OMAN: Birding the DHOFAR region

16th to 23rd November 2007

by Mike Cram, Dave Lewis and Neil Tovey    

Location of Oman 

Arguably offering the best birding in Oman, the Dhofar region is encircled by mountains which back a coastal plain containing numerous freshwater lagoons. 

About 600km of desert effectively separates the region from the Asian/Middle Eastern avifauna to the north. As a result many North African species thrive here. 

The main habitats are the coastal lagoons, or khawrs that attract many species of wildfowl, herons and egrets. The well wooded wadis need to be thoroughly explored for migrants, raptors and the numerous Dhofar specialities. Rocky promontories offer some exciting sea-watching opportunities. 

Introduction

Few birders in our recording area have visited Oman, so it was with great trepidation that we began our exploration of the Dhofar region on Saturday 17th November.  

Dave and I travelled from Heathrow on Thursday 15th overnight to Muscat via Bahrain with Gulf Air (£405 rtn each). After a delay at Bahrain, we met up with Neil on 16th. He’d flown in from Dubai and we took our scheduled evening flight to Salalah with Oman Air (£72 rtn each).  

We picked up our 4WD Nissan Patrol 4.5 (£147 each for the week) and headed for our self-catering Beach Villa in Salalah (£110 each for the week) after dark via a local general store for provisions. We began the break in style with a nosh up at the Crowne Plaza nearby. 

It was clear and sunny throughout the week with occasional light cloud, with temperatures averaging around 30 degrees Celsius at the hottest time of the day. The nights were warm, air conditioning in both car and villa was essential. Mosquito nets also helped assist a good night’s sleep! 

Water was more expensive than petrol (!) and we were able to get a good meal at many available decent cafes for a few pounds. The supermarkets that we used to stock up on provisions were reasonably clean and well stocked. 

Generally the Omani people we met were very friendly, even the police and military!

MAP OF THE DHOFAR REGION 

 

The map reproduced here is by kind permission of Hanne andJens Eriksen and Panadda andDave.E.Sargeant, from Page 123 of their excellent publication: Birdwatching guide to Oman (Al Roya Publishing) (October 2001).

DAY 2 – Sat 17th November 2007 (Day 1 was spent travelling!) 

Salalah Beach at dawn

A great start with a Red-billed Tropicbird, a Pacific Golden Plover, a Caspian Tern, the first of many Sooty Gulls, Caspian Gull, Siberian Gull, two African Rock Martins and 30+ Ring-necked Parakeets flew from the nearby plantations. 

East Khawr

A Black-necked Grebe, Western Reef Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Greater Flamingo, a Cotton Teal, two Ferruginous Ducks, 10+ Garganey, a Bonelli’s Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Greenshank, Swift Tern, Saunders's Tern, numerous Laughing Doves, 50+ Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, 20+ European Bee-eaters, Citrine Wagtail, Isabelline Wheatear, Desert Wheatear, Graceful Prinia, Clamorous Reed Warbler, four Palestine Sunbirds, numerous African Silverbill and the first of many Rüppell's Weavers. 

Purple, Grey and Western Reef Herons and Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at East Khawr

Sahnawt Farm

We were quickly greeted by several Singing Bush Larks, Crested Lark and Black-headed Wagtail. This working farm was teeming with bird life. Among the pivots and crops were White Stork, a Black Kite, two Great Spotted Eagles, a Steppe Eagle, a Bonelli's Eagle, 100+ White-winged Black Terns, a European Roller, 25+ Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, 6+ Citrine Wagtails, a Clamorous Reed Warbler and 100+ African Silverbill. 

Bonelli's Eagle at Sahnawt Farm and two views of Ayn Hamran 

Ayn Hamran

This site offers the best opportunity to find most of the Dhofar specialities in a short space of time. How true that proved. From 9:30 to 11:30am we were kept very busy and well rewarded as we worked our way up past a farm, spring and then into a wadi.

