Java: Cibodas Botanical Gardens

And here I am in Java, spending a few days with my group before we all fly to West Papua. This year is a bit of a whirlwind, as I try to catch up with tours that have been postponed over the Covid period. And this is yet another one of them....

With everyone arriving into Jakarta late last night, it was a really horrid 5am departure from our downtown hotel. Blurry-eyed and needing coffee we set off towards Cibodas Botanical Gardens, some two hours south of the bustling metropolis of Jakarta. Upon arrival the weather was overcast and dull as we ate our field breakfast overlooking one of the favoured feeding areas of Javan or Yellow-throated Hanging-Parrot. It took a little while to obtain decent views, and all we had for our efforts to begin with were a few flyovers or bullet-like shapes disappearing into the canopy of a large, leafy tree. However, once the sky brightened we were able to enjoy repeated scope views of this little cracker – and a Javan endemic to boot! In fact, we had a purple patch for about 90 minutes with new birds appearing all too quickly for some! A calling Rusty-breasted Cuckoo was tracked down by our exceedingly sharp-eyed guide, Boas, followed by Collared Kingfisher, several Linchi Swifltets appeared and became our constant companions all morning, Cinereous Tit, Mountain Leaf Warbler and a flyby Crested Serpent-Eagle. The large tree in front of us not only held numerous hanging-parrots, but also a pair of Orange-spotted Bulbuls, a Banded Broadbill showed nicely and as we watched that little stunner, a Chestnut-breasted Malkoha appeared. Several Flame-fronted Barbetsthen diverted our attention as the views became increasingly better and we could fully appreciate the head pattern of yellow and blue with a rich, emerald body. Several smaller trees just below us then became the focus of our attention as a group of Sangkar White-eyes moved through, followed by Javan Munia, Little Pied Flycatcher, the endemic White-flanked Sunbird,Olive-backed Tailorbird, some superb Pygmy Bushtits, Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike and an all-too-brief Javan Flowerpecker. Wow! 

The endemic Flame-fronted Barbet

After another cup of coffee we saw our first Pacific Swallows and had better views of Orange-spotted Bulbul before driving to a different area within these huge gardens. A Sooty-headed Bulbul was scoped in the car park, as was another Javan Munia, before we walked up the slope a little ways and found a very confiding Mountain Tailorbird and an Ashy Drongo. We also improved our views of Flame-fronted Barbet and Pygmy Bushtit before driving lower down to look for Javan Kingfisher. We didn’t find the kingfisher but a Blue-and-white Flycatcher was a bit of a surprise, and we also scoped an adult Rusty-breasted Cuckoo and a group of White-breasted Woodswallows. A short drive to another kingfisher spot was quite productive with brief Horsfield’s Babbler and Javan Flowerpecker, as well as another group of white-eyes, a party of 3 Chestnut-breasted Malkohasand finally a Javan Kingfisher to round off a really good morning’s birding. 

 

After lunch at a local restaurant we drove just down the hill to a really nice hotel, where we’d be spending the next two nights and enjoyed a couple of hours rest before heading back out into the field at 3.45pm. It was a bit overcast and activity was low but we had decent looks at a Horsfield’s Babbler, with Collared and a brief Javan Kingfisher and some other previously seen species adding to the mix. We waited for dusk and looked for Sunda Thrush without a sniff before spotlighting a Salvadori’s Nightjar perched up in the spotlight to round off a good day in Java. And so it's off to bed nice and early as we are leaving at 3.30am tomorrow to try and get Javan Scops Owl before heading up to Gunung Gede.... A beautiful 6 hours sleep beckons...!

AMAZONIA NATIONAL PARK - THE END

Our final trail hike of the tour took us along the Tracoa Trail, which proved to be a little slow. It took a while to actually see any birds at all and there wasn’t much calling at all for ages. Eventually, we tracked down a calling Barred Forest-Falcon, followed by a cracking Amazonian Antshrike, Striped Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Antbird, Dot-winged Antwren and Glossy Antshrike along a pretty productive section of trail. 

Barred Forest Falcon

Dot-winged Antwren

Striped Woodcreeper

Walking back and we saw a fantastic Long-billed Woodcreeper very well, but a Hauxwell’s Thrush just flew around us without perching in the open at all. A short while later a Rose-breasted Chat did the same frustrating thing, whilst a Long-tailed Hermit appeared. 

