Bird and Nature trip to Dhofar, Oman August

Transcription

1 Bird and Nature trip to Dhofar, Oman August Sofia Broström (text and landscape photos) Contact: Sander Broström (bird photos)

2 My son and I visited Dhofar during the monsoon, locally called khareef. It was our first visit to Oman, and we came to enjoy the landscape during the wet season, and of course the birds. The area affected by the khareef is not very large, ending before Mirbat to the East, and to the North bounded by the mountains, which catch the clouds. Between the mountains and the sea there is, until Mugsayl in the West, a coastal plain which in Salalah and Taqah partly hosts fruit plantations. The whole area is very accessible, and you can walk anywhere that is not obviously private. Travel We flew Qatar Airways, Copenhagen - Doha - Salalah and back. Very comfortable, and with a 30 kg luggage allowance, but unfortunately only 7 kg hand luggage. They did not check this on our way back but flying out from Copenhagen there was some discussion before we were allowed to proceed. Visa rules had changed just days before our visit - from now on you are recommended to file your visa application electronically before you arrive, or the visa will be unnecessarily expensive. Upon arrival at Salalah airport there are ATM machines easily available after customs; there is also an Omantel store if you want to get a local SIM card. Driving We rented a car via Interrent/Europcar which worked out fine - but do book the car well in advance as there is heavy demand for vehicles during the khareef. As apparently usual in Oman I had to sign a paper saying that the insurance would be void if I drove on an unpaved road - strange given that we rented a 4WD! Roads are generally in excellent condition and signage is good (but beware that on rare occasions signs can be only in Arabic). In a few places you need to drive on gravel roads to reach the birding destinations, but even those are generally - but not always - quite good. A 4WD is not normally necessary. Petrol is quite cheap and there are plenty of petrol stations on the plain between Al Mughsayl in the West and Mirbat in the East, also in Thumrait if you travel north. During the khareef the monsoon clouds generally hover along the mountain side, meaning that at times fog can be quite dense. When driving, this means you are going through the cloud; the local custom is then to turn on your hazard blinkers - the same applies every time you spot camels on the road. Road bumps are used a lot to slow down traffic, also on highways when you approach intersections and similar. These have originally been painted yellow, but the paint has mostly worn off and they can at times be quite hard to spot. Maps We mostly used Maps.me on an Android phone, sometimes also Google Maps - on both you can download the Oman map for use offline, but only maps.me allows offline navigation. Some places

3 are only found in one of the apps - there are also some differences in transliteration of the Arabic names (khor=khawr, Athoom=Athum etc etc). Be aware, however, that there is intense road construction work going on meaning that the road you are driving on may not be on the map. We also had a paper map in 1: , Oman Dhofar Road Map from Hupe which was quite good for overview. Although of course even more outdated than the digital maps it still includes some locations not in the digital maps (such as Lagga Shalyoon). Housing We rented an apartment at Salalah Beach Villas, an uninspiring resort but perfectly located between the roads leading up to Ayn Hamran and Ayn Tobroq/Ayn Athum respectively (also the location for Rotana and Jumeira hotels). In addition, the resort is home to a lot of birds, including Shining Sunbirds, and the beach was a good spot for shorebirds. In the late evenings we enjoyed Egyptian Fruit Bats swarming among the date palms and other, smaller bats, near the beach. Wifi We had in our apartment, but did not find it elsewhere. Food There are two big supermarkets in Salalah (Carrefour and Lulu) and a smaller one in Taqah. Taqah also has good places for take-out meals. We had good food at the resort, but heavily overpriced, so when going out we preferred driving into Salalah, usually ending up on 23rd street. Lebanese Balbeek was a favourite. There are also food stalls along the road and at several Ayns. We mostly did not use these for allergy reasons, but are told that they are great - and you don t need to worry about getting sick. You can also buy a coconut with a straw in many places - a nice and cheap drink. Toilets Many of the popular picnic spots and beaches have public toilets, you also see them in some other places. Toilets are either free or you give a small amount such as.100 OMR. Climate The rain was generally not a problem. If it rains, it is normally very light rain which dries up more or less immediately. If it rains more, you can usually drive a short distance and get out of the rain. This is not always the case, however. We had two days near the end of our visit when it was raining more or less everywhere in the mountains and on the coastal plain, even all the way to Wadi Shalyoon (normally the khareef does not go past Mirbat). Preparations and literature We used Birdwatching Guide to Oman by Dave E. Sargeant and Hanne & Jens Eriksen ( ) together with the updates available on

