Sulawesi & Halmahera Tour Report 2014

5th - 26th September 2014

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Either for rarity value, excellent views or simply a group favourite.

Bulwer’s Petrel Sulawesi Goshawk Small Sparrowhawk Gurney’s Eagle Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle Moluccan Scrubfowl Maleo Moluccan Megapode Dusky Megapode Red-backed Buttonquail Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle Spot-tailed Sparrowhawk Small Sparrowhawk Sulawesi Black Pigeon Red-eared Fruit Dove Oberholser’s Fruit Dove White-bellied Imperial-Pigeon   Violet-necked Lory Ornate Lorikeet White Cockatoo Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail   Moluccan King Parrot Yellow-billed Malkoha Sulawesi Masked Owl Ochre-bellied Boobook Cinnabar Boobook

Sulawesi Scops-Owl Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar Satanic Nightjar Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher Green-backed Kingfisher Common Paradise-Kingfisher Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher Purple-bearded Bee-eater Purple-winged Roller Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill Ashy Woodpecker Ivory-breasted Pitta Sulawesi Pitta Pygmy Cuckooshrike Cerulean Cuckooshrike Rufous-bellied Triller White-naped Monarch Piping Crow Wallace’s Standardwing Great Shortwing Gray's Grasshopper Warbler      Red-backed Thrush Lompobattang Flycatcher Sulawesi Crested Myna Halmahera Flowerpecker Hylocitrea

SUMMARY:

Our third roller-coaster of a ride to these endemic-rich Indonesian islands produced a plethora of much-wanted birds and we ended up seeing a very respectable 111 endemics. We began amidst the wonderful forested hills of Lore Lindu where Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Satanic Nightjar and Hylocitrea were amongst the highlights. We followed this with a successful visit for the extremely localised endemic Lompobattang Flycatcher – and currently we are the only tour group visiting this site. We then flew to the endemic-heaven that is Halmahera and based ourselves at Foli in a comfortable hotel. What a fantastic time we had here with an easy walk for lekking Wallace’s Standardwing, stunning Ivory-breasted Pitta, skulking Dusky Megapodes and so much more. Another patch of forest held Sombre Kingfisher and Common Paradise-Kingfisher, but it was a shame that Invisible Rail lived up to its name and only called back at us! Returning to Sulawesi we visited Tangkoko where Sulawesi Pitta and a veritable feast of endemic kingfishers followed. We ended at Dumoga Bone and Tambun for a final flourish with Ashy Woodpecker, Maleo and Matinan Flycatcher amongst others. These islands continue to produce a fantastic array of rare and localised specialities, as well as some of the most stunningly beautiful birds on the planet. We cannot wait to return!

 

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