MOROCCO: Vallee du Dades

December 11 – We began this morning in further exploration of the Tagdilt Tract, outside the town of Boumalne.  We had spent some time here last night, and were eager to follow new “pistes” (off-road tracks) to see where they might lead us.

Tadgilt Track

One of our first sightings was of a Red Fox, pausing to gaze at us from a ridge top.  We watched in awe as it trotted out of sight; mammals of such size are rarely encountered in these arid, desert climes.  They, like other creatures, might be attracted to the open-pit town dump, which unfortunately litters the grounds with unsightly plastic trash.  We traveled away from it, following a large flock of Lesser Short-toed Larks mixed with a few Temminck’s Larks.  We spotted Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Red-rumped Wheatears amidst the low scrub foliage.

Thick-billed Lark

After searching a while, we returned back to the trash heap, thinking it might host some activity.  Indeed, the dump was hopping with life, including about a dozen of our target Thick-billed Larks, along with Hoopoe Lark, White Wagtails, and two Long-legged Buzzards hunting for rats.  Feral dogs circled the heap, wary of our presence, but not willing to leave this scavenger’s paradise.

Rock Bunting

We left the tract and headed towards Dades Gorge.  The road ascended through picturesque scenery and quaint villages, hugging steep cliffs carved by the winding Dades river below us.  At one scenic pull-off, we saw a pair of Barbary Partridges foraging on some boulders across the gorge.  Common Bulbuls sang musically from lush riverine forests dotted with neatly-tended agricultural plots.  We stopped when Adrian spotted a Rock Bunting jumping from a wall, and spent the next 20 minutes enjoying an active mixed flock that included African Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Black Wheatear and Gray Wagtail.

Gorge du Dades

The walls seemed to grow steeper, the road windier, as we climbed higher, occasionally passing some slow-moving cargo trucks.  Adrian chuckled each time Deb cringed at the sharp hairpin curves and vehicles passing nearly blindly! If you want an idea what this scenic drive looks and feels like, check out the Cadillac ATS Challenges the World commercial, that was filmed on this road. We lunched near the top, then turned around and descended without incident to continue on to our next destination.

Ouarzazate Reservoir

We reached the reservoir at Ouarzazate around mid-afternoon.  Numerous access points meant we could survey this vast water expanse from multiple vantage points, the first being near the southwestern end of the reservoir.  We drove a short ways down a dirt road, scattering a large herd of grazing goats, and stopped just yards from the water’s edge to scan.  An Osprey flew overhead, drawing our attention to a group of distant waders including Little Egret, Gray Heron, Great Cormorant and Moroccan Cormorant.  Black-headed Gulls congregated on an island, while Eurasian Coot and Great-crested Grebe paddled fairly close.

Little Owl

We drove through the bustling city of Ouarzazate, into the a suburban village, to reach the other end of the reservoir.  We stopped briefly to follow a Little Owl that perched on a wall, then flew uncharacteristically to a medium-size shrub. We took our time scanning the marshy edges this side, finding plenty to hold our interest.  Several juvenile Greater Flamingos mixed with a large flock of White Storks.  Shorebirds foraged at water’s edge, including Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Common Ringed Plover and Little Stint.  Familiar waterfowl – Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard and Common Teal – dabbled in shallows.  A Marsh Harrier swooped close over the reeds.

Berber musician

With little light left in the day, we checked into “Dar Daif” for the evening.  An unassuming doorway along the village’s main street hid a delightful gem of a riad, a traditional moroccan house with an interior courtyard garden.  Decades ago, a Frenchman fell in love with the country’s only female adventure-guide.  Together, the couple restored the property for guests, maintaining Morocco’s cultural charm and offering incredibly delicious meals.  After settling into our colorfully-tiled room and washing up, we sat down to one of the most memorable dinners of the trip, featuring freshly-prepared vegetables, delectable pigeon “pastila” (flaky-pastry pie) and a Berber musician serenading us with a banjo!

We were sorry that our stay would be so short, after such great birding at the reservoir, and delicious hospitality at Dar Daif!

text © debbie beer; all photos © adrian binns