wolfbirder
Well-known member
A man after my own heart.
I suspect a large majority fall into this bracket Pete.
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Oman - December 2024 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter foresttwitcher
- Start date
I suspect a large majority fall into this bracket Pete.
DMW
Well-known member
That is definitely the case, numbers and diversity. The optimum time to visit Oman purely for seabirds is during the late Summer monsoon when enormous numbers of seabirds are present just offshore. November is a sort of compromise month when there are still fair numbers around, temperatures are bearable and some winter visitors are present.
We went out twice with Hatem the end of March last year. We had great views of Sooty Gull, Red-necked Phalarope, Bridled tern, Persian and Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Masked Booby, Jouanin's Petrel and Pomarine Skua, as well as a very distant Red-billed Tropicbird (which I didn't feel able to tick).
We also had Sperm and Blue Whales, plus hundreds of Common and Spinner Dolphins, in addition to Green, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill Turtles.
Sincere apologies Pete if this is rubbing salt in the wounds, but I do think it worthwhile in pointing out to anyone reading your report what might be seen.
Chris
We also had Sperm and Blue Whales, plus hundreds of Common and Spinner Dolphins, in addition to Green, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill Turtles.
Sincere apologies Pete if this is rubbing salt in the wounds, but I do think it worthwhile in pointing out to anyone reading your report what might be seen.
Chris
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thanks Paul. Your eBird list was more what I hoped for although, as you and DMW pointed out, I was aware that late December was not the ideal time and that numbers may be lower. I chose the timing of my trip for other reasons.
I think I was out longer than usual as Hatem was trying his hardest to get some results.
In the early planning stages for the trip I had intended to do 2 pelagics but with Hatem not having any others booked in over the period I was to be in Salalah it meant the solo trip was more expensive so I decided to keep it to one. I was grateful he was willing to do it. Perhaps I should have asked him if he was able to do a repeat.
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
No worries, Chris, glad you had good trips out.
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Sunday 22nd December:
Very early start this morning to get to the Mudayy area by first light, even passing straight through the police/military checkpoint as they were apparently busy with breakfast. I had a few locations for sandgrouse and visited these in turn plus had a general drive around looking for likely areas but I did not see a sign of any sandgrouse at all. I did find a small raised parking area overlooking a pocket of palm trees and pretty quickly had good views of a male Nile Valley Sunbird. On the way to one of the potential sites I passed a small irrigated farm and then drove out across a promising flat plain with scattered shrubs which held the usual larks, wheatear and shrike and what appeared to be an Imperial Eagle perched on a crag. But the main interest was back at the farm on the return with a couple of Arabian Green Bee-eater perched on overhead wires, a pair of Nile Valley Sunbird and a Red-throated Pipit with a White Wagtail by a puddle next to a leaking pipe.
With no sign of the main target for the morning and the heat of the day building I set off back south; this time the security roadblock was up and running. I called in to the Frankincense Forest to have a bit of a wander and out of interest but no bird activity apart from some Fan-tailed Raven overhead.
For a complete change of scene I headed for East Khawr - what a great place, you can park at the beach end and scan both the khawr and beach using the car as a hide. Over 30 species of wader, egret/heron, gulls & terns, many of which I had already seen. Highlights were: a small group of Ferruginous Duck, a flock of 80-100 Glossy Ibis, another Jacana, a Marsh Harrier, a couple of Citrine Wagtail, one Marsh Sandpiper and the first Little Ringed Plover of the trip.
Dragging myself away from the constant action I headed inland to Ayn Hamran. From the car park I headed upstream at first on wide tracks then camel paths through the thickening scrub before returning back down the other side of the stream. The expected dove, bulbul, bunting, starling and silverbill were present plus good views of white-eye, Blackstart, Paradise Flycatcher and Tchagra. New species included a small group of Ruppell's Weaver * furtling at the base of a shrub, a Green Sandpiper in the stream (with a Grey Wagtail) and at least a few of the martins feeding low overhead were Eurasian Crag Martin.
Photos:
1. Frankincense Forest;
2-3. East Khawr;
5 & 6. Ayn Hamran.
* All the Ruppell's Weaver here, and also that I saw elsewhere, were female types. My Helm guide stated that the male looses the black mask in non-breeding plumage which seems to suggest they retain the yellow colour. Is this wrong and they attain a more female-like plumage or do the sexes form distinct flocks in winter?
