Section 1 - Introduction, logistics, itinerary and general information.
Section 2 - Birding sites (Java - Bogor Botanical Garden).
Section 3 - Birding sites (Java - Gunung Gede and Cibodas).
Section 4 - Birding sites (Java - Carita, Indramayu, Pantai Song and Cangkring).
Section 5 - Birding sites (Java - Baluran, Pangandaran and Segara Anakan).
Section 6 - Birding sites (Bali - Gilimanuk and Bali Barat).
Section 7 - Birding sites (Bali - Bedugal, Ubud and Sanur).
Section 8 - Annotated checklist.
Baluran National Park
This park lies in the more arid region of extreme eastern Java. Although accessible by bus from Jakarta, or other major cities of northern Indonesia, it is more easily accessed via Bali, as it lies relatively close to the Bali-Java ferry crossing (1,000 Rp). From Ketapang, the landing point of the ferry from Bali, take a bemo or bus going in the direction of Situbondo and ask the driver to drop you at the park entrance in Wolerejo (2,000 Rp). From the park entrance (2,000 Rp fee) it is necessary to hire a bemo (15,000 Rp) or an ojek (5,000 Rp) to take you the 15 kilometres to the park accommodation at Bekol or Bama Beach. These prices are not negotiable; the only alternative would be walking. Recent visitors indicated that bringing your own food into the park was no longer necessary. However, this is only true if someone (usually one of the wardens’ wives) is available to cook. During my stay at Bekol I had to cater, some of the time, for myself. In this respect it is highly recommended that you bring all your food. The only supplies that were available within the park - at the Bekol headquarters - were drinks (bottled water, beer and soft drinks). As Wolerejo is not large, it is better to bring supplies from shops and market stalls around Ketapang. Cooking facilities are available, so it is possible to boil water for drinking.
Accommodation at Bekol consists of several wooden chalets with shared facilities and a veranda. Room rates vary from 4,000-6,000 Rp/night - the cheaper rooms are at ground level, and are without a door lock (keys mislaid). Similarly-constructed accommodation is available at Bama Beach, but neither food nor water appeared to be available. At the time of my visit the park had a couple of visitors only, although during weekends and holidays it is reported to become busy. Most birders will prefer to stay at Bekol for, as well as the waterhole, an observation tower on the adjacent hill offers excellent views over the surrounding savanna. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The park is named after the dormant Gunung Baluran (1,275 m.) which towers above the western side of the park. The habitats consist chiefly of savanna and open dry woodland. However, two areas of denser evergreen forest offer some of the better birding. The evergreen forest section along the coast around Bama, has a series of waterholes that attract numerous birds and animals.
The main attraction of Baluran is the ease of seeing Green Peafowl. The species is quite tame, and a dozen or more come to the waterhole every evening. Other notable species to be found are Great-billed Heron (Bama Beach), Green Junglefowl (common, occurring chiefly in the evergreen forest - often seen along the road early morning, and comes to the waterhole in the evening), Buffy Fish-Owl (in trees around waterholes of Bama), Spotted Wood-Owl (calls from large trees near Bekol and Bama), Java Sparrow and White-headed Munia (both around waterholes at Bekol or Bama). Unfortunately, due to the extremely dry conditions I did not see the later two species. Javan Kingfisher can often be found by the swampy pool around HM 98.5 along the main entrance road, and I saw Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo in the evergreen forest here as well. Both Savanna Nightjar and Large-tailed Nightjar call from around the chalets at Bekol.
The park bird list contains a few interesting historical records: some of which must have been recorded from the slopes of Baluran (previously more forested?). Although birders do not seem to climb Gunung Baluran, it looks fairly easy and might offer good birding. Those with more time should ask one of the staff. In addition to the birds, Baluran hosts a large number of interesting mammals, and is home to one of the last remaining populations of Bantang in Java.
Species recorded from Baluran. This is an accurate list and includes some historical records.
