This trip was a private trip with my father, that took us to great locations and birds we find partiularly interesting. They are three very different, but all exceptionally interesting islands. I definitely want to go back in the future. We had a hard time choosing over Borneo and Sulawesi, and we started playing with the idea of doing both in one big trip. We did, and it all worked out very smoothly. It did limit our time in certain locations, which is obviously reflected in our species list.
Highest on my target list were Hornbills, and on that account it was a massive triumph were we had great views of 11 out of 11 possible species on the trip. Among them a magical meeting with a pair of Helmeted Hornbill, my favourite bird. Other major highlights were sightings of 6 species of pitta, 15 minutes spent with a pair of Bornean Ground Cuckoos, displaying Standardwing, Whiteheads Broadbill in the very last second, Purple-Winged Roller and more than 10 species of kingfishers. The mammals must also be mentioned with several amazing encounters with wild orangutans, proboscious monkeys, a sneaky Clouded Leopard and the “too cute to be true” Western Tarsiers.
The major dip of the trip, which I can barely re-live is the Purple-bearded bee eater. One of my dreambirds. I curse myself for gambling we would find it at Gunung Ambang. We ditched Lore Lindu (next time!). Full of hope in Ambang, where Nurlin had seen 2 pairs just 10 days before, it was just completey empty of any Meropogon..the nests seemed abondoned..something must have interrupted their breeding. It was a massive blow, but hey now I have a valid reason to go back.
Guiding & logistics
We had two different local guides on our trip. In Borneo we birded with Jason Reyes, and in Sulawesi and Halmahera we birded with Nurlin Djuni from Malia Tours. They are both great guides. I would recommend both of them. Nurlin in particular though. His guiding philosphy is one I greatly respect, where he really works hard to give something back to the local communities and inculde them. His service is also superb and he works extremely hard to get you the birds you are interested in. Breakfast in the field is also a concept he introduced us to, which surely is the best breakfast there is. Also a special thank to Jasons instinct when he “summoned” the Helmeted Hornbill. Massive thanks to the both of you. I also want to thank Rob and James from Birdtour Asia who have responded quickly and helpfully to my emails prior to the trip. (Also met Rob in Danum!) Chris Gooddie, also gave me great pitta-tips, thank you for that and your inspirational book, the Jewel Hunter (if you don’t know it, just buy it).
The logistics throughout the trip worked excellently with no real delays. We were spoilt in aircondioned cars wherever we travelled. The speedboat to Halmahera is rather charming, especially when there are Beach Kingfishers waiting on the Halmahera side. Between Borneo and Sulawesi we spent one night in Singapore. Singapore was aslo our main gateway as we flew directly from Frankfurt with Singapore Airlines (yes the service is good, yes the flight attendants are beautiful and yes you can play games on the screen).
Food
The food was generally extremely good. Me and my dad love Asian cuisine and were in paradise food-wise. Not a single day with upset stomachs. If you happen to be a foodie as well as a birder, Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley is an absoulte must. The food actually rivals the birds. That says a lot.
Weather
The weather was as you would expect, rather hot and humid, but never problematic. We were there in drier part of the year and indeed barely got wet at all. Thundery showers did occur several afternoons, but never lasted long.
Location highlights
Kinabalu National Park
We headed for this magnificent mountain right upon arrival in Kota Kinabalu. The drive is about 2 hours long depending on traffic. It is almost cold up there compared to the lowlands, which made our transition from Norway somewhat smoother. We birded mostly from the roadside, and a few nice trails. No Trogon to be found, but we saw a bunch of nice birds: Crimson-headed partridge, Red-breasted Partridge, Collared Owlet (crashed in our car!, but to our relief flew off into the forest) Bornean Treepie, Temmincks Sunbird, Green Magpies, Golden-naped Barbets, Fruithunter, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Yellow-breasted warbler, Indigo, Little Pied and Eyebrowed flycatchers, Bornean Stubtail, Chestnut-headed and Sunda Laughingtrush. The undoubted highlight was our last morning, when I had given up on all the Whiteheads, and we met our German friend Jurg who had just seen a White-heads Broadbill! It seemed to have moved off however, so it was back to despairing, before suddenly it appeared again, allowing amazing views of this unreal bird! Awesome!
Accommodation: The Cottage Hotel – Clean and perfectly decent, but breakfast was maybe the poorest of the trip.
