Going to Halmahera - 21st September

Another early start saw us bid farewell to our wonderful hosts and spend a little time back up on the ridge, which gave us further views of all the usual species. Then we drove to Manado and took the 45 minute flight to the island of Ternate where we hopped into some taxis which took us down to the seafront. Here we boarded a speedboat and set off across the channel that separates Sulawesi from Halmahera. I was really looking forward to the crossing and hoped for a few seabirds but the whole channel was very quiet and all we had was a single Great Crested Tern, several Lesser Frigatebirds and a few Red-necked Phalaropes. As we approached Halmahera the boat slowed down and cruised close to the Mangroves where we found at least 4 Beach Kingfishers before reaching the tiny harbour at Sidangoli. Upon landing we were aware of many locals congregating to take a look at these strange visitors before driving just a few minutes away and our accommodation for the next few nights. 

Black-chinned Golden Whistler

Moluccan Scops-owl

After a siesta we drove into the hills and scored with our first endemics on this new island with Moluccan Goshawk, Grey-faced Fruit-dove, White Cockatoo and Black-chinned Golden Whistler. Numerous Blyth’s Hornbills were seen and giving some impressively close flybys and one male was even seen visiting its nesting hole and feeding the female walled up inside. A pair of Eclectus Parrots showed well from our viewpoint and were seen mobbing a White Cockatoo at one stage. As dusk fell we managed to finally call in an owl quite quickly, when a Moluccan Scops-owl was spotlighted beside the road.

Tangkoko - 20th September

We headed over to the mangroves this morning which made for a pleasant change from forest birding and passed a Sulawesi Goshawk and Osprey along the way. 

On route to the mangroves

Upon entering a narrow channel into the mangroves, several Pink-necked Green-pigeons were seen, along with Dollarbird and for some people a Small Sulawesi Hanging-parrot. 

Inside the mangroves - note bad fashion choices!

It took a couple of trips along the channel before we nailed Great-billed Kingfisher, a hulking Sulawesi endemic. After a very fast flypast we had two views of a perched bird, giving great looks and much appreciated by everyone.

Great-billed Kingfisher

Leaving here we sailed back to the forest, passing a Blue Rock Thrush along the way and then spent the next couple of hours searching for Red-bellied Pitta, but there just weren’t any about. A fine Red-backed Thrush was outshone by a pair of Purple-winged Rollers but apart from that the forest was very quiet. A brief stab at Sulawesi Nightjar on the way back to the lodge resulted in a quick flight view but by late morning the temperature was soaring and we were in need of some cold drinks!

We spent the afternoon at the viewpoint scanning the treetops across the valley which were literally brimming with birds. Exceptionally confiding Golden-mantled and Yellow-breasted Racquet-tails were feeding in some close trees, whilst flocks of Ornate Lorikeets wheeled around below us. A Moluccan Red Lory was something of a surprise and was undoubtedly an escape, but a Blue-backed Parrot was more at home here. There were lots of fruiting trees attracting numerous Green, Grey-headed, White-bellied and Silver-tipped Imperial-pigeons, and a fine adult Rufous-bellied Eagle was seen. But it wasn’t until late afternoon that we eventually found a group of 6 Sulawesi Black Pigeons feeding quietly in a fruiting tree. As the light fell a Sulawesi Nightjar began calling and gave another brief flyby.

In the evening we had a celebratory beer, some birthday cake for myself and David and even a little dancing. The less said the better!

Tangkoko - 19th September

First light saw us carefully scanning the narrow creek in search of Ruddy Kingfisher which failed to materialise so we headed out on a long walk through the dry forest, getting a brief flyover from a pair of White-rumped Cuckooshrikes. 

