Large influx of Red-footed Falcons (Falco vespertinus) has been detected in Morocco during the last few days and continues to this date.
– On 2 May, Brahim Bakass photographed 2 Red-footed Falcons near Kelaat M’Gouna.
– On 10 May, Karim Laïdi and his GOMAC colleagues photographed a male and female at Enjil Plateau, Boulemane Province (photo 1).
– On 11 May, Karim Rousselon commented the following: “a group of about 50 Red-footed Falcons are passing through the Enjil plateau at the moment”.
– On 12 May, Said Azaouaghe photographed a male Red-footed Falcon being attacked by a Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) at Nador on the Mediterranean coast (photo 2).
Updates 1: The influx continues
– On 13 May, Karim Rousselon shared the photograph 3 with this comment: “daily passages of Red-footed Falcons in the Oriental region since 10 May 2015. Today this adult male takes it’s time to eat a young lark. Most are content with insects which are consumed in flight”.
Passages quotidiens de Faucons Kobez dans l’Oriental depuis le 10/05/2015. Aujourd’hui ce mâle adulte prend le temps de manger une jeune alouette. La majorité se contentent d’insectes consommés en plein vol.
– On 13 May, Brahim Bakass photographed an adult male near Marrakech feeding on insects (photo 4).
– On 14 May, Diego Jeréz observed 15 Red-footed Falcons migrating in the direction of NW and photographed an adult female at Melilla on the Mediterranean coast.
Update 2:
All these and other new records obtained from southern Morocco were summarised in the following report:
Bergier, P., Amezian, M., Chevalier, F., Qninba, A. & Rufray, X. 2015. Les observations de Faucons kobez (Falco vespertinus) au Maroc ; afflux en mai 2015 et premières mentions au Sahara Atlantique. Go-South Bulletin 12: 49–54.