Birds seen at Ayn Hamran included two Bonelli's Eagles, a Short-toed Eagle, an Imperial Eagle, two Bruce's Green Pigeons, a Grey-headed Kingfisher, a Hoopoe, a Grey Wagtail, an Upcher's Warbler, a Desert Lesser Whitethroat, two Arabian Warblers, 2+ African Paradise Flycatchers, two Blackstarts, a Shining Sunbird, two Palestine Sunbirds, 4+ White-breasted White-eyes, two Fan-tailed Ravens, several White-spectacled Bulbuls, numerous Rüppell's Weavers and 4+ African Rock Buntings. 

We then drove past the Crown Plaza hotel in Salalah and recorded Great Cormorant and a Little Green Bee-eater. The afternoon was to be spent birding the khawrs to the east, but this was delayed by the second of four stops past a police and military checkpoint where we had to return to the airport to get some correct documents from the Rental Company. We finally got back to some birding at an unnamed khawr nearby which we affectionately named 'Khawr Checkpoint'! We enjoyed prolonged views of a pair of Montagu’s Harriers here. 

Khawr Sawli

The khawr was dry at the north end and we failed to get Pheasant–tailed Jacana. We did however see a Greater Spotted Eagle, a Long-legged Buzzard and an Indian Pond Heron.  

 

African Rock Bunting and Blackstart (Ayn Hamran)   Indian Pond Heron (Khawr Sawli) 

Khawr Taqah

A seawatch from the beach produced a Masked Booby, a Cattle Egret, numerous Lesser Crested Terns, Swift Terns, Sandwich Terns and Sooty Gulls, a Slender-billed Gull and some Desert Wheatears. As we moved back to the main road to check out the north end of the khawr, Neil shouted excitedly as he’d found a rare vagrant Pied Cuckoo. Appropriate celebrations ensued for all as the trip list passed 100 on Day 1! 

Pied Cuckoo celebrations at Khawr Taqah!                   Khawr Rouri 

Khawr Rouri

This beautiful site was scanned from on high from the ancient ruins of Sumharan, believed to be the castle of The Queen of Sheba: a Persian Shearwater, two Masked Boobies, an Eurasian Spoonbill, a Black Stork (rare for Oman!), a Northern Shoveler, two Ospreys, a Short-toed Eagle, a Greater spotted Eagle, 100+ Greater Flamingos, 200+ Red-necked Phalaropes in large flocks on the sea and a Common Noddy on an offshore buoy. Several Tristram's Grackles and Blackstarts were very confiding here. We also watched up to 100 'Dhofar' Swifts which looked like a cross between Common and Pallid Swift. It is not known what exact species these enigmatic birds actually are. Some recent work points towards Forbes-Watson’s Swift. They certainly look different!  (Eats tonight were at KFC in Salalah!). 

DAY 3 – Sun 18th November 2007 

Al Maghsayl – coastal lagoons including Marneef Caves and Blowholes.

We arrived to stunning coastal scenery at dawn and set to work checking through the numerous species in the lagoons and passing out to sea close by. Our first priority was a rare local breeder and we were quickly rewarded with excellent views of two Yellow Bitterns feeding in the morning light along with a Little Bittern, a Striated Heron, an Intermediate Egret, two Cotton Teals, nine Ferruginous Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, a Baillon's Crake, 4+ Masked Boobies, 2+ Brown Boobies, 10+ White-cheeked Terns, several Citrine Wagtails, Isabelline Shrike and Desert Wheatear. 

      Yellow Bittern at Al Maghsayl          *           Mike above the blow holes 

We retired to a nearby café for a cheap and tasty snack and relaxed, simply taking in the fantastic scenery of the cliffs plunging in the distance towards Yemen. 

Cotton Teal, Intermediate Egret and Arabian Partridge at Al Maghsayl 

Our return to the Marneef Caves part of the site was rewarded with stunning views of a party of 15 Arabian Partridges, distant views of a female South Arabian Wheatear and some very confiding Tristram's Grackles. Later on when we returned from Raysut we added two Barbary Falcons, a Lesser Kestrel and a Blue Rock Thrush. 

