Hi Peter,
It sounds like you had a rewarding trip, and your report and the recent one by
Steve is one of the very few modern birding trip reports from the country.
I have a vague dream to produce an Atlas of birds in Timor-Leste, at some
unclear future point, so I'd appreciate if you could make a summary of records
for each site and send them to me. And also if anyone else has visited and has
records.
Every bit of information helps in such a data-poor region.
It would be useful to mention the date of your visit with
regard migrants, rains and floods (presumably in wet season ?March April).
Of your records I'll make a few comments.
Timor
Imperial Pigeon - I am only speculating, but this bird is essentially a
"mountain bird" on Timor (>600m, especially >1100 m), therefore
the similar sized Pink-headed Imperial Pigeon may be more likely. If you were
on top of a ridge at say 400 m, then quite possible. If it appeared to be dark
grey that might clinch it. It is however poorly known, so lower elevations are
entirely possible (occurs at sea level on Wetar). An very interesting record.
Masked
Lapwing – about 3rd or 4th country record, around 5th
record for island, and one of very few records from Lesser Sundas over past 100
yrs. Status? – occasional/rare visitor. Not sure how often the turn up on
Ashmore Reef (where there is relatively regular info on Aussie birds heading
north), perhaps regular).
Coucal
– interesting bird. Presumably will end up a distinct species, but call more or
less
identical.
Gull-billed
Terns – two subspecies - Australian macrotarsa and Asian affinis have been
recorded from Timor. I don’t think I have bothered to identify to subspecies in
East Timor (was’nt aware of diffs). Did you have a close look?. Presumably these
are also likely to be considered as diff species in future.
Crocs
– there are 100s of Estuarine crocodiles (I have seen and photographed
individuals at say 3-4 m length) in Lake Iralalaro, and also that entire
plateau region. They are very common. Unfortunately, in the main town of
Lospalos children have been taken
and killed recently in tiny springs smaller than Australian storm water drains.
Regards,
Colin
Cou
East
Timor birding trip
from [Peter Madvig]
[Permanent Link][Original]
To:
"Steve" <>,
"Birding Aus" <>
Subject:
East Timor birding trip
From:
"Peter Madvig" <>
Date:
Thu, 25 Jul 2013 21:53:16 +1000
Hi
all,
Following
on Steve Clark's detailed report of a trip to Timor-Leste recently,
I'd
like
to add a few bits and pieces from our visit there in mid-June. I'll try
to
avoid echoing Steve....
Penny
and I went up to visit our daughter, working in Dili, but naturally we
were
keen to get some birding in...as you do. Spending just over 2 weeks we
were
able to get about a bit in Annette's 4WD - the most difficult driving
was
in Dili, traffic wise!! Talk about 'dodgems' - we relied on lifts here!
We
had visited previously in March, 2004, visiting Atauro Island, Maubisse
up
in the mountains, and Baucau, east of Dili. On that occasion I listed 37
species,
including a few endemics; now added another 41 new birds, 65 for the
trip.
We
had a very constructive meeting with one of the managers of an
Eco-tourism
firm. For sure, you can do 'your own thing', armed with the
excellent
Lonely Planet guide as well as the field guide by Colin Trainor
et
al. However, you might like to check-out what is available through this
sort
of tour and trekking firm for advice and for getting to
places...scuba-diving
set ups seem well established out of Dili, but tour
operators
as such are very thin on the ground. Road maps as we know them are
just
not available. Feel free to contact me off line if interested.
And,
oh yes, when getting puzzled looks from villagers, say you are "Buka Manu
Fuik",
looking for wild birds!
Birds
around Dili, are as mentioned by Steve. We did have three excellent early
mornings
atop a ridge with splendid views over Dili and the coast, down to
the
airport, across the water to Atauro, and down to the Tasitolu lagoon. At
the
big round-about where one turns off to the airport, turn left instead
and
pass seven lanes on the rhs before taking the next turn up to a "Grotto
shrine".
Park, and then climb up the ridge line following the "Stations of the
Cross".
We were hoping for a glimpse of Timor Sparrows which are known to
show
up here, but had no luck with this species. However, Little Swift and
Glossy
Swiftlet, White-breasted Woodswallow, Tree Martin and Rainbow
Bee-eaters
hawked, and an unexpected, single Timor Imperial Pigeon briefly
showed
before dropping out of sight. Also seen, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike,
Brown
Honeyeater, several calling Brush Cuckoo, Richard's Pipit, Wallacean
Drongo,
Zebra Finch, Scaly-breasted Munia, Long-tailed Shrike,
White-shouldered
Triller, and more.