4 The two summer trip reports by Erik Hirschfeld were also very helpful ( and ). Note that the Hirschfeld reports also give coordinates to some places not available elsewhere. Transliterations are not standardized, so expect a lot of name variations of the places you are looking for. Also the road signs can shift as you drive along, with another transliteration at the next turn. Oman Bird List by Jens Eriksen and Reginald Victor ( ) was a great asset to see which birds breed in the area and which birds have been observed and at which times of the year. Sites We visited most sites recommended in the above sources. Again, note that transliterations can differ, thus Ayn Sahnawt was signposted Ayn Sahalnoot. A particularly nice place is Wadi Hinna: We also drove west, beyond Al Mugsayl, all the way to Rakhyut, a fishing village reached by a fine road some distance west of the actual village. This was a pleasant and beautiful drive (but note that the ascent to the Western plateau, and the descent from it when returning, can be challenging with hair-pin curves with almost no visibility due to fog; there is also a military checkpoint on the way so make sure you have your passport, driving license, and car rental papers with you). On our way we stopped, among many places, where the Fizayah road turns off - this is where we had the trip s only Palestine Sunbird and generally a very nice place. Make sure to plan a full day for this drive as distances are longer than you may think.

5 One day we crossed the mountains and drove north towards Thumrait, first turning off in the direction of Rabkhut where we enjoyed the desert dawn in Wadi Rabkhut and then also scanned Wadi Sahnawt. The surprisingly affluent village of Rabkhut itself was also rewarding, especially since two Lichtenstein s sandgrouse landed very close in a garden. In Thumrait we had lunch and also visited a quite depressing but well-watered park near the highway. We had more Black-crowned Finch Larches there than in any other place and we can imagine that when

6 migration is in full swing this place is a real bird magnet. As for driving, also the ascent/descent towards/from Thumrait is a challenge - in this case no hair-pin bends but plenty of extremely slow-going trucks and again very poor visibility due to the fog. Don t miss the pleasant village of Wadi Nahiz on your way back - there are many roads there that you can drive to explore the valley: Another destination you should not miss is to Jebel Samhan, it s an exceptionally beautiful drive through lush greenery (see front photo), and if you hit a clear day the view from Jebel Samhan is spectacular. Note that also the entire semicircular road, starting from and ending on the main road Taqah-Mirbat and from which you read Wadi Darbat, Tawi Attair, and Wadi Hinna, is very beautiful and these days the entire stretch is a paved road in excellent condition. Finally, we went east as far as Sadah, via Wadi Soop ( , ) and Wadi (Lagga) Shalyoon ( , ). Wadi Shalyoon was a favorite spot. We were accompanied by one or possibly two Verreaux s Eagles during most of our visit, the large numbers of very tame Bruce s Green Pigeons calmly eating figs were a treat and there were plenty of other birds to enjoy as well, such as Green Bee-eaters and Black-crowned Tchagras. Do continue also beyond the dam (on foot) - it is quite beautiful. On our way to Wadi Shalyoon we visited Wadi Soop in pouring rain, but even so we saw an Arabian Red Fox and three Mountain Gazelles (one at a time). Finally, we made a one-hour stop on a cliff above Sadah, which proved quite productive for sea birds, especially Masked Boobies.

