Wednesday 28 March 2018

Western Sahara March 2018!

 Sudan Golden Sparrows, one of four of my target species at Oued jenna

 Cricket Longtails another target species was common around our camp at Oued jenna

 Dunn's Lark third target species, c20 birds seen

Torch reflection in the eye of a Golden Nightjar my main target species, through sheer incompetence not checking the flash gun settings I missed probably my only chance of ever photographing the species. Every time I look at the above image I feel terrible! Had the flash worked I could have hoped for an image similar to the one below of a melanistic Montagu's Harrier taken in similar circumstances. 
Melanistic Montagu's Harrier photographed at night with flash gun 
The same bird still present the next morning
 Jerboa taken with a properly set flash gun

 Many Temminck's Horned Larks were seen
  Temminck's Horned Lark 

 Flocks of 50-100 Black-crowned Sparrow Larks were around our camp at Oued jenna but were incredibly difficult to photograph in the time we had, this was the only bird I managed to capture.

 Thekla Larks were reasonably common

 Bar-tailed Desert Larks were common but usually camera shy.

Hoopoe Larks were fairly common
 Probably our most surprising find was 5 Pharaoh's Eagle Owls 2 of which were by the sea at Dakhla

Pharaoh's Eagle Owl being mobbed by a Hoopoe at Oued jenna
Where I would expect to find a Pharaoh's Eagle Owl, peeping out of hole in high rock face in the hills south of Oued jenna.
1 of c100 Black Kites seen migrating over our camp at Oued jenna
A female Montagu's Harrier found roosting late afternoon in the desert 
 Fulvous Babbler common around the camp
 Migrant Subalpine Warblers were common at the camp
A Tree Pipit spent a couple of days feeding around the camp
 Great Grey Shrike(elegans) common everywhere
Several migrant Woodchat Shrikes were seen
 Desert Warbler only 1 bird seen
 Cream-coloured Coursers were fairly common
 Only 4 Red-rumped Wheatears were seen
A few Red-throated Pipits were seen at water holes
White-crowned Wheatear a few seen mainly from the vehicles
  5th new species for me was African Royal Tern
 Caspian tern and African Royal Terns
Caspian Tern

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