Lesser Frigatebird (r)
Brown Booby 2(o)
Wandering Whistling-Duck (o)
Lesser Whistling-Duck 10+(o)
Sunda Teal 2(o)
Little Egret (o)
Pacific Reef-Egret (o)
Grey Heron (o)
Great-billed Heron 2(o)
Purple Heron (o)
Javan Pond-Heron (o)
Striated Heron (c)
Milky Stork (o)
Asian Woolly-necked Stork (o)
Lesser Adjutant 3(o)
Osprey (o)
Oriental Honey-Buzzard (o)
Black-shouldered Kite (o)
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (o)
Crested Serpent-Eagle 4(c)
Japanese Sparrowhawk 1(r)
Besra (o)
Changeable Hawk-Eagle 3(o)
Black-thighed Falconet (r)
Spotted Kestrel (o)
Oriental Hobby (o)
Peregrine Falcon (r)
Red Junglefowl (o)
Green Junglefowl 12+(c)
Green Peafowl 30+(c)
Small Buttonquail (r)
Barred Buttonquail 1(c)
White-breasted Waterhen (o)
Common Moorhen (r)
Whimbrel 1(o)
Eurasian Curlew (o)
Marsh Sandpiper (o)
Wood Sandpiper (o)
Common Sandpiper (o)
Beach Thick-knee (o)
Malaysian Plover (o)
Great Crested Tern 20+(c)
Black-naped Tern (o)
Spotted Dove 20
Sunda Collared Dove c(c)
Ruddy Cuckoo-Dove (o)
Little Cuckoo-Dove (o)
Emerald Dove (c)
Zebra Dove 2(c)
Pink-necked Pigeon (o)
Orange-breasted Pigeon 16(c)
Grey-cheeked Pigeon (o)
Large Green Pigeon (o)
Black-naped Fruit-Dove (r)
Green Imperial Pigeon 2(c)
Pied Imperial Pigeon (r)
Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot (o)
Red-breasted Parakeet (c)
Pompadour Pigeon (r)
Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo 1(r)
Banded Bay Cuckoo (o)
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo 1(o)
Drongo Cuckoo (o)
Asian Koel (r)
Red-billed Malkoha (o)
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (o)
Greater Coucal (o)
Lesser Coucal (c)
Barred Eagle-Owl (o)
Buffy Fish-Owl (o)
Spotted Wood-Owl 3+(o)
Brown Wood-Owl (r)
Large-tailed Nightjar 4+(c)
Savanna Nightjar 6+(c)
Grey-rumped Treeswift 10+(c)
Cave Swiftlet (o)
Edible-nest Swiftlet (o)
Silver-rumped Needletail (o)
White-throated Needletail (o)
Asian Palm-Swift 14+(c)
Pacific Swift 20+(o)
House Swift (o)
Small Blue Kingfisher (c)
Stork-billed Kingfisher (r)
Javan Kingfisher 2(o)
Collared Kingfisher 20+(c)
Sacred Kingfisher (o)
Blue-tailed Bee-eater 10+(r)
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 4+(o)
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Oriental Pied Hornbill 6(c)
Wreathed Hornbill (o)
Lineated Barbet 1(c)
Black-banded Barbet (r)
Black-eared Barbet (r)
Coppersmith Barbet 4+(c)
Sunda Woodpecker (o)
Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker 15+(c)
White-bellied Woodpecker (r)
Laced Woodpecker (r)
Common Flameback (c)
Great Slaty Woodpecker 3(r)
Banded Pitta 2(c)
Golden-bellied Gerygone (o)
Mangrove Whistler 2(o)
Pied Fantail 8+(c)
Black-naped Monarch 4+(c)
Black Drongo 13(c)
Ashy Drongo 2(c)
Hair-crested Drongo (o)
Racket-tailed Treepie 2(c)
Slender-billed Crow 7+(o)
Large-billed Crow (o)
White-breasted Woodswallow (o)
Common Iora 20+(c)
Black-naped Oriole 4(c)
Javan Cuckooshrike 2(c)
Lesser Cuckooshrike (r)
Pied Triller (o)
White-shouldered Triller 6(c)
Small Minivet 50+(c)
Scarlet Minivet (o)
Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike 2+(c)
Asian Fairy-Bluebird (r)
Blue-winged Leafbird (r)
Long-tailed Shrike 3+(c)
Large Woodshrike (r)
Short-tailed Starling (r)
Asian Glossy Starling (o)
Javan Pied Myna (o)
Black-winged Starling 4(c)
Javan Myna (r)
Hill Myna (r)
Little Pied Flycatcher (r)
Hill Blue Flycatcher 1(o)
Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (c)
Oriental Magpie-Robin (o)
White-rumped Shama 1(o)
Southern White-crowned Forktail (r)
Pied Bushchat (o)
Barn Swallow 30+(c)
Pacific Swallow (o)
Striated Swallow 1+(o)
Black-headed Bulbul (o)
Black-crested Bulbul (o)
Sooty-headed Bulbul c(c)
Orange-spotted Bulbul (r)
Yellow-vented Bulbul c(c)
Olive-winged Bulbul (o)
Grey-cheeked Bulbul (o)
Zitting Cisticola (o)
Brown Prinia (r)
Bar-winged Prinia 2+(c)
Plain Prinia 8+(c)
Common Tailorbird 3(c)
