I have just returned from a trip to Sulawesi & Halmahera, and I had
six days birding in Java before the tour.
I was recommended to contact a local guide Rohman Bin Edy Rasyad of
Krakatau Tours. His email is
I was picked up at 5am from my hotel near the airport, and we went to
Muara Angke. We found Sunda Coucal, Sunda Teal, Javan Plover,
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker, Bar-winged Prinia,
Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, Javan Munia, etc.
We then drove back through Jakarta and went to Cibodas / Gunung
Gede. This is a highlands site where all the highland birds are
possible. We found most of them. Missed Javan Frogmouth (heard it
very close), Chestnut-breasted Partridge (heard), Spotted Crocias
(heard), Javan Trogon (I didn't make it up to the hot springs where
it is more likely), Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Brown-throated
Barbet, White-bellied Fantail. But we did see Javan Scops-Owls,
Salvadori's Nightjar, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Spotted Kestrel (nesting),
Pink-headed Fruit-Dove (very quick view), Yellow-throated Hanging
Parrot, Sunda Cuckoo (a great surprise), Javan Owlet (a couple of
quick views), Javan Kingfisher, Flame-fronted Barbet, Sunda Minivet,
Pied Shrike-Babbler, Trilling Shrike-Babbler, Rufous-tailed Fantail,
Orange-spotted Bulbul, Javan Tesia, Pygmy Bushtit, Sunda Warbler,
White-bibbed Babbler, Crescent-chested Babbler, Javan Fulvetta,
Horsfield's Babbler, Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Grey-throated
Ibon, Javan Whistling Thrush, Javan Cochoa (another great surprise),
Sunda Robin, Sunda Forktail, Olive-backed Tailorbird, Blood-breasted
Flowerpecker, Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, White-flanked Sunbird,
Javan Sunbird. I stayed three nights. The first afternoon we looked
briefly in the Cibodas Botanical Gardens. The next day we spent the
full day on Gunung Gede, starting before dawn looking for the night
birds. I was not fit enough to make it to the hot springs. I made
it to the waterfall, and probably about two thirds of the way to the
hot springs before turning around about 15:30 to have more time at
the waterfall. The next day I was very stiff. We spent the morning
in the Cibodas Botanical Gardens and then the golf course. In the
afternoon, I made it about 3/4 of the way back to the waterfall, to
the clearing at about 2.1km (where we got the Sunda Cuckoo). I was
still too sore to look for nightbirds that evening, but we did get up
early the final morning and found the scops owl, a glimpse of the
owlet and heard the frogmouth very close.
We returned close to Jakarta and headed west. After lunch we went to
Pulau Dua (an area of fish ponds) where we found Island Dove, Savanna
Nightjar, Cerulean Kingfisher, White-headed Munia, etc. We only had
a very brief look for Javan White-eye.
We then continued to Carita on the west coast where we stayed for two
nights. We were up early the next morning to visit the local Carita
Forest and again got very close to the frogmouth. We found the Javan
Banded Pitta, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-Dove,
Black-banded Barbet, Ruby-throated Bulbul, Grey-cheeked Tit-babbler.
We spent the next morning at Carita Forest, again missing the
frogmouth narrowly. We were very lucky to get White-breasted
Babbler, and then we got great views of Javan Owlet.
We then returned to Jakarta arriving at the hotel about 16:00. All
up, I saw 127 species including 52 lifers (I was hoping for 40 to 50
from a list of about 80 I thought theoretically possible).
I think you would have a problem finding some of these sites without
a guide, especially Muara Angke and Pulau Dua. Driving is not easy
on Java, so having a guide and driver made things very much
easier. At Muara Angke, we had a boat ride out to the mouth of the
creek, and into the next creek (where we saw the Javan Plover, Sunda
Teal and Rusty-breasted Cuckoo). At Carita Forest, I got a lift up on
the back of a scooter which saved walking uphill 2kms or so.
You can find information on these sites quite easily using Google.
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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