There was a great deal of activity out on a dead flat calm sea. Locals were fishing from large inflated tractor or lorry tyre inner tubes.

A few years ago, I went on holiday with my wife on a flight from Madrid to Cuba. Before going we both hungrily read up about the country, it's people, culture and of course birds and nature. I also found a book by Martin Cruz Smith (the author of "Gorky Park") called "Havana Bay". Purely fiction, it told an intriguing well told story set in Havana with great descriptions of the locals fishing from inner tubes. This was where I had first read about them and later saw for myseld the "Neumáticos" in action in Havana Bay. The book itself was good read and Cuba is packed full of life, surprises and colour.

These particular fishermen were pulling in squid from hand lines and seemed to be quite proficient at it. There were fifteen or so "Neumáticos" out on the Atlantic, some of them huddled in twos and threes, talking and joking. Whether they made a living out of this fishing was difficult to say. Other men collected crabs and other shellfish from rock pools below the cliff face. Barbary Ground Squirrels were basking in the sun as we packed.

"Neumático"

After Cap Beddouza and Qualidia (Oualida) we turned our attention to the kilometer long lines of saltpans and agricultural areas towards El Jaddida.

Kentish Plover, together with Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were feeding and masses of Black-winged Stilt were found in almost every corner. Knot, Green and Wood Sandpipers, Redshank, Greenshank, Avocet and Bar-tailed Godwit flew in between the salt-pans and fresh water of the estuary. Sanderling, Oystercatcher and Caspian Tern were seen further along the coast.

Children were herding and tending goats on some of the coastal stretches. We stopped to give them some apples and sweets. The goats are really incredibly nimble climbers and managed to get right up to the tops of the trees, where the fresh new leaves were.

Finding the main road to Casablanca or 'Casa' as it's known locally, was easy, and our intention was to get further north to Moulay Bousselham before dusk and have a chance to see the African race of Short-eared Owl - the Marsh Owl.                                     Continue