New Oman Birding Website (2 Viewers)

[Z00thera]

Just wanted to let anyone know who is interested, that i'm currently working on a new website dedicated to birding in Oman. Hopefully, it will be up and running on 1st January 2025 and will (over time) build up into a decent reference source for visiting birders. After all, Oman deserves it! Initially, it will hold basic info that I will develop as time goes by, but I will be getting assistance from a variety of people when busy work schedules allow. My aim is to make the official Oman list available to all, with help from Jens Eriksen (Chairman of the Oman Bird Records Committee) and keep a Latest News section with up-to-date rarity sightings. I'd also like to maintain a WhatsApp group for rarity sightings during October & November, when most tour companies/birders seem to visit - but more on that later.

The website can be found at: www.oman-birding.com and should be up and running on 1st January 2025. It's going to be a little basic to start, as i'm doing it in my spare time, but I really want to try and create something useful to help visiting birders.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Nick Bray

 

[foresttwitcher]

Perhaps it is time Oman had it's own sub-forum in this section.

 

[Z00thera]

Perhaps it is time Oman had it's own sub-forum in this section.

Yeah for sure. I'm amazed it doesn't (yet) considering the huge amount of interest since Covid..

 

[DMW]

Great idea! Would be nice to have something similar for Saudi Arabia, which has the potential to be equally popular.

 

[Nick k]

What amazing timing. I'm going out to Oman on Wednesday (based in Salalah). My first visit. I've done a lot of homework and ebird has been a great resource. I've had a look at your site. Really impressive and very helpful. Thanks.

 

[DMW]

Just had a quick browse and first impressions are excellent. The site has a nice feel/look to it, is clear and uncluttered, and has precise information with gps coordinates. Makes me want go back!
Thanks to Nick for doing this - it clearly took some time and effort and will be a fantastic resource.

 

[Z00thera]

Thanks DMW. So much still to add to the website. I’m going to be in Salalah Nick K from 13th Jan, so will no doubt miss you, but look forward to seeing your sightings. I will arrive in Muscat on 7th and aiming to visit a few sites i’ve never been to and hopefully getting some Oman ticks along the way.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Damn, I wish this had come out a month earlier (only been back 5 days from a 2 week trip) - looks very useful.

 

[jurek]

I wish it was running two months ago, I recently returned from Oman!

 

[Z00thera]

What amazing timing. I'm going out to Oman on Wednesday (based in Salalah). My first visit. I've done a lot of homework and ebird has been a great resource. I've had a look at your site. Really impressive and very helpful. Thanks.

I've included a page on seeing Arabian Grosbeak. Hope it helps? Here's the link: Seeing the grosbeak in upper Wadi Darbat

 

[jurek]

Very good information! We visited the same Arabian Grosbeak drinking cave site (ca 17.128159537683942, 54.45913468100954) from the eastern side of the Wadi Darbat. This had an advantage of an access very close to the Yemen Serin site, so changed driving to a ca 2 km walk one way on a pleasant, shaded canyon bottom (basically parallel to the track where cars are driving). Average fitness required. We did not driven the other way, so I cannot compare which is the better / safer track.

We turned from the road at 17.117103681342417, 54.4868200421784 (coordinates from Google Maps), in a village at 17.12234502839168, 54.48156827517339 turned right, then drive down the canyon to 17.133189955192684, 54.470751931315654. The drive was steep and required watching for rocks and not sliding on exposed rocks, but we and other guys in a high clearance car did it. Arabian Partridges and a Chameleon on the road were a bonus. At the bottom of the canyon there was a hidden dip in the grassy track which we felt unsafe to negotiate. So we walked along the canyon to the cave. There were some other interesting birds along the way, including Bruce's Green Pigeons.

 

[Z00thera]

Yeah i've done that same route but the way in is far trickier that coming in from the western side

 

[jurek]

During my visit to Oman, I met some friendly Dutch birders, and they knew that several Dutch groups are coming to Oman at the same time. So they made a WhatsApp group and exchanged observations and also misses. From them I learned about a Crowned Sandgrouse site, and some birds we did not need.

I really wished that a similar WhatsApp group existed in English and perhaps permanently. It would be really useful, given that many birders tend to visit at the same time.

 

[phototroph]

I've included a page on seeing Arabian Grosbeak. Hope it helps? Here's the link: Seeing the grosbeak in upper Wadi Darbat

How essential is a scope for this site?

