Western Capercaillie -Tjäder 130417-18

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I got up rather early this morning as I was about to go north to see lekking Western Capercaillie (Tjäder) and Black Grouse (Orre). I would be in a hiding for two nights. One night for each bird. That was the plan.

 

Wolf tracks in Kloten

I left at 9.00h to go to Surahammar where I would meet up with the guides from Nordic Safari. Then we went further north to the Pensionat Udden where we had lunch and also gathered the hot meal and drinks for dinner in the hiding and for breakfast, still in the hiding. It was a beautiful afternoon, a bit chilly but sunny. The lake outside the house was still mostly frozen. But a few ducks, golden eyes, was swimming there.

We left for the woods to see if we could find tracks from wolfs. It was a place called Klotens Vargrevir - Klotens wolfterritories. We did indeed find some tracks but did not see them. There was also very nice thawing pools of water so I was busy taking shots. We did also see a beaver hut, but of course, not the beaver itself. Done with the Kloten area we checked out some more open land and was able to find a few early migrating birds.

At 18.00h we was at the area where the Western Capercaillie -Tjäder was supposed to take place and we checked out what had happened there lately. You could find droppings and feathers and other signs of the birds. Besides me there was one man that should stay in a hide too so I was not to be alone in the wilderness.

 

Some signs clearly visible

A cup of coffee before entering the hide. I picked a tent for me and Anders picked a tent nearby and at 19.00 h we closed the tents. Not to be opened until 10.30 next day.  Now I was busy arranging my stuff and to have the dinner I brought with me. A bit chilly but I managed. I tried to hear if there was any sounds of birds outside but I did not hear a thing. Later it started to rain and got really windy. Not fun at all. I went to sleep around 22.00 but awoke as I was sliding of the madras to the cold ground. Then I slept until 4.30. Still raining and windy and not a single bird. Had some breakfast but still no birds. Our guide, Lars, was guessing the situation and arrived early to pick us up. Most of my stuff was wet as the rain had dropped in to the tent. At 11 we were back to Udden. Disappointed!  Some more people was coming for the afternoon and we was served a nice lunch. Then we looked at a video about wolfs.
As they said it would be very wet to hike to the site for the Black Grouse I decided to go home and come back next week. I did not have knee high rubber boats so the guides thought I would probably get wet. I did not want to be wet staying in the tent another night so we changed the arrangement and I went home. But will make another attempt next week.

Next morning, no birds but the forest all wet with, still, a bit of snow down there.

 For the readers. Not to worry. It all worked out fine next time. You´ll see.

 Our World Tuesday    Outdoor Wednesday
 

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121121 Morocco Day 12 Wednesday, Tan-Tan Plage - Guelmim

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121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

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121121 Morocco Day 12 Wednesday, Tan-Tan Plage - Guelmim

Woke up at 5.50 to have breakfast at 6.00. And we left at 6.35.
This was a misty morning with fog all over the place. It was quite nice but hard to get a shot at from inside the bus. But finally I think I have a few good ones.

7.15   For the first time we had a constapel entering the bus wanting our papers. He got it and off we could go. Was this the last one? We´ll see.

At 8.20 we made our first stop at Oued Boussafen, at least I think that´s the name.  A bushy land scape with some smaller birds. Here we met our first Blue Rock Trush (Blåtrast). Nice. And I got  a Sardinian warbler (Sammetshätta) too. :) Image to the right.  It had been raining so the mud was slippery. But I don´t think any of us fell to the ground. Even if it was close. I was glad I did not bring the spotting scope.

9.20  We spotted a group of Sandgrouse (flyghöns) from the bus and was able to stop for a while.

13.00
Next stop was at the lark plane (at TanTan 100) where we stayed for about 4 h and we all got really tired. Got some great shots of larks and other birds like one of the hens.
Temminck´s Lark (ökenberglärka) to the right.

To finish the day we made two short stops at some Oueds, will get the name later I hope. But there was not many birds so we did not stay long.




At the bridge with the waterhole it had rained a lot so it was a lot of water there now. And the color had changed from orange to a darker wet sand. So today the birds had a lot of places to go and drink and was not to be seen. Even the dromedar was gone. A bit of a dissappointment.





The last stop was the boring dry Oued we visited first thing in the morning on our way down. Nothing to see today either. But for one thing. There came 5 storks sailing over us. A nice sight.

Well, we stoped birding rather early and went to Guelmim to to find the supermarket and to go to our new hotel. Known as HAM. It is a great one but the room is a bit chilly. We had our birdlist at 18.30 and then dinner was supposed  to be at 19.00. But of course, we had to wait a long time at the table so Anders effort to get an early dinner did not  really work. We were shown up to the second floor and had to wait, and wait, and.... But the food was ok when it arived.





21.40  Sitting in the lobby and that is not that fun. People coming and going and connection not that good. But they had some nice things for my camera. A vase reflection on the glass table. :)
 

 For weekend Reflection

 

Tomorrow breakfast 6.00, hopefully and departure 6.30

And.....don´t take pics of people and castles.

