Rusty-tailed Wheatear - Oenanthe chrysopygia
Another shot from New Year's camping in Oman. After quite a bit of book work I am settling on Rusty-tailed Wheatear. These birds are supposed to overwinter in Oman, South Iran and the UAE. They are therefore in Winter plumage which is never going to be as bright as their Summer outfits. I have had a good trawl through the Wheatear section of Birds of the Western Paleartic ("BWP") which has some great wheatear diagnostic plates. There is a species split from Red-tailed Wheatear or Chestnut-rumped Wheatear depending on what naming system you use - the ''xanthoprrymna". These birds were not quite on the mark for the original species and a lot of bookwork throws up the species split. You can see a lot more of the rusty red colour in the rump etc. on this shot. I think this is a female bird.
Some of my textbooks have this as a separate species and some not - my online "HBW" does and that far more up to date that Birds of the Middle East or BWP.
These birds were feeding mostly on the ground and then zipping along and up onto low branches of the acacia and Ghaf trees scattered over the hill side. Most of the time it was hard to make out any detail due to the bleaching out effect of the strong sun. It was nice to get back to tricky birds and scrabbling through rocks and a little bit of patience in getting the shots - even if they are slightly blurred. They were taken on the 1-400m at some distance at times. The monopole would have been a welcome addition to the kit that came along.
Two days in the Hajar mountains was a real shot in the arm even if its a lot of work packing and unpacking etc. to camp. The peace and stillness is a real antidote to Dubai. I watched the firworks on the television when I got back but this New Year I was happy to substitute a good sunset - I was in bed by 10.30 pm on 31st. I haven't done that for quite a few years ! The sunset on the 30 th was lovely.
This was the final view of the sun on 31 December 2013 for me.
Rusty-tailed Wheatear, Oeanthe Chrsopygia
30/31 December 2013 and 1 January 2014
Hajar Mountains, Oman
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