Trip report Tunisia, 30 October to 13 November 2004

From 30 October to 13 November 2004, my wife Daria and I visited Tunisia. We had booked a package flight to Sousse, located along the east coast. The first week was spent mainly visiting cities in the east and northeast. In the second week, we rented a car to explore the desert and to visit Roman sites in the western part of the country.

The first week wasn't really exciting concerning birds, although interesting species were seen at locations not mentioned in any earlier trip reports. Sousse in particular isn't very good for birds, although the view from the hotel slightly compensated for this, being on the eighth floor and only 100 m from the beach. This at least provided an interesting sea watch option from the balcony in the morning! Trips that produced interesting species in the first week were to the Sebkhet Halk El Menzel salt lake about 15 km north of Sousse on November 2nd and to Carthago the 5th. On the 6th we got the rental car and revisited Sebkhet Halk El Menzel. We then drove inland via Enfida, the Sidi Jdidi reservoir and Zaghouan to the Roman site at Turbubo Majus.

November 7, we started our trip to the desert, first driving south to Gabes and from there inland to Douz. The next day was spent around Douz. El Hsai was interesting, but the children warned for in earlier reports appeared to have damaged our car, so beware. The pools west of Douz unfortunately had dried out almost completely. We drove to Tozeur in the evening after a last walk in the desert near El Dergine. November 9th, we birded the vicinity of the Selja gorge near Metlaoui and the mountainous area near Mides and Tamerza. Not mentioned in other trip reports was a large reservoir about 5 km from Mides, so possibly this is quite new. We returned to Tozeur in the evening and the next day we drove north via Tamerza to Le Kef. The 11th, we visited the forest at Aïn Draham in the morning and the Roman site at Bulla Regia in the afternoon. We returned to Sousse the next day via the impressive Roman site of Dougga and the Sidi Jdidi reservoir.

Two previously published trip reports proved particularly useful. The report by Oliver, Oliver and Rix (1999) is very detailed in locations and directions and Martin, Mores and Holt (2003) were very successful in finding a lot of interesting birds. All species we observed in Tunisia are listed below:

	Great Crested Grebe: common at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and Sidi Jdidi.
	Little Grebe: good numbers at Sidi Jdidi.
	Black-necked Grebe: about 15 birds were seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on November 2nd.
	Scopoli's Shearwater: a very distant bird was observed from the balcony of El Hana Beach hotel in Sousse on the 2nd.
	Gannet: quite common, several observed at each of the morning sea watch sessions from the hotel balcony!
	Great Cormorant: several seen in Sousse and Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Little Egret: quite common at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel; also observed at some pools.
	Great White Egret: several birds at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel. [02-11-04. Two Great White Egrets with Cormorant at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel]
	Grey Heron: common; more widespread than other herons.
	White Stork: a single bird flew over just outside Zaghouan.
	Spoonbill: a large group consisting of 100+ birds at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Flamingo: a very large group of 1000+ at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel; also smaller groups at other lagoons along the coast. More inland, a group of about 200 birds was circling over Sidi Jdidi on the 12th.
	Common Shelduck: seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and twice on a sea watch in Sousse.
	Ruddy Shelduck: two at the reservoir near Mides on the 9th.
	Widgeon: seen at Sidi Jdidi.
	Mallard: not common, only seen at Sidi Jdidi.
	Pintail: a few birds on the reservoir near Mides.
	Shoveler: the most common duck, seen at the Sidi Jdidi and Mides reservoirs.
	Teal: several at Sidi Jdidi.
	Marbled Duck: 10+ birds at Sidi Jdidi at both visits. [06-11-04. Record shot of two Marbled Ducks at the Sidi Jdidi reservoir]
	Pochard: large numbers at Sidi Jdidi.
	Ferruginous Duck: several distant birds at Sidi Jdidi.
	Black-shouldered Kite: we were very happy to have close views of this species at the very last birding area we visited on the 12th. Two birds were seen just before dawn, hunting over the olive groves and fields at Sidi Jdidi.
	Red Kite: a large group of raptors that had congregated at the southern edge of Sidi Jdidi on the 12th consisted of Marsh Harriers and two Red Kites.
	Marsh Harrier: common at Sidi Jdidi, but also seen at desert pools near Douz.
	Sparrowhawk: observed only once, en route to Aïn Draham at the Mellegue reservoir.
	Long-legged Buzzard: only seen at more inland locations such as near Zaghouan and at the Selja gorge.
