Slavonian Grebe - NDC 170

I interrupt my riveting Arabian Adventure 26 report due to a significant development yesterday afternoon...

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13.02 North Yorkshire Slavonian Grebe North Duffield Carrs from Garganey Hide

I'd been waiting a loooooong time for this one! (39 years). This week has been horrendous here weather-wise hence my Trip Blogging. Yesterday was no better as I drove West in constant rain and poor light. I arrived at Duff at 2.45 and made my way to the Geoff Smith Hide. On entry there were 3 Birders present. I asked the obligatory question but they hadn't seen it in 45 minutes.

The visibility was poor and the water was choppy, so looking for a tiny Grebe was going to be a challenge!  A few Little Grebes raised hopes briefly. Earlier in the week I'd been tempted to have a drive over to see the remarkable number of Russian White-fronted Geese that were present on the Reserve. At least I had a chance of seeing these even if the Grebe had departed. I was still optimistic.

30 more minutes passed...then a shout from my left..."I think I've got it"!!! Sure enough he'd picked it out very impressively at the far end associating with Tufted Ducks and a couple of Drake Scaup. I thanked him warmly and inwardly celebrated my 170th Species for my inland Patch. YES

Conditions and distance meant no pic but that is always secondary in priority...

I got a message off my pal Steve Lawton asking if it was showing. I answered in the affirmative and he told me he was on his way. An hour later he'd joined me and was connecting with the still distant attraction.

A large number of WFG we're at the far end of the straight by the River (which I was hoping for) but my initial focus was obviously elsewhere. The Grebe was asleep so I had a good look now. As I was scanning them another good number arrived out of the gloom...

I guess you can appreciate the issues seeing the SG.

So, an excellent couple of unexpected hours in the Hut. A scarce Bird nationally BUT a MEGA Patch Tick and an unprecedented flock of WFG...my previous best was TEN!!!!!! Records come in different guises. 

No sign of The Grebe today, which makes my effort yesterday all the more satisfying. A "Once in a Lifetime" opportunity?

Oh go on then. Fourth blob from the left...

Arabian Adventure 26 - Salalah (1)

I thought we'd start our first day in style...trying for another Lifer (I realise most are Lifers for my lad!). An enigmatic Species had been present some 45 minutes West of the City for quite some time and I was hoping it was still present. We set off over the Mountains and were approaching the Site when...

...we waited!

We figured ou the access to Al Mughsayl Khawr, as Rob was driving the track I noticed a small darl Bird way over on the far side of the water, it looked promising. Now I admit I'm no regional expert but it looked smaller than a Western Reef Heron and was behaving in a peculiar way...running around and cloaking it's wings. It had to be a...

BLACK HERON

An African Species full of Character. Its behaviour reminded me of my Favourite US Egret...Reddish...

Stunner!

We watched the Bird for a good while as it continued to entertain...

Other Species present included...

Garganey

Whiskered Tern...

Spoonbill...

Western Reef Heron...

We made our way back along the Coast checking out the Beach at various points... 

There were large groups of Gulls and Terns present...including Greater and Lesser Crested Tern...

We also saw our first Tristam's Starlings wisely keeping in the shade...

We then made the drive back to Salalah and had some late lunch. I suggested we finished up at East Khawr another top site and only 5 minutes from our apartment. We arrived at 4 and made our way down the obvious track towards the Bay/Inlet. With it being Saturday it was fairly busy but there was plenty of space. As we looked to our left Rob spotted a large Bird eating something...it was looking straight at us...

On the track in front of us was a large flock of Glossy Ibis (c150). Quite a sight when they took to the sky...

Rob then exclaimed..."What's that"? I looked to my right..."It's a PELICAN"!!! This Species wasn't on my Radar and to FIND this Bird was really special for us. Apparently the first record since 2020. Can''t beat a large and obvious Rare! High Fives were in order.

The Bird was right by the track some 20 yards away...

We decided to drive down to the sea as the sun would then be behind us. We found a spot and fortunately the Great White Pelican obliged by swimming towards us...

...ending up on a grass hummock some 30 yards away...and started to have a preen...

It was getting some puzzled glances by the some of the locals but many were oblivious to its presence?Eventually the inevitable happened and some children got too close. Fortunately there was another mound nearby which was further out into the water...

King of the Castle

A few local photographers had now arrived but the Bird was undisturbed and we enjoyed the last of the Sun watching it and and other Species that were present...

A couple of cracking Gulls (yes I said it!)

Slender-billed Gull...

Sooty Gull...

Black-winged Stilt...

Pelagic details next...

Arabian Adventure 26 - East Coast and Empty Quarter!