Very early start this morning to get to the Mudayy area by first light, even passing straight through the police/military checkpoint as they were apparently busy with breakfast. I had a few locations for sandgrouse and visited these in turn plus had a general drive around looking for likely areas but I did not see a sign of any sandgrouse at all. I did find a small raised parking area overlooking a pocket of palm trees and pretty quickly had good views of a male Nile Valley Sunbird. On the way to one of the potential sites I passed a small irrigated farm and then drove out across a promising flat plain with scattered shrubs which held the usual larks, wheatear and shrike and what appeared to be an Imperial Eagle perched on a crag. But the main interest was back at the farm on the return with a couple of Arabian Green Bee-eater perched on overhead wires, a pair of Nile Valley Sunbird and a Red-throated Pipit with a White Wagtail by a puddle next to a leaking pipe.
With no sign of the main target for the morning and the heat of the day building I set off back south; this time the security roadblock was up and running. I called in to the Frankincense Forest to have a bit of a wander and out of interest but no bird activity apart from some Fan-tailed Raven overhead.
For a complete change of scene I headed for East Khawr - what a great place, you can park at the beach end and scan both the khawr and beach using the car as a hide. Over 30 species of wader, egret/heron, gulls & terns, many of which I had already seen. Highlights were: a small group of Ferruginous Duck, a flock of 80-100 Glossy Ibis, another Jacana, a Marsh Harrier, a couple of Citrine Wagtail, one Marsh Sandpiper and the first Little Ringed Plover of the trip.
Dragging myself away from the constant action I headed inland to Ayn Hamran. From the car park I headed upstream at first on wide tracks then camel paths through the thickening scrub before returning back down the other side of the stream. The expected dove, bulbul, bunting, starling and silverbill were present plus good views of white-eye, Blackstart, Paradise Flycatcher and Tchagra. New species included a small group of Ruppell's Weaver * furtling at the base of a shrub, a Green Sandpiper in the stream (with a Grey Wagtail) and at least a few of the martins feeding low overhead were Eurasian Crag Martin.
Photos:
1. Frankincense Forest;
2-3. East Khawr;
5 & 6. Ayn Hamran.
* All the Ruppell's Weaver here, and also that I saw elsewhere, were female types. My Helm guide stated that the male looses the black mask in non-breeding plumage which seems to suggest they retain the yellow colour. Is this wrong and they attain a more female-like plumage or do the sexes form distinct flocks in winter?
Attachments
Paul Chapman
Well-known member
According to my eBird records, I saw 40 Ruppell's Weaver. I suspect a significant underestimate. I remember one bird - maximum two - with any facial colouration. I think males can look very female-like outside the breeding season and certainly, the rest looked pretty much identical.
All the best
Paul
Attachments
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thanks, Paul, sounds like a similar experience. I guess the description of male non-breeding plumage in Helm is a bit misleading.
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Nice photo, Chris, thanks.
Monday 23rd December:
I probably should have returned to Mudayy this morning but didn't relish repeating the drive so instead headed to Ayn Tabraq - another nice place with a combination of the stream and wooded wadi providing many of the characteristic species of these habitats so I had a good wander around - I think it would be a good site for the key common species of the region for someone short for time. In addition to these expected species, a shallow section of the river gave me a very good view of a drinking Eurasian Sparrowhawk which I watched for some time and a near-by Green Sandpiper, a patch of low scrub in a bend in the stream held a Graceful Prinia and there was one particularly productive spot under some larger trees where I was watching two small flocks, one white-eyes and the other weavers, when a flycatcher perched up on a low branch - a Red-breasted Flycatcher.
After some time here I moved a short distance to Ayn (Eyn) Athom, a short walk from the parking area to the dry spring had a few of the same species but less bird activity. However, the rock formations at the back of the valley, which are presumably the remnants of a big, dry waterfall, were fascinating and on the walk back the migrant flycatcher here proved, after a while spent getting a good view, to be a Semi-collared Flycatcher.
