Ouzazarte to break up the journey. This allows time to catch up on any species that may have slipped through the net the first time round. The above Thick Billed Lark was one such species near the Tagdilt Track.

A morning spent at the reservoire at Ouzazarte produced a selection of passerines in the low trees and scrub. The best habitat is below the large viewing area where you can also camp. The viewing area itself gives good views of the reservoir but a telescope is essential if you remain at the top.

This Western Bonelli's Warbler was busy feeding as it made its way through the bushes.

Hirundines are also filtering through the area at a trickle but I am certain this will gain pace in the coming weeks. Yellow Wagtails were everywhere the main race being iberiae.

Blue Cheeked Bee Eaters were in residence and apeared to be claiming territories around the lake.

Next stop Oukaimenden and the search for a key species Crimson Winged Finch which incidentely had not been reported on eBird for a few days!