Raysut Harbour

We eventually found our way along a rough track past what appeared to be a disused power station. We scanned the beach and harbour area: two Masked Boobies, 15 Ospreys, a Short-toed Eagle, a Greater Spotted Eagle, a Caspian Tern, a Lesser Sandplover, 25+ Swift Terns plus numerous Kentish Plovers, Ruff, Greenshanks and a Grey Plover. We were rewarded on exiting via the rough track with fine views of a Black-crowned Finch Lark. 

           

BCF Lark at Raysut Wadi Ashawq  *  a stunning male South Arabian Wheatear! 

Wadi Ashawq

The 4WD was essential for the 7km journey up the wadi along bedrock in places. We stopped by some pools and saw Little Grebe, Teal, Garganey and Pintail.  We parked up where the track became too rough and walked the last 3km in the heat. As we waited for nightfall, we enjoyed excellent views of a Long-legged Buzzard, two superb Verreaux's Eagles, four Arabian Partridges, two Little Green Bee-eaters, three Desert Larks, a pair of Menetries's Warblers and two Fan-tailed Ravens. We did not hear Hume's Tawny Owl, but we were disturbed by a guide who appeared to be taking some immigrants through the wadi(!). We headed back to the car and used our strong spot lamp to scan at intervals as we left the site. Our luck was in as we flushed a Hume's Tawny Owl, an Egyptian Nightjar and a European Nightjar!

Eats tonight were cheap and adequate at a restaurant next door to KFC.  

DAY 4 – Mon 19th November 2007 

Wadi Baqlat

As we drove out east towards the seawatching hotspot of Ras Janjari, we chanced across a wadi with water in it and almost immediately found another Omani rarity – White Pelican! As we took photos we also noted a Western Reef Heron, a Squacco Heron, a Greater Flamingo, an Avocet, a White-tailed Plover, a White-cheeked Tern, two Greenshanks and two Little Stints.

White Pelican, White-tailed Plover and White-cheeked Tern at Wadi Baqlat

Ras Janjari

A two hour seawatch early morning despite the offshore breeze, gave us 5+ Persian Shearwaters, three Pale-footed Shearwaters, 5+ Jouanin’s Petrels, eight Masked Boobies, 100+ Red-necked Phalaropes, numerous Sooty Gulls and Swift Terns and 100+ Bridled Terns. Not huge numbers for the site, but we were still very happy. On checking the beach nearby we found about 20 stunning yellow Ghost Crabs. We were treated to tea by some very friendly Omanis in a café in the nearby village of Mirbat, where we also saw a flock of 20 Fan-tailed Ravens.

Khawr Rouri

We stopped off to twitch a superb Long-tailed Shrike which a German birder staying near us had found. We enjoyed excellent views. Working our way down a small stream in the valley we also saw an Intermediate Egret, a Black-crowned Night Heron, two Citrine Wagtails, a Tawny Pipit and a Clamorous Reed Warbler. 

Tawi Atayr

As we drove up in to the mountains, we passed through another police check-point and a field with 100 White Storks. As we arrived at Tawi Atayr, several raptors flew in, two Steppe Eagles (one of which mobbed a Booted Eagle!), a displaying Bonelli's Eagle, a Long-legged Buzzard and a Short-toed Eagle. We also quickly located one of our key targets, two Yemen Serins - non-descript little birds but restricted to only a few sites outside Yemen. We also checked out the famous sinkhole.  

    

Yemen Serin and the sinkhole at Tawi Atayr     *     Mike at Wadi Darbat 

Wadi Darbat

Another beautiful site, but the water levels at the pools were low. We again missed Pheasant-tailed Jacana. We think the recent tropical storm may have destroyed the floating vegetation at the sites that normally hold them. However we still enjoyed two Bruce’s Green Pigeons, six White-breasted White-eyes, ten White-spectacled Bulbuls, ten African Rock Buntings and six Rüppell's Weavers. We took a break for another cheap but fine curry in a café near East Khawr. 

East Khawr at dusk: 50+ Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff and 2 Curlew Sandpiper.

Finishing the day in Salalah, we saw some Fruit Bats around the various plantations.  

