Oman over New Year 23- 24

About three days after arrival fro teh airport to Barka, which I chose on free will, on way to Rustaq later I got to see Wild Camels , with good muscles and looking like fed to get round balls along its limbs. A small group in the bush and grasslands onway to Rustaq.

Then some days later a falcon a nice one big and agile as the Shaheen but more looking liek a Feldegs but finally it got a Wuergfalke (should be a saker in slang). But remember stay off teh big falcons let them oin peace, tehy are birds off limits. Also in Airport settings, stay off them, they are birds off limits and strongly forbidden to catch the from nests oin teh wild fofff

Even as there may be some clinics for them (falcons clinics in 2 hours cardrive range), either you leave them in freedom or I hunt you down form over Kyrgisthan to Baku.

It was at top end before the sharp curves winding up to some hotel, some kilometers after the paved and broad road into the Wadi from Rustaq. I took a break in the dust and heavy huge rumble, rocks, then after about half an hour the falcon took of swiftly down the Wadi.

I saw him from top and the color was quite schiefer like but a Wuergfalke is mostly possible.

Swiftly donig a shrp curve to a nearby rock in a sharp curve and leaving the goats behind which maust also have been there since ages in the wadi. I hiked back finally the same days afternoon lacking any perspecticve for more good views on falcons and eagles as was the case my first time in Oman when there were even teh Bonellis eagle along the main highways out of Muscat from Ruwy and further at that time.

Bonellis usually do not get to see whities along these highways, so I got special attention then from one !! This time (23-24) no eagles and no vultures as once. Many Seagulls again at Muscat bays also doves djungle and turkish doves, there are a few verieties there. Djungle Doves also at Almora India.

The goats are stonishing as they are the origins of most goats in the world and there it was wild goats in the Wadi from Rustaq. The same day before I made the decision to move into the Wadi there when two western cyclists in the hotel showed up .... but I checked in later the same day evening. Rustaq is spread around, old parts and modern city, mostly along big roads but some can manage.

It has secret locations close to the mountains and some nice hideout cafees with torta.

Wild donkys can be seen on way between Sur and Muscat highways also Camels, wild Goats more in the Mountains and Wadis. The arab Leopard can also be seen, if or its traces in the lose grounds in Omans faroff southern National park east of Salalah where I never got and will hardly.

Turky over New Year 23-24

Turky is much more moist than Oman and so it gets as enclosed by sea at three side heavy Winter storms, has many diverse biotops and so the natural creature range is more.
At Antalya many doves, mostly djungle, turtle and turkish doves and Lemon trees, also oranges in the streets over new Year and x-mas.

A huge flock of swallows seen from a rock restaurant the first afternoon after arrival from Oman. Mehlschwalben oder Rockdoves (Felsenschw.) They cover huge distance within weeks and days coming from Africa and the sahel zone.

Near Antalyas shore you get to see huge Eukalyptus trees and many varieties of Wagtails ( Sch.ua Stelzen), often in good color near the shores there, birdwatchers of Britain.

Later onway back from Seljuk (doves crows, Dohlen and small birds) aftre the heavy winterstorm which shook the total hotel once over a weekends night as liek somebody woudl have thrown down sofas or rocks from a carterpillar ... about one hour west of Bursa which should be the hotspot for birdwatchers during main migration two times a year, there many Buzzards and some falcons (Roetel and Comon Kestrels etc) once there it could also have been a Bonellis eagle pair, sailing in winds, some 150m from bus it is hard to say in that seconds passing.

They hunt togather. The landscape was OK and distance huge, fields not yet in full sunflower shape.

In IST before forced to leave by bus, over some two days many Mittalmeer Seagulls, they are huge and impressing, doves as everywhere in Turky, Dohlen and crows in small to big flocks which can mostly manage turkish winterstorms (Seljuk)


PS 4: PACKBAG came one day later from Muascat airport, about 35 km to muscat city and 30 min by car to Barka.


some amandments

Bulgaria 2024

Astonishing the part overland I got to see many Buzzardss (Maeuse, - Rauhfuss etc less honey buzzards there, too cold for them) again as they like that unstructured areas the way to Svilengrad and the partly broken land in the lowland areas with small rivers and old rotten wineyards.

A variety of buzzards migrate to Turky and the Sahel zone, also falcons from Russia- Asia and all parts of Europe. No storks at any parts of the stretch during that time of the year, see Sahle zone !!

Sofias small stream is funny, doves, Dohlen and crows again, some smaller birds in Sofias railway stn. The part over some 5 hrs was nice ontrain from Svilengrad to Sofia the same day then, the last and first day from Turky overland.

The pig got slaughtered along the highway from EUs monster border and left behind that day, told myself the way to Svilengradsky ! No further sightings from bus to Villach but costums .... Alps.

Den ganzen Reichtum hab ich dann in einer Tasche ab Seljuk nach Villach gebracht, stat auf einem Kamel auf einem Pferd ! (more at D 50 gefaehrlichsten Unternehemnder Welt, ECON; booktip) And stay off my faclons, off limits !

PS: Und nochwas - ausgew. maennl. Schwaene- swans mit Halskrause wie am Lake Balaton summer 23 gehen garnicht - disgusting !



PPS: packbag came oner day later from muscat airport as it got lost onway ... part of the bad year 2023

PPPS: Thay theft of card .... half year no Bike (motorb. in alps) .... lately banking again misshaps onway ....




Oman Turky impressions -----

Nature Observations from the years before ---- -- some amandments