• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Oman Swift (1 Viewer)

DOC REED

Well-known member
Hi
Several images of Swifts taken at Raysut Water Treatment Ponds ,Salalah ,on 19/10/19. Apologies for poor images ;they were fast and there was considerable heat haze . There are 3 main contenders;
1)Pallid
2)Common
3)Forbes-Watson
In addition the much browner 'pekingensis' tsp of Common can occur.On some I see features of Pallid (eye mask),some possible greenish tinge wing(?FWatsons).But they are probably pekingensis!!!


But then there may be more than one species ,as several were bombing around.Any thoughts gratefully accepted.
 

Attachments

  • Common Swift-2.jpg
    Common Swift-2.jpg
    32.6 KB · Views: 116
  • Common Swift-3.jpg
    Common Swift-3.jpg
    639.2 KB · Views: 115
  • Common SWift-4.jpg
    Common SWift-4.jpg
    31.1 KB · Views: 74
  • Common Swift-5.jpg
    Common Swift-5.jpg
    36.5 KB · Views: 109
  • Common Swift-7.jpg
    Common Swift-7.jpg
    538.1 KB · Views: 98
5 more
 

Attachments

  • Common Swift-9.jpg
    Common Swift-9.jpg
    106.9 KB · Views: 66
  • Common Swift-10.jpg
    Common Swift-10.jpg
    23.1 KB · Views: 48
  • Common Swift-13.jpg
    Common Swift-13.jpg
    52.4 KB · Views: 75
  • Common Swift)pekinensis).jpg
    Common Swift)pekinensis).jpg
    72.1 KB · Views: 94
  • Common Swift.jpg
    Common Swift.jpg
    37.6 KB · Views: 44
How are you guys ruling out Forbes-Watson?

That’s what I would like to know ...

Without going through all the images, No.1 and 2 of the second batch of images jumps out at first glance and looks perhaps possible for berlozi IMO at least - v. dark rump/lower back contrasting with a very slight saddle effect of the dark upper back (cf Pallid that’s paler on lower back cf to darker ‘saddle’?) The pale throat seems confined to the chin and upper breast (not forehead from what can be made out?).

Doesn’t pekinensis also appear more contrasty than apus too (especially if worn?)?

Swifts are definitely not my forte though and I suspect there’s a mix here!
 
Last edited:
I suspect a number of these birds could be Forbes-Watson's. I was a bit concerned about the date but I checked a blog written by my late friend Rob Tovey, who used to live there, and found a couple of posts confirming they're still around in mid- to late October. Soon after this they disperse - I don't know where - and on my first visit to the Salalah area in early Jan 2015, I didn't see a single one. This is contrast with my second visit in late May the same year, when I saw literally hundreds. This was not only at the known colony at Taqah cliffs but also flying low over the ground at Jarziz Farm.

What was obvious on those birds was the very prominent pattern of scaling on the underparts, with more obvious pale edges than on Pallid, contrasting with the pale throat (less extensive than on Pallid). In the series of images taken by Jens Eriksen below, this is visible on some of the better shots, e.g. the last one, as is the dark saddle mentioned by Deb. On closer inspection the dark saddle is the result of scale-like dark greenish-brown feathers on the back. This can be seen in image no. 11.

http://www.birdsoman.com/Birds/079-Swifts/ForbesWatsonsSwift/ForbesWatsonsSwift.htm

Another important feature we can observe is that FWS doesn't seem to have any white on the forehead. Compare the FWS images from the link above to the images of Pallid here:

http://www.birdsoman.com/Birds/079-Swifts/PallidSwift/PallidSwift.htm

None of the Pallid images come from Dhofar but they do pass through.

