Spain and Morocco: Birding on Two Continents!

Legend has it that Hercules used his fabulous strength to separate the continents of Europe and Africa, creating the Strait of Gibraltar. The point at which these two great continents converge is the focal point, twice-yearly, for one of the world’s most impressive bird migrations. This tour focuses on enjoying the spectacle from both sides of the Strait, with time spent in both Africa and Europe — a holiday offering a taste of two continents! Every year, millions of birds make the journey across the Strait between these continents, making use of uplifts and thermals which swirl around the Rock of Gibraltar and the majestic Moroccan peak of Jebel Musa. An estimated 250,000 raptors pass over this rugged terrain during these periods. The Strait may be just 14 kilometres wide, but for nature it is a significant barrier and we will enjoy subtle differences and similarities, both avian and cultural, throughout the tour. After crossing to Africa, tapas and Rioja give way to the aromas of spicy street food and mint tea, and familiar European birds become ‘African Blue Tit’ and ‘Maghreb Magpie’.

We begin with a flight to Gibraltar, from where we transfer to our delightful ecolodge accommodation in quiet woodland near Tarifa. Our base at Huerta Grande is ideal for watching the migration as it is located between two natural parks in the hills above the Strait of Gibraltar, amongst seven hectares of Laurel and Cork Oak forest. In the right weather conditions, we should witness many hundreds of migratory birds making the crossing to their wintering grounds in Africa, including Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Griffon Vultures and White Storks.

We next make our own crossing, to northern Morocco by ferry, before beginning our exploration of the African side of the Strait. The estuary of Merdja Zerga, a sweeping wetland on Morocco’s Atlantic coast south of Tangiers, is famous amongst birders as the last known winter haunt of the legendary Slender-billed Curlew, a bird now sadly presumed extinct. None have been seen here since 1995, but the beautiful drawings of those who journeyed here in the early 1990s can still be seen in the cherished bird log on display in a quiet estuary-side café. Here, as we head out on a small boat, we can expect an array of gulls and terns — Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls are numerous here, while Little, Black, Whiskered, Gull-billed, Lesser Crested and Caspian Tern are all regulars. Waders probe the mud in their thousands, amongst them Sanderling, Dunlin, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Whimbrel, Grey Plover and Avocet, competing with the local shellfish collectors for the shoreline’s rich pickings. We will stay until dusk, for then we have a chance of seeing elusive Moroccan Marsh Owls as they leave their roosts. We will also search some of the area’s quiet backwaters where shy Red-knobbed Coots and both Whiteheaded and Marbled Ducks may be found.

The Barbary Macaque lives mainly in mountain ranges in north-west Africa and is the only species of macaque found outside Asia. We will travel through the Forest of Bouhachem in the Rif Mountains where, amongst the Portuguese Oaks, there is a small population of these engaging monkeys. As we hope for an encounter, we will also be on the lookout for other forest residents such as Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker, Atlas Pied Flycatcher, African Chaffinch and African Blue Tit. Arriving at our second Moroccan base in Chefchaouen, we will have free time to enjoy the soukhs and narrow, winding blue-washed streets of this pretty mountain village, known as Morocco’s ‘Blue Pearl’. At Talassemtane National Park in the Rif Mountains, we will hopefully enjoy views of several species of raptor such as Atlas Long-legged Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and Bonelli’s Eagle. Smaller but equally splendid jewels can be found in the form of the stunning Moussier’s Redstart and Black Wheatear, whilst Blue Rock Thrushes are frequently encountered.

Back in Spain during the last part of our holiday, we will take a boat excursion, weather permitting, into the Strait to witness the seabird passage. We will be on the lookout for Cory’s and Balearic Shearwaters and European Storm-petrel among other species, plus the three species of resident dolphin (Common, Bottlenose and Striped) and the resident pods of Long-finned Pilot Whale.

This holiday offers the chance to see the bird migration on both sides of the Strait, as well as to make comparisons between avifauna across the short stretch of water dividing Europe and Africa. After a week’s exciting birding it will be time to leave this avian highway bottleneck and make our own flight home, with memories of the spectacular flow of birdlife over the Strait and some special species from both Spain and Morocco fresh in our mind.