Wadi Hanna and Wadi Darbat

There is a small part of Wadi Hanna which produces a disproportionate number of bird sightings. I don't quite know why. It has more shade and more large trees but the main reason may be that it is the busiest picnic area.

Ironically the trash left behind and which is unsightly produces more flies. The left over food is also edible to many birds of course. These two factors could be important.

It was here that I saw two common redstart. Both were female.

common redstart

They have not been there all winter. This is a passage bird in Dhofar. It is also species 254 on my Oman list and was my target bird for this location and on this day. Birding doesn't always work this smoothly and even in this case there are identification issues.

second picture of common redstart

The photos I took look quite different in the sun and in the shade. It is conceivable the two birds swapped. I have consulted and researched to be sure neither was Evermann's redstart as the white fringing is quite pronounced in some pictures.

I am comfortable with common redstart for several reasons in the end. First the birds didn't appear larger than the Ruppell's weaver near-by. Second the habitat was right for common redstart. Third its (just) outside Evermann's normal range. Fourth, the female samamiscus sub species of common redstart can sometimes have pale fringing. Fifth, I saw no sign of the bird cocking its tail as seen with Evermann's.

I am still awaiting some feedback though and I am still a little unsure about the bird seen in the shade particularly its wing wing bars.

 redstart in the shade

The place was crowded with birds. As well as the redstarts there were plenty of Ruepell's weaver, Abyssinian white eye, African silverbill, cinnamon-breasted bunting, blackstart and white spectacled bulbul.

Ruepell's weaver in the picnic area

My biggest problem was turning down offers of tea from picnickers but I have been in the Middle East long enough to know how to do this politely.

black-crowned tchagra

Having finished with the picnic area, I moved up to the highest point of the wadi. Here vegetation is thinner and the terrain rockier. Nevertheless I came across yet another common redstart. Furthermore having seen a black-crowned tchagra out in the open at Khawr Rori earlier in the day, yet another one was in full view here. It was a good day for tchagra.

Being rockier and higher, it was no real surprise to observe a black redstart. This one was a male of one of the eastern races.

male black redstart

I didn't see any black redstart in early winter. I believe they disperse this far south over the winter and only then to high latitudes. This appears to be a similar situation with red-tailed wheatear.

second view of black redstart

One bird which is always present at the less dense parts of Wadi Hanna is Arabian wheatear.

Arabian wheatear

I also saw several Arabian partridge on Saturday. Instead of being in one tightly knit flock they were dispersed along a cliff edge apparently sunning themselves. As I walked along the edge, one by one they dived over. Each time they saw me before I saw them.

Having combed the area for others birds, I decided to head back towards Salalah but stopping off at Wadi Darbat on the way.

male dark morph African Paradise Flycatcher

There were plenty of African Paradise Flycatcher in evidence. The males were in breeding plumage with long tails. Both dark morph and pale morph were seen.

male pale morph African Paradise Flycatcher

The shaded areas under the trees have had a few tree pipit all winter but there were noticeably more on Saturday. 

tree pipit at Wadi Darbat

However this is hardly a big sign of the passage.

the water at Wadi Darbat

I accidentally disturbed a wryneck in the same cluster of trees. It immediately flew right to the top of a tall tree and didn't move further.

Wryneck in the canopy

Some wryneck winter in Oman.

Elsewhere in the wadi were several western reef heron and common sandpiper along the water.

Eastern Imperial Eagle

Wadi Darbat is one of the best places to see a wide variety of birds of prey. It the past I have seen such varied birds as hobby and booted eagle. This time I had to make do with an Eastern Imperial eagle just before I left.

Most eagles won't be here much longer. I can't wait for more passage.

On the way to Wadi Hanna

Yesterday, I went up the hills as I had said I would. I went to Wadi Hanna and Wadi Darbat looking out especially for any early migrants. I am satisfied with what I saw there. However this blog is about what was seen en route to those wadis.

I stopped off at roadside edge of Khawr Rori on the way out. This is on the plain just before the turn off that rises up into the mountains.  

There was plenty of bird activity there early in the morning. In the reeds and its adjacent wetland were clamorous red warbler, graceful prinia, wood sandpiper, common snipe, common greenshank, moorhen and common sandpiper.

Unfortunately, there was no real sign there or in the wider wadi of migrants. However it only a matter of time.

