I organize tours for visitors who are interested in exploring rainforest and watching tropical birds of Raja Ampat and North Sulawesi. Here is the program:
Birding, Swimming and Snorkeling in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat
Day 1
You arrive at Domine Eduard Osok Airport of Sorong city. I or my team will meet you at the airport and organize your transfer to ferry harbor and then cross the sea by fast passenger ferry to Waigeo island. We need approximately 2 hours to reach it.
Arriving at Waisai harbor, we will go by car to a resort located at the southern coast of Waigeo island. We may stop several times along the way to watch such birds as Papuan Eclectus, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra or White-breasted Woodswallow, and Pacific Swallow. We will check into the resort and then take a rest for around 1 or 2 hours depending on the time you need to restore your energy.
We could do birdwatching inside the complex area of the resort to look for Mimic Honeyeater, Palm Cockatoo and Helmeted Friarbird.
After lunch, you could enjoy swimming and snorkeling.
Day 2
Wake up at 04:00 in the morning and make preparation. After having some coffee or tea, we will leave the resort at 04:30 by car for a forest area locates on the hill of Waigeo island. We will watch Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise until around 08:30. We will walk back to main road while looking for such birds as Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-faced Myna, and Blyth's Hornbill.
We will return to resort by car again. Along the way, we could stop to fined birds such as Red-cheeked Parrot, Pink-spottee Fruit-dove, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and Pied Imperial Pigeon.
Back to the resort, we could take a rest or do easy birding to find Brown Oriole, Osprey, Pacific Reef Heron and etc.
During the day, tour participants could enjoy swimming and snorkeling.
Night birding could be done to find such birds as Papuan Frogmouth, Marblee Frogmouth, or even the Hook-billed Kingfisher.
Day 3
We will do birding to find birds that we haven't seen such as Shining Flycatcher, Metallic Starling, Moustached Treeswift, and Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, and etc.
After lunch, we will return to Sorong city by ferry. Check into hotel, rest.
Birding in North Sulawesi
Day 4.
We will go to airport and then fly to Manado city. Arriving at Sam Ratulangi Airport, we will continue our trip by car to Tomohon town. It takes around 45 minutes to reach it if the traffic is good. We will first go to Lake Linow to watch such birds as Little Egret, White-breasted Waterhen, Javan Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Sunda Teal, Barn Swallow and etc.
Night birding could be organized along the slope of Mount Mahawu to look for such birds as Sulawesi Scops Owl and Speckled Boobook.
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| Birds of North Sulawesi |
Day 5
We will wake up early in the morning to find such birds as Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Turquoise Flycatcher, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, and etc.
After that we will explore farm forest of Sonder to look for Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Sulawesi Drongo, Black-faced Munia, Chestnut Munia, White-breasted Woodswallow, Gray Wagtail, Black Kite, Black-crowned White-eye, Warbling White-eye.
We could also watch birds along the slope of Tounelet village to look for such birds as Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Oriole, Hair-crested Drongo (white-eyed), Sooty-headed Bulbul and etc.
Day 6
We will explore Mount Mahawu again to find Scaly-breasted Kingfisher or Sulawesi Pitta if we haven't seen it well. There are a lot of interesting birds in the morning such as Superb Fruit-dove, Pygmy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Red Jungle Fowl, and etc.
We will watch birds along the rice field area to look for White-browed Crake, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Collared Kingfisher, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Cinnamon Bittern and etc.
As we go to lower elevation forest, we will look for Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher. Night birding could be conducted again to find Speckled Boobook.
Day 7
We will check out of the hotel early in the morning for Tangkoko Nature Reserve. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to reach it depending on the traffic. A short stop at Temboan hill to watch birds such as Sulawesi Hornbill, Knobbed Hornbill, Minahasa Racquet-tail, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove and etc. Check into a lodge. Rest.
Afternoon birding along a big pond to look for Purle-winged Roller, Oriental Darter, White-breasted Waterhen, Little Egret, and etc.
Day 8
We will enter the forest of Tangkoko to look for Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Malkoha, White-necked Myna, and etc.
There mammals such as Sulawesi Bear Cuscus, Celebes-crested Macaque, Gursky's Spectral Tarsier.
Day 9
We will go to Naun river to look for Great-billed Kingfisher. In the same mangrove forest, we may also see other birds such as Gray-rumped Treeswift, Sulawesi Crow, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, White-rumped Triller, Pied Cuckooshrike, and etc.
Day 10.
Check out of the hotel
Transfer to airport
End of Tour
