The internationally important site for Sanderling & Wood Sandpiper in the EAAF. If you are looking for migratory shorebirds and other waterbirds in Yogyakarta, Trisik beach is the right place for you. Come around late August to March, and many regular visitors of migratory shorebirds.
This sandy coastal beach is about 2.4 km long on the west-south coast of Java approximately 30 km south of the Jogja city (45 minutes – 1 hours). The beach is administratively located in Banaran village, Galur subdistrict, Kulon Progo district, Yogyakarta province. Here the Progo River, the biggest river of Jogja, meets the sea.


This area is often visited by local birders during the migration season. Some monitoring and research have pretty much been done. From the local like Jogja Bird Walk, Indonesian shorebirds monitoring (Monitoring Burung Pantai Indonesia or MoBuPI), Bird Batik Day (Boeharti, Pengamatan Burung Hari Batik) to international annual events such as the Asian Waterbirds Census and Word Migratory Bird Day.
From those several records place Pantai Trisik as an internationally important site for Sanderling and Wood Sandpiper in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway also there are three species of migrant shorebirds (Grey Phallarope, Pectoral Sandpiper and Common Ringed Plover) that became the first record for Indonesia.
Birding in the area you must observe at least four sites such as:
1. Rice Paddies
Rice paddies cover most of the area (c.60%) for 3.6 km along the north to south of Banaran village. During the dry season, the farmers plant the area with soybeans. The presence of shorebirds is mostly from the preparation for rice planting until the early growing phase. At The peak of migration season (October – November) hundred to thousand of Wood Sandpiper will come in here with the other shorebirds. The rice paddies and surrounding area is a feeding area for Javan Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Cattle Egret, Javan Pond Heron, Zitting Cisticola, Plain Prinia and more. With some luck the unpredictable Black-caped Munia and Greater Painted-snipe might be able to be seen.
2. Lagoons
The lagoon (known by the local people as ‘tegongan’) is a small pool containing brackish water. There are two lagoons located about 100m from the shoreline. Big waves sometimes inundate the lagoons for approximately 1km along the shoreline. In 2009, the western lagoon was used by the local people to nourish ‘Bandeng’ (Indonesian for Milky Fish Chanos chanos) by building a c.1m high dyke. The area between the lagoons and the shoreline is surrounded by sands dominated by Spinifex littoreus and Pandanus tectorius plants. The area is known for its importance as the nesting area of Javan Plover and Savanna Nightjar. The others birds such as Paddyfield Pipit, Striated Swallow, Pacific Reef Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret and the endemic Javan (Sunda) Coucal frequently seen around here.
3. Sand Beach
The sand beach of Pantai Trisik is approximately 2.4km long. The Kali Progo estuary confines the eastern side while to the west, the sand beach is continuous to the Kali Bogowonto estuary in Pantai Glagah. In January 2010, Sanderling with 1845 birds accounted for almost 37% of the total population (With 5000 birds being the estimated total population of Sanderling in Indonesia). These numbers also exceed the 1% thresholds used to identify sites of international importance (Bamford et al. 2008) and place Pantai Trisik as an internationally important site for Sanderling in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The others birds might be seen such as Grey-tailed Tattler, Common Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover, Little Tern and the Critically Endangered Christmas Frigatebirds.
4. Kali Progo deltas & estuary
Kali Progo is the biggest river in Yogyakarta province. The river estuary forms some deltas that are preferred by shorebirds and other waterbirds for roosting and foraging. The observations were made by crossing the river but when the river flooded during the wet season, access to the deltas was almost impossible; the observations were then conducted from opposite sides of the river. You would not to be miss the endemic Small Blue or Cerulean Kingfisher and the residents and migrants such as Barred Buttonquail, Grey Heron, Greater Crested Tern, Common Greenshank, Red-necked Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Pacific Golden Plover and more might be a great opportunity to be seen.
BEST-TIME TO BIRDING: August – March
ACCESS AND ACCOMODATION:
There is no clear public transportation to Trisik Beach, but with rent a car or motorbike the area can be accessed easily enough. The trails can be a bit confusing so you may consider asking a local for assistance as a guide. Also difficult to get a hotel with good quality near the site, suggestions for staying in the city center and setting off very early to the location.