I then headed to the coast to check out the khawrs of the eastern part of the area - Khawr Sawli, Khawr Taqah and Khawr Rawri. The former is not too easy to access but did give me the only Tufted Ducks of the trip. The Taqah area was easier to get to and, like the last site, had many of the wetland species already seen but a scan whilst I ate turned up a few Red-wattled Lapwing on the banks, a couple of Gull-billed Tern feeding along the channel and a fishing Osprey. The last site, Khawr Rawri, is only accessible by paying a small charge (more for a foreigner) to enter the archaeological site of Sumharan. The ruins are quite interesting but the water was quiet bird-wise, apart from egrets and herons, with a trip to the water's edge giving me the addition of a single Grey Plover.
Time for the return visit to Tawi Atayr that I had promised myself, again concentrating around the buildings and the surrounding slopes. The same species as last time were seen , the numerous small bunting and silverbill flocks being scrutinised, plus a Tawny Pipit and both Shining and Palestine Sunbirds - always nice. A walk down to the sinkhole provided a very close view of a Namaqua Dove in a path-side bush. But no target seen.
With the light fading I arrived back at Ayn Razat for another try for a target owl. First there was enough light for a walk around the perimeter of the garden and the parts of the stream closest to the car parks; an early Black-crowned Night Heron perched on a rock was nice to see. I waited near the appointed spot and after about 15 minutes, and with still enough light to see, a fine Arabian Eagle Owl flew in unseen by me and perched on top of a post in the fence around the gardens and sat looking at me, apparently as interested in me as I was in it! Very happy I went back to base.
Photos:
1 & 2. Ayn Tabraq;
3 & 4. Ayn Athom;
5 & 6. Beach at Khawr Sawli.
Monday 23rd December:
I probably should have returned to Mudayy this morning but didn't relish repeating the drive so instead headed to Ayn Tabraq - another nice place with a combination of the stream and wooded wadi providing many of the characteristic species of these habitats so I had a good wander around - I think it would be a good site for the key common species of the region for someone short for time. In addition to these expected species, a shallow section of the river gave me a very good view of a drinking Eurasian Sparrowhawk which I watched for some time and a near-by Green Sandpiper, a patch of low scrub in a bend in the stream held a Graceful Prinia and there was one particularly productive spot under some larger trees where I was watching two small flocks, one white-eyes and the other weavers, when a flycatcher perched up on a low branch - a Red-breasted Flycatcher.
After some time here I moved a short distance to Ayn (Eyn) Athom, a short walk from the parking area to the dry spring had a few of the same species but less bird activity. However, the rock formations at the back of the valley, which are presumably the remnants of a big, dry waterfall, were fascinating and on the walk back the migrant flycatcher here proved, after a while spent getting a good view, to be a Semi-collared Flycatcher.
I then headed to the coast to check out the khawrs of the eastern part of the area - Khawr Sawli, Khawr Taqah and Khawr Rawri. The former is not too easy to access but did give me the only Tufted Ducks of the trip. The Taqah area was easier to get to and, like the last site, had many of the wetland species already seen but a scan whilst I ate turned up a few Red-wattled Lapwing on the banks, a couple of Gull-billed Tern feeding along the channel and a fishing Osprey. The last site, Khawr Rawri, is only accessible by paying a small charge (more for a foreigner) to enter the archaeological site of Sumharan. The ruins are quite interesting but the water was quiet bird-wise, apart from egrets and herons, with a trip to the water's edge giving me the addition of a single Grey Plover.
Time for the return visit to Tawi Atayr that I had promised myself, again concentrating around the buildings and the surrounding slopes. The same species as last time were seen , the numerous small bunting and silverbill flocks being scrutinised, plus a Tawny Pipit and both Shining and Palestine Sunbirds - always nice. A walk down to the sinkhole provided a very close view of a Namaqua Dove in a path-side bush. But no target seen.
With the light fading I arrived back at Ayn Razat for another try for a target owl. First there was enough light for a walk around the perimeter of the garden and the parts of the stream closest to the car parks; an early Black-crowned Night Heron perched on a rock was nice to see. I waited near the appointed spot and after about 15 minutes, and with still enough light to see, a fine Arabian Eagle Owl flew in unseen by me and perched on top of a post in the fence around the gardens and sat looking at me, apparently as interested in me as I was in it! Very happy I went back to base.
Photos:
1 & 2. Ayn Tabraq;
3 & 4. Ayn Athom;
5 & 6. Beach at Khawr Sawli.
Attachments
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thanks, Chris. Yes, the owl was impressive and the sunbird, like them all, is stunning and because of it's build and long tail looks even more delicate than the others.
