Birdwatching Tour in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa Highland

Sonder is a subdistrict town in Minahasa regency of Indonesia. It is a good destination for visitors who love nature. Visitors who spend their holiday in Sonder can enjoy walking tours to explore its villages, farmlands, paddy fields, forest, water streams and fish ponds. For birdwatchers, Sonder should be included in their destination for holiday. 

Subdistrict Sonder in Minahasa regency of Indonesia

Most of the farmland and forest of Sonder can be explored on foot or by motorized vehicles. In higher elevation forest, visitors can go hiking to the top very early in the morning to watch such birds as Warbling White-eye, Crimson Sunbird, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Black-faced Munia, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Drongo, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Drongo, and etc.

Black-crowned White-eye

There are flower plants that grow along the roadsides that attract butterflies. Blanchard's Ghost Butterfly, Blanchard's Wood Nymph and Common Birdwing could be watched while they were feeding on nectar of the wild flowers. 

Blandchard's Ghost Butterfly in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency

Sooty-headed Bulbul

Walking down to the central area of Sonder town, visitors could see a small forest along the slope of Tounelet village.  Tounelet forest and the farmland areas that surround Sonder are the sites for watching such birds as:

• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Slender-billed Crow
• Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Sahul Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Black-naped Oriole
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Grey-sided Flowerpecker
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo
• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Finch-billed Myna
• Brush Cuckoo
• Purple Needletail
• Gray-rumped Treeswift
• White-nest Swiftlet
• Barn Swallow
• Collared Kingfisher (Todirampus chloris)
• and a lot more.

Collared Kingfisher (Todirampus chloris)

Visitors could also enjoy birdwatching while walking through rice fields of Subdistrict Sonder. There, they can finds such birds as:

• Cattle Egret
• Little Egret
• Purple Heron
• Grey Teal
• Sunda Teal
• White-browed Crake
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• Zebra Dove
• Chestnut Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Cinnamon Bittern,
• And etc.

Yellow-billed Malkoha

There are also butterflies especially among the flower gardens and agricultural lands in the villages of Sonder. Visitors could find The Clipper (Parthenos sylvia), Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus), Gigon Swallowtail (Papilio gigon), Sacred Tabby (Pseudergolis avesta), Manado Yellow Tiger Butterfly, and etc.

Visitor could see more butterflies when walking deeper into the farmland and forest of Sonder. 

Farm Tour

While walking through villages, visitors could also see  various kinds of activites that are related to farming. Tour participants will see the kinda of crops that farmers grow.

Most of the inhabitants of Subdistrict Sonder work as farmers. They grow rice, corn, banana, durian, papaya, orange, kangkung (water spinach), cabbage, carrot, chilli, tomato, and etc. They have got pigs, chicken and tilapia fish.  Farmers in Tincep grow various kinds of flowers. 

Farmers grow peanuts, corn, vanilla, clove, banana, chilli, aubergine, rice. They also run fish, poultry and pig farming.

If you are interested in spending your holiday time in Sonder of Minahasa highland and want me to organize your trip, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 and by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Birds of Minahasa in Highland and Lower Montane Forest

Birds of Minahasa in Highland and Lower Montane Forest

The rainforest, agricultural land, lake, and paddy fields of Minahasa is the habitat of various species of tropical birds that are unique and beautiful. Some of them include Black-crowned White-eye, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, and a lot more.

Black-naped Oriole, White-breasted Woodswallow, Pale Blue Monarch, Crimson Sunbird, Collared Kingfisher, Sooty-headed Bulbul

Yellow-billed Malkoha

The birding sites that are easy to be reached by visitors are Talawaan and Mount Tumpa at the outskirts of Manado city, and the Nature Reserve of Tangkoko. For the Highland of Minahasa, Sonder town is the recommended destinations. Tounelet forest should be in the list of places to go especially early in the morning. 

The farmland, rice fields and forest sites at the outskirts of Sonder town are the habitat of Collared Kingfisher, White-breasted Woodswallow, White-browed Crake, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Hair-crested (white-eyed) Drongo, Zebra Dove, Finch-billed Myna, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Drongo, Turquoise Warbling Flycatcher, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Mountain (Warbling) White-eye, Crimson Sunbird, White-faced Cuckoo Dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, and a lot more. 

Where is Minahasa and How to get there?

The main gate to Minahasa highland is Manado city which is the capital of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. Visitors need to fly from their country to one of the major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar Bali, Makassar and Balikpapan. After that, they could continue their trip to Manado city by one of the domestic airlines such as Garuda, Citilink, TransNusa, Lion Air, and Batik Air. 

There are international direct flights between Singapore and Manado which is served by Scoot Air and between Guangzhou China and Manado city of Indonesia served by China Southern Airlines.

Flight routes between Manado city and major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, and Sorong

Sonder town is the recommended destination for birdwatching

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching trip to Minahasa and are looking for a guide who can accompany you and organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birdwatching Tour in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency, Indonesia
• Birding in Bali
• Birding in Tambrauw

Watching Vulturine Parrot

Vulturine Parrot

I have just returned from Tambrauw mountains after spending nearly one week exploring the rainforest to watch birds and butterflies. I am happy because I saw several target birds such as Vulturine Parrot, Lesser Birds of Paradise and Magnificent Bird of Paradise. They were very beautiful. It was my first experience watching the Vulturine Parrot for quite long.

I saw three Pesquet's Parrot eating fig fruits for nearly two hours. It was a rare experience. IUCN put the bird into the status of Vulnerable because it is hunted by local tribes who need his red feather for their traditional costumes. Recently the population of the bird has decreased rapidly due to conversion of rainforest into other uses such as road, monoculture palm oil and cocoa plantation. 

