Our (Hervé & Noëlle’s) choice for this trip was to hire taxis from place to place avoiding the waste of time in public transport. In the towns we opted for middle range hotels. For those in a budget all can be done by bus and motorbike. For 6 weeks our expenses were of 2900€ + 462€ of internal flights = 3362€ for 2, more for the international flights. We booked the internal flights from France on Lion Air and Garuda's websites, and all worked very well without delays.
We began this trip from Manado in the north of Sulawesi and visited 4 sites : Tangkoko, Gunung Ambang, Bogani Nani and Gunung Mahawu. Then from Manado we flew to Tobelo/Kao on Halmahera, we spent 1 night in Galela, 1 in Tobelo, 6 in Foli, and 2 nights in Sindangoli and came back to Sulawesi flying from Ternate to Palu via Makassar. From Palu we went to Wuasa for 7 nights close to Lore Lindu. Flight back from Palu to Makassar in south Sulawesi, visited Karaenta and Bantimurung forests, Lompobattang forest near Manado and birded Makassar, and flight back home.
Once in Palu we saw that Garuda opened a line Palu-Jakarta which can be useful, depending on your international flight.
Beginning via Manado was a good idea as we saw all the nocturnal species of Sulawesi rather easily in Tangkoko and Gunung Ambang and could avoid night walks during the rest of the trip for this island. Guides are compulsory in Tangkoko, Gunung Ambang and Dumoga Bone NP, and needed for the Moluccan Scrubfowl on Halmahera. All the other sites can be visited alone.
The waypoints are given in decimal degrees.
We had a total of 258 species (113 endemics) + 4 heard only. The notable endemics missed and generally seen by the tours are Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk, Sombre Pigeon, Geomalia, Halmahera Flowerpecker, Pale-headed Munia.
Ben Schweinhart and Blake Dyer visited Sulawesi and Halmahera separately around the same time (August-September 2012). Their itinerary was similar, but they visited two additional sites - Nantu Forest Reserve (a hotspot for Sulawesi mammals) and Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park on Halmahera. Ben and Blake traveled by public transport whenever possible, and did not find it too inconvenient. They booked most of their internal flights in country at the last minute, but desired flight times were not always available and tickets were more expensive.
Ben and Blake observed five additional endemics - Snoring Rail, Geomalia, Sombre Pigeon, Pale-headed Munia, and Halmahera Flowerpecker. They also saw many of Sulawesi’s endemic mammals including Babirusa, Anoa, Sulawesi Warty Pig, and three species of squirrels. This trip report mainly describes Hervé and Noëlle’s experiences, but Ben added separate sections for Nantu, ALNP, and Lore Lindu and a few comments for other sites. Additional birds observed by Ben and Blake are added and marked BB. Ben will post his photos on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/53000215@N03/sets/72157632001686687/with/8183259165/) when he finishes processing them.
SULAWESI
TANGKOKO RESERVE (11-17 Sept)
Situated at the entrance of the village of Batu Putih. We booked by email at Mama Roos Homestay (mamaroos@ymail.com) which is in front of the reserve entrance. Alfonds (tel : 081 4042 1454), the owner's son offered a room for 2 at 400000IDR full board, but we asked for a discount as we were staying 7 nights, and he said 300000 (26€). He offered the pick up at our hotel in Manado until Batu Putih for 250000 (20€). On the way we stopped for some roadside birding 10km before the village.
The rooms are simple but OK with fan, private bathroom, drinking water in the restaurant, motorbike rental; but the most interesting is that Samuel, a very good guide leaves here and guides the hosts birders; as a guide is compulsory it is better to choose one of the best and we didn't regret it. Don’t forget to book him when you book the room. The price is fixed : 350000/pers per day (28,5€), park fee included (about 25000 but never saw the tickets). Samuel's tel 081 340 407 690.
There are 3 sites to bird : the reserve itself, the mangroves during a 3 hours boat trip for the Black-billed Kingfisher, and a viewing platform 10km before the village on the road to Manado; to save some money don't agree when Samuel will offer to take you there as you really don't need a guide. You'll save the 350000 + the 150000 for the drive. You can rent a motorbike for 100000/day (8€) at the hotel, and drive by yourself back on the Manado road for exactly 10km. You arrive in a sharp right bend where there is a small wooden shop. Park there, and take the path on the left of the shop when you are facing it, follow it down for a while until you reach a rather large flat zone where you can stay for hours with your scope. It is really great with Pigeons, Racquet-tails, both Hanging-parrots, both Hornbills... very good too in the end of afternoon. All the tours come to this place so you'll probably see other birders or photographers.
If you want to use internet you can go to the center of the next town 6km further on the same road.
After 3 days we had seen around 70 species, and 86 after 6 days, of which 44 endemics. We liked this place very much, and it's best to allow it at least 4 days, we didn't regret our 6 days.
Next door to Mama Roos Homestay is the Tangkoko Ranger's Homestay, and the Tarsius Homestay, in the same category. About 300m before there is the Tangkoko Lodge which seems more comfortable, and about 1,5km the newer Tangkoko Dove Villas.
Good species seen in Tangkoko : Maleo (a frustrating quick view of a bird running across the trail), Tabon Scrubfowl, Barred Buttonquail, Sulawesi Serpent-Eagle, Sulawesi Goshawk, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Sulawesi Dwarf Sparrowhawk, Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Barred Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, White-faced Cuckoo-Dove, Grey-cheeked Green-pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, White-bellied + Gray-headed + Silver-tipped Imperial-pigeon, Ornate Lorikeet, Yellowish-breasted + Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Maroon-rumped (Large) + Green (Little) Hanging-parrot, Black-billed Koel, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Minahassa Owl (make sure to ask Samuel specifically about seeing this bird), Sulawesi Scops-Owl, Ochre-bellied Hawk-Owl, Great-eared Nightjar, Sulawesi Nightjar, Moluccan (Sulawesi) Swiftlet, Sulawesi Dwarf-Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked + Black-billed + Green-backed Kingfisher, Purple-winged Roller, Sulawesi + Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi + Ashy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Pitta (se celebensis), Hooded Pitta (BB), Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Pied + White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Sulawesi Cicadabird, White-rumped (Sulawesi) Triller, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Babbler, Red-backed Thrush, Sulawesi Crested Myna, White-necked Myna, Grosbeak Starling, Yellow-sided + Grey-sided Flowerpecker.
