Oxelösund looking for Ring-Necked duck 130329

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NF Photo 130229, Oxelösund

 

I met one of the birders in my area on the library and he said there was a Ring-necked duck in Oxelösund. He seemed frustrated as he has no car. Well, we decided to go on Good Friday. The city is on the coast 1,5h drive east of where I live. We headed for the harbor where it had been seen.

 

This duck is very similar to the Tufted duck. So, at arrival, I immediately understood there will be a problem. How do you find ONE specific bird among thousands?

 

Well, the benefit of company is that you can do a little of other things while this guy checked out one Tufted duck after another. We also met a pair of my travel companions to CostaRica two years ago. They exchanged phone no so they could alert one another if they spotted the ringed one.

 

Lighthouse at Old Oxelösund

I had hoped to see some Eiders but I only found one. We changed location now and then and visited three places I had not been to before. I love that. First I check out the birds on the new location, then I left it to my companion and started to take shots instead. We visited 6 or 7 locations during the day without seeing the one we came for. Finally we had to leave.

 

You know what happened? Half way home his phone rang. They spotted the bird. lol, my friend wanted to turn back. Even considered abandon his family for Easter. But to turn back was no guarantee the bird would be there so we said we try again on Monday.

 

But there was no trip on Monday. All ducks had left, heading north and the ringed one was not seen again.

Harbour at Old Oxelösund

 

 

Oxelösund Horbour with lots of ducks where there is open water.

 

This is the Travel blog, to see the birds jump to my European Bird blog and for scenary to my Memes

 

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121123 Morocco Day 14 Friday, Seabirds Agadir

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121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

Click to enlarge All photos  NF Photo 121123

121123 Morocco Day 14 Friday, Seabirds

Woke up early and went out for a stroll in the hotel garden,  parks and the beach before going back to pack and have breakfast. I tried to find one of the birds we have not seen but didn´t see it.

 I like the breakfast at this hotel. Really great. The bags will stay in a luggage room over the day. We were a bit late as our second party, a man from Scotland, was waiting at the wrong hotel. But finally we embarked at the harbour. The boat was rather small and had seen better days. Probably a luxuary yaht in it days of glory. Going to the loo was not fun.




When we left the harbour we saw a Peregrine Falcon (pilgrimsfalk) snatch a Sandwitch Tern (Kentsk tärna). Funny thing is that severel of us was preparing to take a shot of the tern and did not see the falcon coming. A great experience indeed.

But  after that there was not much more. I think it was rather empty of birds but Anders seemed rather pleased. Or he pretended to in order to cheer us up.

I was confused about the haze over land until I realized it was sand in the air.

We saw the Cory´s Shearwater (gulnäbbad lira) and Red Phalarope (brednäbbad simsnäppa). There were lots of food served omboard so we were certainly not hungry when we came back to the harbour around 15.00h.

There was food for the birds also but with the lack of birds most of it was left when we turned back. We throw it out to the terns and gulls. That was the fun thing of the day if you ask me.

At one point I was rather pissed. I was just seated at the table when the Red Phalarope came into view. Like everybody else I wanted to see it and to take shots. But I was locked at the table with people on both sides and could not get out. And People standing right in the sight path not moving aside despite I begged them to move sideways and even though they was able to do it they did not. I got one shot below somebodys armpit. From the back of course.  :(

We went back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and then started the journey to Marrakesh . We took the highway this time to shorten the trip. It still took several hours. We arrived at Gueliz Hotel about 19.00h. M is very dirty and dusty and I felt it as soon as we arrived. Not a great feeling at all. My lungs would not like to live there.

Birdlist at 20.00 and then dinner. A bufé again. Tired and slept with the computer in my knee again.

Tomorrow at 9.30 we go to the market and around town. Back to the hotel for a quick shower before we go the airport.

