Half Day Birding at Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park

Javan Trogon (Harpactes reinwardtii) is our main target bird. And we're very lucky! We got one pair! But i only got the female.

more photos and information:
http://www.facebook.com/JakartaBirder

Bird of the day

Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush (Garrulax rufifrons rufifrons)
Status: Near Threatened
Endemic to Java

Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush Garrulax rufifrons is restricted to the mountains of west and central Java, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Always moving in small group.

Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis)

Introduction: Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal bird with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are mostly active in the late evening and early morning or at night (sometimes we can see it active in the day too) and feed predominantly on moths, mosquitoes and other large flying insects. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. During the day they will be difficult to see, because the color is similar to the habitat.

In Jakarta there's only two species of Nightjars. Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis) and Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus). Large-tailed Nightjar is larger than Savanna Nightjar, but they're more uncommon. Savanna is the most common nocturnal bird in Jakarta. In the night, often we just heard its call "chew-eep...chew-eep" but can't see that bird.

Let me show you some photos of Savanna Nightjar:

Part 1. Variation plumage of Savanna Nightjar

Part 2. Where they resting?

Part 3. Photo were taken during the day

Roosting Site

Flying

Foraging

Resting (with eye open)

Hope you like it!

Gallery - Spring Raptor Migration around Jakarta

Location: Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta

Male Japanese Sparrowhawk

Chinese Sparrowhawks with Grey-faced Buzzard

a flock of Chinese Sparrowhawk with Grey-faced Buzzard

Female Chinese Sparrowhawk

Female Chinese Sparrowhawk

Observers

Oriental Honey-buzzards 

Dark Morph Changeable Hawk-eagle (First record in Jakarta)

Male Oriental Honey-buzzard

Grey-faced Buzzard (First record in Jakarta)

Dark Morph Oriental Honey-buzzard

Female Oriental Honey-buzzard

Oriental Honey-buzzard

Dark Morph Oriental Honey-buzzard

Observers

Location: Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta

Oriental Honey-buzzard

sequence Oriental Honey-buzzard

Male Oriental Honey-buzzard

Special thanks to: Derry Septa, Gusti Wicaksono, Eci Desi Ayu Triana, Arinta Tata, Ade Muliati,
and Bagus Satrio.

Trip to Gunung Halimun Salak National Park - Day 2

This morning I woke up at 6 AM and start birding from the main track. About 200 meters from the research station, I saw a group of Javan Gibbon (Hylobates moloch).

and another primate is Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata)..

One adult Javan Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi) flying above the forest canopy looking for its prey.

Another birds that i saw along the main track:
Javan Fulvetta, Javan Sunbird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Javan Grey-throated White-eye, Oriental White-eye, Little Spiderhunter, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker.

After birding along the main track i try the forest trail to Citalahab. Near the river i saw female Banded Kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella) eating cicada, around 60 meters from me. I just take a record shot.

After finishing her breakfast, she flew away followed by male bird. Around one hour walking, there's no bird activity and this thing make me bored. High in the canopy i saw a mix flock (Spotted Crocias, Javan Grey-throated White-eye, Blue Nuthatch, and Blue-winged Leafbird) and in the ground i saw the most beautiful babbler (for me). White-bibbed Babbler (Stachyris thoracica thoracica)! I can't take their photo because there's no light and this bird is skittish too.
Around 1PM another mix flock spotted! First i just saw Javan Bulbul, Javan Fulvetta, Blue Nuthatch, Sunda Minivet and Blue-winged Leafbird. After that i saw male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata) flew and perching around 20 meters from me. This is the third record for Java Island.

Javan Bulbul split fom Sunda Bulbul (Ixos virescens virescens)

Male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

Male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

 


Suddenly another bird comes out..Orange-breasted Trogon (Harpactes oreskios)! I don't realize that this bird is very tame.

still 20 meters

10 meters

ooppss..too close

Keep walking..I got Javan Horned Frog again.

After walking around 3 hours finally we arrived at Citalahab. We take a rest around 1 hours and then go back to Cikaniki Research Station. Around the tea plaintation i saw some birds like Brown Prinia, Striated Grassbird, Little Cuckoo Dove, Needletail (maybe Brown-backed Needletail), and Sumatran Green Pigeon. Near the Research Station i got Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor).

Female Pale Blue Flycatcher

Male Pale Blue Flycatcher

and in the night i'm taking some photos of Small-toothed Palm Civet (Arctogalidia trivirgata)

What a beautiful day!!

Trip to Gunung Halimun Salak National Park - Day 1

I went there with my father by using motorcycle. It takes around 6 hours drive from Jakarta (depend on traffic). Highlight from this trip is the endangered Javan Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), Sunda Forktail (Enicurus velatus velatus), White-bibbed Babbler (Stachyris thoracica thoracica), Sunda Minivet (Pericrocotus miniatus), Pale Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor harterti), and Japanese Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata).
This is a fruitful trip although it was raining on the first day and last day. I saw 61 bird species in three days but less photographs.

Arrive at Cikaniki Research Station the rain still falling, so i just birding from the research station (which is i stay here for next two days). The Sunda Forktail always seen foraging around the research station. Hard to take the photo, because dark and that forktail always moving. I only one got record shot!

Female Sunda Forktail

Another birds that i see from the Research Station is Sunda Minivet, Blue-winged Leafbird, Blue Whistling Thrush and Indigo Flycatcher. At night i try to find some night bird like Javan Frogmouth or Owls, but i'm not lucky today. So i change my target to Frogs, Toads, and Snakes. haha..
I got Javan Horned Frog (Megophrys montana), Hourglass Toad (Leptophryne borbonica), and
Smooth slug snake (Asthenodipsas laevis).

Hourglass Toad (Leptophryne borbonica)

Javan Horned Frog (Megophrys montana)

Smooth slug snake (Asthenodipsas laevis)

another pose of Javan Horned Frog

Anyway i take this photos by using 150-500mm, i don't have Macro Lens.hahaha..
I use Tripod, Cable Release, and flashlight

to be Continued...