Naturetrek Tour Report 26 March - 3 April 2006

Transcription

1 Naturetrek 26 March - 3 April 2006 Report compiled by Andy Smith Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W:

2 Tunisia Tour leaders: Andy Smith (Naturetrek) Mohammed (local guide) Tour participants: Tony and Helen Mainwood Sutherland Bill and Tina Indge Worcestershire Tom and Gail Austin British Columbia, Canada Hilary Tyler Yorkshire David Daniels Indiana, USA Barrie and Rosemary Ottery Somerset Colin Garret Hertfordshire Hugh Brittain Tervuren, Belgium Peter Markham Surrey Day 1 Sunday 26th March Gatwick to Tunis to Bizerte Sunny with a gentle southerly breeze, warm. We arrived on time in Tunis a little before midday and after a pleasant restaurant lunch and a brief stop at an urban fringe roadside pool that provided us with good views of Slender-billed Gulls, Black-winged Stilts and Kentish Plovers; we set off to explore Carthage. An afternoon of Roman ruins and common North African birds ensued. Highlights among the latter included Laughing Dove, Common Bulbul, Black Redstart, Sardinian Warbler, ultramarinus Blue Tit, North African Chaffinch and Serin. Hummingbird Hawkmoths and Carpenter Bees reminded us that we were a long way south of Britain. In the late afternoon we drove north to Bizerte and arrived at our hotel little before sunset and with plenty of time to settle in before dinner. Day 2 Monday 27th March Bizerte and Lake Ichkeul Sunny, scattered cloud, south-westerly breeze, warm. After breakfast we set off to Ichkeul National Park where we spent the bulk of the day. Ichkeul is a vast lake set amongst a varied mosaic of habitats including areas of marsh, water meadows, arable fields and the wooded Mount Ichkeul itself, which rises to over 500m above the surrounding landscape. The whole area is pleasantly scenic and stuffed full of birds. We made a series of stops and despite the high water levels enjoyed a rich and rewarding day. Among the many bird highlights were Cattle and Great Egrets, White Stork, Spoonbill, Caspian Tern, Little Owl, Crested and Short-toed Larks, Moussier s Redstart, Black-eared and Black Wheatears, Blue Rock Thrush, Zitting Cisticola, Southern Grey and Woodchat Shrikes, Rock Sparrow and Corn Bunting. Whilst the large number of dabbling duck, which demonstrate Ichkeul s importance for wintering wildfowl, had largely departed north, the variety of raptors served to reinforce the quality of the area. During the course of the day we saw Osprey, Short-toed, Bonelli s and Booted Eagles, Black-winged Kite, Marsh Harrier, Long-legged Buzzard, Barbary and Lanner Falcons and Kestrel not bad! Good winter rain had led to some fine flowers too and these included masses of Friar s Cowl and good stands of stunning Pheasant s Eye. Naturetrek June 06 1

