Readers with good memories may recall this: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=117622. Well now here's the sequel.
Day 1
Our first sight of Oman was the heavy traffic on the main road outside of Muscat airport, which lasted all the way to our accommodation for the night (an overpriced tent in the grounds of the Al Sawadi hotel) an hour’s drive away. Birding didn’t start until the next morning, where at least our location allowed us the luxury of some introductory beach birding before breakfast. Common birds of the area included Purple Sunbird, White-cheeked and Red-vented Bulbuls, with the odd Indian Roller and Black-crowned Finch Lark also taking advantage of the well-watered hotel grounds. The early morning walk was also the first of many opportunities we had to get confused by sandplovers, with both Greater and Lesser being present. We also scored an Isabelline double, though again this was to be the first of many as both shrike and wheatear proved to be ubiquitous on subsequent days.
A short exploration of the nearby Khwar (coastal lagoon) after breakfast revealed more waders, including Greenshank, Little Stint and Terek Sandpiper, though viewing was disrupted for a while as a juvenile Peregrine sought its lunch. The area also held a Marsh Harrier and a Steppe Eagle, though these caused less panic amongst the waders. Numerous gulls and terns were loafing on the beach. Of which, more later, except to say that this was our first introduction to the smart local Sooty Gulls.
Next, it was back in to the traffic to explore further sites along Oman’s North-east coast (the area known as Al Batinah). The coastal mangrove site of Liwa was our next stop, with the main target species being Collared Kingfisher and Sykes’ Warbler. In the event we scored only Common Kingfisher and no warblers whatsoever. Sohar sun farms were much more enjoyable and productive however. Here, extensive irrigation is used to grow fodder for cattle which are housed elsewhere on the farm. The result is large circular areas of greenery that stand out from the arid surroundings and are very attractive to birds. Our time that evening was limited, but even so it was clear that the area held good numbers of wagtails and pipits as well as a few Marsh Harriers, a couple of Lesser Kestrels and various other birds taking full advantage of the good feeding that the cultivation offered. The drive out of the farm also gave us Grey Francolin, Little Green Bee-eater and some distant sandgrouse.
Our next task was to find a hotel for the night. While we had directions to a couple in the locality, the task took longer than it should have done due to us becoming confused by new road developments. The area is developing very rapidly, but the pattern of development seems to involve building the roads first then letting development follow. But it seems the road itself is not enough, they also have to come with bright streetlights and lush, irrigated verges, even though they are bordered either side by little more than desert scrub. It was along one such apparent road to nowhere that we eventually found the hotel.
Glad to hear you made it back OK Stuart. I was beginning to worry that you and Mollymawk had been tempted to do a pelagic in the Arabian Sea and were now in captivity in Mogadishu. Any photos in future instalments?
E