7

8 BIRDS Arabian Partridge Alectoris melanocephala Seen most days, singles or (usually) groups of 2-7 individuals. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 2 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 7 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 1 East Khawr 21.8 and 6 Al Baleed Archaeological Park Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 3 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 10 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 1 Rakhyut 20.8 and 12 East Khawr Jouanin's Petrel Bulweria fallax 10 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 4 Sadah 25.8 and 70 Ras Mirbat Persian Shearwater Puffinus persicus 1 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 1 Sadah 25.8 and 8 Ras Mirbat Wilson s Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus 3 Ras Mirbat Masked Booby Sula dactylatra 1 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 50 Sadah 25.8 and 9 Ras Mirbat 25.8 Socotra cormorant Phalacrocax nigrogularis 1 Sadah Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis 3 certain Khawr Taqah (the stretch along the beach) On other days we had quite bad views, which may as well have been Little Bittern (2 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 1 East Khawr 21.8, 1 Al Baleed Archeological Park 21.8) Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Observed most days by open still water, highest number 15 in Khawr Rawri Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1 Khawr Stimah 18.8, in total around 20 Khawr Rawri 19.8 and 1 East Khawr 21.8, 1 Taqah Beach 23.8 and 2 Taqah Beach Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis 3 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 1 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 2 Khawr Rawi 19.8, 1 Al Mughsayl pools Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibisi 1 on the road to Rakhyut 20.8 and 1 Khawr Taqah 21.8 (fenced part) Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 2 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 10 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 2-3 East Khawr 21.8, 4 Khawr Taqah 23.8 (3 of which along the beach, not in the fenced-in part). Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii 8 Al Baleed Archaeological Park Striated Heron Butorides striata 3 Al Mughsayl pools 20.8 and 1 East Khawr Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1 immature Wadi Darbat 17.8, 2 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 6 Al Baleed Archaeological Park 21.8, 2 Ayn Razat Glossy Ibis Plegadis facinellus 4 Khawr Rawri Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 2 Khawr Rawri 19.8.

9 Osprey Pandion haliaetus 2 Khawr Rawri 19.8 and 1 East Khawr Short-toed Snake-Eagle Circaetus gallicus 1 on route to East Khawr Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii 1 or possibly 2 Wadi Shalyoon 25.8, observed on an off for a period of about 2 hours. Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata 1 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 1 Khawr Rawri (Crested) Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorynchus/apivorus 1 one year old female 20.8 when stopping on route towards Al Mugsayl from the West, just before military checkpoint. Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus cirtensis 1 juvenile 20.8 when stopping on route to Rakhyut, close by the take-off to Fizayah. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Common all wetlands. Red-knobbed coot Fulica cristata 5 Khawr Rawri Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis 2 Al Baleed Archaeological Park Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Singles or small numbers observed in Khawr Stimah, Al Mugsayl pools and Khawr Taqah (by the beach) Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 3 Khawr Stimah 18.8 and 1 Taqah Beach European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria 1 Khawr Stimah 18.8 and 1 Ras Mirbat Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus 6 Al Mughsayl pools 20.8, 50 East Khawr 21.8, 4 Taqah Beach 26.8 (?). Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 3 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 3 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 6 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 6 Rakhyut 20.8, 10 East Khawr Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 12 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 4 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 3 East Khawr 21.8, 5 Taqah Beach 23.8 and 5 Taqah Beach Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 1 Rakhyut Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 4 Salalah Beach Villas 15.8, 2 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 1 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 15 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 1 Al Mugsayl pools 20.8, 2 Rakhyut 20.8, 4 East Khawr 21.8, 5 Taqah Beach 23.8 and 1 Mirbat (city) Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata 1 East Khawr 21.8 and 2 Taqah Beach Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 1 Khawr Rawri Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 25 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 15 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 15 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 40 East Khawr 21.8, 7 Ras Mirbat 25.8.

