Visit your favourite destinations
Western Europe
North America
Caribbean
Africa
Asia
Eastern Europe
South America
Australasia
Middle East
East Indies

A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Oman, January 2008,

Jan Vermeulen

CONTENTS

General Information
References
Itinerary (summary)
The Sites
Daily Log

Systematic List of Birds and Mammals

GENERAL INFORMATION

This trip report records the birds seen on a two weeks trip in January 2008 to Oman. I was accompanied by Frans Daemen, Vital van Gorp, Marc van Herck, Michel Huysmans, Harry Lesseliers, Gust van de Pol and Tom Snoeckx. The aim of the trip was to enjoy some good winter birding and try for a number of regional specialities and for me personally a few birds I had not seen on my trip to Israel so many years ago.

The Sultanate of Oman, one of the most attractive, unspoilt and safe countries in the Middle East, was comparatively unknown to birdwatchers until just a few years ago. However a quick look at a map of this region reveals that the avifauna is exceptionally diverse, reflecting the influences of Africa and Asia in addition to some Arabian specialists and a wealth of Palearctic migrants, many of which stay to winter rather than moving further south in Africa. Oman has excellent birding potential and a superb site guide and it may well be on some birders "hit" lists for the future. There are just over 85 resident birds living in Oman all year round, while the majority are "migratory" birds which visit the country only at certain times of the year.

A long time ago I visited Israel and most of the birds seen then, I did see on this trip. Nowadays Oman also offers absolutely fantastic Palearctic birding in an easy-going atmosphere that makes birding travel sheer pleasure and I would say Oman is the “New Israel”.

If one is especially interested in raptors, you can find here the largest selection. Most eagles for example, from Greater Spotted to Imperial, are present in winter. Oman offers also much for those interested in Western Palearctic birds such as a variety of raptors, gulls, terns, waders and pipits. No less than 61 species of waders and 18 species of terns have been observed! A lot of difficult or rare species of the Western Palearctic are common here in winter or during migration. To this, Dhofar specialties add even more interest.

Sure enough we found birds galore almost at every turn. Many are widespread Oman species such as Western Reef-Heron, Desert Wheatear, Graceful Prinia and Brown-necked Raven. Some, such as Persian Shearwater, Jouanin’s Petrel, Hypocolius and Hume’s Wheatear are scarce or difficult to see elsewhere in Arabia.

FLIGHT AND VISA

The easiest way nowadays to get to Oman is to book a package holiday (Salalah). At the time we booked our flights there were no package deals and we flew with Swissair on a regular flight to Muscat.

We travelled to Oman via Brussels, Zurich and Dubai (Emirates). The flying time was roughly five and a half

hours to Dubai, a 45 minutes stop and then 35 minutes on to Oman. We paid € 750, -- for the flight.

Getting the visa at Seeb airport is very easy. At the arrival you are queued to an exchange office where you directly pay 7.50 Oman Riyal for the Visa (and change money if you like). With the payment receipt you go to the nearby immigration counters where you get the one month valid visa on the passport.

The time difference with Western Europe was three hours.

MONEY

The official currency of Oman is the Riyal Omani. The exchange rate at the airport was 1 Riyal to €1.95.

ACCOMMODATION

Along the Batinah plain and in the Dhofar region there are many hotels and the standard of these hotels is generally quite good. However the motel at Al Hij near Barr al Hikman is very basic.

FOOD AND DRINK

Many birdwatchers rule out third world destinations as options for holidays fearing strange food, language barriers, sickness, bugs, galore and intense heat. They needn’t have any such reservations about Oman however.

Bottled mineral water is widely available, stick to this and bottled soft drinks. The food, Western as well as Indian, is excellent and of a high standard. Very few tourists report any illness in Oman.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Oman has a low incidence of serious crime. Petty crime, such as burglaries and theft, occur occasionally against tourists. The people in Oman are very friendly, easy going and helpful. They smile and greet you and almost without exception respond to a greeting or smile.

For vaccinations consult your own doctor for up to date advice. Generally you should be immunised or “topped up” against hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, Typhoid and Polio.

LANGUAGE

The official language in Oman is Arabic, however nearly everywhere English will get you through. English is used alongside Arabic in publications, road signs etc.

WEATHER

Oman is hot from May to September with maximum daily temperatures around or even above 40°C. The capital, Muscat, lying on the line of Capricorn is said to be the hottest capital in the world with summer temperatures approaching 50°C in the shade. However, from December through February the weather is 25°C in the daytime, 15°C at night. Usually the sun shines from a clear sky, but the winter months can bring a few quick showers which are much needed and looked forward to.

The temperature in Salalah, the capital of the southern region, is usually 10-15°C cooler than Muscat at this time of the year. Most birders visit Oman between November and March, which is the cooler half of the year. When we were in Oman, it didn’t rain at all and it was warm, around. It is best to do as much birding in the early morning and evening as possible as many species are less active in the heat of the day.

EQUIPMENT

An iPod and the bird call sets of “Die Vogelstimmen Europas, Nordafrikas und Vorasiens” by Andreas Schulze can be useful for drawing in birds. A good torch is a must. A telescope is useful at lakes and very useful for viewing canopy species especially from roadsides. Photography is NOT difficult, as birds are easy to approach and light conditions are good.

TRANSPORT AND ROADS

Road conditions in Oman vary, but are generally good, although there are some interesting experiences on desert tracks and in the Dhofar Mountains. Traffic can be heavy in the Muscat area, outside the capital the roads are fairly empty and getting around is straightforward. We had hired two 4x4s (Toyota Landcruiser).

ENGLISH NAMES

I have decided to follow the English names of James F. Clements (Birds of the World, A Check List, Sixth Edition, 2007).

SOFTWARE

BIRDBASE & BIRDAREA

I use this software to keep track of the birds I have seen and to make lists of any country, labelling endemics and birds previously seen in that country, outside it, or both. BirdArea can produce checklists of the birds of any country of Clements’ world birds.

COMMON BIRDSPECIES

The following list of birds we saw frequently and if you spend any sort of time in the right habitats you will too:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Western Reef-Heron, Cattle Egret, Greater Flamingo, Osprey, Western Marsh-Harrier, Steppe Eagle, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Eurasian Curlew, Common Greenshank, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Great Crested-Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Indian Roller, Crested Lark, Rock Martin, White Wagtail, White-spectacled Bulbul, Desert Wheatear, House Crow, Brown-necked Raven, House Sparrow.

For a detailed report of species and numbers please refer to the systematic list at the end of this report.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Tom Snoeckx for organizing this trip in cooperation with Vision International LLC.
Thanks are also due to Pierre Adriaensen who was very generous in passing on very useful first hand information.

REFERENCES

BOOKS

James F. Clements. Birds of the World. A Check List.
Stanley Cramp et al. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.
P.A.D. Hollom, R.F. Porter, S. Christensen, Ian Willis. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa.
Hanne & Jens Eriksen, Panadda & Dave E. Sargeant. Birdwatching Guide to Oman.
R.F. Porter, S. Christensen, P. Schiermacker-Hansen. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East.
Michael Walters. Complete Checklist. Vogels van de Wereld.
Nigel Wheatley. Where to watch birds in Asia.
The excellent “Birdwatching Guide to Oman” by Hanne & and Jens Eriksen et al. (and the internet updates at "http://www.birdsoman.com") is a must for information about birding sites and background.
The reference mostly used was “Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East” by R.F. Porter et al. which covers all birds in the area and which is very good.

REPORTS

Ernesto G. Occhiato. Oman, 22 November-11 December 2006.

SOFTWARE

BIRDBASE & BIRDAREA

I use this software to keep track of the birds I have seen and to make lists of any country, labelling endemics and birds previously seen in that country, outside it, or both. BirdArea can produce checklists of the birds of any country of Clements’ world birds.

ITINERARY

January 19        Chaam * Turnhout * Brussels * Zurich * Dubai * Muscat
January 20        Muscat * Al Qurm Park * Al Amerat * Sunub Waste Disposal Site * Al Ansab Lagoons * Muscat
January 21        Muscat * Sawaqm * Qurayyat * Muscat
January 22        Muscat * Ras as Sawadi * Sohar Sun Farms * Sohar
January 23        Sohar * Liwa * Khawr Sallan * Sohar Sun Farms * Sohar
January 24        Sohar * Liwa * Sayq Plateau
January 25        Sayq Plateau * Al Hij (Mahout) * Barr al Hikman * Al Hij
January 26        Al Hij * Barr al Hikman * Al Hij
January 27        Al Hij * Ad Duqm * Empty Quarter * Muntasar * Qitbit
January 28        Qitbit * Muntasar * Qitbit * Al Beed Farm * Thumrayt Waste Disposal Site * Salalah
January 29        Salalah * Ayn Hamran * Tawi Atayr * Wadi Darbat * Khawr Rawri * Salalah
January 30        Salalah * Ras Mirbat * Khawr Rawri * Khawr Taqah * Khawr Sawli * Ayn Hamran * Salalah
January 31        Salalah * West Khawr * Salalah Waste Disposal Site * Salalah Water Treatment Site * Al Maghsayl * Salalah
February 1        Salalah * Jarziz Farm * East Khawr * Salalah * Muscat
February 2        Muscat * Dubai * Zurich * Brussels * Turnhout * Chaam (The Netherlands)

THE SITES

Hanne & Jens Eriksen’s birdwatching guide is an excellent and essential guide to all the bird sites. So the notes on the sites are only an update.

AL ANSAB LAGOONS (site 1.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: A hotel in Muscat. We slept at Sew Buring’s apartment.

The lagoons have been actually fenced and the sewage plants have expanded up to in front of the lagoons. All roads to the lagoons are now paved. We visited the site and we birded a little outside the fence, where the water was barely visible. In my opinion it is not worthwhile anymore to make a visit to this site.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Western Marsh-Harrier, Common Moorhen.

AL QURM PARK (site 1.2 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: A hotel in Muscat. We slept at Sew Buring’s apartment.

A tropical storm smashed into Oman in June 2007 and there were still scenes of utter devastation visible when we visited the park. We had to stay on the outside of the park, because we were not allowed to enter the park.

The park contains a mixture of open water, scrub, mangrove and beach habitats.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Eared Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Greater White-fronted Goose, Mallard, Western Marsh-Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Black-winged Stilt, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pacific Golden-Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Greater Sandplover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Little Stilt, Dunlin, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Laughing Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Pallid Swift, Green Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Crested Lark, White-spectacled Bulbul, White-eared Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, PLAIN LEAF-WARBLER, Lesser Whitethroat, Northern Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Arabian Babbler, Purple Sunbird, Rufous-tailed Shrike, House Crow, Common Myna, House Sparrow, White-throated Munia.

AL AMERAT WASTE DISPOSAL SITE

Accommodation: A hotel in Muscat. We slept at Sew Buring’s apartment.

The Sunub Waste Disposal Site (site 1.3) is now closed. No waste is being dumped and hardly any birds were present when we visited this place.

However the Al Amerat rubbish dump near the capital is a haven for close-ups of raptors. Large numbers of eagles (Imperial, Greater Spotted, Steppe), Egyptian Vulture and Lappet-faced Vulture are always present at this smelly place.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Laughing Dove, Green Bee-eater, Rock Martin, White Wagtail, Graceful Prinia, Hume’s Wheatear, Brown-necked Raven, House Sparrow.