	Osprey: two birds, both with a fish! One at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and the other on a pylon just outside Zaghouan. [06-11-04. Osprey with fish, near Zaghouan]
	Kestrel: the most common raptor observed. A group of five birds at Tamerza is worth mentioning. If glimpses of larger falcons are not counted, this unfortunately was the only species of falcon we have seen.
	Barbary Partridge: a group of three birds was seen at Turbubo Majus on the 6th. [06-11-04. Barbary Partridge in a field next to the Roman site of Turbubo Majus]
	Coot: incredible numbers (1000+) were present at Sidi Jdidi.
	Stone-curlew: a calling bird flew over at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on the 6th.
	Black-winged Stilt: a group of only three birds was seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on the 2nd; also seen in rather small numbers at other coastal lakes.
	Avocet: large numbers (100+) present at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Great Ringed Plover: as most of the desert pools near Douz appeared to have dried out almost completely, only a few sandpipers and plovers were seen. A pond complex just north of Kairouan, which we passed en route to Gabes on the 7th, had a few Great Ringed Plovers.
	Little Ringed Plover: two 1cy birds were seen at the location of the Thick-billed Larks.
	Kentish Plover: supposedly common at desert pools, but only when they have water! A few birds were seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Little Stint: a small group at the pools north of Kairouan.
	Curlew: one bird was heard at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on the 2nd.
	Common Redshank: several at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Spotted Redshank: at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and the Kairouan pools.
	Common Greenshank: at the same locations.
	Green Sandpiper: one bird flew up from a roadside marsh near Douz.
	Marsh Sandpiper: a single bird was present at the Kairouan pools.
	Common Snipe: one was flushed at the location of the Thick-billed Larks.
	Mediterranean Gull: only a single bird was seen from the hotel balcony: a 2cy on the 3rd.
	Slender-billed Gull: common at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel, including a 1cy ringed in Spain. [02-11-04. 1cy Slender-billed Gull at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel]
	Black-headed Gull: common along the coast.
	Audouin's Gull: again, only a single bird was seen from the hotel balcony, a 1cy in a group of Yellow-legged Gulls on October 31.
	Yellow-legged Gull: quite common along the coast, but unfortunately impossible to study at any detail as most were seen in flight or at large distance.
	Lesser Black-backed Gull: several graellsii/intermedius birds along the coast, but much less common than Yellow-legged Gull.
	Sandwich Tern: about 10 seen daily from the hotel in Sousse, fishing at sea.
	Caspian Tern: several birds seen at sea from the hotel and quite a few at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel.
	Black Tern: a single bird at close rang at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on November 2.
	Rock Dove: a few birds possibly of wild origin at the Tamerza waterfalls.
	Collared Dove: two birds in the backyard of the archeological museum at El Jem on the 1st and another one more inland in Moularès on the 10th.
	Laughing Dove: very common in cities, villages, oases, etc. but shy and difficult to approach. [09-11-04. Richet Ennaam hamlet near Selja gorge]
	Eagle Owl: seen from the car, hunting over a field at dawn. Near Tajerouine, en route to Le Kef, on the 10th.
	Little Owl: easily seen at the larger Roman sites, like Bulla Regia and Dougga. No less than five were seen when driving at dawn from Tamerza back to Tozeur on the 9th. [11-11-04. Little Owl at Bulla Regia, not as pale as we expected them to be]
	Little Swift: 50+ were seen at the Old Church (called Museum) in Enfida. We discovered nests with young in a nearby building. Adults were flying on and off, feeding their young just a few meters above our heads. We were not sure what to make of no less than five dead birds hanging from the nests—either unfortunate to get stuck in the threads used for nesting material or deliberately hung there to function as scarecrows? [06-11-04. Nests of Little Swifts in Enfida. Note the dead birds hanging from the nests...]
	Kingfisher: seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and Sidi Jdidi.
	Hoopoe: seen at oases, Roman sites, etc.
	Levaillant's Green Woodpecker: one or two birds were heard in the forest near Aïn Draham, but none were seen unfortunately...
	Great Spotted Woodpecker: birds of the ssp. numidus were quite common at Aïn Draham.
	Sky Lark: common in agricultural areas but also heard sometimes in more arid areas.