This monster is a Long-billed Woodcreeper. Wow!

But we didn’t go out with a whimper as we had a pair of Moustached Wrens, Long-billed Gnatwren at point-blank range and ended the tour with nice views of Amazonian Antpitta again (incredible huh). 

Long-billed Gnatwren

Amazonian Antpitta

All that remained was to return to the lodge, shower, pack and have lunch before loading the luggage onto the bus and driving back to Itaituba. Here we had a private charter 9-seat Sessna plane to take us back to Manaus. The flight took around 85 minutes and flew the entire journey over the Amazonian rainforest, which was only broken up by numerous rivers, lakes and side channels making for a fascinating and eye-opening journey. 

Obligatory end of tour selfies....

Another view of the river....

Our private charter back to Manaus

One last selfie....

The views over the Amazon were mind-blowing. Just mile after mile of river and rainforest for a solid 75 mins...

Upon arrival at our hotel in Manaus we shared one final beer together before departing our separate ways.

One last self-indulgent sunrise photo before wrapping up another successful tour....

A Mixed Bag at Amazonia National Park

A slow morning really as we birded along another trail. It began brightly with some calling Green-winged (Dark-winged) Trumpeters that some of us saw in the early morning gloom. A Hoffmanns’s Woodcreeper followed, along with Elegant Woodcreeper, Cinereous Antshrike and a Long-winged Antwren. A calling Cryptic Forest-Falcon remained just a voice in the distance unfortunately. We walked quite a way before getting brief looks at Black-spotted Bare-eye, and I think only I saw a Rufous-capped Antthrush but a little further on a stonking Collared Puffbird was tracked down way above us in the canopy of some really tall trees. 

This Collared Puffbird was waaaaay overhead...

Further on, at a clearing where we could look across the valley, we saw Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Gould’s Toucanet, Lafresnaye’s Woodcreeper, some soaring Swallow-tailed and Plumbeous Kites and a distant Golden-green Woodpecker. Reaching the end of the trail it was a relief to see we had rejoined the road from a different place and didn’t have to retrace our steps many kilometres. We drove down to one of the bridges and scanned the surrounding area from the shade and were lucky to see a bunch of new birds for the trip beginning with a group of Bare-necked Fruitcrows, followed by Masked Tityra, Pied Puffbird, Epaulet Oriole and Rufous-bellied Euphonia, with another much closer female Fiery-tailed Awlbill. We do love a bit of padding!

 

After lunch and a siesta we got on a boat and sailed across the Rio Tapajos where we visited several small islands. The first island gave us the local subspecies (and soon to be split) Blackish-grey Antshrike, a pair of which showed really well. Flame-crowned Manakin, Striped Woodcreeper and Amazonian Streaked Antwren followed. The second island was birdless so we sailed to a third where we scanned from the sandy beach.  Some terns could be seen downriver so Bart and I sailed down to get close to our first Yellow-billed Tern sat amongst some Large-billed Terns and Black Skimmers. Sailing back to join the guys we passed a small island where around 40+ Sand-coloured Nighthawks were roosting and took flight as we passed by in spectacular fashion. 

This tree was literally dripping with Grey-breasted Martins

Nice view from our lodge out across the river

A jumble of Sand-coloured Nighthawks

Yellow-billed Tern

Great-billed Terns

Black Skimmer, Yellow-billed Tern and Great-billed Tern

We got the others and returned, only to find a rare Southern Martin had been seen by them, but we all had close views of the nighthawks and as we headed back across the river to the lodge passed a tree dripping with Grey-breasted Martins. They all took flight and unbelievably another Southern Martin flew right across in front of us. The light out on the river was extraordinarily beautiful this evening and it was a pleasure just being out on a boat in the Amazon! Back ashore some Turquoise Tanagers were seen, as well as our first Speckled Chachalacas. 

This Tropical Screech Owl proved to be quite tricky to locate, until........

After dinner we called in a Tropical Screech-Owl to round off the day’s proceedings.  

Amazonia NP - The Gift That Keeps on Giving!

