Trip to Oman (12 days) (2014-11-20 / 2014-12-01) [English version]

⇒ Taxonomy of bird-species as in the Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, 2014/2016 ⇐

Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis), November 28, 2014 (Photographer: Machiel de Vos)

Thursday morning November 20, 2014 at 10.35 h. we took off from Schiphol airport and after a brief stop in Qatar, we arrived at 18.15 Dutch time (in Oman 3 hours later) at Seeb airport. There we spent two nights in a hotel near Muscat.

On Friday we first went to the landfill of Al Amrat, but it turned out to be out of use nowadays, such as seems to be the plan for all landfills in Oman, so no birds at Al Amrat. After that we went tot Quriyat, where some five Pin-tailed snipes (Gallinago stenura) (I) meant my first lifer. Near the coast stood a Indian pond heron (Ardeola grayii) (II) which was already my second lifer. In the evening we went to a site for the Omani owl, but no luck. Saturday, November 22, we first visited the Al Ansab lagoons where a Cotton pygmy goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) (III) subsequently meant my third lifer. Around Ras Al Sawadi we saw some five Black crowned finch-larks (Eremopterix nigriceps) and a pair of Asian desert warblers (Sylvia nana). Then a grueling journey through the mountains to Niswa and then to the Sayq plateau (why the whole detour along Muscat, as there is also a more direct road from Ras Al Sawadi tot Niswa, I said to the tour guide, but in retrospect it was perhaps not a good idea (but it was a very scenic route!)).

Sunday we first explored the plateau, and then went on to Hijj at Barr al Hikman to book two nights at the appallingly bad Muhut-guesthouse (but yes, are the two alternative guesthouses out there in the wider area better or worse?; perhaps still worth a try).

The toilet in my room in Muhut-guesthouse, November 23th, 2014, Oman (and on this photo it appears much better than it actually was!) (Photographer: JK)

In the evening we scanned the mudflats near Filim. Monday we went to Barr al Hikman near Shannah, en route we saw a male Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus) and a Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). Lots of waders there, including of course hundreds of Crab plovers (Dromas ardeola) and five Great knots (Calidris tenuirostris) (IV) and the latter again meant a lifer! And again we saw a pair of Asian desert warblers. The rest of the afternoon we spent at Filim, and a male Amour falcon (Falco amurensis) (V) provoked the necessary enthusiasm; unfortunately, rather poorly observed by myself, but fortunately there would be two retakes later on this trip.

Tuesday, we went to the south. A stop at Muntasar produced a male Black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica), but we were unaware of its rareness in Oman, so unfortunately we didn’t look at it very well nor did we take pictures, so a shadow of doubt will remain.

Ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus), November 25th, 2014, Qitbit, Oman (Photographer: Machiel de Vos)

Then we went to Qitbit where the first Ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) (VI) of Oman showed itself gorgeously; also a Nile valley sunbird (Anthreptes metallicus) (VII) marked a new lifer. Wednesday, November 26 we went to Muntasar again, and then to the south; after a visit to the East Khawr we went to the hotel in Salalah. There we slept for four nights.

Thursday we went to Ayn Hamran, where we saw a Golden-winged grosbeak (Rynchostruthus socotranus) (VIII) and (only) one of us saw and photographed a Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus); then we went to Khawr Taqah, presenting four Pheasant-tailed jacanas (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) (IX) and also a group of 12 Abdims storks (Ciconia abdimii) flying by. In Wadi Darbat, we saw two magnificent Amour falcons, and the sinkhole at Tawi Atayr produced some 20 Yemen serins (Crithagra menachensis). In the evening we went back to Ayn Hamran, with quite a few Arabian scops owls (Otus pamelae) (X) calling.

Friday, November 28 we went to the wadi and khawr Al Mughsayl. Then we went to the landfill of Raysut where alongside some of the this time in the south surprisingly often observed Imperial eagles (Aquila heliaca), some 700 Steppe eagles (Aquila nipalensis) lingered around! A boat trip off Salalah produced some 800 Red-necked phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus), about six Persian shearwaters (Puffinus persicus) and about 15 Jouanins petrels (Bulweria fallax). At dusk we saw a group of dolphins which were possibly Pan-tropical spotted dolphins.

Jouanins petrel (Bulweria fallax), November 28th, 2014, near Salalah, Oman (Photographer: Machiel de Vos)

Saturday at Khawr Rawri we saw a Black-crowned tchagra (Tchagra senegalus), four Cotton pygmy geese and a Brown booby (Sula leucogaster); on the way back we saw four Amour falcons at the Sahlnout farm. In the afternoon we paid a brief visit to Ayn Razat. On sunday November 30 we drove north to the airport at Seeb, including a break at Qitbit (where we saw the Yellow-browed warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) which our tour guide already had seen a few days before at Qitbit), and further north we also saw a pair of Asian desert warblers. Then we flew to Abu Dhabi and slept there. Monday 9:45 h. we ascended on our way to Schiphol airport and around 17:00 o’clock (14.00 h. local time) we landed.

