tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79681130980795618682024-03-19T04:52:37.793+00:00Birdwatcher's blogNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-89496211706322914222022-08-12T01:50:00.001+01:002022-08-12T01:50:44.169+01:00Hi, NiocSalutations
<br>Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2022 03:50:21 +0300
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<br>Nioc <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=niocblog1.birds@blogger.com">https://www.google.com/search?q=niocblog1.birds@blogger.com</a> NPRICE
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<br>------=_NextPart_000_0054_SOZ1WEQI.T6IBNQJB--NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-37202382424637036712022-08-01T05:34:00.001+01:002022-08-01T05:34:35.076+01:00Nioc good evening<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:14.1pt;font-family:sans-serif'>Nioc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.4pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.4pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:17.3pt;font-family:sans-serif'><a href="https://bit.ly/3Q0KEsq">https://www.google.com/search?q=niocblog1.birds@blogger.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:21.1pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:21.1pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:14.3pt;font-family:sans-serif'>NPRICE<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-24637961361506666622022-04-05T04:56:00.001+01:002022-04-05T04:56:56.656+01:00Nioc how's it going?<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.1pt;font-family:Arial'>Nioc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:16.2pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:16.2pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:16.4pt;font-family:Verdana'><a href="https://bit.ly/3J80IVi">https://bit.ly/3J80IVi</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.3pt;font-family:sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.2pt;font-family:Verdana'>NPRICE<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-49699827356476472062018-06-05T16:50:00.000+01:002018-06-05T16:51:03.123+01:00Good afternoon Nioc <a href="https://goo.gl/Y5xfgD">https://goo.gl/Y5xfgD</a> N PRICENEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-9549546060942210362018-03-25T16:08:00.000+01:002018-03-25T16:05:36.059+01:00<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'>Greetings Nioc<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><a href="https://bit.ly/2Gagf7D">https://bit.ly/2Gagf7D</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>N<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.1pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-91804689228715850882017-05-15T12:51:00.001+01:002017-05-15T12:51:39.217+01:00Hello Nioc
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<br><a href="http://grumpyfish.shop/user_edit.php?wouldnt=vwms26u4x5qvx8">http://grumpyfish.shop/user_edit.php?wouldnt=vwms26u4x5qvx8</a>
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<br>Take care
<br>NNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-3728238000739446622010-04-28T19:35:00.000+01:002010-04-28T19:35:21.181+01:00Pine MartenThe pine martens and badgers come to feeding spots in the Rothiemurchus estate.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDe4dWgo5CDqqDopXaEtkxu5WjSoBO_b6Sd_I-6sFzzYcS2Ef5pJL25QLGscZAEFV3mrl0hBS00_eJBK0DdH054Wn4fm9bb7ZiGYUrQpOog51Fju-YSQlsGBg5jQvCZ-1z47R6U7YdSB/s1600/Pine+marten+Anthony+Dodds.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; FLOAT: left; CLEAR: both" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fDe4dWgo5CDqqDopXaEtkxu5WjSoBO_b6Sd_I-6sFzzYcS2Ef5pJL25QLGscZAEFV3mrl0hBS00_eJBK0DdH054Wn4fm9bb7ZiGYUrQpOog51Fju-YSQlsGBg5jQvCZ-1z47R6U7YdSB/s320/Pine+marten+Anthony+Dodds.jpg" /></a><div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-23156368621081416472010-04-20T22:56:00.000+01:002010-04-20T22:56:18.554+01:00Red Squirrel in Rothiemurchus Estate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXuFHcOMGPqgfqgWxoAcYe8IFHgagAoMEwauY2R1_Tq_Vp9DHPMpr8aUICot0uIzo5uyyG3IqvaA9GwNtLn66idmu8oDxJ-kWZb7rys02Mdz3F_d6RVtF1UjO5rViAMwcicxZJQYX-2iH/s1600/Squirrel1richardsmyth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXuFHcOMGPqgfqgWxoAcYe8IFHgagAoMEwauY2R1_Tq_Vp9DHPMpr8aUICot0uIzo5uyyG3IqvaA9GwNtLn66idmu8oDxJ-kWZb7rys02Mdz3F_d6RVtF1UjO5rViAMwcicxZJQYX-2iH/s640/Squirrel1richardsmyth.jpg" width="640" wt="true" /></a></div>by Richard SmythNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-86416285704282365502010-04-18T14:23:00.004+01:002010-04-20T23:01:22.287+01:00Thornhill to Cairnryan via Ken Dee marshes<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Light rain, sunshine and fairly calm. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Short pre breakfast trip to <strong>Monnack Valley</strong> for 5 ring ouzels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">En route to Ken Dee we saw greylag, merlin, red kite, buzzard, skylark. At <strong>Ken Dee</strong> we spotted shoveller,wigeon, teal, canada geese, lapwing, nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker (H), willow warbler, meadow pipit, woodpigeon, chiff chaff and pied flycatcher. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhummcwGzgwP1AtBkrHZG-LHLHPU37lRxbJgl3r2AXIrR4zQuCDoa6Qtzno4dwKTUBnz8_GfZ4WodRFK3kulNX34ErU6mkdHP3tLd4NYxnl9KpbL_ymnOiCBje0sOupPx73msYfQ9nFA_Xz/s1600/P1050493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhummcwGzgwP1AtBkrHZG-LHLHPU37lRxbJgl3r2AXIrR4zQuCDoa6Qtzno4dwKTUBnz8_GfZ4WodRFK3kulNX34ErU6mkdHP3tLd4NYxnl9KpbL_ymnOiCBje0sOupPx73msYfQ9nFA_Xz/s320/P1050493.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shoveller, oystercatcher, mute swan, redshank, black headed gull on <strong>Luce Bay.</strong> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Wood of Cree:</strong> treecreeper, pied flycatcher, garden warbler (H), siskin (H), willow warbler, chaffinch, reed bunting, grey heron.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XXzWFPO6qmNfb4zTjmzCeUav6k4EFJ38U9tkrgn0XuYmUt-fXMHm-DAkqz_q-APmaqvA-sjTBe8shXnKs0Qec4YXjcnDn7zJpDN0y878tUSo3b0oT_fSe96QrIKHOR18RcMklg7iptep/s1600/P1050494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XXzWFPO6qmNfb4zTjmzCeUav6k4EFJ38U9tkrgn0XuYmUt-fXMHm-DAkqz_q-APmaqvA-sjTBe8shXnKs0Qec4YXjcnDn7zJpDN0y878tUSo3b0oT_fSe96QrIKHOR18RcMklg7iptep/s320/P1050494.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">During the trip we had been hearing reports of air traffic chaos due to an <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/04/more_from_eyjafjallajokull.html">erupting Icelandic volcano</a>. The volcanic ash was being blown over the UK and Europe causing dangerous flying conditions. We had heard that most of Europe had cancelled flights. We thought that many would be using the ferry as a means to get home but it wasn't obvious that there were extras on the boat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We had a great trip with easy going company and super weather. Thank you Garry for all the planning, your driving and your cheerful good humour.