	Crested Lark: very common in cultivated areas, but also observed in areas where we did not expect them. [09-11-04. Crested Lark in rather atypical habitat: the stony desert near Matlaoui]
	Thekla Lark: replacing Crested Lark in (stony) deserts, where it is common. Separating the two species wasn't always easy and Thekla too was seen at unexpected locations. [12-11-04. Thekla Lark at Dougga]
	Short-toed Lark: several were observed at the Selja gorge area on the 9th.
	Lesser Short-toed Lark: seen en route to the desert at the stop near El Amarat on the 7th; also heard at Selja.
	Calandra Lark: a group of 15 birds flew over at the Selja gorge area.
	Desert Lark: 15+ at the Selja gorge area on the 9th; also seen along the road from Tozeur to Tamerza in an arid, stony area. [09-11-04. Desert Lark at the Selja gorge area]
	Thick-billed Lark: a group of 13 birds came to drink at the small stream along the road from El Hamma to Kebili, at kilometer post 61/56 (Kebili/Gabes). The location is easily recognized because there still is an old bridge present parallelly along the road. On November 7, this actually was the first of the 'desert larks' we saw! [07-11-04. Spectacular views of a group of Thick-billed Larks coming in to drink along the road from El Hamma to Kebili]
	Hoopoe Lark: we had excellent views of this species at El Hsai (a few kilometers west of Douz) on the 8th and at the Selja gorge area one day later. [09-11-04. An Hoopoe Lark "showing off" after killing and eating an enormous grasshopper in the Selja gorge area]
	Crag Martin: two birds patrolled the cliffs at Mides on the 9th, while four were seen at the Tamerza waterfalls the next day.
	Barn Swallow: seen in twos at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel on the 2nd and at the Richet Ennaam settlement in the Selja gorge area on the 9th.
	House Martin: two birds flew past the hotel balcony in Sousse on the 2nd.
	Meadow Pipit: seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel at the coast, but also heard at desert pools near Douz.
	White Wagtail: very common, seen in cities (even in Sousse! :) but also in the middle of the desert.
	Grey Wagtail: one bird heard at the Tamerza waterfalls on the 9th and one seen in the garden of hotel Les Pins in Le Kef on the 11th.
	Robin: common along the coast and in the Aïn Draham forest.
	Black Redstart: mostly seen at archeological sites, such as the coliseum of El Jem and the Roman city of Dougga.
	Moussier's Redstart: this species too is common at Roman sites (especially Dougga), but was also often seen in rural areas. [09-11-04. Male Moussier's Redstart near Redeyef]
	Stonechat: seen in small numbers at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and Dougga.
	Desert Wheatear: seen in rather small numbers (<10) around Douz (especially El Hsai) and at the Selja gorge area. [08-11-04. Male Desert Wheatear in the desert near the hamlet El Hsai just west off Douz]
	Mourning Wheatear: common in suitable habitat, ie. in the Selja gorge area (10+). [09-11-04. Male (top) and female Mourning Wheatear in the Selja gorge area near Matlaoui]
	Black Wheatear: quite common in the mountains around Tamerza; also two pairs seen in Dougga. [12-11-04. Male (top) and female Black Wheatear at Dougga. The male is warming up in the first rays of sun after a rainy night and morning]
	White-crowned Black Wheatear: this species too is common in suitable habitat. 10+ at the Selja gorge area and also seen in good numbers along the road from Tamerza to Tozeur. [09-11-04. 1cy White-crowned Black Wheatear in the Selja gorge area (top); 10-11-04. Adult along the road from Tozeur to Tamerza, close to the latter]
	Red-rumped Wheatear: not as common as the other 'desert wheatears', found in areas with a little higher and less sparse vegetation. A pair was seen at the location of the Thick-billed Larks and three birds along the road from Tamerza to Tozeur. [10-11-04. Male along Tozeur to Tamerza road (top); 07-11-04. Female along El Hamma to Kebili road]
	Blue Rock Thrush: quite common in the mountains near Tamerza; also seen in good numbers in Dougga and Bulla Regia. [12-11-04. Male Blue Rock Thrush enjoying the sun at Dougga]
	Blackbird: quite common along the coast and in the Aïn Draham forest.
	Song Thrush: seen only in the Aïn Draham forest.
	Scrub Warbler: observed near El Dergine at the junctions of C210-C105 (2 ex), at the Selja gorge area (4 ex) and along the road from Tozeur to Tamerza (2 ex). [09-11-04. Quite an impossible species to digiscope, this is my best effort of a Scrub Warbler at the Selja gorge area]
	Zitting Cisticola: common at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel and in cultivated areas (Roman sites!).