By way of partial compensation, I got some very good views of a black-crowned tchagra in the open.

Black-crowned tchagra in the open

Even when they are on the ground they often seek out ground-level cover such as shown below. However this time one crossed bare ground at least for a while.

black crowned tchagra 

This was also the first time I had seen black-crowned tchagra at Khawr Rori.

Abyssinian white eye

Other birds among the bushes and trees were Abyssinian white eye, Arabian warbler, laughing dove and Ruppell's weaver. More and more of the males of the latter species are in breeding plumage and some nest making has begun in the wetter areas includung at this site.

male Ruepell's weaver

I will keep visiting spots like the roadside edge of Khawr Rori all spring. Migrants will come. 

Having left Khawr Rori and having climbed up the hill side onto the plateau on the way to Wadi Hanna, I abruptly stopped the journey when I drove past a recently dead animal.

Fan-tailed raven on a carcass

It had attracted four eastern imperial eagle and a couple of fan-tailed raven. On my approach the eagles retreated to wires near-by and only the fan-tailed raven had the courage to stay on the carcass.

Eastern Imperial eagle on a wire

Despite my stillness I couldn't coax them back. I even photographed out of the front windscreen window so as not to disturb them hence the poor picture quality. In the end I gave up on them returning.

However I returned that way about 2 hours later having been to up to Wadi Hanna, This time I parked up a little further away from the carcass. While i was away it had been picked almost entirely bare. The four eastern imperial eagle had been joined by seven steppe eagle in the act.

some of the eagles on the remains of the carcass

I had caught the moment they were starting to disperse as the food source had finished.

one eastern Imperial eagle with three steppe eagle

There are often vultures on this plateau. It is a shame they weren't there this time.

This exhibition was a sideshow. The main purpose of the day had been to visit Wadi Hanna and Wadi Darbat. I did find a few migrants there as hoped and one was an addition to my Oman list. I will blog about this next.

Good birds at Ayn Hamran

I went again to Ayn Hamran yesterday afternoon to try and find the elusive Arabian golden-winged grosbeck and once again I failed.

Nevertheless the birding was very good and I added another bird to my country list.

In the heat of the afternoon not many locals or birders come up to the Ayn. I think that is why 15 or so Arabian partridge had decided to walk around the picnic area. It was quite a sight when I arrived.

eight Arabian partridge

They didn't immediately disappear when I started walking around either. I hear them almost every time I visit but only the last twice have I seen them there.

black crowned tchagra

As is getting usual, I saw another black crowned tchagra. This one was spending time on the ground.

After an hour or so at the top end of the spring looking mostly for grosbecks, I moved into the middle area with its stream and associated trees as well as cattle herd. The song thrush and red-breasted flycatcher which I had seen about three weeks ago were both in almost the same places as before.

dappled sun on a red-breasted flycatcher

I tried really hard to capture a good photo of the flycatcher this time. Last time all I got was a very poor record shot. However once again his movement (it is a he) and the dappled sun shining into the shade looked set to stop me. The flycatcher of course would not move out of the shade.

male red-breasted flycatcher

In the end I got a passable photo although the light was poor.

Abyssinian white eye

Several Abyssinian white-eye were foraging in the same shaded area.

adult Bonelli's eagle

I moved further down into the lower end of the spring. My best sighting here was a resting adult Bonelli's eagle.

Bonelli's eagle in flight

It made a screeching noise and a few moments later a second adult arrived and they both flew off.

sunbird

Soon after this I decided to give the top end one more go since my car was parked there. As I walked back I picked out a female sunbird which I tentatively think is a Nile Valley Sunbird since these are the only one of the three locally that have any type of yellow wash on the underparts.

At the top end, I still had no luck with the grosbeck but I did pick out a female Eastern Orphean warbler. This could be overlooked among the far more numerous Arabian warbler in the area.

The head alone is enough to identify it. The female has a mid grey head with dark and contrasting ear coverts. Adult Eastern Orphean warbler also have a pale iris but no Arabian warbler does.

One of the grey spots, which are often lighter in winter, is visible in the lower vent area too.

female eastern Orphean warbler

This was species 227 on my Oman list and excellent compensation for not seeing the grosbecks yet again.

I wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas. We have been given the day off here and I am sure I will fit at least some birding in.

December round up at Ayn Hamran

I now have a clear idea what my Nemesis birds are in Dhofar having been here for four months. Nemesis birds are those you should have seen given the effort but it just hasn't happened. 

