BIRDing REPORT MID-OCTOBER to 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