Western Sahara - Day 6 - Around Dakhla

We had breakfast at 8.00 at Samarkand then we drove out to KM 122 to see if there were any sandgrouse coming into drink. The wet area seemed smaller this year and there was a tanker at the pump with a couple of chaps washing their clothes. We scanned the area for a while and spent some time checking out the Pipits and Yellow Wagtails. There were Tree Pipits and Red-throated Pipits which pottered around the vegetation giving a good chance to compare the plumages. Among the yellow wagtails was a blue-headed and a Spanish type. A large herd of Camels ambled along and formed an orderly queue at the water tank to drink. There was a lot more tanker activity than last year and there was no sign of any sandgrouse.

A walk across to the oasis that was full of birds last year was a disappointment as it was completely dry with just three Cream-coloured Coursers and a Desert Wheatear, so we got a lift back to the wet area where a pair of little-ringed Plovers foraged among the grass, before heading back towards La Sagra. Unfortunately, there was still unrest with the fishermen and we weren’t allowed into the site so we turned around and headed back to the lighthouse to go sea watching, stopping to check out a flock of gulls.

At the lighthouse there was time to scan the sea for Caspian Terns and Bonxies as a picnic lunch with Tuna, bread and salad was set up  and then we spent some more time scanning when a couple of Dolphins swan through my scope view. We spent some time following them and making sure everyone got onto them before we set up a group photo and then returned to Mohammed's house to pack. Some went to the local markets for a last shopping spree and then returned to eat a delicious, traditional meal of couscous and camel with vegetables.  

We were collected at 5.00 in the morning and driven to the airport where we said our thanks and goodbyes to the friendly drivers and Mohammed before checking in and beginning our journey from the 35+ degs to the 0 degs of Gatwick airport, via a short stopover in Casablanca. 

Western Sahara - Day 5 - Back to Dakhla

This morning we were up again at 6.00 but the Nightjar only sang for about 5 minutes although we found it from eyeshine. It flew off shortly after and started singing from further away but only for a minute or two. We helped pack up our things, had breakfast and went for a short walk looking for Black-crowned Finch-larks and other birds, including a very close group of Fulvous babblers, while camp was packed up.

On our drive back we stopped for a quick picture of Cream-coloured Coursers and a stop at the Prehistoric petroglyph hill for a look at the carvings. While we were there a large flock of Thick-billed larks flew over, dropping down briefly and then flying on towards a distant line of vegetation. Scanning round found a large flock of larks to which it was thought the Thick-billeds had headed so we loaded up and headed in that direction. Half-way across Mohammed spotted two Fennec Foxes peering out of holes in the ground. We stopped but this proved too much for them and they ran off across the desert towards the distant vegetation, only stopping to peer at us from the safety of the bushes. We continued to look for the lark flock finding a large group that included Temmink's Larks, Bar-tailed larks and a Short-toed Lark was photographed, but no Thick-billeds.

A further stop at the same site as last year for Desert Warbler found several Dunn's Larks near th road so we spent a bit of time watchig them before a call from AF had us speeding up the hillside where he had found a single Desert Warbler in almost the exact place we found it last year.

After stopping for some fresh bread and coco cola we stopped at the farm area as last year for lunch. Around the rocky, desert areas there were Temmink's, Bar-tailed, and Crested Larks and a Marsh Harrier glided along the edge of the quarry. There was a garden area showing what was possible with some water, where there was cotton, maize, olives and alfalfa growing among other things. It also hosted White-spotted Bluethroat and lots of Chiffchaffs feeding among the bushes.

After a lovely, hot lunch of lentils and bread we set off back to Mohammed's house for our last two nights. We were treated to a very tasty camel Tagine with rice and before settling down on our various beds, mattresses and cushions.

Western Sahara - Days 3 & 4 - Around Oued Jenna

We spent the next couple of days around the Oued Jenna area looking for various desert birds. We found Cricket Longtails, Dunn’s, Hoopoe and Bar-tailed Larks, Black Crowned Sparrow-lark and a few warblers, including Orphean, Sub-alpine, Sardinian and Spectacled. Some Yellow wagtails dropped in, a local group of Fulvous Babblers kept us entertained around the camp and a very tame Tree Pipit took advantage of our crumbs. Our forth Pharoah’s Eagle Owl leapt from a tree just above our heads and gave good views until it was flushed by a Hoopoe. Passing through we had Swallowss, Red-rumped swallows, House and Sand Martins, Marsh Harrierrs and the last day saw a large group of Black Kites roosting on a nearby hillock waiting for the day to heat up before they were off. We also found several species of lizard, including, Spiny-tailed and Dumeril's Fringe-fingered Lizard, White-spot Gecko **

The first night we walked along the road for about 2 Kms spotlighting as we went. We saw 2 Desert Wild Cats giving good views in the torchlight. On the other two nights we went for a night drive, spotlighting as we went. We managed to find a Melanistic Montague’s Harrier, several Lesser Egyptian Jerboas, a Desert Hedgehog and a Saharan Striped Polecat, but no sign of any Sand Cats.

