SUMMARY

Our last birding trip was an 11 day birding tour on Sumba and Flores Islands, Lesser Sunda. The tour started on 7th February 2020 and finished on 17th February 2020. The tour was arranged with some excitement, because of the recent erratic weather. We planned to do 5 days tour in Sumba and 6 days in Flores. As we knew from the correspondence, our focus is on the endemic birds (Island and region). Our clients of the tour are a great couple from Switzerland, Eveline Scherer and Toni Kraft. They have been to Sumba and Flores 25 years ago but this is their first birding trip to Lesser Sunda, with main purpose to see endemics! We finished birding at 12 spots. 

TRIP DETAIL

Day 1: Airport – Yumbu Grassland – Villa Morinda A sunny day in Waingapu, East Sumba on 7th February. Temperatures were quite high, between 29°c - 33°c with humidity reaching 90%. The flight from Denpasar to Waingapu was 30 minutes late. We met Eveline and Toni at the entrance gate of Mehang Kunda Airport of Waingapu. We went straight to Padang Yumbu (Spot 1), to do a short birding stop before going to the villa where we stayed. Birding in a hot day is usually not profitable. However, for less than 30 minutes, we observed the Paddy field pipit, Indonesian Honey-eater, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Timor Zebra finch, Pied Buschat, and heard Rusty-breasted Whistler. With the temperature was getting hotter, we returned to the town and headed to the restaurant for lunch. After lunch, we headed to Villa Morinda, 6km outside the town, where Eveline and Toni stay. The villa (Spot 2) had a great yard for doing stationary birding. Species at this location were the Sumba Flowerpecker, Pale-shouldered Thriller, Pied Bush Chat, Five-coloured Munia, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Barn Swallow and more. Unfortunately, something happened near midnight as Toni had a great fever. Eveline was very panicked. We took Toni to a clinic and were then taken to the Waingapu government hospital to have a blood check. Thankfully, Toni did not have a serious infection. The doctors gave him antibiotics, and we returned to the Villa at 3:20 a.m.

Day 2: Waingapu – Tabundung, Matalawa National Park Today we made a little change in our schedule. Officially we planned to leave the hotel at 05:00am, but after what happened last night to Toni, we decided to make the schedule flexible depend on Toni’s condition. Finally we started from the Villa at 09:15am. We made some stops between Waingapu and Tabundung (Spot 3, Spot 4, Spot 5). We encountered Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Short-toed Snake-eagle, Pied Bush Chat, Large billed Crow, and Oriental Honeybuzzard. It took 4 hours to reach Billa, Tabundung. When we arrived, it started raining. We could only do birding from shelters at national park (Spot 6). However, we still encountered a pair Red-napped Fruit-doves, a group of Great-billed Parrots, and a Sumba Hornbill flew-over. The rain stopped after 5 pm. We continued to search for the Sumba Boobook and Least Boobook/ Little Sumba Hawk-owl. Deny, our ranger from National Park very familiar with these species. He did a great job to spot the Sumba Boobook around 15 meters above us, displayed with a great view. However, we missed the Little Sumba hawk-owl. We have to go back to National Park building where we stay. Toni’s condition was still our concern.

Day 3: Tabundung – Waingapu We left the ranger station in good weather conditions. We didn't expect it to rain so early at the birding site in Billa, however entering Shelter 1, rain has fallen. We cannot do anything. The plan to observe the Little Sumba Boobook finally failed. We can only sit in the shelter waiting for the rain to fall. At 6:20, it was raining and we immediately left Shelter 1 for Shelter 2. We were out of luck. Just walking for less than 500m, the rain is falling again. We have no other choice but to continue the journey. Luckily, the rain did not last long. In such weather conditions, it seems there are few opportunities to meet the birds. Along the way we met Orange-footed Scrubfowl and a pair of Orange-crested Cockatoo. At Shelter 2 we saw a pair of Cinnamon-banded Kingfishers. On the way back we saw Elegant Pitta who was perched on an open branch. At 11:00 we leave Billa forest. After lunch, we returned to Waingapu. 

Day 4: Waingapu - Tanadaru - Waikabubak We left villa Morinda at 5 a.m. We want to maximize the morning time for birding, given the unfriendly weather in the afternoon and evening. Travel for 1 hour and 30 minutes to Lewa. We stopped at the Matalawa National Park office in Lewa and found a group of Short Tailed Starling in the office yard (Spot 8). Before entering Langgaliru, we heard Chestnus-backed Thrush. We stopped and saw it perch on a low branch. At Langgaliru we stopped at a small restaurant for breakfast. Our trip continues to the National Park post at Telkom Tanadaru. The observations here are short because the rain began to fall. We saw the Apricot-breasted Sunbird, Sumba Brown-flycatcher, Black-fronted Flowerpecker, Wallaces Heleia, Chestnut-Backed Thrush. The rain fell at midday which made us decide to immediately go to Waikabubak. Our journey took 1 hour. In the afternoon we returned to Tanadaru. The weather is still bad and foggy. We only briefly met Ruddy Cuckoo-dove and Sumba Myzomela. We returned to Waikabubak when it was getting dark.

