Our week in Morocco, staying at the wonderful and highly-recommended Atlas Kasbah just outside Agadir, coincided rather spectacularly with the arrival of a heavy Atlantic front and two days of torrential rains, in an area which hasn't had any significant rainfall for the last two years! The result was some impressive nocturnal thunder storms, a re-jigged itinerary and a LOT of spare water. Dry river beds when we arrived had turned to raging torrents a couple of days later; roads were flooded or covered with rocks and sand, and a couple of strategically important bridges were washed away. Impressive stuff, that weather!
But despite the weather, and with some skilfull re-ordering of the itinerary by Tim Upson, our leader, we still managed to get to, and get the most out of all the sites planned and see some pretty cool wildlife along the way.
Part of a big gathering of Audouin's Gulls at the mouth of the Oued Tamri. The other side of the lagoon, 7 Northern Bald Ibis were picking across the hillside and loafing about, with both Moroccan (White) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails nearby.
Two pairs of Black-crowned Tchagra were great to see at Oued Massa, following each other round and song dueting.
The ever-present House Bunting
Western Orphean Warbler: on our visit into the Anti Atlas, this bird sang from an Argan tree for a short while, hopped out into the open and then off across the road.
Moussier's Redstart, a common sight in the area, although never terribly approachable.
Blepharopsis mendica, a beautifully patterned mantis, at Oued Massa
The weather wasn't particularly condusive to butterfly-watching through most of the week, but on the first day, at Cap Rhir, this Moroccan Hairstreak posed nicely amongst the Euphorbia scrub
North African Green Toad, Bufo boulengeri
and North African Water Frog, Pelophylax saharica. Considering the usually arid conditions, amphibians were surprisingly abundant, while reptiles were extremely hard to come by: during the week, I only caught sight of two lizards!
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