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Tuesday 24th December:
Last full day in Dhofar today and with a long drive ahead tomorrow I decided to chase missed targets relatively locally rather than head off on another search for the mythical sandgrouse. First stop was Ayn Kor which must be a pretty spectacular site when the seasonal waterfall is flowing but did not add any species beyond what I had seen in similar habitats already. I had a quick look for Raysut Settling Pools but failed to find a way in! I then returned to Ayn Razat again for a proper walk up the wadi as far as the animal tracks allowed and back round the gardens in the hope of locating a fruiting fig for the elusive pigeon - again very birdy with a good variety of the usual species but nothing new for the trip. After a brief stop at a viewpoint looking out over the coastal plain I tried Ayn Sahnawt and Wadi Hanna again as both had past sightings of the pigeon and were fairly wooded. The later again was very good with sunbirds, white-eye, paradise flycatcher, weaver and tchagra plus another Arabian Warbler but I failed to hear the call I had tried to track down last visit. I did find a path upstream this time that led to an even more impressive ancient baobab.
Time for a third try at Tawi Atayr but this visit I went for a different tactic and sat in the shade of the large tree in the rocky area immediately above the car park and checked all the Cinnamon-breasted Buntings flitting about on the walls, scrub and rocks. After about half an hour a smaller bird appeared on the metal gate in the wall and I got on to it briefly before it flew down to the ground and disappeared behind a rock - after a while it reappeared for good, prolonged views - Yemen Serin. I'm not sure I have ever been so happy and relieved to see such a drab little bird. After a scan for pigeons around the sinkhole I moved on.
I decided to take a break from the wadis with a return visit to the beach end of East Khawr to bird from the car. It was again great for number and variety of birds, including the large flock of Glossy Ibis still present, that were all put up by a pair of Marsh Harriers, and presumably the same jacana. The best bird was a nice Cotton Pygmy Goose that I got good scope views of.
I considered going back to Wadi Darbat but had previously been unable to find a way to the upper wadi beyond the boat ride area. Since the Oman sub-forum has recently appeared on BirdForum it seems as though there is another way into the upper wadi to a drinking seepage that can attract the Grosbeak - I wish I had know about this back then! Instead, back on the pigeon search, I returned to Ayn Hamran and slowly wandered the circuit of the wadi to the top and back downstream. It was a little quieter than last time but still very good for variety and best bird was a male Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark in the upper reaches. I timed getting back to the car for dusk and another potential owl target location but this one did not show.
Photos:
1. View over Dhofar plain;
2. Ancient Baobab at Wadi Hanna.
Last full day in Dhofar today and with a long drive ahead tomorrow I decided to chase missed targets relatively locally rather than head off on another search for the mythical sandgrouse. First stop was Ayn Kor which must be a pretty spectacular site when the seasonal waterfall is flowing but did not add any species beyond what I had seen in similar habitats already. I had a quick look for Raysut Settling Pools but failed to find a way in! I then returned to Ayn Razat again for a proper walk up the wadi as far as the animal tracks allowed and back round the gardens in the hope of locating a fruiting fig for the elusive pigeon - again very birdy with a good variety of the usual species but nothing new for the trip. After a brief stop at a viewpoint looking out over the coastal plain I tried Ayn Sahnawt and Wadi Hanna again as both had past sightings of the pigeon and were fairly wooded. The later again was very good with sunbirds, white-eye, paradise flycatcher, weaver and tchagra plus another Arabian Warbler but I failed to hear the call I had tried to track down last visit. I did find a path upstream this time that led to an even more impressive ancient baobab.
Time for a third try at Tawi Atayr but this visit I went for a different tactic and sat in the shade of the large tree in the rocky area immediately above the car park and checked all the Cinnamon-breasted Buntings flitting about on the walls, scrub and rocks. After about half an hour a smaller bird appeared on the metal gate in the wall and I got on to it briefly before it flew down to the ground and disappeared behind a rock - after a while it reappeared for good, prolonged views - Yemen Serin. I'm not sure I have ever been so happy and relieved to see such a drab little bird. After a scan for pigeons around the sinkhole I moved on.
I decided to take a break from the wadis with a return visit to the beach end of East Khawr to bird from the car. It was again great for number and variety of birds, including the large flock of Glossy Ibis still present, that were all put up by a pair of Marsh Harriers, and presumably the same jacana. The best bird was a nice Cotton Pygmy Goose that I got good scope views of.