QURAYYAT (site 3.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: A hotel in Muscat. We slept at Sew Buring’s apartment.

We spent all day south from Muscat towards Qurayyat, a small fishing town on the east coast. The road south crosses many wadis en route offering interesting stops. The varied habitats around Qurayyat, from extensive tree-covered plains, through scrub and farmland to coastal sand bars and tidal creeks can produce a sizable species tally.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Western Reef-Heron, BLACK STORK, Eurasian Spoonbill, Osprey, Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Barbary Falcon, Grey Francolin, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pacific Golden-Plover, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Greater Sandplover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Curlew Sandpiper, Sooty Gull,

Caspian Gull, Steppe Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Rock Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Common Kingfisher, Green Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, ASHY-CROWNED SPARROW-LARK, Crested Lark, White Wagtail, White-spectacled Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Menetries’ Warbler, Black Redstart, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Purple Sunbird, LONG-TAILED SHRIKE, House Crow, Common Myna, House Sparrow, White-throated Munia.

Sawaqm:

Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Namaqua Dove, Common Kingfisher, Rock Martin, White-spectacled Bulbul, Hume’s Wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Rusty-tailed Wheatear, Brown-necked Raven, House Bunting.

RAS AS SAWADI (site 2.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Al Wadi Hotel in Sohar.

An easily reached site en route to the Sohar Sun Farms.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Western Reef-Heron, Grey Francolin, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Lesser Sandplover, Common Greenshank, Sooty Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Crested-Tern, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Green Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Tawny Pipit, Asian Desert Warbler, Arabian Babbler, Purple Sunbird, Southern Grey Shrike, House Sparrow.

SOHAR SUN FARMS (site 2.2 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Al Wadi Hotel in Sohar.

This is a privately managed, but government owned business, growing grass and alfalfa for cows, which are kept in large, open-sided sheds. The extensive grasslands provide a perfect stopover or wintering ground for a multitude of migratory and resident birds.

Sohar Sun Farms was something of disappointment since large areas were dry and only a few fields were green and being watered and of course the fact that we dipped Sociable and White-tailed Lapwing.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Short-toed Eagle, Western Marsh-Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Greater Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Grey Francolin, Black-winged Stilt, Cream-coloured Courser, Red-wattled Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Snowy Plover, Jack Snipe, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Tern, Black Tern, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Namaqua Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Pallid Swift, Green Bee-eater, Indian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Bimaculated Lark, Crested Lark, Rock Martin, Barn Swallow, White Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Richard’s Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Water Pipit, White-spectacled Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Small Whitethroat, Asian Desert Warbler, Siberian Stonechat, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Steppe Shrike, Purple Sunbird, House Crow, Common Myna, House Sparrow, White-throated Munia.

LIWA (site 2.4 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Al Wadi Hotel in Sohar.

The small mangrove stand at Liwa is situated on the Batinah coast. This is an area of mangroves and beach and one can find here the extremely localized and threatened kalbaensis form of the COLLARED KINGFISHER and SYKES’ WARBLER (split from Booted Warbler).

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Indian Pond-Heron, Western Reef-Heron, Mallard, Osprey, Pacific Golden-Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Pomarine Jaeger, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Crested-Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Common Kingfisher, COLLARED KINGFISHER, Barn Swallow, White-eared Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, SYKES’ WARBLER, Rufous-tailed Shrike, House Crow, Common Myna.

AYQ PLATEAU (site 4.3 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Al Jabal al Akhdar Hotel.

The Sayq Plateau is an undulating highland plain, located in the central Jebel Akhdar Mountains of Oman. At an altitude of around 2000 metres, and surrounded by even higher peaks, it provides a great escape from the summer heat.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Steppe Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Grey Francolin, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Common Wood-Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Indian Roller, Desert Lark, Rock Martin, Long-billed Pipit, White-spectacled Bulbul, Blue Rock-Thrush, Streaked Scrub-Warbler, PLAIN LEAF-WARBLER, Lesser Whitethroat, Black Redstart, Hume’s Wheatear, Rusty-tailed Wheatear, Arabian Babbler, Brown-necked Raven, House Sparrow.

BARR AL HIKMAN (site 8.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Muhoot Motel in Al Hij (Mahout).

Barr al Hikman is a large peninsula on the east coast of Oman, the greatest and yet least-known waterbird spectacle in the entire Middle East and is the most important wintering place for shorebirds in Oman. This sandy peninsula projecting in the Arabian Sea is the centre of a complex of tidal mudflats that holds hundreds of thousands of shorebirds.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Northern Pintail, Osprey, Western Marsh-Harrier, Grey Francolin, CRAB PLOVER, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pacific Golden-Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Greater Sandplover, Caspian Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, GREAT KNOT, Sanderling, Little Stilt, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER, Pomarine Jaeger, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Saunders’ Tern, Laughing Dove, Common Kingfisher, Indian Roller, Desert Lark, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Tawny Pipit, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Asian Desert Warbler, Desert Wheatear, Brown-necked Raven.

AD DUQM (site 9.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

No accommodation.

Massive construction is underway for a deep sea harbour at Ras Ad Duqm, but the best birdwatching sites seem unaffected.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Greater Flamingo, Osprey, CRAB PLOVER, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pied Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Terek Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested-Tern, Sandwich Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Brown-necked Raven.

MUNTASAR & GARDEN QITBIT HOTEL (site 7.3 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Accommodation: Qitbit Hotel.

