10 Feb 2019: Sous-Massa

Mohamed Bargache, Sous Massa, Morocco

Early in the morning I drove 60 km south to the Sous-Massa National Park where I met Mohamed Bargache, a local bird guide. We then walked down a water course leading to the sea and soon found a Black-headed Tchagra who sounded like a drunk guy on a bicycle whistling to his heart’s delight. Some Spotless Starlings soon followed, and then the Moussier's Redstart – a Moroccan endemic and one of my target birds for the North African region.

Northern Bald Ibis, Sous Massa, Morocco

One of the locals offered us some spicy Moroccan tea while we waited for the very scarce Northern Bald-headed Ibises to arrive at the beach for their afternoon siesta. Once very near to extinction, a successful breeding program has increased their numbers in recent years. Soon a group of seventy ibises flew in and settled amongst the Audouin's and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a very strange sight for one who associates the Southern Bald-headed Ibises with high mountain pastures. Walking back to the car some Moroccan Cormorants (subspecies of the Great Cormorant), a Western Osprey, several Eurasian Linnets and a beautiful Goldfinch were ticked.

Little Owl, Sous-Massa, Morocco

The afternoon, in one of the local villages, I was fascinated to watch a Little Owl catching insects in broad daylight, not at all perturbed by the hustle and bustle of village life around it. Cetti's Warbler was heard in some riverine bush but could not be enticed to show itself. Another bonus for the day was some Brown-throated (Plain) Martins, a very range-restricted species, that showed well while flying over the river.

I came to an arrangement with Mohamed that he would guide me through Morocco for the next two weeks. Suddenly Morocco did not seem so intimidating, for I had a personal, professional bird guide who spoke excellent English, Berber, Arabic and French. I was now even able to understand the messages on my mobile phone.