Treasure hunting

With my father and my brother last monday 5 March 2012, we go to Carita Nature Reserve. We leave our home on 04.00am and arrive at Wira Carita Hotel on 09.00am. After that we have lunch and then go to Carita Nature Reserve by walking. From the entrance gate until the car park we saw so many birds (i got two lifer, Common Flameback and Asian Drongo Cuckoo). On the way back we heard the Pitta calling from the valley, after that we use our camouflage net and waiting for the pitta. Finally the Pitta appear from the bamboo plantation around 10 meters from our position. We only get 3 frames, before he disappeared back into the forest.
We are still waiting and hoping to see him again. Only 5 minutes, then he's comeback again and perch on my left side around 4 or 5 meters. This is the closest range with the Javan Banded Pitta in my life.

After that he landed on the ground and cross the road, and then he flew away because there's a car coming down from the car park.
-This is the end of our first day-

Wildlife of Carita Nature Reserve

Cross Toad (Leptophryne borbonica)


Hasselt's Toad (Leptobrachium hasseltii)


Grey-rumped Treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis)


Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocela jubata)


Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)

Oriental Bay Owl (Phodilus badius)

Jewel from Carita Nature Reserve

Carita Nature Reserve is a very special coastal lowland forest. There's more than five endemic bird species of Java living here. The most beautiful bird in this place is Javan Banded Pitta (Pitta guajana) splitted from Banded Pitta. Pitta is a typical ground bird, skulks on the forest floor feeding on worm and insect in the leaf litter. Not easy to find them, because they're very shy bird. Easy to identify from its call 'grrr' or 'paok'.

Someday i want to take a picture of that bird..Lucky for me, just waiting around 10 minutes finally the male Javan Banded Pitta landed on a low perch and respond to mimic call from my phone. I’m just using 55-250mm lens for record shot. Must redo next time!