Photos / Sounds
What
Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalisObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A quite common encounter around the area - this time at Gleb Jdiane. Time ca 5:30 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
West African Fiddler Crab Afruca tangeriObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
It was great observing them swarm all over the tidal zone!
Time ca. 1:30
Photos / Sounds
What
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Nothing new, I know, they are always around. The nice thing is how close they got to the cliffs, because of the tide.
Time ca. 2:00 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodiaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A flock of about 20 foraging in the bay's Ramsar zone at low tide. They were with lots of other vrey nice birds but - ahm - camera got crazy :-(
Time ca. 1:30 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl Bubo ascalaphusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Not entirely sure indeed! It flashed over our car and immediately landed really very far from us. Wind was strong, battering its feathers. All we got is this pic and quite shaky observations with our binoculars. A great way to close our day, though!
Time ca. 5:30 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Spotted Sandgrouse Pterocles senegallusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A flock of about 40 hanging around a well with vegetation, in the middle of nowhere. Not sure on the species, probably a mix between the two that are typically found here, P. senegallus and P. coronatus (?).
Time ca. 12:30
Photos / Sounds
What
White-spotted Bluethroat Luscinia svecica ssp. cyaneculaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Observed at the main pond at Mijk, in the thick vegetation (we especially like the darker pictures!!).
Time ca. 12:00
Photos / Sounds
What
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
One of a pair. Time ca. 5:00 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquillaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Gleb Jdiane is a water point in the desert, which generally means nice observations as birds come by for shelter and to drink.
Time ca 5:00 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Sorry for them giving us... the butt!!! They were all clearly heading to the wind (the Cormorant is doing the same!).
Time ca. 2 pm.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
They are quite common all around the area.
Time ca. 2 pm.
Photos / Sounds
What
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenantheObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Unfortunately no better pic! It just happened to be captured by chance with a Motacilla flava (photobombing!).
Time ca. 10:00 am
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flavaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Small organic farm lots offer green shelter to birds big and small. Time ca. 10:30 am
Photos / Sounds
What
Lesser Egyptian Jerboa Jaculus jaculusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Spotlighting on foot around the camp into the dunes. Time ca. 10 pm.
Photos / Sounds
What
European Bee-Eater Merops apiasterObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
We first spotted them on March 24th (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13807000) and then April 9th (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13806717) although they might have been there earlier of course. As of mid June... still there!
Time ca. 11:30
Photos / Sounds
What
European Bee-Eater Merops apiasterObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Bee-eaters have been swarming over Dakhla and its coasts for a few days. These found a safe heaven at Mijk (wondering whether they are the same two still there on April 9th https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13806717 and as of June 2018?? https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13807281).
Time ca. 11:15 am
Photos / Sounds
What
European Bee-Eater Merops apiasterObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Bee-eaters have been swarming over Dakhla and its coasts for a few days. These found a safe heaven at Mijk (wondering whether they are the same two aready there on March 24th https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13807000 and were still there as of June 2018?? https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13807281).
Time ca. 11:30 am
Photos / Sounds
What
Dunn's Lark Eremalauda dunniObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Lucky shot along the road. Time ca. 4 pm.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleonObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Tricky kid hiding in the bush at Gleb Jdiane's water tower. Thanks Nick Watmough and Graham Clarke for spotting it! Time ca. 3:30 pm.
Photos / Sounds
What
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticoraxObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Unusual sighting on the peninsula of Dakhla. Time ca. 10:00 am.
Photos / Sounds
What
Purple Heron Ardea purpureaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
One of the many species spotted in March at Mijk. Time ca. 4 pm
Photos / Sounds
What
Fat-tailed Gerbil Pachyuromys duprasiObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Courtesy of some spotlighting on foot around our camp! (time around 10:30 pm).
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Hoopoe Upupa epopsObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
First time we spotted Hoopoes in the dunes! (time about 4 pm).
Photos / Sounds
What
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellarisObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
This appears to be the second record for the Atlantic Sahara, and the first visually based. And we have to thank Chris Townend (Wise Birding Holidays) and his group of birders and nature observers for this really unexpected observation and for the ID. Furthermore, a huge thank you goes to Franck Chevalier, who created the oasis at Mijk and realised the importance of the observation, as well as to Patrick Bergier (Go South) who nicely summarised the Atlantic Sahara history of the species here: http://www.go-south.org/?p=5434
Time: ca 11 am.
Special guests: Chris Townend and the Wise Birding Holiday group
Photos / Sounds
What
Black Kite Milvus migransObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A group of eight, on a dune and then flying in cricles when we approached (they got back to their dune soon).
Time = 10:00 am; T = 16°C
Photos / Sounds
What
Anderson's Short-fingered Gecko Stenodactylus petriiObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
From the pic we are in doubt (S. elegans or S. petri) but the cool thing here is: did you see the rain droplets?
Time: 9:00 pm; Temperature about 16°C.
Photos / Sounds
What
Fennec Fox Vulpes zerdaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A curious kid, slightly smaller than usual, getting very close to our tent! (about 20 m).
Time: ca. 1:00 am; T = 14°C
Photos / Sounds
What
Golden Jackal Canis aureusObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
Golden Wolf? Golden Jackal? Our guest ID is the former, so we leave it (while waiting for genetic studies to have the final word). Small, possibly juvenile.
Time: ca. 8:30 pm (metadata set on a different time zone), T = 18°C
Special guest: Andreas Jonsson
Photos / Sounds
What
Sand Cat Felis margaritaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
This individual was spotted along the road, but stayed still just for about one minute before vanishing in the bush.
Time: 21:35, temperature 19 °C
Special guest: Andreas Jonsson (the picture is his!!)
Photos / Sounds
What
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarolaObserver
dakhlaroversDescription
A great morning at the White Dune, with basically no people apart from us and a couple of fishermen (these have been there for so long that the birds got to get used to their presence). Lots of birds!
From left to right, this pic shows: One Eurasian Curlew (not too sharp, flying); a Lesser Black-backed Gull (right under the Curlew); some Charadius sp (tiny in the middle, looking head into the camera); a Grey Heron (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8875928); some Pluvialis sp (likely?); and one Eurasian Oystercatcher (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8876053).
Special guest: Siham
Time: ca. 11:00 am
