OMAN UPDATE 3

This is the third rarity round-up so far for November and what a month it is proving to be. 

The 6th Red Collared Dove for Oman remained at Al Ghaftain and the 3rd record of Sykes’s Nightjar was seen a few times at Maqshin Water Treatment Works, where up to 7 Egyptian Nightjars seem to be set to spend the winter. 

Muntesar Oasis had another Baillon’s Crake, along with White-breasted Waterhen & Olive-backed Pipit, a Ruddy Shelduck was at Barka Sewage Works, a Collared Kingfisher at Filim Mangroves, and 50+ Great Knot were present at Filim mudflats. Al Shamkaiah Park on Masirah Island had 3 Asian Koels & Baillon’s Crake, with 5 Pallas’s Gulls on the coast nearby. 

The Crowne Plaza at Duqm held White-breasted Waterhen, Green Warbler & 3 Olive-backed Pipits. Both the Black Heron and Watercock remained throughout the month at Mughsayl, with a Yellow Bittern, Malachite Kingfisher & yet another White-breasted Waterhen also seen there. An immature Black-headed/Red-headed Bunting was seen at Ayn Tobruq, a Hume’s Warbler was at Wadi Bani Habab on Sayq Plateau, Asian Koels were seen at Mudday & Haima Park, a Long-toed Stint remained at Ayn Taqah for a few days and another White-breasted Waterhen was at the Golden Tulip Resort, Nizwa. 

The second Streak-throated Swallow of the month was at Ayn Hamran, with the previous one reported at Al Qurm Park, Muscat last seen on Al Fahal Island being eaten by a Sooty Falcon! Small Pratincoles were seen at Khawr Raysut & East Khawr, Little Crake on Ayn Tobruq Crake Pool, the Fulvous Whistling Duck was last seen on the Hilton Wetlands, Salalah and at least 17 Sociable Lapwings remained at the same site with a Caspian Plover and a White-tailed Lapwing nearby. 

Rufous-backed Redstart

Another White-tailed Lapwing was lingering for several days at upper Muscat Rivermouth as well. A visit to Musandam during the last week of November produced 6 Rufous-backed (Eversmann’s) Redstarts, Black Kite, 2 Variable Wheatears, Siberian Stonechat and a Hume’s Warbler, but they were overshadowed by the 1st Paddyfield Pipit for Oman found on Masirah Island. 

Variable Wheatear

Hume's Warbler

Meanwhile on the Sayh Plateau at Jabal Akhdar there was a flock of 25 of the rare & elusive local race of Common Woodpigeon, as well as Eurasian Crag-Martin, another Hume’s Warbler, Black-throated Thrush and amazingly 4 Rufous-backed (Eversmann’s) Redstarts - making this a bumper month for that particular species. 

And there’s going to be more to come…! 

Oman rocks!