I considered going back to Wadi Darbat but had previously been unable to find a way to the upper wadi beyond the boat ride area. Since the Oman sub-forum has recently appeared on BirdForum it seems as though there is another way into the upper wadi to a drinking seepage that can attract the Grosbeak - I wish I had know about this back then! Instead, back on the pigeon search, I returned to Ayn Hamran and slowly wandered the circuit of the wadi to the top and back downstream. It was a little quieter than last time but still very good for variety and best bird was a male Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark in the upper reaches. I timed getting back to the car for dusk and another potential owl target location but this one did not show.
Photos:
1. View over Dhofar plain;
2. Ancient Baobab at Wadi Hanna.
Attachments
Last edited:
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thanks, Chris, it took some time and persistence but made up to some extent for some of the owl and sandgrouse misses.
Didn't realise you missed it, how about the pigeon and grosbeak?
Sadly, despite visiting the sinkhole area twice.
Our other two big dips were the Grosbeak and Omani Owl. Got Bruce's Green Pigeon at Wadi Darbat.
Chris
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Wednesday 25th December:
Travel day today, reluctantly leaving Dhofar to head north up the south east coast. Once back past Mirbat the next part of the journey is over interesting driving roads and through some spectacular mountain and coastal scenery. On one slow corner a Blue Rock Thrush was perched up nicely on a boulder beside the road. First stop for a break from sitting in the car was in a beach shelter just beyond Ash Shuwaymiyyah - nice to feel the sea breeze but not too many birds apart from the usual gulls and Caspian Tern and a few plovers on the beach. Continuing on, the next section on a high inland plateau is less scenic and all I saw were a few Desert Wheatear flying across the road, hovering kestrels and a few Brown-necked Ravens. Further on I stopped at Khawr Ghawi which had Flamingos, Spoonbill, the same selection of gulls, a few of the common egrets/herons and waders and Socotra Cormorant.
Early afternoon I pulled off the road and down a sandy track to Khawr Dhurf / Dirif where a couple of German mega-4WD Unimog camper vans were parked up - a nice spot to stay. The track had become very sandy so I parked and walked alongside the water down to the beach and back. Very birdy: Grey & Purple Heron, Great & Little Egret, Western Reef Heron, Moorhen, Grey, Pacific Golden and Common Ringed Plover, Curlew, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Dunlin, an Osprey and a Marsh Harrier overhead and Mallard, Teal and Northern Shoveler. There were also quite a number of hirundines, most being Sand Martin plus at least one House Martin.
Then back on the road for another slightly less interesting desert drive on to Duqm. I had originally intended to carry on further and cross to Masirah - when booking accommodation the search engine I use showed up a nice looking camping site with pods / cabins but every time I followed the link to the actual company's website it showed up as nothing being available. So I had a hotel for the night in the massive building site that is Duqm.
Best of all I hadn't noticed it was Christmas Day - just what I had hoped.
Photos:
1. Coast road scenery;
2. Inland mountain scenery;
3. Khawr Dirif / Dhurf.
Travel day today, reluctantly leaving Dhofar to head north up the south east coast. Once back past Mirbat the next part of the journey is over interesting driving roads and through some spectacular mountain and coastal scenery. On one slow corner a Blue Rock Thrush was perched up nicely on a boulder beside the road. First stop for a break from sitting in the car was in a beach shelter just beyond Ash Shuwaymiyyah - nice to feel the sea breeze but not too many birds apart from the usual gulls and Caspian Tern and a few plovers on the beach. Continuing on, the next section on a high inland plateau is less scenic and all I saw were a few Desert Wheatear flying across the road, hovering kestrels and a few Brown-necked Ravens. Further on I stopped at Khawr Ghawi which had Flamingos, Spoonbill, the same selection of gulls, a few of the common egrets/herons and waders and Socotra Cormorant.
Early afternoon I pulled off the road and down a sandy track to Khawr Dhurf / Dirif where a couple of German mega-4WD Unimog camper vans were parked up - a nice spot to stay. The track had become very sandy so I parked and walked alongside the water down to the beach and back. Very birdy: Grey & Purple Heron, Great & Little Egret, Western Reef Heron, Moorhen, Grey, Pacific Golden and Common Ringed Plover, Curlew, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Dunlin, an Osprey and a Marsh Harrier overhead and Mallard, Teal and Northern Shoveler. There were also quite a number of hirundines, most being Sand Martin plus at least one House Martin.