</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-30475999200647273582010-04-17T11:36:00.007+01:002010-04-18T22:28:38.470+01:00Nethybridge to Thornhill<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A short dander to the <strong>Nethybridge</strong> produced a dipper, grey wagtail, siskin, blue tit, yellowhammer, great spotted woodpecker. There's an old railway line behind the houses which deserves a bit of investigation. Crossbills spotted along the road to Aviemore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Searched the pinewoods near <strong>Loch Garten</strong> for crested tit but only saw treecreeper, coal tit, buzzard, siskin, gold crest, bluetit and chaffinch. A couple of the group saw crested tit at the Inverdruie fish farm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em> Casual visitors no longer welcome at the Inverdruie fish farm to see the ospreys feeding. Organised photography access and guided nature visits with the warden only. Tickets available at the Rothiemurchus visitors centre</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The gatekeeper in Loch an Eilein said the crested tits hadn't been seen for a week. Saw a red squirrel again. . </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stopped at Aviemore Tesco for supplies then headed South. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>House of Bruar</strong> 10m N of Pitlochry. Huge restaurant. Millions of people gnashing away!! Good shopping for cashmere, outdoor clothing, toys, antiques, deli and Clan Donaghy museum. Those who wish to can walk up to the Falls approx 2 miles. Robbie Burns has written about the Falls of Bruar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Light drizzle.Next stop Errol on North bank of Firth of Tay. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Errol is East of Perth,</strong> on the Firth of Tay. Drive through a farm yard East of Errol village and eventually come to a motocross track and a waterworks. Look over the largest commercial reedbeds in Britain. If you are lucky you can see bearded reedlings, bittern and marsh harrier. Some of us saw the former and everyone saw the latter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onwards to <strong>Leadhills and Mennock Pass</strong> for Ring Ouzels and eventually spotted four birds.... And it wasn't raining!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And we spotted this strange looking human who proves that birders aren't the only oddities!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hotel in Thornhill was lovely!</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-25384410676614212982010-04-16T14:56:00.005+01:002010-04-19T23:14:55.513+01:00Speyside adventures<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Had a puncture in Dunkeld and called the RAC to help. The magnificent view over the nearby Spey produced goosander, grey wagtail, pair of common gulls, pair of sandmartins, goldcrest. Spent the night at Nethybridge hotel. Left at 7. 30pm to go to Loch an Eilein, on the Rothiemurchus estate, Aviemore to see Pine Marten and badger feeding on nuts and peanut butter. Really close views. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the group fell out of bed at 4 am to go to the hide at Loch Garten. They were rewarded with views of capercailie, osprey, black grouse, tree pipit, red squirrel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After breakfast en route to Loch an Eilein we spotted an osprey, lapwing, oystercatchers and greylag. No sign of crested tit. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS-ayen9CpyBjzVOsD23hERoJbKWrfXazkX_IxT8f053LDEHm5zIQHWWiVixDJabaNhQhw22DhmGeEl8wuDrgzXZl7dAg-y6umiknQq9AOPYcSMvbJTt2hDuPAAoEoo5jm12XptFYvNCJ/s1600/Opsrey2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS-ayen9CpyBjzVOsD23hERoJbKWrfXazkX_IxT8f053LDEHm5zIQHWWiVixDJabaNhQhw22DhmGeEl8wuDrgzXZl7dAg-y6umiknQq9AOPYcSMvbJTt2hDuPAAoEoo5jm12XptFYvNCJ/s320/Opsrey2.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></a>R Smyth</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onwards to Cairngorm where, by group agreement, we took the funicular car to the top. On the viewing platform, which was covered in snow and ice, we watched many skiers and snowboarders descending the slopes. Ptarmigan and snow bunting were quickly spotted on bare rocks. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qXwqhH11v8NuWASyeiAV2vFwp17Ni5exbuYgayyLJpH_N8-cx0yBr-6gRTeT9lQ76u18yR4MlL6MCnEoeS1SgOIEiY-CFWl9IRaxGcx-1B0V8LYVk3r0yZu6XexeUvXP9gt7FKohiDU9/s1600/Ptarmigan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qXwqhH11v8NuWASyeiAV2vFwp17Ni5exbuYgayyLJpH_N8-cx0yBr-6gRTeT9lQ76u18yR4MlL6MCnEoeS1SgOIEiY-CFWl9IRaxGcx-1B0V8LYVk3r0yZu6XexeUvXP9gt7FKohiDU9/s400/Ptarmigan1.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a>R Smyth</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGwqxdRPs2YhHeUbFH16EYNFy6iFtPYGGt9f3Gh2h3PncDypwb_hCKLxP54fbejTE4WNTr1JuOqhRyI54BeuQBuFteaSi18BXrzxAv4l4vfvw3KGJuWY9ZweNWHagUW2Uo3DOePRy_aNb/s1600/P1050450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGwqxdRPs2YhHeUbFH16EYNFy6iFtPYGGt9f3Gh2h3PncDypwb_hCKLxP54fbejTE4WNTr1JuOqhRyI54BeuQBuFteaSi18BXrzxAv4l4vfvw3KGJuWY9ZweNWHagUW2Uo3DOePRy_aNb/s400/P1050450.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a>N Price</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We rewarded ourselves with a cuppa then headed on to Findhorn Valley. A detour after going through Tomatin allowed us to drive along the road towards Farr. Quite a number of red grouse were easily seen.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD2b4C41I0HIRPRjZejS2gBl1x1obXSE0iMiPNf8-Phh7IIF-2AM8F2bhgRjLcJfUS2xZgvDLZ_hEG1InM04VzLm7kXoylsF8uctJ71K5ju6xmtIqIXsLelSZKqp83248zEj4vfvBvPxA/s1600/P1050465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD2b4C41I0HIRPRjZejS2gBl1x1obXSE0iMiPNf8-Phh7IIF-2AM8F2bhgRjLcJfUS2xZgvDLZ_hEG1InM04VzLm7kXoylsF8uctJ71K5ju6xmtIqIXsLelSZKqp83248zEj4vfvBvPxA/s400/P1050465.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a>N Price</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then we drove on up the Findhorn Valley which has beautifulscenery. We didn't see any target birds but might have located golden eagle and ring ouzel. A buzzard displayed for some near the car.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVPR-KUFda3CIhACViv-8cY66fcE6PsEyevwdaqszszNfW-kDHxBCrnKlXLR6zYwuURzTAFBSoXHV-TdCYuEETszOJN_nnlILrjeZLRT1zyJZjqXkTgUOupwOv7vTiNy3EoKNHKvYTmwO/s1600/Buzzard2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVPR-KUFda3CIhACViv-8cY66fcE6PsEyevwdaqszszNfW-kDHxBCrnKlXLR6zYwuURzTAFBSoXHV-TdCYuEETszOJN_nnlILrjeZLRT1zyJZjqXkTgUOupwOv7vTiNy3EoKNHKvYTmwO/s400/Buzzard2.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a>R Smyth</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the Findhorn River we motored NE towards Burghead on the Moray Firth. Passing via Lochindarb where we saw an osprey. At the coast we had velvet scoter, eider and long tailed duck. An untidy skein of pink footed geese flew NW - about 70 birds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fish farm at Inverdruie in Aviemore was closed but standing in the car park we saw an osprey, long tailed tit, blue tit, chaffinch, great tit, green finch, siskins mating and some saw a crested tit.</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-68900124074579699122010-04-15T12:58:00.002+01:002010-04-18T22:20:18.631+01:00PunctureAt Dunkeld. :-(<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDgplYEJOaYWc-Eoif4NDq24uEVNDl1UeY4tNCcXiNAn2l2uic4e_S9LPyJD_8ocAlYV5ORvjapyQPNwr4tT4fS1t9iysdNR3jPwjZx6QeP2b3Oa103LEdG3Evn45XASoRfhODdPiCIxq/s1600/P1050392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDgplYEJOaYWc-Eoif4NDq24uEVNDl1UeY4tNCcXiNAn2l2uic4e_S9LPyJD_8ocAlYV5ORvjapyQPNwr4tT4fS1t9iysdNR3jPwjZx6QeP2b3Oa103LEdG3Evn45XASoRfhODdPiCIxq/s320/P1050392.