10 Ruff Philomachus pugnax 1 Salalah Beach Villas 14.8, 1 Rakhyut 20.8, East Khawr Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus At least 1 East Khawr 21.8 (flock hard to scan in an uneven field). Sanderling Calidris alba 8 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 2 Rakhyut 20.8, 10 East Khawr 21.8, 50 Taqah Beach 23.8 and 75 Taqah Beach Little Stint Calidris minuta At least 1 East Khawr 21.8 (flock hard to scan in an uneven field). Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Common, seen many times daily in almost all habitats both in-land an coast, both dry and wet. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 1 Ayn Tobroq Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 15 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 4 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 1 Salalah Beach Villas 19.8, 7 Al Mugsayl pools 20.8, 25 East Khawr 21.8, 5 Al Balid Archaeological Park 21.8, 2 Taqah Beach 23.8, 1 Taqah Beach Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 1 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 2 Rakhyut Common Redshank Tringa totanus 4 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 3 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 5 Al Mugsayl pools 20.8, 5 East Khawr Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei 3 Khawr Rawri 19.8,9 Taqah Beach 23.8, 15 Taqah Beach Sooty Gull Ichthyaetus hemprichii Very common along coasts. Lesser Noddy Anous tenuirostris 1 Taqah Beach Saunder s Tern Sternula saundersi 5 Khawr Rawri Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 5 Khawr Rawri Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 2 Khawr Rawri 19.8, 2 East Khawr Common Tern Sterna hirundo 3 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 1 Taqah Beach White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa 2 Khawr Rawri Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii Obsevred most days along the shore, common. Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 2 East Khawr 21.8, 2 Taqah Beach Lichtenstein s Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii 2 Rabkhut village Rock Pigeon Columba livia Observed most days. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Observed most days.

11 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Very common, seen daily. Bruce's Green Pigeon Treron waalia 1 Ayn Hamran 15.8, 1 Wadi Darbat 16.8, 4 Ayn Razat 22.8, 11 Wadi Shalyoon Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius 1 Ayn Hamran 15.8, 2 Wadi Darbat 16.8, 1 en route to Jebel Samhan 16.8, 6 Ayn Razat 22.8, 2 Ayn Sahnawt (Sahalnoot) 22.8, 2 en route to Wadi Nahiz via Shir 22.8, 8 Wadi Nahiz 22.8, 1 Ayn Tobroq 23.8, 1, Ayn Athoom 23.8, 6 Ayn Hamran 23.8, 2 Wadi Nahiz Note that we had considerably more observations at the end of our stay than at the beginning - this because we learned the calls. Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus 1 road to Ayn Athum 25.8 and 26.8 (at night). Forbes-Watson's Swift Apus berliozi Observed about half of our days - considerably larger numbers the first few days than later (then only 1-2 a day). Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops 1 Salalah Beach Villas, observed many days, 2 Thumrait 24.8, 1 Wadi Shalyoon Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala Common, seen in all green locations with trees, even once at Salalah Beach Villas. Highest daily count 21 on that day we visited Ayn Razat, Ayn Sahalnoot and Wadi Nahiz. Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis 2 Salalah Beach Villas 14.8, 2 Khawr Stimah 18.8, 2 Mirbat 18.8, 2 Wadi Shalyoon Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Observed most days, usually 1-3 per day. Peregrine (Berber) Falcon Falco peregrinus(oides) 4 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 1 Ayn Hamran Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri Seen, in Salalah (including Beach Villas), also Taqah Beach 23.8.

12 Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus 2-3 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 2 Wadi Hinna 18.8, 1 while driving up from Rakhyut 20.8, 1 Ayn Razat 22.8, 1 Ayn Hamran 23.8, 2 Wadi Shalyoon Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis 1 Ayn Hamran 16.8 Lesser Gray Shrike Lanius minor 2 Wadi Sahnawt 24.8 African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis 10 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 3 Wadi Darbat 17.8, 7 Wadi Hinna 18.8 (it was the most common bird here), 3 Wadi Nahiz 22.8, 7 Ayn Tobroq 23.8.

13 House Crow Corvus splendens Common, especially among people, seen all days. Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus Seen about half of our days. Largest number a flock of about 100 near Jebel Samhan Desert Lark Ammomanes deserti 3 Wadi Sahnawt 24.8, 2 Wadi Rabkhut 24.8, 3 Wadi Soop 25.8 and 4 Wadi Shalyoon Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix nigriceps Around 10 Wadi Rabkhut 24.8, 2 Rabkhut village 24.8, 20 Thumrait park Singing Bush Lark Mirafra cantillans

