Today the birding gods have been ultra good to me as I had the morning to look for something rare on Masirah Island in Oman. Headed into Al Shamkaiah Park shortly after sunrise and bumped into 2 Forest Wagtails - still a rare bird in Oman. They'd been previously reported, so I was half-expecting them to still be here. Then a Red-breasted Flycatcher appeared, and as I walked around the edge of the park, 2 Pin-tailed Snipe flew up and away. Not too shabby so far, but I was wondering if i'd lost my rarity-finding mojo here in Oman. After several minutes of self-doubt a bird flew away, low across the floor of the park, looking for all the world like a small accipiter with a white spot on the lower back. It was kind of reminiscent to an immature Shikra, so I thought in that moment but surely was too thin...? I crept closer to where I saw the bird in question swoop up into one of the densest trees in the park (of course) and thought I could see it through a tangle of bare branches. What I saw left me totally shaken to be honest and I had to get a better position as what I thought it was, surely couldn't be. It was a cuckoo, an immature at that, but not just any cuckoo. I was adamant it was a flipping Common Hawk-Cuckoo, something of a mega bird in the Middle East. The stuff of dreams you might say. But it couldn't be?! i tried taking some photos but my hands were shaking and the light was poor anyway. Damn!
Anyway, I spent several minutes trying to compose myself, keeping one eye on the bird and one on my phone, looking for its status in Oman. Wow! With only 4 previous records this was indeed a mega bird and I had to be sure. The bird then disappeared and I cursed my luck, as I hadn't any decent photos to record the event and surely no-one would believe me without photos. So I searched the park and eventually saw it flying again. This was like, maybe another half an hour since my initial discovery and all the while I was doubting what i'd seen! Ah the joys of ADHD and overthinking! Anyway, I tracked the bird down to another tree, took some photos from a distance and BAM! It's a Common Hawk-Cuckoo! Mega! You just can't beat that buzz from finding a rarity.
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| Common Hawk-Cuckoo |
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| Forest Wagtail |
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