lmSA84 - Big Year 2018 (Part Deux)

[Dave Williams]

You have got me grabbing the guide book again as my thoughts were Pond Heron! I hadn't realised how similar they are when not in breeding plumage but whenever I have seen an Indian  Pond Heron the chances of there being Squacco are virtually zero. Just checked with Wikipedia and both are resident in Oman, as @Galana has said, open to debate and no clear winner to me!

[lmSA84]

@Dave Williams and @Galana - your right it could well be Indian Pond Heron (IPH).

 

I found this article below to be most informative on the topic. 

http://birdingfrontiers.com/2014/02/06/rare-pond-heron-in-kent/

 

In the end I decided that whilst this bird has some of the loral eye markings of an IPH, it's not a distinctive V and I think the IPH seems to have a more consistent heavy streaking on the breast with a curtain delineating the belly & breast whereas this bird has quite a clear white breast with side streaking. 

 

No doubt I'll see a Squacco later and regret not calling the IPH! Oh well!

[lmSA84]

There are three species of Bulbul found in Oman. All can be readily found in Muscat,

 

18. White-eared Bulbul, Muscat, 2/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

19. Red-vented Bulbul, Al Ansab Wetland, 3/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

20. White-spectacled Bulbul, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

21. House Crow, Muscat, 2/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

22. Eurasian Collared Dove, Muscat, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

23. Laughing Dove, Muscat, 3/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

None of these are great photos and I will aim to replace them all, excl. Ruddy Shelduck, for my UK count but I wanted to include them for my Oman count. 

 

24. Ruddy Shelduck, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

25. Eurasian Teal, Al Ansab Wetland, 3/1/18

 

The bird to the left is a Ruff which I'll include later.

 

 

[lmSA84]

26. Northern Shoveler, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

27. Northern Pintail, Muscat, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

28. Common Pochard, Al Ansab Wetland, 3/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

29. Gadwall, Al Ansab Wetland, 3/1/18

 

Mixed flock including Gadwall top right

 

[Dave Williams]

I am surprised that all the ducks you saw in Oman bar the Ruddy Shellduck are winter visitors locally. Huge difference in winter climate!

[lmSA84]

@Dave Williams - Not that you would want to be out in Summer but I think being there in winter makes all the difference! A rudimentary count of the Oman bird list of ~530 suggests only 95 are resident, 30 summer visitors, 200 are winter visitors and 150-200 are vagrants, escapees etc. 

[lmSA84]

30. Greater Flamingo, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

31. Greater Spotted Eagle, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

This is quite a common bird in Oman and I had really hoped to get a better shot but the best I got was almost a km away.

 

[lmSA84]

32. Cattle Egret, Al Ansab Wetland, 4/1/18

 

Situated just to the left of the Eagle was the Cattle Egret roost.

 

[lmSA84]

33. Great Egret, Al Ansab Wetland and Muscat, 4/1/18

 

[lmSA84]

34. Little Egret, Al Ansab Wetland, 3/1/18

 

Edited January 18, 2018 by lmSA84

[Galana]

Good photos there. I see you borrowed my camera for the Greater Spotted Eagle!!

[lmSA84]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

Good photos there. I see you borrowed my camera for the Greater Spotted Eagle!!

 

Really I was going for that vintage slide reel film look that so popular these days 

[xelas]

ASA 1600 I recon?! Pushed two stops??

[lmSA84]

12 hours ago, xelas said:

ASA 1600 I recon?! Pushed two stops??

 

You got it! Fuijifilm's finest!