My trip to Morocco is off to a fine start, with new experiences and new species. The flight from Seatac the Seattle-Tacoma, WA airport to Charles DeGaulle Airport in Paris was long but uneventful. Delta did a good job of providing vegan meals for me, and we got in at about 8 AM after a 10 ½ hour flight “losing” 9 hours enroute due to time-zone changes. Bruce and I wandered around the airport and tried to rest until or flight to Casablanca left about 12:40, arriving about 2:50, going one time zone back. Customs was an endurance effort, with a 2+ hour cramped line with masses of people, and we saw the customs employees need to exercise great patience as angry parents shouted and pushed and shoved while a trio of young attractive women tried to cut in line, and we all inched our way forward.
After getting our luggage, getting a SIM card for our phones, and buying data and voice time we caught a cab to the Best Western Hotel Toubkal in downtown. We had dinner and managed to stay awake until maybe 8:45 PM and slept well in our twin beds until jet-lagged morning arrived about 3-4 AM and we waited for daylight. This AM we had a good breakfast at the hotel, and went to Par Sindbad near the coastline where a large overgrown abandoned parking lot and entertainment park recommended by Michael Carmody provided an introduction to common Moroccan birds.

Shortly after arriving a pair of Eurasian Thick-knees flew in, a species Bruce had seen in Lesvos, Greece but were a lifer for me. They were a very exotic shorebird to find on our own. We added about 28 more species not including another 2 or 3 left unidentified. Here are a few photos I like best.

Stay tuned for more Moroccan birding adventures over coming days. Good birding. Good day!