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div>However this was the view over the nearby Spey<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCxW3Rd0nLMs_fL8syQxG5EfEUbVqR63O01kPwMT934nqzoTfZ4_26Z48e4QHsDET0KrfaTVDgrixPevyqm4Y-Nk6BeVHcTI64d93Qlktya20QH8flQsRw3KS84HEpPFA2NW5WMCWjlo0/s1600/P1050415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCxW3Rd0nLMs_fL8syQxG5EfEUbVqR63O01kPwMT934nqzoTfZ4_26Z48e4QHsDET0KrfaTVDgrixPevyqm4Y-Nk6BeVHcTI64d93Qlktya20QH8flQsRw3KS84HEpPFA2NW5WMCWjlo0/s400/P1050415.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-66039917334384612412010-04-15T12:13:00.001+01:002010-04-18T22:29:19.681+01:00IMG00185.jpg<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaBzSmD-I4WWRomNDpaIDMCU9CApXvs2m2gKudDHFKPap31VrY43CDikS2QuJ28sOIuJRk_dms4JChW9K3bnJYw3wnVww3YiUjsMuhlz9pedqVcyzjAiqm1foy38VOQl-gL7xJgsdMPgM/s1600/=%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDAxODUuanBn%3F=-769888"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460322792795882274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaBzSmD-I4WWRomNDpaIDMCU9CApXvs2m2gKudDHFKPap31VrY43CDikS2QuJ28sOIuJRk_dms4JChW9K3bnJYw3wnVww3YiUjsMuhlz9pedqVcyzjAiqm1foy38VOQl-gL7xJgsdMPgM/s320/=%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDAxODUuanBn%3F=-769888" /></a></div> at Vane Farm RSPBNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-52342329825323921082010-04-15T09:16:00.000+01:002010-04-15T09:19:52.455+01:00St john's town of Dalry to nethybridge in speysideMost of the group of 15 rose early to hear black grouse, wheatear,oystercatcher curlew, peregrine. On route we've seen stoat, greylag, kestrel, mallard and a hare. Weather is cloudy but dry.NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-56538777392321662222010-04-11T21:11:00.001+01:002010-04-11T21:16:45.599+01:00Looking forward to the Scottish trip<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our trip to Speyside is from Wednesday to Sunday.</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-86287388576516447742010-03-09T23:00:00.047+00:002010-03-18T21:17:42.861+00:00Morocco 17th-28th February 2010<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Morocco - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>From the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">organised by </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boletas.org/">Boletas Birdwatching Centre</a> founder</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Josele J Saiz </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>ssisted by Harry Barnard.</strong> <br />
Also see Josele's BoletasTrip Report -<a href="http://www.birdingspain.com/bird%20highlights.htm"> Morocco in February 2010</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>17th February.</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBK6hPbM1bXj67jIVv5gLoi8b2DFIWZjOxQPY_WfbLvABDYX8wk5PKB6xpNiuxgOxlfhfqkPHo0UKhekTvTJO3Bwngz89EwbYlKH7rBgsgwNEvh7l8zlIOwYszNgHAbJbBXq5LeQ4WVAJ/s1600-h/group+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBK6hPbM1bXj67jIVv5gLoi8b2DFIWZjOxQPY_WfbLvABDYX8wk5PKB6xpNiuxgOxlfhfqkPHo0UKhekTvTJO3Bwngz89EwbYlKH7rBgsgwNEvh7l8zlIOwYszNgHAbJbBXq5LeQ4WVAJ/s320/group+photo.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stayed last night at the Sofitel beside the North terminal at Gatwick. Early in the morning we took the transit bus to the South terminal, only to discover that the flight number had changed and we were now flying from the North terminal! The weather was bright, cold and sunny.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The easyJet flight from Gatwick to <strong>Marrakesh</strong> arrived on time, but we were delayed filling in arrival forms at customs. We met Josele, changed money and had a quick bite to eat at the airport whilst watching house buntings flitting inside the arrivals hall.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Straight into birding we drove one and a half hours south to <strong>Vallee de L’Ourika</strong> and then <strong>Setti Fatma</strong> . We passed many bright handwoven carpets and clay vases for sale on the roadside .</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This journey took us into the low foothills of the <strong>High</strong> <strong>Atlas Mountains</strong> and we saw rivers that are obviously in spate during the winter, but dry in summer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At our evening meeting Josele formally introduced Harry Barnard who is already an expert birder at 17. Josele is to take us to a range of habitats: high Mountains, sandy dunes, stony desert, woodlands and coast. At this time of year, we will have good opportunities to see endemic species which are displaying and perhaps a few early migrants. We will have four-wheel drive cars, from tomorrow and each day the passengers move forward a car. On some days the drivers will cook for us or we will have a packed lunch. Harry will do the checklist each night.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWYGU8OZi2ypitisz7CG6QlMyPWqz-VjIo0updN3dWEHDS7VamONcsEKATNPDrOgy88gHjJ_iySL6RmQVlGi5WJT04n0SCARWQ_Mzbobz2vS5XFUzfz1x1ItBgeW7hcvIUUR9-L83KAEP/s1600-h/housebunting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWYGU8OZi2ypitisz7CG6QlMyPWqz-VjIo0updN3dWEHDS7VamONcsEKATNPDrOgy88gHjJ_iySL6RmQVlGi5WJT04n0SCARWQ_Mzbobz2vS5XFUzfz1x1ItBgeW7hcvIUUR9-L83KAEP/s320/housebunting.JPG" vt="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our sightings for today were African blue tit, great tit, cirl bunting, blackcap, common bulbul, blackbird, chaffinch, grey-wagtail, dipper, Peregrine Falcon, Bonelli’s Eagle, wren(h), robin (h), spotless starling, white stork, kestrel, hawfinch, cattle egret, house bunting, grey heron, magpie, chiffchaff, swallow, collared dove.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After dinner some went to the Medina in Marrakech to view the musicians, drummers, singers and dancers in the square. A small taxi will take you there for 20 dirhams about £1.80. The food stalls were buzzing, offering soupe, lentilles and gateaux. The shops are selling iron work lamps, pouffes, bags, slippers, djellabas, rugs, material, shawls and magic potions to keep you awake all night long! These stalls were surrounded by a circle of young men!! Most shopkeepers are very pleasant, and they have a knack of getting you inside by stepping out of their shop and placing you between the shop and themselves! “Bonjour Mesdames! C’a va? What you want to buy? Come and look in my shop..just look ..try this on..no buy!”</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tuqEzjgaVcPDmVCmU3xIqI9v3DR1MiLwOaRTiTN0vV0fLSlr6SYvvMmJjlA9A3PrQSGaYhdGOQqyQ6m8bDrp4CtWgIK-IGSjuy1zzLgAQoZ0p22UorEX7uB8-GQ0rNYN6SjcWhIikh8m/s1600-h/P1040787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tuqEzjgaVcPDmVCmU3xIqI9v3DR1MiLwOaRTiTN0vV0fLSlr6SYvvMmJjlA9A3PrQSGaYhdGOQqyQ6m8bDrp4CtWgIK-IGSjuy1zzLgAQoZ0p22UorEX7uB8-GQ0rNYN6SjcWhIikh8m/s320/P1040787.JPG" vt="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>18th February 2010.