Day 5: Tanadaru - Tambolaka - Ende - Moni The last day on Sumba. We have several important targets. At 04:30 am we returned to Tanadaru. Luckily, the morning was very sunny. We easily found Sumba Myzomela and Apricot-breasted Sunbird. At the same location we found Black-napped Fruit-dove and Rusty-breasted Whistler. Still in Tanadaru, moving as far as 1.5 km, we managed to view Sumba Hornbill perched on a branch very close to the highway where we stood. At the same location we managed to get a clear view of Red-napped Fruit-dove. Before we returned to the hotel in Waikabubak, we visited the traditional village of Prai Ijing. We drive 45 minutes to Tambolaka, where we got a flight to Ende, Flores. The trip to Ende took 45 minutes. The weather was cloudy when we arrived in Ende. The plane experienced a slight shock before landing. Arriving at Moni it rained heavily, and it was dark.

Day 6: Kelimutu - Ende - Bajawa Departing at 05:30, we drove towards Kelimutu NP (Spot 1). The weather was very sunny and we can see the lake clearly. Only Eveline walked to the top. Our main search is for the Flores Flowerpecker. After trying many times, we finally managed to meet one but very short. We also saw Flores Lorikeet, Brown-caped Fantail, and Flores Minivet around the parking area. At 10:00 am we return to Moni, and have breakfast before check-out. The journey from Moni to Ende only stopped at Detusoko to see the rice field. We stopped for half an hour at the supermarket in Ende to buy some snacks and drinks. Sopped for lunch at Nagapenda, before continuing our trip to Bajawa. Entering Bajawa, it rained heavily.

Day 7: Bajawa - Pocondeki - Ranamese - Ruteng We left Bajawa at 04:00 am. It takes 2 hours to arrive at Poco Ndeki (Spot 2). In Poco Ndeki, we encountered two target of endemic birds; Flores crow and Flores Green Pigeon. We also met dozens of individual Timor Zebra finches. We also saw 3 raptors, the Short-toed Snake Eagle, (Lesser Sunda) Varibale Goshawk, and Japanese Sparrowhawk. We continued our trip to Borong and enjoyed lunch, before continuing our trip to Ruteng. We stopped for a moment at Ranamese (Spot 3) to get our first chance in the Ruteng Nature Reserve. But the rain never stopped, so we decided to end the birding and continue driven to Ruteng.

Day 8: Ruteng Nature Reserve 4:00 am we returned to Ranamese (spot 4) to see Flores Scops-owl. We were not lucky, we only heard the call very short. We continue birding around the lake (Spot 3) till the midday. On the way back to Ruteng, we stopped at the coffee plantation after Narute Reserve (Spot 5), where we encountered Flores Jungle Flycatcher. We returned to Ruteng and had lunch. In the afternoon we headed to Gololusang (Spot 8). Here we only encountered Black-back Fruit-dove. It was heavy rain in the afternoon. We tried to head to the north side of the of Ruteng, but it was the same. Heavy rain blocked us. Finally we returned to Ruteng, and gave up for the day.

Day 9: Ruteng - Puarlolo - Labuan Bajo This morning we tried our last chance to see Flores Scops-owl. We returned to Ranamese at 04:00 am. At the same location as yesterday (Spot 4). On different side of the road, 3 individuals responded to the playback. After trying for 30 minutes, we finally managed to clearly see it perched just 4 meters above our heads – success! That morning we continued to look for Flores Flowerpecker in Gololusang. It was our lucky day. We met Flores Flowerpecker at two locations (Spot 6 and Spot 7). At 11:00 we left Ruteng. At Nteer, 29km from Ruteng, we met a group of Flores Lorikeet in the Eucaliptus trees on the roadside (Spot 9). We get enough opportunities to take photos. Another surprise before Lembor (Spot 10), was the Spotted Kestrel perched on the edge of the road, was hunting. We are satisfied taking the photo. We had lunch at Lembor, before continuing to Puarlolo. In Puarlolo (Spot 11) we found our main target, the Flores Monarch, although we didn't get any good photos. But we have other targets, White-rumped Kingfisher, Thick-billed Heleia, Crested Heleia and Tenggara (Rustybreasted) Whistler. In the afternoon we continue our trip to Labuan Bajo.

Day 10: Potawangka - Gorontalo We headed for Potawangka forest (Spot 12) at 5:00, where the morning atmosphere was quite crowded with birds. We saw the Black-napped Oriole, Red-Cheeked Parrot, Group of Green Imperial Pigeon, Paradise Flycatcher, Flame-breasted Sunbird. In the midday we returned to Labuan Bajo. After lunch, the temperature was very hot. We decided to go to the hotel and take a break before we continued our birding around the mangroves and ponds in the south of Labuan Bajo (Spot 13). Here we meet Cerulean Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, Great Egret, Black Cormorant, Wood Sandpiper, and Javan Plover.

Day 11: Yard Hotel - Out - Denpasar. We had one last target that we wanted to find around the hotel (Spot 14). Luckily, a sunny morning provided good chances, we managed to easily meet the last target, Flame-breasted Sunbird. This one was our good-bye party! Before going to the airport we did a last hut for the Small blue Kingfisher. We saw it so many times but it was too fast to take a photo. However, I heard from Eveline, that they finally got a great picture of the Kingfisher in Bali.

In the rain season, the tour was quite difficult. Overall, we managed the great list of target during our tight birding duration.