Mammals seen in Tangkoko (BB): Celebes Dwarf-squirrel, Whitish Dwarf-squirrel (the most common squirrel here), Sulawesi Bear Cuscus (Samuel knows where to find this), Spectral Tarsier, Sulawesi Crested Macaque
GUNUNG AMBANG (18-21 Sept)
A french birder that we met in Mama Roos had a driver-guide (Jack Palamia, tel 081 340349 219, jackpalamia@yahoo.com) and was going to Kotamobagu, so we used his car and gave a fee to the driver; Jack is also bird guide, he learnt in Tangkoko with Samuel and is not bad; we left at 8am, stopped for 1h in Manado for some shopping, and birded the rice paddies on the way to Kotamobagu where we arrived at 5pm, he left us at a blue minibus that we booked entirely (10 seats) for 150000 (12€)until the village of Sinsingon, 1h. The driver left us at the house of Pak Julius, the ranger of the park. He has 3 bedrooms in his simple house, and his wife prepares the meals. We used the family bathroom, they stayed very discrete. There is boiled water for drinking, but no toilet paper so bring yours. The room is 150000 (12€)/pers full board, and the guiding 100000(8€)/pers/guiding (morning + evening = 2 guidings), so 200000 per day. For 2 persons it makes a total of 700000 (57€) per day.
Julius doesn't speak english, but knows most of the wanted target birds; he was very good and quiet. Leaving at 5:30am we had to walk nearly 3km (45mn) before the forest entrance; it is a beautiful forest but activity can vary from a day to another; after dusk Julius showed us the Speckled and Cinnabar Boobook. The former readily came to our tape at 6pm at a place that Julius knows, the Cinnabar was more difficult as several called but didn't come to the tape, so we had to go to the bird and find it, for this Julius is very good, after some research he spotted it at 7:20pm. The 2nd day we had the bird quicker. The Minahassa Owl was heard and could probably be seen here, but as we saw it in Tangkoko we didn't try. There was a pair of Sulawesi Owls at 1km from Julius' house with 2 youngs, the 4 birds were calling and flying over our heads at 6pm. No calls of Scaly Kingfisher. The Purple-bearded Bee-eaters didn't come this year.
We stayed 5 nights there, some mornings were more productive than others depending on the number of flocks, but the total of birds was very satisfying. We left the village of Sinsingon a sunday so Julius found no car to take us to Kotamobagu, by chance the french birder, Alain, had come and we used his driver Jack again who took us until Tant Min's Guesthouse in Doloduo (2h, 300000 (25€). On sundays morning Julius goes to church, so that morning his son-in-law replaced him.
Note: we arrived by bus to Sinsingon by the east side of the village, but left by the west side and discovered that the road was passing through a good forest for several kilometers from 1200m to 900m; in retrospective we could have rent Julius' motorbike and bird this road in a morning and evening, it should be interesting; when you leave Julius' house on the right follow the main street and always go straight on Kotamobagu's road.
If you want to check Sinsigon and the forest on Google Earth :
-Julius House : 0.804423° 124.405793°
-Sulawesi Owl : 0.795160° 124.401371°
-Gunung Ambang entrance : 0.804423° 124.400487°
-Road through forest between Sinsigon and Kotamobagu : 0.790137° 124.377066°
Best birds seen: Black Kite, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk (a juvenile perched in Julius' garden), Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Spotted Kestrel, Buff-banded Rail, Isabelline Bush-Hen, Red-eared + Superb Fruit-dove, White-bellied Imperial-Pigeon, Yellow-and-green Lorikeet, Maroon-rumped (Large) Hanging-Parrot, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Owl, Speckled + Cinnabar Boobook, Purple Needletail, Sulawesi + Ashy Woodpecker, Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike, Sulawesi Cicadabird, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Sulawesi Drongo, Rusty-bellied Fantail, Black-naped Monarch, Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Sulawesi Leaf-warbler, Chestnut-backed Bush-warbler, Scaly-headed + Mountain + Black-fronted White-eye, Sulawesi Babbler, Malia, Matinan Blue-flycatcher, Island Verditer-flycatcher, Flame-browed Starling, Crimson-crowned + Grey-sided Flowerpecker;
BOGANI NANI WARTABONE NP (23-27/09)
There is no need to stay as long as we did but we were tired after Gunung Ambang and took some rest here in Tant Min's Guesthouse in Doloduo, room 200000/pers (16€) full board, drinking water but no toilet paper; we birded every morning. There is the possibility to stay in Toraut ranger's station about 10km after Doloduo, but we were lazy and stayed in Doloduo. The Maleo site is 40mn by car before Doloduo coming from Kotamobagu; we wanted to rent a motorbike to go there, but this is a mining area and it seems that it is quite unsafe to wander around, so we went there by car. In Tant Min's we were contacted by Ijung, working in Toraut and he took us every morning to the birding sites. His english is very limited.
TORAUT: Ijung asked 100000(8€)/pers for the guiding, and 150000 for the lift = 350000 (28,50€) for 2 for the morning; we paid an entrance ticket 20000/pers. Then we crossed the river with a guard named Hendrick, who speaks good english and has a good eye. In the forest we saw some birds already seen in Tangkoko : White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Green Imperial Pigeon, Ornate Lorikeet, Blue-backed Parrot, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Speckled Hawk-Owl (Boobook) in day time, Great-eared Nightjar (day time), Purple-winged Roller, Sulawesi + Knobbed Hornbill, Ashy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Pitta, Sulawesi Babbler, Grosbeak Starling. The main targets here are Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove and Sulawesi Ground Dove. The former was seen the 1st morning, we returned a 2nd day and asked a special research for the Ground Dove; we were guided by Hendrick and the man who sells the tickets. We found the bird at 11am, but only Hervé had the bird in his bins before it ran away.