3 Day 3 Tuesday 28th March Bizerte to Soliman, Lebna Barrage, Korba lagoon and Korba Sunny and hot with scattered cloud and a southerly breeze freshening in the afternoon. After breakfast we drove southwards around Tunis city to the less than salubrious Soliman Marsh, a potentially productive area surrounded by building sites, urbanisation and rubbish tips. In a short space of time we noted good numbers of waders including several Wood and Marsh Sandpipers and lots of Ruff, several Marsh Harriers, a Black Kite, a small flock of handsome Glossy Ibis and a handful of Garganey. From here we headed out across the rolling green landscape of the Cap Bon Peninsula. Regular Southern Grey Shrikes, Corn Buntings and Crested Larks punctuated the journey and a couple of short stops produced several singing Calandra Lark and a superb female Saker, huge and impressive drifting off low to the north. We spent the early afternoon at Lebna Barrage, a large dammed lake with marshy surrounds, where we enjoyed an exciting range of birds including Black-necked Grebe, Purple and Squacco Herons, Marbled, Ferruginous and White-headed Ducks, Montagu s Harrier and Purple Swamphen. We finished the day in style at Korba Lagoon, just in from the coast. Here we saw a variety of waders including Black-winged Stilts and Spotted Redshanks, four more Marbled Ducks, lots of Spoonbills and Greater Flamingos, an adult Little Gull, four superb Stone Curlew and offshore, both Cory s and Mediterranean Shearwaters. From here it was just a short drive to our comfortable hotel Day 4 Wednesday 29th March Hammamet to Jedidi Lake, El Jem and Mahres Sunny with scattered cloud, north-westerly breeze, very warm. Our first stop today was a short distance from Korba at Jedidi Lake. Amongst the various wildfowl we soon found several White-headed Ducks to follow on from those we had seen at Lebna and once again we enjoyed close views of this extraordinary and endangered species. Other notable birds here included two more Ferruginous Ducks, a few Black-necked Grebes, a Long legged Buzzard, two Short-toed Eagles, a Kingfisher, a Hoopoe, a pair of Moussier s Redstarts and a Black Wheatear. From here we drove south past Sousse to El Jem. The coliseum and mosaics were as impressive as ever and we enjoyed exceptional views of good numbers of Pallid Swifts during which we were able to appreciate all their various diagnostic features. In the late afternoon we continued south along the flat coastal plain through apparently endless olive groves to Mahres and our hotel for the next three nights. A last bit of birding on the shore behind the hotel turned up several Grey Plover, Whimbrel and Greenshank on the salt marsh and a couple of impressive Caspian Terns offshore. 2 Naturetrek June 06

4 Day 5 Thursday 30th March Mahres, Borj Younga and Thyna Saltpans Sunny, north-westerly breeze, warm. After breakfast we spent an hour or so at Mahres harbour. The tide was at a perfect state and a host of waders were pushed up close to the road allowing us excellent views in good light. Most numerous were Dunlin, Little Stints and elegant Curlew Sandpipers but amongst them were at least three Terek Sandpipers running frenetically across the mud a good find indeed! Elegant Gull-billed Terns passed overhead whilst subtly pink Slender-billed Gulls sat on the water and further a field a couple of Caspian Terns loafed on a sand bar with a large flock of Yellow-legged Gulls and some Spoonbills. Satisfied with this we drove to Bourg Younga, a ruined Byzantine fortress on the shore a few kilometres south of Mahres. In the stony scrubland here we disturbed a couple of Stone Curlew and a Hermann s Tortoise, discovered some impressive spikes of the strange parasitic plant Cistanche phelypaea and enjoyed reasonable views of both Spectacled Warbler and Tawny Pipit. In the midafternoon we visited the extensive saltpan complex at Thyna near Sfax and closed an enjoyable day with good views of Greater Flamingos, Avocets, Kentish Plovers, Yellow Wagtails of the cinerocephala and iberiae races and several superb Little Owls. Day 6 Friday 31st March Bouhedma National Park Overcast, easterly breeze, mild. After breakfast we set off for the Bouhedma National Park. The journey took us first through the coastal olive groves and then inland through increasingly arid open farmland towards the distant Bouhedma escarpment. One impromptu roadside stop produced a fine male Desert Wheatear and whilst shopping for bread in Mezzouna we found singing House Buntings and a couple of Little Swifts. Further roadside stops added a pair of Red-rumped Wheatear, several colourful Trumpeter Finches and an engaging group of Fulvous Babblers, whilst an immaculate male Montagu s Harrier drifting north on migration added further class to an already respectable list. Eventually we arrived at Bouhedma itself where we spent the rest of the day exploring the dry acacia savannah and the stony foothills of the escarpment. In due course we encountered a satisfying range of birds that included Barbary Partridge, Quail, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Thekla Lark, Subalpine and Orphean Warblers, Nightingale, both Woodchat and Southern Grey Shrikes and literally hundreds of noisily nest-building Spanish Sparrows. For several years a major project at Bouhedma has been the re-introduction of the critically endangered Addax, Scimitar-horned Oryx, Dama Gazelle and Northern (Blue-necked) Ostrich. We saw all but Addax going about their business plus several of the genuinely wild and very neat Dorcas Gazelles. Completely unexpected though, and one of the highlights of the trip, was the sight of a fine Golden Jackal loping through the scrub and then stopping to eye us warily before disappearing into a wadi. This exceptional sighting added hugely to a thoroughly enjoyable day, which was completed by carpets of colourful flowers encouraged by the recent rains and butterflies that included Greenish Black-tip and Plain Tiger. Naturetrek June 06 3

