Moroccan mountain and desert birds

22 December 2010.

Rain in the morning. Unusual for this arid region.

8:18: a rainbow in the direction of the Atlas mountains.

Cattle egrets on a field.

After yesterday, first to the Gorges du Todra mountain canyon.

Various insect species live at the Gorges du Todra.

A grey heron near the stream. House buntings and house sparrows. A grey wagtail along the water. Grey wagtail photo: here.

A blue rock-thrush. Serins.

Many pale crag martins.

A black wheatear.

A black redstart.

Later, at 13:15, a white-crowned wheatear on a wire.

A painted lady butterfly.

Dog’s tooth grass in an irrigated area.

15:04: twenty cattle egrets in an oasis.

At 15:40, we reach Erfoud.

Along the road, signs advertising “Devonian and Jurassic fossils” for sale.

In the desert just before Merzouga, we find a dead red fox. Road kill.

Finally, we arrive in Merzouga.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush photo: here.

Rock sparrows: here. Rock sparrow sound: here.

The importance of reforestation with pine for birds nesting in woodlands – Case of the Woodpigeon in an Aleppo pine plantation in the Central Middle Atlas area (Morocco): here.

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