The morning view from my hotelroom in Agadir 121123

 

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day 14, 121123 Friday, Seabirds by boat then transport to Marrachech

day 14, 121123 Friday, night in Marrakech

Gueliz Hotel, Avenue Hassan II, Marrakech, Tel 05 24 42 52 00

see day 1

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121120 Morocco Day 11 Tuesday, Laayoune - Tan Tan Plage

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121120 Morocco Day 11 Tuesday, Laayoune - Tan Tan Plage

Woke up at 5,50. Been up twice during the night. There is a police man standing in the corner of the block. Checking out on us?? Who knows! Probably he did as the clerk later on told our guide that "we are being watched".

Breakfast should have been served at 6.00 but that was the time when the first member of the staff arrived. They don´t really bother do they? So, we were late again. But not that much. This time we had a young man guiding us out of town on moped.  Our portier had whispered to Anders that the Morroccan police are watching us. And they sure are. They seem to think we are there to make an uprise among the Western Sahara people. I have no clue if we ever met any of them. I don´t think so.

Well, we headed out of town the northern route, but as we were about to bird at the bridge the young man on moped lost us when we turned in on a parkinglot. But our driver horned on him so he turned and came back. The three of them, gteh guide and our drivers seemed to have a good time as we birded the area. We had a good time birding and shooting pics as the sun rose. Lots of great shots on stilts and cattle egrets.

Well, our escort leaft us on the other side of the bridge and we continued north. Our first stop was at a bushy desert area 50 km north Laayounne. Hoping for warblers but was dissappointed. The area was almost empty. At least on birds. Some ruins was still lingering. Leaving the place at 9.55h

We were a bit more lucky at Kniipfiss(?) the fishing and camping area with the cats. There was a lot of birds. Vaders and others. Spoonbill (Skedstork), flamingo at teh sand dunes further out and Eurasian Curlew (storspov) calling a lot. We left at 13.35 to go further north. We were passing by an area where they produced salt. But we did not stop there.

Eventually we did check out the three riverbeds we visited on our way south. But now it was high tide so lots of water there and hardly no birds apart from gulls. At the last one a car  arrived with 2 couples of morroccan people. They started to vade over to the nearest island of sanddunes. The two young women had some trouble with the skirts as they did not want to get wet. They had a lot of fun and the youngest women waved at me to follow. I could not do that of course. :)

Close to Tan-Tan Plage we made a final stop to look for seabirds. Nothing much again. But some photo opportunity for me. This time two cars stoped at our group wanting to know about birding. Maybe we are turning the Morroccans into a birding people. .) Also two cars of policemen stoped and checked us out. And now our driver starts to get annoyed. They know us and have all details since we went south. So why bother us now?

It is a bit strange as we went along the coast. Here and there in empty areas is a house or tent. Men sitting at the edge fishing in the middle of nowhere. You have to wonder where they live. And why they fish so far from villages and people. Do they live by themselves in a tent supporting themselves with only fish? Guess I´ll never know. And at one place I saw a woman heading straight into the desert. God knows where to because nothing was visible to give a hint.

When arriving at Tan Tan Plage we went shoping but as we were late not much was open. But we got what we needed and then we went to the Hagounia Hotel. The "shoping centre" looks tidy already.

I got the same room as the last time. The one with the blue doors and bad shower. We met again for the birdlist. But now Anders is getting sick and skipped the dinner. I think everyone had it now except me. My troubles is the foot and the lips, still.

I talked with Janet, my daughter, on skype. She was working. And wrote a bit on the trip report.

Tomorrow we are going back to Guelmim and a new hotel. Breakfast is supposed to be at 6. But who knows? We shall leave at 7 to be able to have time enough at the lark fields and the waterhole.
Natti!

No lamp at the bed. Lucky I brought my own flashlamp.

 

Seeing the coast like this you realise Morocco will one day disappear in the Atlantic Ocean.