The guesthouse garden of the hotel is worthwhile a visit, but the main attraction is the Muntasar spring, where hundreds of sandgrouse can be seen drinking from the sulphurous water. The last few years there is a small wintering population of HYPOCOLIUS at Muntasar. Up to four birds have been seen regularly during the last few winters.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Cattle Egret, Lesser White-fronted Goose (dead), Green Sandpiper, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Spotted Sandgrouse, Crowned Sandgrouse, Common Wood-Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Indian Roller, DUNN’S LARK, Barn Swallow, Water Pipit, HYPOCOLIUS, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Menetries’ Warbler, Bluethroat, Siberian Stonechat, White-breasted White-eye, Southern Grey Shrike, House Sparrow.

AL BEED FARM (site 7.5 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

No accommodation.

Birds seen here during our trip:

Western Marsh-Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Kestrel, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Indian Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Southern Grey Shrike.

DHOFAR REGION

Accommodation: A hotel in Salalah. We slept in the Salalah Beach Villas.

The southern region of Dhofar is much more African in its fauna and the birdlife contrasts quite strongly with that found in the rest of the country. The summer monsoon transfers the barren hills into lush grasslands and tropical valleys. Although there are no permanent watercourses in Dhofar, during the monsoon great waterfalls tumble over limestone cliffs into the sea several hundred feet below, and springs such as those at Ayn Razat and Ayn Jarsis bubble with freshwater. Pools remain in many of the wadi beds long after water has ceased to flow, and, some, such as Wadi Darbat, contain a constant supply of water for resident and passing wildlife.

Where wadis reach the sea, lagoons, or khawrs, form along the coast, acting as a focal point for wildlife, especially birds. Some of the more spectacular birds to frequent Oman are to be found in khawrs.

Salalah, on the edge of the Arabian Sea, is the ideal place to base yourselves for a few days, while visiting this area. Swathes of tall coconut palms along the coast and extensive drought-deciduous forest on the nearby mountain slopes are indicators of monsoon rainfall influence in this region in the summer months. There is a distinctly Afro tropical element to the bird life in this area, as evidenced by the presence of birds such as Rueppell's Weaver, African Silverbill and the extraordinarily flamboyant African Paradise Flycatcher. 

The fog-affected escarpments of Dhofar have the highest number of endemic species and some of the most species-rich habitats in Oman.

JARZIZ FARM (site 10.1 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen here during our trip:

Western Marsh-Harrier, Eurasian Buzzard, Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Laughing Dove, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Barn Owl, Indian Roller, SINGING BUSH-LARK, Crested Lark, Rock Martin, Barn Swallow, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Pipit, Long-billed Pipit, Water Pipit, White-spectacled Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Blackstart, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, White-breasted White-eye, Tristram’s Starling, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill.

AYN HAMRAN (site 10.4 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen here during our trip:

Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Greater Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, VERREAUX’S EAGLE, Eurasian Kestrel, ARABIAN PARTRIDGE, Laughing Dove, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Eurasian Hoopoe, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, White-spectacled Bulbul, Graceful Prinia, Plain Leaf-Warbler, Red Sea Warbler, Blackstart, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Palestine Sunbird, Shining Sunbird, Fan-tailed Raven, Tristram’s Starling, Rueppell’s Weaver, African Silverbill, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

WADI DARBAT (site 10.8 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen here during our trip:

Little Grebe, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Mallard, Garganey, Eurasian Griffon, Western Marsh-Harrier, Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Booted Eagle, ARABIAN PARTRIDGE, Common Moorhen, Common Sandpiper, Laughing Dove, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Eurasian Hoopoe, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Long-billed Pipit, White-spectacled Bulbul, Song Thrush, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Bluethroat, African Paradise-Flycatcher, SOUTH ARABIAN WHEATEAR, Rufous-tailed Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Tristram’s Starling.

TAWI ATAYR (site 10.9 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen here during our trip:

Eurasian Griffon, Lappet-faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Rock Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Rock Martin, Crested Lark, Long-billed Pipit, Richard’s Pipit, Tree Pipit, Lesser Whitethroat, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Isabelline Wheatear, Blackstart, SOUTH ARABIAN WHEATEAR, Palestine Sunbird, White-breasted White-eye, Fan-tailed Raven, Tristram’s Starling, Rueppell’s Weaver, YEMEN SERIN, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

RAS MIRBAT (site 10.11 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen here during our trip:

JOUANIN’S PETREL, PERSIAN SHEARWATER, Masked Booby, SOCOTRA CORMORANT, Western Reef-Heron, Osprey, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Eurasian Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Great Crested-Tern

THE KHAWRS

The coastline in Dhofar is interrupted in several places by tidal lagoons (khawrs) which are very good for shorebirds, gulls and terns. A series of natural lagoons or 'khawrs' both east and west of Salalah host an abundance of birds at this time of year. Indian Pond Heron, Glossy Ibis, and Pheasant-tailed Jacana are common, while careful checking should produce Intermediate Egret, Cotton Teal, Baillon's Crake, Pintail Snipe, Long-toed Stint and Steppe Shrike.

EAST KHAWR (site 10.2 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Masked Booby, Brown Booby, Socotra Cormorant, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Osprey, Short-toed Eagle, Western Marsh-Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Booted Eagle, Eurasian Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Common Ringed Plover, Snowy Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Dunlin, Ruff, Sooty Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested-Tern, Great Crested-Tern, Whiskered Tern.

KHAWR SAWLI (site 10.5 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Western Marsh-Harrier, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Coot, Red-wattled Lapwing, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Barn Swallow, Bluethroat, Palestine Sunbird, Tristram’s Starling.

KHAWR TAQAH (site 10.6 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Indian Pond-Heron, Western Marsh-Harrier, Imperial Eagle, Booted Eagle, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Bluethroat, Desert Wheatear, Southern Grey Shrike.