Down
at Tasitolu lakes, + Australian Pelican, Red-capped Plover,
Black-winged
Stilt, Redshank, Red-throated Little Grebe, Sunda Teal, a
Masked
Lapwing, Whiskered Tern.
A
morning's walk in the forested hills near Dare (pronounced dar-ey), near the
Australian
- Timor War Memorial, showed us Helmeted Friarbird and Yellow-eared
Honeyeater,
while a 'different' fruit dove called from the canopy.Views down to
Dili
and the coast magnificent.
We
travelled east with our daughter, heading for Tutuala and Jaco Island...I
had
high hopes for this area, part of the Nino Konis Santana National Park.
The
scenery along the coast is pretty spectacular, with savannah type
vegetation
and woodland, changing into flooded rice paddies, where Cattle
Egrets
mingled with wallowing Water Buffalo and pretty, Banteng 'wild'
cattle.We
spent two nights at a basic guesthouse in Com, but there is other
accommodation.
Past
a wharf and a large ruined house, we were able to follow a track leading
past
some fields and up into forest - an area that would have been good to
explore
further. Com and surrounds gave us a Lesser Frigatebird, Pacific Reef
Egret
(both morphs), Emerald Dove, Collared Kingfisher, Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
(heard),
a type of Pheasant Coucal calling... sounded very familiar (??);
lovely
Striated Swallows, a Wallacean Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-brown Oriole (lovely
call),
Little Pied Flycatcher, Timor Friarbird, Streak-breasted Honeyeater,
Red-chested
Flowerpecker, and Black-faced Munia.
Heavy
rain overnight, but we back-tracked to Lautem and climbed up rather
slippery
roads to the Lospalos tableland, heading for Tutuala. On arriving
here,
the heavens opened, the downpour threatening to wash the road away and
forcing
us to beat a hasty retreat. Out of the rain, we were able to take a
side
track to flooded paddocks by Lake Iralalara, which looked very promising.
The
usual egrets were there, as well as Black and Brahminy Kites, Aus. Pelican,
Pacific
Swallow, Whiskered and Gull-billed Tern, and a Rufous Night Heron.
Saltwater
Crocs are reputed to be in this lake. Back on the main road, just
beyond
Mehara, Annette shouted, 'Stop - something different':- our
"non-birding"
daughter got us on to a Timor Coucal, which fluttered between two
dead
trees, giving us great bino-views, and a hazy photo!! This predominantly
white
bird is endemic to Timor Island, but I'm not sure if it's considered a
sub-species
of the Pheasant Coucal?? Still, an exciting 'twitch' it was.
We
settled for a night in Lospalos, with the rain again pouring down. As we
left
in the morning, we witnessed some rather severe flooding...and still,
uniformed
children hastened to school!! Back on the north coast, west of
Lautem,
we were anticipating a flooded river to cross, as the bridge was being
replaced.
The queue of waiting vehicles confirmed this, as did a ute half on
it's
side over a small fall in the swiftly moving current. A long line of men
actually
pulled this vehicle out by rope, supported by cheers from all us
on-lookers!!
After watching the conditions carefully and preceded by a couple
of
other cars, we successfully forded the river and headed to Baucau for a
couple
of rain-free days....further east, the deluge continued. A mob of
Large-billed
Crows greeted us, and from our 'Pousada' hotel, I enjoyed a flock
of
Pale-headed Munia.
On
the last week-end, visiting the rather curiously-named "Jesus' Backside
Beach"
beyond Cape Fatucama (on account of it being behind the huge statue of
Christ,
'Christo Rei', east of Dili), - we 'twitched' Malaysian Plover. Various
finches/munias
were joined by a Zitting Cisticola. Going west to Maubara, we
found
a couple of very pale looking (juv.?) Wandering Whistling Duck on the
nearby
lake, but it was the cry of "whale"
from a beachside café that excited
us,
when a scuba diver confirmed it was a Blue Whale - several having been
sighted
the last few days, but, out of season!
Upon
taxying out for take-off at Dili airport, we fittingly flushed a few
Australian
Pratincole.
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