Delicious Autumn!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. 
George Eliot

Soon. To be leaving us too soon, evoking thoughts of autumn too soon, to be missing you too soon. Signs clearly now of autumn migration and a time of excitement and regrets. Never sure whether this time of year fills me with wonder or a yearning to follow our birds south. The Woodchat Shrike pair here is one of the many species I miss during their winter's truancy.

I thought I would also take this opportunity to show you some of those birds I will miss until next spring. Soon, with just a blink of an eye, I will be welcoming winter birds. Where does time go?

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

"During [these] periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight". Fritjof Capra

Just every now and again it is good to have a lazy, sunny Sunday. A day of not doing a lot and giving yourself time to reflect, relax and enjoy the simple things in life. Legs outstretched, arms supported and looking out over the back garden, my morning cuppa in hand and watching birds making their staged approach to the garden pond. Beauties like these seem to share the relaxed and easy moment.

Vulture Culture

“The Vulture. Of all the creatures in the jungle, he has it the easiest. The hard work of others becomes his work; their failure to survive becomes his nourishment. Keep an eye on the Vulture - while you are hard at work, he is circling above. Do not fight him, join him.” 
Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power

I am blessed to live in an area of Europe where we have among the highest densities of vulture populations on the continent. Not only the continent of Europe, but also within the Iberian Peninsula which holds the main breeding populations for Griffon, Black and Egyptian Vulture, whilst it also has a healthy and increasing number of Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) Gypaetus barbatus and the presence of Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppelli all year round. Andalucía is a region of Spain that is also a vulture hotspot and for any fan of these wonderful birds it is the place to visit and be swept away by their grandeur and elegance as they dominate our skyline. Since 2003 I have been studying birds, in particular Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura, within the areas of the Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema. During this period there has been many changes to breeding populations and in particular with the local vultures. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, once common, has declined, mostly due to incidences of poison baiting here and in their wintering grounds as well as on their migration routes, whereas this is of great concern the trend for Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is the reverse. As an example, a couple of adjoining rock faces that stand above the karst strewn slopes, where I had been study Black Wheatear, I had 4 and 3 nest respectively in 2003, now there are 9 and 13 nests on these same rock faces, a very dramatic increase. The observation is repeated throughout the area and most likely this is a result of various feeding stations providing food and also the increase in livestock grazing in higher areas with its accompanying natural mortality rates among herds.

The increase in Griffon Vulture numbers has not been without some concerns and consequences, most prominently the displacement of Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata as they compete for nesting places. Normally a Bonelli can hold its own and successfully defend a nesting site, but the sheer number of vultures has driven this eagle away from many sites. I am concerned for this medium sized and fiesty eagle, where conflicts arise with Griffon Vulture then normally adjoining cliff faces can provide a haven, albeit temporary if this increase continues, but we also have a welcome increase in breeding pairs of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, which also compete with Bonelli for nesting sites. So I worry for the future of this wonderfully aggressive and beautiful eagle. Another vulture that is increasing in the area, although somewhat less markedly as Griffon Vulture, is the Black Vulture Aegypius monachus otherwise called Cinereous Vulture, Monk Vulture or Eurasian Black Vulture. In the past it has always been a regular winter visitor and involved juveniles dispersing from their natal grounds. In recent times adult birds have now been observed at all times of the year, sometimes as many as 8 individual being seen together during the summer months. The area is vast and has many suitable forest or dehesa areas where this bird may well choose to breed, it is something we hope to discover in the future.

Whilst it is so heartening to write some positive news, more particularly when it involves vultures, I am also aware of the struggles these birds are faced with in continental Africa and Asia. Even here in Europe, particularly in Spain, these iconic and beneficial birds suffer from a range of dangers such as collisions with power cables and wind farm mills, also Spain has incredulously licensed and approved the use of the lethal veterinary drug diclofenac. Further to the positives are the local peoples here in the Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema, they all regard the Griffon Vulture with affection and all know the bird's name 'Buitre Leonado' and will always point them out while in my company. Another positive, although sad in many ways due to its demise, is virtually every farm I have visited during the course of my studies has their own local name for Egyptian Vulture. Love the local people, love my mountains.

I love my vultures and hoping you might too!