I offer tours to Tambrauw for visitors who are interested in watching the Vulturine Parrot and other tropical birds of West Papua. If you are interested, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by text message to my whatsapp number: +6281332245180.

Birding in Tambrauw Mountains

Camping in Tambrauw forest

Tambrauw is a beautiful tourist destination in West Papua province of Indonesia. Most of its land is covered by tropical rainforest. Local Government of Tambrauw regency declared its territory as the regency of conservation, that's why ecotourism is seen as a sustainable income generation scheme for the indigenous people so that they could preserve their rainforest. To support this policy, I offer rainforest birding tours to anybody who wants to watch tropical birds of New Guinea. Tropical rainforest of Tambrauw and its rivers are a great sites for hiking and birdwatching as well as wildlife watching. Visitors who go there can enjoy riverwalk and rainforest tour to find:

Rainforest of Tambrauw Mountains

• Lesser Birds of Paradise, 
• King Bird of Paradise, 
• Magnificent Riflebird, 
• Palm Cockatoo, 
• Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, 
• Eclectus Parrot
• Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot
• Black-capped Lory
• Pinon Imperial Pigeon
• Pink-spotted Fruit Dove
• Beautiful Fruit Dove
• Coconut Lorikeet
• New Guinea Harpy Eagle, 
• Variable Goshawk
• Brahminy Kite
• and a lot of other tropical birds that live in the mountains. There are two sites in Tambrauw which visitors can go to enjoy hiking and birding. The first one is the lowland forest and the second one is the mountain forest.

Moustached Treeswift

The duration of the trip is between 4 to 5 days. Visitors can enjoy birding along the road or enjoy camping and river walk to watch such birds as Grey Crow, Little Egret, Blyth's Hornbill and Kingfishers.

The entry point to Tambrauw is through Manokwari city and Sorong city. Because the cost of transportation is quite expensive, visitors need to go in a group of 3 to 4 people to share the price. We usually charter 4wd cars to reach the river where we will enjoy camping, riverwalk and birding.
Things to bring:

French tourists in Tambrauw mountains

Besides bringing birding optics such as binoculars, spotting scope, laser pointer and telephoto camera, visitors need to wear water shoes, t-shirt, short pants and long pants for walking in the forest. A field guide book: Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler can be ordered from Amazon online bookstore. 

Booking

Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180

Also read:

• Birds of Minahasa in Highland and Lower Montane Forest
• Birding in Bali

Birding Tours in Rainforest of Manokwari

I offer birding tours for visitors who are interested in watching birds in lowland area of Manokwari and in lower montane forest of Arfak mountains.

Susnguakti forest of Manokwari

Susnguakti forest
In addition to watching birds in Lowland Region of Manokwari, visitors can watch Birds of Paradise in Lower Montane Forest of Arfak mountains. The target birds are: Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Birds of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) and Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus). There are also other birds such as Common Paradise Kingfisher (Common Paradise Kingfisher), and Hooded Butcherbird and even Dwarf Cassowary that we may watch if we go hiking and birding in lower montane forest of Arfak mountains. Visitors need to stay in our basecamp for 3 days to enjoy birding in this rainforest.
Manokwari Lowland Area

Variable Goshawk in Lowland Forest of Manokwari

The duration of birdwatching tour in lowland forest is 3 days. The target birds are: Little-ringed Plover, Little Egret, Willie Wagtail, Brahminy Kite, Blyth's Hornbill, Variable Goshawk, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, and etc. In the middle of the forest, there is no luxurious hotel or guesthouse, we need to stay in tents and do birding walks along the banks of Mesirokow river. The river is quite wide and flat. It is my best birding site in Manokwari regency of West Papua.

Booking
Please, contact me by phone: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read: Birding Tours in Manokwari

Lesser Birds of Paradise

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) in West Papua

Here are pictures of Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) that live in tropical rainforest of West Papua. I often guide tourists to places in Indonesia such as Susnguakti forest in Manokwari, Klasow valley and Sorong forest, and Tambrauw Mountains. These are important destinations in West Papua province of Indonesia where visitors can watch Lesser Birds of Paradise and a lot of other tropical birds of New Guinea. Birds of Paradise have been hunted since hundreds of years ago for their beautiful feather. Their population is shrinking rapidly due to habitat loss. Ecotourism is a good answer to protect the birds.
If you are interested in taking a birding, hiking, and camping tours with me, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Birding Tours in Manokwari

Lesser Birds of Paradise

I often receive requests from readers of this blog about birding tours in Manokwari. There are several sites which tourists can choose to enjoy birdwatchings.

King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius)

• Mesirokow river is a rainforest area in Manokwari regency. It is a nice place for camping, birding and riverwalk activities. Visitors can watch Papuan Hornbill, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Brahminy Kite, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Boyers Cuckooshrike, Variable Goshawk, Lowland Peltop, Little-ringed Plover, Glossy-mantled Manucode, and etc.
• Susnguakti Forest: There are several paradise birds here including Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Magnificent Riflebirds, Kingbird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, and Common Paradise Kingfisher, as well as a lot of other tropical birds that live in lower montane forest of Arfak range.
• Mount Soyti: The vocal points of this higher montane forest of Arfak mountains are Vogelkop Bowerbird, Magnificent Bird of Paradise and Western Parotia. Goldenface, Sclater's whistler, Green-backed Robin, Plum-faced Lorikeet and Cinnamon Ground Dove are some of other cloud forest birds that we can watch in Mount Soyti.

Booking

Please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 for details of the tours and prices.