5 Day 7 Friday 1st April Mahres to Matmata, Douz and the Jebil National Park Hot and sunny with a gentle south-easterly breeze. Leaving Mahres behind we drove south along the coast to Gabes and then turned west and inland towards the desert. We crossed the northern end of the rugged Jebil Dahar escarpment, noting Black Wheatears, Desert Larks and some surprise Gundis en-route, and then dropped down into Matmata where we enjoyed a coffee break and visited one of the extraordinary cave houses for which the area is famous. As we continued on towards Douz the landscape became rapidly more arid and it wasn t long before we saw our first Hoopoe Lark at the roadside. After lunch at a restaurant in Douz we transferred into four 4x4 s and began the journey south to the Jebil National park on the fringe of the Sahara Desert. As we drove on through a rolling tapestry of desert scenery we enjoyed good views of more Hoopoe Larks plus several superb Cream-coloured Coursers, a fine migrant male Montagu s Harrier and a neat little Desert Warbler flitting from bush to bush. At a solar-powered well near the entrance to the national park we found a variety of passerine migrants, a trio of Brown-necked Ravens and, best of all, a pair of exquisite Desert Sparrows busy nest building. Finally, a little before sunset we arrived at our specially arranged camp and enjoyed a hearty couscous dinner beneath a wonderful star-spangled sky. Day 8 Saturday 2nd April Jebil National Park, Douz, the Chott el Jerid and Tozeur Hot and sunny with a south-easterly breeze. Dawn in the desert found us back at the well for more views of the Brown-necked Ravens and Desert Sparrows. The range of northward bound migrants present, which included Short-toed larks, Yellow Wagtails, and Northern Wheatears, seemed somewhat incongruous and reminded us of what an awesome phenomena bird migration is and what a formidable barrier the Sahara must be. After breakfast back at camp an exploration of our surroundings in the 4x4 s introduced us to a scenic and varied wilderness. In the course of the morning we had some great views of several more Cream coloured Coursers and Hoopoe Larks, plus Bar-tailed, Temminck s and Desert Larks, and a wonderful male White-crowned Wheatear which flew in towards us from some distance away and proceeded to sing at our feet! In the afternoon we drove back through Douz and Kebili, stopped briefly at a little roadside wetland where we found Kentish Plovers, a Green Sandpiper and a fine Ruddy Shelduck, and then continued on across the vast and lifeless Chott el Jerid saltpan to Tozeur and our luxury hotel. 4 Naturetrek June 06

6 Day 9 Sunday 3rd April Tozeur to Tunis to Gatwick Sunny and warm in Tunis. After an early morning flight from Tozeur to Tunis we transferred to the international terminal and checked-in for our flight back to Gatwick. Everything went smoothly and we all arrived safely back in England on schedule a few hours later. Acknowledgements Thanks to Mohammed the guide, Mohammed the bus driver and to our various 4x4 drivers and other staff in the desert. Thanks also to all the members of the group whose consistent good humour and enthusiasm contributed enormously to what turned out to be a successful and enjoyable trip! Naturetrek June 06 5