TAMBUN: Ijung asked 250000 (20€) for the car to get there, and he has been waiting for us all the morning. For the ranger, Max, we paid 100000(8€)/pers. We left the hotel at 4am, but 4:30 would be enough. It was important to be on site at dawn, for checking the trees where the Maleos spend the night, we scoped a pair for a while before they got down; a group who arrived later missed them, and it seems that they are more difficult to find once on the ground. We saw more birds around, similar to those of Tangkoko or Toraut including Purple-winged Roller and Sulawesi Cicadabird. Then we followed Max in the forest on a short circling trail, had Red-bellied Pitta and Red-backed Thrush. Then he showed us some eggs and a maleo chick waiting to be released. The Sulawesi Nightjar was heard at the Maleo site at dawn.
TAPAKULINTANG (or MOLIBAGU) ROAD: it is a road passing through forested hills; coming from Kotamobagu, in Doluduo, the road bisects on the right to Tante Min's and Toraut, the left fork goes to the site. It is not very far, less than 10km to reach the pass, then bird the descent; we wanted to rent a motorbike and go there by ourselves but once again Ijung said that it was unsafe. He asked 100000/pers for the guiding, and 250000 for the drive. A man called Max came with us and stayed near the car and was armed. We first stopped at the pass around 350m where the Sulawesi Flycatcher has been seen, then we stopped several times in the descend after the pass and walked along the road in a Birdquest's style with the car following us. We went until the mark 265km from Manado. Good birds were seen : Barred (Sulawesi) Honey-buzzard, Sulawesi Serpent-eagle, Brahminy Kite, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Maroon-rumped (Large) Hanging Parrot, Glossy + Moluccan (Sulawesi) Swiftlet, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Crested Myna, White-necked Myna, Grey-sided + Yellow-sided Flowerpecker. Brown-throated + Crimson + Olive-backed Sunbird, Black-faced Munia. No Flycatcher found;
About 1,5km from Tant Min's in Toraut direction we walked for 15-20mn until a bridge over a canal , at dawn we birded some ponds and reeds on the left of the road. We added Purple Heron, Cinnamon Bittern, Purple Swamphen, White-browed Crake, Sacred Kingfisher, Clamorous Reed-warbler to our list. Several Golden-bellied Gerygone heard but not seen.
GUNUNG MAHAWU (29-30 Sept)
From Duloduo we had arrange the pick-up with Jack Palamia who came from Manado and drove us to the Onong's Palace in Tomohon that we had booked on internet. The drive took 5 hours, 750000 (64euros).
Onong's Palace is 300000 (24€) the bungalow; the owner, Onong, drove us to the Mt Mahawu the 2 mornings at 5am for 200000 and came back when we called him. The target here is the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher but there are other very good species to find like Rufous-throated Flycatcher. We had the waypoint of the Kingfisher's site (thank you Alain Lebossé) : the entrance of the trail : 1.347555° 124.854361° (but from a GPS to another the points may differ a little bit). Just follow this trail for a very short distance until the end, then on the left the place is overlooking a gully. We sat there at dawn quietly and put the call intermitently; after 10mn the bird came right above us and we could observe it for 1mn, then he flew away. It was 5:40am. At the same place we saw the Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher and the Rufous-throated Flycatcher.
We showed the trail to Onong, so if you have no GPS he will show it to you, and if you are in another hotel this is the way : on the road to the mount, after crossing the agricultural lands, you arrive to the forest; there is a right bend, then a left bend. Park on the right side after the right bend, there are several palm trees. You'll see a small muddy path descending, that's it.
Back to the road this patch of forest ends quickly with agricultural lands again (strawberries), then forest again until the car park at the end of the road. From here a trail leads up to the crater. Barred Rails are plentiful along the road.
Best birds seen: Brahminy Kite, Sulawesi Serpent-eagle, Black Eagle, Spotted Kestrel, Barred Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Glossy + Uniform Swiftlet, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Woodpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Mountain Tailorbird, Mountain + Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Babbler, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Island Verditer Flycatcher, Rufous-throated Flycatcher, Yellow-sided + Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Brown-throated Sunbird, Black-faced + Scaly-breasted + Chestnut Munia.
We left Onong's Palace by taxi to Manado for 150000. In Manado we stayed at the Metropolitan Inn, 185000 (15€), correct for the price. The 30mn charter to the airport is 85000 (7€).
NANTU FOREST RESERVE, Ben Schweinhart and Blake Dyer
Logistics: To arrange a visit, send an email to info@nantuforest.org as far in advance as you can. If you don’t get a response, contact Lynn Clayton (clayton.lynn@gmail.com), but she can also be slow to respond. The Nantu Forest organization will take care of permits, transportation, and lodging. We were told we had to bring food and cook it ourselves, but this ended up not being necessary. A guide was required, and we hired Jemi (Lynn’s field assistant) who was knowledgeable but did not do much while we sat in the blind. Total cost for two people for guiding, food, lodging, boat trips (1.000.000 upriver, 500.000 downriver), and car rides (500.000 rp/trip) was 4.360.000 rp.
We flew from Manado to Gorontalo, and left for Nantu by car the next day at 7:30 AM. After a few hours, we switched to a boat and arrived at the remote forest preserve at 3:30 PM. The duration of the boat trip depends on the water level in the river. It was low on the way up, and we had to wade and push the boat upstream at nearly every meander. We stayed at the field station, but a lodge for visitors is being built on the other side of the river.
Birds/Mammals: The main attraction is a large clay lick a short hike from the field station, with two blinds for viewing it. Babirusa were abundant, and many were seen every day. A single Lowland Anoa, crossed one way across the lick on our second day and back on the fourth day. Heck’s Macaque and Sulawesi Warty Pig were also seen daily, but the best views of the sulid were from the field station during lunch. The introduced Rusa Deer was seen once. We saw Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrel, Whitish Dwarf Squirrel, and Malayan Palm Civet (introduced, at night) in the forest.
