Jakarta Bay Boat Trip

We had a boat trip out into Jakarta Bay this morning aimed at seeing Christmas Island Frigatebird but it turned out to be so much more than that. We began from our ‘downtown’ starting position by sailing out of the channel towards the bay and within ten minutes had our first of over 20 Milky Storks to be seen today. Classified as Endangered by BirdLife International due to a rapid decline in its stronghold of Sumatra caused by intense hunting pressure at its nesting colonies, as well as more general human disturbance and the old nutshell of reclamation of its favourite coastal habitat for feeding. It’s a very sad situation and difficult to see a positive outcome here. It was a real privilege to see so many right on the edge of the huge metropolis of Jakarta, although it wasn’t the most salubrious of settings! 

We saw over 20 Milky Storks this morning...

Another highlight was seeing so many Sunda Teal, initially just flybys, but then out in the bay on some old, abandoned ships we saw many and apparently they nest in these old ships! We also saw a few Cerulean Kingfishers but again, mainly flybys, as well as Pied Triller, Bar-winged Prinia and eventually the ultimate prize of a Javan Coucal perched up and showing nicely, albeit a little distantly.

Sunda Teal

There were many other birds seen including House Swift, Javan Pond Heron, Black-backed Swamphen, Oriental Darter, Gull-billed Tern, White-breasted Waterhen, Sacred Kingfisher, Javan Myna, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Pacific Swallow, Pink-necked Green-Pigeon, Red-breasted Parakeet, Racket-tailed Treepie, Little Black Cormorant, a couple of Pied Stilts and a close Javan Plover. Nice!

Javan Plover

Javan Pond Heron

More Milky Storks were seen

Many Purple Herons were seen this morning

Then we headed out into Jakarta Bay seeing White-bellied Sea Eagle and Whiskered Tern, before reaching some poles where flocks of Great Crested and Black-naped Terns were roosting, with a couple of Common Terns. 

Great Crested Tern

And then we came across several roosting groups of frigatebirds, most of which turned out to be Christmas Island Frigatebirds and we were treated to outstanding close views of 59 of them, plus 3 Lesser Frigatebirds and a single Greater Frigatebird. Awesome! Once we were satisfied with the views we headed back to the mainland seeing Pied Imperial-Pigeon and a Pacific Reef Egret to round off a great boat trip.

Christmas Island Frigatebirds

Greater Frigatebird

Boas took us for lunch and coffee before we headed to the mangroves in the heat of the early afternoon. This turned out to be a good move as we saw Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker next to the car park, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Malaysan Pied Fantail, another Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Indonesian (Brown) Honeyeater, Striated Swallow, a single Little Cormorant in a roost of Little Black Cormorants, and eventually a pair of Cerulean Kingfishers perched.

Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker

It had been a great day but we were all tired by now and with a midnight flight to West Papua we decided to head to a nearby hotel for a rest and a refreshing shower before heading to the domestic terminal and the next stage of our adventure. Thanks Boas for being an excellent and very knowledgeable guide.