Wildlife Tours to ...OMAN
Photo:
*Single room supplement.
Tour Destinations :
- North Coast including Al Ansab lagoons
- Al Qurm Park
- Sun Farms, Liwa mangroves
- Khatmat Milahah acacia woodland
- Quarayyat, Sur, Khawr Jirama and Ras al Khabbah
Tour Summary
Oman
The Sultanate of Oman is the embodiment of every Arabian fantasy; a country with a long and proud history of trading illustrated today by the cosmopolitan mix of merchants and sailors in its towns along the extensive Arabian Sea coastline. The discovery of vast oil reserves in the 1970s dramatically transformed the country and the resulting revenue has enabled rapid development. Nevertheless, this is a land where old traditions endure and alongside the facets of modern life can be found reminders of the past, whether it be dhows anchored in the secluded ports or the trader leading his camels across the desert wilderness.
Britain has enjoyed friendly relations with Oman since the eighteenth century and the present Sultan welcomes tourists and foreign workers alike to his delightful country. Tourism is increasing at a strong pace but developments here are more in keeping with the surrounding natural landscapes than are found for example in the neighbouring Emirates such as high-rise Dubai.
The avifauna of Oman is exceptionally diverse, reflecting the influences of Africa and Asia in addition to some Arabian specialists and a wealth of Palearctic migrants, many of which stay to winter rather than moving further south in Africa.
Our trip focuses on the northern part of the country, exploring a wide variety of habitats, to give us a flavour of this amazing Arabian jewel. We will concentrate our activity on the coastal strip where we will see many interesting species of birds.
West of the capital, Muscat, is a series of lagoons and tidal creeks with rocky islands, whilst the extensively irrigated Sun Farms area at Sohar provides a superb oasis for migrant and resident species. Along this section of coast there are kingfishers, herons, egrets, a variety of waders, warblers, swallows, wagtails, terns and gulls. Sun Farms specialities should include Cream-coloured Courser, Collared Pratincole and Bimaculated Lark among a variety of doves, bee-eaters, wheatears, starlings and plovers.
The acacia woodland at Khatmat Milahah should add further variety including Plain Leaf, Ménétries’s, Orphean and Desert Warblers, whilst overhead there may be Lappet-faced Vulture and Bonelli’s and Short-toed Eagles.
To the east of Muscat the coastal road crosses many wadis connecting to the Gulf of Oman. The Al Ansab and Sur lagoons should provide many new species including Broad-billed and Terek Sandpipers and Crab, White-tailed and Red-wattled Plovers. By contrast the cliffs at Ras al Khabbah provide good elevation for watching Red-billed Tropicbird and Masked Booby which are quite regular here and Saker, Peregrine and Barbary Falcon may be seen. The tour will be led by Nick Whitehouse and Lance Degnan who have thoroughly reconnoitred this tour on two occasions.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Flight from London to Muscat
Depart London Heathrow on the evening flight to Muscat.
Day 2 : Ras as Sawadi
Arrive an early morning arrival in Muscat, we will collect our vehicles and transfer to the Ras As Sawadi. There will be time to relax after our international flight and to explore the extensive hotel gardens which form an ‘oasis’ area, in stark contrast to the surrounding sand dunes. The hotel gardens should reveal Red Vented Bulbuls and Tawny Pipit but also species from some less familiar families including finchlarks and sunbirds, whilst Desert Wheatear is a regular inhabitant of the nearby sandy desert. There will be a variety of gulls and terns resting on both the nearby tidal creek and the rocky offshore islands. With such a variety of habitats, surprise species are almost guaranteed!
Day 3 : Sohar via Sun Farms
After breakfast, we will further explore the Ras As Sawadi area before travelling the 130 km along the Batinah coast to Sun Farms near Sohar, where the extensive grasslands attract a multitude of migratory and resident birds. Key species to look for include Greater Spotted Eagle, Sociable Plover, White-tailed Plover, Bimaculated Lark, and Steppe Grey Shrike, whilst a variety of waders, terns, doves, bee-eaters, wheatears and swallows will be evident. Of special interest are the large numbers of pipits, wagtails and Indian Rollers which attend the newly harvested fields, and we should get close views of all of these. Dusk comes early in Oman, so we will have plenty of time to watch the evening harrier roost, before travelling the short distance to our hotel on the outskirts of Sohar.
