Trip Report - Morocco, April, 2025

Crimson-winged Finch: I've finally got around to writing up the Morocco birding trip. I had a ton of images to pour over and sort through, had to even buy an external hard drive to help organise my photos.

Moussier's Redstart: This was my second trip to Morocco after my trip with Dawn back in January 2014, this time I had the great company of Gary Edwards, Patrick Earith and Kristian Wade. And unlike my 2014 trip, this time I booked a tour guide.

Thick-billed Lark: We booked Hamid Mezane who run Bird Watching Morocco Tours, he's an exceptional birder and lives with his family in Erg Chebbi of the Sahara Desert. 

Pharaoh Eagle Owl: Bird Watching Morocco Tours have several tour programs, and believed in two simple premises: they want all of their clients to share in the excitement and fun of a top-notch birding adventure, and they want to provide the best service possible to both our tour participants and their independent travel clients.

Levaillant's Woodpecker: Morocco offers fantastic birdwatching opportunities, with diverse habitats ranging from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic coast. Popular birding destinations include Merja Zerga, the Souss and Massa estuaries, and the Tagdilt track.

Desert Lark: This trip repot covers our way from the high Atlas to the Sahara Desert. From driving around an hour  from Marrakesh heading up in to the High Atlas Mountains and visiting Oukaimeden at 2600m altitude to the dunes of the Sahara.

Hoopoe lark: Exploring the Merzouga region where you can find desert specialties such as Egyptian nightjar, African desert warbler, desert sparrow, blue-cheeked bee-eater, spotted and crowned sandgrouse. 

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater: Morocco is generally considered a fantastic birding destination, particularly for those interested in Western Palearctic and desert specialties. And I couldn't agree more, I loved it, it was such a great trip and one I have always wanted to do 'properly' since I visited with Dawn. 

Spotted Sandgrouse: We ended up with 124 birds for the trip list, including 10 larks, 8 wheatears and 15 warblers. Check out the trip report at the footer of my blog or click here. 

https://austinmorley.blogspot.com/p/morocco-april-2025.html

 

09/08/2025 Walberswick, Southwold, Suffolk

Zitting Cisticola: These small, brown birds with a distinctive streaked back and a broad, white-tipped tail that it frequently flicks are also known as the fan-tailed warbler are are visitors to the UK with fewer than ten records recorded in the UK. They primarily breed in southern Europe and are largely sedentary and classed as resident in their range.

Having been mad busy with work I was unable to go mid-week, so had the nervy wait until Saturday when Kris and I embarked on the 10 hour round trip to Southwold, Suffolk.  

Black Stork: Zitting Cisticola are known for their characteristic "zitting" song that erupts into a series of sharp, repetitive calls given during an erratic, undulating display flight. 

When we arrived the bird was singing from the buckthorn which by all accounts it had been doing most of the early morning. But, not long after we arrived the bird changed its behaviour and widened its ranged, moving over the marshy grassland  and taking regular display flights.

Walberswick is a tourist hotspot for crabbing, birdwatching and those who enjoy a serene seaside holiday, the village of Walberswick is one of Suffolk's gems and was not only home to the very rare Zitting Cisticola, but a juvenile black stork too.

We soon made our way to Boyton Marsh and Slaters Pit near Lowestoft and relocated the large bird sleeping on the side of a small dyke. The Black Stork is a large bird, with a glossy black body and white underparts. It is a rare but regular visitor to Britain, breeding in eastern Europe and migrating to Africa. 

This was my 2nd black stork that I've seen the the UK with the first being at Spurn, although at the time it was miles way and obscured in the tall grass, this one however was could not have been any more different. 

It was too close at times I had to back off in order to it in in my camera lens. An amazing experience seeing one like this, I've only ever been this close to black stork in Lesvos. I could have picked it up and taken it home! 

 

01/08/2025 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent

Bonaparte's Gull: Working in Kent I was unable to resist a trip to Oare Marshes, the reserve is at it's best in spring and autumn when it is visited by migrant waterfowl but in summer it's famous for being a summer home to a Bonaparte’s gull. 

These diminutive gulls are rare, but annual visitor to the UK they are primarily seen during the autumn and winter months. You're be forgiven to think that they are named after Napoleon Bonaparte, but they are actually named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a French ornithologist. 

Bonaparte's gulls  are the third smallest gull in the world and the only gull species that regularly nests in trees.

This is the 13th summer in a row that this individual has returned to Oare Marshes. originally the gull was found on the site back in May 2013 and has returned each year ever since. 