With regard to birds, the results were as follows.

	Species	Scientific name	Lifer
1	Black-necked grebe	Podiceps nigricollis
2	Little grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
3	Jouanin’s petrel	Bulweria fallax
4	Persian shearwater	Puffinus persicus
5	Brown booby	Sula leucogaster
6	Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo
7	Socotra cormorant	Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
8	Grey heron	Ardea cinerea
9	Purple heron	Ardea purpurea
10	Squacco heron	Ardeola ralloides
11	Indian pond heron	Ardeola grayii	*
12	Cattle egret	Bubulcus ibis
13	Striated heron	Butorides striatus
14	Great egret	Ardea alba
15	Little egret	Egretta garzetta
16	Intermediate egret	Ardea intermedia
17	Western reef heron	Egretta gularis
18	Abdim’s stork	Ciconia abdimii
19	Sacred ibis (of wild origin?)	Threskiornis aethiopicus
20	Glossy ibis	Plegadis falcinellus
21	Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodi
22	Greater flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus
23	White-fronted goose	Anser albifrons
24	Cotton pygmy goose	Nettapus coromandelianus	*
25	Gadwall	Mareca strepera
26	Wigeon	Mareca penelope
27	Teal	Anas crecca
28	Garganey	Spatula querquedula
29	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
30	Shoveler	Spatula clypeata
31	Pintail	Anas acuta
32	Pochard	Aythya ferina
33	Ferruginous duck	Aythya nyroca
34	Egyptian vulture	Neophron percnopterus
35	Short-toed eagle	Circaetus gallicus
36	Marsh harrier	Circus aeruginosus
37	Pallid harrier	Circus macrourus
38	Buzzard	Buteo buteo
39	Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus
40	Spotted eagle	Clanga clanga
41	Steppe eagle	Aquila nipalensis
42	Imperial eagle	Aquila heliaca
43	Bonelli’s eagle	Aquila fasciata
44	Booted eagle	Hieraaetus pennatus
45	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
46	Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
47	Amour falcon	Falco amurensis	*
48	Hobby	Falco subbuteo
49	Barbary falcon	Falco peregrinus pelegrinoides
50	Arabian partridge	Alectoris melanocephala
51	Sand partridge	Ammoperdix heyi
52	Grey francolin	Francolinus pondicerianus
53	Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
54	Coot	Fulica atra
55	Pheasant-tailed jacana	Hydrophasianus chirurgus	*
56	Black-winged stilt	Himantopus himantopus
57	Crab plover	Dromas ardeola
58	Oystercather	Haematopus ostralegus
59	Ringed plover	Charadius hiaticula
60	Little ringed plover	Charadius dubius
61	Kentish plover	Charadius alexandrinus
62	Lesser sand plover	Charadius mongolus
63	Greater sand plover	Charadius leschenaultii
64	Grey plover	Pluvialis squatarola
65	Pacific golden plover	Pluvialis fulva
66	Red-wattled lapwing	Hoplopterus indicus
67	Jacksnipe	Lymnocryptes minimus
68	Pin-tailed snipe	Gallinago stenura	*
69	Snipe	Gallinago gallinago
70	Black-tailed godwit	Limosa limosa
71	Bar-tailed godwit	Limosa lapponica
72	Curlew	Numenius arquata
73	Spotted redshank	Tringa erythropus
74	Redshank	Tringa totanus
75	Marsh sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis
76	Greenshank	Tringa nebularia
77	Ruff	Calidris pugnax
78	Wood sandpiper	Tringa glareola
79	Terek sandpiper	Xenus cinereus
80	Common sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos
81	Turnstone	Arenaria interpres
82	Great knot	Calidris tenuirostris	*
83	Sanderling	Calidris alba
84	Little stint	Calidris minuta
85	Temminck’s stint	Calidris temminckii
86	Curlew sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea
87	Dunlin	Calidris alpina
88	Broad-billed sandpiper	Calidris falcinellus
89	Red-necked phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus
90	Sooty gull	Larus hemprichii
91	Caspian gull	Larus cachinnans
92	Lesser black-backed gull	Larus fuscus
93	Slender-billed gull	Larus genei
94	Gull-billed tern	Gelochelidon nilotica
95	Caspian tern	Hydroprogne caspia
96	Swift tern	Thalasseus bergii
97	Lesser crested tern	Thalasseus bengalensis
98	Sandwich tern	Thalasseus sandvicensis
99	White-cheeked tern	Sterna repressa
