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Allen’s Gallinule at Tachektent, Dakhla-Aousserd road

Allen’s Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni) found at Tachektent on the Dakhla-Aousserd road yesterday (18 February 2016) by Mohamed Mediani.

Allen’s Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni), Tachektent, Dakhla-Aousserd road, 18 February 2016 (Mohamed Mediani)
Allen’s Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni), Tachektent, Dakhla-Aousserd road, Oued Dahab, Morocco, 18 Feb. 2016 (Mohamed Mediani).

This is the 11th record for Morocco. The bird photographed by Ali Irizi at Oued Massa on 28 December 2014 and found three days later by Daniel Vrauwdeunt at the same site should be counted as one record in my opinion.

You see, Aousserd region has more to offer than just desert birds.

The bird stayed at the site at least until 2 March when M. Mediani revisited the site and found the bird still present. Some birders including Javi Elorriaga connected with the bird during that period.

Video

Toponymy note:

The place known to birders as “Gleib Jdiane, Gleib Jediane or Gleb Jdiane” with a well, water tower and small marshy area is called Tachektent (Tachktant). Gleib Jdiane is actually a hill located to the west along the road to Dakhla.

“Gleib” in the Sahara means a small heart-shaped hill (but reversed). “Gleib” is a diminutive of ‘galb’ (qalb قلب in classical Arabic), and the latter means ‘heart’.

Allen’s Gallinule / Talève d’Allen (Porphyrio alleni), Tachektent, Oued Dahab, 18 Feb. 2016 (Mohamed Mediani)
Allen’s Gallinule / Talève d’Allen (Porphyrio alleni), Tachektent, Oued Dahab, Morocco, 18 Feb. 2016 (Mohamed Mediani).

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