Arxiu de la categoria: hoopoe lark

Oman Birding Tour 2026 Trip Report

Dates: January 12th to 21st, 2026
Participants: 13
Number of species seen: 222
Tour leaders: Carles Oliver, Ramiro Aibar & Carles Saurina

Overview: 10th issue of our classic tour exploring Oman. The country keeps being a heaven of quietness in a very restless region. During the trip we enjoyed good numbers of birds of prey and waders. In this issue we nailed every single endemic in the area (beyond Omani Owl, with no records in the last 7 months before we arrived..) but also a number of very interesting species including Caspian Plover, Small Pratincole, Hypocolius (at two different locations), White-breasted Waterhen, Little Crake, Pale Rockfinch, Black-headed Bunting and Bimaculated Lark no name a few..

Very looking forward to be back in that part of the world!

Day 1. Another sunny morning in Muscat. All tour participants had arrive during the previous day to the city, and we all assembled for an early morning breakfast. The group was having people from 4 different nationalities, and after some chat and a short introduction to the tour, we were all ready to start birding. Our first move was to go to a small river mouth known as Muscat River. But even before we could arrive we started having good birds, including the first Indian Roller of the trip on a lamp post, and a couple of Arabian Bee-eaters in a fence. Here we took a change for a nice photo of this recent split. Several doves were moving out of the place, and I could not believe my eyes when a Red-eye Dove sat on the same fence where the Bee-eaters where, sitting briefly along with 2 Eurasian Collared Dove. Even if probably an scape, this could be a very interested sight. Unfortunately, it seems that nobody took any photo on the correct bird. No hard feelings, we were all very excited about the lovely views on the Bee-eaters, and I was personally intrigued about a dark form inside a low tree. We drove there to discover that there were 2 Black-crowned Night Herons sleeping on the tree.

Finally arrived to River Muscat. Here we got a nice selection of waders and terns. Here we got first views on both Tibetan & Greater Sand Plovers, and we got interesting views on 3 Marsh Sandpipers, sometimes moving along with Greenshanks. Along with many Black-headed Gulls, we got a nice flock of 40+ Sandwich Terns and, with them, 1 Gull-billed Tern and a few Little Terns. 4 Greater Crested Terns were seen flying along the shore along with the first Sooty Gulls of the trip. On the sand we got Turnstones, Kentish Plovers, Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and Grey Plover. Closer, a solitary Terek’s Sandpiper was feeding along with a couple of Tibetan Sand Plovers.

A couple of distant flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses flew over the channel, bringing out attention to the inner side of the river, where a good number of Common Snipes where feeding along with several Dunlins, Western Reef Egrets, a couple of Ruffs and Eurasian Curlew. Back to the sea front, we enjoyed more Sooty Gulls, but also a couple of passing over Caspian Gull and the common Heuglin’s & Steppe Gulls. The harsh vegetation around provided first views on Delicate Prinias and Crested Larks.

After a fast service stop, we moved inland, but we had to stop in a very interesting pond, right in a crossroad. There we got the only one Water Pipit (Caucasian race) of the trip, but also 2 Temminck’s Stints, 1 Ruff, 3 Wood Sandpipers and lovely views on both White-cheeked and Red-Vented Bulbuls. Here we also got first views on Citrine Wagtail and a couple of Western Marsh Harriers.

After a 15 minutes drive we finally arrived to one of this not very known places, that are always worth checking. A short walk around produced nearly nothing but, when we were leaving the area, we got lucky to see one bird, the first Wheatear of the trip, and it turn out to be a Pied Wheatear, a quite scarce overwintering species in the country, especially scarce in the north!

As a final stop, we drove to the formerly great Al Ansab Lagoons. As being National Day, the area was closed, but still we got great views on Indian Rollers plus 2 Greater Spotted Eagles, one distant Eastern Imperial Eagle and 1 adult Egyptian Vulture. Not bad for a five minutes stop!

Arabian Bee-eater posed for us even before we arrived to first stop of the trip!

Marsh Sandpiper feeding at River Muscat. Please, note the difference is size and shape with Common Greenshank (above).

Tibetan Sand Plover is a common overwintering bird in Oman.

White-cheeked Bulbuls showed very well in a number of locations.

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) was an unexpected find at the end of the morning..

Pied Wheatear showing the typical peachy tint in the breast.

Indian Roller, a roundabout bird in Muscat..

Back to the accommodation, we got a well deserved lunch and rest, before leaving for some evening birding. This time, we got to Al Qurum Park quite early, and our walk produced a good array of birds including good views on Isabelline Shrike and Arabian Bee-eaters, but also on 2 Greater Spotted Eagles, several Red-wattled Lapwings, Alexandrine Parakeets, Eurasian Whimbrel, 2 Garganeys, Common Kingfisher, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Osprey and plenty of lovely Purple Sunbirds and Bulbuls. 1 Clamorous Reed Warbler was seen feeding on the mangroves and a Purple Heron flew over us. But probably the best bird on that stop was the Grey Francolin having a long sand bath in a rocky slope at the entrance of the park..

To end the day, we went to check the seafront, expecting to have flocks of gull. Unfortunately, the tide was high, and there were no gulls there for us. For instance, we got a number of waders, including a small flock of Pacific Golden Plovers but also Black-tailed Godwits and a superb Little Heron hunting at sunset. Without doubt, one of the sights of the day!

Grey Francolin resting on the ground. We enjoyed great views for over 15 minutes.

Arabian Bee-eaters proved to be tame that afternoon.

This Little Heron and its cat-like hunting approach were one of the highlights at sunset!

Day 2. In another sunny day in Oman, we left the accommodation and drove inland. After negotiating the traffic around Muscat, we started enjoying the wonderful mountainous landscape of the Al Harar mountains.

Here, we had a first stop to explore a nice, flat valley where we saw a number of goodies. After leaving our cars behind, we only had to walk a bit before a flocks of 7 Arabian Babblers appeared in front of us, squeezing in the bushland. Here and there, we heard calls of several Ménétries’s Warblers, but for long we only managed views on the commoner Lesser Whitethroats. Here Alba found a far away Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Other interesting birds of prey here included the first Short-toed Eagle and Steppe Eagles of the trip. After some effort, we all finally got very nice views on Ménétries’s Warblers. We estimated no less than 6 birds calling around, even if they proved difficult to see. Arabian Grey Shrike (a race of Great Grey Shrike also referred as Levant Grey Shrike) was also seen here along with Indian Silverbills, Indian Rollers and Purple Sunbirds. A further exploration of the place still produced nice views on 2 Long-billed Pipits, and the first Persian Wheatear of the trip was the cherry on the cake of the morning!

Persian Wheatear (aka Red-tailed) keeps being my favourite Wheatear in the region..

After enjoying a superb lunch in our favorite Turkish restaurant in Oman and once we checked in at our accommodation, we went out for some evening birding. This time, we chose a small spot with some large trees. Soon, we were all enjoying excellent views on Eastern Orphean Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush, Eastern Black Redstart and Plain Leaf Warbler and we also enjoyed a family group of Grey Francolins moving around. A superb male Ménétries’s Warbler was quite a bonus here, especially after so much time invested during the morning! When we were about to leave this small spot, 3 Striolated Buntings. Jackpot!

From here, we moved inside a massive gorge. Here we got 3 Lappet-faced Vultures and some Egyptians Vultures that offered good views. Surprisingly, Hume’s Wheatear was the bird that gave us more difficulties, and only with the last light we got distant views on one of them!

After sunset, we waited for the legendary Omani Owl to show out. But, despite our efforts and patience, we never got any single owl in the gorge.. Maybe next year?

Eastern Orphean Warblers tens to be very difficult to spot, so we were lucky to see it like this!

Our got some lovely views on Plain Leaf Warbler, the smallest member on this genus..

After the morning fight, we got amazing afternoon views on Ménétries’s Warblers..

Lappet-faced Vulture crossing the gorge in the Golden Hour.

Day 3. Early morning start. After a fast breakfast, we started the longest transfer of the trip, a journey to cross over 800 kilometres of desert. One the vehicles were loaded, we started the drive, with a morning stop to catch up some good light, and some birds. A short walk in proper habitat under a slightly covered sky produced 3 Egyptian Vultures (2 youngs + 1 adult), Lesser Whitethroats a a lovely Asian Desert Warbler that the whole group enjoyed long. Here we also have Persian Wheatear, and a distant Desert Wheatear.

Some miles beyond, we took advantage of a toilet break to explore a bit a tiny wood, and we were surprised to find a wonderful Masked Wagtail walking along with regular White Wagtails. A great surprise.

African Desert Warbler displayed for us just at the gate of the Empty Quarter.

Masked Wagtail almost in full summer. Without doubt, one of the birds of the day!

Our next stop was longer but didn’t arrive until lunch time, when we had a good break in at Qitbit. At first glance, it didn’t look very promising, but after some scan we found 2 Grey Hypocolius that made the group very happy. A good surprise here was 1 Hume’s Leaf Warbler that showed very well (even if the photos were crap). Song Thrush & Ménétries’s Warblers were also noted here, with a final Rosy Starling flying above us as a final touch!

After some more drive, we had the main stop when the sun was already coming down. An extensive complex of farms covers this part of the desert, and a fast checking around produced several Isabelline & Desert Wheatears but also 7 Greater Hoopoe Larks, lovely Chesnut-back Sparrow Larks and 10+ Cream-coloured Coursers feeding in the fields. A few flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses were also seen, numbering no less than 40 birds.

Before sunset, we were back to the highway to cover the last section of road before arriving to our accommodation in Salalah by dinner time. Another great day!

The best I could manage on the Hume’s Leaf Warbler at Qitbit.

Levant Grey Shrike (aka Arabian Grey Shrike) in lovely sunset light.

Day 4. Our first day in the Dhoffar couldn’t be more interesting. It was a sunny morning, but a bit windy when we left the accommodation. The first location to be visited was Ayn Hamran. Here, very close to the cars, we were enjoying the myriad of African Silverbills, Abyssinian White-eyes, Rüppell’s Weavers, White-spectacled Bulbuls and Cinnamon-breasted Buntings when a very different bird caught our eye. After a couple of glimpses it was clear that it was a lovely male Black-headed Bunting moulting into summer plumage! A very unexpected find!! From here, we move along the stream, enjoying multiple views on Blackstarts, African Paradise Flycatchers and Arabian Wablers. The wind, that at the very early morning looked like an obstacle, became a nice player for us, and birds like Palestine Sunbirds were especially showy! A couple of Short-toed Eagles were seen flying over, and a pair of Black-crowned Tchagra delighted us with splendid views. Here, African Paradise Flycatchers, Delicate Prinias and Long-billed Pipits were all very showy. This was right before a Arabian Grosbeak started singing up in the hills.

Moved up in the hills, just in time to catch up with a male singing about 200 metres away. Wonderful! The bird flew down the hill, we followed it, and a couple of minutes later we were enjoying very close views on one pair as they were feeding in the trees around. The sight was for so long, that after several minutes we decided to walk up the stream, back to the vehicles. In our way, we enjoyed great views on the first Turkestan Shrike of the trip, but also on 2 lovely Yellow Wagtails.

Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) showing well to start the day.

Black-headed Bunting catching morning light.

Palestine Sunbird showing out its colours

One of many African Paradise Flycatchers at Ayn Hanram

Cinnamon-breasted Buntings are extremely common around the Dhofar.

The Arabian form of Black-crowned Tchagra (percivali race) keeps being my favourite form of this widespread species.

Arabian Grosbeak all stands as one of the top 5 birds for everyone visiting Oman.

The Grosbeaks went to feed in a very specific tree, where I have seen them in 5 trips, so far!

From Ayn Hanram, we drove down to the extensive plains that lead to the Ocean. These dry plains can be a heaven for birdlife, as we saw.. Driving around, it didn’t take long before we found a place with a dense bird activity. There were tens and tens of Black-crowned Sparrow Larks, with several males singing and displaying in the air, and allowing us with very close views. Along with them, small flocks of Greater Short-toed Larks were evident in the middle of the maze of Crested Larks, Tawny Pipits, Isabelline Wheatears and Desert Wheatears. In the distance, we saw 1 male Pallid Harrier patrolling the plains, and a flock of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters moving along. We took the cars and try to approach that area, but we never arrived. Basically, because while scanning the very common Greater Short-toed Larks we found a small flock of Pale Rockfinches! Amazed to find such a scarce winter bird in Oman, we tried to get a bit closer, only to discover a Bimaculated Lark standing side to side with one Pale Rockfinch! During the next minutes, we tried to put everyone on both species. At the end, we counted 5+ Pale Rockfinches, and a minimum of 2 Bimaculated Larks while distant flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses were moving in the plain.

Very happy with this stops, we decided to go back for a second round in Ayn Hamran and explore a different section of the stream. Here we got successful again and we got Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Eurasian Wryneck, several African Paradise Flycatchers and 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers, including a very lovely male!

Tawny Pipits were very common this year in Southern Oman.

This morning we got multiple views on the always cute Black-crowned Sparrow Larks.

One of probably hundreds Greater Short-toed Larks feeding in the plains.

Pale Rockfinches were a very unexpected surprise!

And, along with them, this superb Bimaculated Lark

From here, we drove the short distance to Ayn Razat, a lovely stream with exuberant vegetation and an interesting garden. Here, I was desolate to discover that the rank vegetation, once rich in water lilies and patches of reed bed, was all gone. Heavy machinery had been use to remove the whole ecosystem and now is nothing left, out of the area the parking spots, where some recreational ponds remain. A big disaster.. Still, we had our picnic lunch here. A walk inside the garden produced several Arabian Sunbirds while both Eastern Imperial Eagle and Bonelli’s Eagles + a wonderful Verreaux’s Eagles were patrolling the valley. Inside the garden, Sonja found a nice Bluethroat, and Ramiro got a Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin feeding in the low scrubs. About this bird, only the guides got to see it before it went inside the vegetation and never come out again..

After out tasty lunch, we had a coffee stop before driving down to the coast for a short exploration in a river mouth. There are a number of river mouths around Salalah, each of them slightly different in character and goodies but all of them great. We arrived with a wonderful afternoon light and soon we were enjoying large flocks of gulls and terns but also species such as Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Osprey, Citrine Wagtails, Temminck’s Stint and Little Ringed Plover. Here we also got 8 distant Red-knobbed Coots and close views on 1 Greater Sand Plovers. Waves of Glossy Ibises were passing over the wetland to roost. It was also a good moment to go on differences between Lesser Crested & Greater Crested Terns as well Gull-billed & Whiskered Terns. All the time, a gorgeous juvenile Great White Pelican was sitting on an island, providing excellent looks on this species, which very rare in Oman. The flocks of gulls didn’t produce anything of interest beyond some Caspian Gulls, and a final walk in the steppe vegetation nearby produced a couple of Richard’s Pipit while Marsh Harriers were about to go to sleep.

The last stop of the day was Ayn Taqa, another superb place. Here, we got time to scan a bit in the vegetation along the stream, and enjoyed 3 Indian Pond Herons, 1 male Bluethroat, Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper and, most importantly, one superb White-breasted Waterhen that delighted our group with prolonged views! After sunset, and after some research, we were lucky to have amazing views on Arabian Scops Owl while a couple of Little Owls were calling up in the cliffs around..

Great White Pelican, a very good bird in Oman.

Isabelline Shrike is the commonest of the Shrikes in winter in Oman.

With the last light, we found this White-breasted Waterhen in Ayn Taqa.

The views on Arabian Scops Owl were, simply, superb!

Day 5. After enjoying our breakfast, we moved out of our accommodation. Today, the morning was devoted to explore the highlands of the Dhofar mountains, but before getting up, we had a couple of stops to check some small, almost unknown ponds.

It was a sunny, quiet morning when we arrived to the fist spot, a small pond with a rich reed bed and some mud around it. A first scan around produced 2 Sedge Warblers moving low in the vegetation but also a superb male Namaqua Dove, Bluethroat and 2 Marsh Sandpipers. Suddenly, we were surprised to find Little Crake feeding at close range from us, and after some chaotic approach, we all enjoyed great views in this amazing bird. A walk around the pond produced some Arabian Sunbirds feeding around, a distant male Shikra and more Namaqua Doves before Ramiro and Carles found a second Little Crake feeding at the opposite shore of the pond!

From here we drove up to the plateau, but with a road stop to admire a Black-winged Kite that was sitting on a lamp post, and also a couple of Eastern Imperial Eagles sitting along the road. From here, our way to Jabal Tal (an impressive cliff towering 1200 metres above sea level) was full of stops. Special mention goes to the Eurasian Wryneck feeding along with a gorgeous male Arabian Wheatear. Along the road we also enjoyed several Short-toed & Steppe Eagles, 2 Steppe Buzzards, 1 male Pallid Harrier, several Fan-tailed Ravens a flock of 47 Eurasian Griffons (massive number for Oman) that was accurately scanned in the search for any unexpected species.

Once arrived to our destination, we were rewarded with great views on 2 Verreaux’s Eagles flying in the way that only a Verreaux’s does along the cliffs, but we were surprised to see at least 1 Lanner Falcon going into a dogfight with one of the Eagles!! Alba got a nice male Blue Rock Thrush and, as we were enjoying the bird, a flock of 8 Arabian Partridges flew off under our feet to land some 400 metres away in open land, where we could track them easily. During the next 20 minutes we enjoy them, with more views also on the now very distant Verreaux’s Eagles.

Coming back from the mountain, we had a stop in the typical place for Yemen Serins. Here, while enjoying our picnic lunches, we were rewarded with some raptor action including 4 Eastern Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle very active around an impressive sinking hole, Short-toed Eagle and an unexpected male Lesser Kestrel flying quite high.

After lunch, we did a walk around the area, enjoying the several African Silverbills and Palestine Sunbirds but also 1 Singing Bush Lark and, at the end, 1 Yemen Serin that showed very well!

In our way down from the plateau, we had a brief stop in a local bakery and the prays of the main leader (me) were listened, because the best donuts in the whole of Oman were there, waiting for us! I bought a good bag of them (never enough), and we went to enjoy them where the Northernmost Baobabs live in the world (yes, there are Baobabs in the Dhofar!).

Little Crake showing at very close range!

Black-winged Kite along the main coastal highway in the Dhofar.

Wryneck side by side with Arabian Wheatear, a very intense moment of the trip.

Arabian Wheatear offered some unforgettable views

2nd year calendar Eurasian Griffon. One of the 47 seen that morning!

Tristam’s Starling, a common species in the Dhofar region.

Verreaux’s Eagle are authentical superpowers in the air!

Eurasian Sparrowhawks were very common this winter in Oman.

Female Palestine Sunbird in the highlands.

Yemen Serin. A bit far away, but Yemen Serin after all!

Once both the Baobabs and the donuts were enjoyed and admired, we drove down to the coast, to check another river mouth. Here, we got more amazing birding including the first Pheasant-tailed Jacana of the trip, 2 Purple Herons, a wonderful male Yellow Bittern fishing in shallow reedbed, 1 Caspian Gull, 2 Temminck’s Stint,.. Here, Rosy Startings tend to accumulate in the evening, and as the evening was advancing so it did the number of Rosy Startings. At the end, we counted a minimum of 90 of them! But the very best of that evening were 3 Small Pratincoles that suddenly emerged from the plains to feed in the semi-arid plain beside the river mouth. For long, we were delighted by its incredible way of flying, a superb way to end the day!

Small Pratincoles offered a great show to end the day! Images by Miles Tindal.

Day 6. This day we drove North from Salalah early in the morning, aiming to arrive a bit after raising to our offshore. The day was sunny and extremely calmed, with little wind. Normally, this is a bad sign when talking about sea bird activity. In the way, we got a number of Osprey along the highway, and good views on the local population of Abdim’s Storks before we got to the harbour.

Once sailed, we started enjoying some good birds. The numbers of Persian Shearwaters were solid this time, and we got several of them, counting as much as 23 birds moving North. Along the morning we also got a very good number of Masked Boobies, with tens of birds moving in small flocks in the same direction. We got very close views on both species, but also on 2 Flesh-footed Shearwaters to came around our vessel. On the contrary of many offshores here, we never got any flock of terns, and we only got 1 Jouanin’s Petrel that was never close enough to take any image. But one of the best moments of the offshore was a Killer Whale suddenly appearing in front of the boat, jumping by side out of the water. Everything happened so fast that we couldn’t believe our eyes! After a couple of minutes, the beast showed out again, but this time only broke the water surface to show the side of the head. I think that it really wanted to take a look on us!

Abdim’s Stork have become a urban bird in some areas of the Dhofar.

Little Heron, a common but difficult to see species.

Persian Shearwaters came very close to our boat.

Flesh-footed Shearwater has become regular in the last years.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle a few meters away from our boat.

Back to the harbour, and still shaked by the good views on the Shearwaters, the Phalaropes and the Killer Whale, we went to have a coffee before heading to our picnic spot in a urban park nearby. At the urban park in Mirbat we got to have good views on the long-staying Bay-backed Shrike and a good walk around also produced 2 Asian Koel (young and adult), both Isabelline & Turkestan (aka Red-tailed) Shrikes, 8 Tree Pipits, 1 putative Olive-backed Pipit, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 1 Clamorous Reed Warbler, several Arabian Sunbirds, 4 Imperial Eagles, 20+ Abdim’s Storks and 1 Indian Pond Heron.

On the Olive-backed Pipit, it was moving along with Tree Pipits. A slightly smaller bird, with uniformly darker back, shorter and stouter bill, a soft pumpkin-like tint in the side of the breast and a clearly defined occipital patch looked more than good to me! We got them in the scope for a couple of minutes and everybody got to see the bird. Still, nobody managed (or remembered) to take a photo of the correct bird..

Leaving Mirbat behind, we went to check a small lagoon with a rich reedbed. Soon, we realised that we have chosen the correct river mouth. Checking some a small flock of three Coots we soon realised that one of them was actually a Red-knobbed Coot, and we were still trying to get closer to it when three ducks just came flying, revealing the typical pattern of Cotton Pygmy Goose! Checking the lagoon, we counted 5 Cotton Pygmy Geese (including a lovely drake), but also 2 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, two very interesting Medium Egrets, and 2 Purple Herons along with Tawny Pipits and Whiskered Terns. On the raptor side, we got nice views on Booted Eagle and Marsh Harriers.

The long-staying Bay-backed Shrike at the public Park in Mirbat.

While enjoying our picnics we got to see some superb Arabian Sunbirds.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana side by side to Cotton Pygmy Goose.

Drake Cotton Pygmy Goose for the enjoyment of the group!

Taking advantage of the very stable weather we paid a visit to a second river mouth. Here it was far more little activity. Checking the sea we got the first Little Tern of the trip, but also a Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin not far away from us. The river mouth was having little activity and only the typical array of waders, terns and gulls. But, checking the Plovers around, we got to find a wonderful Caspian Plover! Suddenly, the site skyrocketed from being poor to absolutely amazing!!

Very glad after finding a Caspian Plover in the middle of a flock of Kentish Plovers, we then move inland for a final stop. We arrived already with very poor light, and a fast scan revealed no less than 38 Alpine Swifts, the best ever number for this country! Still waiting for some more dark, we got inside a valley to find a very special bird living in this kind of rocky valleys. Soon, we got 2 Arabian Eagle Owls flying away from their day roosts. Carles pointed out that one of the birds was actually singing quite close, and it didn’t take even a couple of minutes to find both birds, one of them quite close and providing really good views! Again, a great end to the day!

Caspian Plover caused high excitement in our group. Here with Kentish Plovers,

Arabian Eagle Owl was closer than we expected.

Day 7. Morning walk in one of the main green spots around Salalah. Here we saw a good number of White Wagtails, Arabian Sunbirds and Tree Pipits, but also small flocks of Scaly-breasted Munias. Another Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew over, but the main attraction of the site were the good views on Bruce’s Green Pigeons. A minimum of 10 birds were seen up in the trees, providing great views on the morning light.

From here we moved to Raysut River Mouth, were we enjoyed close views on Arabian Bee-eater, Persian Wheatear and Greater Spotted Eagles. the river itself was full of life. Here we got an impressive list of Terns: Several Greater Crested Terns, stunning views on Lesser Crested Terns, the only White-winged Black Tern of the trip, several Whiskered & Gull-billed Terns, a few Little Terns and a very interesting White-cheeked Tern that flew off from the muddy platform, allowing a good views on its distinctive underwing pattern.

Most of the waders were sleeping, and we were very lucky since two of the very few feeding ones were 1 Terek’s Sandpiper, and the only one Broad-billed Sandpiper of the trip. A full adult bird already coming to full breeding plumage.

From here we drove up to to Raysut ponds, where we enjoyed several Marsh Sandpipers, Abdim’s Storks and Wood Sandpipers along with good numbers of White Storks and also a Red-wattled Lapwing standing beside a Red-wattled Lapwing x Spur-winged Lapwing hybrid. Here got good numbers of both Mallards and Pintails as well as the only 2 Spotted Redshanks of the trip and 1 Black-necked Grebe, a new species for our trips exploring Oman.

The morning was also gone but we still had time to enjoy a second visit to Ayn Hamran. This is always a wonderful place to visit, even if you short of time. Here we enjoyed again great views on African Paradise Flycatchers and Black-crowned Tchagras. The Turkestan (aka Red-tailed) Shrike that we saw only a few days ago was still on place, and we had a phenomenal adding to our list in the form of a drake Masked Shrike that Miles found found for the whole group!

Bruce’s Green Pigeon in our morning walk.

Adult Broad-billed Sandpiper feeding along side with Terek’s Sandpiper at Raysut River mouth.

Lesser Crested Tern in a dramatical turn over the Raysut River mouth.

Our group enjoying the birds at Raysut. Thank you, Karel Simecek, for this lovely image!

Masked Shrike is always a wonderful bird to enjoy!

