OVERVIEW OF BIRD SIGHTINGS IN OMAN

JANUARY - APRIL 2025

A Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor was at Khawr Dahariz 12 Mar and a Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna at Saham STP 4 Jan. Three Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca were at Al Ansab Wetland  on 8 Jan. Two Sykes's Nightjars Caprimulgus mahrattensis at Muntasar 12 Jan-2 Feb with one present 12 Mar (the 15 Nov 2024 record was accepted by OBRC as the second record but the subsequent records have not yet been considered). A Pacific Swift Apus pacificus was at Tawi Atayr on 19 Jan while single Little Swifts were at Khawr Dahariz on 11 Jan and Mudday 6 Mar. A Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus was reported on Masirah Island 25 Mar, while the fifth record of Common Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius  was seen there 11 Jan. Six Rufous Turtle Doves Streptopelia (orientalis) meena were at Masirah Island STP 25 Mar.

Two Grey-headed Swamphens Porphyrio poliocephalus at Al Ansab Wetland on 8 Jan (three 19 Mar). Three Baillon's Crakes Zapornia pusilla on Masirah Island 25 Mar. 20 Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gregarius at Shisr 12 Feb. A Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis was at Muscat River 11 Apr - first record. Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus present at Filim 21st March - 1st record. Two Small Pratincoles Glareola lactea were at Khawr Sawli 7 Jan (three there 19 Jan). Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum on Masirah Island - 2nd record. Single Common Gulls Larus canus at Qurum beach 21 Jan and Filim 12 Mar. A Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica off Khawr Durf 11 Feb and a Sooty Shearwater Ardenna grisea on a pelagic trip off Mirbat on 12 Jan (tenth record). A Black Stork Ciconia nigra was at Khawr Sawli  7 Jan. A Yellow Bittern Botaurus sinensis at Seeb on 3 Jan and perhaps the same bird on 8 Jan at Al Ansab Wetland - very rare in the north. At least five Eastern Cattle Egrets Ardea coromanda  at Mirbat Public Park 13 Apr - seventh record.

The tenth record of Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus at Tawi Atayr on 6 Mar, possibly the same bird as the one seen on 14 Nov 2024 at the same location. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus at Khawr Jirama on 17th February - 2nd record. Two Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos at Mudday on 16 Feb and a Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus at Tawi Atayr on 11 Feb. Single Brown Shrikes Lanius cristatus Duqm 21 Jan, Mahawt 12 Feb, Jarziz Farm 14 Feb, Masirah Island 25 Mar - a very unusual number of records of this vagrant if accepted by OBRC. A Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach remained at Ayn Hamran 28 Jan-11 Feb. A Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris was at Al Ansab Wetland 6 Mar - a rare migrant. Two Wire-tailed Swallows Hirundo smithii were at Khawr Taqah on 7 Jan  and 6 Mar. Three Eastern Red-rumped Swallows Cecropis daurica in Wadi Darbat 7-14 Feb (two on 10 Mar) - first record.

Single Hume's Warblers Phylloscopus humei  Wadi Bani Habib 8Jan and 6Mar and Al Baleed 11 Feb while a Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was at Ayn Tobruq 16 Feb. Single Blyth's Reed Warblers Acrocephalus dumetorum were at Ayn Hamran 21 Jan and Masirah Island 24 Jan. A Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides was at Mudday on 6 Mar. A Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum was at Mirbat Public Park on 16 Jan while 80+ Rosy Starlings Pastor roseus were there on 25 Mar. A flock of Wattled Starlings Creatophora cinerea were near Salalah Gardens Mall 19-21 Jan.The two Eyebrowed Thrushes Turdus obscurus first recorded at Qatbit 11 Dec 2024 remained to 3 Feb (sixth record). The fifth record of Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa daurica was at Ad Duqm, 19 Feb while a Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata was at Wadi Darbat on 6 Mar. The third record of European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca (a male) was at Ayn Razat, 22 Mar. 20 Yellow-throated Sparrows Gymnoris xanthocollis  at Salalah Public Park 19-20 Jan while 100 were on the Sayh Plateau, Musandam, 23 Apr. Two Forest Wagtails Dendronanthus indicus  were at Al Shamkaiah Park, Masirah Island 11-24 Jan. Single Eastern Yellow Wagtails Motacilla tsutschensis were at Mirbat Public Park 19-21 Jan, Wadi Darbat 10 Feb, Ad Duqm 12 Feb.140 Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana present on Sayh Plateau 26 Apr.

Above report compiled by Ian Harrison/OSME
All photos below copyright Nick Bray

MID OCTOBER - END NOVEMBER 2024

This report covers the period from mid-October to the end of November and this is when a number of tour companies arrived, along with private groups from the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, France and Scandinavia. The increase in popularity of Oman is phenomenal. The lure of several Arabian endemics, combined with a good selection of Middle East specialities, the excitement of some fantastic migration and thrill of rarity hunting gives birding in Oman a unique flavour! Some birders also consider Oman to be part of the Greater Palearctic Region making this incredible country a not-to-be-missed destination on the world birding map.

The 2024 season got off to a bang with the discovery of a Long-toed Stint at Al Ansab Wetland Reserve in Muscat. This site also held a couple pairs of Grey-headed Swamphens (apparently breeding now) and this is the only known regular site for this species in the whole country. What has been quite extraordinary is the number of Saunders's Terns reported this season, with several off the Muscat coast and some from the Salalah area - although confirming i.d is problematic. The major highlight was the finding of a Pallas's Fish-Eagle towards the latter part of November by Eduard Sangster at Khawr Al Mahadin about an hour's drive south of Muscat. Pallas's Gulls were late arriving this year with just a single seen around Al Qurm Park at the start of the month, whilst Sooty Falcons lingered later than normal until at least 12th November on Al Fahal Island and an apparent breeding pair of Red-billed Tropicbirds lingered throughout the month on the island as well..