My two are Arabian golden winged grosbeck and Verreaux's eagle. 

Ayn Hamran is one of the best places to see the former and the latter has been seen flying over there too.

I visit Ayn Hamran about three times a week mostly in the early morning but have had no success with these birds.

Ironically black-crowned tchagra was a Nemesis bird for me in Saudi Arabia but I see it regularly at Ayn Hamran without difficulty.

black crowned tchagra yesterday

Yesterday I saw three groups including one out in the open in a tree.

Turkestan shrike

Another highlight from yesterday morning was a smart male Turkestan shrike. This is more evidence that some Turkestan shrike stay the winter (and not just Daurian shrike).

Arabian warbler from December 12th

Ayn Hamran is a good place to see Arabian warbler. I did so on every visit in December.

masked shrike

In early November I saw a masked shrike there and I saw it again on December 12th. Others have reported it in between times. This species occasionally winters in south west Arabia presumably including southern Oman.

African silverbill on December 12th

Of course the main birds at Ayn Hamran are none of the above. They include Ruepell's weaver, African silverbill, blackstart and Abyssinian white-eye.

spotted flycatcher

Going back earlier in the month, I observed a spotted flycatcher on December 5th. This was a seriously late passage. It was over two weeks later than the previous one.

second view of spotted flycatcher

I will keep visiting Ayn Hamran. One day I will see the grosbeck even if I have to wait to the Khareef season when there are records of high numbers there. 

Black crowned tchagra and more at Ayn Hamran

I returned to Ayn Hamran on Tuesday afternoon. The highlight was undoubtedly the sight of a family of black-crowned tchagra. 

I used to have difficulty finding these birds but once you know their calls and follow them they are quite easily seen. Ayn Hamran is the best place I know for them.

Juvenile black-crowned tchagra

Having followed the sounds I saw two adult tchagra disappearing into a bush. However it appears they left two juveniles behind them. These two were very noisy and one of them even stood on top of a bush in the open screaming. The other was more careful but separated by a few bushes.

black-crowned tchagra

Given that the juveniles didn't seem to know how to reach the adults, So the adults came looking for the juveniles.

two black-crowned tchagra

After about five minutes on of the adults suddenly popped up on the same bush as the more brazen juvenile. Moments later I noticed that the bush had three birds including the second adult. At this point the juvenile went quiet.

black-crowned tchagra

The adults appeared to be on look out for the remaining juvenile which I presumed was expected to make its way to the rest of the group. I left at this point but I suspect I may have been in the way.
.

male African paradise flycatcher

Near-by but in the woodland, I came across a male African paradise flycatcher in full breeding plumage complete with full grown tail. I don't know much about the breeding seasons of the birds here. Some breed in the monsoon period (summer) while others breed in very early spring (February). Ruepell's weaver breeds in summer (convenient for Dideric cuckoo) but it looks like the flycatcher breeds in spring. Judging by the sight of a family group of tchagra, black crowned tchagra appear to breed in the khareej (monsoon) season.

second view of African paradise flycatcher

A week before I had seen a male with a half grown tail at the same place. I wonder if it was the same bird. It was also the white tailed morph.

rear of African paradise Flycatcher

Abyssinian white-eye are very much a flocking bird so I was surprised to see two together totally independent of a flock. I don't know whether this is mating behaviour or a juvenile with an adult but I suspect the former.

two Abyssinian white-eye

The two birds were literally inseparable.

Abyssinian white-eye

Another interesting sight at the Ayn was a passing short toed eagle.

Short toed eagle

I am seeing them with increasing frequency at the moment. It looks like several of them may winter in the Dhofar mountains.

shot toed eagle flying off

The only other bird of prey at Ayn Hamran was a common kestrel. It was very clean underneath so I can't rule out lesser kestrel which also winters in the mountains.

kestrel

The more common birds were of course still at Ayn Hamran such as Ruepell's weaver, blackstart and little green bee-eater.

little green bee-eater

As well as Ayn Hamran, I also called into Khawr Soly which is very close. However birding this time was disturbed by a large grazing herd of camels.

juvenile European spoonbill

There was no time to see any thing out of the ordinary though a juvenile European spoonbill was a good sight.

European spoonbill walking away

I returned there two days later and birding was excellent. I will report on that in one of the future blogs.