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day 11, 121120 Tuesday, återväg t Tan Tan Plage, stop här o där

day 11, 121120 Tuesday, night in Tan-Tan Plage

Hagounia Hotel, Tan Tan Plage. Tel 05 28 87 90 20

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121119 Morocco Day 10 Monday, Dakhla - Laayoune

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121119 Morocco Day 10 Monday, Dakhla - Laayoune

Woke up at 6.50. Packed most of my stuff and went to brekfast. The group was already there and breakfast was putting forward. I ate some and put some in my backpack for use during the day. This hotel seem to always serve a lot more then anyone can eat.

Today I lost my backpack. At least I thought so. I was about to put something in it and I could not find it. I thought I forgot it at the breakfast room. But no. I went back to the room and there it was. On the chair and I did not see it. I´m getting senile. :(  Maybe this is my last trip?? So many things I "lost" this time. So many times I looked for things that was not really lost. I just did not see it. Spent a lot of time searching for my glasses for one.

Well, we left to go 550-600 km back to Laayounne. The shot to the left was taken from inside the bus just before we  left the Dakhla peninsula.


We made the same two stops as we did on the way south. The little café and the desert stop where the crows was supposed to be. They were still not there.

Took these shots from the bus. Seems to be a settlement. As poor as the fishermens village I think. But maybe not, a lot of camels were there.

As we were going up north I was now sitting on the right side. Having a gorgeous Atlantic view half of the time. Now I did see all the ship vrecks I did not see when we were going south.







We made a stop at the wetland south of L.This days highlight.  Lots of ducks there and other birds. Stilts among them. Anders and 4 more went down to bird closer to the water. I did not dare walk down with my bad shoes and it was really steep to go down. And a lot of sand to go trough.



Anders, and all of us, was happy there was several new species for the trip on that location. The water surface dotted with birds. To bad it was quite a distance to them.



Going in to town to shop for tomorrow I found a place where they was selling shoes. I fond a pair I thought would be fine. 120 dirham. Sadly I think I will get blisters from them.


Then we headed for Sahara Line Hotel our stay for the night. We met again at 19.00 h in the lobby to go through the birdlist for today. And then dinner. I joined one of the coupels and we shared a bottle of wine for dinner as this hotel actually served wine. .
Back to the room for the usual writing. And I think we were watched. There was a policemen standing outside the hotel all night. Yes, I was up once and saw him there. He was the only person on the street when I went to bed and when i woke up in the night he was still there. Clearly bored to death.

Tomorrow we continue up north. Breakfast at 6 and departure at 7.

 

 

 

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day 10, 121119 Monday återväg t Laayoune, stop här o där

day 10, 121119 Monday night in Laayoune http://lexicorient.com/morocco/laayoune.htm

Sahara Line Hotel, Avenue Kairawane, Laayoune Tel 05 28 99 22 26

see day 5

121117 Morocco Day 8 Saturday, Aousard and Oued Jenna

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121117 Morocco Day 8 Saturday, Aousard, Oued Jenna

Waiting for the bus outside the hotel

Woke up at 3.35 to be ready to leave the hotel, Bab El Bahr Hotel, at 04.00. The hotel provided us with our breakfast take away. :) It was dark of course, and most of us tried to get some more sleep in the bus. It took about 4h as we headed 250km straight into the desert. I woke up about 7 to see if the sun was rising but it took another 30 min before I could start shooting and we were almost at our first stop.

 Oued Jenna 8.05, at km 25, they had km stones to show where you are ;) But I don´t know wher the counting started.

We stoped at Oued Jenna and had our breakfast. It was quite nicely arranged. Even though the egg shells was crushed. :)  As soon as people had finished their breakfast they started to look for birds. Looking for songbirds mostly, but the first thing we spotted was a desert raven. But our hopes for Cricket Longtails (Sahel sångare) was not met. But I found lot of other things then birds. Sand, grass, butterflies. IT was beautiful. We did see Thick Knees but I did not get good shots.