DAY 5 – Tues 20th November 2007 

We set off just after 3am for our journey out of Salalah, over the Dhofar Mountains to Muntasar 300km to the north. After a brief sighting of a Porcupine, we stopped off between Dawkah and Qatbit to experience the sheer beauty of the clear starlit night sky, untouched by any artificial light from civilisation. Simply breathtaking, the silence even more so! 

Muntasar Oasis

We departed from route 31 for about 25km on rough sandy tracks. We arrived 6:30am at the desert oasis. It has a permanent supply of water from an underground spring. The smell of sulphur was strong! We worked the vegetation. Although no sandgrouse were coming to drink, we noted a Greater White-fronted Goose, ten Water Pipits, two Red-throated Pipits, an Asian Desert Warbler, a Pied Wheatear, a Siberian Stonechat, two Red-breasted Flycatchers (including a stunning male), two Song Thrushes, three Blackcaps, two Desert Lesser Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler, 10+ Chiffchaffs, a Southern Grey Shrike and a Brown-necked Raven. It was not long before we found our main quarry, two Grey Hypocolius, normally difficult to see, sunning themselves in the palms before flying to drink.

Qatbit Rest House and Oasis

On checking in at Qatbit (B&B and EM £30 each) we saw a bedraggled Cattle Egret, a Hobby, then at the Oasis; which was quiet and lacking water; three more White-fronted Geese, a Pied Wheatear and two Asian Desert Warblers. The gardens at the hotel were enticing, but we opted for a few hours rest in our rooms. Islam the manager is very keen and very knowledgeable and keeps a bird log. 

We scoured the gardens and we were rewarded with a Hume's Whitethroat (rare for Oman). We also saw numerous Laughing and Collared Doves, a Hoopoe, two White Wagtails, three Bluethroats, eight Desert Lesser Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Menetries's Warblers, 20+ Chiffchaffs, a Common Redstart, ten Black Redstarts, two Isabelline Shrikes, a Red-backed Shrike, six Red-breasted Flycatchers and two Common Rosefinches.  No sandgrouse this evening at Oasis, so we retired for a curry and a good night's sleep. 

DAY 6 – Wed 21st November 2007 

Qatbit Rest House and Oasis

At dawn, new arrivals in the garden included a Red-wattled Plover, two Siskins and a Brown-necked Raven. We staked out the Oasis for Sandgrouse and were rewarded when four Spotted Sandgrouse flew in and landed on the desert about 100 yards away. We were joined by a confiding Southern Grey Shrike. We took breakfast, checked out and headed south. 10km south of Dawkah, we found the first of three Hoopoe Larks at the roadside. 

 Qatbit Rest House * Southern Grey Shrike * Dawn at the hotel gardens

Al Beed Farm

As we arrived, we were greeted by the sight of over 200 Spotted Sandgrouse flying from wet fields. We got better and better views of smaller groups in flight as we made our way around the pivot fields. Also noted were five Red-wattled Lapwings, a White-tailed Plover, a Ruff, five Wood Sandpipers, two Common Snipe, three Black-headed Wagtails, three Tawny Pipits, two Red-throated Pipits, 10+ Isabelline Wheatears, 10+ Desert Wheatears and two Bluethroats. At midday, 22km S of the farm we found a magnificent Golden Eagle sitting close to the road. We soon stopped for another Hoopoe Lark. We then turned off on to the Thumrait to Marmul road to try and find Wadi Rabkut in search of larks and possible MacQueen's Bustard. Recent road works and alterations to the landscape and the afternoon heat conspired against us. We moved on. After 6km, we screeched to a halt. Neil and I spotted a dark under-tail on a displaying lark. We had found a pair of the typically nomadic Dunn’s Lark! They were fairly tolerant of us and we got excellent scope views. This major hoped-for species capped off our visit to the desert nicely. 

East Khawr, Salalah

Two Masked Boobies, an Oystercatcher, a Greater Sandplover, a Lesser Sandplover, ten Temminck's Stints, numerous Curlew Sandpipers and Siberian Gulls, a Red-necked Phalarope, and a Slender-billed Gull. 