Ashy Tailorbird (c)
Arctic Warbler (r)
Sunda Warbler (r)
Horsfield's Babbler (o)
Temminck's Babbler (r)
Javan Black-capped Babbler (r)
Crescent-chested Babbler (o)
Grey-cheeked Tit-Babbler 10+(c)
Chestnut-capped Babbler (r)
Great Tit 4(c)
Australasian Bushlark (c)
Eurasian Tree-Sparrow (o)
Javan Munia 2(o)
Scaly-breasted Munia (c)
White-headed Munia (c)
Java Sparrow (c)
Australasian Pipit (r)
Streaked Weaver (r)
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker (r)
Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker 1(c)
Plain-throated Sunbird (o)
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird (o)
Ornate Sumbird c(c)
Little Spiderhunter (r) |
Pangandaran
Not visited by me. Quite touristic. Most birders visit due to its proximity to Segara Anakan. See Heath (1991) for a good overview. Good birding can be found just south of the main town in the small Pangandaran National Park (500 Rp). In the park and along the coast one stands a good chance of finding Christmas Island Frigatebird, Green Junglefowl, Spotted Kestrel and Black-banded Barbet. Pangandaran can be reached by bus from Banjar or Bundang. Accommodation is plentiful. Try Angie’s House or the Bamboo House (15,000 Rp/double inc. breakfast).
Species recorded from Pangandaran:
Lesser Frigatebird (c)
Christmas Island Frigatebird (o)
Sunda Teal (r)
Chinese Egret (r)
Pacific Reef-Egret (o)
Medium Egret (o)
Javan Pond-Heron (o)
Milky Stork (o)
Spotted Kestrel (c)
Blue-breasted Quail (o)
Green Junglefowl (o)
Bar-tailed Godwit (o)
Whimbrel (o)
Malaysian Plover (o)
Lesser Sand-Plover (c)
Greater Sand-Plover (c)
Common Sandpiper (o)
Great Crested Tern (c)
Little Cuckoo-Dove (o)
Zebra Dove (c)
Black-naped Fruit-Dove (o)
Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot (o)
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (o)
Cave Swiftlet (c)
Asian Palm-Swift (c)
House Swift (o)
Blue-eared Kingfisher (o)
Small Blue Kingfisher (c)
Collared Kingfisher (c)
Sacred Kingfisher (o)
Oriental Pied Hornbill (c)
Rhinoceros Hornbill (r)
Black-banded Barbet (c)
Black-eared Barbet (c)
Banded Pitta (o)
Mangrove Whistler (o)
Ashy Drongo (c) |
Slender-billed Crow (o)
Large-billed Crow (o)
White-breasted Woodswallow (c)
Common Iora (o)
Black-naped Oriole (o)
Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike (o)
Oriental Magpie-Robin (o)
White-rumped Shama (c)
Pied Bushchat (o)
Pacific Swallow (o)
Striated Swallow (c)
Black-headed Bulbul (o)
Black-crested Bulbul (c)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (c)
Yellow-vented Bulbul (o)
Olive-winged Bulbul (c)
Cream-vented Bulbul (c)
Grey-cheeked Bulbul (o)
Sangkar White-eye (o)
Zitting Cisticola (o)
Bar-winged Prinia (c)
Plain Prinia (o)
Horsfield's Babbler (o)
Scaly-crowned Babbler (o)
Great Tit (c)
Eurasian Tree-Sparrow (o)
Javan Munia (o)
Scaly-breasted Munia (c)
White-headed Munia (o)
Australasian Pipit (o)
Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker (o)
Plain-throated Sunbird (o)
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird (o)
Copper-throated Sunbird (o)
Ornate Sumbird (o)
Little Spiderhunter (o)
Grey-breasted Spiderhunter (o)
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Segara Anakan
Not visited by me. This is an extensive mangrove-covered lagoon east of Pangandaran, and a good spot for Sunda Coucal, although a boat is required to have the best chance of finding it. The easy option to see many of the area’s birds, is to take the daily ferry from Kalipucang (17 kilometres from Pangandaran) to Cilicap. The ferry (1,750 Rp) leaves Kalipucang at 07:00, takes four hours, and returns from Cilicap at 13:00. Milky Stork is almost guaranteed. Sunda Coucal has been seen on the path between Kalipucang and Majingklak early morning. They are apparently common at the mouth of the Kali Ujungalang in the centre of the lagoon. See Heath (1991) for further details.