Omani Owl was once again vocal and seen by some lucky groups in the Al Hajaar Mountains, making it two years in a row that it was seen by multiple observers & groups. Also this year Lappet-faced Vultures were seen at a number of sites in the mountains to the west of Muscat such as Al Mutaqa Waste Disposal Site.

The migrant hotspot of Masirah Island is rarely visited these days, but Dave Astins & his Wise Birding group found 2 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, 2 Asian Koels, Oriental Turtle Dove and 3 Forest Wagtails. Along with a flock of 700 Crab-Plovers.

Barr al Hickman (Filim) pulled out a few surprises this year with the discovery of the kalbaensis race of Collared Kingfisher being present in the mangroves, and even Indian White-eyes put in an appearance here. There was also an Asian Koel, Eastern Yellow Wagtail and White-breasted Waterhen present during November. By mid-November Amur Falcons were arriving as well. Nearby at Mahout the sewage pools held a Black-necked Grebe and the nearby park at the edge of town hosted an Oriental Turtle Dove. The new road from Mahout to Haima now passes some great little wooded parks before reaching Haima, and the latter this year didn't have the same excitement as last year (Forest Wagtail etc) but the Al Ghaftain Resthouse Gardens were superb with the 2nd record of European Pied Flycatcher, as well as a controversial scops-owl initially called as a Striated but later re-identified by Pete Morris & Killian Mullarney as a European Scops-Owl.

Another major highlight this season was the finding by Joachim Bertrands, of Oman's 2nd Sykes's Nightjar at Muntesar Oasis. His narrative of the find on eBird makes exciting reading and completely overshadows the main reason everyone goes to the oasis - Egyptian Nightjar! Other great birds present at the oasis was the 3rd record of Ruddy-breasted Crake by a Belgian group, at least 2 Pied Wheatears, Richard's Pipit, Blyth's Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Stonechat and a Green Warbler.

The Qatbit gardens were quiet early in November but came back with a bang at the end of the month with a the 5th & 6th record of Eye-browed Thrush, along with a Hypocolius.

Al Beed farms a little further south seem to be past their best although Crowned Sandgrouse are notable from here this year, but at Shisr Fields the wintering flock of Sociable Lapwings had returned. This is proving the best site for Cream-coloured Courser with a flock of at least 27 seen in one field.

Mudday is once again home to a very tiny wintering population of Hypocolius, with a maximum of 3 seen near the mosque. The sandgrouse drinking pools have dried up, so no big flocks anymore although November held a record flock of 500+ Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse coming in to another small pool at the edge of town at dusk! The camel farm has also been good for them, along with Sand Partridges too. Lappet-faced Vulture also put in a few appearances during the first half of November in the surrounding hills. And how about the 5th Record of Grey-necked Bunting here as well...

The Salalah area has been awesome with the 3rd record of Fulvous Whistling Duck at Khawr Al Qurm (previously reported as a Lesser Whistling-Duck), the 2nd record of Knob-billed Duck at East Khawr and a flock of Caspian Plovers lingered for 5 days at least along the beach near Khawr Januf. There was also the 9th & 10th Blyth's Pipits (at least 2 others reported elsewhere in the country inc a photographed bird by Nicolas Moulin at Muntesar), Bimaculated Lark, 9th Blyth's Reed Warbler at Ayn Hamran, an influx of Jacobin Cuckoos (with a group of 5 found by Nick Bray & his group), Diederik Cuckoo at Ayn Hamran and Wadi Kheesh, Wattled Starling at East Khawr, and also the 5th record of Grey-bellied Cuckoo. There was also a Small Pratincole & Little Bittern at East Khawr, Common Rock-Thrush at Ayn Hamran, a group of Yellow-throated Sparrows at Salalah Park and Brahminy Starling at Tawi Atayr.

The 'new' crake pools near the Ayn Tobruq roundabout held both Baillon's & Little Crakes.

Khawr Mughsayl and Wadi Asha's Nature Reserve held a White-breasted Waterhen, Yellow Bittern, 2 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, another Blyth's Pipit and Ed Opperman found a superb Malachite Kingfisher.

And finally, the Mirbat pelagics with Hatem have been exceptional with Persian Shearwater and Jouanin's Petrels seen on every pelagic, Flesh-footed Shearwater nearly so and even Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel seen frequently. But the presence of a seemingly larger all-dark storm-petrel claimed as a Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel being seen a few times, even on the same pelagics as SSP, caused quite a stir. Certainly a controversial bird, the consensus is it's just a scruffy moulting SSP, despite looking significantly larger. Photos have proved inconclusive.

Imagine what rarities could be found if more birders visited at other times of the year! For instance in late November a Pacific Swift was seen by Mark McKeown at Khawr Al Qurm in Salalah on and another Blyth's Reed Warbler at Al Shamkaiah Park on Masirah Island on 20th December. Eduard Sangster came up trumps again with the 6th Pallas's Fish-Eagle for Oman at a site about an hour south of Muscat. And don't forget those Eye-browed Thrushes at the Qatbit Motel Gardens at the end of November & a group of 3 Small Pratincoles at the mouth of Khawr Rawri as well. What a few weeks it has been!

Report compiled by Nick Bray/Zoothera Birding