There is the additional issue of confusion with pekinensis. I'm not sure how common this taxon is in the Gulf. The 2nd slide below shows how this taxon can show a dark saddle and even a green tinge on the median and lesser coverts. However, if you look at the 4th slide, the underpart feathering seems to lack the pale edges seen on FWS.

https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-R4rMj/i-hBWjLBw

If I had a go at your images, I would say:

1st post -

1. not sure but probably not Pallid, as the forehead isn't pale enough and there's a bit of a saddle - however, pale throat seems to come to a point, supposedly a feature of FWS as per The Birds of the Middle East, and there might be a green patch on the secondaries
2. probably FWS but can't rule out pekinensis - back is a bit green-tinged though
3. same as no. 1 but again, feathering on saddle looks a bit green-tinged
4. FWS - the green panel on the trailing edge of the wing matches image no.11 in Eriksen's gallery, white fringes to barring on lower belly and UTCs
5. not sure - could be Pallid

2nd post -

1. looks a bit pekinensis
2. same bird? - a couple of pronounced pale edges to secondaries though
3. FWS - scaly back with pale fringes, same green panel on wing
4. not sure - the underparts feathering lacks pale fringes, rather extensive pale throat suggests Pallid but forehead not pale enough
5. I think this is FWS - it has that same green panel on the secondaries, pale edges to inner primaries and a few secondaries

Any further input welcome, as I'm on a learning curve here.
 
DOC REED, if you are convinced about the id as FWS in any of your pictures, please upload to the birdforum gallery where this species is missing.

Niels
 
Identification aside i am shocked and saddened to read of Rob Tovey’s passing albeit a year ago...

Although we never met i had liased with Rob both on his Blog and personally as his work took him to Middle Eastern locations that i have a particular interest in and have enjoyed birding vicariously in Libya, Saudi Arabia and in particular The Oman over the last few years. I dropped off of Twitter when he moved to Mauretania but his blog is being left online in his memory:t:

Rob welcomed input whether it be ID, behaviour or just interest in his birding jaunts and aspects of this diverse and fascinating region and i was pleased to partake. I was hoping to put a face to a name at some stage as iirc he sometimes visited relatives in nearby Kidderminster. I would have preferred at his home in Bulgaria but it was not to be. Either birding or over a beer in the Black Country it was on my bucket list.

Anybody interested in these locations and the thoughts and travails of a normal birder then read his posts and RIP Rob Tovey:t:

Good birding -

Laurie -
 
Identification aside i am shocked and saddened to read of Rob Tovey’s passing albeit a year ago...

Although we never met i had liased with Rob both on his Blog and personally as his work took him to Middle Eastern locations that i have a particular interest in and have enjoyed birding vicariously in Libya, Saudi Arabia and in particular The Oman over the last few years. I dropped off of Twitter when he moved to Mauretania but his blog is being left online in his memory:t:

Rob welcomed input whether it be ID, behaviour or just interest in his birding jaunts and aspects of this diverse and fascinating region and i was pleased to partake. I was hoping to put a face to a name at some stage as iirc he sometimes visited relatives in nearby Kidderminster. I would have preferred at his home in Bulgaria but it was not to be. Either birding or over a beer in the Black Country it was on my bucket list.

Anybody interested in these locations and the thoughts and travails of a normal birder then read his posts and RIP Rob Tovey:t:

Good birding -

Laurie -

I hadn't heard either, died in Mauretania it seems, his blog has become infested with spam and scam sadly.

http://birdingforalark.blogspot.com/2018/10/robert-tovey.html
 
Yes Andy i was puzzled at first but soon realized - i am now going to re-read his blog as it is the sort of thing most of us to aspire to being.....an ordinairy birder in extraordinairy places:t:

Laurie -
 
For me, all of these birds are pallidus. One key pointer is that they all seem to have narrow rectrices (berliozi has obviously broad tail feathers). The only one that had me wondering a little was the fifth image in the first set (https://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=712463&d=1576269675), but the quality of the image is sadly insufficient to be positive about two of the key features. However, there are no visible shaft-streaks to the throat feathers and no obvious pale tips to the underwing-coverts, and on that basis alone berliozi can be almost certainly eliminated. More info on ID here: https://www.researchgate.net/public...LnoZo0ybByGZiN6vOWq7wnGS0g_82cZoZLUjPXK72ri0Q
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top