 

Guelmim

 

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  Guelmim, H.A.M, Hotel Adil Moussafir, Marocko, Morocco, Oued Boussafen, Sammetshätta, Sardinian warbler, Tan-Tan Plage, Temminck´s Lark, ökenberglärka,
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day 12, 121121 Wednesday, åter t Guelmim,

day 12, 121121 Wednesday, night in Guelmim Guelmim onPanorimo  http://hoteladilmoussafir.com/

Hommes blues Hotel, 447 Ave. HassanII. Guelmim Tel 05 28 77 28 21

see day 3

** Links: Gueliz Hotel Tamri, Cap Rhir images Agadir Oasis Hotel Oued Massa (on Panorimo), Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine, (dammen foton) Guelmim Tan-Tan Plage  Hagounia Hotel Laayoune   Sahara Line Hotel Dakhla  Bab El Bahr Hotel   Dakhla Bay Oued Jenna   Dakhla on Panorimo Djemma El Fna 

121112 Morocco Day 3 Monday, Oued Massa

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Our World Tuesday     Himmelsk
 

121110-121124 South Morocco and WestSahara

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121112 Morocco Day 3 Monday, Oued Massa

I woke up at 5 as breakfast would be served at 5.30 to have an early start of the day. I wanted to boil water for my coffee but failed rather much. I managed to break a glas when I poored cool water in a hot glas. Well, nothing to do about that. We left The hotel Tulip Inn Oasis at 6.10 going south. It was a nice sunup this morning and I was sitting with the guys, who took the first rows in the bus, and seems to want to keep them. 

 

We arrived at Oued Massa around 8.30 and started to walk as the driver did not dare drive all the way down. Locals told him it was muddy and not safe for a bus. It was a rather chilly morning but sunny as we started to walk. There was birds all along the way. Not many but a little here and a little there. I´ll ad the list later.

We walked along the dirt road but it was not as bad as the driver had been told. But we were ok walking it. I don´t know, maybe  it was about 2 km. But as it was first chilly, then windy and later warm it was quite tiring. It was nice, we met some local woman riding donkeys and they were a very beautiful sight. We were not really allowed to take photos of them but I could not resist taking a few from behind. They were all covered up showing only the eyes. They were nice and friendly as long as your camera was pointing downwords. I can actually understand why they wear this outfit. When it was warm and windy the clothing helped you escape flies and helped avoid a lot of sand in the regular clothes they were wearing under this dress. I also learned where the expression "kick asses" comes from. Because that was what the ladies and gentlemen did. They kicked asses to get where they wanted. :)
 

Oued Massa

I think this was quite a nice place to live in with the nearby village on the other side of the river and so close to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

I and 2  guys walked all the way down to the ocean. I wanted to see the Eurasian Sponbill (skedstork) that was supposed to be there. But they were further out still and I did not get a good look at them.

 

 

Oued Massa Nat Park

We were back at the bus at 13.00h and had the rest of our lunch. We left the place at 13.00 to go to the water reservoir or rather the channel out from it. Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine

 

This was a rather interesting place. Not that many birds but nice ones. Then there was butterflies and dragon flies. And a frog! We also had the opportunity to watch a newborn goat getting on it´s feet the first time. How wonderful that is to see.

 

 

Ökenstenskvätta - Desert Wheater

 

New Born

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Done with the area we headed south about 15.30.

 

 

Coming up on the high level we had a stop at 16.20. It turned out to be a truck that had gone off the road and they had to lift it up. Lots of cars was blocked. The police turned out to pick out the small cars and let them pass. We, in the bus, and other trucks had to wait until the truck was on it´s wheels again. We did the artlist to pass the time and to save some when we finally could move along. We were allowed to start again at 17.30, just as we finished the artlist. Now it was getting dark and we had a red sunset. As we were almost at the highest point we now went down. It was steep and curvy, truly alpine road. Quite scary.

 

At Guelmim we found a Supermarket but they did not have bread or fruit. So we had to go elsewhere to find it.

 

Arriving at the hotel we all were disappointed. A small hotel and nothing seemed to be ready for us. No assigned rooms, no towel, two of the guys only had one blanket they said. And they were not a couple. My room has no window but the shower was good but a bit unrelieable.  And the bed too, But the door lock was difficult. At 8.30 We met for dinner. And to our surprise it was delicious. Some kind of clay cooked meal that was well spiced. O, and there was a salad starter too. I had to go and ask for a spoon so we could get the “sky” to the food to. To finish with there was a plate with desert joghurt and fruit. Lastly I and one of the couples ordered coffee.

Even if the hotel had a lot to wish for the dinner was superb. But later I heard the guys was not full. Too little food or 14 people. But Anders had spoken to our agent to change the hotel for the road back. Maybe a bit sad as the food really was great.

 

 

          Hommes blues Hotel, 447 Ave. HassanII. Guelmim Tel 05 28 77 28 21

          can´t find it, Hotel au rendez-vous des hommes bleus finns men inga bilder

 

Tomorrow morning breakfast at 5.30 and departure at 6.00

 

Oued Massa

 

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day 3, 121112 Monday, Oued Massa (on Panorimo), Barrage Youssef-ben-Tachfine, (dammen foton)

day 3, 121112 Monday, night in Guelmim http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guelmim Gateway to the Desert

Hommes blues Hotel, 447 Ave. HassanII. Guelmim Tel 05 28 77 28 21

can´t find it, "Hotel au rendez-vous des hommes bleus hotel" finns men inga bilder