Then back on the road for another slightly less interesting desert drive on to Duqm. I had originally intended to carry on further and cross to Masirah - when booking accommodation the search engine I use showed up a nice looking camping site with pods / cabins but every time I followed the link to the actual company's website it showed up as nothing being available. So I had a hotel for the night in the massive building site that is Duqm.
Best of all I hadn't noticed it was Christmas Day - just what I had hoped.
Photos:
1. Coast road scenery;
2. Inland mountain scenery;
3. Khawr Dirif / Dhurf.
Attachments
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thursday 26th December:
I had considered a dash to Shannah to cross to Masirah today but with the ferry crossings being limited to just before high tide I did not really want to have to either rush around on the island or risk getting stuck there as I still had a lot of mileage to do. The inclusion of a breakfast in the price of the hotel room helped in making the decision not to start very early but I was still on the road out of Duqm promptly.
Pulling off the road and heading out over the sabkha at Al Khaluf it was shown to be a good move as the tide looked to be well out. Many of the usual seabirds and waders scattered over an enormous area of mud and shallow water with the best bird feeding frantically around a half-sunken boat just in front of me - Terek Sandpiper. A bit further up the coast at Film the fishermen were busy at the bustling harbour with plenty of attendant gulls plus more waders in a quieter area this time including another Terek and the first Whimbrel of the trip. I decide not to risk the sabkha tracks around Barr al Hickman given that the tide was so far out but called in at Shannah where there were more of the expected species. Last stop in the area was at An Nakdah / Nugdah to have a look at Khawr Barr al Hickman which held thousands of mostly distant waders and other species already seen and a presumably slightly deeper channel close by had a number of ducks - most were Teal and Shoveler but I found at least one smart drake Northern Pintail and a slightly incongruous looking Greylag Goose.
Time to hit the road again for the long drag to the night's hotel in Ras al Hadd.
I had considered a dash to Shannah to cross to Masirah today but with the ferry crossings being limited to just before high tide I did not really want to have to either rush around on the island or risk getting stuck there as I still had a lot of mileage to do. The inclusion of a breakfast in the price of the hotel room helped in making the decision not to start very early but I was still on the road out of Duqm promptly.
Pulling off the road and heading out over the sabkha at Al Khaluf it was shown to be a good move as the tide looked to be well out. Many of the usual seabirds and waders scattered over an enormous area of mud and shallow water with the best bird feeding frantically around a half-sunken boat just in front of me - Terek Sandpiper. A bit further up the coast at Film the fishermen were busy at the bustling harbour with plenty of attendant gulls plus more waders in a quieter area this time including another Terek and the first Whimbrel of the trip. I decide not to risk the sabkha tracks around Barr al Hickman given that the tide was so far out but called in at Shannah where there were more of the expected species. Last stop in the area was at An Nakdah / Nugdah to have a look at Khawr Barr al Hickman which held thousands of mostly distant waders and other species already seen and a presumably slightly deeper channel close by had a number of ducks - most were Teal and Shoveler but I found at least one smart drake Northern Pintail and a slightly incongruous looking Greylag Goose.
Time to hit the road again for the long drag to the night's hotel in Ras al Hadd.
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Friday 27th December:
A short drive first thing for a scan along Ras al Hadd Beach - a few of the usual terns offshore and on the sand the normal mix of gulls but for the first time I picked out one that was pale enough mantled, compared to the Steppe & Heuglin's, to be a Caspian Gull. The Silverbills in a shrub were now Indian again.
I must have been a bit fatigued on the latter part of the drive yesterday as I had completely missed that I drove past one of my chosen sites so I backtracked south to Ras al Khabbah - impressive cliffs and after some time I was fortunate to have a repeated close in, eye-level fly by from a Bridled Tern; that made up for the one I missed on the pelagic.
Well worth the detour. I then headed back north again to resume the planned route and called in at Khawr al Jaramah / Jirama. I found a spot at the end of the village with a view out over the water which was covered in waders of all sizes, highlights being: Oystercatcher, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill and more Whimbrel. I was watching another frantic Terek Sandpiper feeding reasonably close in when a group of three Crab-plover flew in behind and landed on a small spit.