Ochre-bellied Boobooks

Amazingly we came across a pair of roosting Ochre-bellied Boobooks which were totally unfazed by us. Another roosting Sulawesi Scops-owl was also found, just to make a mockery of our lengthy night-time attempts earlier in the trip.  One of the highlights of the morning was watching a male Knobbed Hornbill bringing fruit into its walled up female in a tall tree, and we could just about see her moving around in the narrow slit of dried mud… 

Knobbed Hornbill

Knobbed Hornbill

A pair of Purple-winged Rollers gave tantalising brief views flying over the canopy above, a White-necked Myna showed well, as did a confiding Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail and a Stephan’s Dove flew by. A troop of Sulawesi Crested Macaques provided some non-avian interest - and it was good to see Great Uncle Albert again! As we walked back down to the creek one of the park rangers found a pair of Ruddy Kingfishers which gave nice views, although to far to get a photo. It's a species i've always wanted to get a good photo of and must admit I was a bit disappointed to walk away empty handed on that score, but also relieved we'd finally got it on the list!  On the way back to the lodge we took a diversion and followed a new trail in search of Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher which we failed to locate, although a pair of Ivory-backed Woodswallows were rather nice. 

Ruddy Kingfisher

During lunch a Ruddy Kingfisher was found by one of the lodge’s staff along the narrow stream behind our bungalows and this one was very confiding and was absolutely beautiful, showing its lilac mantle to good effect in the shadows. I sneaked down during lunch as everybody else was rooted to their dining chair enjoying a fish and rice lunch - but not me! And amazingly it stayed on its perch whilst I hid behind some tall plants, and as the wind disturbed the leaves I could get a clear shot. Great!

After lunch we were back in the forest, this time nailing Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, as well as having seconds of Red-backed Thrush. As usual there were numerous Green-backed and Lilac-cheeked Kingfishers to keep us occupied throughout the day. 

Tangkoko - 18th September

After a leisurely and rather late breakfast we drove to Tangkoko and stopped at the viewpoint where we spent most of the morning. The view from here is quite splendid and enabled us to scan the canopy along the valley and we quickly picked up a couple of Ornate Lorikeets, followed by both Large and Small Sulawesi Hanging-parrots. A Black-naped Fruit-dove was picked up and we also found a White-necked Myna. All the time we were surrounded by the pale-rumped Sulawesi and more common Glossy Swiftlets. A steady passage of Chinese Goshawks was taking place and we had eye-level views of them flying through the valley, along with a Sulawesi Goshawk and Sulawesi Honey-buzzard, and eventually a Sulawesi Hawk-eagle was found. Leaving here we drove just down the road to our lodge where we spent a leisurely lunchtime before heading into the forest.

Red-backed Thrush

 What an afternoon session it turned out to be with at least 8 Green-backed Kingfishers seen, and as we walked up the track into the dry forest we found a wonderful Red-backed Thrush feeding in the leaf litter. 

Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher

Lower down a couple of Lilac-cheeked Kingfishers showed very well and we spent some time observing them. But after all of our hard work with owls over the previous nights it was a stunningly huge relief to finally see a pair of Sulawesi Scops-owls at their day roost, and an Ochre-bellied Boobook was also seen at its roost. 

Sulawesi Scops-owls

We ended the day hearing Sulawesi Nightjar before returning to our lodge.

Dumoga Bone

We went back into the wonderful forest of Dumoga Bone this morning with the intention of catching up with Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill which has been a rather tricky species to find this year. After last night’s brief silhouetted flight views it was a real pleasure to get a pair perched up in the scope this morning. We also eventually found a Maroon-chinned Fruit-dove in a large fruiting tree, in company with numerous Grey-cheeked Green-pigeons and Green Imperial-pigeons. There was also Sulawesi Serpent-eagle, the endemic Bay Coucal, Yellow-billed Malkoha, and some superfast Purple Needletails zooming down to the river to drink. On return to the lodge a Spotted Harrier was seen flying overhead.

Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill

After lunch we drove towards Minado and took a side road where we parked up in a small village and waited til dusk when a Minahassa Masked Owl flew over calling.