Trip Report - Antalya, Türkiye

Brown Fish Owl: Antalya, offers excellent birding opportunities with a diverse range of species, including both resident and migratory birds. For anyone wanting to combine a decent birding trip with a family focused holiday, specifically a holiday with a small child this is perfect. We chose an all inclusive resort called Shearwood Dreams, witch offered a selection of swimming pools, a fairground and waterpark full of slides for Autumn. The main reason we chose this part of Türkiye was to see the brown fish owl.

Key areas for birdwatching include Iskele Parki, the Taurus Mountains, and areas around Side ancient ruins. April and May are generally good months for birding due to the spring migration.

The magnificent brown fish owl is one of the rarest owls in the Western Palearctic and is critically endangered in Europe. They are restricted to a small, disjunct range in southern Turkey and are known for its nocturnal habits and preference for mountainous habitats with mature pine trees bordering clean freshwater rivers or pools. 

Red-fronted Serin: The brown fish owl was thought to be extinct until 2004 when a small population was rediscovered at Oymapinar lake near Manavgat. The owl is difficult to spot due to its nocturnal nature and preference for remote, mountainous areas.

I booked a full days bid tour, which included the night time owl tour. The tour began at sunrise, taking advantage of the first light of day when many bird species are most active. I took a 30 minute taxi (50€) to meet Mehmet my bird guide before heading up to the eastern Taurus Mountains.

It took us about an hour to reach our first destination, a cedar forest edged with a dense pine forest that ran alongside a small river, it was here that we saw the Syrian woodpecker, not easy to see only managing several short views creeping up the trunks and a few breif flight view. This defiantly got me excited. 

The Taurus Mountains feature a large range of diverse habitats from Mediterranean scrub and forests to alpine zones, creating a biodiversity hotspot. These habitats include juniper-fir-oak forests, cedar forests, pine forests, and even maquis formations, with vegetation varying based on elevation and slope aspect. 

White-throated Robin: One area that we visited was the highest point of our journey took us to a small off-grid settlement, settled within the bare hills of Bozdağ Milli Parkı east of Konya. We drove straight to a well that fed a water trough.

Spur-winged Lapwing: This trough was leaking and forming small pools on the grassy patch under a tree. This water source was irresistible to the local birds and was pulling in small flocks of ortolan buntings, chaffinches, greenfinch, both serin species, European and red-fronted.  

Read and see more from my fantastic trio to Antalya, Türkiye in the Holiday and Trip Reports section at the botton my my blog or click this link.

https://austinmorley.blogspot.com/p/antalya-turkiye-2025.html

22/06/2025 Undisclosed Site

Long-eared owl (female): The long-eared owl is a very striking bird thanks to its long ‘ears’, which it raises when alarmed. The species is medium in size with a wingspan of 95cm, and lives in dense woodland.

It can be confused with the similar-looking and similarly named short-eared owl, particularly when the long-eared owl has its tufts of feathers laid flat on its head. However there are some key identification features to tell the difference between the two species.

Long-eared owl (owlet): They are most associated with coniferous woodland, hedgerows, shrubby thickets and preferring tall scrubby habitats during the breeding season, favouring sites where dense nesting cover is located close to open areas that are used for hunting. 

I've been monitoring these owls for a while and happy to say that the two chicks are doing well, they have developed their adult feathers and no longer look like grey fluff balls. 

Long-eared owl (male): The long-eared owl is one of four native owls in the UK, and one of five resident species here (the additional non-native resident species is the little owl).

During the owls breeding cycle, it is the male that does most of the hunting; depositing prey at the nest before egg-laying begins, providing the female with sustenance during incubation and providing the bulk of the prey for the young birds.

20/06/2025 Audenshaw Reservoirs, Greater Manchester

Surf Scoter: I just had to share these record shots of this mega rare local bird. This is the first time this species has ever been recorded in Manchster. These are a rare visitor to Britain and Ireland, with most records between October and March. They are a North American species that migrates to British and Irish coasts outside of the breeding season. 

So to get on inland is pretty rare and unusual, but to get one in Manchester in June is simply crazy!

25/05/20205 Leasowe, Wirral

Blond Fox: Take a look at this rare blond fox cub, a pale fox cub lacking the dark noise, orange fur and vivid orange eyes. This is caused by albinism, a genetic mutation that affects melanin production. It's a rare form, one that i haven't come across before. 

Matt Bett has vixen who has been chosen the hole under a shed at the bottom of his garden for a couple of years to have her cubs. This year she had given birth to three cubs, of which one is blond, not red.

Red Fox: Here is one of the other fox cubs, with more normal colouration, having bright orange eyes, and stunning orange fur with a black noise and darker edges to the ears and eyes.

Unfortunately and in someways typically the day I chosen  to go was a rainy and windy, after a nice long warm week of weather too. 