Kinnabatangan River
After a 4-5 hour long drive through depressing palm oil plantations (I avoid products containing it- no easy task, but you and me need to consume with care for the nature!), stopping at the Gomantong Cave where we got all the swiftlets and a mom and baby orangutan, then some whistling ducks on route, and then we were finally along this fabled river. Here we spent 3 nights, and had a total of 6 private river-cruises- pure magic. Birding was comfortable from our boat, and Jasons local boatman was very very good. My favourites the Hornbills are amazingly easy to see here. In the end we had great views of many Oriental Pied, 6-7 Wrinkled, 3 Wreathed, many Black, 7 Rhinoceros, many Bushy-crested and 2 Helmeted- my trip highlight. This biggest of them all, is getting very scarce as it needs larger areas of intact forest to survive. In fact the palm oil plantations along and around the river, and the lack of sight from this area in the latest reports, made me think we would have to count on Danum for it. It was therefore an incredible feeling when they answered our calls on the oxbow lake and eventually a singing pair flew right over our heads, only to land visibly in a tree close by! There they sat singing for about 15 minutes. Then flew across again! What a creature! I hope they can keep surviving along the river. The corridor-projects to connect the remaining forest is essential for their survival here I am sure… Other birds on the river: Storms Stork 4-5 birds! Lesser Adjutant, Darter, Buffy Fish Owl, Blue-eared and Stork-billed kingfishers, Blue-throated Bee eater (beauty), Bat Hawk, Crested goshawk, Jerdons Baza, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagles, Dusky, Black and Red, Black and Yellow Broadbills. Two other massive highlights were the close encounter with 2 Bornean Ground Cuckoos, and the amazing Great Slaty Woodpecker male we had at close range from the boat!
Mammals: Orangutan (large male), Proboscious Monkey, Pig-tailed Macaques, Elephant, Boar
Reptiles: Python, Mangrove snake, Salt Water Crocs,
Accommodation: Sukau Greenview B &B. Very cosy with great tasting food and very friendly and laidback staff. The only minor irritation was the lack of beer.
Danum Valley
We said goodbye to Jason and our solid driver John in Lahad Datu. From Lahad Datu it is only about 2 hours to BRL and most of the drive is through great looking forest and for once you can forget about the civilized world and just soak in jungle. We had Bornean Elephant on route. Our main aim was to try and find our last remaining Hornbill, The punky looking White-Crowned. And to our wonder and relief we did! A pair. So cool! Other birds seen: Great-billed Heron, Crested Firebacks, Great Argus (female, but still great), Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Orange-backer, Crimson-winged, Banded and Buff-necked Woodpeckers, Grey-rumped and Whiskered Treeswifts, Raffles, Redbilled and Chestnut-breasted Malkohas, Diards and Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Banded Broadbill, Blue-headed Pitta (Male and Female), Black-crowned Pitta, and we glimpsed a Giant Pitta female. Tried hard for the Blue-banded but they just refused to co-operate. Wrinkled and Rhinoceros Hornbills showed again, and we heard a few Helmeted. More birds: Spectacled Spiderhunder, ruby-cheeked and crimson sunbirds, Maroon-breasted Philentoma, Dark-throated Oriole, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler. A host of babblers. Alas no Bristleheads around ☹
Mammals: Orangutan 4 in all, Red leaf monkeys, Bornean Gibbon, Red Giant Flying Squirrel (seen flying), Marbled Cat, Clouded Leopard (one sneaking through the bush as we waited for blue-headed pitta!) Bornean pygmee Elephant, Civet.
Reptiles: Sumatran Pit Viper.
Accommodation: The lodge is amazing and luxurious which is a bit strange for us birders, and the service-level can certainly be a bit over the top for two modest Norwegians. The food really is superb and we ate so much and so well there. Of course a good clean shower doesn’t hurt either.
Tangkoko - Sulawesi
After arriving in Manado we drove for about 2 hours to Tangkoko, which seemed a much drier forest than Danum for instance. There arent hordes of birds around, but every bird you see is something great: Dusky Megapode, Ashy woodpecker, Yellow-billed Malkoha Ochre-bellied Boobook, Sulawesi Scops Owl, Green-backed, Lilac, Sulawesi Dwarf and Great-billed Kingfishers, Purple-winged Roller, Amazing Knobbed Hornbills (over 20 in one fruiting-tree), Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Hooded Pitta, Elegant Pitta, White-necked Myna, Grosbeak Starling, Red-backed Thrush.
