Morocco – Across to Fort Bou Jerif – 24th March 2010

To get across to where we were going to spend a couple of night we back tracked to Guelmin and took the road out to Laksabi, then, what turns into a rather bumpy track out across the desert to “The Fort”.

Crossing the Oued Noun, some where east of Laksabi, around the bridge we had superb views of two Marbled Teal along with Little-ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper, then yet more Trumpeter Finch came into to drink.

Having finished at the river it was pure scrub all the way, I guess as the warmer weather takes over this will be completely barren desert but for us it was covered in green Euphorbia. Birds just pop up, mainly Wheatears and Larks, then big surprises, first a Honey Buzzard sitting on a pylon, then out of the scrub about 100m from the track a Marsh Harrier, along with numerous Fat Sand Rats and regular Montagu’s Harriers.

As we closed on the Hotel a Bonelli’s Eagle soars up over a middle distant ridge.

Life bird count: 394 Year bird count: 166 Month bird count: 130

Photos: Fat Sand Rat (psammomys obesus);