The next part of road to the west undulated over a series of small wadis with higher ground between. At one point I flushed a covey of Grey Francolin from the roadside, a group of six Egyptian Vulture soared overhead and Indian Rollers were on many of the overhead wires. The whole of this section had a large, very scattered flock of Pallid Swift hawking low over the road.
I then did a circuit of the lagoon at Sur stopping at various viewpoints, seeing the usual waders and herons / egrets. Continuing west I stopped at various places, including Wadi Fulaiq, Wadi Tiwi, Bimmah Sinkhole, Jinnah, Al Luwayz, Wadi Afa and Wadi Mijlas. More of the common shorebirds / waders were seen plus the reappearance of more northern Omani species such as Common Myna, House Crow, White-eared Bulbul and Arabian Green Bee-eater.
Time to find the accommodation for the night in Seeb.
Photo:
Traditional dhow in Sur.
A short drive first thing for a scan along Ras al Hadd Beach - a few of the usual terns offshore and on the sand the normal mix of gulls but for the first time I picked out one that was pale enough mantled, compared to the Steppe & Heuglin's, to be a Caspian Gull. The Silverbills in a shrub were now Indian again.
I must have been a bit fatigued on the latter part of the drive yesterday as I had completely missed that I drove past one of my chosen sites so I backtracked south to Ras al Khabbah - impressive cliffs and after some time I was fortunate to have a repeated close in, eye-level fly by from a Bridled Tern; that made up for the one I missed on the pelagic.
Well worth the detour. I then headed back north again to resume the planned route and called in at Khawr al Jaramah / Jirama. I found a spot at the end of the village with a view out over the water which was covered in waders of all sizes, highlights being: Oystercatcher, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill and more Whimbrel. I was watching another frantic Terek Sandpiper feeding reasonably close in when a group of three Crab-plover flew in behind and landed on a small spit.
The next part of road to the west undulated over a series of small wadis with higher ground between. At one point I flushed a covey of Grey Francolin from the roadside, a group of six Egyptian Vulture soared overhead and Indian Rollers were on many of the overhead wires. The whole of this section had a large, very scattered flock of Pallid Swift hawking low over the road.
I then did a circuit of the lagoon at Sur stopping at various viewpoints, seeing the usual waders and herons / egrets. Continuing west I stopped at various places, including Wadi Fulaiq, Wadi Tiwi, Bimmah Sinkhole, Jinnah, Al Luwayz, Wadi Afa and Wadi Mijlas. More of the common shorebirds / waders were seen plus the reappearance of more northern Omani species such as Common Myna, House Crow, White-eared Bulbul and Arabian Green Bee-eater.
Time to find the accommodation for the night in Seeb.
Photo:
Traditional dhow in Sur.
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Saturday 28th December:
Another early start to get to the appointed spot in Wadi Muaydin but no luck with the target. I then tried again for the other previously visited potential owl sites around Nakhal but as I suspected, as it was now probably too late in the day, no luck at either. I spent the middle of the day driving slowly around the Al Ghubrah Bowl area and wandering about where possible - not much bird activity at all and no new species but it was nice just to relax in the warm temperatures and take in the impressive scenery. I think the fatigue mentioned a couple of days ago must have been hitting home as I went on to the next site mid-afternoon and only realised as I pulled in to the car park that I had already been there! So I spent the rest of the afternoon back at Ras al Sawadi - as it was busier than before and the tide was further out there were fewer birds but still plenty of the species seen previously.
Then it was on to a hotel in Sohar.
Photo:
Al Ghubrah Bowl scenery.
[Brief post today due partially to IT issues]
Another early start to get to the appointed spot in Wadi Muaydin but no luck with the target. I then tried again for the other previously visited potential owl sites around Nakhal but as I suspected, as it was now probably too late in the day, no luck at either. I spent the middle of the day driving slowly around the Al Ghubrah Bowl area and wandering about where possible - not much bird activity at all and no new species but it was nice just to relax in the warm temperatures and take in the impressive scenery. I think the fatigue mentioned a couple of days ago must have been hitting home as I went on to the next site mid-afternoon and only realised as I pulled in to the car park that I had already been there! So I spent the rest of the afternoon back at Ras al Sawadi - as it was busier than before and the tide was further out there were fewer birds but still plenty of the species seen previously.
Then it was on to a hotel in Sohar.
Photo:
Al Ghubrah Bowl scenery.
[Brief post today due partially to IT issues]