Day 4 : Sun Farms and Liwa
After breakfast, we will again visit Sun Farms and once more see what a special area this is. Different habitat choices today should reveal Cream-coloured Courser, Black-crowned Finch Lark and Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse. After lunch en route, travel to the mangrove areas on the coast at Liwa and also the tree-studded gravel plain of Khatmat Milahah.
Liwa may produce White-collared Kingfisher, Indian Pond Heron and a collection of gulls and terns, whilst Khatmat Milahah is important as the main wintering site in Oman for Plain Leaf Warbler and Eastern Pied Wheatear, both these Asian species at the south western limits of their world distribution. Ménétries’s Warbler, Orphean and Desert Warbler are highly likely, whilst raptors could include Bonelli’s and Short-toed Eagles.
Day 5 : Al Ansab Lagoons and Al Qurm Park, Muscat
On this day, we will return along the coast road to Muscat, birding en route, including the Al Ansab lagoons where Night Heron, Purple Heron, and a collection of waders, almost always includes both White-tailed and Red-wattled Plover, Green and Wood Sandpiper and Little and Temminck’s Stint. In the reed beds Clamorous Reed Warbler occurs and other possible species are Black-necked Grebe, Lichstenstein’s Sandgrouse, Ferruginous Duck and a variety of swallows, wagtails, terns and gulls.
There should be time to visit Al Qurm Park in Muscat, favourite haunt of ex-Pats and a very pleasant stroll, where over 250 species (more than 50% of the Oman list) have been recorded. The park contains a mixture of open water, scrub, mangrove and beach habitats and a regular wintering flock of Pacific Golden Plover will provide interest.
A good selection of birds will be seen here.
Overnight Muscat.
Day 6 : Sur via Quarayyat
Today we will drive south from Muscat towards Qurayyat, a small fishing town on the east coast. The road south crosses many wadis en route offering interesting stops. Outside Muscat, the scenery soon begins to change as we first cross an area of gently undulating low hills, before skirting the base of the high and majestic Al Hajar Mountains, which offer a spectacular backdrop for the rest of our journey. The varied habitats around Qurayyat, from extensive tree-covered plains, through scrub and farmland to coastal sand bars and khwars (tidal creeks) can produce a sizable species tally, which should include Imperial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture in the hills, both Hume’s and Red-tailed Wheatears on the plains and Crested and Lesser Crested Terns on the coast.
We will continue to Sur for our overnight stay.
Day 7 : Sur lagoon, Khawr Jirama
In the morning, we will birdwatch around the Sur lagoon where Broad-billed Sandpiper and Caspian Tern are among the species which may be encountered. Our journey continues along the new coast road to Khawr Jirama where Crab Plovers remain the major attraction, though Terek Sandpipers are also frequent. We continue to Ras Al Hadd for overnight.
Day 8 : Ras al Khabbah
In the early morning, we can birdwatch along the coast and, after breakfast, drive to Ras al Khabbah where the cliffs provide a good elevation for sea watching. Red-billed Tropicbird, Masked Booby and Persian Shearwater are quite regular here and Saker, Peregrine or Barbary Falcon can offer superb views. The nearby beaches usually hold Great Black-headed Gulls, sometimes in good numbers, and often including stunning adults.
We will return in the evening to Sur for our overnight stay.
Day 9 : Muscat
A leisurely drive back to Muscat with frequent birding stops en route, before reaching our overnight accommodation an hotel in Muscat where we will enjoy a special end of tour meal.
Day 10 : Qurm Park and return flight to London
In the morning, we will enjoy some leisurely birdwatching in the Muscat area before transferring to the airport for our afternoon flight to London, where we arrive in the evening.