Nature's Healing

"Letting nature in and finding a better you requires no effort, just venture into any wild space, breath deeply and let nature do her work".

In a universe far far away and in a time removed from most people's memories, there was a beginning to a passion, a love and appreciation for the beauties of nature. She invaded a space that at the time was fully occupied by toy trains, metal soldiers (yes they weren't plastic in those days), lemonade and beans on toast. It all seems so very long ago, but the joys and wonders of nature have never left me and I give special thanks for that.

At a very tender age of around 6 or 7, the books gifted to me by my parents were an inspiration (amazingly we read books in those days), they opened a window for a young enquiring mind to explore my local surrounding countryside, first in Wiltshire and then the local heathlands of Hampshire. Butterflies, insects of all shapes and sizes, reptiles and amphibians, trees and flowering plants, rolling pastures and water meadows all became companions, whilst birds in all their glory became that incredible obsession lasting a whole lifetime.

It has been a rollercoaster ride of elation, despair, discovery and challenges. It has been a life full of wonderful characters and lasting friendships. Without the introduction from my parent's gifts I have no idea how much in life I may have missed, or how much my own character would have been shaped or affected by not knowing Mother Nature and her giving.

It is in nature we can find ourselves, find solace in those dark days (we all have those days), she can be the healing and the light that enables us to feel better about our life, enjoying and feeling her embrace. It just requires you to allow her in to work that magic.

Saving the Montagu's Harrier

Since 2017 the Andalucía Bird Society has adopted the Montagu's Harrier conservation project as it's main flagship conservation and preservation support programme. To date the Society has given considerable financial support and as importantly moral support too. It is a project the Society is extremely proud to be supporting and with an increasing membership we will be able to give even more financial support to conservation and preservation projects throughout the region of Andalucía. To join us click here.

We present here a summary of the work carried out so far and after the disappointing spring of 2018, we are delighted with this year's results to date.

1. Overview

Tumbabuey is a conservationist charity run by volunteers that work for the protection of birds and natural habitats in Cadiz province. Our members have got more than 30 years’ experience in the study and monitoring of avifauna.

Back in 2004 we started a Montagu’s harrier conservation project in the farmlands surrounding the former La Janda wetlands that aims to protect this globally threatened species.

In recent years, Montagu’s harrier breeding numbers have decreased dramatically worldwide and Andalucía is no exception, therefore the continuity of this project is vital to ensure the species doesn’t become extinct in Cadiz.

2. Breeding Birds Monitoring Programme

Every spring our volunteers survey the farmlands surrounding La Janda in order to identify possible breeding birds. When a nest area is located, we engage with local farmers so conservation measures can be taken to protect the birds and nest.

In 2019, 7 nests were found in the crop fields nearby Benalup, Tahivilla and Vejer de la Frontera villages. Of these only 5 nests were successful. A total of 15 eggs hatched this season and 12 of them were tagged with PVC colour-coded rings.

3. Release Programme

In 2016, Tumbabuey started a bird release programme to strengthen the Montagu’s harrier breeding population in La Janda area in collaboration with the regional government and its network of wildlife rescue centres.

A total of 30 fledgling birds were released between 2016 and 2017 with no birds being released in 2018. In 2019 the programme has received 15 young from different parts of the region, 11 of which have already been released.

Food is provided on a daily basis within the site facilities aiming to keep the birds in the area for as long as possible before they set off to Africa. Feeding tasks take up most of our volunteers’ time, these volunteers have to get to the facilities at dawn, provide food at the feeding station and leave by sundown.

4. Satellite Tracking Programme

This year we have gone a step further in our conservation project by launching a pioneer satellite-tracking programme in Cádiz. The species is going through a critical situation worldwide and this long-term project aims to tag some of the birds from our release programme and use the data generated by the satellite devices to support international conservation strategies.

This remarkable achievement would have not been possible without our tireless volunteers and the financial and moral support of the Andalucia Bird Society who have funded the acquisition of our first ever GPS transmitter. It’s only been a month since we tagged "Sacapuntas", our first Montagu’s harrier fitted with a GPS transmitter, and the information received to date has proven invaluable.

5. Innovation

We are using innovative techniques and new technologies to support our conservation programmes.

