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...!