Oukaimeden, High Atlas

Today we were going up into the High Atlas Mountains, and our aim is to get to the ski resort of Oukaimeden, looking for some mountain specialities.   Before we left the hotel I had to catch up with the House Bunting which was singing outside my room by the pool.   At the front of the hotel we had Pallid

Levaillant's Woodpecker

and Little Swift.

Along the road we saw the local version of Magpie. with it's blue patch near the eye, and large flocks of Spotless Starling, the local equivalent.   Our first stop was prompted by Chris winding his window down - he had heard Levaillant's Woodpecker!   As we got out of the 4x4s one flew over our heads and landed in a tree higher up the hillside, after a few moments  it - and a second individual - moved to a closer tree and gave us excellent views.

Here we also had chance to see Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Serin, Common Bulbul, Common Chaffinch and the Moroccan sub-species which has a greener back and is sometimes referred to as North African Chaffinch.

House Bunting

Soon it was time for us to concentrate on getting higher up towards the 2,600m mark, ss we pressed on, missing several fleeting glimpses along the way.   The road was narrow and twisty and we needed to get up to the top as quickly as possible to maximise our day.   Alpine and Red-billed Chough greeted us.  Crimson-winged Finch and Rock Bunting were all around us, on fences, walls and feeding on the ground.   Higher up Horned Lark fed in large groups, the males looking particularly handsome.   Rock Sparrow and House Sparrow were also seen here.

After walking for some time along the track we decided to retrace our steps and head for lunch.  In a trees by the road we found Mistle Thrush, Serin, Hawfinch and Crossbill.

 By now we had been joined by a nomad who wanted to sell us fossils.   Pete saw it as a personal challenge to do business, the first offer from the seller being 50 dirhams and Pete's response starting at 2!

As we wandered down the valley scanning the low slopes and fields along the way the seller continued to go ahead of us on his moped and then re-find us to try again.  As the slope flattened out we found a flock of Raven feeding with feral pigeons.

Lunch

Soon we were at our restaurant.   Tajine of either chicken or beef was shared amongst us as we ate al fresco in the bright but cool afternoon sunshine.   We reflected on our first morning's birding and looked towards our next session.

We were not out of the fossil-buying woods however and our 'man on a moped' appeared once more.   He skirted around the group looking for any hint of interest and finally sidled up to Pete once more whereupon a final deal was achieved.   The whole thing strung out over about a mile and three hours, but great entertainment!

The afternoon started off higher up where there were few birds, but lots of mountain plants - some flowering.   Early crocus seemed the most numerous, but there were several other species that so far remained unnamed.   Andrew is on the case with the botany ID.   A Long-legged Buzzard circled above us.

Song Thrush

We spent the rest of the day moving slowly back down the mountain road birding as we went, following a small stream where we saw Green Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, White-throated Dipper and Water Pipit.

Other birds seen during our travels were Cattle Egret, White Stork, Common Kestrel, Sand Martin, Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Black Redstart, Black Wheatear, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, Robin, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Wren, Goldfinch and Greenfinch