For the original Flikr page please link to Oman.

 

Oman

January 14th to 30th 2009

This trip is split into two parts.  Firstly three days were spent travelling from Muscat up to Jebel Shams.to view the amazing landscapes and visit several castles.  The second part became one of my best trips not necessarily for the content but because of the many friends I met there.  The visit to the south of Oman and into the Dhofar region was made to try to find evidence of the Arabian Leopard in that area.  The expedition was organized by Biosphere Expeditions.  The group consisted of a leader, a scientist, support team and 12 volunteers.  Based in a restricted area of Oman many kilometers from any villages we walked around the area searching for evidence of the Arabian Leopard and other animals.

 

To access the relevant section click

either on  a) Jebel Shams

or             b) Biosphere Expedition

Some of the photographs were taken by members of the Biosphere Expedition Team.

 

 

Jebel Shams

 

Day One

Visiting Nakel Fort, Ain Towrah Hot Springs and Wadi Bani Awf on the way to Jebel Shams Camp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Two

Walking along the edge of the deep gorge to the deserted village of Wadi Gul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Three

Drive back to Muscat visiting the quaint village of Misfah el Alabrim with its Falaj system (irrigation channels), the Bahla Pottery, Jabrin Castle and the round tower of Nizwa Fort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biosphere Expedition to Dhofar

 

 

Rock Hyrax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overnight Trip

The overnighters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birds of Dhofar

Ruppell's Griffon Vulture

 

Female Sunbird

 

Ruppell's Griffon Vulture

 

African Rock Bunting

 

Lark

 

Eastern Imperial Eagle

 

 

 

Palestine Sunbird

 

Palestine Sunbird

 

Little Grebe

 

Palestine Sunbird

 

Rock Dove

 

Yellow-vented Bulbul

 

Sunbird

 

 

 

Plants of Dhofar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calatropis Procea

 

Birds near Jebel Shams

Black Redstart

 

Cliff Chat (poss.)

 

Hume's Wheatear (poss.)

 

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