After enjoying our buffet lunch in our hotel we drove South to explore some nice spots near the coast. Our drive was, anyway, interrupted by a large and compact “pod” of Socotra Cormorants that were resting on the sea, very close to the shore. Here we enjoyed great views on them before they took off and, while scanning the sea around, we found another pod of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins. Further South, we still had time to check a small wetland. Here, we got the only flock of Eurasian Spoonbills of the trip along with several Mallards and Pintails (normally scarce species in Oman) along with some waders. But, more importantly, we got nice views in the long-staying Black Heron standing side to side with Western Reed Egrets.

At dusk, we drove up a wady. Coia got a flock of Arabian Partridges getting into its roost before the last calls of the Hyraxs went off. A few minutes later, a very different call came all the way down from the wadi. It was a Desert Owl. Soon, we were enjoying insane views on this amazing species, once thought to be relict to the Negeb Desert, but recently discovered to be living all along the Red Sea coast and arriving inside Oman!

Socotra Cormorants can gather in “pods” of over 1000 birds!!

Western Reef Egret side by side with Black Heron for a fully comprehension of sizes and proportions.

Once again, we enjoyed walk-away views on Desert Owls. Probably one of the birds of the trip!

Day 8. Early morning start and, after enjoying breakfast we started our long transfer North. It was a long transfer but, as usual, with some very interesting stops! The first stop was to explore a small oasis in the route to Yemen. Even before arrived, we were forced to stop in the road, first to enjoy some Desert Larks and later due to a flock of Sand Partridges. Arrived to the oases, it took as nearly nothing to find 3 Hypocolius, and part of the group enjoyed great views on them as they were perched in a wire. But we noticed that one vehicle never arrived to our position. For instance, they were 300 metres away from us, out of the vehicles, and taking photos. We decided to go down to investigate. And we found that Coia had seen a small flock of Lichtenstein Sandgrouses moving very close to the main road. The next 20 minutes were memorable, as we got very close to these very shy birds. There were 5 of them (3 males, and 2 females) and this is how we got another serious candidate for bird of the trip!

After such a great start (Hypocolius + Lichtenstein Sandgrouse) we kept exploring the oases. Here we found Siberian Chiffchaffs, Lesser Whitethroats, Asian Desert Warblers, Blackstarts and, most importantly, a couple of Nile Valley Sunbirds. In a different part of the oases an African Collared Dove started to sing, and we all got great views on this very scarce species, that has slim populations in this part of Oman, and we were surprised by a Montagu’s Harrier crossing the desert!

Our next movement was to go into a small pond where some Sandgrouses come to drink water. It took a bit longer than average but, suddenly, waves and waved of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses started to arrive to the pond. It was an incredible experience to see hundreds of them coming down to drink, flying around us and, as fast as they arrived, going back deep into the desert! Beside this, a couple of Eastern Imperial Eagles were patrolling the area and before living we were surprised by the presence of a Lapped-faced Vulture (a rare species in this part of the country).

From here, we went to enjoy some coffee before moving to our next stop. In the middle of nowhere it is possible to find sage farms in this part of the world, and some of them are great for birding. We drove to one of these places. There we got Isabelline & Desert Wheatears, and some of the common larks in the area, but the very best bird was to find a gorgeous flock of 35 Sociable Plovers in one of the fields! It is, by far, my biggest ever flock, and it included some young and adult birds in summer plumage.. Along with them, we also enjoyed the best views on Steppe Eagle of the trip.

From here we drove North, having a last birding stop in a small urban park in the middle of the desert. Here, we got good views on Tawny Pipit but also on Levant Grey Shrike, Namaqua Dove and Desert Wheatear before the final transfer to our accommodation in Duqm.ç

Desert Lark in a road stop in our way to the desert.

Amazing views on Hypocolius. Not really often this species gets eclipsed..

Some views on Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouses. Always amazing to see them so, so close!

I personally find African Collared Doves extremely cute due to the shorter wings, rounded head and “gentle” face.

Blackstart. They are very tame, especially in the desert oases.

Steppe Eagle in the middle of the desert.

Sociable Plover. No matter in what continent you are. Always a great bird to see!

Day 9. Last day of the tour. Before going to the main location of the day, we had a short stop to check a small garden. Here we got a drake Siberian Stonechat, but also Bluethroat (white-spotted), Tawny Pipits and a few Yellow Wagtails.

From here we went to the area around Masirah Island, where a massive tidal plain hosts an impressive amount of waders. The main target here is to connect with the scarce Crab Plover. In this trip, the tides were not good for us, and we had to wait quite long before the tide became good for them. While waiting, we had time to check the many gulls around. There we got excellent views on several Caspian Gull, and while checking them Luca found the only one Palla’s Gull of the trip. Another interesting sight was a Russian Common Gull (race heinei). When it comes to waders, we got a few Curlew Sandpipers, but also several Terek’s Sandpipers, Tibetant & Greater Sand Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Little Stints, Turnstones, Oystercatchers and a couple of distant Broad-billed Sandpipers.

Finally, after a long wait, we got 30+ Crab Plovers appearing in the tidal plain, and immediately started to feed on the several crabs living in the mud. It was a great way to end the birding time of our trip. From here, we had the final transfer back to Muscat to enjoy a great dinner with time to value all the good birds that we had been including during the trip!

Siberian Stonechat male in a small garden in Duqm.

First winter Caspian Gull with hundreds and hundreds of Lesser Black-backed’s.

The always massive Palla’s Gull. Compare the size with the not small Heuglin’s!

Common Gull, Russian race (heinei), a nice adding to our list.

It look a bit long, but Crab Plovers finally showed up!

List of birds seen during the trip:

Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala)
Sand Partridge (Ammoperdix heyi)
Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)
Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
Northern Shoveler (Spatura clypeata)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Alpine Swift (Apus melba)
Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus)
Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii)
Rock Dove (Columba livia)
Bruce’s Green Pigeon (Treron waalia)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
African Collared Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea)
Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)
White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot – Fotja comuna (Fulica atra)
Red-knobbed Coot – Fotja banyuda (Fulica cristata)
Little Crake (Zapornia parva)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Crab Plover (Droma ardeola)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophaisanus chirurgus)
Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus spinosus)
Sociable Plover (Vanellus gregarius)
Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis aquatarola)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Anarhynchos alexandrinus)
Caspian Plover (Anarhynchos asiaticus)
Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchos leschenaultii)
Tibetan Sand Plover (Anarhynchos atrifons)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Terek’s Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Broad-billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Small Pratincole (Glareola lacteus)
Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus): 2 races; Heuglin’s Gull (heuglini) & Steppe Gull (barabensis)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Palla’s Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)
Sooty Gull (Ichthyaetus hemprichii)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
White-cheeked Tern (Sterna repressa)
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
Persian Shearwater (Puffinus persicus)
Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes)
Jouanin’s Petrel (Bulweria fallax)
Abdim’s Stork (Ciconia abdimii)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Masked Bobby (Sula dactylara)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)
African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Yellow Bittern (Botaurus sinensis)
Little Heron (Butorides atricapilla)
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Indian Pond Heron (Ardeolla grayii)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Medium Egret (Ardea intermedia)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis)
Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocratus)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus)
Lappet-faced Vulture – Voltor orellut (Torgos tracheliotos)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)
Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii)
Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Shikra (Accipiter badius)
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Black-eared Kite (Milvus migrans lineatus)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Common (Steppe) Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus)
Arabian Scops Owl (Otus pamelae)
Little Owl (Athene noctua) – heard only
Desert Owl (Strix hadorami)
Arabian Eagle Owl (Bubo milesi)
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Arabian Bee-eater (Merops cyanophrys)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii)
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)
Rose-winged Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus)
Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus)
Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus)
Isabelline Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)
Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides)
Levant Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor aucheri)
Arabian Babbler (Turdoides squamiceps)
African Paradise Flycatcher (Tersiphone viridis)
Grey Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus)
White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis)
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
White-spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)
House Crow (Corvus splendens)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhidipurus)
Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps)
Bimaculated Lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Singing Bush Lark (Mirafra cantillans)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Pale Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis)
Delicate Prinia (Prinia lepida)
Common Chiffchaff – Mosquiter comú (Phylloscopus collybita) / Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis)
Plain Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus neglectus)
Hume’s Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus humei)
Clamorous Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida)
Asian Desert Warbler (Curruca nana)
Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)
Eastern Orphean Warbler (Curruca crassirostris)
Arabian Warbler (Curruca leucomelaena)
Ménétriés’s Warbler (Curruca mystacea)
Abyssian White-eye (Zosterops abyssinicus)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus)
Tristam’s Starling (Onychognatus tristamii)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus)
Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas galactotes)
Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)
Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura)
Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)
Arabian Wheatear (Oenanthe lugentoides)
Hume’s Wheatear (Oenanthe albonigra)
Persian Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia)
Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica)
Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea)
Arabian Sunbird (Cinnyris hellmayri)
Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Pale Rockfinch (Carpospiza brachydactyla)
Rüppell’s Weaver (Ploceus galbula)
Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)
African Silverbill (Euodice cantans)
Indian Silverbill (Euodice malabarica)
Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) / Masked Wagtail (Motacilla alba personata)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
Richard’s Pipit (Anthus ricardi)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinolleta)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Yemen Serin (Crithagra menachensis)
Arabian Grosbeak (Rhynchostruthus percivali)
Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala)
Striolated Bunting (Emberiza striolata)
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (Emberiza tahapisi)

List of mammals seen during the trip

Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Arabian Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes arabica)
Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)
Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Soussa chinensis)

Fringe-toed Lizzard (Acanthodactylus blanfordii) at River Muscat

List of reptilians seen during the trip:

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Fringe-toed Lizzard (Acanthodactylus blanfordii)
Oriental Garden Lizzard (Calotes versicolor)

List of butterflies seen during the trip:

African Lime Butterfly (Papilio demodocus)
Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui)
Plain Tiger (Danaus chrissipus)
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)
Blue Pansy (Juninia orythia)
Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta)

Oman Birding Tour 2026, crònica del viatge

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Dates: Del 12 al 21 de gener, 2026
Participants: 13
Número d’espècies observades: 222
Tour líders: Carles Oliver, Ramiro Aibar & Carles Saurina

Resum: 10è tour del nostre clàssic viatge explorant Oman. El país continua sent un paradís de tranquil·litat en una regió molt convulsa. Enguany vam gaudir d’un bon nombre d’aus rapinyaires i limícoles. En aquest viatge vam poder gaudir de tots els endèmics de la zona (més enllà del gamarús d’Oman, sense registres en els darrers 7 mesos abans de la nostra arribada), però també de diverses espècies mol interessants, com ara el corriol asiàtic, la perdiu de mar petita, l’hipocoli (en dues localitzacions diferents), la polla pitblanca, el sit capnegre, el pardal roquer pàl·lid, la calàndria bimaculada o el rascletó per nomenar uns quants…

Com sempre, amb moltes ganes de tornar a aquesta part del món!

Totes les imatges en aquesta crònica obra d’en Carles Oliver sempre que no s’especifiqui el contrari. Tots els drets reservats.

Dia 1. Un altre matí assolellat a Masqat. Tots els participants al tour havien arribat el dia anterior a la ciutat i ens vam reunir per esmorzar d’hora. El grup estava format per persones de 4 nacionalitats diferents i, després d’una breu xerrada i una breu introducció al país, tots estàvem preparats per començar a observar ocells. El nostre primer pas va ser anar a una petita desembocadura de riu coneguda com a Riu Masqat. Però fins i tot abans d’arribar, vam començar a veure bons ocells, inclòs el primer gaig blau de l’Índia del viatge aturat en un fanal i un parell d’abellerols d’Aràbia en una tanca. Aquí vam fer un canvi per fer una bona foto d’aquests fantàstics ocells, recentment separats dels seus parents asiàtics. Diversos coloms s’estaven movent pel lloc i no m’ho podia creure quan un tórtora ullvermella es va asseure a la mateixa tanca on hi eren els abellerols, breument juntament amb dos tórtores turques. Tot i que probablement era un exemplar escapat, és una observació molt interessant. Malauradament, sembla que ningú va fer cap foto de l’ocell correcte. Sense ressentiments, tots estàvem molt emocionats per les precioses vistes dels abellerols, i personalment em va intrigar una forma fosca dins d’un arbre baix. Hi vam conduir fins allà per descobrir que hi havia dos martinets de nit dormint a l’arbre.

Finalment vam arribar al riu Muscat. Aquí vam veure una bona selecció de limícoles i xatracs. Aquí vam obtenir les primeres vistes de corriols de Leschenault i de corriols del Tibet, a més de 3 sisetes, que de vegades es movien juntament amb les gambes verdes. Les gavianes rialleres eren comuns i, amb elles, vam veure un bon estol de més de 40 xatracs bec-llargs però també 1 curroc i alguns xatracs menuts. També vam veure 4 xatracs becgrocs volant per la platja juntament amb els primers gavians de Hemprich del viatge. A la sorra vam veure remena-rocs, corriols camanegres, garses de mar, pigres grisos i territs de tres-dits. Més a prop, una siseta cendrosa solitària s’alimentava juntament amb un parell de corriols del Tibet.

Un parell de distants estols de gangues ventrebrunes vam creuar el riu, captant la nostra atenció cap aquell sector del riu canalitzat. Allà hi vam veure un bon número de becadells comuns alimentant-se amb territs variants, martinets dels esculls, un parell de batallaires i un becut. De tornada a la platja, vam gaudir de més gavians de Hemprich, però també d’algun gavià del Caspi i de les més comunes gavines de estepa i de Heuglin’s. La minsa vegetació al voltant del canal també ens va oferir prínia delicada i les primeres cogullades comunes.

Després d’una parada de serveis, ens vam dirigir cap a l’interior, però el nostre trajecte es va veure trencat en trobar una bassa prou interessant en un creuament d’autopistes. Aquí vam trobar l’únic grasset de muntanya (raça Caucàsica) del viatge, però també dos territs de Temminck, batallaire, 3 valones i molt bones observaciones de bulbul de galtes blanques i de bulbul cul-roig. Altres espècies interessants a la bassa van incloure cuereta citrina i arpella comuna.

D’aquí vam conduir 15 minuts fins a un d’aquells llocs força desconeguts a l’interior. Hi vam fer una passejada sense trobar absolutament res però, quan ja èrem dins dels vehicles per marxar, vam tenir la sort de trobar el primer còlit del viatge, i va resultar que era un còlit pitnegre, una espècie força escassa a l’hivern en aquest país, especialment al Nord!

Per acabar el matí, ens vam aturar a l’entrada de les llacunes Al Ansab. I tot i estar tancades degut a la festa nacional omaní, aquí vam poder gaudir de bones observacions de gaig blau de l’Índia a més de dues àguiles cridaneres, una àguila imperial oriental i un adult d’aufrany. Gens malament per una paradeta de 5 minuts!

Aquest abellerol d’Aràbia va posar-se molt bé de camí a la primera parada.

Siseta alimentat-se al Riu Muscat. Noteu la diferència de mida i forma amb la gamba verda.

Corriol del Tibet, una espècie força comuna a la costa omaní.

El bulbul de galta blanca el vam gaudir en un grapat de localitzacions.

Aquest còlit pitnegre va ser una sorpresa força inesperada a finals del primer matí

Aquí es pot apreciar la típica coloració del pit

Gaig blau de l’Índia, una ocell de rotonda a Muscat…

De tornada a l’allotjament vam gaudir d’un bon merescut dinar i descans, per tornar a marxar i gaudir d’un vespreig ornitològic. Vam anar al Parc Al Qurum, i la nostra una molt bona varietat d’ocells que va incloure capsigrany pàl·lid i abellerol d’Aràbia però també dues àguiles cridaneres, força fredelugues de màscara roja, cotorres alexandrines, pòlit cantaire, 2 xarrasclets, blauet, 2 tètols cuanegres, 1 àguila pescadora i força suimangues porpres i bulbuls de totes tres espècies. A més, també vam gaudir d’una boscarla cridanera alimentant-se als manglars i d’un agró roig en vol. Però la millor observació va ser probablement la d’un francolí gris descansant en un turonet i fent-se un bany de sorra just a l’entrada del parc, i que el grup va gaudir al llarg d’un quart d’hora.

Per acabar el dia, vam anar a fer un cop d’ull a la platja, esperant de trobar estols de gavians. Malauradament, la marea era massa alta aquest cop i les espècies més destacades van ser els estols de corriols (camanegre, del Tibet i de Leschenault) a més d’un petit estol de daurades petites del Pacífic, tètols cuanegres i d’un fantàstic martinet estriat i de les seves maniobres quasi felines per atansar-se a les seves preses…

Els abellerols d’Aràbia, molt refiats també a la tarda

Aquest martinet estriat ens va fer una demostració de tàctica de caça amb la última llum del dia

Dia 2. Un nou dia assolellat a Oman. Vam sortir del nostre allotjament per començar a moure’ns cap a l’interior del país. Després de sortejar el trànsit de la ciutat, el paisatge va començar a canviar ràpidament, fent-se força més abrupte. A voltes, la carretera serpenteja entre les grans elevacions de la cadena muntanyosa Al Harar, que arriba fins als 3000 metres d’alçària.

La primera parada del dia va ser per explorar una vall oberta i ben coberta per vegetació autòctona. Aquí vam poder gaudir d’un bon grapat d’espècies com gaig blau de l’Índia, bec d’argent indi, suimanga porpra i francolí gris però el principal objectiu de la parada era contactar amb l’escàs tordenc d’Aràbia. I un estol de 7 exemplars no va trigar gaire a aparèixer davant nostre, reclamant i fent-se els esmunyedissos a la capçada dels petits arbres de la zona. Mentre avançàvem van anar veient diversos tallarols xerraires i els reclams del tallarol de Ménétries es feia evident tot al voltant, tot i que vam tenir dificultats per poder-ho veure com cal. L’Alba va trobar el primer de molts esparvers comuns, aquest en concret migrant cap al Sud. Altres rapinyaires a la zona van incloure àguiles marcenques i d’estepa, tot i que lluny. El primer botxí septentrional (raça aucheri) es va deixar veure i, quan marxàvem, una parella de piules becllargues es va deixar veure molt bé. Ja dins dels vehicles, vam observar a plaer el còlit cul-roig del viatge.

Còlit cul-roig. Personalment, el còlit més atractiu de la regió

Després de gaudir d’un dinar antològic en un el nostre restaurant preferit a Oman, vam anar a fer el check-in al nostre nou allotjament. I, una mica més descansats, vam sortir per gaudir del vespre. Vam escollir una petit racó amb quatre arbres per fer un tomb. I va resultar una gran elecció. En només quinze minuts ja havíem observat a plaer tallarol emmascarat oriental, merla blava, cotxa fumada (raça oriental) i mosquiter senzill a més de gaudir d’allò més amb les tórtores del Senegal i amb un estol de francolins grisos. Un meravellós mascle de tallarol de Ménétries ens va fer reconciliar-nos amb aquesta espècies després de la lluita del matí. I quan ja marxàvem, un petit estol de tres sits estriolats ens va fer gaudir d’allò més!

Des d’aquí ens vam endinsar encara més a una de les enormes gorges de la zona. 3 voltors orelluts ens va sobrevolar, acompanyats d’aufranys. Sorprenentment, el còlit de Hume va costar molt i, al final, només el vam poder veure força dalt d’una cinglera, gràcies a la bona vista de la Sonja.

Un cop arribat el capvespre, vam fer una mica de cerca del legendari gamarús d’Oman. Però, malgrat els nostres esforços, no vam aconseguir res de la gorja. Potser l’any que bé?

Els tallarols enmascarats acostumen a ser difícils d’observar a Oman. Aquest cop, no!

Aquest cop vam gaudir d’increïbles observacions de mosquiter senzill

El tallarol de Ménétries ens va fer treballar de valent al matí. A la tarda la cosa va anar diferent…

Els voltors orelluts són força comuns al Nord d’Oman.

Dia 3. Després d’un esmorzar ben d’hora al matí, vam començar el nostre llarg trànsfer fins a Salalah. Un trajecte de 800 quilòmetres travessant el desert! Però el matí no podia passar sense ocells, així aprofitant la fantàstica llum del matí vam fer una parada a on vam poder gaudir de 3 aufranys, còlits cua-rojos, tallarols xerraires, el primer còlit del desert del viatge i, especialment esperada, tallareta del desert asiàtica, que es va deixar fotografiar a plaer.

Fent milles, vam aprofitar una parada de servei per explorar una mica al voltant, i ens vam trobar amb una fantàstica cuereta enmascarada barrejada amb cueretes blanques! Tot i no ser una raça de cuereta blanca, continua sent un animal fantàstic i ens va fer molta il·lusió de trobar-ho al bell mig del desert!

Aquesta tallareta del desert asiàtica ens esperava a l’entrada de l’Empty Quarter.

Cuereta enmascarada quasi totalment mudada. Una raça fantàstica espectacular.

La nostra següent parada ja va ser per dinar, quan vam fer una paradeta a Qitbit. El lloc pot no semblar gran cosa a primera vista, però en poc temps vam trobar dos hipocolis que van fer el grup realment feliç. Una bona sorpresa aquí va ser el trobar-nos amb un mosquiter de Hume que es va deixar veure força bé, tot i les fotos justetes. Tord comú, mosquiters siberians i tallarol de Ménétries també es van fer notar, a més dels nombrosos corbs del desert. Quan marxàvem, un estornell rosat ens va passar per sobre!

Després d’uns quants quilòmetres més, vam fer la principal parada del dia, aquest cop per explorar uns camps de conreu al bell mig del desert. Aquí vam gaudir d’un bon estol de aloses puput, però també de nombrosos còlit isabelins i del desert. Uns estol de 10+ corredors del desert va fer les delícies del grup i, mentre alguns gaudíem d’estols de desenes de gangues ventrebrunes, d’altres o feien amb les primeres terreroles frontblanques del viatge.

Abans no es fes fosc ja érem de tornada a la carretera i, abans de sopar, vam arribar al nostre allotjament a Salalah per tal de gaudir d’un molt bon sopar i tancar un altre dia molt productiu!

Mosquiter de Hume ballant entre branquillons

Els corredors saharians fan sempre furor!

Botxí septentrional (aucheri) amb la bona llum del vespre.

Dia 4. El nostre primer dia va ser d’allò més interessant. El dia va començar assolejat però amb una mica de vent. El primer lloc a visitar va ser Ayn Hamran, una fantàstica vall arbolada creuada per un rierol. Aquí, només sortir dels vehicles ja vam ser assaltats per una miríada de becs d’argent africans, zosterops d’Abissínia, teixidors de Rüppell, bulbuls de les olleres i sits canyelles que feien les delícies de tot el grup. Però un parell d’ullades a l’arbust amb més moviment va revelar un sit capnegre mascle agafant tot de llum del matí. Tota una raresa a Oman! Des d’aquí ens vam anar movent tot seguint el rierol mentre gaudíem de nombrosos còlits cuanegres, esplèndids monarques del paradís africans i alguns tímids tallarols d’Aràbia. El vent, que al començament semblava un obstacle, va esdevenir un aliat, fent que molts ocells estiguessin força baixos, incloent un superb suimanga palestí mascle que ens va deleïtar mentre s’alimentava. En vol, vam veure àguiles marcenques i d’estepa i una parella de txagres de coroneta negra alimentant-se al terra van precedir un dels ocells del dia… Tot d’una, un durbec d’Aràbia va començar a cantar vessant amunt.

Ens vam moure cap adalt, just a temps de veure’l cantant des de dalt de tot d’un petit arbre. Fantàstic! Però llavors l’ocell va volar al bell mig de la vall i el vam seguir per poder observar-lo mentre s’alimentava. Tot d’una, ens en vam adonar que hi havien dos durbecs, i no pas només un! Al final, vam gaudir de quinze minuts d’observació, tot sovint molt a prop, fins que vam decidir tornar als vehicles. De tornada vam gaudir de piules becgrosses, 2 cueretes grogues i el primer capsigrany cua-roig del viatge!

Àguila d’estepa per començar la jornada al Dhoffar.

Aquest sit capnegre va ser tota una sorpresa!

Suimanga palestí ensenyant tots els seus colors

Un dels nombrosos monarques del paradís africans a Ayn Hanram

Els sits canyella són sorprenentment comuns

La raça àrab (percivali) del txagra de coroneta negra continua sent la meva preferida!

El durbec d’Aràbia sempre està entre els 5 ocells més cobejats del tour!

Els durbecs es van estar alimentant davant nostre durant més de 10 minuts.

Des d’Ayn Hanram vam conduir de tornada a les planes que donen accés a aquesta vall. Aquestes planes poden ser un autèntic cel pels amants de les aus. Tot travessant la zona no vam trigar gaire a veure una àrea amb força activitat. Ens hi vam endinsar de ple i vam trobar desenes i desenes de terreroles frontblanques, amb molts mascles cantant i fent display en vol, a voltes molt a prop nostre! Amb elles, estols de terreroles comunes eren evidents i, en mig d’aquest maresme, cogullades comunes, trobats còlits isabelins i del desert. Lluny, vam poder veure un mascle d’arpella pàl·lida russa patrullant la planície i un estol d’abellerols perses que es movia per aquella zona. Ens hi van mirar d’atansar, però va ser devades. Estol rere estol de terreroles comunes, ens vam entretenir fins que, de cop i volta, del no res va aparéixer un pardal roquer pàl·lid amb elles! Realment desubicats, ens vam apropar una mica, només per descobrir que al mateix estol també hi havia una calàndria bimaculada! Al llarg dels minuts següents vam treballar en posar tothom en ambdues espècies. I, al final, vam comptar un mínim de 5 pardals roquers pàl·lids i 2 calàndries bimaculades mentre estols de gangues ventrebrunes anaven creuant la plana.

Molt satisfets d’aquesta parada, vam decidir de tornar un altre cop a Ayn Hanram i escorcollar un sector una mica diferent. Vam tornar a triomfar i, fora de les espècies més comunes i de forces monarques del paradís africans, també vam gaudir de 3 papamosques menuts (incloent un mascle), de colltort i d’una busqueta pàl·lida oriental.

Les terreroles frontblanques es van deixar apropar força

Centenars de terreroles comunes adobaben la plana al Nord de Salalah

Pardal roquer pàl·lid, una una altra sorpresa!

Des d’aquí, vam conduir la curta distància fins a Ayn Razat, un rierol preciós amb una vegetació exuberant i un jardí annexe interessant. Aquí, em va desolar descobrir que la vegetació espesa, que abans era rica en nenúfars i pegats de canyissars, havia desaparegut. S’havia utilitzat maquinària pesada per eliminar tot l’ecosistema i ara no en queda res, fora de la zona on hi ha les places d’aparcament, on queden alguns estanys recreatius. Un gran desastre… Tot i així, vam fer el pícnic aquí. Un passeig per l’interior del jardí va mostrar diversos suimangues d’Aràbia mentre l’àguila imperial oriental i l’àguila perdiguera, a més d’una poderosa àguila de Verreaux, patrullaven la vall. Dins del jardí, la Sonja va trobar una bonica cotxa blava, i en Ramiro va un cuaenlairat que s’alimentava entre els matolls baixos al centre del jardí. Malauradament, només els guies van poder veure aquest ocell abans que entrés a la vegetació i no en sortís mai més.

Després de gaudir del nostre fantàstic picnic, vam fer una paradeta per cafè abans d’apropar-nos a la costa per visitar una petita desembocadura. Hi ha un bon grapat de boques de riu al voltant de Salalah, cadascuna d’elles amb les seves característiques que les fan úniques. Vam arribar a la nostra elecció amb un fantàstica llum de tarda i vam comença a repassar els estols de xatracs i gavines. Aquí vam trobar tètols cuanegres, batallaires, àguila pescadora, cueretes citrines, territs de Temminck i corriol anellat petit. També hi havien 8 fotges banyudes una mica llunyanes. Força més a prop, vam gaudir de corriol de Leschenault mentre onades i onades de capons reials anaven arribant al seu dormider. Aquí també vam avançar en com diferenciar xatracs reials i becgrocs, així com curroc versus fumarell carablanc. Al llarg de tota l’estona, un pelicà comú s’estava reposant en una illa. Aquesta ès una espècie força escassa a Oman. Els estols de gavians no van produir cap espècies interesant, tret d’alguns gavians del Caspi i un tombet per una zona d’estepa litoral va produir un parell de piules grosses mentre les arpelles comuns anaven a dormir.

La última parada del dia va ser a Ayn Taqa, un altre racó impressionant. Aquí vam tenir temps de gaudir dels ocells de la zona, que van incloure martinet ros de l’Índia, una cotxa blava mascle, gamba verda, valona i, com a més destacat, una polla pitblanca que es va deixar veure força bé. Un cop arribat el capvespre, vam invertir una mica de temps a cercar mussols i el temps invertit es va traduir en unes fantàstiques observacions de xot d’Aràbia mentre un parell de mussols comuns reclamaven des dels penya-segats del voltant.

Pelicà comú, un bon afegitó a la nostra llista

Capsigrany pàl·lid, el Lanius més comú a l’hivern a Oman.

Xot d’Aràbia, crec que la millor observació de la que hem gaudit en aquests tours.

Dia 5. Aquest dia, el matí el vam dedicat a explorar l’altiplà Dhofar, però abans de arribar-nos-hi, vam fet una parada per visitar uns petits estanys gairebé desconeguts.

Era un matí radiant quan vam arribar a la bassa, que està envoltada de canyissar però que conserva ribes amb fang al voltant. Un primer escaneig al voltant va revelar dos boscarles dels joncs movent-se al del canyissar. També vam veure cotxa blava, tortoreta cuallarga i dues sisetes. De cop i volta, ens va sorprendre trobar un rascletó que estava alimentat-se a pocs metres de nosaltres! Ens hi vam apropar amb una mica de desconcert, però al poc temps tothom estava gaudint d’aquest ocells. Un passeig al voltant de la bassa no va produir massa més; uns quants suimangues d’Aràbia, un mascle d’esparver xikra un xic llunyà i més tortoretes cuallargues. Aquí, el Ramiro i el Carles van trobar un altre rascletó!

Ens vam dirigir llavors a l’altiplà, però vam haver de fer una parada a la carretera ja que a un dels fanals hi havia un esparver d’espatlles negres i, a al vora, un parell d’àguiles imperials orientals. Un cop observades, ens vam moure cap al Jabal Tal (una impressionant talaïa natural a més de 1200 metres sobre el nivell del mar) però, degut, als nombrosos ocells, vam fer multitud d’aturades. Una menció especial es mereix l’observació d’un colltort movent-se amb un mascle de còlit d’Aràbia, que va causar autèntica sensació! Al llarg de la carretera hi havien força còlits d’Aràbia i corbs cuacurts. També àguiles d’estepa i ens va sorprendre trobar un estol de 47 voltors comuns! Aquesta és una espècie escassa a Oman. Piules del arbres als cables i un mascle d’arpella pàl·lida russa que ens passa rabent per sobre. Sense temps per reaccionar, ara són 2 aligots d’estepa els que ens passa arran per aturar-se en una figuera propera.

Un cop arribats a dalt de tot, vam ser recompensats amb unes vistes magnífiques i amb 2 àguiles de Verreaux volant de la manera que només una àguila de Verreaux ho pot fer a la vora dels penya-segats. Aquí també ens va sorprendre veure almenys un falcó llaner en una baralla amb una de les àguiles!! L’Alba va trobar un bonic mascle de merla blava i, mentre gaudíem de l’ocell, un estol de 8 perdius d’Aràbia va volar sota els nostres peus per aterrar a uns 400 metres de distància en terreny obert, on les podíem rastrejar fàcilment. Durant els següents 20 minuts les vam seguir les seves peripècies, amb més vistes també de les ara molt llunyanes àguiles de Verreaux.

De tornada des del cim de la muntanya, ens vam aturar al lloc típic per gafarró del Iemen. Aquí, mentre gaudíem un cop més dels nostres meravellos picnics, vam poder observar un altre ventall de rapinyaires incloent 4 àguiles imperials, un àguila cuabarrada fent reclam i exhibint-se al seu territori, voltors comuns, àguiles marcenques i d’estepa i un xoriguer petit, de regal!

Un cop dinats vam fer un cop d’ull al voltant. Hi havien moltíssims becs d’argent i també suimangues palentins però la nostra atenció es va centrar una alosa cantaire que va volar just davant nostre. Tothom la va poder veure força. De tornada a la carretera, un gafarró del Iemen va sortir del seu amagatall i el vam poder veure forá bé!

De camí cap a la costa, vam fer una breu parada en una fleca local, atenent les súpliques del guia principal (o sia, jo), perquè allà ens esperaven els millors bunyols de tot Oman! En vaig comprar una bona bossa (mai no es tenen prous, de bunyols) i vam anar a gaudir-los on viuen els baobabs més septentrionals del món (sí, hi ha baobabs al Dhofar!).

Esparver d’espatlles negres a la principal autopista del Dhoffar

Colltort i mascle de còlit d’Aràbia, un dels moments intensos del viatge

Alguns còlits d’Aràbia s’hi van posar bé!

Estornell de Tristam, un au comú al Dhofar.

La superpoderosa àguila de Verreaux manté una modesta població al Dhoffar

Els esparvers comuns semblaven ser a tot arreu enguany

Femella de suimanga palestina a l’altiplà

Un cop vam gaudir dels baobabs i dels bunyolets vam baixar cap a la costa, a gaudir d’una desembocadura de riu. En aquesta nova zona humida vam trobar una jacana cua de faisà, 2 agrons rojos i un fantàstic mascle de martinet menut de la Xina que estava pescant en un canyissar. La zona tenia un bon grapat de limícols i gavians, incloent dos territs de Temminck, boscarla cridanera i gavià del Caspi. Aquí, els estornells rosats es concentren per anar a dormir i vam comptar un mínim de 90 d’ells. Però el millor de tot plegat va començar quan 3 perdius de mar van començar a volar per sobre de la desembocadura, de vegades a escassos metres de nosaltres. Realment va ser un altre moment únic del viatge. El seu vol, barrejat amb les nombroses orenetes comunes, va ser una forma excel·lent d’acabar un altre dia!

Perdius de mar en vol. Imatges d’en Miles Tindal.

Dia 6. Aquest dia vam conduir cap al nord des de Salalah a primera hora del matí, amb l’objectiu d’arribar una mica després de l’alba a la costa Nord. El dia era assolellat i extremadament tranquil, amb poc vent. Normalment, no és bon presagi quan estàs a punt de fer un sortida pelàgica. Pel camí, vam veure diverses àguiles pescadores al llarg de la carretera i vam tenir bones observacions de la població local de cigonyes d’Abdim abans d’arribar al port.Un cop navegats, vam començar a gaudir d’alguns bons ocells.

Només sortir del port ja vam veure que el nombre de baldrigues perses era sòlid aquesta vegada, i en vam veure diverses, fins a comptar 23 ocells movent-se cap al Nord. Durant el matí també vam veure un bon nombre de mascarells emmascarats, amb desenes d’ocells movent-se en petits estols en la mateixa direcció. Vam poder veure de molt a prop ambdues espècies, però també 2 baldrigues brunes que van estar una bona estona fent voltes al nostre vaixell. Al contrari que en moltes altres sortides, enguany no vam veure mai cap estol de xatracs, i només vam veure 1 petrell de Jouanin que mai va estar prou a prop per fer cap foto. Però un dels millors moments de la sortida en vaixell va ser quan una orca va aparèixer de sobte davant del vaixell, saltant fora de l’aigua. Tot va passar tan ràpid que no ens podíem creure el que veiem! Al cap d’un parell de minuts, la bèstia va tornar a aparèixer, però aquesta vegada només va trencar la superfície de l’aigua per mostrar el costat del cap. Crec que realment només fer-nos un cop d’ull!

Les cigonyes d’Abdim han esdevingut ocells urbans al Dhoffar

Mascarell enmascarat fent-nos una ullada

De tornada a port, i encara trasvalsats per l’emoció de veure així de bé baldrigues, escuraflascons i l’orca, vam anar a fer un bon cafè per comentar l’experiència abans d’anar al parc urbà més gran de Mirbat i gaudir, un cop més, dels nostres pícnics. Al parc urbà no vam trigar gens a localitzar l’escorxador dorsicastany que s’estava allà des del mes de novembre. També vam veure 2 koels comuns (un adult i un jove), capsigranys cua-roig i isabelí, 8 piules dels arbres, 1 piula de Hogdson, 2 tallarols xerraires, 1 boscarla cridanera, força mosquiters comuns i siberians, suimangues d’Aràbia, 4 àguiles imperials, una vintena de cigonyes d’Abdim i martinet ros de la Xina.

La piula de Hogdson es movia juntament amb les piules dels arbres. Era un ocell una mica més petit, amb l’esquena uniformement més fosca, el bec més curt i robust, amb lleu un to acarbassat al costat del pit i una taca occipital clarament definida. Em va semblar que no hi havien masses dubtes! Les vam posar al telescopi durant un parell de minuts i tothom va poder veure l’ocell. Tot i així, ningú va aconseguir (o recordar) de fer una foto de l’ocell. Coses del directe!

Deixant Mirbat enrere, vam anar a fer parada en una altra llacuna, aquesta vorejada per un opulent canyissar. Aquí també vam fruir d’allò més. De les fotges que s’alimentaven en un racó de la llacuna, vam veure que una era una fotja banyuda, i encara estàvem mirant d’apropar-nos quan tres ànecs vam arribar en vol a aquell raconet, resultant ser tres oques menudes asiàtiques! Vam continuar avançant una mica més descobrir un total de cinc oques menudes asiàtiques (incloent un fabulós mascles), dues jacanes cua de faisà, dos martinets intermedis, dos agrons rojos i uns quants trobats i fumarells carablancs. Per la banda de rapinyaires, àguila calçada i arpelles comunes es van deixar veure bé.

Aques escorxador dorsicastany ha decidit fer l’hivern a Mirbat.

Vam poder veure suimangues d’Aràbia de ben a prop

Jacana cua de faisà a tocar d’una oca menuda asiàtica. Ben bé com si fóssim a l’Índia

Un mascle d’oca menuda asiàtica. Una meravella!

Aprofitant que el temps era força estable ens vam arribar a una segona desembocadura. Aquí hi havia ben poca activitat. Mirant el mar vam trobar xatrac menut i dofí mular indopacífic no gaire lluny de la costa. La zona humida no donava per massa més, amb les espècies més comunes de limícols i poca cosa més. Però, remirant els corriols a tocar, el cor se’ns va aturar en trobar un corriol asiàtic dormint amb un estol de corriols camanegre! De cop i volta, l’indret va guanyar força interès!

Molt contents d’haver trobat un corriol asiàtic enmig d’un estol de corriols camanegres, ens vam dirigir terra endins per a una última parada. Ja vam arribar amb molt poca llum, i una mirada ràpida a la vall arbolada a on èrem va revelar no menys de 38 ballesters, el meu millor estol en aquest país! Encara esperant que fes més fosc, vam entrar a una vall per trobar un ocell molt especial que viu en aquest tipus de valls rocalloses. De sobte, vam veure una parella de ducs d’Aràbia que sortien volant des dels seus amagatalls diürns. En Carles va assenyalar que un dels ocells cantava força a prop, i no vam trigar ni un parell de minuts a trobar els dos ocells, un d’ells força a prop i oferint unes vistes molt bones! De nou, un gran final de dia!

El corriol asiàtic va ser la gran atracció de la tarda! Aquí amb corriols camanegres.

El duc d’Aràbia se’ns va plantar més a prop del que esperàvem!

Dia 7. De bon matí vam anar a fer una passejada per un dels principals parcs urbans de Salalah. Aquí vam gaudir d’un bon grapat de cueretes blanques i grogues, suimangues d’Aràbia i piules dels arbres, però també d’estols de maniquís escatosos, una espècie escapada de captivitat però sempre maca de veure. Un altre esparver comú ens va passar per sobre, també un parell de falciots pàl·lids, però el principal motiu de la nostra visita eren els coloms verdosos waàlia. Malauradament estaven regant la zona a on dormen, així vam haver de fer temps caminant al voltant. Finalment, ens va decidir a apropar-nos i va ser el Ramiro qui va donar la veu d’alerta; havien aturat el rec i ja es podien veure els coloms. Al final, una desena de coloms es van deixar veure, alguns de força a prop!

Des d’aquí vam conduir fins a la desembocadura del Riu Raysut, a on vam poder gaudir d’una llarga, molt llarga llista d’espècies. Abans d’arribar vam trobar abellerol d’Aràbia i àguila cridanera. El riu mateix estava ple de vida. Hi destacaven una gran quantitat de xatracs, molts d’ells pescant. Aquí vam tenir molt a prop xatracs bengalís i xatracs becgrocs i l’ùnic fumarell alablanc del viatge ens va passar a tocar només arribar. Comprovant tots els xatracs de la zona vam trobar un d’aturat a terra tot sol. Semblava un xatrac galtablanc i, efectivament, quan va sortir volant va deixar veure el seu típic disseny per sota de l’ala. Hi havia força limícols encara dormint i vam estar de sort que dos dels que poquets que s’alimentaven foren una siseta cendrosa i un territ becadell adult, l’únic que vam veure en tot el viatge!

Des d’aquí ens vam dirigir a les basses de depuració de Raysut, a on vam trobar força sisetes, cigonyes d’Abdim, valones junt amb una seixantena de cigonyes blanques i també algunes fredelugues de màscara roja. Aquí vam veure un dels híbrids d’aquesta espècie amb fredeluga d’esperons que tomba de fa anys per aquí. Una cosa interessant a destacar era la quantitat d‘ànecs coll-verds, normalment una espècie força escassa a Oman. Aquí en vam veure una vintena, i també ànecs cuallargs i força xarrasclets junt amb les dues úniques gambes rojes pintades del viatge. En Luca va trobar un cabussó coll-negre, una nova espècie pels nostres viatges a Oman!

El matí ja havia estat espectacular, però encara no havíem acabat. Com que teníem temps vam fer una altra visiteta a Ayn Hanram, sempre un bon lloc per a passejar-s’hi. Aquí vam veure més monarques del paradís africà, txagres, capsigrany cua-roig i, al tanto, també un capsigrany enmascarat que ens havien comentat que estava per la zona. Després d’una estona tombant, en Miles el va trobar i el vam poder observar a plaer!

Colom verdós waàlia. Un dels millors ocells del viatge

Territ becadell i siseta cendrosa, una parell d’allò més exòtica

Xatrac bengalí a punt de pescar a Raysut

El nostre grup gaudint a Raysut. Gràcies, Karel Simecek, d’un altre grup, per aquesta imatge!

Capsigrany enmascarat mascle. Sempre un plaer!

Després de gaudir d’un bon dinar buffet al restaurant de l’hotel (no cada dia es pot gaudir del pícnic) ens vam dirigir al Sud per explorar una mica la costa. Al llarg del trajecte vam haver d’aturar-nos, un enorme estol de més 150 corbs marins de Socotra estava aturat al mar, a prop de la costa, i ens va permetre gaudir d’una fantàstica observació. Aquí també vam trobar uns pocs dofins mulars indopacífics. Una mica més al Sud, vam arribar-nos a una altra zona humida. Aquí vam veure els únics bec-planers del viatge junt a força ànecs coll-verds i alguns limícols. Però el més important, vam poder veure el martinet negre que fa setmanes que s’està en aquest punt!

Al vespre, vam conduir wadi amunt. El paisatge de roca i sorra es feia cada cop més impressionant i una parada a mig camí va permetre la Coia de trobar un estol de perdius d’Aràbia que just es ficaba dins una petita bauma per anar a dormir just quan el ressó dels reclams dels damans recorrien la vall. Uns minuts després, ja totalment fosc, un reclam ben diferent va inundar els penya-segats: el gamarús del desert sortia del seu cau diurn. Al llarg dels següents minuts el vam gaudir d’allò més, reclamant a la cinglera que teníem davant. Sempre és meravellós tenir un ocell tant mític tant i tant a prop!

Els corbs marins de Socotra es poden ajuntar en grups de centenars d’exemplars

Martinets esculls i martinet negre. Meravellós veure’ls un al costat de l’altre!

Un cop més el gamarús del desert ens va regalar una observació inoblidable!

Dia 8 . Després d’esmorzar força d’hora, vam carregar els vehicles i ens vam dirigir al Nord. Deixàvem enrere Salalah per endinsar-nos de nou al desert. Aquest cop, la primera parada seria un petit oasi no gaire lluny de la frontera amb el Iemen. De camí, però, vam haver de fer un parell de parades. Primer per observar unes terreroles del desert que estaven a tocar de la carretera i més tard per fer el mateix amb unes perdius del desert. Encara no havíem acabat d’arribar a l’oasi quan 3 hipocolis ens van fer parar. Els vam observar a pocs metres, aturats a un cable. Mentre fèiem fotos, ens vam adonar que faltava un dels cotxes. A uns dos-cents metres de nosaltres, els ocupants del tercer vechicle eren a fora, fent fotos i clarament exaltats. Inmediatament vam anar cap allà. Ràpidament vam ser informats que la Coia havia trobat un petit estol de gangues de Lichtenstein a tocar de la carretera i, al llarg dels següents vint minuts, vam estar gaudint d’un altre dels moments àlgids del tour!

Després d’aquest començament tan espectacular (hipocoli + ganga de Lichtenstein) van començar a explorar l’oais. Hi havia un bon número de mosquiters siberians, tallarols xerraires i còlit cuanegre, així com alguna tallareta del desert asiàtic. Però l’espècie més destacada fou la suimanga del Nil, amb una parella movent-se per la zona. En una zona més allunyada de l’oasi vam trobar una tórtora turca africana que va començar a cantar, i vam poder gaudir d’una gran observació. Aquí també vam veure una femella d’esparver cendrós creuant el desert.

La nostra propera parada va ser per fer una petita espera en una bassa a on les gangues venen a veure aigua. Les gangues necessiten veure aigua quasi a diari, i són capaces de volar desenes de quilòmetres per arribar a una bassa concreta. Vam esperar una bona estona i ja començàvem a desesperar quan, de cop i volta vam veure un petit estol de gangues ventrebrunes que van baixar a veure aigua. De sobte, onades i onades de gangues van aparèixer del no res per formar eixams d’ocells que baixaven, bevies i tornaven a marxat! El so de les aus i dels seus reclams va ser un altre moment àlgid del nostre viatge a Oman. La munió d’ocells a la zona també atreu a rapinyaires i a la zona vam veure un parell d’àguiles imperials i un solitari voltor orellut.

Després d’un matí memorable, era moment de gaudir d’un bon café abans de moure’ns cap al Nord. La nostra següent parada va ser a uns camps de conreu al bell mig del no res. Efectivament, novament el desert es vesteix de verd gràcies a l’aigua acumulada al llarg de mil·lenis a la capa freàtica i ara es pot conrear ferratge al desert gràcies a aquesta aigua… Als camps de ferratge vam observar multitud de còlits isabelins i del desert així com els Alaúdids més comuns de la zona. Però el que realment ens va fer accelerar el pols va ser trobar un estol de 35 fredelugues socials en un d’aquests camps! Sens dubte, l’estol més gran que he vist mai, amb exemplars joves i adults quasi en plomatge estival! Al mateix camp, una àguila d’estepa superba alviraba els encontorns a la cerca d’alguna presa.

Des d’aquí vam continuar conduint cap al Nord, amb una última parada de caracter ornitològic en un petit parc urbà a on vam poder observar trobar però també tortoreta cuallarga, botxí i còlits del desert, abans d’entomar el tram final de carretera fins al nostre allotjament a Duqm, a on vam arribar per l’hora de sopar.

Terrerola del desert a la carretera de camí a la primera parada del dia

Fantàstiques observacions de hipocoli. No passa sovint que aquesta espècie quedi a l’ombra d’una altra…

Algunes imatges de les gangues de Lichtenstein. Sempre meravella de veure-les de tant a prop!

Tòrtora rosa i grisa. Un ocell que té poblacions minses a l’extrem Sud d’Oman

Els còlits cuanegres poden ser increïblement refiats

Fredeluga social. No importa a quin continent hi siguis, sempre un ocell fantàstic d’observar!

Dia 9. Darrer dia del tour. Ens llevem a Duqm en un dia assolejat i marxem de l’allotjament després de gaudir d’un altre bon esmorzar. Estem a un parell d’hores de la principal zona que volem visitar, però abans de marxar cap allà tenim temps de visitar un petit parc urbà a Duqm. Aquí observar l’únic bitxac siberià del tour, cotxa blava, trobats i cueretes grogues.

D’aquí ens vam dirigir a la inmensa zona intermareal que rodeja Masirah Island, a on hiverna un número impressionant de limícols (sembla que prop d’un milió!). El principal objectiu aquí era contactar amb una altra espècie mítica, el droma. Aquest cop, la marea ens va donar prou temps per mirar-nos bé les gavines de la zona, i no vam dubtar-ho ni un moment. Entre els molts gavians foscos, vam trobar uns quants gavians del Capi, i mentre anàvem mirant el Luca va trobar una joia; l’únic gavinot capnegre del viatge! En aquest cas, un 2n hivern. Un altre interessant troballa va ser una gavina cendrosa (pressumiblement de la raça heinei). Entre els limícols, vam veure petits estols de territs bec-llargs, força siseta cendrosa i també territs bec-llargs, corriols de tota mena, tètols cuabarrats, territs menuts, remena-rocs, garses de mar i un parell de distants territ becadells.

Finalment, i després d’esperar una estona un xica massa llarg, els dromes van començar a apareixer a escena. Primer grups familiars petits, però desprès en grups cada cop més grans. Hi vam comptar un mínim de 50 exemplars!

A la tarda, vam conduir de tornada a Muscat, a on vam una mica abans de sopar. Com podeu comprobar, Oman mau no decep!!

El gavinot capnegre és simplement enorme, fins i tot en comparació amb el gavià de Heuglin.

Gavina cendrosa de la raça russa (heinei), un bo afegitó a la nostra llista.

Vam haver d’esperar, però al final els dromes bé que van aparèixer!