Is it possible to walk up from the northernmost Wadi Darbat car park (approx 17°06'17.2"N 54°27'09.3"E)? Looks like you'd be stopped just short of the grosbeak cave by the aforementioned steep precipice. I assume it's too steep for scrambling, and that there are no trails that circumvent it?

 

[phototroph]

Amazing resource, thanks for putting the website together.

I assume it's forthcoming but I thought I'd ask about Wadi Mughsayl as I'm planning a solo visit soon - whereabouts do you typically park the car? From what I can tell, with some trip reports suggesting a 20 min turnaround time between arriving at the wadi, seeing the owl, and leaving the wadi, it's typical to drive basically right up to the owl cliffs? If so what's the condition of the track - as a novice 4WD driver driving up an unknown wadi in the dark doesn't seem the greatest idea, is it fairly well-worn by vehicle traffic?

 

[Z00thera]

How essential is a scope for this site?

Is it possible to walk up from the northernmost Wadi Darbat car park (approx 17°06'17.2"N 54°27'09.3"E)? Looks like you'd be stopped just short of the grosbeak cave by the aforementioned steep precipice. I assume it's too steep for scrambling, and that there are no trails that circumvent it?

No you can't walk up from the lower end of the wadi in my opinion - but never tried. A scope is really useful for this site. Are you intending to bring one on your trip? What dates are you in Salalah? I'm flying to Muscat day after tomorrow, so will be in the country. You can always WhatsApp me for other site info - +44 771 226 3475 (Nick Bray).

 

[Z00thera]

Amazing resource, thanks for putting the website together.

I assume it's forthcoming but I thought I'd ask about Wadi Mughsayl as I'm planning a solo visit soon - whereabouts do you typically park the car? From what I can tell, with some trip reports suggesting a 20 min turnaround time between arriving at the wadi, seeing the owl, and leaving the wadi, it's typical to drive basically right up to the owl cliffs? If so what's the condition of the track - as a novice 4WD driver driving up an unknown wadi in the dark doesn't seem the greatest idea, is it fairly well-worn by vehicle traffic?

I'm working on that right now, as i've just seen your post... But yes, generally you drive to the end of the wadi where you reach some huge boulders. That pair of Desert Owls are particularly responsive and will fly from the huge cliffs to the north and over your head to the smaller cliffs behind the boulders. it's a rough, rocky track in places but usually easy enough to drive. There are several pairs of owls in that wadi - I know of 3 other pairs, so if you can't reach the usual place just listen for them calling at any of the big cliffs and you could well get lucky.

 

[blackone]

No you can't walk up from the lower end of the wadi in my opinion - but never tried. A scope is really useful for this site. Are you intending to bring one on your trip? What dates are you in Salalah? I'm flying to Muscat day after tomorrow, so will be in the country. You can always WhatsApp me for other site info - +44 771 226 3475 (Nick

As Nick already said, you can't walk ... There's no path Well technically you probably could, but it won't save you time and you'd have to scramble through the trees and wade through the water which is supposedly contaminated with schistosomes.
If you don't want to drive down the steep road, park your car somewhere around here: 17.1342535, 54.4550117 and then walk down to the site.

 

[phototroph]

No you can't walk up from the lower end of the wadi in my opinion - but never tried. A scope is really useful for this site. Are you intending to bring one on your trip? What dates are you in Salalah? I'm flying to Muscat day after tomorrow, so will be in the country. You can always WhatsApp me for other site info - +44 771 226 3475 (Nick Bray).

No, will be visiting with binoculars only. My trip to Salalah comes after a backpacking trek with friends in the N of Oman, so I couldn't afford the extra weight of a scope and tripod.

Thanks very much for the offer, I arrive in Salalah evening of 20th Feb so suspect I will miss you, but will reach out if I have any more Qs

 

[phototroph]

I'm working on that right now, as i've just seen your post... But yes, generally you drive to the end of the wadi where you reach some huge boulders. That pair of Desert Owls are particularly responsive and will fly from the huge cliffs to the north and over your head to the smaller cliffs behind the boulders. it's a rough, rocky track in places but usually easy enough to drive. There are several pairs of owls in that wadi - I know of 3 other pairs, so if you can't reach the usual place just listen for them calling at any of the big cliffs and you could well get lucky.

Cheers