Khawr al Balid

We made our way to this attractive site in Salalah to twitch Oman’s first Slavonian Grebe, happily sitting on the edge of the khawr. Also present were three Night Herons, a Squacco Heron and 88 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. On the beach nearby was a flock of over 2000 gulls, mainly Sooty Gulls, but with large numbers of Siberian and Caspian Gulls. 

      Ayn Sahnawt        Neil at Ayn Sahnawt 

Ayn Sahnawt

Neil and I left Dave at the villa and set off on an owl hunt. We stopped off at the Ayn Sahnawt picnic spot. It was noisy with excited teenagers. After some searching further away, we managed to find the Black-crowned Tchagra. We think they were not calling at present which can make them difficult to locate. A very dapper bird all the same. We also noted Imperial, Booted Eagles, Rüppell's Weaver and White-breasted White-eye. 

We took the road to about 2km towards Shir, chose an appropriate lay-by at sunset and waited. A Rock Hyrax scuttled around and we noted three Hobbies, a Sparrowhawk and three Harriers which were probably Pallid. At least six African Scops Owls began to call at dusk, two of them very close-by. We could not locate any in the torch light, but we did manage to see one in the headlights as we later searched the valley.

Salalah Beach Villas

Whilst we were away, Dave managed a seawatch from the Beach Villa and scored with two leaping Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphins, a Red-billed Tropicbird, eight Masked Boobies, three Brown Boobies, 203 Red-necked Phalaropes plus numerous Persian Shearwaters and Bridled Terns. Our final evening together was celebrated with another fine meal and a few wines/beers at the Crown Plaza in Salalah.

DAY 7 – Thu 22nd Nov 07 

With a long journey ahead of us this evening, I decided to rest at the beach and seawatch: two Persian Shearwaters, a Red-billed Tropicbird, two Masked Boobies, a Swift Tern, a Lesser-crested Tern and a Pied Wheatear. 

Ayn Hamran

Neil added Common Myna and Black-headed Gull for the trip in Salalah. Then Dave and Neil just missed a Didric Cuckoo at Ayn Hamran. Neil pointed out a Red-breasted Flycatcher that some nearby English birders decided was most likely a Taiga Flycatcher.

Khawr Sawli

Two immature Pallid Harriers, 11 Greater White-fronted Geese and an Arctic Skua.

Khawr Taqah

15 Indo-Pacific Hump-backed Dolphins, several Socotra Cormorants, 30 Masked Boobies and 4000 Sooty Gulls. Six Abdim's Storks at Khawr Rouri capped off a fine morning.

Date Plantations, opposite the Crown Plaza Hotel in Salalah

Dave decided to rest up. Neil and I acted on some local birding gen and checked this site out. It was close to our villa. We scored with one of our main target birds, a Spotted Thick-knee sunning itself against a wall. We had driven past the site several times over the last week! 

     

Spotted Thick-knee, Salalah * Gulls at the beach * Abdim’s Stork, Jarziz  

We moved down Salalah beach and saw four Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit and three Ruddy Turnstones. Then came the amazing spectacle of over 10000 gulls, mainly Siberian, Sooty and Caspian, gathering as the local fishermen brought in their nets. 50 Swift Terns were also present. 

Jarziz Farm, Salalah

As we approached the farm a stroke of luck! Two Abdim's Storks obligingly sat on two lamp posts in the middle of the dual-carriageway! We took the 4WD around the farm and also saw 12 White Storks, a Graceful Prinia and two more Rüppell's Weavers.

East Khawr

A mid afternoon finish here, an Indian Pond Heron being the only different bird compared to earlier visits. We had late lunch at the local KFC – cheap as chips! 

Dave and I finished our birding with a Blue-headed Wagtail at the Salalah departure gate. We caught our connection back to Muscat at 6pm and were refreshed by the excellent hospitality of Oman Air. 

Neil had another night's stay until his flight to Dubai and duly added a few more birds to the trip list:- 

Ayn Razat

20 Red-rumped Swallows and five House Martins.

Park in Salalah

Four Whiskered Terns.

