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Nick Bray

@zootherabirding.bsky.social

1K followers 540 following 240 posts

Tour leader for Zoothera Birding, travel, birding & more birding, occasional twitcher, based in Staffordshire, lifelong LFC supporter, also obsessed with birding in Oman. www.oman-birding.com

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Mar 13

I’ve set up a brand new Oman Bird Sightings WhatsApp group for anyone visiting this great birding destination. Please use the link to join: chat.whatsapp.com/HDh2lS4XMcKB...

#birds #omanbirding

Oman Bird Sightings

WhatsApp Group Invite

chat.whatsapp.com

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 1d

Western Palearctic tick no5 was Nile Valley Sunbird and my only sighting was of a group of 3-4 at a flowering Acacia along the shores of the Nile near Aswan. At this time of year they are in eclipse plumage but I’ve also seen them in Oman & Ethiopia as well.
#birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2025 #Egypt

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 2d

Western Palearctic tick no4 was Greater Painted Snipe. I had flight views at Faiyoum followed by these much better views along the Nile at Aswan.
#BirdsSeenIn2025 #birds #birding #Egypt #zootherabirding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 3d

WP tick no3 was Senegal Thick-knee and I saw quite a few of them at various sites from Cairo to Abu Simbel. #mega
#birds #egyptbirding #Egypt #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 5d

My second Western Palearctic tick in #Egypt was this African Green Bee-eater. What a stunner!
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #birding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 5d

Was really pleased to add Senegal Coucal to my pathetically low Western Palearctic list… Saw 4 individuals at Faiyoum on a short trip to #Egypt #birding #birds #BirdsSeenIn2025

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · 26d

Oman Latest News - Masirah Island
100+ Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Wryneck, Bluethroat, Red-Backed Shrike, Rufous Bushchat, Barred Warbler, Booted Warbler, eastern Common Nightingale, Rose-coloured Starling, Black-headed Bunting, Citrine Wagtail….

#oman #BirdsSeenIn2025 #omanbirding #birds #birding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Sep 4

We have an innovative new tour for 2026, visiting Musandam & Masirah Island in search of scarce migrants and rarities. And we are aiming high!
#birds #omanbirding #birding

www.oman-birding.com/migration-sp...

Bay-backed Shrike - bred once at Musandam & is a rare migrant.

Olive-backed Pipit has become a regular passage migrant in mid-late Autumn period.

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 28

Our Algeria tour is a guaranteed departure 07 - 13 February next year. Algerian Nuthatch is the main prize, but there’s other Western Palearctic megas such as Sudan Golden Sparrow, African Firefinch & African Silverbill.

www.zootherabirding.com/algeria-bird...

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 21

By sitting quietly next to a favourite feeding spot, this Terek Sandpiper kept on doing its thing….
#Oman #birds #nikon #birding #shorebirds

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 21

One of the things I love about #Oman is getting really close views of shorebirds such as this Broad-billed Sandpiper.
#birds #shorebirds #omanbirding #nikon

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

One of the key things I love about Oman is the fantastic comparisons you get between vaguely similar species. Here, a Temminck’s Stint (left) next to a Little Stint at Al Ansab, Muscat #Oman
#birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2025

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

Thanks Dave

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

The stunning Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is a summer breeding species in Oman.
#birds #Oman

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

New post on my blog about birding in Oman: zootherabirding.blogspot.com/2025/08/oman...

#birds #omanbirding #zootherabirding #birdwatching #Oman

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

Was really pleased to get repeated views of Desert Finch during our #Turkey tour this year. With 2 full trips there in 2026 I’m expecting a repeat!
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #zootherabirding #birding

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

Just 2 spaces left on our exciting West Kazakhstan tour seeking out some mega Western Palearctic birds such as White-winged & Black Lark, Black-headed Penduline Tit, Caspian Plover & more. Full info here: www.zootherabirding.com/far-west-kaz...

#birds #birdingtours

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

Another Afro-Tropical found in #Oman is the stunning Grey-headed Kingfisher. It was one of the most numerous birds in the wadis of Dhofar during my recent visit. #birds #birding #omanbirding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 20

Dideric Cuckoo seemed to be everywhere in Dhofar during our tour to Oman earlier this month. It’s a summer breeding visitor from Africa & a much wanted country tick for me #birds #Oman #birding #birdwatching

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 9

Great read that…

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 8

Flesh-footed Shearwater was one of the commonest seabirds during our time in the Dhofar region of southern #Oman. We had 100's passing the coast most days and during our pelagics they regularly came in to check out our chum slick.
#birds #BirdsSeenIn2025 #seabirds #birding #omanbirding

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 7

We had unbelievable views of my usual pair of Spotted Thick-knee in downtown Salalah during our Seabird Tour last week! We watched them from the SUV at a respectful distance and they weren’t the least bit bothered.
#birds #Oman #omanbirding #birding

The nocturnal Spotted Thicknee is an Afro-tropical species that is resident in the Dhofar region of Salalah. It is mainly seen at a few well-known day roosts in Salalah, Oman but is a true African species from the west coast of Senegal all the way across the continent to Kenya…

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 5

Mirbat pelagic 7:30am - 11:45am today:
24 Red-necked Phalarope
11 Bridled Tern
1 Red-billed Tropicbird
75 Wilson's Storm-Petrel
3 Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel
8 Jouanin's Petrel
160+ Flesh-footed Shearwater
600+ Persian Shearwater
65 Masked Booby

#seabirds #oman #omanbirding #birding #birds

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 4

Seawatching from Mirbat #Oman 3:20pm - 6pm:
1 RB Tropicbird
80 Wilson’s SP’s
2 Black-bellied Storm-Petrels - only b4 previous records
2 Swinhoe’s SP
72 Jouanin’s Petrels
240 Flesh-footed Shearwater
52 Persian Shearwater
800+ Masked Booby
1 Brown Booby
145 Socotra Cormorant
7 Bridled Terns

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Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 4

Yellow Bittern is usually a really tough species to find in #Oman during the Nov-Feb birding season. But during the summer months they are really, really common! Where do they all go after breeding?
#birds #birding #middleeastbirding #omanbirding

Nick Bray @zootherabirding.bsky.social · Aug 1

Had our first pelagic out of Mirbat in challenging conditions:
8 Bridled Terns
1 Red-billed Tropicbird
45 Wilson's Storm-Petrels
2 Jouanin's Petrels
6 Flesh-footed Shearwater (pic below)
14 Persian Shearwater
16 Masked Booby

#birds #seabirds