Flores August – September 2014, Tambak Koliaduk Fishponds

This little known birding site is located just East of Maumere and after receiving an email from Mark Schellekens (a Dutch birder who lives in Moni) recommending it, we decided to pay it a visit. The site is composed of some fishponds and a lot of mangroves and is apparently a good site for waders and migrants and Indonesian rarities as the second Lesser Yellowlegs for Indonesia was found here. For a species list of this site see here LINK.

We drove there by car from Maumere, for which we paid 150.000 IDR including waiting time, which was a bit too much… We went there in the afternoon and as soon as we arrived at the little village we could see the fish ponds and it was also clear that it was low tide. At first we walked along the main road looking for some mudflats that could be checked, but we only saw mangroves and no birds at all. Later we entered the area of the fishponds after having asked permission to the local people. At the fishponds we did see little birds as well. Eventually I entered the mangroves together with a small local boy who tried very hard to show me some birds but in the end we found little to write home about. The only waders were a single Whimbrel and Greenshank which were heard only. We did find some Eastern Yellow Wagtails, proving that the Palearctic passerine migration had started.

The little boy told me that the birds were only here during the morning and when it was high tide. I guess during those times birding here can be productive, but during an afternoon with low tide I found it rather disappointing. Perhaps a little later in the year might also prove this site to be more productive. Be prepared to get wet and dirty feet in this area when entering the mangroves.