KHAWR RAWRI (site 10.7 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Indian Pond-Heron, Cattle Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Little Bittern, Black Stork, Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Osprey, Western Marsh-Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, ARABIAN PARTRIDGE, Little Crake, Baillon’s Crake, Common Moorhen, Black-winged Stilt, Pintail Snipe, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Red-necked Stint, Gull-billed Tern, Crested Lark, Rock Martin, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Desert Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Shrike.

WEST KHAWR (site 10.14 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Greater White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Osprey, Short-toed Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Booted Eagle, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Green Bee-eater, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Rufous-tailed Shrike, Tristram’s Starling

AL MAGHSAYL (site 10.15 “Birdwatching Guide to Oman”)

Birds seen during our trip:

Masked Booby, Brown Booby, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Squacco Heron, Western Reef-Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Red-crested Pochard, Osprey, Imperial Eagle, Sand Partridge, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Pacific Golden-Plover, Snowy Plover, Common Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Sanderling, Little Stint, Sooty Gull, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Egyptian Nightjar, White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, White-spectacled Bulbul, Isabelline Wheatear, Blackstart, Fan-tailed Raven.

DAILY LOG

Saturday 19 January

Our trip started with a Swissair flight from Brussels via Zurich and Dubai to Muscat. Our flight touched down at Seeb International Airport in Muscat around 23.00 hours local time (3 hours time difference with the Netherlands).

Each of us brought a bottle of booze and could have brought more, because the Omani didn't check it.

The airport was fairly quick to get through and the transfer by mini-bus to Siw Buring’s penthouse in a high building, took around ½ hour.

Sunday 20 January

After far too little sleep we eagerly set off the next morning. The trip got off to start at Al Qurm Park near Muscat (Qurm means mangrove). In early June last year northern Oman was hit by Cyclone Gonu, the worst storm to hit Oman for 30 years. It caused massive damage along the northern coast from Ras al Hadd to Musandam including Muscat.

Roads and bridges were washed away and at least 50 people were killed. Much of the park was washed away, but we managed to find some interesting species like Eared Grebe, Glossy Ibis, White-fronted Goose, Greater Spotted Eagle, a variety of waders amongst them Pacific Golden-Plover and Terek Sandpiper, White-eared Bulbul, Arabian Babbler and Purple Sunbird. We also had good views of the rather Goldcrest-like Plain Leaf-Warbler, here at the south-western limits of their world distribution. This small bird was constantly on the move, fidgety and had a characteristic sparrow-like call.

Dumps are a sadly inevitable part of birding, but El Amerat dump was excellent with numerous Egyptian Vultures sorting through the dump, joined by small numbers of Lappet-faced Vultures, Steppe Eagles, Imperial Eagles and Greater Spotted Eagles. Brown-necked Ravens had also joined the party and we also saw our first Hume’s Wheatear on the rocky slopes.

Hereafter we headed to the closed Sunub dump, where we saw few birds, but amongst them Rusty-tailed Wheatear, Blackstart and the semirufus form of Black Redstart.

Our visit to the Ala Ansab Lagoons was a complete waste of time, because there had been a fence constructed around the whole area and access was not possible. We also saw here the attractive fulvescens form of Greater Spotted Eagle. This form is a colour phase of immature birds and not a different race.

We had a fine dinner at the Golden Spoon near Siw’s apartment.

Monday 21 January

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast we headed south from Muscat towards Qurayyat, a small fishing town on the east coast. The traffic in Muscat was awful. Outside Muscat, the scenery soon began to change as we first crossed an area of gently undulating low hills, before skirting the base of the high and majestic Al Hajar Mountains. The road south crossed many wadis en route and we made a stop at Sawaqm, where we made a short stroll. At our first stop we were watching Namaqua Dove, Common Kingfisher, Rock Martin, Hume’s & Rusty-tailed Wheatear and House Bunting.

We made a stop near Qurayyat harbour that produced our first Lesser Crested-Terns, Great Black-headed Gulls and also presented an opportunity to study the large white-headed gulls, which seem to be comprised of both Caspian and Steppe. The varied habitats around Qurayyat, from extensive tree-covered plains, through scrub and farmland to coastal sand bars and tidal creeks produced a sizable species tally, which included Squacco Heron, Black Stork (vagrant in Oman), Barbary Falcon, many waders, Grey Francolin, Graceful Prinia, Small Whitethroat, Menetries’ Warbler, Desert Wheatear and White-throated Munia.

At the last site we visited in the Qurayyat area we had excellent views of a Long-tailed Shrike and were able to make some photographs of this “Indian” species.

We also saw here what we thought was our first Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark. The bird looked a bit strange compared with the pictures in our books and we thought it must be an immature bird. However in the “Handbook of the Birds of The World” I read that there is a rare form where the black pattern on the head is replaced by dark brown. We had some trouble finding our way back in Muscat and the traffic in Muscat again was horrible.

Tuesday 22 January

Next morning we set off fairly early in the bright sunshine heading north along the Al Batinah coast towards Sohar. We stopped at Ras as Sawadi, a low-lying sandy peninsula. We made a stroll in the woodland and a wealth of species here quickly expanded our list and birds included Tawny Pipit, Asian Desert Warbler and Southern Grey

Shrike. A good mix of waders, gulls and terns was present in the area but they were the same ones we had seen yesterday.

Hereafter we headed to Sohar, the second largest town in Northern Oman. In Sohar we stopped at the area’s largest dairy farm complex, Sun Farms. We had no trouble entering this privately managed, but government owned business. The smell around the large open-sided sheds was awful, but the birds did not seem to mind.