</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Marrakesh– Ouikemeden – Marrakesh</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor weather conditions today. It was cold, windy, raining and snowing… and you thought this weather just happened in Ireland! We left, promptly at 8 AM, in four 4x4s heading south. We stopped opposite this village to search for the levaillant's woodpecker. Women were spreading their washing on the rocks to dry. </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTGc-mN4bcQKHPF9affpbFK3rwJhmWB9gSntZ0WtEK8ailYDN2Qe_bts2q7aOL0oqIdmA5oZHK51y8vn3J3pWSK4Gl2LI_v0gqmFaACp6yvt23Ur5i1zgiR1Ek4i3OfbCxaFs7RqiYyWF/s1600-h/hillside+village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTGc-mN4bcQKHPF9affpbFK3rwJhmWB9gSntZ0WtEK8ailYDN2Qe_bts2q7aOL0oqIdmA5oZHK51y8vn3J3pWSK4Gl2LI_v0gqmFaACp6yvt23Ur5i1zgiR1Ek4i3OfbCxaFs7RqiYyWF/s320/hillside+village.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onwards and upwards towards <strong>Oukaimeden</strong> ski resort, where a snowplough was clearing the road. Our vehicles were comfortable and managed the snow without any problems. </span></div></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSYQcczs5y1xJ1PgvETvThzoTEEJY6cna8qLSxHYWOBoOElx1dDHZVqeGZUq-Nn8ocjx_9O91bFyJFtPO_eekgNN1FN-aAhyphenhyphenGjjFOQkmfrytV_zOSB8iMXY9NltceHU8MRIuW3a7xo3j7/s1600-h/ouikaimeden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSYQcczs5y1xJ1PgvETvThzoTEEJY6cna8qLSxHYWOBoOElx1dDHZVqeGZUq-Nn8ocjx_9O91bFyJFtPO_eekgNN1FN-aAhyphenhyphenGjjFOQkmfrytV_zOSB8iMXY9NltceHU8MRIuW3a7xo3j7/s320/ouikaimeden.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A roadside restaurant, just below Oukaimeden was preparing tagines of goat, chicken, potatoes and vegetables. We ordered ours and then strolled off to hunt the Levaillant’s woodpecker - a Moroccan endemic species. </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further down the hillside, we had views of Firecrest, blue Rock Thrush and great spotted woodpecker.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGPWFR1eK8iZWJvfSi36IUJdhqo6mqWkPkaY-ssPbGMT2f1GkdZbR7vwEdHEJybi81bIDWojTDbTeNEAfRukEDENfRKK3SdXZYcFQXpJ_vOaL5SSZOin-3WvumWzaNb2c3vZcqao18z5v/s1600-h/firecrest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGPWFR1eK8iZWJvfSi36IUJdhqo6mqWkPkaY-ssPbGMT2f1GkdZbR7vwEdHEJybi81bIDWojTDbTeNEAfRukEDENfRKK3SdXZYcFQXpJ_vOaL5SSZOin-3WvumWzaNb2c3vZcqao18z5v/s320/firecrest.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><br />
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Firecrest<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>19th February.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Marrakesh to Boulmane du Dades 300 km</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">left at 8:20 AM in heavy rain, which turned to snow, mist and snowploughs on the High Atlas. The view from the <strong>Tizi n Tichki</strong> pass would have been spectacular, but was invisible to us in the mist and snow. The snow disappeared as we descended. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMY9Zou6QCT0pSnlXmWcbB5lpTILebDjSdFIGkJX7srcP_Gd5si517RInZsK6ub0mXCzdN-jO5Q9KrtROkeMoob43Q9TWZBnPz-5NpZUdOAr0fXWSFe2ucbX4s1qAhuy0r4lGMD9leROP/s1600-h/P1040900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMY9Zou6QCT0pSnlXmWcbB5lpTILebDjSdFIGkJX7srcP_Gd5si517RInZsK6ub0mXCzdN-jO5Q9KrtROkeMoob43Q9TWZBnPz-5NpZUdOAr0fXWSFe2ucbX4s1qAhuy0r4lGMD9leROP/s400/P1040900.JPG" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stopped by a river in below and spotted a thekla lark and a lovely Moussiers redstart sitting bright and bold on the rocks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was evidence of heavy rain with puddles along the roadside. We stopped along the way for a mourning wheatear which some saw. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then paused at a hotel in <strong>Ouarzarzate</strong>, for lunch in the garden with migrant Black kites, a spoonbill and white storks flying overhead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Late in the afternoon, we arrived in <strong>Boulmane du Dades</strong> at the <strong><a href="http://www.tribes.co.uk/countries/morocco/accommodation/xaluca_dades">Hotel Xaluca Dades</a></strong>, tired and dusty, to be welcomed by a nomad with sweet mint tea served in tiny glasses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>20 February Tagdilt Track nr Boulmane du Dades</strong></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We left the hotel at 7 am. The weather was windless and mild, with a weak sun. We were to spend the day on the <strong>Tagdilt</strong> track. This is an area of the 3000 foot plateau between the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas Mountains. It is quite flat with scrubby, prickly growth and strewn with rubbish, mainly black plastic bags which blow enticingly in the wind, caught in the bushes. This area supports a pack of wild dogs as well as a delightful range of birds.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9taw4Fe8ICFTFz5gN8meZII-IoSuM-AmkRA9e1l16DeGqYMskxylgRAWWpLks1FGud2BU5lcCTfD_V3QaAXfK2ZT0h8pcsn-WmaErsTdPr-rty6afyLup0Myqv_k3XIi_ok1r77Ms6xQM/s1600-h/P1040945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9taw4Fe8ICFTFz5gN8meZII-IoSuM-AmkRA9e1l16DeGqYMskxylgRAWWpLks1FGud2BU5lcCTfD_V3QaAXfK2ZT0h8pcsn-WmaErsTdPr-rty6afyLup0Myqv_k3XIi_ok1r77Ms6xQM/s200/P1040945.JPG" vt="true" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Vuz36oXabonwSCAO4sC8XXUNPi4gaesfKW9OelodAtp37UWZSkik0mgcOSyS7esohA4Nb012nLGgsrLvXAWdbpwOj4S0A-pfIk3vaDDbo0Qz_sXQ8Pdgvxx4o06cAlNF0nAEyLgpbj4z/s1600-h/garry+temmincks+horned+lark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Vuz36oXabonwSCAO4sC8XXUNPi4gaesfKW9OelodAtp37UWZSkik0mgcOSyS7esohA4Nb012nLGgsrLvXAWdbpwOj4S0A-pfIk3vaDDbo0Qz_sXQ8Pdgvxx4o06cAlNF0nAEyLgpbj4z/s320/garry+temmincks+horned+lark.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Temminck's Lark</div><div style="text-align: center;">Garry Wilkinson<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We saw desert and red rumped wheatear, Temminck's Horned Lark, cream-coloured courser and bar tailed desert lark. We searched and searched for thick billed lark, to no avail. However, as we were leaving the track. Josele made a final search, and came across six thick billed larks running through the scrub. Apparently they use their thick bills to carry stones. The male, which can carry the heaviest stone is chosen by the female. At another spot we searched for the three varieties of sand grouse, and eventually picked up quite a few black-bellied sand grouse and more cream-coloured coursers.</span><br />
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Black Bellied Sandgrouse<br />