Birds also came in to the clay lick. On our first morning at 7:00 AM, a Snoring Rail walked out into the open for thirty seconds. We did not see it again in our four days. Other birds included Barred Rail, Stephan’s Dove, White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Maroon-chinned Fruit-dove (up to eight at a time!), and Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove. The field staff at the station said that Sulawesi Ground-dove and Blue-faced Rail sometimes frequented the clay lick, but unfortunately we did not see them.
In the forest near the field station we observed Spot-tailed Goshawk, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Green-backed Kingfisher, Red-bellied Pitta, Pied Cuckooshrike, Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Ochre-bellied Boobook, Lilac Kingfisher, and others. We did not spend much time there, as we were hoping Snoring Rail would return to the clay lick.
We saw many birds on the boat trips to and from Nantu, including Spotted Harrier, Purple Swamphen, White-breasted Waterhen, Buff-banded Rail, Sunda Teal, Wandering Whistling-duck, Black Eagle, Cinnamon Bittern, Purple Heron, and Spotted Kestrel.
LORE LINDU NP (13 to 20/10)
A beautiful mountain forest with interesting birds, and no compulsory guide. At Palu airport there is a taxi counter outside, the lift to Palu is 53000 (4€). We stayed at Hotel Sentral, 300000 (24€); we negociated with our driver (Serang, tel 081 341 031 022) to take us the following morning until Wuasa (prononced Ouasa) which is at about 110km, 3 hours on a tarred road but potholed the last hour. We finished the bargain at 550000 (46€). The road is flat then ascends the mountains, after about 85-87km we saw a track on the left with a yellow board, this is the Anaso track, and about 1km further on the right is the signposted Danau Tambing lake. Then the road ascends a little bit, after it is a steep potholed descent until the fertile valley; you pass through the village of Sedoa, then it is Wuasa, which is 15km from the Anaso track.
In Wuasa we stayed at the Penginapan Sendy, a very good place to stay with the best food of the trip. The room for 2 is only 150000 (12€). The breakfast is 25000/pers and they can give you nescafe, thermos and cakes the evening before so you wake up and leave when you want. Copious meals are 50000/pers so at dinner we put some food in our plastic boxes and had our lunch for the track. We rent a motorbike at the hotel for 150000/day (12€) and were totally free. The daily fee for the national park is 20000/pers and we paid it to Mama Sendy.
We saw the Penginapan Mona Lisa but it is maybe 1,5km futher on and the area doesn't seem so calm.
Around Wuasa: in the valley there are plantations, fields, rice paddies to check, we saw Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Sulawesi Serpent-eagle, Spotted Kestrel, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Gould's Bronze-cuckoo, Knobbed Hornbill, Black-naped Oriole, Short-tailed Starling, Olive-backed Sunbird... Many Lemon-bellied White-eye in the garden of the Sendy. And we had a good birding when you go out of Sendy and take left for about 1km, you'll see on the right a land bordered with many concrete plots, further on a blue church can be seen; well before the church turn right on a track and park at the end; on the right there are some pathes leading trough paddies, fields and reeds; here we had Purple Heron, Javan Pond-heron, Barred Rail, Black-shouldered Kite, Plaintive Cuckoo, Lesser Coucal, Great-eared Nightjar, Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Woodswallow, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Clamorous Reed-warbler, Zitting + Golden-headed Cisticola, Sulawesi Babbler, Little Pied Flycatcher, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow Wagtail, Scaly-breasted + Chestnut Munia.
Lake Tambing: we saw few birds here, we had a flock but not different than in other areas; the Sulawesi Thrush was seen at 5:30am on the road in front of the entrance and there were several Snowy-browed Flycatchers; a Sulawesi Hawk-cuckoo was heard in the vicinity from another trail facing the Anaso track, Ashy Woodpecker and Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike seen but few more; nothing on the lake, but each time there were people and fishermen. Anyway as we spent so much time on the Anaso track for the Geomalia we couldn't bird this area a lot.
Anaso track: about 1km after the lake entrance coming from Wuasa, there is the Anaso track on the right side of the road, with a yellow board. We parked the motorbike on the side of the road as Papa Sendy said there was no problem about theft. We just hid our casks in the vegetation along the track. It is a mountainous hike, ascending from 1700m to 2200m at the pass for about 7km, then the summit is further up but we didn't go until there. The Geomalia zone is about 500m before the pass, and you need 2h to 2:15h hiking with few stops to get there; dawn is at 5:30am and the ride from Wuasa takes 40-45mn. So the best is to leave the hotel early at 4am, and we were glad we had our motorbike.
We missed the Geomalia although we spent a lot of time for it and climbed 5 early mornings until there; no luck, the bird never crossed; we tried to walk, to stand for hours, to check the slopes, nothing.
There are some yellow markers sometimes along the track but they don't correspond to the meters. We took some distances but once our GPS lost the satellites so there can be a mistake somewhere.
The 1st 500m of the track are good and we had good flocks every afternoon on the way down. The first morning we saw Great Shortwing after 490m where there is a marker 7 on the left, but never saw it again.
At 1,2km there is a first landslide.
At 1,440 the 2nd landslide with the Purple-bearded Bee-eater; just after it we had a responsive Maroon-backed Whistler once.
At 2,2km the 1st clearing, at 2,4km the 2nd clearing.
At 3,1km a pond on the right where we saw nothing.
At 3,2km a 3rd clearing, where we saw 2 Heinrich's Nightjar on the ground on the left side in a small gorge (the 5th day).
At 3,750km there is a cliff on the right side where the Nightjars can roost too.
At 4,130km is the yellow marker 31; further on is the marker 33, this is the beginning of the Geomalia zone, and it is going well after up, there is the marker 32 on the steeper ascend until a flat zone where we have been waiting several times in vain. This is also the area for Hylocitrea that we saw 3 times, their flight is a little bit noisy, and for the Greater Streaked Honeyeater.