Mammals: Black Macaques, Western Tarsier.
Accommodation: Mamo Roos, fairly basic, but such a cosy atmosphere and of course almost inside the park ☺
Halmahera – Roadsides and Foli
We had very limited time at Halmahera which probably cost us birds like Purple Dollarbird, but we still got many great new birds: Rufous Night-Heron, Beach, Blue and White, Paradise, Sombre and Sacred Kingfishers, Rainbow Bee eaters, Moustached Treeswifts, Beautiful Blyths Hornbill, Goliaths Coucal, Pacific Baza, Gurneys Eagle, Red-cheeked, Eclectus and Great-billed Parrots, White Cockatoo, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Violet-necked Lory, Cinnamon-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Blue-capped and Grey-headed Fruit-dove, The incredible Ivory-breasted Pitta showed well twice, Rufous-bellied Triller, Black Sunbird – and displaying Wallaces Standardwing- a very special experience. What a bird. As we crossed from Ternate to Sidangoli on the boat, we saw to Red-necked Phalaropes, a really strange experience as I am used to see them on some remote lakes in the Norwegian mountains.
Accommodation: A few different places, all which exceeded our expectations. Even had aircon in remote Halmahera.
Gunung Ambang, Sulawesi
4 Hours from Manado depending on traffic. Our last destination, before we spent 2 days snorkeling at Siladen outside Manado- check it out,amazing spot. In this altitude it was cooler, and as I have mentioned we missed our targeted Bee eater. Still always something nice to see: Great-eared Nighthar, Yellow and green Lorikeet, Citrine and Matinan Flycatcher, Sulawesi Babbler, Sulawesi Leaf-Warbler, Rusty-bellied Fantail, Malia, Fiery-browed Starling, Sulawesi Lesser Honeyeater.
Accommodation: The Senator Hotel. Great hotel with pool, dinner was hard to come by due to Ramadan, but Nurlin found us some great streetfood including the best Satay of the trip.
Feel free to emial me if you have any questions at all. danielmellegaard (@) gmail.com
Borneo
Oriental Darter
Great-billed Heron
Purple Heron
Pacific Reef Heron
Cattle Egret
Black-crowned Night Heron
Rufous Night Heron
Storm's Stork
Lesser Adjutant
Wandering Whistling Duck
Jerdon's Baza
Bat Hawk
Brahminy Kite
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Lesser Fish Eagle
Grey-headed Fish Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Goshawk
Black Eagle
Wallace's Hawk-Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Red-breasted Partridge
Crimson-headed Partridge
Crested Fireback
Great Argus
White-breasted Waterhen
Common Sandpiper
Black-naped Tern
Spotted Dove
Little Cuckoo-Dove
Common Emerald Dove
Zebra Dove
Little Green Pigeon
Pink-necked Green Pigeon
Green Imperial Pigeon
Blue-naped Parrot
Raffles's Malkoha
Red-billed Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Bornean Ground Cuckoo
Buffy Fish Owl
Brown Wood Owl
Collared Owlet
Glossy Swiftlet
Mossy-nest Swiftlet
Black-nest Swiftlet
Edible-nest Swiftlet
House Swift
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Whiskered Treeswift
Diard's Trogon
Scarlet-rumped Trogon
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Black-backed Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Oriental Dollarbird
Oriental Pied Hornbill
Black Hornbill
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Helmeted Hornbill
Bushy-crested Hornbill
White-crowned Hornbill
Wrinkled Hornbill
Wreathed Hornbill
Brown Barbet
Golden-naped Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Banded Woodpecker
Crimson-winged Woodpecker
Orange-backed Woodpecker
Buff-rumped Woodpecker
Buff-necked Woodpecker
Great Slaty Woodpecker
Whitehead's Broadbill
Black-and-red Broadbill
Banded Broadbill
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Dusky Broadbill
Giant Pitta
Blue-headed Pitta
Black-crowned Pitta
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Paddyfield Pipit
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
Lesser Cuckooshrike
Fiery Minivet
Grey-chinned Minivet
Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Black-and-white Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Olive-winged Bulbul
Cream-vented Bulbul