Garry Wilkinson</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXD0XCAkpk_IYUxYEhaPoJcTf7qbblI-JyjhyphenhyphenBScwRDzn8EQ8nnEgva5F9A2yOJYIo7E2Q-MunGrxHrCt0rgSeXZ_czlULpYIEW3OwmBJ0zDIo6sQEMZrvcHrliUV6CzJ1f2PAtqSUdBC/s1600-h/P1040933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXD0XCAkpk_IYUxYEhaPoJcTf7qbblI-JyjhyphenhyphenBScwRDzn8EQ8nnEgva5F9A2yOJYIo7E2Q-MunGrxHrCt0rgSeXZ_czlULpYIEW3OwmBJ0zDIo6sQEMZrvcHrliUV6CzJ1f2PAtqSUdBC/s400/P1040933.JPG" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Down the road we stopped by a ruin at <strong>Armezgane</strong>, whilst the drivers prepared lunch, spread a red woven rug on the desert and set out our lunch. Delicious! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BNU3YsG3meN2vFIwYhekvgmCEdSwwTr1i4D9_S8uWKRmAC-lXMbdzpzGWqn9O3IcMuW-Qx6x0fG2YO5t6M3eELlfPGgkp5N-Bez2SmNMxcPnr6DEd7czeHmEW_i34Z2fdzJW2nHzwGo5/s1600-h/fat+tailed+gerbil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BNU3YsG3meN2vFIwYhekvgmCEdSwwTr1i4D9_S8uWKRmAC-lXMbdzpzGWqn9O3IcMuW-Qx6x0fG2YO5t6M3eELlfPGgkp5N-Bez2SmNMxcPnr6DEd7czeHmEW_i34Z2fdzJW2nHzwGo5/s320/fat+tailed+gerbil.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On down the Tinerhir Road . We walked a couple of miles on the stony shale below the cliffs. Seeking the elusive mourning wheatear, but found a flock of trumpeter finches instead.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were back at the hotel by 4 PM. Just time to visit the local hammam for 25 dirham.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>21st of February Sunday - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Boulmane du Dades to Merzouga</strong> 6 to 17°C</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first stop this morning was to view a Pharaoh's Eagle owl perched on a cliff face.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We searched a dried up river valley, and finally spotted a Tristam's warbler and a pair of Barbary partridge; the warbler didn't hang around for long but the latter didn't seem too bothered by our presence. </span></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tinehir</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6A2HPQg3eSnO7Cy53Fn_89w25k6RFKvppOjIE4PFnjY4yUojgCkJUBTcCsmWwn6pwW-Byk_D9u5GjR741LOfEafn_rwGNKkR5pHXsdNN1k2qHLQoG7qlijmPNlyqjkNQ2ESNyfZK4ogx/s1600-h/sinclines+and+anticlines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6A2HPQg3eSnO7Cy53Fn_89w25k6RFKvppOjIE4PFnjY4yUojgCkJUBTcCsmWwn6pwW-Byk_D9u5GjR741LOfEafn_rwGNKkR5pHXsdNN1k2qHLQoG7qlijmPNlyqjkNQ2ESNyfZK4ogx/s320/sinclines+and+anticlines.JPG" vt="true" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> nr Todra Gorge</span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving on to <strong>Goulmima</strong> we stopped at another flat plateau area, which was more like stony desert… Hamada. Here we found spectacled warbler, Thekla lark.moussier's redstart and southern grey shrike. The delightful bird of this area was the scrub warbler, which is difficult to find, but displayed for us on the tops of the bushes. The drivers prepared lunch of boiled eggs, Berber omelette, bread, salad, water and Coca-Cola and gave a share to a passing goat-herder.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAD4aOiWkkjMpamVKn_1TYVOIXcf_EFiGppI-guzix00ffuX3wzab2xMxlFDgp2yZ4uFDRwa3lb5D6Hu3HpD6zLCShoJNVRfeWsTRsMkY-mW5eUK_LB4mU0eK3RdXtH69TBdlC9Gw6Fuk/s1600-h/goatherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaAD4aOiWkkjMpamVKn_1TYVOIXcf_EFiGppI-guzix00ffuX3wzab2xMxlFDgp2yZ4uFDRwa3lb5D6Hu3HpD6zLCShoJNVRfeWsTRsMkY-mW5eUK_LB4mU0eK3RdXtH69TBdlC9Gw6Fuk/s320/goatherd.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later in the afternoon we paused at a luxurious hotel owned by Josele's friend. It is set in a compound inside a wall; a calm area sheltered from the desert. Again, we were welcomed with mint tea. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finished the day in <strong>Merzouga</strong> at the beautiful <strong>Hotel Xaluca Tombuctu</strong>. The entrance archway is made of kissing camels so you won't miss it! </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUWCKDDsVvmwDIUXQS_-m0ywurseH8_FZxSneqBELmKxMKHajQdX8lY024kYsRJQTuTTufPq796q_pU8jMnLJgk1THOtsYJ7z9k0QQkB8Z780C4Wo2awTGViHv-rOmbLX4r0H9vlQApHE/s1600-h/blackwheater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUWCKDDsVvmwDIUXQS_-m0ywurseH8_FZxSneqBELmKxMKHajQdX8lY024kYsRJQTuTTufPq796q_pU8jMnLJgk1THOtsYJ7z9k0QQkB8Z780C4Wo2awTGViHv-rOmbLX4r0H9vlQApHE/s320/blackwheater.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Monday 22nd of February,</strong> depart 6:45 AM temperature 8- 22°C</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were to spend today in the desert seeking the houbara bustard, desert warbler, fulvous babbler, sand grouse - both crowned and spotted, Desert Sparrow, and brown necked raven.</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving through the desert is quite different from driving in Europe. There are tracks through the sand, but no roads, so drivers can choose to drive where they wish. <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/normapp2/MoroccoFewerPics#5444854892983367346">desert</a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2-eP6AsntLQlg266WASW__vtq_l7Ei2O1OMXlgvY9p2iqu1_i4dpPjjlhcNrrCgqqC1CI49fc_jCheWmug5dETW8bCg0b5RZzPG2Di3Wcb2v0SuRDRthnOnOzObHTLLoMGoJStbj9TQL/s1600-h/garry+desertsparrows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2-eP6AsntLQlg266WASW__vtq_l7Ei2O1OMXlgvY9p2iqu1_i4dpPjjlhcNrrCgqqC1CI49fc_jCheWmug5dETW8bCg0b5RZzPG2Di3Wcb2v0SuRDRthnOnOzObHTLLoMGoJStbj9TQL/s320/garry+desertsparrows.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Desert Sparrows Garry Wilkinson</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The special bird of the morning? Desert Sparrows hopping along the ground and the walls of the hotel nearby.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Josele had asked a nomad to search for our houbara bustard, and he duly found one which <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/normapp2/MoroccoFewerPics#5444854895048357682">gave us quite distant views.</a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes the desert is sandy and sometimes stony. <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/normapp2/MoroccoFewerPics#5444854892015943010">We took a gentle walk around an oasis</a> and spotted the shy fulvous babbler that we had come to seek, moving through the trees in a party of eight..</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1268254478066"></span><span id="goog_1268254478067"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our lunch stop was under a tamarisk tree in a sea of dunes. Whilst we waited for the drivers to prepare lunch three young nomad girls appeared from nowhere to sell camels they had made from fabric. Their father was herding camels, and although he ate lunch with us the girls refused. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfI5sEB4SLGTrp9hKY0SUItd-Tdtla5cArfbp0PC30fbWZtrO8MqHMZYa89NhrEfYqydVsh4ZvX5sroLV6es2_UdgpqNdjSiJLaBTHpjal8ugK5gebCYDENLL2lAyGZqzqCVOKK19ruL2/s1600-h/P1050240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfI5sEB4SLGTrp9hKY0SUItd-Tdtla5cArfbp0PC30fbWZtrO8MqHMZYa89NhrEfYqydVsh4ZvX5sroLV6es2_UdgpqNdjSiJLaBTHpjal8ugK5gebCYDENLL2lAyGZqzqCVOKK19ruL2/s320/P1050240.JPG" vt="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent an hour relaxing under the tree, photographing dung beetles and occasional birds including brown neck ravens and southern grey shrike. Then we shot off across the desert for about 20 km at great speed! The Algerian border wasn't far away...</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finished the day at the <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6508&m=0">Merzouga lake</a>. What a surprise to see flamingos, marbled duck, pintail, shoveller, little ringed plover, teal, ruddy shelduck ..in the desert!! ...Not to mention the traders selling soap dishes and other ornaments with embedded fossils.</span></div></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxiU6rb7jqkomdiFlkL0Xya5o2euuqlbMK8oELy_M_dB5aQ8hJIkrs3h6pjt2Ih7xX8DFYEFDNXnSAGBhd93MghGcVRcOcTAH1M7ptlVWcIjpu5gb23jAtEFmpxKKvJp9D_ZPWja9tI9f/s1600-h/camel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxiU6rb7jqkomdiFlkL0Xya5o2euuqlbMK8oELy_M_dB5aQ8hJIkrs3h6pjt2Ih7xX8DFYEFDNXnSAGBhd93MghGcVRcOcTAH1M7ptlVWcIjpu5gb23jAtEFmpxKKvJp9D_ZPWja9tI9f/s320/camel.jpg" vt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0pBKQJOeS9fX4nAe70xsxhCo247iDwEDOHj4EN9h0UiprI_uMtBXl8aNUnzKNOnL-Gme5PlMeNJYVlcikrvM4SaIyMrYaMcy4ZbX-tqgYeg9MTkZVRcKKtp8NqIW6C1KLCPgftIAatXQ/s1600-h/desertboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0pBKQJOeS9fX4nAe70xsxhCo247iDwEDOHj4EN9h0UiprI_uMtBXl8aNUnzKNOnL-Gme5PlMeNJYVlcikrvM4SaIyMrYaMcy4ZbX-tqgYeg9MTkZVRcKKtp8NqIW6C1KLCPgftIAatXQ/s320/desertboy.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
