måndag 24 april 2017

Birding in Oman - Mudday, Wadi Darbat, East Khawr Park and more


Time to wrap this up. This will be the last post about the birding trip to Oman and about time... But still, this info might be useful to someone and the post will be a good reminder of the trip when I read it in the future.

In this post I have collected the rest of the sites we visited during this trip. From Mudday and Wadi Rabkut, which is in the Omani desert, to East Khawr Park, which is a just a regular park... But, as in other desert places I've visited, parks can attract a lot of birds when they are the only green spots in a wide area.

In this post, there is a photo of a 1st for Oman... That was a really cool find.

Anyway, let's start with Mudayy.

Mudayy/Wadi Rabkut
Main target species in Mudayy were Hypokolius and Nile Valley Sunbird. We drove to a pond in Mudayy (when I wrote this, the pond was in the lower part of this map where it says "park") where the Hypocolius had been seen just recently. The sunbirds were easy to find but it took some time before the first Hypokolius showed itself.

The most interesting find in Mudayy, though, was the Tree Sparrow, which some in the group saw. None of us thought more about this at the time, and no photos were shot, but it turned out to be the first find of a Tree Sparrow in Oman. Not bad!

Below, photos of some of the birds seen in Mudday.

Nile Valley Sunbird (nilsolfågel, Hedydipna metallica
Grey Hypocolius (hypokolius, Hypocolius ampelinus)

Desert Lark (stenökenlärka, Ammomanes deserti)
Asian Desert Warbler (ökensångare, Sylvia nana)
Asian Desert Warbler (ökensångare, Sylvia nana)
Asian Desert Warbler (ökensångare, Sylvia nana)
Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel, Lanius
meridionalis)
Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel, Lanius
meridionalis)
From Mudday we drove to the nearby Wadi Rabkut. This is a map of where you exit the main road - at least I think so but don't take this as the only source for where to go...

There weren't much life in Wadi Rabkut and the most interesting for me were the two Arabian Gazelles that took of when we flushed them. The list below shows pretty well what we found. I believe Gigi found a Bar-tailed Lark here, but she was the only one. Unfortunately the only find of this species during the trip.

Greater Hoopoe-Lark (härfågellärka, Alaemon alaudipes)

Greater Hoopoe-Lark (härfågellärka, Alaemon alaudipes)

Wadi Darbat
If you go birding in Oman, please don't miss this place. Along with Ayn Razat and Ayn Hamran the big highlight during this trip. Plenty of birds and a great variety of species. Not to mention that pretty much anything seems possible to show up here.

The absolute top here was the Brahminy Kite we found while walking back up the wadi after a couple of hours of birdwatching. This was the 1st find of this species in Oman and a lifer for me.

We stayed until nightfall and listened to the Arabian Scops Owl. We heard another owl - at least we believe it was an owl - but we were unable to indentify the species.
Shining Sunbird (abessinsk solfågel, Cinnyris habessinicus)

Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)
Long-billed Pipit (långnäbbad piplärka, Anthus similis)

European Roller (blåkråka, Coracias garrulus)


Bruce's Green Pigeon (gulbukig grönduva, Treron waalia)

Eastern Imperial Eagle (kejsarörn, Aquila heliaca)

Short-toed Snake Eagle (ormörn, Circaetus gallicus)

Tristram's Starling (sinaiglansstare, Onychognathus tristramii)

Black Stork (svart stork, Ciconia nigra)
The Brahminy Kite as it flew above us in Wadi Darbat. Not too bad!
Brahminy Kite (brahminglada, Haliastur indus)

East Khawr Park
If staying in Crowne Plaza Hotel, a visit to the nearby East Khawr Park (or Ad Dahariz Park..) should be a must. We saw some nice species here with the Forest Wagtail as the nicest one for me.
Grey-headed Kingfisher (gråhuvad kungsfiskare, Halcyon
leucocephala)

Yellow-billed Kite (gulnäbbad glada, Milvus aegyptius)

Yellow-billed Kite (gulnäbbad glada, Milvus aegyptius)

Yellow-billed Kite (gulnäbbad glada, Milvus aegyptius)

Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus)


Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Crested Lark (tofslärka (53), Galerida cristata)
Western Yellow Wagtail (gulärla, Motacilla flava)
Forest Wagtail (trädärla, Dendronanthus indicus)


Forest Wagtail (trädärla, Dendronanthus indicus)

Forest Wagtail (trädärla, Dendronanthus indicus)

Scaly-breasted Munia (fjällig munia, Lonchura punctulata)
Red-backed Shrike (törnskata, Lanius collurio)

Jabal Samhan

One of the last days of the trip we went to the enormous cliff of Jabal Samhan. On the way, we stopped by the Tawi Atayr sinkhole, which is supposed to be a good spot for Yemen Siskin. It took some time but in the end everyone in the group managed to see the siskin. 

As bland and "boring" as can be, the siskin, the Verraux's Eagle is a complete opposite. Magnificent bird and well worth the time it took to drive there. Now, the whole scenery and the view from Jabal Samhan helped with the experience but I would say that this is a must for a birder going to Salalah.