After this flat zone there is a small hilly place on the right covered with mosses and different ferns, where the nightjars can be hidden too, it is about 500m before the pass. We flushed one here.
Then you arrive to the pass, there is the marker 45 and a platform on the right; flock of Mountain Serin, landing sometimes on the dead trees, the group even reacted to the tape.
Birds seen on Anaso track : Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Emerald Dove, Red-eared Fruit-dove, Gray-headed Imperial-pigeon, Yellowish-breasted Racquet-tail, Maroon-rumped (Large) Hanging-parrot, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Heinrich's Nightjar, Glossy Swiftlet, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Sulawesi Woodpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela, Lesser Streaked + Greater Streaked Honeyeater, Pygmy Cuckoo-shrike, Maroon-backed + Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Sulawesi Drongo, Rusty-bellied Fantail, Piping Crow, Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Mountain Tailorbird, Sulawesi Leaf-warbler, Chestnut-backed Bush-warbler, Streak-headed Ibon, Mountain White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Malia, Blue-fronted Blue-flycatcher, Island Verditer-flycatcher, Great Shortwing, Flame-browed Starling, Grey Wagtail, Hylocitrea.
LORE LINDU, Ben Schweinhart
Logistics: 1. I used the Mona Lisa homestay as my base in Wuasa (150.000 rp/night for a single). MM Ika speaks English well and can arrange all logistics (0821 9660 4295/ 0853 4089 6417). They let me store my extra gear when I was camping without charge.
2. I slept in the house at Lake Tambing for two nights. When I asked about the price at first, they said "no money" but they asked for 50.000 a night when I left. I think the man who lives there can cook meals for you, but I didn't know that beforehand and arranged for food to be sent from Mona Lisa.
3. I spent another four nights camping on Anaso at the helipad (it took me a while to find Geomalia), but in retrospect it makes more sense to camp at the second large clearing. I hired Bernad and his brother Even to guard my gear and cook food for me. They charged 200.000 rp/night (the rate negotiated by MM Ika) and they were very good. No complaints about early breakfasts. You can arrange this through MM Ika, or probably by asking around at Tambing. It did not get very cold (never below 50 degrees Fahrenheit) but a sleeping bag was nice to have.
Birds: 1. Sulawesi Thrush likes to walk in the open in the clearing near the house at Tambing right at dawn (5:30 AM). I saw it both mornings.
2. Cinnabar Boobook is easily heard from the main road between Tambing and the start of the Anaso track.
3. Yellow-and-green Lorikeet frequents the trees around Tambing in the afternoon. Piping Crow is also common in the area.
4. I called in a Sombre Pigeon 100m after the large landslide, and heard it in a couple other places. I think the landslide is the former site of the second bridge (most of the landmarks in old trip reports are gone besides the clearings).
5. I staked out a section of the track for Geomalia: after passing marker #32 (beyond the two clearings), you head up a very steep section of the track (which is also apparently a good spot for Geomalia) and then pass through a grassy area with a small concrete square on the right. The track flattens, and after a while there is an open marshy area on the right. This is about 500 meters from the top. I waited slightly below the marshy area at a bend in the track where I could see well in both directions. I did not find the bird on my first afternoon at the spot or the following day, but had great views at around 7:00 AM the next morning.
6. Most tour groups get Great Shortwing from the main road, but I never heard it there. I heard it many times at higher elevations (including at #32 as well as the Geomalia stakeout) and saw several crossing the road while looking for Geomalia.
7. I had Maroon-backed Whistler at the Geomalia stakeout, as well as on a side trail on the left coming up immediately before a very long flat section of the track between #32 and the clearings.
8. Sulawesi Hawk-cuckoo was HO on the lower Anaso track. It was calling during the day (7:30 AM) but did not come in to playback.
9. Hearsay from a local guide: there is a pond just past the high point of the Anaso track which is good for Sulawesi Woodcock. I had wanted to camp there and search for it, but ran out of time as Geomalia was uncooperative.
10. A local guide told me about another site for Geomalia at Tambing: as you walk to the lake from the entrance house, there is a small building on the left. A trail goes into the forest behind it, eventually leading to a tower. There are two logs near the beginning, and Geomalia sometimes likes to walk along the second one early in the morning.
11. Going from Tambing to Wuasa, Ivory-backed Wood-swallows were in the trees on the right after you pass the first open area on the left. Sulawesi Flycatcher is sometimes seen at the open area (called Badeha), but I did not find it.
12. On the way from Wuasa to Sedoa, there’s a track on the left just after a bridge that’s good for birding. I saw Sulawesi Blue-flycatcher and Sulawesi Serpent-eagle there.
13. I saw a pair of Pale-headed Munias from the car on the way from Palu to Wuasa.
14. I saw Mount Topapu Squirrel once at the Geomalia stakeout. Celebes Dwarf Squirrel was very common. If I had not spent all of my time and effort searching for Geomalia, I would have tried to spotlight for Sulawesi Small Cuscus which others have seen on the Anaso track at night.
MAKASSAR (21 to 23/10)
There are 3 sites to visit around Makassar : Karaenta forest and Bantimurung reserve 45mn north, Lompobattang forest in Malino, 2 to 3 hours south-east depending on the traffic, and some fishponds close to the airport.
Back from Palu, while waiting our luggage we were contacted by a man named Yacobus having a travel agency and proposing his services; we thought that it was not so bad to book a car with driver for our 2 days ½ that we had before the end of the trip. We paid 2560000 (210€) all included (car, driver, hotel in Malino). We stayed at Hotel Kanaka Giana near the airport, 185000, new and clean AC room but no wifi or toilet paper; the last night we changed for Hotel Darma Nusantara not far, 300000, not as clean as the premium but with wifi.