100	Saunders tern ? ***	Sternula saundersi
101	Bridled tern	Onychoprion anaethetus
102	Whiskered tern	Chlidonias hybrida
103	White-winged tern	Chlidonias leucopterus
104	Black tern	Chlidonias niger
105	Chesnut-bellied sandgrouse	Pterocles exustus
106	Spotted sandgrouse	Pterocles senegallus
107	Rock dove	Columba livia
108	Wood pigeon	Columba  palumbus
109	Collared dove	Streptopelia decaocto
110	Laughing dove	Streptopelia senegalensis
111	Arabian scops owl	Otus pamelae	*
112	Little owl	Athene noctua
113	Short-eared owl	Asio flammeus
114	Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus
115	Pallid swift	Apus pallidus
116	Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis
117	Blue-cheeked bee-eater	Merops persicus
118	Arabian green bee-eater	Merops cyanophris
119	Roller	Coracias garrulus
120	Indian roller	Coracias benghalensis
121	Hoopoe	Upupa epops
122	Wryneck	Jynx torquilla
123	Black-crowned finch-lark	Eremopterix nigriceps
124	Desert lark	Ammomanes deserti
125	Greater hoopoe-lark	Alaemon alaudipes
126	Skylark	Alauda arvensis
127	Crested lark	Galerida cristata
128	White wagtail	Motacilla alba
129	Citrine wagtail	Motacilla citreola
130	Grey wagtail	Motacilla cinerea
131	Yellow wagtail	Motacilla flava
132	Tawny pipit	Anthus campestris
133	Water pipit	Anthus spinoletta
134	Tree pipit	Anthus trivialis
135	Red-throated pipit	Anthus cervinus
136	Sand martin	Riparia riparia
137	Swallow	Hirundo rustica
138	House martin	Delichon urbicum
139	Pale crag martin	Ptyonoprogne obsoleta
140	Yellow-vented bulbul	Pycnonotus xanthopygos
141	Isabelline wheatear	Oenanthe isabellina
142	Hume’s wheatear	Oenanthe albonigra
143	South arabian wheatear	Oenanthe lugens lugentiodes
144	Red-tailed wheatear	Oenanthe chrysopygia
145	Desert wheatear	Oenanthe deserti
146	Black-eared wheatear (?)	Oenanthe hispanica
147	Hooded wheatear	Oenanthe monacha
148	Blackstart	Cercomela melanura
149	Blue rock thrush	Monticola solitarius
150	Spotted flycatcher	Muscicapa striata
151	Red-breasted flycatcher	Ficedula parva
152	Bluethroat	Luscinia svecica
153	Black redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros
154	Common redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus
155	Lesser whitethroat	Sylvia curruca
156	Arabian warbler	Sylvia leucomelaena
157	Asian desert warbler	Sylvia nana
158	Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla
159	Orphean warbler	Sylvia hortensis
160	Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita
161	Plain leaf warbler	Phylloscopus neglectus
162	Wood warbler	Phylloscopus sibilatrix
163	Yellow-browed warbler	Phylloscopus inornatus
164	Clamorous reed warbler	Acrocephalus stentoreus
165	Booted warbler	Hippolais caligata
166	Gracefull prinea	Prinia gracilis
167	White-breasted white-eye	Zosterops abyssinica
168	African paradise flycatcher	Tersiphone viridis
169	Isabelline shrike	Lanius phoenicuroides
170	Great grey shrike	Lanius excubitor pallidirostris
171	Black-crowned tchagra	Tchagra senegala
172	Ashy drongo	Dicrurus leucophaeus	*
173	Tristtram’s grackle	Onychognathus tristramii
174	Song thrush	Turdus philomelos
175	Brown-necked raven	Corvus ruficollis
176	Fan-tailed raven	Corvus rhipidurus
177	Palestine sunbird	Nectarinia osea
178	Purple sunbird	Nectarinia asiatica
179	Nile valley sunbird	Anthreptes metallicus	*
180	Shining sunbird	Nectarinia habessinica
181	House sparrow	Passer domesticus
182	Rüppell’s weaver	Ploceus galbula
183	Indian silverbill	Euodice malabarica
184	African silverbill	Euodice cantans
185	Yemen serin	Crithagra menachensis
186	Golden-winged grosbeak	Rhynchostruthus socotranus	*
187	Striated bunting	Emberiza striolata
188	African rock-bunting	Emberiza tahapisi

*** In 2014 it was thought that during the winter (almost) only Saunders’s terns occured in Oman and (almost) no Little terns.  But according to a paper published in Dutch Birding (2022, nr. 3) it is the other way around! So this identification probably is incorrect.