Llista d’ocells observats al llarg del tour:

Perdiu d’Aràbia (Alectoris melanocephala)
Perdiu del desert (Ammoperdix heyi)
Francolí gris (Francolinus pondicerianus)
Oca menuda asiàtica (Nettapus coromandelianus)
Ànec coll-verd (Anas platyrhynchos)
Ànec cuallarg (Anas acuta)
Xarxet comú (Anas crecca)
Ànec griset (Mareca strepera)
Xarrasclet (Spatula querquedula)
Ànec cullerot (Spatura clypeata)
Falciot pàl·lid (Apus pallidus)
Ballester (Apus melba)
Cucut koel asiàtic (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
Ganga ventrebruna (Pterocles exustus)
Ganga de Lichtenstein (Pterocles lichtensteinii)
Colom roquer (Columba livia)
Colom verdós waàlia (Treron waalia)
Tórtora turca (Streptopelia decaocto)
Tórtora rosa i grisa (Streptopelia roseogrisea)
Tórtora ullvermella (Streptopelia semitorquata)
Tórtora del Senegal (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Tortoreta cuallarga (Oena capensis)
Polla pitblanca (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
Polla d’aigua (Gallinula chloropus)
Fotja comuna (Fulica atra)
Fotja banyuda (Fulica cristata)
Rascletó (Zapornia parva)
Cabusset (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Cabussó coll-negre (Podiceps nigricollis)
Flamenc comú (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Corredor saharià (Cursorior cursor)
Garsa de mar (Haematopus ostralegus)
Droma (Droma ardeola)
Cames llargues (Himantopus himantopus)
Jacana cua de faisà (Hydrophaisanus chirurgus)
Fredeluga de màscara roja (Vanellus indicus)
Fredeluga d’esperons (Vanellus spinosus)
Fredeluga social (Vanellus gregarius)
Daurada petita del Pacífic (Pluvialis fulva)
Pigre gris (Pluvialis aquatarola)
Corriol anellat gros (Charadrius hiaticula)
Corriol anellat petit (Charadrius dubius)
Corriol camanegre (Anarhynchos alexandrinus)
Corriol asiàtic (Anarhynchos asiaticus)
Corriol de Leschenault (Anarhynchos leschenaultii)
Corriol del Tíbet (Anarhynchos atrifons)
Becadell comú (Gallinago gallinago)
Tètol cuabarrat (Limosa lapponica)
Tètol cuanegre (Limosa limosa)
Pòlit cantaire (Numenius phaeopus)
Becut eurasiàtic (Numenius arquata)
Gamba roja pintada (Tringa erythropus)
Gamba roja comuna (Tringa totanus)
Siseta (Tringa stagnatilis)
Gamba verda (Tringa nebularia)
Xivita (Tringa ochropus)
Valona (Tringa glareola)
Siseta cendrosa (Xenus cinereus)
Xivitona (Actitis hypoleucos)
Remena-rocs (Arenaria interpres)
Territ tres-dits(Calidris alba)
Territ menut (Calidris minuta)
Territ de Temminck (Calidris temminckii)
Territ variant (Calidris alpina)
Territ becadell (Calidris falcinellus)
Territ bec-llarg (Calidris ferruginea)
Batallaire (Calidris pugnax)
Escuraflascons bec-fi (Phalaropus lobatus)
Perdiu de mar petita (Glareola lacteus)
Gavina capblanca (Chroicocephalus genei)
Gavina riallera (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Gavià fosc (Larus fuscus): 2 races; Heuglin’s Gull (heuglini) & Steppe Gull (barabensis)
Gavià del Caspi (Larus cachinnans)
Gavina cendrosa (Larus canus)
Gavinot capnegre (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)
Gavià de Hemprich (Ichthyaetus hemprichii)
Xatrac gros (Hydroprogne caspia)
Xatrac bec-groc (Thalasseus bergii)
Xatrac bengalí (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Xatrac bec-llarg (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Xatrac galtablanc (Sterna repressa)
Curroc (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Xatrac menut (Sternula albifrons)
Fumarell carablanc (Chlidonias hybridus)
Fumarell alablanc (Chlidonias leucopterus)
Baldriga persa (Puffinus persicus)
Baldriga bruna (Ardenna carneipes)
Petrell de Jouanin (Bulweria fallax)
Cigonya d’Abdim (Ciconia abdimii)
Cigonya blanca (Ciconia ciconia)
Mascarell emmascarat (Sula dactylara)
Corb marí gros (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Corb marí de Socotra (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)
Ibis sagrat africà (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Capó reial (Plegadis falcinellus)
Bec-planer euroasiàtic (Platalea leucorodia)
Martinet menut de la Xina (Botaurus sinensis)
Martinet estriat (Butorides atricapilla)
Martinet ros (Ardeola ralloides)
Martinet ros de l’Índia (Ardeolla grayii)
Esplugabous (Bubulcus ibis)
Martinet de nit (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Agró roig (Ardea purpurea)
Bernat pescaire (Ardea cinerea)
Agró blanc (Ardea alba)
Martinet intermedi (Ardea intermedia)
Martinet negre (Egretta ardesiaca)
Martinet blanc (Egretta garzetta)
Martinet dels esculls (Egretta gularis)
Pelicà comú (Pelecanus onocratus)
Aufrany (Neophron percnopterus)
Voltor comú (Gyps fulvus)
Voltor orellut (Torgos tracheliotos)
Àguila pescadora (Pandion haliaetos)
Àguila cridanera (Clanga clanga)
Àguila d’estepa (Aquila nipalensis)
Àguila imperial (Aquila heliaca)
Àguila de Verreaux (Aquila verreauxii)
Àguila cuabarrada (Aquila fasciata)
Àguila calçada (Aquila pennata)
Àguila marcenca (Circaetus gallicus)
Esparver comú (Accipiter nisus)
Esparver shikra (Accipiter badius)
Elani comú (Elanus caeruleus)
Milà negre (Milvus migrans lineatus)
Arpella comuna (Circus aeruginosus)
Arpella pàl·lida russa (Circus macrourus)
Esparver cendrós (Circus pygargus)
Aligot comú (d’estepa) (Buteo buteo vulpinus)
Xot d’Aràbia (Otus pamelae)
Mussol comú (Athene noctua) – heard only
Gamarús del desert (Strix hadorami)
Duc d’Aràbia (Bubo milesi)
Puput (Upupa epops)
Gaig blau de l’Índia (Coracias benghalensis)
Blauet (Alcedo atthis)
Abellerol d’Aràbia (Merops cyanophrys)
Xoriguer comú (Falco tinnunculus)
Xoriguer petit (Falco naumanii)
Falcó llaner (Falco biarmicus)
Cotorreta alexandrina (Psittacula eupatria)
Cotorra de Kramer (Psittacula krameri)
Txagra de coroneta negra (Tchagra senegalus)
Capsigrany enmascarat (Lanius nubicus)
Escorxador dorsicastany (Lanius vittatus)
Capsigrany pàl·lid (Lanius isabellinus)
Capsigrany cua-roig (Lanius phoenicuroides)
Botxí septentrional (Lanius excubitor aucheri)
Tordenc d’Aràbia (Turdoides squamiceps)
Monarca del paradís africà (Tersiphone viridis)
Hipocoli (Hypocolius ampelinus)
Bulbul d’urelles blanques (Pycnonotus leucotis)
Bulbul cul-roig (Pycnonotus cafer)
Bulbul d’ulleres blanques (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)
Corb de l’Índia (Corvus splendens)
Corb del desert (Corvus ruficollis)
Corb cuacurt (Corvus rhidipurus)
Alosa puput (Alaemon alaudipes)
Terrerola del desert (Ammomanes deserti)
Terrerola comuna (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Terrerola frontblanca (Eremopterix nigriceps)
Calàndria bimcaulada (Melanocorypha bimaculata)
Cogullada comuna (Galerida cristata)
Alosa cantaire (Mirafra cantillans)
Oreneta de ribera (Riparia riparia)
Roquerol pàl·lid (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta)
Oreneta comuna (Hirundo rustica)
Prínia gràcil (Prinia gracilis)
Prínia delicada (Prinia lepida)
Mosquiter comú (Phylloscopus collybita) / Mosquiter siberià (Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis)
Mosquiter senzill (Phylloscopus neglectus)
Mosquiter de Hume (Phylloscopus humei)
Boscarla cridanera (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
Boscarla dels joncs (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Busqueta pàl·lida oriental (Iduna pallida)
Tallareta del desert asiàtica (Curruca nana)
Tallarol xerrarire (Curruca curruca)
Tallarol enmascarat (Curruca crassirostris)
Tallarol d’Aràbia (Curruca leucomelaena)
Tallarol de Ménétrie’s (Curruca mystacea)
Zosterops d’Abissínia (Zosterops abyssinicus)
Minà comú (Acridotheres tristis)
Estornell rosat (Pastor roseus)
Estornell de Tristam (Onychognatus tristamii)
Tord comú (Turdus philomelos)
Merla blava (Monticola solitarius)
Cotxa blava (Luscinia svecica)
Cotxa fumada (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Bitxac siberià (Saxicola maurus)
Cuaenlairat (Cercotrichas galactotes)
Papamosques menut (Ficedula parva)
Còlit isabelí (Oenanthe isabellina)
Còlit del desert (Oenanthe deserti)
Còlit cuanegre (Oenanthe melanura)
Còlit pitnegre (Onenanthe pleschanka)
Còlit d’Aràbia (Oenanthe lugentoides)
Còlit de Hume (Oenanthe albonigra)
Còlit cul-roig (Oenanthe chrysopygia)
Suimanga del Nil (Hedydipna metallica)
Suimanga palestina (Cinnyris osea)
Suimanga d’Aràbia (Cinnyris hellmayri)
Suimanda porpra (Cinnyris asiaticus)
Pardal comú (Passer domesticus)
Pardal roquer pàl·lid (Carpospiza brachydactyla)
Teixidor de Rüppell (Ploceus galbula)
Maniquí escatós (Lonchura punctulata)
Maniquí bec d’argent (Euodice cantans)
Maniquí de l’Índia (Euodice malabarica)
Cuereta citrina (Motacilla citreola)
Cuereta blanca (Motacilla alba) / Cuereta enmascarada (Motacilla alba personata)
Cuereta torrentera (Motacilla cinerea)
Cuereta groga occidental (Motacilla flava)
Piula grossa (Anthus ricardi)
Trobat (Anthus campestris)
Piula becllarga (Anthus similis)
Grasset de muntanya (Anthus spinolleta)
Piula dels arbres (Anthus trivialis)
Gafarró del Iemen (Crithagra menachensis)
Durbec d’Aràbia (Rhynchostruthus percivali)
Sit capnegre (Emberiza melanocephala)
Sit estriolat (Emberiza striolata)
Sit canyella (Emberiza tahapisi)

Llista de mamífers observats al llarg del viatge:

Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Guineu roja (Vulpes vulpes arabica)
Orcar (Orcinus orca)
Dofí d’estuari indopacífic (Soussa chinensis)

Acanthodactylus blanfordii al Riu Muscat

Llista dels rèptils observats al llarg del viatge:

Tortuga babaua (Caretta caretta)
Acanthodactylus blanfordii
Calotes versicolor

Llista de papallones observades al llarg del tour:

Papilio demodocus
Migradora dels cards (Cynthia cardui)
Papallona tigre (Danaus chrissipus)
Blaveta estriada (Leptotes pirithous)
Juninia orythia
unonia hierta

Morocco Birding Tour 2025 Trip Report

1 Resposta

Dates: March 13th to 22nd, 2025
Tour Participants: 8
Number of species seen: 188
Tour leader: Sergi Sales

Overview: 11th issue for the birding tour company Barcelona Birding Point exploring Southern Morocco. The first days of this issue have been conditioned by a heavy snowfall in the High Atlas. There, our group had to invest longer than usual in order to connect with the main specialties living in the highest part of this massive mountain range. This meant less time to explore wetlands, meaning a shorter list of birds. Despite this, the group got a couple of scarcities for the country; Blue-winged Teal (vagrant from North America) & Spotted Crake (a pretty scarce migratory species in Morocco). The desert and the mountain steppes were as wonderful as always! Despite the fast development, Morocco keeps the whole of its exotims, and remains as one of the main birding destinations in the Western Palearctic due to its landscapes, cultural richness and a wide selection of specialties just beside Europe!

Day 1

The tour participants meet for breakfast at our accommodation in Marrakech. Some of them arrived just after breakfast, coming from a different accommodation. After this delicious meet and greet we are ready to start the tour!

As usual, several House Buntings are singing in the gardens of the accommodation, joined by some very noisy Common Bulbuls and by the fast flights of the Pallid Swifts living around.

From here we drove a few miles, into a wooded valley. Here we had our first White Storks, Spotless Starlings, European Red-rumped Swallows & Western Cattle Egrets of the trip, but also the Moroccan race of White Wagtail (until recently still considered as a full species, so something interesting to take a look at it..). After a few minutes we found the first speciality of the tour, as a Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker is moving in some large trees. Up to 4 birds are seen during this stop. Here there are several African Chaffinches (a 2024 split from Common Chaffinch), African Blue Tits and the very contrasted race of Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vailantii).

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffeae).

African Chaffinch (Fringilla spodiogenys).

After this very nice first stop, we headed up into the hillsides. But our route became harder than expected. Our track was damaged during the earthquake in late 2023 but now we are also facing some strong rain. As we keep gaining in altitude, the rain becomes icy rain and, later on, snow. Halfway we made a stop in a typical place for Tristam’s Warbler but the weather conditions are far from average.. Still, a small patch of blue sky allows some birding activity, and this is translated in a showy male Blue Rock Thrush, joined by the first Moussier’s Redstart of the trip and a wonderful Rock Bunting. 3 species within a few inches from each other! This very nice sight aims us to follow up the road. There are only 5 miles left to Oukaimeden ski resort, but this is when the snow becomes very strong, reducing the visibility both on the tarmac and in the air. We took advantage of this horrible weather conditions to taste our first tajin of the trip in a road restaurant, and since the weather keep getting worst we decided to quit the upper part of the road and go down to the valley.

The ends in the plains around Marrakech, where despite the cold temperatures (+5ºC) we got the first Moroccan Magpies, Long-legged Buzzards and Greater Short-toed Larks of the trip plus one obliging Stone Curlew.

Day 2

Due to the bad weather the first day we decided a change in the original planning and to go back to the road leading to Oukaïmeden early in the morning, expecting the road to be open. The weather looks very good and we managed to arrive to the ski resort despite the snow and the low temperatures.

Lower than expected we found a nice flock of Atlas Horned Larks, and while enjoying this species we also discovered one pair of Black Wheatears and a couple of shy Ring Ouzels. At the lake of the ski resort we got Eurasian Coots but also the nesting pair of White-bellied Dippers (this is one of the Southernmost territories of this species!). Around there were more Atlas Horned Larks along with Thekla Larks and the large flocks of Red-billed Choughs that were wondering around all along the morning started to be joined by Alpine Choughs. Around the buildings there were also a good number of Common Rock Sparrows. But no sign of the Crimson-winged Finches. Other small groups of birdwatchers from different nationalities were (British, Belgians, Dutchs,..) also looking for these buggers. We kept looking for them and at the end a small flock of this sought-after species flew right in front of us. Wonderful!

More than satisfied after this in extremis sight we started the long transfer to the Souss Massa National Park. En route, while crossing the breathtaking landscapes of the Atlas mountains, we enjoyed species such as Alpine & Little Swifts and the first Spanish Sparrows of the trip in a mixed colony in the motorway. Once the night arrived, already close to our accommodation, we got Stone Curlews and Little Owls crossing the road plus one very fast Long-eared Owl that not everybody could see.

Atlas Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas)

African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sanguineus alienus).

A second view on the African Crimson-winged Finch, this time showing the lovely roseate primaries.

Day 3

There are several reasons to visit the Souss-Massa area, but there is always something special when it comes to try to connect with Black-crowned Tchagras, since this is one of their Northernmost spots in the African continent! So we leave our accommodation for a pre-breakfast walk to explore the mixture of farming and bushland surrounding our privileged location. It didn’t take long to listen the first Tchagra and also a good number of Western Olivaceous Warblers plus a good variety of migratory passerines. Common Quails are singing in the fields around but they are as secretive and shy as usual, and they keep into hide despite our efforts. Moussier’s Redstarts, on the contrary, stand at the opposite side of the spectrum, and show themselves on terrific views!

Happy after this nice stat of the day, we came back to the accommodation to enjoy a wonderful breakfast.

Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegallus).

Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri).

Back to the fields, we contact with a showy Black-winged Kite in our way to one of the several water ponds along the river. This time we are lucky, and the Kite goes on with great display show. Here, the plentiful crops around are thriving with passage birds including Willow, Western Subalpine & Western Orphean Warblers but also Tree Pipits and Woodchat Shrikes.

Our first pond produces a good array of waders and ducks, and our growing list is complemented with the first flock of Brown-throated Martins flying over the ranking vegetation along with other species of Swallows & Martins.

From here we walk along the Massa River following the way down to its estuary. Along the way we find a number of ducks and waders as well as Greater Flamingoes and Glossy Ibises. We also meet other birdwatchers that have seen the long staying Green-winged Teals. After a long scanning, we finally found them resting along with Northern Shovelers and our efforts were rewarded with good views on the male as it came out of the vegetation for a swim.

At noon, we went to enjoy our picnic boxes in one of the impressive beaches next to the estuary. Here it is possible to enjoy a good seawatching, and we are lucky enough to have a good passage of Atlantic Gannets that they. Along with them we also get a few Great & Arctic Skuas. Migration was intense at that moment, and we got flocks of Eurasian Spoonbills and Grey Plovers moving North along the coastline. Still, our main goal here was to find the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, that has along this coast their only three self-sustained colonies in the world. We were about to give up when suddenly 3 Bald Ibis emerged, moving towards the sea cliffs where they would spend that night!

Day 4

Our pre-breakfast outing produces nice views on Barbary Partridges but also on Little Owl and several Moroccan Magpies. After breakfast we started transfering to Boulmane du Dades; a rather long drive crossing the impressive Anti Atlas landscapes. This is normally a good drive for birds of prey, but this time was rather low. Still, we got the first Bonelli’s Eagles of the trip. Right before crossing Ouarzazate we made a stop in a little pond that had been very good in previous trips, and it didn’t disappoint us neither this year. Here we got Little Ringed Plover, Black Wheatears and Ruddy Shelducks, but also the first Maghreb Larks & Desert Larks of the trip. Still, the best bird in this stop was a Spotted Crake that came out of the rank vegetation giving excellent views to the group.

After this stop we covered the last miles until our accommodation, arriving there about sunset. Tomorrow we will head to the famous Tagdilt Track!

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana) in a small stream in the Anti Atlas.

Day 5

We headed to explore the large seme desert plain known as Tagdilt Track, probably the best location for Larks and Wheatears in the Western Palearctic. It didn’t take long to find the first of many White-crowned Black Wheatear, always a wonderful bird to admire! The area is fulfilled with birds, despite the many plastics around. Here there several pairs of Red-rumped Wheatears, some of them already with their chicks running around. Still, the commoner of the Wheatears around is the Desert Wheatear. Here there are also some migratory species, including both Northern & Western Black-eared Wheatears! It doesn’t look like a good year for Thick-billed Larks, and during the morning we fail to find any of them. Going away from the “rubbish dump” we soon find several Desert Larks and Bar-tailed Larks (usually uncommon here). Among the many Thekla Larks here we found the first Greater Hoopoe Lark of the trip and, while enjoying this beauty a flock of Cream-coloured Courser crosses the track providing great looks! Back to the rubbish dump we found also a small flock of Temminck’s Lark, similar to Horned Lark but smaller and living in dry ambients.

White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopygia)

The temperature climbs up and we go to explore to the gorges around expecting to find also some shade. Just after arriving a Lanner Falcon flew at short distance above the group, trying to catch a Desert Lark.

After a short walk we arrived in front of a small cave and the local guide there showed us a Pharaon Eagle Owl with 3 small chicks. Close by we also get Long-legged Buzzards, that look like nesting around. Trumpeter Finches are flying around and a bit beyond we got a distant Maghreb Wheatear. Unfortunately it is shy and we need an extra walk to get nice views on the pair nesting around. More than satisfied with this stop, we went back to the plains and soon we contact with a Thick-billed Lark that shows out before disappearing in the vegetation..

Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor).

Late in the afternoon we went up into the Dades Gorge to look for Tristam’s Warbler, a species that we couldn’t find during the first day because of the bad weather. A few minutes after arriving to the spot, a male was heart singing and shortly we found the bird, that provided very good looks. Back to the accommodation we still had a final chapter for the day as a Bonelli’s Eagle flew over us at close range bringing a massive branch at the peak to land in the cliffs beyond right by the nest! This is normally a good place for Barbary Falcon, but there is no luck for this bird this year.. We get inside our accommodation, still hearing the songs of Blue Rock Thrushes and Black Wheatears arond it!

Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola).

Dia 6

Long trasfer to the first dunes of the Sahara. En route, we went for a stop looking for the often secretive Streaked Bush Warbler (often referred in this area as Saharan Scrub Warbler and a full species regarding some lists). We had some walk in the sandy terrain surrounded by goats and enjoying several Great Grey Shrikes, when we heard the call of the birds and after some running we all got good views on a family group as there were moving on the ground or inside the tiny, spiny bush.

It is almost lunch time so we went into a nearby restaurant to enjoy a very nice set menu lunch. It is Ramadah, but it is not hard to find places like along our way. After lunch we kept moving to Merzouga and after a couple of less productive stops we arrived to the impressive lagoon nearby Merzouga. The lagoon had been dry for 5 years, but the generous rains during the last winter made it happen, and the lagoon looked like amazing. Here we got the typical image of Flamingoes framed with sand dunes that made this place became famous worldwide, but we also enjoyed the good array of nesting birds around: Ruddy Shelducks, Black-winged Stilts + Little Ringed & Kentish Plovers. The lagoon also hosted scarce migratory birds including Black-necked Grebe and Osprey and, most importantly, a shy and very distant flock of Marbled Ducks!

Streaked Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta saharae).

Day 7

Very early in the morning we met our local guides coming with its full-equiped 4x4s. First stop was to check a drinking pond where Sandgrouses come to drink water early in the morning. Soon, we were enjoying good numbers of both Spotted & Crowned Sandgrouses. For the first time in years, Crowned Sandgrouses were outnumbering the Spotted ones. After enjoy the Sandgrouse spectacle and no majoy delay we moved to our next spot, this time to check a pair of Desert Sparrows nesting nearby. Unfortunately we have no luck with them so, taking advantage of this we decided to move deeper in the desert, where a nomad is waiting for us as he found a Egyptian Nightjar roosting in the desert. After a short walk we arrived where the Nightjar is and we all spent a few minutes watching this absolute treat, always at a safe distance.

Leaving this amazing spot, we went back to the Desert Sparrow territory, and this time we immediately got the eyes on the birds as they were hanging around very close to their nest. We actually saw one male and two females building the nest.

From here we have a bit of a drive as we are going now in search of the African Desert Warbler. After some walk in the dunes we got to see one, but not everybody in the group got to see the bird.. We were decided to be there longer, but a strong wind started to blow in and we decided to give up, so far. A pity, since the place was fulfilled with migratory birds (Common Redstarts, Booted Eagles, W Bonelli’s & W Subalpine Warblers, Woodchat Shrikes,..).

After lunch weather conditions kept degrading so we decided to call it a day and have some spare time in the afternoon, aiming to have better luck the next day.

Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouses drinking water.

Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegiptiacus)

Day 8

Early in the morning we went for a stroll around the accommodation, a typical place for Fulvous Blabbler. Soon, we got to see one of them, providing really good looks. From here, we moved into a typical place for African Desert Warbler but we failed again. Anyway, this could be the best fail ever, since a Fennec just came out from nowhere, crossing in front of the car and letting us decent views! We could count ourselves lucky to see it, even without trying it!

Still shocked after the last desert jewel, we went for a last go on the Desert Warbler, trying to improve the views that we got the day before. Again, we failed to find the bird but our tenacity is rewarded by finding a nest of Greater Hoopoe Lark, built up in a tussock so they can watch out for predators.

Our way to the famous Cafe Yasmina (where the Catalan Bird Society has a ringing station) is a bit difficult, since the winter rains have made the are become a small lake. Taking advantage of these unusual conditions, tens of migratory birds are feeding around. Here we found the only flock of Collared Pratincoles for the trip, while Sedge Warblers are especially common in the tamarisk around, where they are joined by Western Olivaceous Warblers. En route we also have a few Cream-coloured Coursers and the first Seebohm’s Wheatears of the trip.

The last stop of the day is to have a second visit in the Merzouga lake. Beside the species that we saw in our previous visit, we added Little Stint, Dunlin, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper along with a rather unexpected Water Pipit. Close by, in a palm orchard, we got some passerines but also a mixed flock of European & Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters.

African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti).

Day 9

Transfer day with stops in our way to Ouarzazate. In our stops exploring different wadis (dry desert-like streams) we found a good variety of Wheatears but also Spectacled Warbler along with the commoner Western Subalpine Warbler. We also found a small nesting colony of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters.

Before arriving to our accommodation in Ouarzazate we went for a visit into the Al-Mansour Barrage, a massive reservoir South of the city. Here we added Gull-billed Tern and Sand Martin to our list before the strong winds made us withdraw back to our accommodation.

Day 10

Last day of the trip. The birding starts early, as the birds join us while having breakfast. The gardens of the accommodation are hosting some Western Olivaceous Warblers, but also Hoopoes, Tree Pipits and Warblers while several Red-rumped Swallows are flying above us.

En route we made a stop in a stream. The weather was clearly better than in previous days, as the wind was totally stopped. And this spot was fulfilled with migratory passerines. Here we got 10+ birds of 7 species in a single tree: W Subalpines & W Orphean Warblers; Common Whitethroat; Willow & W Bonelli’s Warblers; Common Chiffchaffs and some very tame Iberian Chiffchaffs. The rank vegetation was having tens of Sedge & Common Reed Warblers moving around. Pied Flycatcher was a new species for the tour.

While crossing the Atlas mountains we nice views on Red-billed Choughs, and the last stop of the trip was to explore a conifer woodland. Here we got Coal Tit and Eurasian Sparrowhawk while Common Crossbills are heard calling around. As a final sight, a Eurasian Goshawk was seen displaying above the slopes!

This is the last stop of the trip before arriving to our accommodation back in Marrakech, ending a pretty nice tour despite the challenging weather conditions, with far less birds of prey than in previous editions but enjoying excellent numbers of migratory passerines, especially in those areas still having ponds from the generous winter rains.

List of bird species of the tour:

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) — only heard
Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia)
Common Wood-pigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus)
Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis) — heard only
Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius)
Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Little Swift (Apus affinis)
Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)
Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)
Eurasian Spoobill (Platalea leucorodia)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Great White Egret (Ardea alba)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Eurasian Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis)
Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Blue-cheecked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
Eurasian Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vailantii)
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii)
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) — Algerian Shrike; Desert Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
Moroccan Magpie (Pica mauretanica)
Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater atlas)
Great Tit (Parus major)
African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae)
Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocoris clotbey)
Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae)
Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorhyncha)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
Temminck’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha)
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Common Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)
Oreneta de ribera comuna (Riparia riparia)
European Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
European Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis rufula)
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)
Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli)
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus troquilus)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)
Streaked Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis)
African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti)
Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca iberiae)
Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola)
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
Spectacled Warbler (Curruca conspicillata)
Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis)
Rufous Babbler (Argya fulva)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus)
Eurasian Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi)
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta)
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga)
Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe lugens)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis)
Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex)
Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) — 168a. Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla alba subpersonata)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinolleta)
African Chaffinch (Fringilla spodiogenys)
Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sanguineus alienus)
Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus)
Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Common Linnet (Linaria cannabina)
Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) — heard only
Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
House Bunting (Emberiza sahari)

Oman Birding Tour 2025 Trip Report

1 Resposta

Dates: From January 11th to 21st, 2025
Tour participants: 14
Number of species: 226
Tour leader: Carles Oliver, Sergi Sales, Ramiro Aibar & Daniel Rey

Overview: 9th issue of our classic itinerary in Oman. This year we were surprised with the many sights on Hypocolius, one of the main targets for many birdwatchers visiting the region and normally very restricted. This time, we saw a minimum of 5 birds in 4 different locations! We also scored an amazing number of 6 species of Owls in this issue (Desert, Arabian Eagle, Pallid Scops, Arabian Scops, Little and Omani!). But also had shades as we were not lucky with Socotra Cormorants, and this time we couldn’t contact with this very restricted bird. Beyond the regular specialties it was very satisfying to self-find rarities within the tour, as we found Brown Shrike and (Joe) found Pacific Swift. We also had time to tick Eyebrowed Thrush and even nice views on Syke’s Nightjars! Here we have to thank our clients for their wonderful flexibility, that allowed a slight modification in our average route in order to catch up with the last species and even allowed us to add one day more to the itinerary!