The first morning we were woken by a call from DW from inside his tent, ‘Nightjar, nightjar’. A scramble to get clothed and out of the tents and we were soon listening for the distinctive ‘Guduc, guduc’. The call stopped  and then came from another direction, we followed the sound but still couldn’t locate it. After about 15 minutes it stopped calling, the sun rose and so we returned to camp to get dressed properly and gather for breakfast. The second two mornings we set our alarms for around 5.45 am, got dressed and out ready to listen for the Nightjar. On cue, around 6.20, the bird started calling from just across the road opposite our camp, we moved to the edge of the road and a spotlight picked out the eyeshine of the bird. After a short while it flew up and across the road before disappearing and not being relocated. We did the same the third morning and this time the bird was located in the same area but it some flew off after only calling for about 5 minutes.

A visit to,the local water pumping station, that had been very good last year, was disappointing as it wasn’t working, although they had built a new one which wasn’t in service yet. There seemed to be a problem with many water pumping stations out of use, necessitating many more water tankers travelling up and down the roads to fill the troughs for the local camel, sheep and goat herds, with a suggestion that the water was getting more difficult due to less rainfall lately. Other birds that we saw were White-crowned Wheatear, Desert Sparrow and Cream-coloured Courser, Bee-eater, Brown-necked Raven, Marsh Harrier
Our last afternoon was spent exploring the Derraman hills where we had Black-crowned Wheatear, Lanner, Martins and another Pharoah's Eagle Owl dozing in a rocky cave.

Western Sahara - Day 2 - Drive to Ouedd Jenna.

As breakfast was not till 8.30 we went out for a walk along the front, hoping to see spotless starling. All we managed was Laughing Dove. 

When we got back the cafe they didn’t seem to be expecting us but eventually it got sorted and we had bread, honey and orange juice. Mohammed arrived to pay and then said they were ready to go. We cleared up, packed up and set off. Stopping for a group of Audouin’s Gulls and Royal Terns, Mohammed got a call about a problem with the last car. He went off, leaving us with terns. The problem turned out to be that they had been stopped for no seatbelts in the back, for which they got a fine of €30. As they didn’t  have enough euros, Mohammed had had to bale them out. 

We then drove on through several check points to the Aswerd road and on to Gleb Jdiane where we were interrupted by a couple of men who brought their land rover to be washed. We did see Chiffchaff, Redstart and Collared Dove as well as some tadpoles and a Frog. There were some small butterflies fluttering around which were identified as Babel Blue. 

We drove on a short way to a new prehistoric carving site. There are supposed to be a dozen animals but we only found an elephant plus some odd symbols which we had fun with suggesting meanings for. We also had Brown-necked raven, Desert Wheatear and Swallows.

We continued on our way to Oued Jenna, stopping at the Oued Aushwits (or so it sounded). On the way we saw Cream coloured Courser, Bar-tailed Desert Lark, Pallid Harrier and Kestrel. We stopped for Temmink's Lark at the entrance to the track and took some photos while we waited for the other two cars to arrive. Eventually, Mohammed turned round and went back to see where they had got to. As the van pulled up by a tree an Eagle Owl launched out of the branches and flew a short distance into the Oued. A quick check and it was another Pharoah's. We spent a bit of time looking for the owl and also saw our first Desert Sparrows and Fulvous Babblers as well as Orphean Warbler, Swallow and chiffchaff. 

We were soon called for lunch which we ate in the shade of the acacias before setting off again for Oued Jenna. There was a moment of excitement as I saw a small cat pop over the bank and lie down in front of a bush. We managed to turn round and see it again before it ran off into the distance. Unfortunately it wasn't seen by everyone. I assumed it was a Desert Cat as it was quite grey and it had run off rapidly but Mohammed seemed to think it was a Sand Cat but I didn't have enough views to identify it. 

On arriving at Oued Jenna we spread out as the camp was set up. In a bush there were at least 40 Sudan Golden Sparrows giving good views but the light was wasn't brilliant for photographs as the sun was setting. 
We sorted out our tents, settled in and then gathered for dinner before taking some time to look at the stars. We did some spotlighting along the road by the camp, finding at least one, if not two, desert cats which gave good views among the bushes. We then walked along the road for a kilometer or two flashing our torches before SC found a Gecko wedged into a crack in a rock. we spent some time coaxing it out before returning and turning in for the night. We also had a Flower Mantis join us for dinner, giving us all a chance to look at it before we put it back in the bushes.