Species recorded from Segara Anakan:
Oriental Darter (o)
Wandering Whistling-Duck (o)
Lesser Whistling-Duck (o)
Sunda Teal (c)
Little Egret (c)
Medium Egret (o)
Grey Heron (c)
Great-billed Heron (o)
Purple Heron (c)
Eastern Great Egret (c)
Cattle Egret (c)
Javan Pond-Heron (c)
Striated Heron (c)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (o)
Cinnamon Bittern (o)
Milky Stork (c)
Asian Woolly-necked Stork (o)
Lesser Adjutant (c)
Osprey (o)
Brahminy Kite (o)
Crested Serpent-Eagle (o)
Black Eagle (o)
Spotted Kestrel (o)
Slaty-breasted Rail (o)
White-breasted Waterhen (c)
Ruddy-breasted Crake (o)
White-browed Crake (o)
Purple Swamphen (o)
Whimbrel (c)
Eurasian Curlew (o)
Far Eastern Curlew (o)
Common Redshank (o)
Common Greenshank (o)
Terek Sandpiper (o)
Common Sandpiper (c)
Grey-tailed Tattler (o)
Pacific Golden Plover (o)
Spotted Dove (c)
Sunda Collared-Dove (c)
Ruddy Cuckoo-Dove (c)
Pink-necked Pigeon (c)
Green Imperial-Pigeon (c)
Red-billed Malkoha (r)
Greater Coucal (o)
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Sunda Coucal (r)
Lesser Coucal (o)
Grey-rumped Treeswift (c)
Cave Swiftlet (c)
Edible-nest Swiftlet (o)
House Swift (o)
Blue-eared Kingfisher (o)
Small Blue Kingfisher (c)
Stork-billed Kingfisher (o)
Ruddy Kingfisher (o)
Javan Kingfisher (o)
Collared Kingfisher (o)
Sacred Kingfisher (c)
Sunda Woodpecker (o)
Golden-bellied Gerygone (c)
Mangrove Whistler (o)
Pied Fantail (c)
Black Drongo (r)
Racket-tailed Treepie (c)
Slender-billed Crow (c)
Large-billed Crow (o)
Common Iora (o)
Pied Triller (o)
Scarlet Minivet (o)
Javan Myna (o)
Pacific Swallow (c)
Striated Swallow (o)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (c)
Yellow-vented Bulbul (o)
Bar-winged Prinia (c)
Plain Prinia (c)
Ashy Tailorbird (o)
Great Tit (o)
Red Avadavat (o)
Pin-tailed Parrotfinch (r)
Eurasian Tree-Sparrow (o)
Javan Munia (o)
Scaly-breasted Munia (o)
White-headed Munia (o)
Streaked Weaver (c)
Plain-throated Sunbird (o)
Copper-throated Sunbird (c)
Ornate Sumbird (c)
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Section 1 - Introduction, logistics, itinerary and general information.
Section 2 - Birding sites (Java - Bogor Botanical Garden).
Section 3 - Birding sites (Java - Gunung Gede and Cibodas).
Section 4 - Birding sites (Java - Carita, Indramayu, Pantai Song and Cangkring).
Section 5 - Birding sites (Java - Baluran, Pangandaran and Segara Anakan).
Section 6 - Birding sites (Bali - Gilimanuk and Bali Barat).
Section 7 - Birding sites (Bali - Bedugal, Ubud and Sanur).
Section 8 - Annotated checklist.