Day 0. Due to the flight combination and other, this issue has been one day longer. Eventually, this extra time gave us more time to explore some spots in the North, with interesting results.

Most of the group assembled at Muscat Airport after a nocturnal flight. Once living the airport, we went to our accommodation, where another guest was waiting for us and where enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. A last client landed a few hours later and join us one hour after we ended the breakfast. After our nocturnal flight, a good amount of coffee was necessary to face the day.

This time, the first contact with the Omani birdlife was a few meters away from the accommodation. We got Red-wattled Lapwings, Great & Little Egrets, Indian Silverbills and Purple Sunbirds but also the first Citrine Wagtail & Little Stint of the trip and really good looks on Clamorous Reed Warblers. A couple of Place Crag Martins were flying around and several Pallid Swifts were hunting further away. Derek had a distant Osprey being harassed by several House Crows. Much closer, a small flock of Grey Francolins came out the vegetation for our enjoyment. Still, the main attraction of this very first stop was a pair of Arabian Bee-eaters and 1 Daurian Shrike.

Living the accommodation, we drove a short distance to the Muscat River. Here we a very large array of waders, gulls and terns. Of course, most eyes concentrated firs in working the differences between Tibetan Sand Plovers and Greater Sand Plovers. A nie flock of Tibetan Sand Plovers were feeding along with Kentish Plovers, providing very good looks, while at least 2 Greater Sand Plovers were moving not far from some 1st winter Eurasian Oystercatchers. Sooty Gulls were roosting on the beach and, well inside the sea, tens and tens and tens of Red-necked Phalaropes were feeding and caught the eye of Miquel, who pointed them out.

A couple of Marsh Sandpipers were feeding in the river bed, and their typical short runs mixed with the movements of the many Dunlins, Common Ringed Plovers, Ruffs, Greenshanks, Eurasian Curlews and Common Redshanks. A small flock of gulls were resting in the river, and saw some Black-headed Gulls along with the more common Slender-billed’s. A few Little Terns were also resting, and along with them we saw many Sandwich Terns, 1 Caspian Tern, 3 Whiskered Terns plus 1 Gull-billed. A few Western Reed Egrets were also seen, but when it comes to Herons we only had eyes for a very close Striated Heron fishing only a few meters away from the group, at least until we found the first Indian Pond Heron for the trip! Some Eurasian Teals were also feeding here and we were surprised to find a Eurasian Wigeon feeding along with them. A large flock of Black-tailed Godwits and a nice Desert Wheatear was feeding along the river bank. Systematically checking the Snipes we were lucky to find a Pin-tailed Snipe, and everybody in the group enjoyed great views in the scope while comparing the bird with the Common Snipes around.

But all was interrupted by a flock of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses that landed 150 metres away from the river bed. We fastly approach them, getting nice views on the birds while moving on the ground!

After a coffee stop we moved to a couple of beaches were gulls tend to accumulate. We were lucky at the first spot, and we found 2 gorgeous Palla’s Gulls standing up in the middle of a flock of Steppe, Heuglin’s and a few Caspian Gulls. Closeby, a couple of small river mouths provided some birding including further views on Temminck’s Stints and the first Little Grebe for the trip.

After lunch we went to Al Qurm Park. This is a phenomenal spot for a number of birds, and here we got nice views on White-eared & Red-vented Bulbuls but also Marsh Harrier, Citrine Wagtail, Arabian Green Bee-eaters, Daurian Shrike and a flock of Pacific Golden Plovers including a lovely bird in summer plumage. At dusk, hundreds of people gathered to attend a local festival and it made impossible to see any birds.

Striated Heron (Butorides striata) at Muscat River. Image by Pete Sutton.

Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses (Pterocles exustus) in Muscat. Image by Pete Sutton.

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus) in flight. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver.

Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) in Muscat. Image by Pete Sutton.

Palla’s Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) -centre top- along with Heughlin’s, Steppe & Slender-billed Gulls in Muscat.

Palla’s Gull in flight. Please pair attention to the wing tip. Unmistakable! Image by Carles Oliver

Lovely flock of Pacific Golden Plovers (Pluvialis fulva) including a wonderful summer plumage bird! Image by tour leader Carles Oliver.

Arabian Green Bee-eater (Merops cyanophrys). Image by Pete Sutton.

Day 1. After enjoying the breakfast at our accommodation in Muscat, we drove the short distance from the coast to one of our very nice locations in the upper thorn bush. But before arriving we had a fast stop in the road. There, the sky was showing us not only the first Eastern Imperial Eagles of the trip, but also several Steppe Eagles that, even if far away, were very welcome by the group. Once arrived to the proper place, it looked like clearly lower than in many previous visits. No sign of the normally common Purple Sunbirds and small flocks of Indian Silverbills were the only evident birdlife. We had a walk around the area, and we fastly had the first Lesser Whitethroats of the trip. Flying above our heads, we had he first Egyptian Vultures of the trip.

Despite being a large group, we kept together, and this was essential when a flock of 7 Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouses flew off right in front of us, calling and moving away from us really fast in search of a more quiet place where to keep feeding. Happy with this nice encounter we kept searching the area. A few minutes later, Sergi called us as he and William had an owl moving in the trees. It was clear that had to be a Pallid Scops Owl. We place everybody in one place, and for the surprise of everybody, the Owl just came out of a bush and flew in the middle of the people, providing really nice flight views. We tried to find the bird once perched in the trees, but was not possible.

A few meters away we found the firsts Asian Desert Warblers of the trip, and as it is usual in this species, it allowed very nice shots. A bit beyond, a Persian Wheatear produced nice views before we decided to come back. After this we decided to go back to the vehicles, but at the moment to get inside Joe told me that we a Babbler-like bird moving down the valley. We took the cars and drove a bit down, and guess what, after a short walk we had a nice flock of 4 Arabian Babblers moving in front of us. In the bush beside, a nice Menétriés’s Warbler was showing well and in the way back to our vehicles we still had a wonderful Lappet-faced Vulture flying really low above us!

From here we just covered a short distance to arrive into a local restaurant where we had a very nice meal and 1 Lanner Falcon moving around the town!

In the afternoon we moved to a place for Omani Owl. Getting in the gorge we had nice views on Hume’s Wheatears and Long-billed Pipit + a couple of Striolated Buntings singing in the gorge and that proved to be as hard to see as usual! We waited until dark and moved a bit along the gorge, but our first chance for Omani Owl was totally unsuccessful, and only a Little Owl came out of the shadows.. After a couple of hours we came down to the accommodation.

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos). Image by Pete Sutton.

Arabian Babbler (Argya squamiceps). Image by Pete Sutton.

Asian Desert Warbler (Curruca nana). Image by Pete Sutton.

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus). Image by Carles Oliver

Hume’s Wheatear (Oenanthe albonigra). Image by Pete Sutton.

Day 2. After breakfast we went to the Alsab Lagoons, a nice wetland around the International Muscat Airport. Here, we had a nice walk and enjoyed a good variety of birds including Tufted Ducks, 2 Purple Herons, Arabian Bee-eaters, Grey Francolins and the only 1 Ferruginous Duck of the trip. Here we were surprised to find 3 Arabian Babblers that provided very good views.

Beyond a nice variety of waders and ducks, we had a couple of Grey-headed Swamphens sights, one of them providing amazing views as it was feeding totally out of cover and only a few metres away from us. In the same place we also got nice looks on Bluethroat, Clamorous Reed Warbler and Temminck’s Stints.

Back to the vehicles, we went inland, and after about 50 minutes of driving we arrived into to a small plain with some large trees. Here we parked, and only a few seconds later we were enjoying the first Plain Leaf Warbler of the trip. Scanning the trees around we also got good views on Lesser Whitethroat, Black Redstarts and at least 2 showy Eastern Orphean Warblers. A bit beyond, we got Persian Wheatear and the rocky slopes around had at least 3 Hume’s Wheatear and 1 Blue Rock Thrush.

Happy with this set of birds we went to a restaurant nearby and after lunch we went to check in at our accommodation. In the evening we moved again into the mountains, but this time our goal was one of the most impressive gorges in the country. Here, we still had a couple of hours of light to enjoy Egyptian Vultures and more Blue Rock Thrushes, Hume’s Wheatears and Plain Leaf Warblers before the night arrived.

It was already dark and when we listened an Omani Owl singing at the opposite side of the gorge. We scanned long and at the end we found a medium size Owl perched in the rocks. Unfortunately it was very far and we couldn’t be certain.. Only a few minutes later an Owl flew over the group, and a couple of us had nice views on what it looked to be an Omani Owl!!

We still searched around, also using the thermal technology that Bud was bringing with him. Still, we could not relocate the bird, and the mystery of that Owl flying above us will probably never been disclosed..

Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Extremelly obliging Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii) in Muscat. Images by Pete Sutton.

Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius). Image by Pete Sutton

Plain Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus neglectus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Day 3. After a not very sophisticated breakfast we moved South. This day we faced a massive, 800+ km long transfer! It looks like crazy, but the transfer was way faster than one can imagine!!

Our first about midday, already mid way down the way to Salalah. There, in small oasis, we had the first of many sights on Hypocolius during the trip. A nice female that was a bit reluctant to show but still provided good views.

Our second stop was further South, in Qitbit. There, while having lunch, we had a fast walk around to try to find some of the specialities that had been reported in the area during the last weeks, and our efforts had a wonderful reward in the way of 2 Eyebrowed Thrushes popping up in front of us. Ramiro put us in the way to them but we discovered that the Thrushes were highly restless. After a couple of runs, everybody had very nice views on them. Beyond them, here we only got 1 Ménétries’s Warbler, some Siberian Chiffchaffs and Brown-necked Ravens.

From here we drove some miles South to the main birding stop of the day, some extensive farms in the middle of the desert. These locations are famous due to the quality of its birdlife, and because they can attract any single bird moving tens of miles around them. A fast scout in the very first field produced tens of Cream-coloured Coursers and Greater Hoopoe Larks. Along with them, small flocks of Crested and Black-crowned Sparrow Larks. All together along with several Isabelline & Desert Wheatears. At least 5 Marsh Harriers were patrolling the area, and here we also got the only one Montagu’s Harrier of the whole trip. Here and there we found small contingents of Tawny Pipits, and a couple of Levant Grey Shrikes kept an eye in what it was moving around.

Far inside there is another wonderful place where we found several Common Kestrels but also 1 Northern Wheatear (first and last of the trip), a Persian Wheatear (first ever for me in this location), and a bunch of Namaqua Doves. A small flock of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses flew from one of the sides of the main field, but unfortunately not everybody saw them.

Back to the main road, we still had time for a coffee stop before driving the last part of our long transfer and arrive to our accommodation for before dinner.

Grey Hycopolius (Hypocolius ampelinus). The first of many contacts with this interesting species was this lovely female type. Image by Pete Sutton.

Brown-necked Ravens (Corvus ruficollis). Image by Carles Oliver.

Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor pallidirostris). Image by Pete Sutton.

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) always a superb bird. Image by Pete Sutton.

Persian Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia), a scarce species South of the Empty Quarte. Image by Carles Oliver.

Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes) was seen in numbers along the tour. Image by Carles Oliver.

Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius cursor). At least 50 of them were seen! Image by Carles Oliver

Day 4. While having breakfast nobody thought that we were about the experienced what some of the clients defined as “one of the best wildlife days in my life”. Yes, it was an intense day.

The first stop of the day was to explore Aïn Hamran. This is probably one of the best locations in Oman, and it is always amazing to birdwatch in this open woodland following a small stream (aïn). This is the lowest part of the wooded slopes that, on its highest end, connects with large cliffs.

Even from the car park we connected with the first species living in the area: Palestine Sunbird, African Silverbills and the very common Cinnamon-breasted Bunting were all seen here. A short walk around produced the first of many Arabian Warbler and Black-crowned Tchagra along with the first Turkestan Shrike of the trip. Rüppell’s Weavers, Abyssian White-eyes and African Paradise Flycatchers seemed to be everywhere, and among the waves of Laughing Doves singing we could heard Arabian Partridges calling in the slopes.

We walked down the aïn to scan some proper trees for the main target in the area. Suddenly, two Arabian Grosbeaks appeared in the top of one of the trees just to disappear as fast as they came! Virtually nobody saw the birds so we started scanning the trees when suddenly the pair of Grosbeaks flew off the trees. We followed the birds, distracted by the many Arabian Warblers and the Tchagras. We found just at the moment that Short-toed Eagle was flying above us. A few tour participants connected with the birds, but for our desperation they flew off again. After 10 eternal minutes it was Ramiro who found one of the Grosbeaks in the top of a dead tree, but very far away. And again, they flew off!

At this point almost everybody have had something in these little fellas, but no everybody. We dispersed around, Blackstart and Long-billed Pipits were enjoyed but the Grosbeaks were gone. Finally we went back to the place where we first saw the birds, and this time it was Dani who found them in the top of a tree. A very nice view for everyone, finally!

Exploring around the stream we got excellent views on Citrine, Grey, Yellow & White Wagtails, Common & Green Sandpipers, Temminck’s Stint and Moorhen. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew over just at the moment that a Namaqua Dove came to drink water. Flocks of Tristam’s Starlings were now more present that early in the morning and they were mixing in the fig trees with the very common White-spectacled Bulbuls and small flocks of White-eyes and Palestine Sunbirds. A detailed scan of the tangles allowed us to get some Clamorous Reed Warblers but also Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Graceful Prinias. A pair of Arabian Bee-eaters were also very welcome by the group.

We decided to have an early lunch at Aïn Hanram, and this extra time allowed to enjoy very close views on the African Paradise Flycatchers and finally got good views on the Red-breasted Flycatcher that had been calling around us..

Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides). Image by Pete Sutton.

Arabian Warbler (Curruca leucomelaena). Image by Pete Sutton.

Arabian Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus percivali). Image by Pete Sutton.

A couple of images on Arabian Grosbeak (Rhynchostruthus percivali), a must for anyone birding in Oman. Images by Carles Oliver.

This Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) was very skulky! Image by Pete Sutton.

Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis). Image Pete Sutton.

The delicate beauty of Namaqua Doves (Oena capensis). Image by Carles Oliver

A very spectacular white-tailed African Paradise Flycatcher (Tersiphone viridis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) supershot! Image by Pete Sutton.

Grey Wagtails (Motacilla cinerea) nest along the Omani streams. Image by Pete Sutton.

Well, what a place! But it was time to leave. We drove down to the coast to explore a one of the many river mouths around Salalah. After a very short drive, we were birdwatching for a while at East Khawr. Here, we were glad to see large flocks of hundreds of Glossy Ibises but also good numbers of Tufted Ducks (for the Omani starndards), Greater Flamingoes, Whiskered Terns, Black-tailed Godwits, Indian Pond Herons and Citrine Wagtails. Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Middle Egret, Spotted Redshank (3), Little Ringed Plover and Cotton Pygmy Goose were all three new for the trip, and all they three provided good scope views. A couple of distant Greater Spotted Eagles & 1 Booted Eagle were guarding the area. In the beach, we enjoyed a large flock of Heuglin’s Gulls with some Steppe Gulls in the middle. This flock allowed close views on all of them, but also on Sooty Gulls, Greater Crested, Sandwich, Gull-billed and Lesser Crested Terns and a few Black-headed Gulls were also noted along with the much common Slender-billeds’. Sleeping along with Little Stints, Ruff and Dunlins there was a small flock of White-winged Black Terns that flew a couple of times around us.

From here we drove South to another river mouth. The afternoon was still sunny and ir our way had a couple of Steppe Eagles soaring above the highway. Once arrived to this second river mouth, we enjoyed a good number of both Tibetan & Greater Sand Plovers along with 70 Cattle Egrets, 1 Turkestan Shrike in the dunes, 1 Osprey having a prey in the reedbeds and a myriad of waders including Little Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit, Kentish & Common Ringed Plovers, Dunlins and 1 Citrine Wagtail. Not happy with this we still decided to visit a third place. It was still early afternoon so we got lots of time. Getting in this 3rd river mouth was a nice experience. At first, we were delighted with the many Black-crowned Sparrow Larks along with a couple of flocks of Richard’s Pipits along with other species. But suddenly something crossed the road in front first vehicle: a large snake!

After a fast acceleration we stopped just by the snake, that seeked for shelter under a medium size concrete block. It was a large, dark snake. It couldn’t be many options. We saw that the snake was actually under the block, not far from the surface, and in a rather risky movement we decided to move the block up. Our hope was to make move the snake so everybody in the group could see it and, hopefully, identify it!

We moved out the block, with everybody standing behind it so the snake had plenty of room to run and escape. As expected, it took the snake some seconds before it moved. Unfortunately Dani could not wait that long and stood almost in the way out, so when the large snake (2+ meters long) came out, Dani had to perform an Olympic jump to get out of its way!! After a couple of seconds we could all see that we were actually facing a Cobra, an Arabian Cobra to be clear. The Cobra run around, and a couple of times stood up in the typical way of, well, how Cobras do. It almost opened the collar before disappearing in the grass. We are all really impressed about how fast this snake was able to move. Amazing!!

Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii). Image by Pete Sutton.

Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps). Image by Pete Sutton.

Arabian Cobra (Naja arabica) by Pete Sutton.

Well, still over excited about the Cobra, we finally arrived to the our third river mouth that afternoon. We were close to the sunset, and the river mouth full of activity with 12 Spoonbills, Clamorous Reed Warbler, White-winged Black & Gull-billed Terns and a nice variety of other birds. Here Sergi found a nice Yellow Bittern and we all enjoyed this tiny beauty before a small flock of Rose-coloured Starling emerged to stop at the top of a dead tree. As the Golden Hour was getting pass to sunset, a large flock of Swallows arrived to the reedbed. We counted about a dozen Barn Swallows along with 6 Pale Crack Martins and 1 Sand Martin. We kept an eye around and, suddenly, a lovely Small Pratincole just emerged from the nothing. We got amazing views on it, but at some point there two Small Pratincoles, and later three of them that were flying even among us!! This was an amazing moment, and it was ranked as one of the birds of trip. Tiny contingents of Rose-coloured Starlings were still flying around, moving along with Common Mynas to their roosting places, and we were about to leave when Joe just found an European Red-rumped Swallow! It was actually a new bird for our trips in Oman. Amazing tick!!

The light was almost gone but the day was not done yet! Back to the vehicles, still in magic after the Pratincoles and so and on, we moved into the hillsides. Our goal was to explore a large Aïn during the night, hoping for some Owls..

We arrived to the selected place just after dark. It didn’t take long before we heard some Arabian Scops Owls singing in the slopes. Here we also heard a Night Heron. After a couple of trials, we finally got close enough to one of them, and in a few minutes the whole group was enjoying amazing views on 1 Arabian Scops Owl. Not happy only with this we moved a bit into not a very promising place, but after a couple of minutes we could heard 1 Arabian Eagle Owl singing up in the slope. It took us some effort, but we finally got very nice scope views on Arabian Eagle Owl, singing its heart out while a second bird was replaying it at the other side of a small quarry-like place.

The group could not be more happy, and after enjoying such a good views we decided to go back to the accommodation. We were all just commented the many, many wonderful species of the day when suddenly a pack of 7 Arabian Wolves just crossed the road in front of us. Again, a bit of speed was necessary to catch up with us, but only 10 seconds after they crossed we were out with the lights, and everyone in the group had very nice views on these rather small Wolves as they were moving around and jumping the vegetation. A couple of them stood longer than the rest, looking at us only 100 metres away, and this is for sure of the most incredible sights of the trip!

Still not believing how well we saw these Wolves, we just came back to the accommodation. What-a-day!!

Yellow Bittern (Botaurus sinensis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Clamorous Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreous). Image by Carles Oliver.

Small Pratincole (Glareola lacteus), frontal image by Carles Oliver.

More on the Small Pratincoles (Glareola lacteus) at sunset. It was delicious to see them flying around us. Image by Pete Sutton.

Small Pratincole in a hard vent with the last light. Image Carles Oliver

Arabian Scops Owls(Otus pamelae) were as wonderful as always! Image by Carles Oliver.

Day 5. About to start another day, and we were all intriguing about what was Oman having for us that day? After breakfast we drove up in the high plateau, where a number of goodies were waiting for us. But even before leaving Salalah we got a nice surprise; a flock of Alpine Swifts flying low above the motorway!

This plateau stands between 700 and 900 metres above sea level, and runs parallel to the Dhofar coast. As soon as arrived to the highlands, we started to have nice birds. Tree Pipits and Cinnamon-breasted Buntings were moving in small flocks and Fan-tailed Ravens were all around the sky, often joined by Tristam’s Starlings. Up in the sky, we got nice views on Steppe Eagles, and a few Eastern Imperial Eagles were not high up but on the posts along the road or even feeding on the ground! They provided great views that everybody enjoyed very much. A nice Siberian Stonechat was also a nice pick up, and again provided really close views for the enjoyment of the photographers in the group. Following the lane, we noted a couple of Booted Eagles circling right before a superb male Pallid Harrier showed up flying really low on the slopes. A Short-toed Eagle took over, providing good views. Now, there were 3 Eastern Imperial Eagles going West, and a small flock of Steppe Eagles was circling. At this point, 4 Eurasian Griffons appeared soaring low above our convoy.. We were not even arrived to the first proper stop of the morning when another Pallid Harrier was noted hunting in the plateau. We enjoyed good views again, and could compare this bird with a close Steppe Eagle.

Still amazed, we got out of the cars to scan a proper place for Yemen Serin. This location can look like not very interesting at first glance, but it is a very interesting spot! Blackstarts and Crested Larks are easy to see along the access lane, and as soon as we walked around we got a small flock of Tree Pipits moving away from us. 4 Bruce’s Green Pigeons flew off from a large fig tree, providing good flight views. We walked around. Both Richard’s and Long-billed Pipits were noticed, and we were pointing a typical bufh for Yemen Serins when Sergi called out two of these scarce finches coming to that same bush! After a short stop in the bush, the birds came down to feed on the ground along with the very common Cinnamon-breasted Buntings. It didn’t take long before everyone in the group was enjoying these small birds. A small walk around came after this. A Namaqua Dove was displaying in the sky, a gorgeous Bonelli’s Eagle was coming out from a sinkhole and we were all enjoying the bird when Joe found a Swift in the sky that turned out to be a Pacific Swift flying high up along with Pale Crack Martins.. Couldn’t not believe my eyes! The bird was high and was not easy to track, but most of the group got its eyes on the bird, even if shortly, before it vanished in the blue sky! Cracking spot! There are less than 10 records of Pacific Swift in Oman!!!

Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) flying parallel to our convoi. Image by Carles Oliver

Lovely young Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). Image by Carles Oliver

Obliging Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura). Image by Pete Sutton.

Yemen Serins (Crithagra menachensis) showed very well. Image by Carles Oliver.

Few places on Earth can provide views on Bonelli’s Eagles (Aquila fasciata) as Dhofar does. Image by Carles Oliver.

Probably not the best image on a Pacific Swift (Apus pacifica) ever, but it works. Image by Carles Oliver.

From here we kept going higher. The vegetation becomes slightly thicker and soon we were enjoying the first of many Arabian Wheatears along with the commoner Isabelline and Desert Wheatears. After some nice shots, we drove to one of the impressive locations along our itinerary. Here, the plateau abruptly ends in a massive cliffs that goes down for over some hundreds of metres before in transforms into a complex myriad of valleys that led to the close Arabian Sea. It only took us a couple of minutes to have a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles passing by, providing great views. The Eagles stop in the top of some distant rocks, but not for long. Fan-tailed Ravens were not happy with its new neighbours so they moved them out the cliffs. During the next minutes, we got a number of sights on the Eagle moving always along the edge of the cliffs. The cliffs were also having a some Arabian Wheatears and we were also pleased to add Rock Hyrax to the trip list as we had some nice scope views. Before leaving the area, we had long scope views on the pair of Verreaux’s Eagles on the top of the cliffs, and a light form Booted Eagle soared above them as we started moving back to the vehicles.

Moving a bit lower, we had a stop in an open area where enjoyed our succulent packed lunches. Here, we had a full adult Eastern Imperial Eagle, a couple of Long-billed Pipits, a flock of White Storks moving in the distance, the first Arabian Sunbird of the trip and a Eurasian Wryneck that, unfortunately we could not add to the list trip as it was only seen by 1 of the tour leaders..

Arabian Wheatear (Oenanthe lugentoides). A cracker! Image by Pete Sutton.

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina). Image by Pete Sutton.

Verreaux’s Eagles (Aquila verreauxii) provided us with a full set of acrobatic flights! Image by Pete Sutton.

This impressive Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) was soaring above our lunch spot. Image by Pete Sutton.

A drake Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea). Image by Pete Sutton.

Back to the coast, we had a fast stop to look for Spotted Thick-knee. It didn’t take long before we got 1 bird, but it was hard to direct everybody on it. Meanwhile, we were distracted by the Arabian Sunbirds feeding around, and also by the Alexandrine Parakeets moving in the palm trees, with some individuals showing really well. A Whiskered Tern and more Booted Eagles were noted here.

