I liked the habitat. It is the only khawr with substantial mangroves and somehow the water level is slightly tidal. I presume the sea water applies pressure through the separating land bar.
The mangroves have potential as a haven for birds.
pheasant-tailed jacana
Once again I easily found a pheasant-tailed jacana even though there is little floating vegetation.
pheasant-tailed jacana looking back
In one corner of the khawr there was a cluster of some of the larger birds. The jacana was part of that cluster. Others included four great cormorant, three cattle egret and a little egret.
great cormorant
flamingo
I am starting to think about target species. I chose west Khawr with black-necked grebe and cotton teal in mind.
adult little grebe
Neither were there although there were several little grebe. I inspected them all.
first year little grebe
common coot
common sandpiper
The muddy banks in the mangroves and around them are good habitat for waders. Temminck's stint was common as were common sandpiper and green sandpiper.
dunlin
wood sandpiper
My best find at the khawr came very late on in my visit. I had gone down a side section of the khawr which was very muddy when I heard a noise I recognised from this summer's birding in Kurdistan.
red wattled lapwing
I had stumbled across five red-wattled lapwing. They are apparently very common in the Muscat area but should'nt really be down here at all despite winter dispersal. My regional guide's map has them falling about 400 kilometres short of this area.
three red wattled lapwing
My visit to West Khawr was only two hours long and that was my only birding of the day.
The next day which was Saturday was full on birding from dawn until an hour before dusk. It was also a special birding day as I will disclose in the next blog.