Portrait of desert boy by Helen Cooper</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Tuesday 22nd of February Merzouga to Ouarzazate</strong> departing at 8:30 AM. 22°C +</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of us went for a walk at 6.45 before breakfast through the local oasis with cultivated gardens. The plots are surrounded by low mud walls, about a foot high and irrigated by a concrete channel, which supplies water from the local lake. The fertile gardens grow onions, garlic, carrots, beans and date palms. The palms provide shade and shelter for laughing doves, hoopoe, robin, chiffchaff and a blackbird. It was bliss walking through shady garden - a haven of green in the middle of the sandy desert. Not such bliss for the birds that had been caught by the Spanish ringers nearby. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTdu6VWbUqnqST04m9aFIrrB_ZRRezBjIqHFI23Bg-DSHsDwKoeTplWsP-yo3JbXdFqLFq_AeI7wXjbLKNKgDtrZAj3B7O47C9m_MMtjLtEvOKd43fksVNB8EGQyTEUegt7B0Jy7ppQ_/s1600-h/spanish+sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTdu6VWbUqnqST04m9aFIrrB_ZRRezBjIqHFI23Bg-DSHsDwKoeTplWsP-yo3JbXdFqLFq_AeI7wXjbLKNKgDtrZAj3B7O47C9m_MMtjLtEvOKd43fksVNB8EGQyTEUegt7B0Jy7ppQ_/s320/spanish+sparrow.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We left for Ouarzazate at 8:40 AM and searched along mountainsides with boulders and scree for mourning wheatear - fruitlessly. We saw lots of white-crowned black wheatear, black kites over the towns, an Eagle owl, temminck’s horned lark, but sadly no sand grouse and it seemed we were too early for the blue cheeked bee eater.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was the last drive for our 4x4 drivers so we said goodbye to Jusef, Mohammed, Hassan and Barrack.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Wednesday, 24 February Ouarzazate to Taroudant.</strong> Weather fine and sunny. We stopped at a small town by a river called <strong>Ait Benhadou</strong> while Josele went back to the hotel for the picnic. We wandered around an orchard with Harry spotting white stork, common bulbuls, yellow wagtails and the start of the migrants such as spectacled warbler. It was a beautiful start to the day, even better when a second minibus appeared for us to spread into, and which made the rest of our journey much more comfortable.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTzbqzZ6StNRbZEhuluDgmANs5Gb2JLwvoqTAsXRwxmkMf8m0AwwwlCmzEdqO8K_LvmbqQCIitLZMsHvTx1Kq4xhMzh10EMF1yLd38Ksrsit2XcUoTyFflj8zBgRxyx5lIIUpmNAup98C/s1600-h/highatlas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTzbqzZ6StNRbZEhuluDgmANs5Gb2JLwvoqTAsXRwxmkMf8m0AwwwlCmzEdqO8K_LvmbqQCIitLZMsHvTx1Kq4xhMzh10EMF1yLd38Ksrsit2XcUoTyFflj8zBgRxyx5lIIUpmNAup98C/s320/highatlas.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's journey was through the Anti- Atlas and hamada desert. Looking north, we could see the snowcapped mountains of the high Atlas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We stopped for lunch at a river gorge tightly packed with scrub and trees. Whilst eating we spotted Barbary partridge, shrikes and chiffchaff. Further along the road, we stopped at Aoulouz, where a bridge crosses the Sous River. There were lots of small birds in the olive groves such as blackcap, serin and corn bunting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lanner falcon was spotted at close range on the ground tearing its prey. We had good views through the telescope. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of our party urgently needed a toilet stop. Josele said 10 minutes. 20 minutes later we were still driving...uh oh! So we stopped by the roadside, and the driver was in stitches laughing at the “Berber toilette”. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the edge of the town is an unregulated rubbish dump by the river. Needless to say it's a great spot for birds and here we saw plain martin, sand martin, yellow wagtail, southern grey shrike and little owl. Not recommended to wear sandals here!! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rather grand <strong>Hotel Palais Salam </strong>in <strong><a href="http://www.naturallymorocco.co.uk/destinations/taroudant/">Taroudant</a></strong> was faded but gorgeous. High walls, and even higher palm trees, tiled floors and walkways, arched doorways and two swimming pools -this was formerly a pasha's palace. It's well worth a stay if you haven't been, but try to get a room in the old part. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>25th February Taroudant - Agadir - temperature max 28c</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started off this morning at the riverside rubbish dump. The plain martins eventually showed up and a little owl bade us farewell.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKOFDnPW7nngQKX4Xd7oFHhQhES706_sICmFkDUfpPd2f5qxj3KoNgl8mJtFLKp5OdrvsM6ApJwEsyoYe_3_XksILf6OIzQFkEV80E_cWQFSxlL5IjBo1fjGEQcD_-4YZsn5R9Z4M3I4F/s1600-h/garry+littleowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKOFDnPW7nngQKX4Xd7oFHhQhES706_sICmFkDUfpPd2f5qxj3KoNgl8mJtFLKp5OdrvsM6ApJwEsyoYe_3_XksILf6OIzQFkEV80E_cWQFSxlL5IjBo1fjGEQcD_-4YZsn5R9Z4M3I4F/s320/garry+littleowl.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LittleOwl Garry Wilkinson</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along the road Harry told us to watch out for <a href="http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/birds/cuculidae/clamator_glandarius.htm">Great Spotted Cuckoo</a> since we were driving through suitable territory. Men were off to work in the early morning, wearing djellabas with hoods up to keep out the chill. The road was cluttered with bicycles, motor bikes and scooters, lorries and cars. The driver drives up close, gives a toot on the horn, overtakes even when there is little room and toots twice when he has passed (to say thank you). Road mortality rates must be very high.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We passed the outskirts of Agadir full of new industrial and commercial developments - many unfinished - on the ring road. And headed out for the Atlantic coast. ...what a perfect place for a picnic...with the temperature rising to 28C and a cooling breeze. Remember this is the first heat anyone has felt since last May in Ireland. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3eI8A7k3BY0HFbnrfvN7q9zW8cHeCxXWIRG3MpHvQPwR22pKazM7V_5HInN3OczVGN1A-uijqPTKyzsxq5cXAOsPdvEuDAqtSgAszN_iZFwmE-UdLggkPl-wLuJbbCGOYAWVbutv__kf/s1600-h/atlantic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3eI8A7k3BY0HFbnrfvN7q9zW8cHeCxXWIRG3MpHvQPwR22pKazM7V_5HInN3OczVGN1A-uijqPTKyzsxq5cXAOsPdvEuDAqtSgAszN_iZFwmE-UdLggkPl-wLuJbbCGOYAWVbutv__kf/s400/atlantic.