We birded the Gameleira Trail this morning, arriving at the viewpoint overlooking the Rio Tapajos at sunrise, which was rather spectacular.  As soon as we entered the trail a White-crested Guan was seen in a large tree showing well in the sunlight. 

White-crested Guan

Once we had walked in further we came across a flock that held Saturnine Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, a few Rufous-rumped Foliage-Gleaners, an Amazonian Trogon, a very brief Xingu Scale-backed Antbird, Plain-throated Antwren and Yellow-throated Woodpecker. We spent quite some time with this group before walking on until we heard some Golden Parakeets flying over. 

Golden Parakeet - mega!

Quick as ever, Pablo fired off the call and the birds seemed to have perched up nearby as we could still hear one or two calls. After a few minutes of walking quietly closer we came directly beneath the tree we thought they were in and through a few small gaps in the canopy could see some incredibly bright yellow blobs above us. And there they were. Wow! Golden Parakeets in all their glory and what a stunner! Moving on we had Rufous Motmot, Plumbeous Pigeon, some Red-necked Aracaris, Green-backed Trogon, Chestnut Woodpecker, Rusty-belted Tapaculo and a cracking Snow-capped Manakin before walking back towards the entrance of the trail. 

Long-winged Antwren

Rufous Motmot

The return walk gave us Long-winged Antwren, Spix’s Warbling Antbird, Reddish Hermit, White-flanked Antwren, Cinereous Antshrike, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant and a female Fiery-tailed Awlbill. What a morning. Amazonia National Park really is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

We spent the afternoon along the Trans-Amazonica Highway looking for fruiting trees and potential sites to stake-out for White-tailed Cotinga. No cotingas were forthcoming but we did find a large fruiting tree that we watched for several hours, during which time we saw our one and only Red-headed Manakin, and our first Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Strong-billed Woodcreeper and Black-necked Aracari. Other species coming in to feed included Spangled Cotinga, Dusky-chested Flycatcher, Channel-billed Toucan, many Blue-headed Parrots, Gould’s Toucanet and Santarem Parakeets. 

Channel-billed Toucan

We also noted flyby Scarlet Macaws and Southern Mealy Amazons, with a group of White-crested Guans feeding in another tree just a short distance along the road. 

Tawny-bellied Screech Owl

A spot of owling on the return journey to the lodge resulted in fantastic views of Southern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl to round off another superb day in Amazonia National Park.

Amazonia National Park - a Mega Day!

Our first full day in Amazonia National Park was one we all looked forward to immensely. And after a 5am breakfast we were soon in the bus and off up the road into the park, however things didn’t quite go according to plan as the bus broke down. Whilst the driver fitted a new cam belt I played a few random owl calls and amazingly called in a pair of Spectacled Owls who posed beautifully in a large cecropia tree on the slope above us. 

Spectacled Owls

After around half an hour we were on our way once more and as the day got lighter we saw a pair of Razor-billed Curassows walking along the side of the road, and shortly after Gilberto spotted a group of White-crested Guans in a tree next to the road. So we all jumped out and had superb views of up to 3 individuals. 

White-crested Guan

Upon arrival at the Capelinha Trail, which is the farthest of the trails visited, we began walking and spent a good couple of hours seeing some very, very good birds before the ridiculous noise from the cicadas made it impossible to hear any birdsong! Anyway, we got proceedings under way with a Spot-winged Antshrike high in the canopy over the trail, followed by a pair of Spix’s Warbling Antbirds, before walking briskly to a stake-out for Black-bellied Gnateater. Upon arrival, Gilberto proceeded to set up a temporary blind before playing the call once. And in popped the bird. And what a beast! Think of a gnateatear and you immediately picture a tiny round ball of feathers difficult to pick up in the gloomy understorey. Not this beast as its huge and obvious and sat out in the open for a good few minutes, moving from exposed perch to exposed perch for us before exiting stage left and leaving us with happy, smiley, gormless faces!

Black-bellied Gnateater

Buoyed with our success we continued walking further into the forest , seeing bits and pieces such as Broad-billed Motmot, White-fronted Nunbird until we crossed a small stream and Gilberto pointed out a totally awesome White-browed Hawk perched above us. What a bird! At this point the cicada noise grew incredibly loud prompting Pablo to suggest we go elsewhere and our return hike to the bus was enlivened with a Long-tailed Woodcreeper and another Rufous-necked Puffbird.