We met a local who told us that in the low land below the cliff is a good place for Arabian Leopard, though we didn't see any. But we did see both Peregrin Falcon and Long-legged Buzzard.

Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)
Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)

Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)

Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)

Fan-tailed Raven (kortstjärtad korp, Corvus rhipidurus)
Fan-tailed Raven (kortstjärtad korp, Corvus rhipidurus)
Peregrine Falcon (pilgrimsfalk, Falco peregrinus)
Verreaux's Eagle (klippörn, Aquila verreauxii)

Verreaux's Eagle (klippörn, Aquila verreauxii)

Verreaux's Eagle (klippörn, Aquila verreauxii)



This is it from Oman! I just took me a year and a half to finish it. :-) But as I write this last blogpost and look at the photos, I remember what it was like to be there and watch the birds. I really hope I have the possibility to get back to Salalah as some point.



Bird lists for the sites, as always, only the more interesting species. 

Mudday
Spanish Imperial Eagle (spansk kejsarörn, Aquila adalberti)
Southern Grey Shrike (iberisk varfågel/ökenvarfågel, Lanius meridionalis)
Grey Hypocolius (hypokolius, Hypocolius ampelinus) *
Desert Lark (stenökenlärka, Ammomanes deserti)
Common Chiffchaff (gransångare, Phylloscopus collybita)
Willow Warbler (lövsångare, Phylloscopus trochilus)
Eurasian Reed Warbler (rörsångare, Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Asian Desert Warbler (ökensångare, Sylvia nana)
Nile Valley Sunbird (nilsolfågel, Hedydipna metallica) *
Palestine Sunbird (palestinasolfågel, Cinnyris osea)
House Sparrow (gråsparv, Passer domesticus)

Wadi Rabkut
Sand Partridge (ökenhöna, Ammoperdix heyi) Steppe Eagle (stäppörn, Aquila nipalensis)
Green Bee-eater (grön dvärgbiätare, Merops orientalis)
Greater Hoopoe-Lark (härfågellärka, Alaemon alaudipes)
Desert Lark (stenökenlärka, Ammomanes deserti)
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (svartkronad finklärka, Eremopterix nigriceps)
Asian Desert Warbler (ökensångare, Sylvia nana)
Desert Wheatear (ökenstenskvätta, Oenanthe deserti)
Blackstart (svartstjärt, Oenanthe melanura)
Arabian Gazelle (Gazella arabica)

Wadi Darbat
Black Stork (svart stork, Ciconia nigra)
Black Kite (brun glada, Milvus migrans)
Black-crowned Night Heron (natthäger, Nycticorax nycticorax)
Greater Spotted Eagle (större skrikörn, Clanga clanga)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (kejsarörn, Aquila heliaca)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (ormörn, Circaetus gallicus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (sparvhök, Accipiter nisus)
Brahminy Kite (brahminglada, Haliastur indus) *
Bruce's Green Pigeon (gulbukig grönduva, Treron waalia)
European Roller (blåkråka, Coracias garrulus)
Eurasian Hobby (lärkfalk, Falco subbuteo)
Isabelline Shrike (isabellatörnskata, Lanius isabellinus)
Fan-tailed Raven (kortstjärtad korp, Corvus rhipidurus)
Spotted Flycatcher (grå flugsnappare, Muscicapa striata)
Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides) *
Shining Sunbird (abessinsk solfågel, Cinnyris habessinicus)
Palestine Sunbird (palestinasolfågel, Cinnyris osea)
Grey Wagtail (forsärla, Motacilla cinerea)
Long-billed Pipit (långnäbbad piplärka, Anthus similis)
Meadow Pipit (ängspiplärka, Anthus pratensis)
Tree Pipit (trädpiplärka, Anthus trivialis)
Red-throated Pipit (rödstrupig piplärka, Anthus cervinus)
Arabian Scops Owl (arabisk dvärguv, Otus pamelae)

East Khawr Park
Crested Honey Buzzard (tofsbivråk, Pernis ptilorhynchus) *
Yellow-billed Kite (gulnäbbad glada, Milvus aegyptius) *
Scaly-breasted Munia (fjällig munia, Lonchura punctulata) *
Grey-headed Kingfisher (gråhuvad kungsfiskare, Halcyon leucocephala)
Forest Wagtail (trädärla, Dendronanthus indicus) *
Western Yellow Wagtail (gulärla, Motacilla flava)
Citrine Wagtail (citronärla, Motacilla citreola)
Red-backed Shrike (törnskata, Lanius collurio)

Tawi Atayr Sinkhole
Bonelli's Eagle (hökörn, Aquila fasciata
Yemen Serin (jemensiska, Crithagra menachensis) *
Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)

Jabal Samhan
Eastern Imperial Eagle (kejsarörn, Aquila heliaca)
Arabian Wheatear (arabstenskvätta, Oenanthe lugentoides)
Fan-tailed Raven (kortstjärtad korp, Corvus rhipidurus)
Peregrine Falcon (pilgrimsfalk, Falco peregrinus)
Long-legged Buzzard (örnvråk, Buteo rufinus) *
Verreaux's Eagle (klippörn, Aquila verreauxii) *

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