Early July 2016

The map below shows the movement of the transmittered bird during the first half of July.  Most of the time it has spent in the Wadi Sareen Nature Reserve.  At least one reason for doing this is that might be that it is cooler in the reserve and the many cliffs must offer good places to roost.  Although the bird made very short visits to known rubbish dumps at Al Amerat and Quriyat, it mainly stayed away from human habitation.  While we know that some vultures are electrocuted in Oman (see this blog December 21, 2015), in the past two weeks this bird has spent most of its time in areas where very few power lines exist.

Movements of sub-adult vulture during the first half of July 2016.

Tracking since January

We have now received about 2000 locations for the Egyptian vulture we have been tracking since January.  In the last week it has been mostly moving around just north of Ibra, in Wadi Sareen, and in areas adjacent to Wadi Sareen.  In Wadi Sareen it seems to be roosting in the steep cliffs.

Movements of a subadult Egyptian vultures during Jan-June 2016.

Early June 2016

Well, for the last couple of weeks the tracked vulture has been spending more time in Wadi Sareen. Perhaps it is cooler there, but still within striking distance of villages and rubbish dumps.  The map below shows that the tracked vulture visited the Al Amerat area of Muscat, the Muscat municipal rubbish dump at Al Multaqa, locations around Ibra, Wadi Sareen and villages nearby.

Movements of an Egyptian vulture during 1-18 June 2016

Despite its globally endangered status, and Oman's position as an apparent stronghold for breeders, sadly, relatively little has been done on this species in the country, although opportunities exist.     ESO did a survey of the birds on Masirah (that showed the island held more than 4 times as many as was thought and is the second most densely populated area in the world), which was published in Sandgrouse, and a follow up study of scavenging bird use of rubbish dumps, Al Farsi & McGrady published (also in Sandgrouse) information on scavenging bird use of the Al Multaqa rubbish dump (which showed that globally important numbers of Egyptian vultures use the site), and then there are these tracking efforts over the past 1.5 years, which have revealed new information on movement and causes of mortality, including electrocution.

Although it has always been known that vultures use Wadi Sareen and it is a bit late for this year, it would be good to have a survey for breeding Egyptian vultures in Wadi Sareen.  It would also be good to have a routine of collecting data on vulture sightings by the rangers in the reserve, and try to assess the area's importance to non-breeders or the occurrence of communal roosts.  More generally, opportunities exist for important conservation activities for scavenging birds in Oman that build on what has been done by ESO and others so far.  

That was quick

Yesterday I reported that the bird we have been tracking had moved from Wadi Sareen and was in Muscat. Well, he did not stay there long.

0400 it was in Wadi Sareen
0600-0900 at Muscat Landfill at Al Multaqa
1000-1100 in Al Amerat, S. Muscat
1300 in Wadi Sareen, south of Salifah

Movements of an Egyptian vulture during 3 June 2016.

Vulture back in Muscat

Just a quick note to say that the vulture we have been tracking since January, has finally made it back to Muscat.  Almost six months after we fitted this bird with a transmitter at the Muscat municipal landfill, it returned and spent about 3 hours around the landfill before heading farther north to a location in the Al Amerat section of Muscat.  During those months this bird has spent time around the rubbish dump at Quriyat, the landfill at Tahwa, areas around Ibra and the Wadi Sareen Reserve.

Movements of an Egyptian vulture during 3 June 2016.  Times are in GMT, so this bird visited the Al Multaqa landfill during about 0600-0800 in the moring.

Late May 2016

Since fitting this bird with a transmitter, we have received over 1600 high quality locations.  A feature of this bird's movements is that it seems to settle into areas for some time, then move on to others.  Soon after tagging this bird settled in near Quriyat, then moved south for some time near the Tahwa Landfill.  It then moved and spent some time ranging near Ibra.  Recently it seems to be spending most of its time in the Wadi Sareen Reserve.  Perhaps it has moved to this higher area to try to escape the worst of the summer heat.  In the reserve it seems to be spending most of its time in the high cliffs south of Salifah and Siya.

Movements of a two year old Egyptian vulture during 15-31 May 2016.  Click on image to open in a separate tab.

Early May 2016

The heat is on in Oman, with temperatures in Muscat moving into the lower 40's C.  The vulture we have been tracking has spent most of the past two weeks just north of Ibra, with a few journeys north to Wadi Sareen.  It has also ventured a bit south of Ibra to the edge of the Wahiba Sands.  It is interesting that this bird was caught near Muscat, spent a few weeks in Quriyat, then a few weeks in areas south of Sur, and now concentrates its movements mostly around Ibra.  I wonder what makes the birds move?  Or dwell, for that matter?

Movements of an Egyptian vulture during the first half of May 2016, in Oman.  The outlined area is the Wadi Sareen Reserve.