There was plenty to look at, especially at the sewage pools just beside the cattle sheds. Here we had the opportunity to study Whiskered and White-winged Terns side-by-side. The farm was a hive of activity and held a wealth of birds amongst them Greater Flamingo, Pintail Snipe, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, White Wagtail (subspecies personata, Masked Wagtail amongst them), Citrine Wagtail, Grey Wagtail and many Yellow Wagtails with subspecies beema, thunbergi and feldegg, the last race being particularly numerous. The wagtails seem to favour the area around the foul-smelling ponds.

After lunch near the fly-infested cattle pens we explored the grasslands of the farm. The grasslands are more like a series of vast circular meadows irrigated by large rotating gantries. There was quite a respectable presence of birds on the freshly cut rice-grass, mostly an assortment of Yellow Wagtails but also smaller numbers of Red-throated Pipits and a group of Cream-coloured Coursers.

A good number of raptors were visible, particularly Pallid and Western Marsh-Harrier, Steppe, Imperial and Greater Spotted Eagles, Eurasian Kestrel and a Peregrine. Other birds of note included Siberian Stonechat, Asian Desert Warbler and Bimaculated Lark

At 18.00 hours we checked into the luxurious Al Wadi Hotel on the outskirts of Sohar, where we had dinner and could drink a few ice-cold beers, a very important item on a hot day like this.

Wednesday 23 January

Next morning we awoke to overcast skies and rather cooler temperatures. We set off to an area of mangroves and beach to the north of the village of Liwa.

We explored the area and only Marc and Michel saw the extremely localized and threatened kalbaensis form of the Collared Kingfisher.

The rest of us stayed a long time at the spot where the two lucky ones had seen and photographed the kingfisher, but to no avail. Amongst the other birds seen here were Black-bellied Plover, Pomarine Jaeger offshore, Common Kingfisher, Sykes’ Warbler (split from Booted) and Rufous-tailed Shrike.

From here we headed to Khawr Sallan, a lagoon close to our hotel. We saw much the same as we had seen at Liwa and Qurayyat, although after a long debate Saunder’s Tern and Common Tern were added to our list.

We finished the day by returning to the Sohar Sun Farms and had another look at the Cream-coloured Coursers and additional species here were our first Short-toed Eagle perched on an irrigation gantry, Jack Snipe, a group of Namaqua Doves, Richard’s Pipit and Steppe Shrike.

A bit disappointed we returned to our hotel, because we had not seen the hoped for White-tailed and Sociable Lapwing.

Thursday 24 January

The break of dawn found the eight of us again alongside the mangroves near Liwa, hoping to see the Collared Kingfisher. Amongst the bird seen were Purple Heron, Mallard, Osprey, Steppe Gull and many shorebirds but no Collared Kingfisher of course.

From here we proceeded towards the Al Jabal al Hajar, a long mountain range. After a few hours we reached the Sayq Plateau, a unique environment with a much cooler climate and wonderful scenery.

We made a stop at Al Manakhir and made a stroll in the wadi, where we found Lesser Whitethroat and a flock of Arabian Babblers. Overhead soared two Lappet-faced Vultures.

We made a stroll on the plateau (2,450m), where it was much cooler than on the coast. Enjoying the magnificent scenery of the Jabal al Akhdar with its cypress and olive trees we found Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Common Wood-Pigeon, Streaked Scrub-Warbler, Black Redstart and Hume’s Wheatear.

We checked into the luxurious Al Jabal al Akhdar Hotel.

Friday 25 January

Early next morning found us exploring the area in the vicinity of the hotel. A wonderfully cool 100 C or even lower was a welcome relief from the heat of the lowlands, although I felt positively cold. The stroll here provided some good birding, where the highlights included Grey Francolin, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Desert Lark, Long-billed Pipit, Blue Rock-Thrush, Plain Leaf-Warbler, Hume’s Wheatear, Rusty-tailed Wheatear and Arabian Babbler.

Michel got himself in trouble when he climbed over a fence and entered a private area. The owner was not amused and threatened to call the police.

We tore ourselves away from the plateau for the long drive southeast to the desert town of Al Hij. Michel sweat a bit when we arrived at the checkpoint, but nothing happened. The long drive to Al Hij didn’t allow for very much birding along the way. It was very warm on the coast when we arrived in the remote desert town of Al Hij, where we booked rooms in the shabby Muhoot Motel.

We then headed off to Barr al Hikman in the Flim area and here were waders in abundance. We sifted through thousands of waders and we scored with 25 Crab Plovers stalking the mudflats and obtained excellent views of three Great Knots. These mudflats produced a great diversity of waders including excellent close-range studies of Pacific Golden-Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Spotted and Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper. I had simply never seen such an abundance of shorebirds before providing us with marvellous photographic opportunities.

Amongst the other birds we did see here were Eurasian Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Common Shelduck, Osprey, Western Marsh-Harrier, Caspian Gull, Heuglin’s Gull and Saunder’s Tern.

At 18.30 we headed back to Al Hij, where we had dinner outside the motel. They did not sell beer here and we had to take a bottle from our ample supply of rum.

Saturday 26 January

An early start the following day ensured that we were by dawn at Barr al Hikman. It was low tide and nearly all the waders were small dots as far as the eye could see across the endless mudflats. We decided to drive along the coast into the desert and the only tracks in the area were those left by the local fishermen on the sabkha, a mixture of sand, salt and mud, which is hard when dry, but very soft when wet. We made a stop when we spotted a Greater Hoopoe-Lark and made a stroll into the desert finding Desert Larks looking very differently form the ones on the Sayq Plateau, Asian Desert Warbler and Isabelline Wheatear.

Hereafter we returned to Barr al Hikman and spent the rest of the day there. The gathering of waders included 10 Broad-billed Sandpipers, still showing a distinctly striped head-pattern even in non-breeding plumage.