Camera trapping: Camera traps are used in both the breeding population monitoring programme and the bird release programme. These cameras allow us to read PVC colour-coded rings and identify birds individually. They also provide an insight on some of the predators that can be found around the release programme facilities.

Field data collection apps: For the first time in 2019, we have developed several field data collection apps for mobile devices. These apps use geospatial technologies and allow us to record the location and related information of our field surveys in a cloud-based database.

Microsoft Office 365: This year we joined Microsoft’s programme for non-profit organisations which give us access to Microsoft’s Office 365 services at no cost. Office 365 provides Tumbabuey with cloud-based storage for our data as well as Office apps and email that help our staff to create and share information in a secured environment within the organisation.

Legal Challenge on release of game birds

The legality of releasing circa. 50 million non-native pheasants and partridges into the British countryside each year is to be challenged in the courts by a new crowdfunded campaign led by Wild Justice. The government should be forced to carry out environmental assessments of the impact of the shooting industry’s release of game birds into the wild each year, according to Wild Justice. Lawyers for Wild Justice believe that in failing to carry out such studies, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is in breach of the EU habitats directive.

To put this in perspective, if programmes were to be put into place for the reintroduction of 'native wildlife' then this is strictly regulated, including public consultation and provisions of environmental impact surveys etc. And yet the game bird industry appears to believe that the release of non-native species, in staggeringly high numbers, should be permitted without any such precautionary checks or research being carried out. Seem reasonable to you?

The absurdity and petulance of the shooting industry's response to Wild Justice's legal challenge reaches a low of understanding and spin even by their own abject and poor standards. A reaction born from an abused privilege and perceived entitlement, a reaction I liken to that of a spoilt child who now is being made to act reasonably and in line with standards expected of everyone else.

The legal action is not an attempt to end the hobby of pheasant or partridge shooting. The release of such large numbers of non-native birds into the wild must be subject to independent review and investigation about the possible damage this may do to native fauna and flora. Something I would have expected for the self-confessed 'responsible' industry to have welcomed, unless of course there is something they know that we should be worried about.

If you would like to support this crowdfunded legal action, then please click here

Some ridiculous and scandalous responses to this action can be read on the link here.

Birding and drinking my breakfast tea

Good morning Saturday as I slurp a Yorkshire Tea on my terrace here in the Serranía de Ronda in deepest Andalucía. I am watching an adult Woodchat Shrike pouncing on beetles on the adjoining common land and returning to it's fence to dismember the unfortunate victims of it's labours. Above Pallid, Common and Alpine Swift are hawking insects for breakfast and are joined by House Martin, Swallow and Red-rumped Swallow as insects take to their precarious flight, even a solitary Crag Martin joins the feast.

A Nightingale is croaking under the cover of the many Fig Trees in the garden, while finches visit the garden pond for their early morning bath and drink, wonder if they might enjoy a Yorkshire Tea? Young and dispersing warblers are busy inspecting my large oak and flitting through the overhanging branches, appearing fleetingly as they emerge from dense leaf tangles, a Spotted Flycatcher makes it's dashing flight from the understorey to snatch a passing insect, an ant lion I think, while the plaintive call of a Booted Eagle attract my gaze above the garden.

Life is tough in these urban surrounding, but I do my best to enjoy it.

Wildlife of Morocco - The Grand Tour

"If local knowledge of where to find the birds, something that can change annually, and be able to point them out to fellow travellers means anything, then Peter is one of the very best and most experienced wildlife guides to lead groups in Morocco"

Worldwide Birding Tours  

Itinerary for Morocco Safari - The Grand Tour 14th to 24th April 2020

Group size 10 guests 1 leader/guide

Day 0ne. 14th April

Arrive at Marrakech Airport, where we will meet the journeymen at arrivals and then transfer to our nearby hotel. Depending on arrival time we can bird the hotel gardens and/or allow guests to rest after their journey. Please note dinner is not included for the first night.

Day Two. 15th April

A morning spent exploring the famous Medina and Souk of Marrakech with our local expert guide. The afternoon will be spent resting, but late afternoon a group meeting will be held to explain the tour itinerary and field any questions guests have about the tour.