The 21st at 6am we left for Karaenta forest, which is after Bantimurung; once at the famous arch with a huge butterfly in Bantimurung, you have to continue the main road and after 10km it ascends the mountain. We stopped after a few kilometers when the forest was nice, the road was newly tarred and the trafic dense. We didn't see any trail on the sides and birded from the road; we probably should have been further up; anyway we saw the Black-ringed White-eye, but no Flycatcher. So at 8am we decided to go back downhill and visit Bantimurung reserve; it was a sunday but the crowd had not arrived yet, the entrance fee is 50000/pers. It is a popular bathing and picnic destination with a lot of concrete structures and rubbish, but the forest is beautiful. We 1st followed our way to the waterfall, a concrete path is bordering the river until a cave and we saw Common + Ruddy Kingfisher, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Babbler, Crimson Sunbird. We came back towards the main area where people have their bath, and crossed the river over the broken bridge, and went to another trail starting behind small eateries and leading to 2 caves. It began with steep stairs up, then stairs down, and up again. From this last ascent, we had a view on the forest on the left, and although we were hopeless to see something as the forest seemed dead, that's were we saw the Sulawesi Flycatcher perched at 10:30. Sadly a little bit far for a photo but it was enough for the identification. At the end of the stairs there are 2 caves and as we were the 1st visitors we saw a few small bats at the entrance of the cave on the right. We had no torch but should have brought one.
On the way back to Makassar, Whiskered Tern, White-shouldered Triller in the rice paddies, Pale-bellied Myna in flight.
We crossed Makassar and had lunch, and went to Malino where we checked at hotel Celebes and had a rest. At 6am the next morning we went to the Lompobattang forest, following the map of our friend Marc Thibault because the description in Collaert's report is wrong. Coming from Makassar and having the Hotel Celbes on the left, continue the road for 350m. Here turn right, there is a sign « Air terjun 4km » and a blue post Bank BRI. After 150m it forks : take right and stay on the main road for 2kms until another fork : take left for 1.6km, you'll see a yellow sign « Air terjun » on the right but you continue straight on the main road for 430m until the end of the tarred road where you park. From here you walk on the continuing track for 540m until a bridge, and take a small path going up on the left just after the bridge. Always climb the trail passing 2 bamboo gates for 400m, we saw 2 Lompobattang Flycatchers at WP -5.270645° 119.871299, at 1124m. They were in a flock and came to the tape; Rusty-bellied Fantail, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Mountain Tailorbird, Sulawesi Leaf-warbler, Black-ringed White-eye. On the way between the car and the forest : Rufous-winged Buzzard, White-faced + Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Rusty-bellied Cuckoo, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Myzomela, White-shouldered Triller, Piping Crow, Black-naped Oriole, Black-naped Myna, Little Pied Flycatcher, Lemon-bellied White-eye.
It is possible to visit this site from Makassar and avoid the night in Malino, just leave Makassar around 5am. This forest seems promising and probably should deserve more time.
In Makassar we wanted to bird the Fish ponds mentionned in the reports, but nobody gives the exact place, and the website Burung Indonesia just says that the ponds are north and west of airport, so we thought that they would be easy; but from the road the houses hid the ponds and we lost a lot of time because our driver didn't understand what we wanted; we should have checked Google Earth before! Anyway we visited 2 sites : from the main avenue passing along the airport and leading to Maros, we turned right at the first traffic lights; then we followed the road for 5,2km (stopping on the way looking for the Pale-headed Munia, had White-breasted Waterhen, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Clamorous Reed-warbler) until we found a street on the right leading to the airport fence (there is a sign Smaneg 1 Mandai, WP -5.081016° 119.570601°), and followed it until the end at 1,2km. We walked until the fence and passed an open gate, and birded this cultivated area until the 2nd fence of the airport, we where rather close to the planes. Normally there are some marshes, but they were nearly dry; the new birds seen were Red Turtle-doves and we were surprised to find a flock of Streaked Weavers.
We were disappointed to miss the Pale-headed Munia.
Then our driver seemed to realize that he knew some fish ponds, and took us to a place calle Patte'ne which is south-west of our hotel; sadly it was already 9am when we arrived there and we only had 1:30h left before leaving, so we couldn't bird the area properly; we saw Black-winged Stilt, Wood, Marsh and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Little, gull-billed and Common Tern; it was not teeming with birds and we don't know if the reason is that it is the wrong place or if it is one month after Birdquest's tour. Here is a Google Earth view of the airport area :
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=209874382729375904971.0004cd35959dbd289bc89
HALMAHERA
All the sites visited were of good access on good tarred roads, and no guide is needed except for the Scrubfowl in Galela.
GALELA
We had booked from France a flight on Lion Air website from Manado to Tobelo. It turned out to be a flight until Kao, south of Daru, which seems to be used as Tobelo's airport, at 1h30 drive! So we arrived at the airport in Kao, and some taxis were waiting for the passengers for the drive until Tobelo on a good new tarred road, passing through Daru after 25km. The drive was 70000/pers (>7€). Once in Tobelo we said to the driver that we wanted to go to Galela, he asked 500000 and we refused, so he led us to another taxi and we were asked 200000. It was overpriced too, we knew it once in Galela 35mn later!
In Galela we stayed at the Penginapan Talaga Maloha, along the lake in the north. We had a rather dirty room for 100000/pers (8€); in the Lonely Planet they say that it is full board, but the woman sent us at the nearby restaurant and we paid our meals. Anyway the room is on the lake shore, where we could see a few birds : Little Black Cormorant, Great + Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, White-winged + Whiskered Tern, Common Kingfisher, Barn + Pacific Swallow, Moluccan Starling (2 on the wires above the house on the right side of the terrace).
Thanks to Ben Schweinhart we had the contact (082 197097 389) of a guide called Gode who guides to the Moluccan Scrubfowl. Before leaving Sulawesi we sent him a SMS and he answered that he would wait for us. We called him when we arrived, and told him that we had no car; he sent us 2 motorbikes (ojek) at 8pm who drove us until the main Galela village (20mn). Here we met Gode who said that the price was 300000/pers (24€); we agreed and we left with him, the 2 ojeks drivers and 2 more guys for a walk of 10mn in some forest until the mangrove, where we jumped on a boat for another 10mn trip until a sandy beach. It was full moon so we were very hopeful. The boys stayed close to the boat and we followed Gode in search of some Scrubfowl n the beach; first we saw a Large-tailed Nightjar and several were heard during the reseach; we flushed 2 birds and saw them in the torch light. We walked again and again, but each time the bird was shy and flew away. We made a rest, and at 11pm the moon was very bright; we saw 2 birds landing and observed them in the bins without torch; at 11:45 Gode had a bird who had just finished to lay the eggs and was scratching the sand, working in the light of the torch and allowing us a very close approach for several minutes; note that Gode has no torch, and needs one with small focus, ours was too large and didn't help his research.