We had a great day here seeing many waterbirds including Northern Pintail, Crab Plover, Lesser and Great Sandplover, the rare Caspian Plover, Marsh Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Great Knot, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Saunder’s Tern and Clamorous Reed-Warbler.

Sunday 27 January

Today we had a long drive ahead of us through the desert and into the interior into the Rub al-Khali or “Empty Quarter”. We made a short stop at Ad Duqm, where a lot of people with trucks and machines were building a deep sea harbour. The birds did not seem to mind and here also the vista of waders dotted almost as far as the eye could see.

The birds were nearly the same as at Barr al Hikman, but we saw here our first and only Pied Avocets of the trip.

Then began our longest journey of the trip along the edge of the Jaaluni Oryx Reserve into the Empty Quarter, where individual mountains of sand rise from a flat desert and stretch endlessly across the border into Saudi Arabia.

We made a few stops en route seeing Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark and South Arabian Wheatear.

In the late afternoon we arrived at the lonely Muntasar oasis in Wadi Mughsin, usually a favourite drinking spot for sandgrouse. After sitting in the car for much of the day it was a pleasure to get out and walk around.

At the sulphurous spring we saw a lonely Green Sandpiper and Water Pipit and we also found here a few dead Greater White-fronted Geese. We then walked to the date palms, where only a few weeks ago Pierre Adriaensen had seen the Hypocolius. I was surprised how hard they were to find, and how shy, skulking deep in leafy cover. It took us almost an hour before we had good views of this enigmatic species, of course the highlight of the day. The support cast included Crested Lark, White-spectacled Bulbul, Common Chiffchaff, Southern Grey Shrike and Brown-necked Raven.

It was almost dark, when we headed across the desert to the nearby Qitbit Hotel. We stayed at the hotel overnight and the rooms were more than adequate. The Indian staff was very friendly and apt to help birders find their way around.

Monday 28 January

A new morning drew us again to Muntasar, but first we made a stroll in the garden of the hotel, where in the past some rare birds had been seen. Amongst the birds seen were Common Wood-Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Indian Roller, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Menetries’ Warbler, Bluethroat, Southern Grey Shrike and House Sparrow.

Marc had brief looks of what he thought was a Red-breasted Flycatcher.

While waiting for the sandgrouse near the pools, we again saw the ♂ and 2 ♀♀ Hypocolius in the top of a tree and also a group of White-breasted White-eyes. It took some time before the sandgrouse arrived. Most of them were Spotted Sandgrouse, but we also saw 2 Chestnut-bellied and a single Crowned Sandgrouse. Best of all however was a Dunn’s Lark, a difficult to find bird in Oman, which unfortunately only gave a tantalizingly brief glimpse to me in my telescope.

We then headed southwards and made a stop at the Al Beed Farm, a farming project that act as a large green magnet for migrating birds. Birds here were few, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Isabelline Wheatear were seen, but is was a bit disappointing.

We then proceeded our journey southwards stopping at Wadi Rabi and the Thumrayt disposal site.

At the wadi we saw our first Shining Sunbird and not much else and at Thumrayt were at least 75 Steppe Eagles and a few Greater Spotted Eagles, South Arabian Wheatear and a Blackstart.

At 18.30 hours we finally arrived in the capital of the southern region of Dhofar, Salalah, known throughout Arabia as 'The Garden City'. We got completely lost in Salalah and after that a helpful Omani brought us to the “Pizza House” instead of the “Beach House”, we asked a taxi driver the way to our hotel. Eventually the taxi guided us to the Salalah Beach Villages on the eastside of town, our base for the next four nights. We had a nice beer and dinner at the nearby luxurious Crowned Plaza Hotel.

Tuesday 29 January

Perhaps the birdiest area in Oman is the far southeast, called, by Omanis, the "Dhofar". It is named for the small mountain range that runs nearly east to west, along a small gulf, bordering Yemen. The next 4 days we spent our time in this area.

The Indian Ocean here was beautiful. The water was perfect and the beaches don't get any whiter than these down here. A seawatch from our hotel turned up a few Masked Boobies, a single Brown Booby and we also spotted a few Indo-Pacific Bottle-nosed Dolphins. On the beach were many waders amongst them Pacific Golden-Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Sanderling and Dunlin. Hereafter we headed to Ayn Hamran, the premier birding site in the province.

Ayn means spring in Arabic and this spring enables some quite substantial trees to flourish. The impressive cliff facade is magnificent and we had a great morning here. An exotic mix of species at Ayn Hamran included Arabian Partridge, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Grey Wagtail, Red Sea (Arabian) Warbler, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Palestine & Shining Sunbird, Tristram’s Starling, Rueppell’s Weaver and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

The Dhofar Mountains are also a raptor paradise and this morning we recorded above the escarpment Egyptian Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle and best of all a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles.

Our next goal was Tawi Atayr, a huge limestone sinkhole, the only known breeding site in Oman for our main priority here, the Arabian-endemic Yemen Serin. It took quite some time but we all managed reasonable scope views of a few birds. We also had great views and photos of the resident pair of Bonelli’s Eagles. All the time raptors were soaring above our heads amongst them Griffon Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Imperial Eagle and Common Kestrel. Other birds of note here were Long-billed Pipit, Richard’s Pipit, Tree Pipit, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Blackstart, South Arabian Wheatear, flocks of White-breasted White-eyes, Fan-tailed Raven and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

Hereafter we headed to Wadi Darbat, where we had lunch. A long stroll here added Little Grebe, Garganey, Booted Eagle and Song Thrush to our trip list.

The last site of the day was Khawr Rawri and it took one of the Toyota Land Cruisers a very long time to find this site.

En route to the lagoon we saw a group of 10 Black Storks, supposedly a rare vagrant to Oman.