	Cetti's Warbler: one heard at Sidi Jdidi on the 6th.
	Dartford Warbler: three seen and heard in patches of maquis in the forest near Aïn Draham.
	Marmora's Warbler: one male seen along the road from El Hamma to Kebili.
	Tristram's Warbler: at the junction of the C210-C105(/C206) near El Dergine on the 8th. We had just concluded that there were not birds present in this area at all, when all of a sudden Daria discovered a male Tristram's Warbler. We could observe it for at least 10 minutes, during which also our first ever Scrub Warblers appeared!
	Spectacled Warbler: quite common in different types of desert with low vegetation, occurring in the same type of habitat as most 'desert wheatears'.
	Sardinian Warbler: another bird seen in Sousse! Common in city parks, higher scrub vegetation, etc.
	Chiffchaff: a/o seen in Mahdia, in the Mides oasis and in the Aïn Draham forest, so wintering in different types of habitat.
	Firecrest: several birds seen in the Aïn Draham forest.
	African Blue Tit: Parus ultramarinus is very different from the W European species and quite easy to see. Often seen at archeological sites such as Carthago and Dougga.
	Great Tit: seen only in the Aïn Draham forest
	Coal Tit: the strikingly yellow ssp ledouci was seen only at Aïn Draham.
	Short-toed Treecreeper: common at Aïn Draham.
	Common Bulbul: impossible to miss when visiting Carthago, which nowadays a luxurious suburb of Tunis. At least 10 seen there and in Sidi Bou Saïd on the 5th. We were quite surprised to also find four birds at Dougga on the 12th. [12-11-04. Record shot of two Common Bulbuls at Dougga]
	Southern Grey Shrike: along the coast, the darker algeriensis should occur. However, most birds we saw (also at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel) were of the spp elegans. [02-11-04. Southern Grey Shrike ssp elegans at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel]
	Common Starling: large flocks (even one of 10000+ birds) were seen near Zaghouan.
	Spotless Starling: very common (and vocal!) along the coast. [02-11-04. Spotless Starling on the balcony of hotel El Hana Beach in Sousse]
	Jay: birds of the dark-capped cervicalis subspecies appeared to be common in the Aïn Draham forest.
	Raven: quite common in the northern part of the country.
	Brown-necked Raven: replaces Raven in the desert. We had good very views of this species at El Hsai, but it's not uncommon in suitable habitat. [08-11-04. Unfortunately not a good picture, but at least it shows the brownish neck of this Brown-necked Raven at El Hsai...]
	'Italian' Sparrow: we haven't seen a single pure individual House Sparrow, all were hybrids House x Spanish Sparrows (cf. Italian Sparrow, but many denser streaked on breast like Spanish). Very common everywhere. [02-11-04. Male House x Spanish Sparrow at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel]
	Spanish Sparrow: although most sparrows are close to Spanish, we were not convinced at all that they weren't hybrids. Especially because every now and then we saw unmistakable pure male Spanish Sparrows, ie. in Sousse and in a small oasis along the road to Kebili. [07-11-04. Unmistakeable male Spanish Sparrow in a mixed group with hybrids along the road El Hamma to Kebili]
	Rock Sparrow: several groups of 10+ birds were seen in Bulla Regia and Dougga. Another reason not to skip these Roman sites! [11-11-04. Rock Sparrow at Bulla Regia]
	African Chaffinch: the ssp spodiogenys is quite common in more wooded areas and near villages.
	Serin: common in cities, rural areas, etc.
	Siskin: calling birds heard at Aïn Draham.
	Greenfinch: seen in same type of habitat as Serin but slightly less common.
	Goldfinch: not common at all, unfortunately more often seen as cage bird than in the wild. Only three birds seen at Dougga.
	Linnet: seen at Sebkhet Halk El Menzel but also in the desert in the Selja area.
	Trumpeter Finch: a group flew over when we were watching a pair of Black Wheatears just outside Redeyef. Also seen along the road from Tozeur to Tamerza.
	Corn Bunting: several seen and heard (even singing!) near the Romain sites of Turbubo Majus and Dougga.
	House Bunting: seen in the oasis of Mides, in Tozeur, in the desert along the road between Tozeur and Tamerza and at the waterfalls of Tamerza. Two birds were singing in the garden of Hotel du Jardin in Tozeur on the 10th. [10-11-04. Male House Bunting (top) along the road from Tozeur to Tamerza and female in Tozeur]