7 Species lists Birds March/April 2006 Common Name Scientific Name Ostrich Struthio camelus 1 2 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 10 6 Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan Northern Gannet Morus bassanus 2 8 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Cattle Egret Bulbucus ibis Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 4 11 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Great Egret Egretta alba Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Purple Heron Areda purpurea White Stork Ciconia ciconia Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 9 17 Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea 1 21 Gadwall Anas strepera Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Pintail Anas acuta Shoveler Anas clypeata Teal Anas crecca 2 26 Garganey Anus querquedula Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris 6 28 Pochard Aythya ferina Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala Osprey Pandion Haliaetus 2 33 Short-toed Eagle Cicaetus gallicus Bonelli's Eagle Hieraatus fasciatus 2 35 Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 1 36 Black Kite Milvus migrans 1 37 Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Lesser Kestrel falco naumanni 1 43 Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides 2 44 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus 1 45 Saker Falcon Falco cherrug 1 46 Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara 3 47 Common Quail Cotirnix coturnix 2h 1+1h 48 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Coot Fulica atra 's Naturetrek June 06

8 March/April 2006 Common Name Scientific Name Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 1 60 Turnstone Arenaria interpres Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Dunlin Calidris alpina 's 63 Little Stint Calidris minuta Ruff Philomachus pugnax Curlew Numenius arquata Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 5 69 Redshank Tringa totanus Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Greenshank Tringa nebularia Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Green Sandpiper Tringa hypoleuca Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinerus 3 77 Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Little Gull Larus minutus 1 80 Slender-billed Gull Larus genei Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Common Tern Sterna hirundo 1 87 Caspian Tern Chlidonias hybridus Rock Dove Columba livia Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Barn Owl Tyto alba 1 93 Little Owl Athene noctua Common Swift Apus apus 3 95 Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Little Swift Apus affinis 2 97 Alpine Swift Apus melba Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Hoopoe Upupa epops Skylark Alauda arvensis Crested Lark Galerida cristata Thekla Lark Galerida theklae Naturetrek June 06 7

9 March/April 2006 Common Name Scientific Name Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens 1 1h 105 Bar-tailed Lark Ammomanes cincturus Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Temminck's Lark Eremophila bilopha Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes Sand Martin Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica House Martin Delichon urbica Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 1 1 1h Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 1 1h 115 Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris White Wagtail Motacilla alba Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 1 1 1h 119 Common Bulbul Pycnonatus barbatus Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Moussier's Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri Stonechat Saxicola torquata Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti White-crowned wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Blackbird Turdus merula Song Thrush Turdus philomelus Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis h 136 Cetti s Warbler Cettia cetti 1h 137 Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus 1 1+2h 138 Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Desert Warbler Sylvia nana Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita h 146 Blue Tit Parus cearuleus Great Tit Parus major 1 1h 148 Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Fulvous Babbler Turdoides fulvus Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Raven Corvus corax Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis Spanish Sparrow Passerhispaniolensis House Sparrow Passer domesticus Naturetrek June 06

10 March/April 2006 Common Name Scientific Name Desert Sparrow Passer simplex Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Serin Serinus serinus Greenfinch Cardulis chloris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Linnet Acanthis cannabina Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus Corn Bunting Milaria calandra House Bunting Emberiza striolata Mammals Golden Jackal (Bouhedma), Bottle-nosed Dolphin (Mahres), Dama Gazelle (Bouhedma), Dorcas Gazelle (Bouhedma), Scimitar-horned Oryx (Bouhedma), Gundi (near Matmata) and Cape Hare (Bouhedma and Jebil). Reptiles and Amphibians Marsh Frog (various northern sites), Painted Frog (Lebna), Pond Terrapin (Lebna), Hermann s Tortoise (Bourg Younga), Moorish Gecko (Tozeur), Spiny-footed Lizard (Bouhedma) and Shovel-nosed Lizard sp. (Jebil). Butterflies Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Large White, Green-striped White, Moroccan Orange Tip, Greenish Black-tip, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Small Copper, Plain Tiger, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Dingy Skipper. Other notable invertebrates Lesser Emperor Dragonfly, Egyptian Grasshopper, Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Violet Carpenter Bee, Velvet Ant and Scorpion sp. Naturetrek June 06 9