We were very satisfied and this group of friends was very quiet and nice with us. We got back to the hotel and paid 100000 for the motorbikes.
We left Galela the following morning, we just had to wait at the hotel entrance the passage of a shared taxi, and went to Tobelo for 20000/pers. The driver goes where you want, and left us at the good value Hotel Wisla Slasabila, 165000 (14€) with aircon for a good rest. The owner speaks english and there is a good restaurant with fish. We asked him for a taxi to Daru for the next day at 6am.
FOLI (3 to 9/10)
Foli is a village on the left coast of the northeastern part of Halmahera, and is a really good birding site. We left Tobelo at 6am by taxi, 200000, 1h south to Daru on the coast; the taxis stopped where the boats leave, some men asked 500000 for Foli, we agreed at 400000 (33€) (For the return trip it was 300000!). The crossing took 1h20 on a quiet sea, with a few terns far away that we couldn't all identify, some frigatebirds and 1 Bulwer's Petrel. Once in Foli 2 guys took our luggage, they said « photo burung » (photo bird), we said yes and we followed them in the streets until the end of the village to a house on the hill. That's where the actual chief, Jeffri, leaves with his family (081 395 11 57 55). He speaks some english, but his mother, Ketti is better. They have a concrete house, and we stayed in a wooden house with 4 cabins. It is very rustic, bring your mosquito net and towel; bath and toilets outside; they provided only 1 roll of paper bring some.
Rates : -Room : 100000/pers/night(8€) -meals : 125000/2pers/day(10€) -village fee : 50000/pers -guiding to the BOP's lek : 100000/pers
The logging track to bird leaves shortly after the house, on the left from the main road just before a bridge. There is a log book at the homestay where you'll have some information about the sightings. As anyone speaks in kilometers one could imagine that there are markers on the track, but there is none; you need a GPS, and the km 0 begins from the house more or less. Anyway you'll probably go to the Standardwing BOP's lek your 1st morning, which is at km3, so you'll have an idea then.
We found that the price for the ojeks was high, Jeffri asked 200000/ojek per day (16€), in fact it is the price for 2 return lifts, one in the morning the other in the afternoon, and not further than km3 of 4. One morning we asked to go until km10, it was 125000 the lift, and the wayback from km5 75000, which is nonsense. But it seems that all the goodies can be seen between km1 and km5, so we walked from the guesthouse all the other days avoiding this expense.
As it is very windy in the evenings we left at 4am in the mornings (we still had some moon), and it was much better for the nocturnal birds. The track is ascending at the beginning then it is going up and down gently, with deep slopes on the sides.
In early morning we saw many big flocks of Fruit-doves and Parrots between km3 and 5, mostly in the acacia trees.
We saw an Owlet Nightjar at 0,6km at dusk, there are several Large-tailed Nightjars too. We had the Scops-Owl (a pair) around km1,6 (1.252938° 128.174911°), and the Moluccan Hawk-Owl (a pair) between km4 and 5. At km2,3 there is a trail on the right leading to a river after 1,2km, passing by a pond (1.251530° 128.181275°) on the left (Gray's Warbler, Paradise Crow, Blue-and-white Kingfisher). Between the pond and the river we saw White-eyed Imperial Pigeon, Standardwing BOP, Dusky-brown Oriole, Spectacled Monarch...
Back on the main track after the trail we saw Dusky Myzomela 2 times in the accacia trees on the left side of the road. At the km3 on the left there are 2 trails, one forking on the right leading to the lek where we saw the White-naped and Spectacled Monarchs too, and one on the left which was good for lorikeets in early mornings, and the only place where we saw the Goliath Coucal. Grey-throated Goshawk at km3, Moluccan Goshawk at km8, at km9 we saw 2 Azure Rollers in flight only, and BOP. We had a total of 65 species in Foli.
Best birds seen: Dusky Scrubfowl, Rufous Night-Heron, Moluccan + Grey-throated Goshawk, Gurney's Eagle, Kentish Plover, Grey-tailed Tattler, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Emerald Dove, Scarlet-breasted + Blue-capped + Grey-headed Fruit-dove, White-eyed + Cinnamon-bellied + Pied Imperial Pigeon, Violet-necked + Chattering Lory, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Red-cheeked + Great-billed + Eclectus Parrot, Moluccan Hanging-Parrot, Goliath + Lesser Coucal, Moluccan Scops-Owl, Mollucan Hawk-Owl, Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar, Large-tailed Nightjar, Moustached Treewift, Halmahera Swiftlet, Blue-and-white Kingfisher, Azure Roller, Papuan Hornbill, Ivory-breasted Pitta, White-streaked Friarbird, Dusky Myzomela, Moluccan + White-bellied + Halmahera Cuckoo-shrike, Slender-billed Cicadabird, Rufous-bellied Triller, Golden + Drab Whistler, Dusky-brown Oriole, Spangled Drongo, White-naped + Spectacled Monarch, Moluccan + Common Shining Flycatcher, Long-billed + Paradise Crow, Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise, Northern Golden Bulbul, Grays Warbler, Creamy-throated White-eye, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Shining Starling, Moluccan Starling, Black + Olive-backed Sunbird.
We had no call or sighting of Paradise-Kingfisher, sombre Kingfisher, Red-necked Sparrowhawk, Flame-breasted (Halmahera) Flowerpecker, Invisible Rail, Moluccan King Parrot.