Asian Red-eyed Bulbul
Grey-cheeked Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Greater Green Leafbird
Lesser Green Leafbird
Common Iora
Green Iora
Bornean Whistling-Thrush
Fruithunter
Bornean Stubtail
Sunda Bush Warbler
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Ashy Tailorbird
Mountain Leaf Warbler
Yellow-breasted Warbler
Striated Grassbird
Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher
Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher
Little Pied Flycatcher
Indigo Flycatcher
Malaysian Blue Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Chestnut-naped Forktail
White-throated Fantail
Pied Fantail
Black-naped Monarch
Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Bornean Whistler
Sunda Laughingthrush
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
White-chested Babbler
Short-tailed Babbler
Black-capped Babbler
Rufous-crowned Babbler
Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler
Mountain Wren-Babbler
Grey-throated Babbler
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Pin-striped Tit-Babbler
Blyth’s Shrike-Babbler
Chestnut-crested Yuhina
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Purple-naped Sunbird
Olive-backed Sunbird
Crimson Sunbird
Temminck's Sunbird
Little Spiderhunter
Spectacled Spiderhunter
Streaky-breasted Spiderhunter
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
Black-sided Flowerpecker
Black-capped White-eye
Mountain Blackeye
Dark-throated Oriole
Asian Fairy-bluebird
Long-tailed Shrike
Maroon-breasted Philentoma
Ashy Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
White-breasted Woodswallow
Black Magpie
Short-tailed Green Magpie
Bornean Treepie
Slender-billed Crow
Asian Glossy Starling
Common Hill Myna
Crested Myna
White-vented Myna
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Dusky Munia
Chestnut Munia
Indonesia
Lesser Frigatebird
Great Egret
Little Egret
Pacific Reef Heron
Javan Pond Heron
Cattle Egret
Striated Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Rufous Night Heron
Pacific Baza
Brahminy Kite
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Variable Goshawk
Gurney's Eagle
Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle
Spotted Kestrel
Philippine Megapode
Dusky Megapode
Red Junglefowl
Barred Rail
Common Sandpiper
Red-necked Phalarope
Lesser Crested Tern
Spotted Dove
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Common Emerald Dove
Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon
Blue-capped Fruit Dove
Gray-headed Fruit-Dove
Green Imperial Pigeon
Spectacled Imperial Pigeon
Cinnamon Imperial Pigeon
Pied Imperial Pigeon
White Cockatoo
Violet-necked Lory
Ornate Lorikeet
Citrine Lorikeet
Red-flanked Lorikeet
Red-cheeked Parrot
Great-billed Parrot
Eclectus Parrot
Great Hanging Parrot
Pygmy Hanging Parrot
Yellow-billed Malkoha
Bay Coucal
Goliath Coucal
Lesser Coucal
Sulawesi Scops Owl
Ochre-bellied Boobook
Great Eared Nightjar
Large-tailed Nightjar
Glossy Swiftlet
Moluccan Swiftlet
Uniform Swiftlet
Moustached Treeswift
Sulawesi Kingfisher
Lilac Kingfisher
Great-billed Kingfisher
Blue-and-white Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Sombre Kingfisher
Beach Kingfisher
Sacred Kingfisher
Green-backed Kingfisher
Galatea Paradise Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater
Purple-winged Roller
Oriental Dollarbird
Sulawesi Hornbill
Knobbed Hornbill
Blyth's Hornbill
Ashy Woodpecker
Ivory-breasted Pitta
Hooded Pitta
Elegant Pitta
Pacific Swallow
Moluccan Cuckooshrike
White-rumped Triller
Rufous-bellied Triller
Golden Bulbul
Red-backed Thrush
Sulawesi Leaf Warbler
Verditer Flycatcher
Matinan Blue Flycatcher
Citrine Canary-Flycatcher
Willie Wagtail
Rusty-bellied Fantail
Sulphur-vented Whistler
Malia
Sulawesi Babbler
Brown-throated Sunbird
Black Sunbird
Olive-backed Sunbird
Grey-sided Flowerpecker
Black-fronted White-eye
Dark-eared Myza
Dusky Friarbird
Dusky-brown Oriole
Black-naped Oriole
Hair-crested Drongo
Sulawesi Drongo
Spangled Drongo
White-breasted Woodswallow
Standardwing
Slender-billed Crow
Long-billed Crow
Metallic Starling
White-necked Myna
Fiery-browed Starling
Grosbeak Starling
White-vented Myna
Eurasian Tree Sparrow