I think the poor weather had an impact of the fox cubs and kept them form showing better and spending more time outside of their den, understandably. 

The foxes didn't venture far from the entrance hole but still gave me a great look at them and gave me a great opportunity to see the difference between the colour variations of both fox cubs. 

If Matt will have me back I plan got choosing a better day and hopefully get them in a good mood where I can watch them out on the lawn feeding and playing.

Can't wait. 

16/05/2025 Smithy's Hide, Chorley, Lancashire

Tawny Owl: It doesn't happen often if at all but I've struck gold, 18 karat gold!

With thanks to David Gibson I found a photography hide that not only offers the best views you could ask for of tawny owl but a hide with a really great set up too. Smithy's Hide in Chorley.

 

This Friday was my birthday, turning old, so to cheer myself up and I booked in with Kris. We arrived just before 7pm and after a brief and friendly induction from Sue we were soon joined by the male tawny owl. It perched up in the day light as we were talking to Sue standing outside the hide. 

This was good start, within 20 minutes of waiting in the hide the male tawny returned and put on a super show, we had dozens of visits throughout the night. 

I was blown away by the views of photographic opportunities this hide owl gave us.

Sue Smith who set up Smithy's Hide has worked hard created a unique space to photograph wild birds and tawny owls. Her photography hide is equipped with heaters, access to toilet facilities, double beanbags, scrim netting over the viewing shutters, mobile phone charger, hooks to locate your camera bags and coats and comfortable padded seats. 

Sue has a great set up with the hide overlooking a well constructed reflection pool, lots of natural perches and external lighting. Everything you could ask for, and the start of the show a wild tawny owl that comes within a few feet of the hide and 

Tawny owls are our biggest common owl, familiar in Britain’s woodland, parks and gardens. They are famous for their ‘too-wit too-woo’ call often referred to as being the song of the generic owl.

But it isn’t the call of a single bird, but instead made by a male and female calling to each other.The female makes a ‘too-wit’ sound and the male answers with ‘too-woo’! 

Sue has put in an enormous amount of effort in to gaining the owls trust who come to the hide very night. 

For anyone who has looked into booking or have booked a wildlife photography hide will know the rates can be, well lets say pricey. Well to book into the Smithy's Hide with will cost you £20 per person, that right, 20 quid, peanuts in comparison to some other local wildlife hides. 

I will put a link to the Smithy's Hide facebook page below, here you can join and DM for bookings. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1224753778841421/

Keep the good work up Sue, it's all paying off. 

06/05/2025 Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire

Spotted Sandpiper: Look more closely at these pictures, it's almost like this little wading bird has hearts on it. This bird has been showing well all weekend and I held my nerve for when I was working down this way after the Bank Holidays.

Grafham Water is England's third biggest reservoir nestled in 1500 acres of bucolic countryside, but thankfully the bird kept to a small area of the vegetated bankside called the Plumer Park.

With the exception of its heavily spotted breast, spotted sandpiper are very similar in appearance and habit to our common sandpiper. They have distinct spots on their belly during their summer plumage stage and the adults have yellowish legs, an orange bill, and brown on top with black spots underneath.

The Spotted Sandpiper breeds near fresh water across most of North America where it essentially replaces our Common Sandpiper. It is the most widespread breeding Sandpiper in  North America. They migrate to the southern United States, the Caribbean and South America for the winter and are rare vagrants to western Europe.

Very much like the common sandpiper they also bob up and down, bobbing their tail up and down while feeding. The function of the sandpiper tail-bobbing is unknown with guesses ranging from the mildly plausible such as aiding in balancing on rough terrain to the absurd such as pumping body oils over their feathers to improve waterproofing.

08/04/2025 World's End, Denbighshire, Wales

Black Grouse: Black grouse in Wales are primarily found in the upland areas of North and Mid-Wales, particularly in areas where habitat management and predator control have been implemented. One of the premier location is a stunning places called World’s End.

World’s End is a narrow vale located between Wrexham and Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales and is a very popular destination with walkers and cyclists owing to its spectacular scenery and outstanding landscape.

While their numbers have declined in recent years, ongoing conservation efforts are helping to increase populations, especially in areas like Ruabon Mountain

Black Grouse are a lekking bird and they are very site faithful for their leks. Somewhere around 30 birds gather in what looks like a small disused quarry. 

The blackish blue males have distinctive red wattle over the eye and show a striking white stripe along each wing in flight. The black grouse can be seen throughout the year but are at their most flamboyant and noticeable during the lek.

The lek is when males visit a spot as a group, to display, in the hope of mating. The lek generally begins to heat up in early April, raising to its peak around early to mid-May when the females, known as Greyhens, decide to grace the lek with their presence to select their mate.