Java July 2014, Muara Angke

Due to our two-monthly visa trips we ended up staying a couple of days in Jakarta, which provided us with a great opportunity to visit Muara Angke. This site is well-known as a reliable site for Sunda Coucal and Black-winged Starling. It is easily reached from any of the Airport Hotels and takes around 30 minutes and costs between 50.000 and 100.000 IDR to get there. However not all taxi drivers are familiar with the site, so make sure you state that you want to go to "Muara Angke, taman Bakau di Jalan Pantai Indah Utura". This worked out for us. There are some posts on the internet stating that you need to pay an unofficial "entrance fee", but for us this was not the case. We visited the site twice and the first time there was nobody at the gate house and the second time they just let us in without any hassle.

The site is great for being within Jakarta, but the board walks are in terrible disrepair and stop somewhere in the middle of the area. Apparently there used to be a path west to the area as well, but we only saw the huge Boulevard Mediterana, so we didn't even try birding from that site. Muara Angke is also known as a good site for Javan Plover and Painted Stork, but for those you probably need to get closer to the coast, which we didn't as the boardwalk was broken. Perhaps it is better for these species to try to get to the coast from the west side (Boulevard Mediterana).

We tried twice to locate a Sunda Coucal, the first visit was in the morning (8:00-12:00) and the second in the afternoon (15:00-18:00), but we failed on both occasions. Perhaps early morning is a better time for this species... However we saw two Black-winged Starlings of the nominate subspecies on the first morning. Obviously we were thrilled to enjoy good views of this critically endangered species.

Black-winged Starling (Acridotheres melanopterus)

We also enjoyed several Small Blue Kingfishers, Bar-winged Prinias, Olive-backed Tailorbirds, Small Minivets, Indian Reed-warblers and Scarlet-headed Flowerpeckers in the woody areas. While the small lake (that is currently completely covered with water hyacint) proved good for Purple Swamphen (of the (sub)species indicus), White-browed Crake, Ruddy-breasted Crake, Oriental Darter and Black Bittern amongst others. Some migrants from the Austral region like Horsfield's Bronzed Cuckoo and Sacred Kingfisher were also much appreciated as was a Savannah Nightjar flying over the highway on the way back.

Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trochileum)

Bar-winged Prinia (Prinia familiaris)

Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)

Black Bittern (Dupetor flavicollis)

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)

For mammal-enthusiasts this area does not have much to offer. The only mammals we observed in this area were Plaintain Squirrels and some tame (and occasionally aggressive) Long-tailed Macaques.

Male Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Kalimantan May - July 2014, Ulu Barito

In the previous post about this area, I announced that I would return and so I did for another seven wonderful weeks. Again the results were fruitful, but not to many new species were added to the site list. I guess the curve is flattening. New additions were mostly birds I've been expecting to find in the area, but which kept eluding me like Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker, Red-throated Sunbird, Puff-backed Bulbul and Little Green Pigeon. However I managed to add another endemic to the list as well: Bornean Whistler. With these additions the current Batikap total exceeds 240!

Just like during the first and the second visit, I spend a lot of time searching for rare Galliformes. Unfortunately I was not lucky enough to get better looks at Black Partridges nor Bornean Peacock-pheasants, although the latter was calling fanatically on some days! Nor allowed the Orang-utan schedule another visit to the Bulwer's Pheasant lek. However I was lucky enough to get good views on a male (and female) Bulwer's Pheasant foraging on the riverbanks. Finally! The more common Galliformes, Crested Partridge and Crested Fireback, were observed much more often and the latter was observed virtually daily! I guess this was due to the fact that the masting (mass fruiting) of the forest has started now. Unfortunately I still did not get the chance to make any photographs of any of the rare Galliformes, but in the end I found a different way to remember my sightings. This way can be viewed in a video here.

Even though the masting has started, I must admit that I miss the migrants. They certainly add something like a surprise factor to the Bornean avifauna. So I focussed more on uncommon resident species that I had not seen well during the previous visits. Consequently I enjoyed brilliant views of Wallace's Hawk-eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Green Broadbill, Malaysian Honeyguide, Moustached and Malaysian Hawk-cuckoo, next to the more familiar goodies like Blue-headed Pitta, Short-toed Coucal, Blue-banded Kingfisher and Large Green Pigeon.

Rufous-bellied Eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii)

Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus)

Moustached Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx vagans)

Juvenile Malaysian Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax)

Green Broadbill (Calyptomena viridis), such a brilliant bird!

Female Blue-banded Kingfisher (Alcedo euryzona)

Again the mammals were a highlight too. Especially the amount of Bearded Pigs, attracted by the Dipterocarp seeds is incredible. The numbers of Sambar and both Muntjacs and Mouse-deer have also increased due to the masting. The Bornean Orang-utans and Bornean White-bearded Gibbons seemed to enjoy plentiful food as well. Other highlights were another Bornean Slow Loris and a Tree-striped Ground Squirrel.

Greater Mouse-deer (Tragulus napu)

Unfortunately this was the last time in the near future that we stayed in this wonderful area. We will not soon forget our times here. I mean there are not many places where Bornean Peacock-pheasant, Bornean Ground-cuckoo, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Large-green Pigeon and Large Frogmouth can alll be heard just from your bed or where Blue-banded Kingfishers and Malaysian Hawk-cuckoos watch you while you take a bath in the river...