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We watched yellow legged, audouins and lesser black backed gulls, gannets and cormorant mauritanica. Further along we saw some </span><a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/science/international/northernbaldibis/index.asp"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rare bald ibis</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, kentish plover and common sandpiper. Back to the hotel in Agadir where some of us enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool before dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>26th Agadir - Souss-Massa National Park - Oued Souss</strong></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZba63jkgujMrlbbwSyxlrynqp2p2yYwq-pDglXMu8pa7TAL-5XO4FYEHErB72bYpn2QgwaDwOS3oQBwd5W8SzuH6zvL81HoAZJ-8o2-PkMflGv9em2WSvAa_189WvjKUNbIPvuJv96O7/s1600-h/souss+massa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZba63jkgujMrlbbwSyxlrynqp2p2yYwq-pDglXMu8pa7TAL-5XO4FYEHErB72bYpn2QgwaDwOS3oQBwd5W8SzuH6zvL81HoAZJ-8o2-PkMflGv9em2WSvAa_189WvjKUNbIPvuJv96O7/s320/souss+massa.jpg" vt="true" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">Departing at 7.45 for a two hour drive south to the Sous Massa National Park. Spotted some stone curlews in a field near the road and heard a western olivaceous warbler in a bamboo thicket. We walked at a leisurely pace along an unmade road towards the park observing the devastating effects of recent heavy rain and floods on the local small farms. Nevertheless sardinian warblers, <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Moussier%27s_Redstart">moussier's redstart</a> (10+ males), blue rock thrush and <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-crowned_Tchagra">black crowned tchagra</a> were seen in the undergrowth and the bushes. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The hot sun was draining so we were glad to see the drivers arriving under the trees with our picnic lunch. We ate to the sound of serin calling all around us.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEyOTL15c3rimlG2dY3-gszLtzAQ-DtjpuIfYow4f5F82VPI9l-mN1moq88lwMsv51bmuk9BtAYDTVIur8MDRQakZgycMrX-x0zJvo8T3QlU8oyuuW63pwoH1V6sDyw0_W-XCzB-dFayI/s1600-h/serin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEyOTL15c3rimlG2dY3-gszLtzAQ-DtjpuIfYow4f5F82VPI9l-mN1moq88lwMsv51bmuk9BtAYDTVIur8MDRQakZgycMrX-x0zJvo8T3QlU8oyuuW63pwoH1V6sDyw0_W-XCzB-dFayI/s400/serin.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Back to the hotel for a couple of hours off and then out at 5pm to the local Oued Souss (wadi) - a water hole full of little egrets, spoonbill, gulls, avocets and an osprey. The golf course at the side of this wadi had almost been breached by the floods and the road had been washed away. In the gathering dusk we walked towards the back of the king's palace where the nervous guards told us to go away - there was nothing here to view. We insisted that we weren't spending the night here, only watching birds. Reluctantly they let us stay but kept a distant eye on us. We didn't cross the barrier into the grounds as the guards had guns!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It seemed to take a long time for the light to drop and the mosquitoes kept us company whilst we waited. After a long time our target bird flew in, picked up by torchlight - we could see the white on its wings - <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-necked_Nightjar">red necked nightjar</a>. Success!! and even better views for some when one landed on the road in front of the mini bus.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">An itchy but delighted crowd of birders headed back to the hotel for our last dinner with Josele and Harry as they were leaving us on Saturday at lunchtime. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">27th February Agadir - Marrakech</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yVSotYscn_0D3J4XFopGZ_LRO3DG5X-uNKNJ2BgnYoiHVDGSVDe0gCXoQursQ_sAQ_-5lWNAFPkQMKMgYeR5tOXLq0acV8kQkj2R-sQIsVA3_wSlMeFYlWyCKoTf2hSsFPkhIqkg4MmZ/s1600-h/sandstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yVSotYscn_0D3J4XFopGZ_LRO3DG5X-uNKNJ2BgnYoiHVDGSVDe0gCXoQursQ_sAQ_-5lWNAFPkQMKMgYeR5tOXLq0acV8kQkj2R-sQIsVA3_wSlMeFYlWyCKoTf2hSsFPkhIqkg4MmZ/s400/sandstorm.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Driving back through the mountain alongside an almost-completed motorway the wind blew with increasing strength...breaking branches. Was this a sand storm? It was part of the weather system that caused heavy rain and serious storms in Spain and Southern France. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last afternoon and evening in Marrakech were free for us to choose our own itinerary. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDdf3DjMOP7MmJLby_69NrQU3Gw2k1GSwAAgDVjqX9fFdNOgZCSyuTBsUGUR6DAQpNpA20BOP2u0K_lgBSkK6cYjRHJi66K2m7Li1-AJkqDEpME8a-yF14eq5_C2BdPQ8dmH36cP2sSCP/s1600-h/drummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDdf3DjMOP7MmJLby_69NrQU3Gw2k1GSwAAgDVjqX9fFdNOgZCSyuTBsUGUR6DAQpNpA20BOP2u0K_lgBSkK6cYjRHJi66K2m7Li1-AJkqDEpME8a-yF14eq5_C2BdPQ8dmH36cP2sSCP/s400/drummers.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...why not go to Morocco and enjoy it for yourself? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Josele for organising such a wonderful trip and also for bringing Harry along to assist so excellently with the guiding. And finally thanks to all the other birders who made this a superb holiday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norma</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-4201784315019806422010-01-10T21:40:00.000+00:002010-01-10T21:40:02.838+00:0010 Jan 2010 Strangford Lough<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a cold day in the midst of the big winter freeze when Garry left Belfast in the minibus with Gerard, Shirley, Paul, and Tony. In Comber we were joined by Carol, Norma and Ray then set off for Island Hill. The road was completely white and the carpark was icy. Redwing, fieldfare, curlew, lapwing and a large flock of larks and linnets stayed close to the carpark seeking out any ground that wasn't completely frozen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The minibus needed a little manual assistance to manoeuvre out of the slippery carpark!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The head of Strangford Lough presented frozen foreshore but pintail, grey plover, bar tailed godwit, brent geese, dunlin and knot were easily seen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving South towards Portaferry we spotted greylags near Greyabbey and golden plover at Kircubbin. There are some advantages to this cold weather as the birds seemed to be closer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took the ferry to Strangford and mosied towards Kilclief where the reported goosander wasn't on view although mergansers and teal were spotted along with stonechat, dunlin sandwich tern and carrion crow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ardglass produced kittiwake and an Iceland gull plus a herring gull lying perished on the quayside. By this time Garry was being overwhelmed by the start of a fierce cold with sneezing and streaming eyes. It wasn't fair to keep him from his bed but he drove on to Killough. Garry's eyes cleared long enough to spot a black redstart lurking and skulking between the stones on the harbour wall well out of the ferocious East wind. We were delighted to see this unusual bird!