DAY 8 (Neil only) – Fri 23rd Nov 07

Jarziz Farm                 

12 Sand Martins.                                    

Salalah Beach

A Terek Sandpiper and a Little Egret near the beach villa.

Sahnawt Farm

400 White-winged Black Terns, 40 White Storks and 100 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters. 

Ayn Razat

A Grey-headed Kingfisher and a Sparrowhawk.  

Khawr-al-Balid

The Slavonian Grebe was still present. 

Dave and I landed at Heathrow at 6:20am and got back to Bridgend by lunch time on Friday 23rd. We could reflect on a truly wonderful trip, but were very tired after a long journey. 

On reflection, we can say we thoroughly enjoyed the excellent service and hospitality of Gulf Air and Oman Air. However, in hindsight we did kind of think we could have used British Airways. They fly direct to Muscat. Gulf Air decided to no longer offer a direct service there shortly before we flew leaving us no time to re-schedule. 

Mike Cram

1st December 2007

Trivia:

Mike – 48 lifers, Dave - 30 lifers, Neil – 24 lifers  

(Plus whatever those Dhofar Swifts are!)


Species List

Little Grebe                   Greater Spotted Eagle      Black-headed Gull

Black-necked Grebe        Steppe Eagle                   Slender-billed Gull

Slavonian Grebe              Eastern Imperial Eagle    Baltic Gull

Jouanin’s Petrel               Golden Eagle                   Siberian Gull

Pale-footed Shearwater   Verreaux’s Eagle              Caspian Gull

Persian Shearwater          Booted Eagle                   Gull-billed Tern

Red-billed Tropicbird     Bonelli’s Eagle                  Caspian Tern

Masked Booby                Osprey                            Swift Tern

Brown Booby                   Lesser Kestrel                 Lesser Crested Tern

Great Cormorant             Common Kestrel                Sandwich Tern

Socotra Cormorant          Hobby                             Common Tern

White Pelican                 Barbary Falcon                White-cheeked Tern

Little Bittern                 Arabian Partridge             Bridled Tern

Yellow Bittern                Baillon's Crake                 Saunders's Tern

Night Heron                   Common Moorhen              Whiskered Tern

Striated Heron               Common Coot                    White-winged Black Tern

Squacco Heron                Eurasian Oystercatcher    Common Noddy

Indian Pond Heron           Black-winged Stilt           Spotted Sandgrouse

Cattle Egret                    Pied Avocet                     Rock Dove

Western Reef Heron       Spotted Thick-knee          Collared Dove

Little Egret                     Little Ringed Plover         Laughing Dove

Intermediate Egret          Great Ringed Plover         Bruce’s Green Pigeon

Great White Egret           Kentish Plover                  Ring-necked Parakeet

Grey Heron                     Lesser Sand Plover           Pied Cuckoo

Purple Heron                   Greater Sand Plover         African Scops Owl

Black Stork                     Pacific Golden Plover       Hume’s Tawny Owl

Abdim’s Stork                 Grey Plover                     European Nightjar

White Stork                    Red-wattled Plover          Egyptian Nightjar

Glossy Ibis                      White-tailed Plover         'Dhofar Swift'

Spoonbill                         Little Stint                      Grey-headed Kingfisher

Greater Flamingo             Temminck’s Stint              Little Green Bee-eater

White-fronted Goose       Curlew Sandpiper            Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Cotton Teal                     Dunlin                             European Bee-eater

Eurasian Wigeon              Ruff                               European Roller

Gadwall                           Common Snipe                  Hoopoe

Eurasian Teal                  Black-tailed Godwit         Singing Bush Lark

Mallard                           Bar-tailed Godwit            Black-crowned Finch Lark