14 7 Ayn Hamran 16.8, in total about 20 along the drive to Jebel Samhan (we picnicked in a field which was apparently Singing Bush Lark heaven), 5 Ayn Razat 22.8, many singing in the dark along the drive to Ayn Tobroq before dawn 23.8, 2 Ayn Hamran 23.8, 3 Wadi Nahiz incl. the drive down 24.8, 4 Taiq Cave Crested Lark Galerida cristata Observed i4 days apart from at Salalah Beach Villas. Pale Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne obsoleta (fuligula) Common.Common, observed most days. White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos Common. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Iduna pallida 1 Wadi Rabkhut Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis Common, observed almost all days. Arabian Warbler Sylvia leucomelaena 1 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 5 Wadi Hinna 18.8, 4 Ayn Razat 22.8, 3 Ayn Tobroq 23.8 and 1 Ayn Hamran Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus Common, seen most days. Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas galactotes 1 Ras Mirbat 18.8, 1 just after turn-off towards Wadi Nahiz from route Blackstart Oenanthe melanura

15 Common, seen most days, maximum 11 in Wadi Nahiz Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides 1 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 4 along the road to Jebel Samhan and 2 once there 17.8, 1 in the mountains above Ayn Athum 19.8, 5 along the road to Rakhyut 20.8, 2 Ayn Razat 22.8, 6 Wadi Shalyoon 25.8, 1 Jebel Samhan Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina 1 Wadi Rabkhut Rosy Starling Pastor roseus 1 Salalah Beach Villas and 1 along route 47 by Fizayah turn-off Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Common. Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii Very common. Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea 1 male and probably 1 female along route 47 by Fizayah turn-off Shining Sunbird Cinnyris habessinicus Common, seen almost all days in small numbers. Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis 3 Ayn Hamran 16.8, 1 on route from Jebel Samhan 17.8, 2 along route 47 by Fizayah turn-off 20.8, 5 Ayn Razat and 10 Ayn Sahalnoot (Sahnawt) 22.8, 1 on route to Ayn Athum Striolated Bunting Emberiza striolata striolata For sure 2 Ayn Hamran 16.8, likely also on other days but superficially similar to Cinnamon-breasted which were so common we usually didn t check carefully. Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Emberiza tahapisi Very common, both on plains and in mountains. House sparrow Passer domesticus Large flock seen at Salalah beach villas 14.8, also 4 Wadi Stimah 18.8, flocks in Rabkhut and Thumrait 24.8, and 1 in Mirbat 25.8 Rüppell's Weaver Ploceus galbula Very common, this time of year busily building new nest and repairing old nests:

16

17 African Silverbill Euodice cantans orientalis Seen in small numbers at Salalah Beach Villas, Ayn Hamran, a flock of about 20 seen in fruit plantations Salalah Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata 2 Ad Dahariz Park 21.7, 1 fruit plantations Salalah 21.8 and 1 Khawr Taqah MAMMALS Red Fox Vulpes vulpes arabica 1 crossroads Ayn Tobroq/Ayn Athoom dawn 23.8, same place 2 at night 26.8, 1 Wadi Soop Mountain gazelle Gazella gazella 3 Wadi Soop Egyptian Fruit Bat Rousettus aegyptiacus Around 100 each night (rather late) around date palms at Salalah Beach Villas.. Bats Also smaller bats were seen, both at Salalah Beach Villas and at Ayn Athoom when we were night birding. Species not known.. Black rat Rattus rattus Perhaps not normally listed in reports, but we found it interesting to experience the black rat, and to note its rather arboreal habits. Seen four days, in natural settings (not close to human habitation). OTHER We saw lots of fascinating lizards of many species and also some frogs. There were excellent possibilities to watch butterflies and dragonflies (see Erik Hirschfeld s reports for details). At Wadi Hinna we had a huge black millipede with red legs, which may or may not have been an Epibolus pulchripes, we are no experts. In the desert wadis and at Wadi Shalyoon we saw darkling beetles. On beaches you see Ghost Crabs (Ocypode) and between rocks at the shore Lightfoot Crabs ( Grapsus tenuicrustatus ). Mudskippers (fish) are also fun to watch, jumping around on algae-covered rocks between each wave. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thanks to Erik Hirschfeld for generously sharing information before our trip, and also for sharing the template and species list from his trip - greatly facilitating the writing of this report.