Ben and Blake saw Halmahera flowerpecker on from the main track around km 3 and Sombre Kingfisher on the track heading right at km 2, near the stream.
SIDANGOLI (10 to 12/10)
We decided to try the tracks near Sidangoli for the birds missed in Foli; once there we could see that Foli is much better as the forest here is more degraded and we had no flocks. Anyway we found the Sombre Kingfisher, and the Great Cuckoo-Dove was new for us, and we had a glimpse and heard the Common Paradise Kingfisher.
From Daru we have been waiting for a shared taxi to Sidangoli, we had one going to Sofifi, so he left us after less than 2 hours (60000/pers) at the fork of the 2 roads. Here some motorbikes (ojeks) were waiting, and we paid 50000(4€) each for the ride to Sidangoli at 26km, and could see on the way the birding areas. We stopped at the 1st guesthouse at the entrance, the Penginapan Wosa Ino, 200000 (16€) a clean room with aircon. The good thing here is that the owner, Silvia, is a clever woman and even if she doesn't speaks english she could arrange things for us; the bad thing is that there is a karaoke cafe there, and that we had 2 noisy nights!
The 2 logging tracks to bird are at km9 and km12; the markers on the road are good. The ojeks booked the day before didn't come on time in the 1st morning, so Silvia asked to a man to take us by car to the track at km12, we just paid 30000 for the fuel and came back hitchhiking which was very easy. The km12 trail is at the summit of the road on the left side. We took it, then at the fork we took right, going uphill to 500m high. After 1,2km, at the end of the track which is cut by 2 big logs, a Sombre Kingfisher called at 7:40am, and we had a perfect sighting of the bird singing for at least 20mn. WP : 0.932748° 127.588393°. On this trail seen Red-flanked Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot, Great-billed Parrot, Gurney's Eagle, Ivory-breasted Pitta, Dusky-brown Oriole, Paradise Crow. Back to the fork we took left, it is rather overgrown then descending in a gully where the forest is better, but we saw very few, BOP, Spectacled Monarch, heard Ivory-breasted Pitta.
The 2nd day the same man left us at km9 where we took the track on the left, at around 100m high. Here it seems that the forest is better further on but it isn't, it is logged. We only had 4 hours to bird before leaving, so we didn't go far; a Common Paradise-Kingfisher crossed the track in front of us and called inside the forest but we never could see it; it was just before the 1st bridge at 6:05am. We heard the Sombre Kingfisher during a short time further on. We saw a Great Cuckoo-Dove in flight, had a flock with Red-cheeked Parrot, Moluccan Hanging-Parrot, White-streaked Friarbird, Golden Bulbul, Spangled Drongo. We saw some Chattering Lory.
In Sidangoli we walked to the water front at the wooden jetty from where the speedboats leave. We checked the mangrove facing us but saw no Beach Kingfisher. Silvia proposed us to arrange a speedboat to Ternate for 350000 (28,5€) only for us the following day, trying to look for the kingfisher on the way. At the jetty the boatmen wanted 600000 for that so we we booked with her. We left at 11am, the boat went slowly around the small mangrove island facing the village, no bird during 1 hour, until we saw one after we had nearly finished the tour of the island, just in front of the big concrete jetty whish is on the right side of the wooden one. So we should have checked with the scope from that jetty first!
Once in Ternate we found that many hotels were full, so we checked in at the Corner Palace Hotel, 340000 (27-28€) the comfortable room with breakfast, free shuttle to the airport. In Ternate, the taxis and ojeks charge easily the tourists 50000 for a course where it should be 20000. The 12/10 we flew to Palu via Makassar on Garuda Airlines.
AKETAJAWE-LOLOBATA NATIONAL PARK - BINAGARA, Ben Schweinhart
After failing to see Invisible Rail at Foli, I decided to go on a wild rail chase in the new national park. With the help of Ari (asari.wahyu@gmail.com) at the park office in Solfifi, I arranged to camp in the park for two nights with local guide Roji (required, 150.000 rp/night). His farm in Binagara on the border of the park, and three hours from where we camped. Roji has seen the Rail eleven times, and found a nest of the bird very close to his house (images in the OBC database).
The forest was pristine and stunningly beautiful, with limestone creeks and caves filled with bats. Unfortunately, the closed canopy made it difficult to see birds. As a result, Azure Roller was heard-only despite a several hour stake-out at a stump that Roji said was its favorite perch.
For the Rail, we staked out a forest rivulet where Roji had seen it twice the previous April. The bird did not show. Perhaps I would have seen it with more time; I would have given it another day, but I needed to leave to meet Blake at Ternate. It may also be easier to see in April or May.
On the last morning, I went to a Standardwing lek on the hike back to Binagara. It was spectacular, with 10+ males displaying at one time (I only saw one at the lek at Foli).
I saw only two birds there that I did not find at Foli - Nicobar Pigeon (not complaining about that!) and Variable Dwarf-kingfisher (split as Moluccan Dwarf-kingfisher by a new paper, and by BirdLife International in November 2012). Despite my failure to see my target birds, it was still worth the experience as the park is one of the most beautiful places I have been.
Birds seen/heard: Dusky Scrubfowl, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Emerald Dove, Nicobar Pigeon, Scarlet-breasted Fruit-Dove (at the Standwarding lek), Superb Fruit-Dove, Blue-capped Fruit-Dove, Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon, Cinnamon-bellied Imperial-Pigeon, White Cockatoo, Violet-necked Lory, Chattering Lory, Red-cheeked Parrot, Great-billed Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Goliath Coucal, Moluccan Scops-Owl, Moluccan Hawk-Owl, Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar, Glossy Swiftlet, Sombre Kingfisher, Purple Roller, Blyth's Hornbill, Ivory-breasted Pitta, Red-bellied Pitta, Rufous-bellied Triller, Spangled Drongo, Halmahera Oriole, Standardwing, Paradise Crow, White-naped Monarch, Spectacled Monarch, Shining Flycatcher, Slaty Flycatcher, Golden Whistler, White-streaked Friarbird, Black Sunbird.