Day Three. 16th April

An amazing journey crossing the highest pass in the High Atlas Mountains, where the views are spectacular as well as varied. The northern aspect of the mountain range is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, hence the vegetation is green and lush, but as we climb so the landscape changes and vegetation clings to areas where water passes and becomes sparse on the steep slopes of the multi-coloured mountains. Lunch is taken just before the highest point of the mountain pass and here we can relax enjoying a light lunch and birds that visit the surrounding area. The afternoon drive is downhill headed towards our first encounter of the fringes for the Sahara Desert, a landscape to take your breath away, especially on a planned excursion to seek difficult bird species such as Maghreb Wheatear and other exotics. A walk near to a few palm fringed wadis and a river crossing will produce some migrant birds on their way to their European breeding grounds. We make our way to the town of Ouarzazate, the gateway for the Sahara Desert and famous for it’s movie studios (Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here). We aim to arrive at our hotel with time for guests to relax and cleanup before our dinner and the run through on our bird checklist.

Day Four. 17th April

Most people think of the Sahara Desert as endless rolling sand dunes, but our journey today will bear testimony to the fact that it is anything but. Stone desert interspersed with bare rock mountains, yet where water courses flow above and below ground, green fingers run through the rocky terrain, small oasis form and hold both migrating and resident birds, we will visit a few of these areas. After a drink break we will pass over the Jbel Saghro Mountains, a mountain range of unique features that form a mosaic of shapes created by the lines of strata, from here we descend into the Draa Valley. The Draa Valley is a river system that is lined by palmeries and small villages; it is also a main highway for migrant birds arriving from the vast expanse of the unpopulated Sahara Desert. We should find our first Blue-cheeked Bee Eater here among other exotic migrants, so we need to be on our best ‘find the bird’ mode.  From this wonderful valley we head east and make our way to the largest sand dune complex of the Moroccan Sahara, Erg Chebi. We will be making this unique area our home for 2 nights. Glamping for our first night and then we transfer to a hotel for the 2nd night (Note: Our desert camp, not so much camping as glamping, consists of personal large tents with en suite facilities including toilet, wash area and shower, luxury in the Sahara, as if that wasn’t enough the food is wonderful and campfire entertainment provides a glimpse into Berber life).

Day Five. 18th April

A day in the desert, traversing the dunes and open areas in our 4x4 vehicles, we will be searching for our target birds namely Egyptian Nightjar, Desert Warbler, Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouse, Hoopoe Lark, Cream-coloured Courser, Fulvous Babbler and Lanner Falcon, to name but a few of the specialist birds we will see. The scenery is stunning and we really will be on an adventure day with birds. Later in the day we will lunch and then make our way to the sand plains nearby for Pharaoh Eagle Owl and a nesting place for Lanner Falcon. Desert Sparrow is likely to already have been seen at our camp on the first night of our visit. It will for sure be a day to remember. Late afternoon we will head for our hotel overlooking the amazing high points of the Erg Chebi dune complex, there is a water outfall very near the main entrance to the hotel and here we will find many small migrant birds coming to drink and bathe, one to look for here is the amazing Hoopoe.

Day Six. 19th April

We will look outside our hotel for early morning birds, but before that we highly recommend going up to the hotel rooftop bar and terrace, here you can witness the sunrise over the high sand dunes and it is spectacular as well as an amazing experience. We will start our journey to the high plateau near Boumalne soon after breakfast, we will stop at a few birding spots along the way, but our aim will be to get to our next destination for a late lunch, so we will stop to get a few onboard snacks during this part of the journey. After lunch we will drive through the Gorges du Dades, an amazing deep sided valley with equally amazing geological features, we will stop along the way to take in the scenery and keep our eyes to the sky as we are now in Bonelli’s Eagle territory. Our hotel for the next 2 nights is a favourite, a place to relax and enjoy the superb cuisine and in house entertainment from members of the family who run the hotel. Crag Martins and Blue Rock Thrush are often seen from the terraces, whilst Nightingale will be singing at the river’s edge below our hotel.

