Morocco - January 2025 - Day 7 - Over the Atlas and home

The view up the pass from Maison d'Hotes Irocha

Another early start for what was our final day. The hotel was good enough to make us breakfast really early but I was unfortunately a little slower out of the room than Mick and arrived to find he'd eaten it all thinking it was for one person! That'll teach me. No matter, I can survive on Wheatears alone.

We backtracked a little to follow up reports of a Moussier's Redstart, a bird we still hadn't seen, but were not able to find it. Perhaps it was still a little cold. After that we headed north, hoping to boost the trip list as we crossed the mountains. We stopped frequently where the habitat looked good, usually small settled areas where there was more vegetation. We picked up Cetti's Warbler and numerous other small birds at one of these sites, but were completely unable to find Levaillant's Woodpecker which was our main target along with the Redstart.

Aguelmouss was an excellent stop, a mountain village as you approach the Col. We were looking for the Woodpecker but what should we find hopping around a building but four Crimson-winged Finch. I had no idea they could be found anywhere other than the ski resort at Oukaimeden. Unfortunatey they vanished almost as soon as we set eyes on them, a shame as we were hoping that we might add another species to the photographed list. Also at this site were Crested Lark, Black Redstart, Rock Bunting and a friendly Black Wheatear.

Black Wheatear

We carried on, over Tizi-n-tichka, and began the long descent to Ait Ourir. We had a coffee break late morning in a well wooded area - there are a couple of restaurants and places to take a pause, and near one of these we finally found Coal Tit which we had somehow missed everywhere else. There were also Crossbill, a Song Thrush and a Short-toed Treecreeper.

At Ait Hmane we stopped for some Maghreb Magpie, a group of nine, and whilst Mick tried for them I wandered over to the other side of the road and stumbled upon a Moussier's Redstart entirely by accident. Before we could do anything about this the local kids turned up on their bikes and followed us wherever we went, and so that was that.

Down at Ait Ourir we enjoyed the singular pleasure of the dump. Good for birds, grim in all other respects, and particularly offensive to nostrils. There were hundreds of Cattle Egret and White Stork here, and tons of Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtails, and Yellow Wagtails. Also our first Swallow. We did not linger, it was too disgusting. And yet people spend all day here trying to eke out a living. Travel lets you know how fortunate you are.

Cattle Egret

We had lunch a little further down the road whilst we planned the final hours of the trip - another try at Fulvous Babbler in an area south of Marrakesh and also closer to the airport than we currently were. Needless to say we found no Babblers at all, but it was quite a birdy place with over 30 Magpie, two more Moussier's Redstart (neither cooperative), House and Spanish Sparrow, lots of Stonechat and Spotless Starling, and a Great Grey Shrike. 

Maghreb Magpie

Stonechat

Then it was time to pack up and get to our flight as it was nearly 5pm, where had the day gone? The roads in Marrakesh seemed particularly busy at this time of day, especially around the airport, but we nosed our mighty Picanto through the morass of mopeds and made it in time. Some momentary panic when we drove into the wrong carpark and it took ages to get out again and into the correct one, but there was plenty of time to spare. And so that was Morocco 2025, I am glad to have got back there after so many years. The landscapes are amazing, the people are friendly, and the birds are wonderful. I want to go back already!