At the lagoon we had great views of a Little Crake. Other birds of note were Eurasian Spoonbill, Northern Pintail and Northern Shoveler. Hereafter we returned to Salalah, where we drank some coldies at the Crowned Plaza Hotel.

Wednesday 30 January

A seawatch from the rocky coastline at Ras Mirbat next morning turned up plenty of Persian Shearwaters and small numbers of the poorly-known Jouanin’s Petrels and Masked Boobies, as well as a group of Socotra Cormorants.

Here we also saw great numbers of huge Green Sea Turtles.

We then headed to Khawr Rawri, where we again had good views of the Little Crake. Other birds of note we did see here were Indian Pond-Heron, Little Bittern, Pintail Snipe and Ruff. Vital tried to make a photograph of a shepherdess, but was lucky not to get hurt by the large stones she threw at him!

However, the undoubted highlight of the day were two Red-throated Stints, perhaps our highest ornithological prize on this trip, the first record for Oman, if accepted.

Hereafter we visited two other lagoons Khawr Sawli and Khawr Taqah, but here were no other interesting birds seen, although we saw in one tree more than 10 Palestine Sunbirds.

The last hours of the day we spent at Ayn Hamran, hoping to see Egyptian Nightjar. I played my iPod a few times, but the nightjars did not respond. Disappointed we returned to the Salalah Beach Villages.

While having dinner at the hotel, large Egyptian Rousettes drank from the water from the swimming pool.

Thursday 31 January

As usual, a good mix of waders, gulls and terns was present along the beach and Marc thought he saw a distant Bridled Tern but he was not sure. At almost any point where we stopped along the miles of sandy beach during our stay in Dhofar were gatherings of Sooty Gulls and, predominantly, Heuglin's Gulls. Less numerous, but still quite easy to see were Gull-billed and Caspian Terns. 

Our first stop was at the West Khawr and this lagoon was teeming with waterbirds. Here we found amongst others Glossy Ibis, an attractive flock of Greater Flamingos, Greater White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Booted Eagle, Black-tailed Godwit and Whiskered Tern.

We then moved on to a new site the Salalah Waste Disposal Site (near Raysut). The dump was a class of its own with numerous Steppe Eagles (450+) sorting through the carcasses, joined by a few Greater Spotted Eagles, Imperial Eagle, White Storks and thousands of Gulls.

We then headed to the nearby Water Treatment Site, where we saw a few waders amongst them Little Ringed Plover. A brief journey to the mountains behind the Water Treatment resulted in good views of three Verreaux’s Eagles, Imperial Eagle, Blackstart, South Arabian Wheatear and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.

In the afternoon we headed to Al Maghsayl. We searched in vain for the Long-toed Stint, other birders had seen a few days ago, but while scanning a mixed group of egrets, we picked up an Intermediate Egret, a rare vagrant to the Middle-East. Other birds of note here were small numbers of Masked & Brown Booby offshore, Glossy Ibis, Red-crested Pochard, Pheasant-tailed Pheasant and Great Black-headed Gull.

In the late afternoon we headed into the nearby mountains. We waited till dark, hoping to find Hume’s Owl, but we waited in vain for the owl, although we saw a herd of nearly 1000 camels. This should have been my bird of the trip, a species I missed in Israel in 1982. Other birds we did see in the wadi were Imperial Eagle, Sand Partridge, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse and best of all two Egyptian Nightjars.

Friday 1 February

Next morning some of us had a shower in the sea and others dived in the swimming pool.

The trip now almost over, we spent the final day birding at the Jarziz Farm on the outskirts of Salalah. We had permission from the Dutch manager to enter the premises. The farm held a few good birds, including Western Marsh-Harrier, Eurasian Buzzard, Imperial Eagle, Barn Owl and Singing Bush-Larks lived up to their name, with a few in the air filling the air with sound.

We then headed to the nearby East Khawr, where many waders were present amongst them Black-winged Stilt, Common Ringed Plover, Lesser Sandplover, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Ruff. Common Pochard and Tufted Duck were the last additions to our birding list.

At 18.00 hours we left Salalah and  a short flight with Oman Air took us to Muscat. At 20.30 we arrived at Siw’s apartment, where we met Hanne & Jens Eriksen. We had dinner here and of course talked with them about our trip.

Saturday 2 February

All too soon our time at Oman ended and at midnight we left Muscat for our Swissair flight via Dubai to Zurich. We landed somewhat delayed at Zurich Airport and of course missed our flight to Brussels. We took the next flight and arrived in Brussels at 10.15. a.m.


It is worth mentioning the good humour and friendliness of all the people of Oman that we met: their welcome added greatly to our enjoyment.

We had wonderful views of almost all possible endemics and near-endemics. The final total for the two weeks trip was 205 species of birds, that’s almost the same number of birds than on my Israel trip and it certainly was not a die hard birding trip. I finished the trip with 12 lifers.

Of course we did not see the three migrant African breeders (Grey-headed Kingfisher, Didric Cuckoo and Golden-winged Grosbeak) that come north from April to September to nest here.

My five best birds of the trip? Jouanin’s Petrel, Arabian Partridge, Hypocolius, Plain Leaf-Warbler and Yemen Serin, lifers all of course.

Our greatest disappointment was that we did not see Social Lapwing, White-tailed Lapwing and for me personally Hume’s Owl.

Chaam, 22 March 2008,                                                                                    

If you need any help or further information, contact me at the following address and I'll try and help if I can!

Jan Vermeulen
Bredaseweg 14
4861 AH Chaam
The Netherlands
Telephone: (031) – 161 – 491327
E-mail: jem.vermeulen@wxs.nl

 

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?