10 new species for my life-list:

Indian pond heron, Cotton pygmy goose, Amour falcon, Pheasant-tailed jacana, Pin-tailed snipe, Great knot, Arabian scops owl, Ashy drongo, Nile valley sunbird and Golden-winged grosbeak

In addition, we saw the following escapes:
Rose-ringed parakeet, White-eared bulbul, Common myna, Common waxbill and Indian house crow

Furthermore, in Abu Dhabi we saw:
House sparrow (and escapes: Common mynah and White-eared bulbul (or is the latter native in Abu Dhabi?))

And not seen by me but allegedly by other participants:
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus), Rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis) & Menetries’s warbler (Sylvia mystacea)

⇒ About the Intermediate egret : according to current taxonomic views as in the aforementioned checklist, there are two species, and presumably the Intermediate egrets that visit Oman, belong to the Asian taxon Ardea intermedia and not to the African taxon Ardea brachyrhyncha, but at that time we didn’t make that difference

Some of the more interesting bird observations:

– Persian shearwater (Puffinus persicus) some 6 ind. sea east of Salalah
– Jouanin’s petrel (Bulweria fallax) some 15 ind. sea east of Salalah
– Abdim stork (Ciconia abdimii) 12 ind. near Khawr Taqah
– Sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) 1 ind. (of wild origin?) in East Khawr
– Indian pond heron (Ardeola grayii) 3 ind. in north and south
– White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) 3 + 1 + 20 juvenile ind. in various khawrs
– Cotton pygmy goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) 1 ind. Al Ansab lagoons, 4 ind. Khawr Rawri
– Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca) 1 ind. Al Ansab lagoons, 12. ex wadi Al Mughsayl
– Amour falcon (Falco amurensis) 1 ind. by Filim, 2 ind. wadi Dabat, 4 ind. Sahlnout farm
– Barbary falcon (Falco peregrinus pelegrinoides) 1 ind. north of Niswa
– Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) distributed a total of 15 ind.
– Short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) 4 ind. in the south
– Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus) 1 ind. at Barr al-Hikman
– Greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga) 8 ind. in the south
– Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) 11 ind. in north and south, about 700 ind. landfill Salalah
– Imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) 11 ind. in the south
– Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) 8 ind. in the south
– Booted eagle (Hierraaetus pennatus) 2 ind. in Ras Al Sawadi
– Crab plover (Dromas ardeola) some 600 ind. at Barr al-Hikman
– Pheasant-tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) 4 ind. Khawr Taqah, 1 ind. Al Mughsayl
– Jack snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) 1 ind. at Muntasar
– Pin-tailed snipe (Gallinago stenura) 5 ind. Quriat, 1 ind. Muntasar, 1 ind. Al Mughsayl, 1 ind. Ayn Razat
– Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris) 5 ind. Barr al-Hikman
– Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus) approx. 20 ind. in three places
– Spotted sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus) approx. 130 ind. at four spots
– Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus ‘iranica’) 2 ind. Sayq plateau
– Arabian scops owl (Otus pamelae) at least 5 ind. Ayn Hamran
– Black-eared wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) 1 male at Muntasar (?)
– Plain leaf warbler (Phylloscopus neglectus) some 8 ind. Sayq plateau
– Asian desert warbler (Sylvia nana) 4 times a pair!
– Golden-winged grosbeak (Rynchostruthus socotranus) 1 ind. Ayn Hamran
– Ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) 1 ind. Qitbit

Mammals:

– Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) 1 ind. Salalah
– Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) 1 ind. Sayq-plateau, 1 ind. near Qitbit
– Cape hare (Lepus capensis) 2 ind. near Qitbit
– Indian ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) some ind. near Al Mughsayl
– Pan-tropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) some 15 ind. near Salalah [identification not sure]

Amphibians and reptiles:

– Arabian toad (Duttaphrynus arabicus) 1 ind. north of Niswa
– Rock semaphore gecko (Pristurus rupestris) 5 ind. at Filim
– East sand gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) 1 ind. at night near Qitbit
– Arabian leaf-toed gecko (Hemidactylus homeolepis) 1 ind. at Ayn Hamran
– Fan-footed gecko (Ptyodactylus hasselquistii) 2 ind. in hide at Khawr Al-Mughsayl
– Variable agama (Calotes versicolor) numerous in the south [an introduced species]
– Blanford’s fringe-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus blanfordii) 1 ind. at Ras Al Sawadi
– Arabian chameleon (Chamaeleo arabicus) 1 ind. at Wadi Darbat
– Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) 1 ind. at sea near Salalah