Oman - An Arabian Adventure - 5th December 2025

A free day to explore had been built into this trip and Paul had done some Google Map scouting and found a wet looking wadi not too far from Nakhal at Ayn Thawwarah.  We arrived along with many local people who was getting out early for a picnic and a paddle and as such the wildlife was obviously used to people being around. 

The wadi was flowing with crystal clear water in which many small fish swam.  From a little delving there appears to be possibly two different species of Garra (Loach-like), a Guppy-like Arabian Killifish with black and blue banded tail and some similar looking black ones that I thought looked like 'Black Mollies' and it turns out that released Sailfin Mollies are quite common in several forms.

Arabian Killifish - Aphaniops stoliczkanus - I think!

Garra sp - there were several different colours and from what I have read, a variety of species especially in these mountains

At this stage there were no dragonflies but plenty of birds with Night Heron, Grey Heron, Squacco and Pond Heron all leaving the river as people arrived and seeking shelter in the towering palms.  An Indian Roller watched us from the wires and White Wagtails bobbed up and down along with our first Grey Wagtails.

Indian Roller 

Indian Roller 

White Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

We pushed up past the last of the pools and into the dry wadi proper.  White-spectacled and White-eared Bulbuls played tag along the valley sides where Pale Crag Martins swooped. We had the place to ourselves and did quite well with lots of Purple Sunbirds, Hume’s Wheatear, singing Common Chiffchaff and Striolated Buntings.  Several fine looking Rock Doves were seen and Brown-necked Ravens passed overhead.  A Long-billed Pipit bounded over boulders in a very un-pipit-like manner.

The 'mountain' Goats are magnificent.  They all look groomed

There were many One Pip Policeman and I found a speedy Orlov’s Fan-footed Gecko that paused long enough in a crack for a pic. Back at the first little palm grove a Kingfisher was sat up in the shade and the Grey Wagtails were still bouncing around.

One Pip Policeman

One Pip Policeman

Orlov’s Fan-footed Gecko

There was a small marshy area in the middle of the stream with a sticky snag and it was a magnet for little birds with Indian Silverbills and Striolated Buntings coming down along with a female Menetries’s Warbler and a browny Lesser Whitethroat that gave the distinctive rattle of a halmondendri.  This was not something I had ever heard on a proposed halmondendri in the UK.  Purple Sunbirds and the most stunning winter male Blue Rock Thrush dropped in and a male Eastern Black Redstart flashed orange before disappearing.

White-eared Bulbul

White-eared Bulbul

Indian Silverbill

Indian Silverbill

Menetries’s Warbler

Eastern Lesser Whitethroat 

Blue Rock Thrush 

Blue Rock Thrush 

Families were splashing in the shallow water and you could see the importance of this place to the local population.  The smells of tempting food wafted from many small riverside fires while we searched for Odonata and with the Bird’s help we managed to add names in short order. Some were familiar – others less so.

Slender Skimmer

Slender Skimmer

Epaulet Skimmer

Broad Scarlet

Orange-winged Dropwing

Orange-winged Dropwing

Orange-winged Dropwing

Blue-tailed Damselfly - not sure which one

We opted to try and drive as high as we could to see what we could find and to get to a road that climbed we passed through a vast plain ringed by the almost vertical mountains. We stopped numerous time as we climbed up to the old village of Hadash which is the gateway to those wishing to carry on foot up and over the highest points.

The plain

Pale Crag Martins swooped around us and the little irrigated crop fields held House Sparrows, Striolated Buntings, Bulbuls, Grey Francolins, Blue Rock Thrushes and more rattling Lesser Whitethroats.  A male Eastern Black Redstart put on a show in the Fig trees and even burst into song. 

The odd Hume’s Wheatear and Arabian Green Bee-eater were seen and a Lappet-faced Vulture was sat on almost the highest point surveying an impressively vast vista.  Common Kestrels were the only other raptors seen and they seem to be quite common across all habitats out here.

Hume’s Wheatear

Can you see the Lappet?

The epic landscape lent itself to snaps

Eastern Black Redstart - so like a Common Redstart at a glance

Eastern Black Redstart 

The next village of Waken was even higher up and although it gave us no extra birds, we took the opportunity to enjoy a coffee with a fine view over the basin below and mountains above.

Time for a nap

Stinky #1 was even wearing Christmas socks (Stinky-ness will be explained in due course...)

We took a slow drive back to Muscat and decided to spend the last hour before sundown back at the Al Ansab Wetlands and we once again set ourselves up overlooking the lagoons.  The expected wildfowl were found but Shoveler had reached 58 and a Garganey was a new addition and the Herons and Cormorants became active as the light fell.  We counted four Night Herons, two Squacco, five Indian Pond Herons, six Purple and 13 Grey Herons, five Great and single Little and Medium Egrets and five Grey-headed Swamphens appeared around the edges.

Arabian Green Bee-eater

Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles sat around in the trees although at one stage one of each descended to the Kingfisher perch in the small pool for a drink before walking around each other on the concrete track like puffed up chickens! Three female Marsh Harriers kept things on their toes and a Kingfisher flew in and took over the now vacant perch before splooshing in for a tiddler.

Greater Spotted Eagles

Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles

This pool was full of surprises and we found Pintail Snipe, Common Sandpiper and the first Wood Sandpiper of the trip.  An Oriental Turtle Dove then flew in with a Collared Dove and soon dashed off after a quick drink! The white tail corners suggested meena but I am not sure what subspecies is present here.

Pleased with our final Muscat birding session before the onward journey in the morning we retired back to the hotel for dinner and a re-pack.