In the middle of August I flew in to Sulawesi in Indonesia to lead a tour for Tropical Birding to there and neighboring Halmahera island. I had first visited these islands on two occasions in 2013, and had been gagging to return. In a nutshell this part of Asia and Australasia (for Halmahera may be best thought of as part of that region, with Sulawesi considered part of Asia), has some of the very best in all of the region.
The tour began in the southern city of Makassar in Sulawesi, where some short trips out of the city produced the very local Black-ringed White-eye, our first Sulawesi Dwarf-Hornbill, and Javan Plovers and Savanna Nightjars around the city itself. After that we flew north into the province of Central Sulawesi and headed to Lore Lindu National Park. Our arrival in the park was greeted with the sighting of what we were told was a nesting "Small Sparrowhawk". However, under closer inspection, it was found to be the rarer Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk, with Small Sparrowhawk seen in the park the next day too! We were off and running. After a day in the lower reaches of the park, (that opened with the recently described Cinnabar Boobook in the spotlight), punctuated with sightings like Sulawesi Serpent-Eagle perched, the gorgeous blue-and-red Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, and Sulawesi Cicadabird, we were ready (kind of) for the infamous Anaso Track, a hard slog from 1700m elevation up to 2300m elevation, and a round trip of some 10km+...
I am sure, when we left the hotel at the ungodly hour of 4am many in the group were questioning their own sanity. After several hours uphill hike though, a bird nestled against the rock face lifted everyone's spirits...the first of 4 Satanic Nightjars seen at day roosts that day. The bird has received bad treatment from scientists, some referring to it as "Satanic" Nightjar; its alternative name is not much more pleasant either: Diabolical Nightjar. The reason for this satanic moniker is that it was historically considered a symbol of evil and the devil, so much so that local people would pluck the eyes out of the bird if they encountered it. This was a splendid justification for our steady and energy sapping climb. However, the best on this climb was yet to come...
1 comment:
It's definitely like a tree colour. It's a hiding technique they are prone to, right?
Post a Comment