Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

I was in the Aketajawe Lolobata National Park. It was 4 am, pitched dark, and drizzling. I was getting ready for an hour of trekking in the forest, crossing knee-deep streams in tanning brown water, and climbing up unmarked slopes in complete darkness in the virgin rainforest. I followed our guides with a torchlight to reach the observation tower to see the Wallace Standardwing bird-of-paradise. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

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Day 1. Manado to Ternate. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

We took a one-hour propeller flight from Manado to Ternate across the ocean to photograph the Ternate Pitta. The pittas were hiding behind the rock and reluctant to come out. We were stalking the pitta for the entire day but to no avail. We stayed overnight at Villa Ma’rasai.

Day 2: Ternate to Sofifi. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

In the morning, I had a Willie Fantail in the garden. After breakfast, we chartered a 40-minute speedboat from Ternate to Sofifi. Wan pick us up at the jetty. At the roadside forest, we stopped the car and called for Sombre Kingfisher. Saw a Rainbow Bee-eater on the roadside. We then visited Wan’s Ivory Breasted Pitta hide. Pittas came to entertain us. A pair of Blue-and-White Kingfishers were on the wire. Overnight at Hotel Boleto in Sofifi. We drove from Sofifi to Sindangoli.

Day 3: Sindangoli to Aketajawe Lolobata. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

We left Sindangoli at 4 am and drove to Aketajawe Lolobata homestay by 8 am. Met Pak Roji. had breakfast, and visited the Ivory Breasted Pitta and North Moluccan Pitta hide. We did not wait too long for them to come out. But we had to cross the stream to get to the hide. It rained, and we came back for lunch. We took a Halmahera Flowerpecker, Black Sunbird, and Spectacled Monarch. We then hiked to the campground and spent the night in the tent. The Moluccan Scops Owl responded to the call at night.

Day 4: Bird of paradise. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

We trekked to the tower in the dark at 4 am and arrived at 6:30am. We spent 2 hours watching the courtship. We had breakfast at the campground, then headed back to the homestay. It was raining when we reached the homestay. We had lunch, then bird around the house till sunset. We had Blyth’s Hornbills, Goliath Coucal, Azure Kingfisher, Sultan’s Cuckoo-dove, Olive-backed Sunbird, Long Billed Crow, and North Moluccan Dwarf Kingfisher.

Day 5: Sofifi to Ternate. Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

We left the Aketajawe Lolobata homestay and searched for Paradise Kingfisher on the way to Sofifi. We boarded a speedboat to Ternate for dinner at the Emerald Hotel.

Day 6: Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise

I revisited the pitta hide at Ternate that we missed the first day. I only saw a glimpse of it as it was reluctant to come out. We had a good view of the Moluccan Dwarf Kingfisher instead.

Birding Halmahera | Bird of Paradise