Aousard

It had been raining during the long ride to the location but it was not all wet. It was kind of fun to see how the sand curved itself to look like cinnamon pins .( Kanelstänger. ) Strange! Well, I did not see many birds but a lot of other things. Like patterns in the sand looking much like the arabic handwritings. A very beautiful language to look at.

(Tjockfot, slagfalk, Monarc fjäril, svart kronad finklärka,  (flygande), medelhavsstenskvätta, ökensprav)

10,40 we change location to KM 29

More of Grey Shrike, Desert Sparrow and the Monarch butterfly
11.30 KM 20     km 41 Cricket Warbler (Sahelsångare)
(Skvätta, kungsörn Sahelsongare, slagfalk mm)




First we went on the left side of the road. Lots of the bushy grass and trees. Some people saw a Cricket Warbler (sahelsångare) but not all. I didn´t. We walked a long time on that side to try to find the bird again but failed. Back at the bus we went across to the other side and now we was more lucky. We found one and after a while everyone had seen it. The little bird can sit in that thorny tree, I woudl not get near it.   Everyone was happy, me too, even if my shots got over exposed. :( We started our long trip back to the hotel. Still 150 km too go.





Vattenhål Gleb Jdiand km 195
We arrived at the waterhole as 16.25 and went out to check out what it was looking like. There was water so Anders descided we will go there tomorrow morning to see birds come and drink.

We had the artlist at 19.00h and dinner at 20.00. My lip is a little better but still not good. Hope it will be tomorrow. Todays dinner was seafood buffee. Not my kind of food. So I took a little and a slice of bread.

Torrow we have breakfast at 6 and will leave for the waterhole at 6.30 to be sure we are there before the birds arrive.

 

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day 8, 121117 Saturday, Aousard, Oued Jenna, div stop på återvägen

day 8, 121117 Saturday, night in Dakhla Dakhla on Panorimo

Bab El Bahr Hotel, Ave Al Moukaouama, Dakhla. Tel 05 28 93 14 40

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121116 Morocco Day 7 Friday, Dakhla area

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121116 Morocco Day 7 Friday,

Woke up at 6.10. I had been up once during the night but slept again. Now we had breakfast at 6.30 for departure at 7. We had mostly the normal breakfast but the bread was "hamburger bread" and we had to get the coffee from the bar. But that is just details, it was tasty and nice.

Today we spent the time on Dakhla peninsula and Dakhla Bay. We left at 7 and the driver had some trouble finding the way out of town. We wanted to go south along the coast. I don´t think those guys had any map to consult. :)

We found the road and headed south along the coast. Stoped here and there to look for sea birds. At first it was hard as it was still dark and a bit foggy. Most of the birds seen was gulls, terns, gannets and a few vaders like a Sandpiper (Drillsnäppa).

At the south point of the peninsula was a fishermens village of sort. We only turned the bus there. Nobody went out. It did not look nice. I did not see any woman so my guess is only men lived and worked there. Living in simple sheds.

We saw a lot of small boats on the water during the day.

On the road back there was a low area with tides and a lot of birds. Mostly gulls of course but also vaders and two Eurasian or African Spoonbills (skedstork). A nice sight.  

 

After "lunch" we headed north. Passed by Dakhla city, still birding here and there. Lots of terns and gulls. At the north end of the bay was a camping site. When it was high tide they used to do different sort of water sports in that area. There was also flamingos. :)

Back in town there were the, now usual, routine. And there are also some birding opportunities in town too.  Finding somewhere to buy next days lunch and then back to the hotel for a quick shower before meeting the others. Going through the days birds and then dinner. Tomorrow we will be early birds. Up at 04.00 to go deep into the desert. The hotel will provide us with breakfast.

Dakhla on Panorimo
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day 7, 121116 Friday, Dakhla Bay,

day 7, 121116 Friday, night in Dakhla

Bab El Bahr Hotel, Ave Al Moukaouama, Dakhla. Tel 05 28 93 14 40

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