European scops owl<\/p>\n
I had seen one at Qatbeet the weekend before but this one was less flighty. Indeed I left the scene eventually without flushing the bird at all. Records show this species is not uncommon in these desert spots especially in late September, October and November.This bird was in palms which is the favoured habitat of its close cousin pallid scops owl which is resident in northern Oman.There was good birding before the owl was seen. Once again over ten each of golden oriole and European roller were observed either in the same area as the owl or in a neighbouring field.<\/p>\n
European roller<\/p>\n There were several common rock thrush on site but this time two blue rock thrush were also observed. Both were male.<\/p>\n Blue rock thrush<\/p>\n Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse are on the farm all year and all times of day. While two other types of sandgrouse are best seen at drinking times.<\/p>\n golden oriole with chestnut-bellied sandgrouse<\/p>\n I don’t think chestnut-bellied sandgrouse shares a location with golden oriole very often.<\/p>\n common sandpiper and ortolan bunting<\/p>\n Another unusual pairing on the same track in a field was common sandpiper and ortolan bunting.On my last visit to the farm I found a black-headed bunting. Now ortolan bunting was seen. This had been one of my main hopes from the farm. It made species 296 on my Oman list.<\/p>\n ortolan bunting<\/p>\n As is often the case when birding, you wait a long time to add a bird to your list then you keep seeing it! I had twitched collared pratincole in Raysut days before. Now there were at least four at Dowkah.<\/p>\n collared pratincole<\/p>\n Very close back were a few juvenile white-winged black tern.<\/p>\n white-winged black tern<\/p>\n Birding in the fields was interrupted a couple of times as birds panicked on the arrival of both Montagu’s harrier and marsh harrier before settling down again.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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