We left Muscat around 9 intending to reach Filim early afternoon. A substantial drive (250 miles) with no reason to stop off in the bland Desert environment. We were staying nearby at Mahoot and we enjoyed the usual Chicken, Rice and delicious Roti bread before heading down to the Coast at Filim...

The main target here was Crab Plover. I'd looked at the Tides and unfortunately high tide was a couple of hours after dusk. No matter this was out time slot and we were going to make the most of it. We set our scopes up and started to look through the numerous Birds out on the mud. We'd seen this Species in the UAE but you just can't get enough of this unique Wader. We soon picked a few out, way out on the tideline, in time they moved closer as the Sea approached...

We saw a nice selection of Waders but again I felt there were maybe other areas nearby that we couldn't locate? Great Knot is possible here but no contenders. We enjoyed the Sunset...

...and headed fro our more than adequate Hotel.

Wednesday morning dawned and we headed for the Mahoot Waste Treatment Plant...

Nothing of note seen, so we continued South West into the aptly named "Empty Quarter"! Our destination tonight was the Al Ghaftan Resthouse which we reached mid afternoon after another 230 miles...

It was hot, so we checked in and decided to Bird the last hour before Dusk. It was quiet, very quiet...apart from the House Sparrows!

Thursday morning we had 30 minutes around the Resthouse first thing before grabbing supplies from the Shell Station and continuing South towards the Muntasar Oasis, a renowned Birding Site. Our intention was to be there early to increase out chances of Sandgrouse sp. All was going well on the main road BUT as we left it onto an obvious wide track things took a turn for the worse. It was rutted...and I mean RUTTED!!! Remarkably, we still had Google Maps, unfortunately it told us we had TEN MILES to go! I felt somewhat guilty at this stage as this was going to take quite a while and we (or more accurately Robert) still had to drive to Salalah. We discussed whether to carry on and after some deliberation we decided to do so. We arrived at 7.50.

We saw the drinking pools immediately but again no Sandgrouse? This was surprising and disappointing after our efforts? We started to slowly drive around the perimeter of the pools. Then...things bucked up. We spotted a dark "Moorhen type" Bird in the long grass? Rob manouvered the Jeep into a better position and we were soon looking at another Lifer...a White-breasted Waterhen...

A Species common further East but Rare here. Amazing to find it out here surrounded by hundreds of Miles of Desert! Our efforts had been rewarded! Rob then picked up a Raptor deep in a bush enjoying its breakfast...

After initial thoughts of something good I decided on Sparrowhawk...

We then saw a few small Birds having a drink. One was a hoped for Asian Desert Warbler...

A couple of familiar Species were also present. Namely Little Ringed Plover...

...and Coot!

I also had a puzzling Pipit that needs further investigation? We stayed for a couple of Hours before retracing our steps and continuing our journey South. We stopped of at the Qitbit Motel for lunch but couldn't find any Hypocolius...unfortunately. They were seen by other Birders but we arrived at 1pm and it was toasty!

We did have brief company on the last section of our journey...

The Open Road

We arrived at Salalah before dusk after completing just under 300 miles, dropping down off the Plateau into the greenery and after an initial hitch (the Lift wasn't working) we settled into our apartment and even received a new Telly!

Arabian Adventure 26 - Muscat 2

Al Ansab Lagoons, Muscat has already been covered ...here. Again I thought a few pics with some prose would expand on our Visit.

Our initial vantage point in the shade outside the visitors centre produced a quality early sighting...

...c100 yards away on the far Island, wasn't sure on the day but structure definitely points towards IMPERIAL EAGLE...IMHO?

Other notables were Avocet...

Glossy Ibis c150...

...and Ruff...

Robert's number one target was...Kingfisher...any Kingfisher! After negotiating our way in and getting the Grand Tour, of which we were truly grateful...

...we ended up in the Hide overlooking the Weir and Pond area...

We saw an excellent range of Species during an hour watch. The views of Temminck's Stint were remarkable as they fed on the slope below the Weir...

I've never seen this Species so close!

The views of Citrine Wagtail weren't bad either...

Squacco Heron is a beautiful yet common Bird in these here parts...

There is however a much Rarer Heron that can be found here. An Indian Pond. I suspected I might "have one" on the day but now in retrospect I feel certain I have my Tick...

I didn't manage to get a clear shot but I think you'd agree the dark back, strongly marked head and neck, lacking buff tones is diagnostic...

Always a special moment when you add a Lifer!

We also saw our one and only Snipe of the Trip. Pin-tailed is possible but alas this one just looks...Common...

There was a lone post in the middle of the pool..

...and I remarked to Rob that it would be a good perch for a Kingfisher...

This was another VERY special moment to share with him. He was elated to see this Bird and we celebrated accordingly. Brilliant! 1 minute...but it was enough...

South into the Desert next...