Day Seven. 20th April

We concentrate our birding efforts today on the high plateau east of Boumalne. Here we will search the plains for lark and wheatear species, but the area can also hold surprises such as Stone Curlew and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. We will transect the plains, stopping to scan favourable areas and attempt to find the elusive Thick-billed Lark as well as the entertaining Fat Desert Rat. We will take lunch in a family hostel within the plains and hopefully here we might also find Moussier’s Redstart and European Bee Eater. Wheatear species are also a feature in the area and on a good day it is possible to see 6 species including the very handsome Red-rumped Wheatear. After our lunch we will search a couple of green areas, cultivated by local villagers, to look for migrants such as Roller and warbler species. Later we will pass by our hotel and explore the gorge for more migrant birds, a coffee or mint tea and admire the stunning scenery. We will also look for a target bird the Rock Bunting.

Day Eight. 21st April

We will take a leisurely drive to our next destination, a return to Ouarzazate. The journey will provide places where we can stop to seek a few birds and we will also pass through the Valley of the Roses, a famous region in Morocco where women’s cooperatives harvest Rose petals and Rosehips to manufacture cosmetics and lotions. If the group wants to view these products we will make time for stopping at a cooperative showroom. We will either take our lunch at a desert Kasbah near to the town of Skoura, or journey onwards for lunch in Ouarzazate. We will arrive in good time at our hotel and guests are free to rest, enjoy the swimming pool or just relax, or maybe accompany the guide to explore the shoreline of the nearby lake for some water birds that will include Greater Flamingo, the choices will be yours.

Day Nine. 22nd April

Our road trip today takes us back to Marrakech and over the high pass of Tizi N’Tichka. On route we will explore the river areas near to Amerzgane and also the desert area around Tizgzaouine for later migrants such as Ortolan Bunting, Whinchat, Rufous Bush Robin and also desert birds Trumpeter Finch, Desert Lark and wheatear species. The area is breathtaking with desert scenes that have a backdrop of snowcapped mountains, forming a landscape unique to our journey. We will again take lunch at the high point of the mountain crossing and here we might explore the local surrounds for Common Rock Thrush and Rock Sparrow. The descending journey will provide opportunities for us to stop and find more birds and depending on time, we will stop to enjoy a mint tea on a café terrace overlooking some amazing tree lined valleys. Late afternoon and we arrive at our garden Riad for a 2-night stay, here the accommodation is rustic, clean and comfortable with tranquil gardens and large swimming pool, the homemade food is possibly our most favourite cuisine on this tour. Worth to mention that last spring Rufous Bush Robin had taken up residence in this garden.

Day Ten. 23rd April

After birding the gardens before breakfast we will head up high into the High Atlas Mountains to the ski resort of Oukaïmeden. A real departure from our desert experience, we will be looking for high mountain species such as Horned Lark, Crimson-winged Finch, Seebohm Wheatear, Alpine Chough and Red-billed Chough, we will also look for good views of Barbary Falcon and Moussier’s Redstart. Dipper and Common Rock Thrush might also be seen here. Our previous visits and success at finding these target birds has ranged from very easy to difficult, much will depend on the weather, so all things crossed the weather is kind and we have no difficulties finding our birds. We will lunch in the resort area and afterwards we will make our descent taking several opportunities to stop and find mountain birds, also the lower reaches of our road will give us a chance to find the elusive Levaillant’s Woodpecker and Tristram’s Warbler. It is a day of amazing scenery and wonderful birds, before we head back to our own private gardens and wonderful food.

Day Eleven. 24th April

Departure day and thus a time to relax depending on your time for the homeward bound flight. A very leisurely approach to breakfast with time to pack and later you can also relax with an extra coffee or tea. Lunch can be available for those not leaving until the afternoon or early evening, although this is not included in the cost of the tour.

 Notes:

1. The option to book extra nights before and/or after the official tour dates are available upon request.

2. Private tours and guides are available to those wishing to spend extra days around Marrakech.

3. Airport collection and departures are only included in the official tour dates, but these can also be arranged at an extra cost for those visiting for extra days.

4. The tour price includes all transport, including 4x4 vehicles for desert excursions, guiding, meals and excludes all drinks and personal purchases.

5. Travel information facts and tips for Morocco is sent to all participants before the tour.

6. A comprehensive Bird Checklist is provided at the start of the tour.

For further details and prices, please contact us on the following email address, we will be pleased to assist with any queries or questions:

adm.spanish.nature@gmail.com

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