Northern Pintail               Whimbrel                        Dunn’s Lark

Garganey                         Eurasian Curlew               Desert Lark

Northern Shoveler           Common Redshank             Greater Hoopoe Lark

Ferruginous Duck             Common Greenshank          Crested Lark

Tufted Duck                    Green Sandpiper              Sand Martin

Black Kite                       Wood Sandpiper              African Rock Martin

Short-toed Eagle             Terek Sandpiper              Barn Swallow

Marsh Harrier                 Common Sandpiper           Red-rumped Swallow

Pallid Harrier                  Ruddy Turnstone              House Martin

Montagu’s Harrier            Red-necked Phalarope      Tawny Pipit

Eurasian Sparrowhawk     Arctic Skua                     Red-throated Pipit

Long-legged Buzzard         Sooty Gull                       Water Pipit

Black-headed Wagtail        Clamorous Reed Warbler  Isabelline Shrike

Blue-headed/Yellow Wagtail   Upcher's Warbler       Red-backed Shrike

Citrine Wagtail                Menetries’s Warbler         Long-tailed Shrike

White Wagtail                  Asian Desert Warbler      Southern Grey Shrike

White-spectacled Bulbul   Arabian Warbler              House Crow

Grey Hypocolius              Lesser Whitethroat            Brown-necked Raven

Bluethroat                       Hume’s Whitethroat           Fan-tailed Raven

Black Redstart                Desert Lesser Whitethroat  Tristram's Grackle

Common Redstart             Blackcap                          Common Mynah

Blackstart                       Common Chiffchaff          House Sparrow      

Whinchat                         Willow Warbler              Rüppell's Weaver

Siberian Stonechat          Spotted Flycatcher           African Silverbill

Isabelline Wheatear        Red-breasted Flycatcher   Yemen Serin

Pied Wheatear                 Taiga Flycatcher              Eurasian Siskin

Desert Wheatear             African Paradise Flycatcher Common Rosefinch

South Arabian Wheatear  Shining Sunbird               African Rock Bunting

Blue Rock Thrush             Palestine Sunbird            

Song Thrush                    White-breasted White-eye

Graceful Prinia                Black-crowned Tchagra

 

A Total of 201 species 

Mammals

Indo-Pacific hump-backed Dolphin      

Porcupine

Rock Hyrax

Arabian Red Fox

Fruit Bat   (plus a couple of smaller unidentified Bat sp.) 

Reptiles 

Several small lizards/geckos that we did not identify 

Crustaceans

Ghost Crab 

Butterflies

Tiger, Swallow-tail sp, (Plus several species of moth and butterfly unidentified) 

Dragonflies

Several were seen, including one photographed, likely Sympetrum sp?

References 

(1) Birdwatching Guide to Oman

      – Hanne andJens Eriksen/Panadda andDave.E.Sargeant (Al Roya Publishing) 

(2) Birds of the Middle East

      – Porter, Christensen, Schiermacker-Hansen (Helm) 

(3) Field Guide to Birds of Britain andEurope

     – Mullarney, Svennson et al (Collins) 

(4) Birds of Eastern Africa

     – Ber van Perlo (Collins) 

(5) Pocket Guide to Birds of the Indian Continent

     – Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp (Helm)   

(6) A Complete Guide to the Seabirds of the world

        - Peter Harrison (Helm) 

(7) Sultanate of Oman Map by the Ministry of Tourism, PO Box 200, Muscat 115.

      This was handy and contained a useful, but small, street map of Salalah,

       www.omantourism.gov.om or email info@omantourism.gov.om 

USEFUL INFORMATION

If you are planning a visit to the region, the following links and websites may prove useful. Naturally, different times of year can provide different birds! 

WEBSITES: 

www.birdsoman.com

The Eriksen’s website is very useful and informative with regular updates. I recommend using this in conjunction with theirs and the Sargeant’s above-mentioned guide. 

www.tommypedersen.com

Tommy’s website is highly recommended, especially if you wish to combine your trip with a visit to the UAE 

TRIP REPORTS:

We found the following useful and informative:

www.rekel.nl/Oman/omanbird/petersen/index.htm

www.osme.org/osmetrip/tripreps.html

www.birdquest.co.uk/reportFiles/OMAN%20&%20BAHRAIN%20REP%2005.pdf

 www.norfolkbirding.com/tripreport_uae_oman.html