White-browed Hawk

So we drove to the Park HQ to look for Flame-crowned Manakin, which took all of 5 minutes to find and then wandered along a trail for a little way not expecting to find much in the heat. But a Natterer’s Slaty Antshrike was called in, along with a Ruddy Spinetail at the same spot. And then we became aware there was a fruiting tree next to us and stacks of birds began flying in. Some noisy Dusky-chested Flycatchers were joined by Ochre-bellied, Yellow-breasted and a Streaked Flycatcher, a Forest Elaenia, a Red-legged Honeycreeper appeared, 3 gorgeous Red-necked Aracari’s flew in, an immature Spangled Cotinga appeared, and 3 Santarem Parakeets were spotted quietly feeding right above us. The last new bird here was a White-necked Jacobin before we decided to return to the lodge for lunch. What a morning!

Flame-crowned Manakin

If anything, we raised the quality level this afternoon beginning with a pair of Brown-chested Barbets perched high up above us along a trail, with a Gould’s Toucanet at the same spot. Just around the corner a Banded Antbird performed admirably right in front of us, an Elegant Woodcreeper flew in and then things got really interesting. 

Banded Antbird

A Harlequin Antbird began calling just up ahead and we walked off the trail and tried to make ourselves a little more inconspicuous. After a short wait we located it calling away from a horizontal branch amongst some leafy bushes about 30 feet away. Wow! 

Harlequin Antbird - poor record shot but wow! What a bird!

As we walked back to the bus Vulturine Parrot called from high up in the canopy and after a bit of manoeuvring we had excellent views of this speciality. 

Vulturine Parrot

Back out on the road we had a Dark-billed Cuckoo and Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, before dropping into another side trail where Amazonian Antpitta popped up onto some horizontal vines right in front of us in the fading light and by the nearby bridge a Rufescent Tiger-Heron was stood beside a small waterfall. I can tell you we celebrated with a few caipirinhas this evening!

AMAZING AMAZONIA NATIONAL PARK

With the main tour over it was time for the exciting extension to Amazonia National Park, which entailed a short 1h 15 mins flight to Itaituba where we arrived at 10.30am, met our driver and local guide Gilberto and drove just over an hour along a rather bumpy road to Pousada Portal Lodge. It was definitely hotter here but less humid thankfully and after dropping our bags into our rooms we had a quick look around the gardens that adjoin the huge Rio Tapajos. We were pleased to see White-banded and Black-collared Swallows flying around in front of us, and we scoped a Black Caracara across the river as well. After lunch we sat discussing the possibilities that lay ahead and noted Yellow-bellied Elaenia and Glittering-throated Emerald in the trees in front of us before retiring to our rooms for a siesta.

 

At 3.30pm we set off and drove just under half an hour to the Acalzal Trail where we began walking into the forest, seeing a Great Jacamar almost immediately. Nearby a pair of superb Spix’s Warbling Antbirds responded almost immediately to the tape and we enjoyed nice looks at them before continuing our walk. At a shady section of canopy we got to grips initially with a White-eyed Stipplethroat before Pablo declared that there was also a pair of  Ornate Stipplethroats above us as well. We spent quite a while getting to grips with both species although mainly getting underpart views made it decidedly tricky. Within a hundred metres Gilberto was pointing to a looping vine not far away that had an absolutely awesome Rufous-necked Puffbird perched on it. Wow! 

Rufous-necked Puffbird - stunner!

But the best was yet to come as a bit further on an Alta Floresta Antpitta began calling, so we knuckled down for a game of cat-and-mouse which was eventually rewarded with everyone getting eyeballs on this absolute stonker!  So by now it was 5.45pm and we headed back to the road, stopping along the way when a pair of Plain-throated Antwrens appeared and an Elegant Woodcreeper was spotted, along with a pair of Red-stained Woodpeckers to round off a brilliant bit of afternoon trail birding. 

 

Out on the main park road we called in to the HQ to register our permits and took in the amazing view across the Rio Tapajos, before checking out a marshy area at dusk where a colony of Olive Oropendolas were present in a large tree. There was also a pair of Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers, and a Short-tailed Nighthawk flew over us. We celebrated our antpitta success tonight with Caipirinhas and beer before calling it a night.