Our next stop was to explore one of the largest urban parks in Salalah. Here, the main attraction was to have good views on the large flock of Yellow-throated Sparrows overwintering in the gardens. About 35 of these birds were resting on the trees or feeding on the ground and, along with them, some very attractive Scaly-breasted Munias were also noted. This a scaped species, but was celebrated for some in the group. The park also provided good views on Rüppell’s Weavers, Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits, but also on some Arabian Sunbirds and on 1 Eastern Orphean Warbler.

We still had time to scan a proper wetland. This time we went to West Kwar, where we had a very good array of Gulls, Terns and Ducks. 7 Ospreys were on the beach along with Whimbrels, Oystercatchers, Greater Sand Plovers and so on. This is a hot spot for Terek’s Sandpipers, and we saw well above a dozen of them feeding in the tidal plains. Garganey and African Sacred Ibis were new for the trip, and we also had distant views on Citrine Wagtails, Marsh Sandpipers and Palla’s Gull.

The last stop of the day was to explore one of the urban farms in Salalah. These large crops, mainly devoted to the production of cereals, can host large numbers of birds. Unfortunately we were a bit late and our list was not very long. We briefly saw a couple of Singing Bush Larks but never got great views. Isabelline Shrike and Crested Larks were seen, and Wood Sandpiper (3) was new for the trip, but out of that we only got regular species. From here we just went to the accommodation for dinner.

Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea) close up. Image by Carlest Oliver.

Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Terek’s Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) feeding around Salalah. Image by Carles Oliver.

Tibetan Sand Plover (Anarhynchus atrifrons). Image by Pete Sutton.

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) in Salalah. Image by Pete Sutton.

Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis). Image by Carles Oliver.

Day 6. After an early breakfast and we drove North to the harbour where our boat was waiting for us. Even before arriving to the harbour, we started enjoying good birds. A small flock of Abdim’s Storks were feeding along with Heuglin’s Gulls, providing really close views.

Once in the sea, we had to come back (believe or not, but the main guide forgot both the bins and the camera.. Well, back to the boat we left the harbour surrounded by Olive See Turtles. Around the docks we got Western Reef Egrets but also Striolated & Night Herons. Once on the sea, we started having good birds. A few Persian Shearwaters were soon flying around our boat, and after a few miles a couple of them stopped on the water, at close range, allowing really nice shots. Some Common Terns were moving around, and we were checking them when a very distant Jouanin’s Petrel just showed out, moving South to North and showing its unmistakable shape and flight pattern. Fastly, we tried to put everybody on the bird, that was distant. We moved a bit faster, trying to get closer to the bird, but we lost it before we could be close enough. Despite this, most of the tour participants got the bird, even if only provided distant views. We were still trying to find another Jouanin’s Petrel when Sean found a very nice Flesh-footed Shearwater approaching us from behind. This bird, that is becoming more and more common in Southern Oman, landed around our boat, joined by a couple of Persian Shearwaters. Small parties of Red-necked Phalaropes were moving around us, but was not until we started moving back to the continent when we got some of them close on the water. While enjoying them, Ramiro noticed a Masked Booby moving low above the sea surface. During the coming minutes, we got a few of them, ending with a superb bird landed on the water and allowing us close views and very good shots. This was it, or it was supposed to be it. But it was not, because when we were almost arriving to the coast, a superb Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel just appeared from our right, moving South at full speed. With a bit of effort, we got everybody on the bird and we got some record shots before the bird went away. What a phenomenal way to end our pelagic!

Abdim’s Storks (Ciconia abdimii). Image by Carles Oliver.

Persian Shearwater (Puffinus persicus) taking off. Image by Pete Sutton.

Persian Shearwater (Puffinus persicus) beside us. Image by Carles Oliver.

Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes). Image by Carles Oliver,

Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra). Image by Carles Oliver.

Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) taking off close to our boat. Image by Carles Oliver.

Swimhoe’s Storm Petrel (Hydrobates monorhis). Image by Sergi Sales.

Back on the ground, we had a coffee stop to recover from the emotions of the sea, and once recovered we went a nearby urban park. The plan was to enjoy our sandwiches and to have a couple of birds. But it turned up to be a bit more than that.. Just getting inside we got one European Roller perched in the large bush along the main path. The park had some large trees and several lines of smaller trees and bush, with extensive grass in the middle. In the grass, we had a putative Eastern Yellow Wagtail calling and showing really well. Walking around, we found not only Isabelline & Turkestan Shrikes, Lesser Whitethroats and Arabian Sunbirds, and Asian Koel was new for the trip. Soaring above the park we had Osprey, Eastern Imperial Eagle and a few Abdim’s Storks..

From here we drove back to our accommodation to have a midday break and, once fresh, we met again to keep exploring the Dhofar. But our convoy was stop by Joe, who found a wonderful Grey-headed Kingfisher in a scaffolding nearby the accommodation. Once we all saw the bird, we moved out the accommodation but we had to another stop before leaving the city due to a small flock of Rose-coloured Starling that, appearing from nowhere, lined in a wire for us!

From here we drove South. Our transfer was interrupted by the first Brown Bobby of the trip, that was flying North not far from the shore. It was evident that it was a nice movement of seabirds so we directly went up into a lookout for these birds. Soon we had a number of Brown Bobbies flying around but also perched on the boies. Common, Lesser Crested & Greater Crested Terns were on their tens and in one of these mixed flocks we got at least 6 White-cheeked Terns fishing and showing well their grey rumps and a well defined underwing dark frame. This was our last ballot for Socotra Cormorant and, unfortunately, we were unable to find any single of these small Cormorants..

A last scan into a small pond produced at least 4 Red-knobbed Coots feeding along with Eurasian Coots, and its beautiful blueish-tipped bills were admired while some Whiskered Terns and 1 Purple Heron were fishing in the pond along with the much commoner Western Reef Egrets.

When the dark was to come, we had a short drive into a wady, and when the light went off the calls of the legendary Desert Owl came from the end of the wady. It didn’t take long to us to enjoy amazing views on the bird as it was moving and singing in a nearby slope. We could enjoy the bird as long as we wanted and when the tour participants started to pair more attention to the amazing sky than to the owl we realized that it was time to go back to the hotel. An absolute marvel and a great way to end another superb day!

Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca) soaring above Mirbat. Image by Carles Oliver.

This very urban Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala) was a very nice pick up! Image by Carles Oliver.

Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Desert Owl (Strix hadorami). Image by Carles Oliver

Day 7. Leaving Salalah behind, we headed to the desert, where we were planning to spend the day. Our first stop was at Mudday, a very well known place for Hypocolius in Oman. Just arrived, we got nice views on 2 Nile Valley Sunbirds feeding in the palm trees and a very short walk around produced a nice male Hypocolius in flight. It was early in the morning, and the ambient was still pretty fresh. Walking around the area, Dani found a couple of Sand Partridges moving along a small cliff, and the whole group had nice views on both the male and the female.

Glad with this small introduction to the place, we came back to the vehicles and went the road back to go to one of the places where the Sandgrouses come to drink water. Once arrived, we had problems to access (it was too much water and we decided not to risk the cars!), and we finally approach the place by foot. We wait for long, but we got very little action. At the end, we were almost to leave when 2 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses flew above our group. Our attention was then diverted by a 2 birds fighting in the sky; a male Hooded Wheatear and 1 Arabian Bee-eater were having a dog fight right behind us! At the end, we had very nice looks on both birds. Happy with this, we were about to leave when suddenly a flock of Crowned Sandgrouses appeared in front of us, and stopped only 100 metres away from the group. We had very looks on the birds, that finally decided to fly away.. In the way back to the vehicles we still had 2 more Hypocolius (!), Bluethroat and Green Sandpiper.
Back to Mudday, we had some extra time enjoying more Hypocolius but also African Silverbills, Nile Valley Sunbird, Isabelline Shrike, Blackstarts and our only confirmed African Collared Dove of the trip!

From here we drove North, and arrived to Qitbit in mid afternoon. After a break, we meet again to go North. It had been reports of Syke’s Nightjars in an oasis close by and we drove there in a lovely late afternoon light, arriving to the place about sunset. A short walk around produced a Red-throated Pipits and 2 Water Pipits (not in the list as they only flew off and we only got poor flight views). We only had to wait a few minutes to dark mantle to cover desert and see the first Nightjar moving around. For our surprise, it was a Syke’s Nightjar! Yes, we had excellent, long views on the bird flying around and suddenly a second Syke’s joined the first! Behind, a Egyptian Nightjar was also moving, and we could compare the sizes, coloration marks and behaviour of both species. Syke’s appeared always clearly smaller and more compact than the Egyptain, with shorter wings and tail, and showing (the male) the nice white pannels at the end of the undertail. What a sight! One of the Syke’s Nightjars sat down in front of us a couple of times, producing a big excitement in our group! After several minutes of observation, we decided to go back to our modest accommodation, where we enjoyed a surprisingly good dinner! A really good day, again!

Arabian Gazelle (Gazella arabica). Image by Pete Sutton.

Sand Partridge (Ammoperdix heyi). Image by Pete Sutton.

Crowned Sandgrouses (Pterocles coronata) attending a water hole. Image be Carles Oliver.

Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus) at Qitbit. Image by Carles Oliver.

Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Syke’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis). Image by Pete Sutton.

Day 8. Early morning start, and we had a walk in the garden around our accommodation, where Eyebrowed Thrush & Hypocolius were, again, seen and photographed. After a surprisingly good breakfast we moved to an oasis close by. Here, we were hoping for some Sandgrouse action. And yes, we had to wait a bit but finally a couple of small flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouses flew above the small puddle in the middle of the desert. But there were only a few Sandgrouses.. A old female Western Marsh Harrier didn’t help us as it was flying around the puddle.. Finally, our patience paid off and 2 small flocks of Spotted Sandgrouses appeared from nowhere and flew really close from our group. Only a pair minutes later, a small flock of Chestnut-bellieds landed around the puddle, but our presence was a bit too much for them, and seemed very reluctant to come to drink. Happy after the sightings, we decided to go away and to allow the Sandgrouses to drink water in peace..

From here we drove North, with no remarkable birding stops out of a Desert Lark. The plan was to arrive at our destination right at the Golden Hour so we could have some birding in the “gardens” around our accommodation. And it worked. As we arrived to the tiny garden, an interesting Shrike moved down from a palm tree. Once the cars were parked, we had a stroll with very poor action out of a Clamorous Reed Warbler and Common Sandpiper. The interesting Shrike was moving around.. Finally we re found the Shrike up again in a palm tree. It was a bit distant but at first glance it looked like a very dark Shrike. Unfortunately it flew off. With clear suspects of what bird was, we followed the bird, tracking it through the different patches of trees into a large, walled garden. There, we finally had a nice view of a beautiful Brown Shrike. A very good bird for our list! Everybody enjoyed the bird in different sites, including wonderful views on the grass along with a Eurasian Hoopoe.

From here we just went to our accommodation.

Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti). Image by Pete Sutton.

Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus). There are only 6 accepted records of the species in the country. Image by Pete Sutton.

Day 9. We arrived to the first stop of the morning at about nice in the morning, after having a nice breakfast and some drive. Here, an immense tidal plain was full of waders. Both Tibetan & Greater Sand Plovers were common, and along with them we saw several Dunlins, Little Stints, Grey Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Curlews, Eurasian Oystercatchers, Common Redshanks, Greenshanks and Ruddy Turnstones but also good numbers of Gull-billed Terns and Western Reef Egrets. Terek’s Sandpipers were also common, and they were easy to pick running up and down the mud.
The first Crab Plovers of the trip were seen here, but unfortunately they were really far away.

A carefully scanning of the muddy flat land provided soon scarcer species, including Sanderling but also 5 Broad-billed Sandpipers. Even if far away, we all had good scope views before at least 2 birds moved closer and allowed some shots and a detailed views of their plomages. As Broad-billed’s moved we also did so, and we placed outselves right in front a patch of mangroves. Here we had nice views in Common Kingfisher, Striated Herons and Clamorous Reed Warbler. A Marsh Harrier and a Caspian Tern were patrolling the area, trying to get some preys. Suddenly, a small flock of Indian White-eyes appeared in the outer branched of the mangroves. There were at least 3 birds, and everybody in the group enjoyed good scope views on them, showing its electric yellow upperparts, the large white eye ring and the very contrasted, grey underneath.

Very happy for these sightings, we moved to a second location. Only arrived, we saw several Crab Plover far closer that in the previous place. In here, the tidal flatlands are narrower, allowing closer views on these magnificent waders. Some of them were moving alone, but many times we saw the typical couple of birds; a youngster begging for food to an adult. A few Curlew Sandpipers were feeding around among the far more numerous Dunlins, and Kentish Plover were seen in numbers. We spent some time scanning the waders until Sergi found a Great Knot feeding mid way out in the flat lands. Almost everybody in the group had nice scope views, but unfortunately something happened and hundreds of waders decided to move, flying away in large flocks. We never relocated the Great Knot, that looked like moving really far away from its original location.

From here we moved to a different place to enjoy our packed lunch. Once over, the sandwiches were surprising, and while having lunch we had really close views on Great Crested Terns, Western Reef Egrets, Heuglin’s Gulls, Black-headed Gull and a couple of Caspian Gulls. In the sea, large flocks of Slender-billed Gulls were feeding, very excited with the small fishing boats around, and Lesser Crested, Sandwich and Little Terns were all noted.

This was the very of the trip. From here, we drove back to Muscat, where we enjoyed a very nice last dinner and group disolved as we all had different flights, but hoping to meet again in the future to have another birding adventure.

From our side, only to say that it has been (another) great trip in Oman, and we are already looking forward the 2026 issue. Very last vacancies available!

Broad-billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus). Image by Pete Sutton.

Crab Plovers (Dromas ardeola) showed well, but a bit far away. Image by Carles Oliver.

Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii). Image by Pete Sutton.

Fiddler Crabs (Minuca sp.). Image by Pete Sutton.

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii). Image by Carles Oliver.

Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis). Image by Carles Oliver.

Great time, tons of laughs & great birds despite being the largest group ever in this destination for us. Image by Dani Rey.

List of birds seen during the trip:

Sand Partridge (Ammoperdix heyi)
Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus)
Cotton Pygmy Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
Northern Shoveler (Spatura clypeata)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius)
Syke’s Nightjar (Caprimulgus mahrattensis)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Pacific Swift (Apus pacificus)
Alpine Swift (Apus melba)
Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus)
Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronata)
Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii)
Feral Dove (Columba livia)
Bruce’s Green Pigeon (Treron waalia)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
African Collared Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea)
Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)
Grey-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot – Fotja comuna (Fulica atra)
Red-knobbed Coot – Fotja banyuda (Fulica cristata)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)
Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Crab Plover (Droma ardeola)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophaisanus chirurgus)
Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis aquatarola)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)
Tibetan Sand Plover (Anarhynchos atrifons)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Pin-tailed Snipe (Gallinago stenura)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Terek’s Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Broad-billed Sandpiper (Calidris falcinellus)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Small Pratincole (Glareola lacteus)
Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus): 2 races; Heuglin’s Gull (heuglini) & Steppe Gull (barabensis)
Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Palla’s Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus)
Sooty Gull (Ichthyaetus hemprichii)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
White-cheeked Tern (Sterna repressa)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)
Persian Shearwater (Puffinus persicus)
Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes)
Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel (Hydrobates monorhis)
Jouanin’s Petrel (Bulweria fallax)
Abdim’s Stork (Ciconia abdimii)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Masked Bobby (Sula dactylara)
Brown Bobby (Sula leucogaster)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Yellow Bittern (Botaurus sinensis)
Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Indian Pond Heron (Ardeolla grayii)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Western Reef Egret (Egretta gularis)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
Lappet-faced Vulture – Voltor orellut (Torgos tracheliotos)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)
Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii)
Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Pallid Scops Owl (Otus brucei)
Arabian Scops Owl (Otus pamelae)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Desert Owl (Strix hadorami)
Omani Owl (Strix butleri) — heard only
Western Barn Owl (Tyto alba) — heard only
Arabian Eagle Owl (Bubo milesi)
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis)
European Roller (Coracias garrulus)
Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Arabian Bee-eater (Merops cyanophrys)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)
Rose-winged Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus)
Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)
Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)
Turkestan Shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides)
Levant Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor aucheri) / Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor pallidirostris)
Arabian Babbler (Turdoides squamiceps)
African Paradise Flycatcher (Tersiphone viridis)
Grey Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus)
White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis)
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)
White-spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)
House Crow (Corvus splendens)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhidipurus)
Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix nigriceps)
Arabian Lark (Eremolauda eremodites)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Pale Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne obsoleta)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis)
Delicate Prinia (Prinia lepida)
Common Chiffchaff – Mosquiter comú (Phylloscopus collybita)
Plain Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus neglectus)
Clamorous Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus)
Asian Desert Warbler (Curruca nana)
Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)
Eastern Orphean Warbler (Curruca crassirostris)
Arabian Warbler (Curruca leucomelaena)
Ménétriés’s Warbler (Curruca mystacea)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida)
Indian White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)
Abyssian White-eye (Zosterops abyssinicus)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus)
Tristam’s Starling (Onychognatus tristamii)
Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus)
Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura)
Arabian Wheatear (Oenanthe lugentoides)
Hume’s Wheatear (Oenanthe albonigra)
Hooded Wheatear (Oenanthe monacha)
Persian Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia)
Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica)
Palestine Sunbird (Cinnyris osea)
Arabian Sunbird (Cinnyris hellmayri)
Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Yellow-throated Sparrow (Gymnoris xanthocollis)
Rüppell’s Weaver (Ploceus galbula)
Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)
African Silverbill (Euodice cantans)
Indian Silverbill (Euodice malabarica)
Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis)
Richard’s Pipit (Anthus ricardi)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
Long-billed Pipit (Anthus similis)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinolleta)
Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Yemen Serin (Crithagra menachensis)
Arabian Grosbeak (Rhynchostruthus percivali)
Striolated Bunting (Emberiza striolata) — heard only
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (Emberiza tahapisi)

List of mammals seen during the trip

Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Arabian Wolf (Canis lupus arabs)
Arabian Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes arabica)
Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Soussa chinensis)
Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
Arabian Gazelle (Gazella arabica)

List of reptilians seen during the trip

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Dhoffar Agama (Pseudotrapelus dhofarensis)
Oriental Garden Lizzard (Calotes versicolor)
Arabian Cobra (Naja arabica)

List of butterflies seen during the trip

African Lime Butterfly (Papilio demodocus)
Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui)
Plain Tiger (Danaus chrissipus)
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous)
Blue Pansy (Juninia orythia)
Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta)

Morocco 2023 birding tour trip report

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Dates: March 14th to 25th, 2023
Number of participants: 9
Tour leaders: Carles Oliver & Sergi Sales
Species of birds: 196

Overview: 10th issue of our tour exploring Morocco in early spring. Arranged with the group months in advance, the tour was for 1 day in order to look for Dupont’s Lark. Our group enjoyed very stable weather all the tour long, with only an afternoon of strong wind that made difficult to find many birds. Temperatures were mild when not cool, making the birdwatching very pleasant during almost all the days. The severe drought affecting the whole Morocco had, anyway, a strong impact in our tour since most of the wetlands visited during the trip were dry or had a very low level of water. The poor water management along with the severe droughts and the over exploted subsoil waters put in a high risk the survival of most of the wetlands in this part of the world. However, we got excellent numbers of steppe birds during the trip, with more Thick-billed & Desert Larks than in any previous tour! Numbers of migratory birds were acceptable and far better than the tour in 2022, when we had almost none of them for 10 days. The excellent views on Dupont’s Lark rank high in the memories of the trip, along with the very enjoyable sights in most desert specialists.

Day 1. After a coordinated arrival to our accommodation in Marrakech, the whole group met for breakfast early in the morning. After enjoying the coffee, tea and some fruits and eggs, we left to explore the Atlas mountains. It was a very sunny day and warm day in Marrakech and before leaving we enjoyed a stop to see the hundreds of Pallid Swifts around, the fast wing beats of the Little Swifts and some urban birds including Eurasian Blackbird, Common Woodpigeon and Red-rumped Swallow.

After negotiating the traffic in Marrakech, a short transfer led us to the first proper stop of the trip. There, a line of mature trees are the perfect nesting habitat for Woodpeckers. A pair of minutes after the group was enjoying the firsts African Blue Tits of the tour, that were to join an interesting selection of birds seen during the transfer including Cetti’s Warbler, Moroccan & Grey Wagtails, African Chaffinches, European Serins, White Wagtails and Lesser Kestrels. A short walk along the tree line produced also Great Tit, Blackcaps and Little Swifts and soon after a Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker flew off from the trees to feed in the almond orchads around. During the next 15 minutes the group enjoyed non-stop views on the female woodpecker while looking for ants in the red soil. The only one Eurasian Wren of trip was heard around, and a lovely Atlas Great Spotted Woodpecker performed really well for us. Before going back to the van, a Short-toed Treecreeper appeared as well. The form living in Morocco, under the mauretanica race, is always a very interesting bird to see, as it likely to be split and be a species in its own. Other birds here included Song Thrush, Grey Heron and the very first Short-toed Snake Eagle of the tour!

Back to the road, we started the transfer up to the top of the Atlas. Along the way we had a lovely stop to enjoy another Maghreb endemic, the Tristam’s Warbler. Scanning a lovely slope full of junipers, it didn’t take us long to locate some of them, and after some time waiting one male came down the slope and showed really well. Here we also got the very first of many Moussier’s Redstarts and lovely views on Rock Buntings plus a very distant Booted Eagle.

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in our way up to the Atlas. Image by tour participant Mark Newsome.

Levaillant’s Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii), the only endemic woodpecker in Northern Africa. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffeae) favours decideous trees. Image by Carles Oliver

Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), the local race is a good candidate to become a full species. Image by Carles Oliver

Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola), a specialist of mountain scrublands in the Atlas. Image by Carles Oliver

As we were winning altitude, the landscape changed from the junipers to the Spanish Firs first and then to the high mountain grasslands. There, it was already possible to enjoy large flocks of both Alpine & Red-billed Choughs, and the whole Oukaïmeden was flooded with their characteristic calls. Once parked, a stroll aorund produced several Black Redstarts, Common Rock Sparrows and a pair of Grey Wagtails. The area was really full of locals that have come up in the mountains to enjoy the snow, and we had to go a bit away from them to contact with a first flock of African Crimson-winged Finches! First we found 5, then 7, 11, 15 and so on!! Perched in the buildings and feeding on the ground, this endemics bird to the Atlas provided the group with great views!

Happy with this great views we went for dinner in a restaurant nearby, and better views on both Choughs were done while waited to be served. After lunch, a second stroll around produced not only great views on Mistle Thrush, Thekla Lark, Rock Sparrow and obliging Atlas Horned Larks but also a rather unexpected male Seebohm’s Wheatear (also refered as Atlas Wheatear) feeding in the grasslands! This bird was really celebrated in the group, that was well aware that the fenology of the species (arriving to the Atlas by the end of March after spending the winter in the Southern part of the Sahel) makes the species often difficult to find in this tour.

Atlas Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi), another specialty living in the the Atlas grasslands. Image by Mark Newsome.

Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) on Spanish Fir showing out its name! Image by Mark Newsome.

Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), a common bird around Oukaïmeden. Image by Carles Oliver

The atlas race of Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is only living in the Atlas high mountain grasslands. Image by Carles Oliver

African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus), another Atlas endemic. Image by Carles Oliver

Here showing the crimson wings. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 2. The day started with a pre dawn walk in the streets of Marrakech. Our goal was to locate the endemic Maghreb Owl, that is having a small population in different gardens of the city. We couldn’t be more lucky when, after only 15 minutes of search, our efforts were granted with a wonderful Maghreb Owl sitting in a small tree! During the next minutes, we all enjoyed great views on it before it flew off, back to the gardens!

After breakfast, transfer to Agadir. Once leaving behind the massive plains around Marrakech, we had a stop near the coast immediately South of Essaouira to enjoy the birds living in the famous Argan trees, a evergreen species that produces a really appreciated seed used in cosmetic industries, lotions and so.

Maghreb Owl (Strix mauretanica) was one of the most celebrated birds of the trip! Image by Carles Oliver

The day was warm but the Atlantic never stop to send fog inland, and during most of the day the ambient was a bit misty. Soon after stopping we had Western Orphean Warblers singing and displaying around, some of them being really obliging! African Chaffinches were common there and with some patience we also found Western Bonelli’s Warbler, European Bee-eater, Common Redstart and Woodchat Shrike. Neil enjoyed the stop so much that decided to stay a bit longer than expected… Nothing serious, only a rather long stroll

From here our next stop was to explore the sandy plains around one largest colony of Northern Bald Ibis. There we has an interesting set of species including some good flocks of Greater Short-toed Larks, Spectacled Warbler, Thekla Lark and a distant Barbary Falcon that was enjoying a prey on the ground. A bit of sea watching was made as we were waiting for the Ibises to appear, adding Audouin’s Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull to our list. There, Mark was lucky enough to have 1 Atlantic Puffin flying North! Some Northern Bald Ibises were flying up and down but always distant.

After about one hour waiting in the area, we finally were rewarded with a nice flock of 8 Northern Bald Ibis landing in the plains only 200 metres away from us. Our group enjoyed great views on them while they were preening and feeding a bit around. Excellent views that were really celebrated by the group. When leaving, we got a flock of migrating Wheatears feeding next to the road: 1 Western Black-eared male, 1 Seebohm’s male, and 2 Northern Wheatears!

After some lunch rest, we drove the short distance to the small Tamri Estuary, were we had the firsts Ruddy Shelducks of the trip along with 20+ Kentish Plovers, Moroccan Wagtail, Audouin’s Gulls and several Western Yellow Wagtail plus Ringed Plovers, Subalpine Warblers, Red-rumped Swallows, Grey Heron, Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Ruffs and 20+ Northern Bald Ibis in flight!

Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis) favours orchads and tall, sparse maquis. Image by Carles Oliver

Northern Bald Ibises (Geronthicus eremita) taking care of their plomage. Image by Carles Oliver

Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauretanica), a common endemic along the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Image by Carles Oliver

Going South, we negotiated the always challenging traffic in Agadir to explore the Souss Estuary, one of the best brackish wetlands in this part of Morocco. Here we had a good selection of waders but always with little numbers if compared with previous years. Some noted species included Eurasian Whimbrel, Black-winged Stilts, Osprey, Grey Plovers, Ringed & Kentish Plovers, Common Redshanks, Greenshanks, both Black-tailed & Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, 6 Red Knots as well as Pied Avocets and Oystercatchers. Here the group also enjoyed close views on the beautiful Maghreb Magpies and flocks of tern including several Sandwich Terns and very vocal Gull-billed Terns along with a solitary Common Tern.

From here we drove a last transfer to our accommodation in the Souss-Massa National Park, where we had a fly over Stone Curlew some miles before arriving to our hotel.

Day 3. The cloudy morning provided us with a very comfortable temperature. This day was devoted to explore the Massa River and nearby areas. After breakfast, we only had to walk a few meters to contact with the first of many Black-crowned Tchagras, wonderful bird that was calling and showing out nearby our van. A short drive of only 5 minutes allowed the group to explore a pair of corners with excellent birding. The numbers of migratory warblers were good all along the river, and in the next 90 minutes we got a good array of warblers including Sardinian, Western Subalpine, Western Orphean, Cetti’s, Zitting Cisticola, Iberian Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Western Bonelli’s plus first views on Western Olivaceous Warbler singing and calling in the tamarisks. Moussier’s Redstarts were a common view around while the bush were full of migratory warblers. Flocks of Spanish Sparrows were flying around, and some provided close views along with really obliging Cirl Buntings, African Chaffinches and European Stonechats. Another wonderful spot was a Little Owl perched low in a small bush.

Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis) holds good densities along the Massa River. Image by Carles Oliver

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala), a common view around Marrakech and the Atlantic coast. Image by Mark Newsome.

Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri), one of the most atractive birds in the area. Image by Carles Oliver

The African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana) is a very distinctive form, and an eternal candidate to become a full species. Image by Carles Oliver

Up in the air there were small flocks of Little Swifts but also Common & Pallid Swifts while some European Bee-eaters were flying around. In the ponds, the waterfowl was scarce due to the low level of water, but our first stops still produced Common Kingfisher, Glossy Ibis, a lovely Purple Heron and a roosting flock of Night Herons. Tree Pipits, Common Quail and Melodious Warbler were all heard, and we got some views in all of them, out of the Quail.. In one of this ponds, we had the first Brown-throated Martin of the day, all the whole group enjoyed close views on this tiny swallow while hunting insects around. This is a decreasing species in Morocco, currently with only a few colonies left, mainly in the wetlands along the Atlantic coast.

The very last pond before lunch produced not only warblers also Eurasian Teals, Wood & Green Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers.

After lunch the clouds disapeared and the lovely blue sky was back. We went to explore the Massa River mouth. En route, we had Black-winged Kite & Western Marsh Harrier + Tawny Pipit and Greater Short-toed Larks. Once in the area, we were surprised by the few birdlife there. Here we only had distant views Eurasian Spoonbills, Ruddy Shelducks, Northern Shovelers, Kentish Plovers, Greenshanks while the scrublands around had a few migratory warblers and small floks of Common Linnets and European Serins.

Back to our vehicles, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to sea watching in nearby coastal cliffs. Despite the rather misty ambient and the hard light with the sun placed above the sea we got a fine selection of sea birds including several Arctic Skuas moving South (!) as well as small numbers of Balearic, Cory’s & Manx Shearwaters mainly moving North. Large flocks of Oystercatchers were migrating along the coast and, as the afternoon went on, the group was able to catch up with some other sea birds including Pomarine & Great Skuas and some Razorbills, all of them moving back North to their nesting grounds in Europe.

Day 4. This day we left Agadir in a very cloudy ambient that was to be with us until we crossed the Anti Atlas. Beyond there we enjoyed the sun in the Ouarzazate basin, but also the very windy conditions. A first stop was done en route to enjoy a pair of Black-winged Kites by the road. Our group was lucky enough to enjoy some mating, with the mail very nervous and flying all the time from a prominent perch to the female and back. Both individuals were really excited, even with some calls in a species that is really silent in average. The whole scene was ideal to capture some shots of the bird, and it was one of the best raptor experiences along the trip in a country that is having every time less and less birds of prey in its skies due to direct prosecution.

Along with the Black-winged Kites, we also enjoyed here some Crested Larks but also flocks of Spanish Sparrows, Eurasian Blackcaps, Corn Bunting and another singing Melodious Warbler that only gave us partial views..

Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli), a common migratory bird. Image by Carles Oliver

A mating pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanus caeruleus) was a nice surprise during one of the transfers. Image by Carles Oliver

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) ready to land. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Larks (Ammomanes deserti) were this year as common as ever. Image by Carles Oliver

Back in the road we had a pair of additional stops in the road to enjoy the firsts of many Trumpeter Finches and Desert Larks before arriving to the large barrage immediately South of Ouarzazate. There, we spent a pair of really productive hours before the final drive to Boulmane du Dades, but even before arriving to the wetland, in a stop to buy some cold drinks in Ouarzazate we had a first flock of hundreds of Black Kites with several Booted & Short-toed Eagles moving along with them! It was great to see all these birds moving above the city centre as they were flying South to look for some sheltered place to spend the night around the dump.

The dump around Ouarzazate covers a large area, has several access points, and to explore it is always challenging. Just arriving we founds a flock of 8 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters feeding by the access road, and their flights and calls delighted the group for quite long. In that same place, the firsts Maghreb Larks of the trip showed up, providing the group with great views with its typical tame behaviour. Sand Martin, Western Black-eared Wheatear, Desert Lark, Willow Warbler and European Bee-eater were all noted as we moved on and lovely migratory flock of Kentish Plovers resting in the desert delighted us with excellent views before we could reach the proper place to scan for waterfowl. Yes, a small detour was necessary to arrive, and some tamarisks still remember the underneath of our van, but we arrived!

Unfortunately was windy, and the waterfowl was inside the reedbeds. Meadow Pipit, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow Wagtail and Eurasian Coots were noted. At least 2 Montagu’s Harrier, including one male, were seen flying above the reeds along with several Marsh Harriers. It was a bit disappointing but after some wait, a Marsh Harrier flew really low over the reeds and a massive flock of 60+ Marbled Teals appeared in the sky, flying along the reeds and giving good scope looks to the group! After such a wonderful sight, we waited some more time, and smaller flocks of Marbled Teals were again seen moving up and down, but after some time it was clear that we were not going to have a better/closer view on the birds, so we decided to leave towards our accommodation for an evening meal and some rest.

Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) over Ouarzazate. Image by Mark Newsome.

Blue-cheecked Bee-eater (Merops persicus), a wonderful beauty! Image by Mark Newsome.

Maghreb Larks (Galerida macrorhyncha) are common in farmlands around the desert like ambients. Image by Carles Oliver

Kentish Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) chose the desert to do a break on their migration. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 5. A bit windy but sunny day in the endless plains inmediatly South of Boulmane du Dades. This day we were concentrated in locating the many goodies living in the wonderful steppe lands East and South from Boulmane du Dades.

The morning was a bit windy but the firsts stops exploring the steppe lands produced soon good birds including Thekla’s & Greater Short-toed Larks, the first Desert Wheatears of the tour along with the much scarcer Red-rumped Wheatear and the always wonderful Temminck’s Lark. A short walk around the rubbish dump produced one of the main targets of the day, 3 wonderful Thick-billed Larks that were feeding around along with Temminck’s. We could enjoy at least two of them for quite long, and the group was really delighted to enjoy such a great birding, even if the habitat around was not as pristine as one could expect, and definately more smelly than an average patch of steppe.. Despite the poor environment, here we also had White & Western Yellow Wagtails, Little Ringed Plover and Meadow & Tawny Pipits.

From here had a pair more of stops where we had Atlas Buzzard (the status of the cirtensis form, formerly treated as a Long-legged Buzzard race, is under discussion), several Black Kites, Marsh Harriers and 1 Montagu’s Harrier. We also enjoyed really close views on Temminck’s Larks and obliging Desert Wheatears.

The temperature raised up, and our jackets were a bit less essential. Beyond the plain, a number of small canyons lead to the mountainous areas South of the Draa River. A stop in one of the many villages there produced close and long views on Trumpeter Finches along with European Serins, Linnets and Algerian Shrike.

Back to the plains, we went to some farm lands. This is a typical place for Larks to concentrate but this time the area looked like empty. Still, a short walk around produced 3 wonderful Thick-billed Larks feeding around. The trees around had also Woodchat Shrike, Tree Pipit, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Western Subalpine Warbler. From here, a short drive led us to a large, open plain in the middle of the steppes. This is a typical place for Cream-coloured Coursers, and soon we located the first of them. After some cautious approach we all enjoyed wonderful views on them, and finally we counted a minimum of 12 moving around them. When leaving, a pair of Black-bellied Sandgrouses showed up in front of us, and we had enough time to go out and enjoy lovely scope views on both of them!

Female Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta). Image by Carles Oliver

Nothing can compare to the delicate facial & breast pattern on Temminck’s Larks (Eremophila bilopha). Image by Carles Oliver

Even with all that rubbish, Thick-billed Lark (Ramphocorys clotbei) keeps being wonderful! Image by Carles Oliver

Our secret corner worked once more, and this time provided our group with great views on Thick-billed Larks! Image by Carles Oliver

Cream-coloured Coursers (Cursorior cursor) were just arriving to their nesting grounds. Image by Carles Oliver

It took us some time to locate the female Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)! Image by Carles Oliver

Back to our accommodation, we enjoyed a nice lunch and some rest before going to explore a different location. The ondulations around Boulmane produces a number of canyons and we spent some time exploring of them. It didn’t take long before we got the firsts specialties, and Desert Wheatears, Trumpeter Finches and Desert Larks showed really well before enjoying a nice pair of the very scarce and elusive Maghreb Wheatear while moving in the barren slope. This is another Maghreb endemic, only known form a thin stripe crossing Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia and formerly considered conspecific with Mourning Wheatear, a Levant specialty. Atlas Buzzard and Common Kestrels were also noted here, and we also had some views on a roosting Pharaon Eagle Owl that, unfortunately, was really deep inside a hole and never came out enough to provide the group with a full view.

The last stop of the day was quite a change of ambient. Driving up the very scenic Gorge du Dades, with its many wonderful Kashbahs and colourful dressed women, we arrived to a small cliff. Just arrived we had a fast and interesting bird spectacle in front us: 2 Peregrine Falcons being moved by a much smaller, longer tailed, Barbary Falcon! The Peregrines looked like the owners of the cliff at the moment, as we even saw the pair passing food to each other. The Barbary Falcon, higher at all times, disappeared beyond the cliff. We waited for some time to have better views on the Barbary Falcon, and a showy Blue Rock Thrush and some Booted Eagles moving up the valley helped us to have a good entertainment. The Barbary Falcon showed a pair of times more in the sky, and we decided to end the afternoon soon enough to have some rest in the accommodation before dinner.

Spinny-tailed Lizzard (Uromastyx acanthinura). Image by Carles Oliver

Day 6. A transtional day between the high plateaus around Boulmane du Dades and the sandy deserts around Merzouga. The morning was sunny but fresh, with a cold air coming down from the Atlas that made our first stop really comfortable. The first stop in the morning was to look for the rather scarce Saharan Scrub Warbler, an endemic form of the Levant Scrub Warbler living in the sparse bushlands along wadis but also up in the slopes in the Northern slope of the Atlas mountains.

Our short walk produced almost immediately the first Bar-tailed Larks of the trip as well as confiding Mediterranean Short-toed Larks. Walking along the wadi we had a good set of the typical species living in this kind of habitats including Spectacled Warbler, Trumpeter Finches and Deser Wheatear plus migratory species such as Western Subalpine Warbler and Northern Wheatear. After a good while scanning the area we were starting to think about going somewhere else when Rob found 2 Scrub Warblers feeding at close range from us.

The birds, as typical on them, where feeding really low in the base of the small scrubs, making very difficult to see them for longer than a pair of seconds. Jumping from bush to bush, the Scrub Warblers moved really fast along the wadi, covering a lot of ground, flying from bush to bush but also “running” in the sand like tiny Babblers and typically standing by the base of a bush, tail-ups, before disappearing inside the grass.

After enjoying the Scrub Warblers for 20 minutes we started to come to the van, but we still had a pair of sights: First, a Cream-coloured Courser that flew over us while calling and secondly, a pair of Bar-tailed Larks showing quite close, as tame as ever.

Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta saharae) frozen in a jump. A great shot by Mark Newsome.

Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus) feeding on seeds. Image by Mark Newsome.

Desert Wheatear males (Oenanthe deserti) can be really tame. Image by Carles Oliver

From here we drove into a close restaurant and enjoy some shade. After lunch, we covered the short distance to our next accommodation with a number of stops in the way. Desert Grey Shrike was added to our list, as well as Brown-necked Raven. A longer stop to explore another wadi produced good views on the common list of migratory species including Willow, Western Subalpine & Western Bonelli’s Warblers, but also Black-eared Wheatear & Western Orphean Warbler.

The last stop of the day was devoted to the typical habitat of Greater Hoopoe Lark, and it didn’t take long before having the first sight for trip of this really appreciated species: 2 individuals, one of them singing and displaying in flight. A great sight to end another wonderful day!

Day 7. This day was devoted to explore the desert around Merzouga. This is a quite well known place for the many desert specialties living around. It was a sunny and pleasant day all through, with a fresh brise during most of the day.

Our first stop was around a water hole where we did stop to look for Sandgrouses coming to drink water from several kilometers away. We didn’t have to wait long since even before our arrival some flocks of Crowned Sandgrouses were already on the ground, waiting for the best moment to approach the water. After some waiting, we id enjoy several flocks of both Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouses coming to the plain around the small pond, and soon their calls and wing beats filled up the ambient. This was a wonderful moment, and all the tour participants were really happy to see 80+ Crowned & 40+ Spotted Sandgrouses coming to drink water! We left the area with still more Sandgrouses coming to drink water, but we had to move to our next stop, a nomadic camp nearby where a pair of Desert Sparrow was nesting.

It was time for us to enjoy some tea, and our patience in the camp was rewarded with amazing views on a Desert Sparrow male that was feeding right the tents! The bird was really tame and allowed excellent images. Here, a Greater Hoopoe Lark also appeared, and provided the group with the best views on this species along the trip. White-crowned Black Wheatear, Common Redstart and Brown-necked Raven were also noted here.

Leaving this sandy patch of the desert, we drove North into a large wady where a nomad was waiting for us. His expertise was needed to find the next target of the trip, and after a short walk in the wady he brought directly to one Egyptian Nightjar that was roosting in the wadi. Respecting a good distance from the bird, we all enjoyed a wonderful view in this magnificent bird! A further walk around the dunes was also productive and Greater Hoopoe Larks and Desert Wheatears showed well, but the very best of the walk was to find a nice African Desert Warbler doing its way around the sparse vegetation of the wadi! This is again a desert specialist, and one of the most tricky birds to find in Morocco!

Crowned Sandgrouses (Pterocles coronata) around a water hole. Image by tour leader Carles Oliver

Spotted Sandgrouses (Pterocles senegallus) have been outnumbered by Crowneds in recent years. Image by Carles Oliver

White-crowned Wheatears (Oenanthe leucopygia) are urban birds in the desert. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Sparrow (Passer ) favoured us with really close views. Image by Mark Newsome

Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), the commoner lark around Merzouga. Image by Carles Oliver

Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptiacus). Image by Carles Oliver

African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti) inhabits along the wadi scrublands. Image by Carles Oliver

Happy after such a great views we went for some rest and lunch in a close accommodation. But in our way we had to do another stop: During the morning we had several flocks of Black Kites migrating North over the desert along with some Western Marsh Harriers, but one of these flocks was joined by a lovely Egyptian Vulture, the only one for the trip!

Our picnic was really tasty and, walking around the accommodation we enjoy it not only Western Subalpine Warblers & other common migratory birds but also Woodchat Shrike, Spanish Sparrow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters and a really tame Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri) that posed really well for all the tour participants!

After lunch we tried to improve our rather scarce list of raptors but we were unlucky and the very last stop of the day was devoted to explore a small crop area with some water. Here we had several Western Yellow Wagtails of different races (nominal, Spanish, Italian & British) but also Maghreb Larks, Eurasian Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Northern Grey Shrike, Meadow Pipit, Greater Short-toed Lark and Ruddy Shelduck to name a few!

Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava). Image by Mark Newsome

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri), often refered as Saharan Olivaceous Warbler. Image by Mark Newsome.

Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea) nest in good numbers in paddy fields. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 8. Due to the long drought and the terrible water management in the areas, the once famous and extremelly famous Merzouga lake is now gone. With the lake gone, this morning we explored a pair of corners in search of a good migratory action.

Firstly we explored the grounds of a nearby hotel, where we got more common migratory birds plus Western Orphean Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Common Whitethroat, European Bee-eater and Woodchat Shrike. From here we drove the short distance to the major palm grove in the area, where we had double figures of Common Whitethroat and Willow Warblers while Garden Warbler, European Turtle Dove and Bluethroat were added to the list. Here we enjoyed also great views on a family group of Fulvous Babbler, including an aberrant individual! This species, anyway, was already seen for some of the tour participants in a pre-dawn walk around our accommodation and shortly the day before in the desert!

In the afternoon the group agreed to do a good exploration some tens of kilometers South from Merzouga. This area, not really explored by most birdwatchers, provided us with a quite pristine landscapes, as it once was Merzouga, along with excellent numbers of Desert, Bar-tailed & Greater Hoopoe Larks. Here Carmine found a lovely flock of 8 Crowned Sandgrouses that provided the group with gorgeous views and good photo chances!

Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca iberiae), the commnest bush warbler in migration in Morocco. Image by Mark Newsome.

This year there were excellent numbers of Fulvous Babblers (Turdoides fulva) around Merzouga. Image by Mark Newsome

Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria). Image by Mark Newsome

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) hunting from a palm shade. Image by Carles Oliver

European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur), a jewel declining all around the continent. Image by Carles Oliver

Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura) was extremelly common South of Merzouga. Image by Carles Oliver

Crowned Sandgrouse shows similar habits to those seen from Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouses. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 9. Transition day from Merzouga to the endless steppe land around Saïda, home of the shy and always challenging Dupont’s Lark! Before leaving the desert, we had a pair of stops. After breakfast we covered a short distance to explore the grounds of another accommodation. Here we didn’t have a lot of time as the owners were not happy with our visit and we were invited to immediatly leave the gardens. A real pity since within 5 minutes we already had enjoyed some good sights including obliging Common Nightingale, Eurasian Hoopoe and Dylan found the 1st Eurasian Wryneck of the trip! Unfortunately it was no chance to try a dialogue with the owners and we left what can be considered as the less welcoming ksar in Southern Morocco!

Around Erfoud we still have a last stop before our long drive North. Our search of a proper pond finally was successful and we found a small pond (we could not consider it as a “proper” one) where we got the only 3 Sedge Warblers of trip along with Eurasian Reed Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Bluethroat and, nearby, another Wryneck.

After some driving a lunch stop, we arrive to Zaïda in a windy afternoon. Birding was extremelly poor and we only got some distant Temminck’s Larks, a pair of Desert Wheatears and 1 Black-eared Wheatear. But swords were up for the next morning and try to find the famous “ghost bird”!

Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata), another Maghreb endemic. Image by Carles Oliver

Male Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) hiding in dry tamarisks. Image by Carles Oliver

Record shot of an Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) in the desert dunes. Image by Carles Oliver

Desert Wheatear (Onenanthe deserti). Image by Mark Newsome.

Day 10. After a nice breakfast we covered the few miles from our accommodation to the place where I saw Dupont’s Larks in 2022. We arrived to place, that was free of wind and had a really pleasant temperature. Bird activity was intense and it didn’t take long before we built a good list including several Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, Thekla Larks, Desert & Red-rumped Wheatears, Trumpeter Finches and a good number of Temminck’s Larks. Driving only 150 metres away from where we got the bird in 2022, Mark found a rather large lark running about 50 metres away from the van, not far from a pair of Desert Wheatears. The bird disappeared behind some bush and, after some wait, a lovely Dupont’s Lark appeared in front of us! The bird was quite far away so we all jumped out of the vans to allow everybody to get good views on the bird, that was feeding in the area for some time before climbing in a bush and sing for some time to replay a distant male. After a pair of minutes, the bird flew off, singing in flight, and flying a long distance away, disappearing beyond the small ondulations of the terrain!

All the tour participants were really excited as the confidence about finding this very difficult bird is always low! We the best was still to come. Decided to get better views, we moved a bit away to check another corner. No birds were listened there so we decided to come back to the area where we first seen the Dupont’s Lark. In the way, 2 Cream-coloured Coursers, Thick-billed Larks & some Black-bellied Sandgrouses were all seen! Back to place we were enjoying some Mediterranean Short-toed Larks displaying ten metres away from the van when a gorgeous Dupont’s Lark just appeared only a few metres to our left! The bird was really relaxed and was feeding around the tussocks of grass. The excitement inside the vehicles was huge, hundreds of images were taken and most of the tour participants decided to go out to enjoy this incredible sight from even closer (but never leaving the road!).

Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis) from our pre-dawn walk. Image by tour leader Sergi Sales.

Black-bellied Sandgrouses (Pterocles orientalis) around Saïda. Image by Mark Newsome.

Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) offered unforgettable views to all the tour participants! Image by Carles Oliver

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens) displaying. Image by Carles Oliver

Extremelly happy after such a great views, we started the long transfer to Ouarzazate, where we had the last overnight of the tour. In the way, we still have time to stop and enjoy amazing views on a hatching female Lanner Falcon plus some other goodies including Fat Sand Rat, Desert Larks, Atlas Buzzard and a female Maghreb Wheatear.

At dust, a short stop in a river produced some nice views on Grey Wagtail, Booted Eagle and Cetti’s Warbler before a Barbary Falcon appeared in a fast raid to try to catch one of the Cattle Egrets around. A really nice way to end the day!

The impressive broken terrain South of Boulmane du Dades offers good habitat to a variety of species. Image by Carles Oliver

Day 11. Last day of this tour, one day longer than usual to include Dupont’s Lark in the itinerary. Before driving back to Marrakech by crossing the Atlas, we decided to have another go to the massive barrage South of Boulmane du Dades. This time the weather was clearly better, a calm, sunny and promising morning that was not really productive. A series of stops in the massive dump produced good views on migratory Black Storks and large flocks of Black Kites but little numbers of ducks in the lake.

But, when leaving one of the spots, Carmine found a pair of gorgeous Thick-billed Larks right next to the van that displayed long for us! Leaving the dump behind us, we still enjoyed close views on Little Ringed Plover by the road, and the very last birding stop still produced Little Swift, Common Nightingale, Melodious Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear and a singing Wryneck before we crossed the Atlas back to Marrakech, where we did arrive at mid afternoon, in time for everybody to reach their flights.

Black Kites (Milvus migrans) leaving their roosting place to cross the Atlas. Image by Carles Oliver

The last day we got quite impressive views on Thick-billed Larks. Images by Carles Oliver

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) in flight. Image by Mark Newsome.

Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) in a typical migratory spot. Image by Carles Oliver

List of birds during the tour:

Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)
Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) – heard only
Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Mallard (Anas platythynchos)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegyptius)
Little Swift (Apus affinis)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) -heard only
Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronatus)
Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia sp)
Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Euriasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Audouin’s Gull (Ichtyaetus audouinii)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Sandwich’s Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Pomarine Skua (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
Razorbill (Alca torda)
Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris borealis)
Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)
Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus)
Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Atlas/North African Buzzard (Buteo buteo cirtensis)
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus)
Maghreb Owl (Strix mauritanica)
Little Owl (Athene noctua)
Eurasian Scops Owl (Otus scops) – heard only
Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Blue-checkeed Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker (Picus vaillantii)
Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha)
Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae)
Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
Atlas Shore Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas)
Temmick’s Lark (Eremophila bilopha)
Thick-billed Lark (Rhamphocoris clotbei)
Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti)
Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata)
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Eurasian Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Seebohm’s Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi)
Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe halophila)
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga)
Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)
Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta)
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
European Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta saharae)
Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin)
Common Whitethroat (Curruca communis)
Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis)
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
Spectacled Warbler (Curruca conspicillata)
Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca inornata)
Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola)
African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti)
Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenibaenus)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti)
Melodious Warbler (Hyppolais polyglotta)
Isabelline / Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna pallida reiseri)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonellis)
Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) – heard only
African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater atlas)
Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla mauritanica)
Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) algeriensis & elegans races
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis)
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)
Fulvous Babbler (Turdoides fulva)
African Magpie (Pica mauretanica)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis)
Desert Sparrow (Passer simplex)
Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana)
European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) – heard only
Common Linnet (Liniaria cannabina)
Trumpeter Finch (Bucanetes githagineus)
African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus)
Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
House Bunting (Emberiza sahari)
Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

Morocco Birding Tour 2022 Trip Report

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Dates: March 12th to March 25th, 2022
Number of participants: 6
Species seen: 190

Overview. Our 8th tour to Morocco explored again one of the most popular routes in Southern Morocco. Combining excellent mountain birding in the Atlas with the stunning variety of birdlife living in the transitional plains between the mountains and the Sahara, this tour embraces a good array of habitats that provides excellent chances for all the main specialties living in the area. This year, the tour was marked by an unusual cloudy weather and very cold temperatures. During our stay in Agadir, we had general rains in the area, and the snow was appearing a pair of times during the tour. This situation was translated in a poor bird migration, with several trans-Saharan migratory species showing very thin numbers, when not being totally absent from our trip list. Despite the general unusual weather, we got excellent views on all specialties out of Thick-billed Lark. The tour had also a pair of very interesting birds, as males Little Crake and Pallid Harrier were seen both around Ouarzazate.

Day 1: Early breakfast in our hotel in Marrakech before going out and enjoy a sunny but rather fresh day. All tour participants were arriving along the day before in a number of afternoon flights, and we all met for an evening meal.

Before getting to the van we had some nice looks to the Marrakech urban birdlife. A number of Pallid Swifts were flying low, and we got good views on the colour and structure. On the same hotel, two House Buntings were singing their heart out while Sardinian Warblers, Common Bulbuls, Spotless Starlings and Eurasian Greenfinches were also noted.

Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauretanica) showing out its smart blue facial markings

In our way out of Marrakech we had first views on Maghreb Magpies, a recent split from Eurasian Magpies, on the wires or feeding on the ground, often along with Cattle Egrets. Our first stop was to explore a lovely valley in the Atlas. Here, small patches of riverside forests are surrounded by the wallnut orchards while the slopes around are fittered with Juniper srublands. Soon after living the van we had our first Levaillant’s Woodpecker (aka Atlas Green Woodpecker) nicely showing. We could all have excellent views while the bird was slowy moving in the branches of tree, in an interesting warbler-like behaviour. 2 African Blue Tits appeared as well in the same place, and a showy Eurasian Wren was a nice adding. Great Tit was calling in the distance, and European Serins were moving all around. A bit more of time in this wonderful location allowed us to have 3 Little Swifts, our first Moroccan Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker and lovely views on a male Cirl Bunting.

The North African race of Great Spotted Woodpeckers are quite disctintive, showing a darkish tint in the breast and extensive red in the vental area

Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker, the first of many specialities showing in the tour

African Chaffinches are close to the races living in the Canaries but still considered conspecific with the European races

We move on from this wonderful corner to go up in the hillsides. As normal, we had some good roadside birding, and Lesser Kestrels and Eurasian Sparrowhawk were noted while moving up. Once arrived to a typical habitat we had a second stop, successful again. Soon after we got out of the van a wonderful Tristam’s Warbler was moving really close while feeding in the Junipers. Another bird was singing up in the slope and provided good looks while showing on the top of a bush. Around the area we also had two Atlas Coal Tits (a potential split) and a wonderful Rock Bunting calling while doing its way in a barren slope. However, the suprise of the stop was to see 3+ Ring Ouzels (torquatus race) moving in the scrublands and on the ground while looking for berries.

Back to the lane, we kept doing our way up until a large flock of Red-billed Choughs came to us in a wonderful aerial spectacle. The birds were not only playing with the wind in the slopes, but also harrasing an Atlas Buzzard (still considered a race of Long-legged Buzzard, but who knows for how long). A fast stop by the road was required, and happily all the tour participants could connect with this amazing bird of prey, clearly smaller and short-winged than nominals Long-leggeds. But we were still luckier when a Barbary Falcon joined the show for a while, and offered nice views while flying quite lower than the Choughs themselves!

Tristam’s Warblers look for slopes rich in junipers to nest

In our way to Oukaimeden we had the chance to enjoy superb views on cirtensis Long-legged Buzzard (aka Atlas Buzzard)

Happy after such a wonderful road side stop, we kept our way to arrive to Oukaïmeden. Once in the area, we did a short walk in the plain and we fast had a flock of 6 Rock Sparrows that gave us nice views. Black Redstarts and Black Wheatears were around, and we were lucky enough to see White-throated Dipper in the stream and 1 Alpine Accentor that flew along right in front of us, but the main attractions of the place kept elusive for us.

We decided to do a lunch stop, and enjoy the good food up in the mountains. After lunch we went for a second shot in the plains and we were definately luckier, since a female African Crimson-winged Finch appeared sitting on a wire and, after a bit of walk, we all enjoyed excellent views on the bird! It was certainly strange to have a single individual here, contrasting with flocks that we normally find but never mind. We really took that!

A last stop was required before stating going down to Marrakech. In a small corner of the plain (a typical place for them to be) we found 12+ Atlas Horned Lark, a very distictive, resident race of Horned Larks, and again a good candidate for a future split.

Out of mountains, we still decided to go for a final stop before going back to our accommodation. The Southern part of Marrakech has lovely fields and a good array of birdlife living on them. Here we had a stop to and we were granted with a lovely flock of European Serins, Spanish Sparrows, Corn Buntings, Crested Larks, Zitting Cisticolas, European Stonechats plus the views on species such as Moussier’s Redstart and Woodchat Shrike. But the main character and the authentical reason of our stop was to look for Barbary Partridges, and we were lucky enough to find 3+ of them doing their way in the fields, and trying to disapear in the open terrain.

Atlas Horned Laks are endemic of the Atlas high plateaus and slopes, overwintering in the same mountains but at lower altitudes

This year we struggled to find this female African Crimson-winged Finch!

While searching for the high mountain species we had the chance to enjoy some obliging Red-billed Choughs

Day 2. Transfer day from Marrakech to the Agadir area. A transfer was more complicated due to the difficult traffic around Agadir. Our first stop was in Essaouira, where we enjoined some good birds South of the city. Here we had first views on Ruddy Shelducks but also Pied Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, 2 Green Sandpipers, Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 14 Eurasian Spoonbills, Greater Flamingoes, Common Redshanks, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 1 Common Snipe. Some other species, although more distant, included 3 Audouin’s Gulls + 1 Mediterranean Gull and 3 Sandwich Terns roosting along with large numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls (probably coming from the Mogador Island colony) and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Our journey kept to the South, following the wonderful coastal route that, crossing slopes fittered with Argan trees, arrives to the Tamri Estuary. Here we had a walk and soon we had good views on Northern Bald Ibis flying above us. The walk goes along the coastal dunes, with many Lesser Black-backed Gulls moving up in down along the coast. A scan into a flock of gulls roosting in the beach produced to less than 40 Audouin’s Gulls and some nice-looking Kentish Plovers. But the main attraction was still to come when a Northern Bald Ibis just landed a few metres away from us, and started to look for food in the sand. Digging its bill in the dunes, the bird showed really suggessful and got warms and some small insects. After 20 minutes of wonderful sighting, joined by two pairs of Moussier’s Redstart, we did a last stop further South, in the Cape Tamri.

Northern Bald Ibis, with only three colonies in Morocco, is one of the most endangered birds in the region

This location proved in other issues to be excellent for seawatching, but this time all the birds were seen really far away, and the counts were not above 25 Northern Gannets moving North and some Sandwich Terns moving around. The stop was complemented with great views on tame Thekla Larks moving around the rocky outcrops and 2 Algerian Shrikes (the race of Great Grey Shrike living in Northern Morocco and along the Atlantic coast).

We started moving to our accommodation, with a last stop in mind, but our changes of this last birding stop vanished into a large traffic jump due to road works.

Day 3. Our day in the Souss-Massa National Park started with a pair of short walks to catch up with some specialties around. The weather was clearly changing, with a massive low pressure system coming from the Atlantic Ocean and threatening with strong rains and lower temperatures. Still, we managed a pair of successful stops in the morning.

Our first stop was to explore a small corner of the Massa River. In the past, this area showed a wonderful variety of birdlife, including several migratory birds. But this year the water level (like in many other corners along the Massa River) was really low, and the migratory birds almost absent. A short stroll rapidly produced good views on Cetti’s Warbler and African Chaffinches. Several Common Chiffchaffs were moving around, and a obliging pair of Moussier’s Redstart provided great views. In the distance, a Black-winged Kite was whovering above the farming around the river. After some scanning, we were able to locate a wonderful Black-crowned Tchagra moving in the lash vegetation, and with some patience we all enjoyed great and close views on it!

Black-winged Kite next to our accommodation!

This issue again provided excellent views on Black-crowned Tchagra, despite the weather

Little Owl in a fig tree was a rather unexpected sight

The clouds were already coming, and temperature was getting down (collapsing!), but we managed a second stop before the heavy rain arrived. In a small patch of reeds and tamarisks we found the first Western Olivaceous Warbler (aka Isabelline Warbler) of the trip moving in the vegetation and going on with what it sounded like a subsong. 3 Eurasian Spoonbills were feeding in a small pond along with 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Little Ringed Plover. Some Little & Pallid Swifts flew above us, providing good looks while we moving away from the river to have a short exploration of the fields around. A flock of 35 Eurasian Siskins was quite a surprise so far South, but little more could be added out of 1 Meadow Pipit and Moussier’s Redstarts. It started to rain heavily so we decided to go back to our accommodation. In our way back, a Little Owl was a nice find!

The heavy rain tied us to ous hotel until mid-afternoon, when the rain stopped and we could go out. There were still some clouds, but had to move! Another potentially good corner in the river Massa was also rather quiet, but we still had 4 Plain Martins flying around, brief views on 1 Bluethroat, Maghreb Magpies, a distant Western Swamphen, 1 Purple Heron and a small flock of Pied Avocets feeding nearby the bridge. Beyond this point, the area become more bushy, with formidable formations of euphorbias. Here we did a second stop, and we were granted with 3 Western Black-eared Wheatears, European Bee-eaters, Sardinian Warblers, 2 Eurasian Hoopoes, 2 Cirl Buntings at close range and 1 Great Spotted Cuckoo! We were all quite satisfied with this, and we drove back to the hotel for an early dinner. After dinner, more birds!

A short walk from our accommodation, and a bit of luck, provided great views on 1 Red-necked Nightjar calling, flying and briefly stopping around us in a great sight that, for our clients, ranked among one of the 10 better birds of the trip!!!

This stunning and wet male Moussier’s Redstart was extremely tame with our group

Western Olivaceous Warblers nest along the River Massa

Female Cirl Bunting around our accommodation

Superb Spanish Sparrows were feeding at the hotel grounds

Day 4. Transfer day between Agadir and Ouarzazate. The morning was again really cold (only 10ºC!!) and with some rain. Despite the bad weather we did stop in the Massa River, and we had a good hearing on 3 Black-crowned Tchagras singing while a flock of Glossy Ibis was feeding around. A second morning stop in the Souss River estuary was way more productive. Here we got a really good selection of waders feeding in the mudflats along with several Eurasian Spoonbills, some Greater Flamingoes, Mediterranean Gulls and a Lesser Kestrel hunting dragonflies!

It was quite a surprise the good number of Black-tailed Godwits in the estuary feeding along with several Black-winged Stilts and Pied Avocets. A minimum of 48 Ruffs were also counted, and 27 Curlew Sandpipers. 3 Spotted Redshanks were also noted along with many Common Redshanks, Grey Plovers, Eurasian Whimbrels and some Wood Sandpipers. A careful scanning revealed also 1 Temminck’s Stint, 2 Red Knots, 4 Eurasian Curlews, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and a flock of 7 Little Stints. Surprisingly we only counted 4 Common Ringed Plovers in the whole estuary!

Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs + Common & Spotted Redshanks feeding in Souss River

A short walk along the more vegetated areas produced some Yellow Wagtails and short views on a (white-spotted) Bluethroat.

After this pleasant stop we went on with our transfer along the Anti Atlas. The roads between Agadir & Ouarzazate goes along one of the best areas for birds of prey in Morocco. With the Tawny Eagle and Chanting Goshawks both gone for long, the area remains as an interesting hot-spot for birds of prey such as Black-winged Kite. Along the road, we counted up to 4 Black-winged Kites, but also Black Kites, our first Short-toed Snake Eagle and 1 Barbary Falcon.

One of the best stops on this road birding provided excellent views on a Great Spotted Cuckoo singing from the top of an Argan Tree. Some tens of miles away from the cuckoo, another stop was mandatory when we found 4 obliging Cream-coloured Coursers and 2 Desert Larks just by the tarmac!

This was the 2nd Great Spotted Cuckoo of the tour. Just by the highway

This year Cream-coloured Coursers seem to be everywhere!

In the afternoon we were already close to Ouarzazate, when we crossed one of the many streams coming down from the Atlas. There, roosting in the reedbeds, there were several Little Egrets and 4 Black-crowneds Night Herons. A stop was, obviously, mandatory!

The vegetation along the stream was full of Sedge Warblers that were feeding along with 1 or 2 Eurasian Reed Warblers while the first Willow Warbler of the trip was moving in a tall grass right beyond. We were really enjoying the views on these little fellas just when 1 male Little Crake decided to walk out of the vegetation, showing himself in a superb afternoon light! The bird was there for 10 minutes, in what it was a lifer bird of more than the half of the group! Then somebody advaced about a bird of prey coming from the right, and we all had the time enjoy a superb Bonelli’s Eagle diving right beyonf the stream, tallons in the front of, probably trying to catch a prey!

Everybody was really excited, and the Little Crake was still in the out, but a Eurasian Wryneck just called in our back. Time to move to the small Almond plantation and try to find the Wryneck. We moved slowly in the fields with scatered large Almond trees, when a small bird just flew off from the grass and landed low in small bush: 1 Common Grasshoper Warbler! It took me 10 minutes to put everyone in the bird, but we did it!!!

Back to the Wryneck operation, we moved around the area and found a lovely European Turtle Dove sitting on a tree. A tour participant found a Woodchat Shrike in a large shrub and we all admired it but, by the time my bins came back to the tree where the Turtle Dove was, it was turned into the Wryneck that we had been looking for!! What a wonderful stop!!

And this is how a road birding day can turn out in a absolutely great birding day!

Male Little Crake in a small stream around Ouarzazate

Surprisingly, this was our only European Turtle Dove of the tour!

Day 5. Early morning start to explore the massive reservoir inmediatly South of Ouarzazate. Weather was still cloudy, and temperatures were far lower than expected. Still, we enjoyed another great day. Instead of heading directly to the reservoir, we drove a bit around the semi desert to try to find some specialties. There we had first views on Desert & White-crowned Black Wheatears but also a pair of Trumpeter Finches and 1 Spectacled Warbler. It was clear that it was some migration, since it was a flock after a flock of Greater Short-toed Larks moving North, and we got 17 Black Storks that seemed to be roosting in a distant plateau East of the reservoir.

Once in the lake, we had good views on both Maghreb & Thekla’s Larks. The shores were full with Ruddy Shelducks and the songs of migratory Sedge Warblers were all over. A distant Water Rail was also noted, while a large flock og 400+ White Storks were roosting in the reeds. On waders, it was low. We only had some Little Ringed Plovers, some Ruffs, Green Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks and 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha), a recent split from Crested Lark

One of the only 3 Alpine Swifts during the tour

A bit beyond we reached a view point over the reservoir and we soon had excellent but distant views over the many Marbled Teals around. We counted a minimum of 80 of them and, along with this really scarce duck, we enjoyed a good array of other ducks including Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers and Eurasian Teals, but also 1 female Eurasian Wigeon, 2 Tufted Ducks, 12 Common Pochards, 5 Garganeys and 2 Northern Pintails. In the lagoon we also got the only Great Crested Grebes of the trip while 2 Alpine Swifts flew over.

After some time scanning the lagoon we started to move. It was still cold and cloudy but it was evident that a good raptor migration was going on. Hundreds of distant Black Kites were cincling and moving North, 1 female Western Marsh Harrier was seen flying low and inmediatly after we got one of the surprises of the trip, a male Pallid Harrier that showed briefly while flying towards the Atlas! Unfotunately not everyone in the group got a proper view on this very scarce bird of prey!!

It was already late in the morning so we started moving East to arrive to our accommodation in Boulmane du Dades for an early lunch. The ambient here was even colder that it was in the morning, and we had lunch by the fire!

During the afternoon we had a first contact with the extensive steppe land inmediatly South of Boulmane. The light was poor and the temperature was only 6ºC, extremelly low for Morocco in this season. Still, it didn’t take long to have first views on Temminck’s Larks, and a proper stroll around produced a pair of Greater Hoopoe Larks, 1 Long-legged Buzzard, 1 Barbary Falcon a flock of 6 Cream-coloured Coursers and some Desert Wheatears.

There were still few numbers of Desert Wheatears in Boulmane and nearby areas

Day 6. Full day enjoying the steppes and gorges around Boulmane. In the morning we had some stops in the plains, adding great views on Trumpeter Finches and Red-rumped Wheatears to our list. We were only 3ºC but the birding was still great, with several Temminck’s Larks around and migratory Greater Short-toed Larks feeding around. A short visit to proper fields around produced 8 Black-bellied Sansgrouses and, for our surprised, they were joined by 1 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse!

We were in a small lowland in the way to the Atlas, and a further exploration of the areas produced excellent views on Little Owls!

Our last stop of the morning was even better. A small corner in the plains that is normally a good place for Larks was having more than ever: 15+ Cream-coloured Coursers, 10+ Greater Hoopoe Larks, Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, Thekla’s Larks and Greater Short-toed Larks were all seen and enjoyed. A Tawny Pipit showed briefly and some bush around produced 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Tree Pipit, Linnets and 4 species of Wheatears (Northern, White-crowned Black, Red-rumped & Desert!).

Trumpeter Finch is, un many locations, the only one Finch around

Little Owl in the plains South of Boulmane. Please note the light brown coloration

In the afternoon the sun finally appeared, and temperature rose. We basically spent the afternoon in a pretty gorge close to Boulmane. There, we enjoyed great views on a roosting Pharaon Eagle Owl, but also a pair of Lanner Falcons, Black Wheatear, Desert Larks, a flyby Red-rumped Swallow and stunning views on a Maghreb Wheatear, one of the most sought-after birds of the country!

We enjoyed great views on a pair of Lanner Falcons

Pharaon Eagle Owl inside its daytime hollow

Maghreb Wheatear, one of two endèmic Wheatears in the region

An old Kashba, the Southern Morocco fancy castles made on clay

Day 7. In the morning we had another walk to explore a different corner in the plains, hoping to connect with Thick-billed Lark. It was no way to find this species but we enjoyed good views on Black-bellied Sandgrouses feeding on the ground and a good set of other larks.

After our en-route lunch we spent some time in a well-known spot in the desert, where we looked for the scarce and unobtrusive Saharan Scrub Warbler. The walk produced Woodchat Shrike, Tawny Pipit, Thekla Lark, Spectacled Warbler and the first Bar-tailed Lark of the trip. After some time looking for the famous Scotocerca, we were about to quit from our day quesy when one of the tour participants advaced us about a bird moving low in the scrubs. It took us about 25 minutes to put everybody in the bird but eventually there they were: A handsome pair of Saharan Scrub Warbler!

Saharan Scrub Warbler lives in low density in desert Scrub lands and barren slopes

Black-bellied Sandgrouses blind perfectly with the stony plains

This year Greater Hoopoe Larks were really common around Boulmane du Dades

After this great sight we just drove to our accommodation down in the desert, with some road birding sights including Booted Eagle and Brown-necked Raven.

Day 8. Our day started in the desert by checking some great places for migratory song birds. Unfortunately, the extremely low temperatures of the last days was affecting the bird migration. Along the morning the number and variety of birds was extremely low. We still had good views on Western Subalpine Warblers, Western Bonelli’s Warblers, Common Redstarts, Eurasian Hoopoes, Willow Warblers and 3 Woodchat Shrikes. 1 Western Black-eared Wheatear was an unexpected sight, and we also enjoyed good views on Bar-tailed & Maghreb Larks.

But the bird of the day was the African Desert Warbler that we found nesting close to one of the main roads in the area, and that was providing really good looks!

Western Bonelli’s Warblers are a common view along the tour

African Desert Warbler in typical nesting site

Day 9. Early morning start to enjoy the birds of the desert. Our first stop was to visit a water hole in the dunes, and our efforts here were granted with great views on 80+ Crowned Sandgrouses and 40+ Spotted Sandgrouses that came down to drink water early in the morning. The images of these Sandgrouses drinking water is something that our clients will never forget!

A short drive for a coffee stop gave us access to one of the few Desert Sparrows left in the area, and we all again enjoyed really good views on a species that is becoming more and more scarce due to the concurrence of House Sparrows in the area. The morning ended with a last stop, this time to see 2 Egyptian Nightjars roosting in the dunes! Another amazing sight!!

During the afternoon, our clients had a free time to explore by their own the dunes and the bushland around the accommodation.

This year Crowned Sandgrouses were surprisingly common in Merzouga

Spotted Sandgrouses on their to the water hole

The impressive sand dunes around Merzouga

Once and again we got amazing views on Desert Sparrows

Day 10. Transfer day from the desert to Marrakech. But in the morning we still had time to explore the extensive palm groves near Merzouga. There we were lucky enough to find a gorgeous Fulvous Babbler! Other good birds in the area included Common Redstart and Maghreb Lark.

Fulvous Babbler, a typical bird of palm groves

Atlas Wheatear inhabits the Atlas high mountain grasslands

The roads in Morocco have improved a lot and only some hours after we were already in the Atlas alpine meadows, were we had another productive stop, adding Atlas Wheatear (a recent split from Northern Wheatear, a short-migratoy species that nests in the Atlas high plateaus and overwinters in the Sahel plains). Here, we also got 3 Booted Eagles migrating North and the only Water Pipit of the trip!

A pair of hours later we were arriving to Marrakech after crossing the Atlas, and a rather massive snowfall that was ending our 8th tour to Morocco, and the one with the most weird weather!!!

In 2023 we will come, same dates. Join for excellent birding and good fun!!

List of bird seen during the tour:

1. Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara)
2. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
3. Gadwall (Anas strepera)
4. Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
5. Pintail (Anas acuta)
6. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
7. Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
8. Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
9. Northern Shoverler (Spatula clypeata)
10. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
11. Tutfed Duck (Aythya fuligula)
12. Common Swift (Apus apus)
13. Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
14. Little Swift (Apus affinis)
15. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)
16. Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis)
17. Crowned Sandgrouse (Pterocles coronata)
18. Spotted Sandgrouse (Pterocles senegallus)
19. Feral Dove (Columba livia)
20. Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
21. Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
22. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
23. Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
24. European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
25. Western Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
26. Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
27. Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
28. Little Crake (Zapornia parva)
29. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
30. Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
31. Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
32. Eurasian Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
33. Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorior cursor)
34. Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
35. Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
36. Pied Avocet (Revurvirostra avosetta)
37. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
38. Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
39. Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
40. Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
41. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
42. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
43. Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
44. Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
45. Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
46. Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
47. Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
48. Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
49. Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
50. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
51. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
52. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
53. Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
54. Temminck’s Stint (Calidris temminckii)
55. Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
56. Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
57. Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
58. Ruff (Calidris pugnax)
59. Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
60. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
61. Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
62. Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)
63. Audouin’s Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii)
64. Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)
65. Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
66. Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea)
67. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
68. Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
69. Atlantic Gannet (Morus bassanus)
70. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
71. Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
72. Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
73. Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
74. Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
75. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
76. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
77. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
78. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
79. Great White Heron (Agrodiaetus albus)
80. Western Osprey (Pandion haliaetos)
81. Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
82. Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
83. Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
84. Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
85. Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)
86. Long-legged Buzzard, aka Atlas Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis)
87. Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
88. Little Owl (Athene noctua)
89. Pharaon Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus)
90. Egyptian Nightjar (Caprimulgus aegiptius)
91. Red-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus ruficollis)
92. Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
93. Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
94. European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
95. Atlas Woodpecker (Picus vallantii)
96. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
97. Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
98. Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
99. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii)
100. Barbary Falcon (Falco peregrinoides)
101. Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
102. Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalensis)
103. Algerian Shrike (Lanius excubitor algeriensis)
103b. Desert Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor elegans)
104. Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
105. Brown-necked Raven (Corvus ruficollis)
106. Common Raven (Corvus corax)
107. Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
108. Magherb Magpie (Pica mauretanica)
109. Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
110. Fulvous Babbler (Argya fulva)
111. Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes)
112. Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
113. Maghreb Lark (Galerida macrorrhyncha)
114. Thekla’s Lark (Galerida theklae)
115. Temminck’s Lark (Eremolauda temminckii)
116. Atlas Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris atlas)
117. Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Alaudala rufescens)
118. Greater Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)
119. Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti)
120. Bar-tailed Lark (Ammomanes cinctura)
121. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
122. Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
123. Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica)
124. Sand Martin (Riparia riparia)
125. Plain Martin (Riparia paludicola)
126. Eurasian Crag Martin (Ptrynoprogne rupestris)
127. Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
128. Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
129. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus troquilus)
130. Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli)
131. Firecrest (Regulus ignacapilla)
131. Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca)
133. Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
134. Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenibaenus)
135. Saharan Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca saharae)
136. African Desert Warbler (Curruca deserti)
137. Western Orphean Warbler (Curruca hortensis)
138. Sardinian Warbler (Curruca melanocephala)
139. Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca iberiae)
140. Tristam’s Warbler (Curruca deserticola)
141. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
142. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
143. Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula)
144. Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus)
145. Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
146. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica)
147. European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
148. Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
149. Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
150. Moussier’s Redstart (Phoenicurus moussieri)
151. European Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)
152. Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
153. Atlas Wheatear (Oenanthe seebohmi)
154. Desert Wheatear (Onenanthe deserti)
155. Maghreb Wheatear (Oenanthe halophila)
156. Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica)
157. Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta)
158. Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)
159. White-crowned Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga)
160. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
161. Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanoliensis)
162. Common Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
163. Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
164. Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
165. Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
166. Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)
167. Great Tit (Parus major)
168. African Blue Tit (Cyanistes teneriffae)
169. Atlas Coal Tit (Periparus ater atlas)
170. Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla mauretanica)
171. Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaeus)
172. Gray Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
173. White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
174. Moroccan Wagtail (Motacilla subpersonata)
175. Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
176. Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)
177. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
178. Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
179. Water Pipit (Anthus spinolleta)
180. Eurasian Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
181. Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
182. Eurasian Greenfinch (Chloris chloris)
183. Linnet (Liniaria cannabina)
184. African Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs africana)
184b. Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
185. European Serin (Serinus serinus)
186. African Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys alienus)
187. Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)
188. Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
189. House Bunting (Emberiza sahari)
190. Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)

List of mammals seen during the tour:

1. Barbary Ground Squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus)
2. Fat Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus)

Thanks for arriving until down here! And, remember, in 2023 we will be back to enjoy the Moroccan birdlife!

Barcelona Birding Point Blog

Welcome to the official blog site of Barcelona Birding Point, your new birding & wildwatching travel agency. Here you will find trip reports, detailed information about some of our tours, tips on conservation and more.

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