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Killough we drove to the Quoile Visitors Centre and found lots of the small common birds (finches and tits) - the highlight being a blackcap and a redpoll.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last stop was the hide alongside Castle Espie. The foreshore was completely white and a greenshank sheltered below a small mudbank nearby. Snipe, shoveller and sparrowhawk took our final numbers to 75 so it was well worth a day in the icy blast! Many thanks to Garry for perservering despite his battle with the lurgy!</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-91747078504392987162009-11-18T22:11:00.002+00:002009-11-18T22:23:48.576+00:00Wet & Wild in Dumfries & GallowayFriday 6th November 2009 NIOC party of twelve took the early morning boat to Cairnryan. Not a lot to see on the crossing, weather and visibility poor. Entering Loch Ryan we saw a couple of <strong>Red Throated Divers</strong> and <strong>Shags</strong>. There was a <strong>Guillemot</strong> before entering the Loch.<br /><br />On leaving the boat we drove to the Wig. The road to the point is badly in need of some stones and a roller. Despite the rain and cold we saw large flocks of <strong>Golden Plover</strong> and a few <strong>Grey Plover. Ringed Plover, Redshank </strong>and <strong>Oystercatcher</strong> too. On the kale fields there was a large flock of <strong>Twite </strong>and <strong>Linnet</strong>. It was a lovely sight to see them all lined out on a fence.<br /><br />After a brief stop at the shore near Stranraer where we saw three <strong>Slavonian Grebe</strong> very close. We headed on to Wigtown hide to escape the bad weather. Unfortunately our visit was curtailed as the path was engulfed by the rising tide. After lunch it was onward to Ken Dee Marshes.<br /><br />On the road down to the hide we saw five <strong>Red Kites</strong> circling over the hillside. A flight of <strong>Fieldfare</strong> was a sure sign of winter approaching. The track down to the hide was alive with <strong>Pheasants</strong>. At the hide a <strong>Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit, Teal,</strong> and <strong>Shoveller</strong> were the highlights.<br /><br />Saturday began with a run to Kirkpatrick Durham to check the Tawny Owl site. Wet conditions kept the owls out of sight. Next stop was Dumfries. A surprise count of fifteen <strong>Goosander</strong> on the River Nith was great to see. From here we moved on to Caerlaverock. Large numbers of <strong>Barnacle Geese</strong> were evident all over the reserve. <strong>Whooper </strong>and <strong>Mute Swan</strong> in good numbers were on the ponds in front of the Peter Scott hide. Some of our group saw two <strong>Peregrines</strong> from one of the hides.<br /><br />After lunch at Caerlaverock we travelled to Lochmaben to find the American Widgeon on Castle Loch. Large numbers of <strong>Widgeon Goldeneye, Tufted Duck </strong>and <strong>Teal</strong> made it difficult to locate the American. Brief views of the bird were claimed, but with no degree of certainty. The final stop for the day was the Barn Owl site at Mossdale. Eventually as it got dark the <strong>Barn Owl</strong> flew out of the nest box and settled on a tree. A pair of Red Kite were seen near the village.<br /><br />Sunday was an altogether better day, near freezing temperatures and blue skies. First stop was the Ken Dee hides. Patience was rewarded for the ladies with good views of <strong>Great Spotted Woodpecker</strong> and <strong>Nuthatch</strong>. The photographers drew a blank by moving to the near hide.<br /><br />From Ken Dee Marshes we travelled to Mersehead via the viewpoint at Bennen Forest. <strong>Pintail, Canada Geese, Goldeneye, Teal </strong>and <strong>Shoveller</strong> were the principal wildfowl seen from the far hide. <strong>Yellowhammer</strong> and <strong>House Sparrow</strong> were seen in small numbers in the hedgerows. A <strong>Sparrowhawk</strong> visited the feeders behind the centre.<br /><br />Road delays meant that a planned trip to Penwhirn Reservoir for raptors had to be cancelled. We ended the day at West Freugh Airfield. At least six <strong>Hen Harriers</strong>, a <strong>Merlin</strong> and two <strong>Buzzards</strong> kept us busy.<br /><br />Richard SmithNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-70334894127115341492009-11-12T11:57:00.002+00:002009-11-12T12:00:44.330+00:00NIOC Hungary Trip October 2009Participants: Nigel Moore, Des Price, Sandy Williamson, Stuart McQueen, Gary Wilkinson, Richard Smith.<br /><br />Three days in the Hortobagy National Park and two days in the Zemplen HillsNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-5151885549360341812009-11-11T17:33:00.012+00:002009-11-18T22:25:14.591+00:00Scotland Dumfries and Galloway 6th-8th Nov 2009 Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BS2Ig9q0H5PCbM3PQK1G1hjJpfRKqk_GR3O3envqh4Jn1jjzBkUgcDjw5_g1rrESytPXZIzsWmKIlBePB0ztkGL-Qi2nSamcwDsYE9-PXRNKsJqszym8eWXLBt4fO-mj1okNMqcOPjKq/s1600-h/niocnov09-+023.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 388px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 243px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402900990806237362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BS2Ig9q0H5PCbM3PQK1G1hjJpfRKqk_GR3O3envqh4Jn1jjzBkUgcDjw5_g1rrESytPXZIzsWmKIlBePB0ztkGL-Qi2nSamcwDsYE9-PXRNKsJqszym8eWXLBt4fO-mj1okNMqcOPjKq/s320/niocnov09-+023.jpg" /></a><br />.....also read Richard's post<br /><strong>Wet and Wild in Dumfries and Galloway<br /></strong><br /><br />Here's the merry band of birders (minus Maurice and Norma) hoping for a golden eagle!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoKmZ3KzxG_kTaO1nRl8242kI_ysxlIa9YMKjRcBsVTWzRNhcmwaGkqNKyjGoinkgILYEl3YP23BOmG43Su7QnPRvfeXZN6bsVNn05za6E2iD2z_BwQCxIhwQ5aP17nx9lEeL7TNXUzUo/s1600-h/Copy+of+niocnov09-+025.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402901616347940514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoKmZ3KzxG_kTaO1nRl8242kI_ysxlIa9YMKjRcBsVTWzRNhcmwaGkqNKyjGoinkgILYEl3YP23BOmG43Su7QnPRvfeXZN6bsVNn05za6E2iD2z_BwQCxIhwQ5aP17nx9lEeL7TNXUzUo/s320/Copy+of+niocnov09-+025.jpg" /></a><br />Patience at the far hide in Ken Dee Marshes produced a nuthatch and super views of a great spotted woodpecker.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2J2O_OOVvGeHgadvOpBOqSHP4UjCOJqpseX6eYD1tykHTs5JcuxDnDgJPHPvGrPA-BRiVYiBYNYUoUedKotJTJMkKudZ3dYy0Eu9IJY-5viw8YJ1-MWAcbJfAFnAhsbrJBeTpr21X_nG/s1600-h/niocnov09-+040+v2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 234px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402904744126002386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2J2O_OOVvGeHgadvOpBOqSHP4UjCOJqpseX6eYD1tykHTs5JcuxDnDgJPHPvGrPA-BRiVYiBYNYUoUedKotJTJMkKudZ3dYy0Eu9IJY-5viw8YJ1-MWAcbJfAFnAhsbrJBeTpr21X_nG/s320/niocnov09-+040+v2.jpg" /></a> Hedges full of yellowhammer and reed bunting at Merse Head RSPB reserveNEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7968113098079561868.post-33762904803849090812009-11-09T00:18:00.002+00:002010-03-13T09:49:17.319+00:00Birdwatchers Blog - Welcome<span style="font-family: arial;">This blog has been set up for Birdwatchers in Northern Ireland to share photos and reports on bird trips. If you'd like to contribute please contact normapp at btinternet dot com.</span>NEPPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14530135410365696002noreply@blogger.com0