Despite a very wet winter the amount of ground water was very low and the snow on the mountains was
surprising lacking which was a contrast to the last couple of years at this time. This year’s rains had been
followed by a hot, dry spell and consequently reduced the chances of finding the usually easy, high atlas,
species. We also failed to find a couple of the desert species, no bustard nor any sandgrouse. Migrants were
virtually non-existent with no visible raptor passage and only sparse scatterings of migrant warblers.
The group enjoyed great views of Tristram’s Warbler, Desert Warbler and after some hard leg work Scrub
Warbler. We had several sightings of Egyptian Nightjar including a daytime roosting bird and several birds
coming to a pool to drink just after dusk. The Pharaoh Eagle Owl showed well as did Levaillant’s
Woodpeckers, Thick-billed Lark, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and the newly named Magreb Wheatear.
However, for me, the most impressive sight was the sheer number of birds on the seasonal lake at Merzouga,
seeing a flotilla of over 1,000 Marbled Duck was a sight never to be forgotten.
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It was unbelievable autumn migration throughout the UK because of the very unique weather conditions. An unprecedented number of Nearctic Birds arrived on the west coast of the UK including the Isles of Scilly. American Warblers wer...
View ReportA somewhat wet and windy start to the tour developed into a sunshiny affair with a high count of species recorded. Bulgaria proved once again that its varied and interesting landscapes house a tremendous biodiversity of wildlife, es...
View ReportWe didn't let a couple of days of rain ruin this fantastic tour, we still enjoyed one of the most scenic tours you can find in Europe. The bird life, on and around, Lake Kerkini is prolific and a wonder to behold.
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