photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
Peter Ericsson | profile | all galleries >> Birds of Indonesia >> Indonesian tripreports! >> Sulawesi 2011 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Sulawesi 2011

I spent 13 days in Sulawesi in August 2011. Visited regular sites: Gunung Ambang, Tambun, Dumoga Bone National Park, Tangkoko and Lore Lindu from Palu.

1st stop on the way to Gunung Ambang was some rice paddies. A major excitement was a male Blue-breasted Quail that was seen from close range.

It rained off and on at Ambang and the 1st night of owling came to a quick end. The trail was incredibly muddy and slippery and not much fun.

The next morning I made it up the trail again in the dark in search of owls and Scaly-breasted Kingfisher. No owls would show and the Kingfisher turned out to be darn elusive. Only brief flight views was obtained though it kept calling at close range.

At the top it took some effort but eventually a Matinan Flycatcher was found singing and gave great views. A flock of Malias was another highlite up here. Such great noisy birds moving about in flocks reminiscent of Laughingthrushes.

In the evening it was time for owling again and this time the weather was accommodating and good views were given by Cinnabar Boobok, the target species.

At Tumbon no Maleo showed on the 1st afternoon. The next morning 3 birds were seen roosting in trees.

Tarout was good with the expected targets seen: Sulawesi Pygmy Hornbill, Pied Cuckoo Shrike, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tails, Blue-rumped Parrots, Sulawesi Scops Owl and Speckled Boobok.

Tangkoko gave good views of Red-backed Thrush, Lilac, Green-backed, Black-billed Kingfishers but no views of Sulawesi Dwarf. Ochre-bellied Booboks were tame like never before. Red-bellied Pitta showed as well.

Tangkoko is increasingly expensive and Mama Roos place is now run by one of her sons. Mama Roos passed away mid 2011. The place is not up to standard and services leaves a lot to be desired.

Lore Lindu was a 1st for me. Long drive from Palu and 2 flights from Manado to get there.
A stop near Palu gave cracking views of roosting Savanna Nightjars. Loads of Lemon-bellied White-eyes and Red-backed Buttonquail.

Birding at Lore Lindu is in a rather small area where the target birds slowly yield themselves.
Good ones were Sulawesi Thrush, Blue-fronted FC, Piping Crow, Great Shortwing, Maroon-backed Whistler, Malias and a single Geomalia at the top of the mountain that require a hard long walk.

Sendy's resort has a new building and is comfortable. No need for air-con here as temperatures are always pleasent on these higher grounds. Food is good and beer available.


Many of these birds have not been photographed much and so I am posting
several low grade images for record purposes.

This was not a photographic trip per se as I always was last in the line.

Shots were with Canon 30D, 400mm F5.6, handheld and mostly without flash.

Full report is found here: http://birding2asia.com/tours/reports/Sul-HalAugust11.html
Pacific Reef Egret
Pacific Reef Egret
Cinnamon Bittern
Cinnamon Bittern
Sunda Teal and Wandering Whistling Ducks
Sunda Teal and Wandering Whistling Ducks
Isabelline Bush-hen
Isabelline Bush-hen
Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo)
Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo)
Blue-breasted Quail
Blue-breasted Quail
Blue-breasted Quail
Blue-breasted Quail
Grey-tailed Tattler
Grey-tailed Tattler
Yellow-billed Malkoha
Yellow-billed Malkoha
Grey-sided Flowerpecker
Grey-sided Flowerpecker
Grey-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum celebicum)
Grey-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum celebicum)
Sahul Sunbird
Sahul Sunbird
Sahul Sunbird
Sahul Sunbird
Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Pacific Swallow
Pacific Swallow
 Sulawesi scops owl (Otus manadensis)
Sulawesi scops owl (Otus manadensis)
Speckled Boobok
Speckled Boobok
Ochre-bellied Boobook (Ninox ochracea)
Ochre-bellied Boobook (Ninox ochracea)
Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail
Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail
Savanna Nightjar
Savanna Nightjar
Savanna Nightjar
Savanna Nightjar
Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove
Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove
Red-eared Fruit Dove
Red-eared Fruit Dove
Sultan's Cuckoo Dove
Sultan's Cuckoo Dove
Superb Fruit Dove
Superb Fruit Dove
Superb Fruit Dove
Superb Fruit Dove
Hair-crested Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Sulawesi hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)
Sulawesi hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)
Sulawesi hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)
Sulawesi hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)
Barred Honey Buzzard
Barred Honey Buzzard
Lesser Fish Eagle
Lesser Fish Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Crested Serpent Eagle
Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill
Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill
Red-knobbed Hornbill
Red-knobbed Hornbill
Red-knobbed Hornbills
Red-knobbed Hornbills
Fiery-browed Starling
Fiery-browed Starling
Fiery-browed Starling
Fiery-browed Starling
Grosbeak Starlings
Grosbeak Starlings
Grosbeak Starling
Grosbeak Starling
Sulawesi  Thrush
Sulawesi Thrush
Purple-winged Roller
Purple-winged Roller
Ashy Woodpecker
Ashy Woodpecker
Red-backed Thrush
Red-backed Thrush
Green-backed Kingfisher
Green-backed Kingfisher
Great-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis melanorhyncha)
Great-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis melanorhyncha)
Great-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis melanorhyncha)
Great-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis melanorhyncha)
Citrine Flycatcher
Citrine Flycatcher
Citrine Flycatcher
Citrine Flycatcher
Citrine Flycatcher
Citrine Flycatcher
Matinan Flycatcher
Matinan Flycatcher
 Blue-fronted Flycatcher  (Cyornis hoevelli)
Blue-fronted Flycatcher (Cyornis hoevelli)
 Blue-fronted Flycatcher  (Cyornis hoevelli)
Blue-fronted Flycatcher (Cyornis hoevelli)
Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
Little Pied Flycatcher
Little Pied Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Whistler
Sulphur-bellied Whistler
Maroon-backed Whistler
Maroon-backed Whistler
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Lemon-bellied White-eye
Black-fronted White-eye
Black-fronted White-eye
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler