Birding in Sandless Beach, Ngungap Cliff

Good ambiance of the sandless beach, Indian Ocean, and White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus. Driving two and a half hours (60 km) to Ngungap on the south-east coast of Jogja, here where Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn (German-Dutch botanist and geologist) in 1856 watched the Indian Ocean and captured the landscape of the area onto a painting entitled “Sudkuste bei Rongkop” from this place. the lines of coral cliffs, and solid coral grooves waved beautifully on the right and left sides, standing against the giant waves from the Indian Ocean.

The administration of Ngungap beach is in District Girisubo, Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta province. Sandless, the line of land abruptly changed onto the blue, deep ocean with its ferocious waves. For local people, the location is known for the presence of caves under the corals with cave mouths directly facing the ocean. Homes to Black-nest Swiftlet Collocalia maximus and Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphagus, traditionally people around the area take swiftlet nests annually, worth millions rupiahs per kg.

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Birding in Gunung Merapi National Park

Place of Gunung Merapi National Park, Merapi is the most active volcano on earth despite recovering from a damaging eruption in 2010, it still remains an excellent place to go forest birdwatching and the best area in Jogja. Located just about 45 minutes to one hour north of the town, this volcano holds more than 160 species. For your productive birding, Kaliurang and Plawangan Hill are the two major sites that you can choose. An easy access with easy to moderate tracks are available.

In Kaliurang, you might have chance to see various endemics, such as Javan Kingfisher, Javan Hanging Parrot, Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, with many other resident birds, such as Black Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Striated Grassbird, Coppersmith Barbet, Long-tailed Shrike, and more.

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Raden Soerjo, Forest Birding Malang

Raden Soerjo Greater Park Forestry is one of the remaining natural montane-forest in Java. Located in the west-slope of mount Arjuno-Welirang-Anjasmoro (3,339 m asl), has a total area of 27868.30 hectares and has a special place for birding.

This area is a mountainous plateau that stretches from the North-South. A bumpy topography of the region and mountainous with an altitude of 1000-3339 m asl. Slope level reaches 30-90% with annual rainfall ranging between 2500-4500 mm. Temperatures at night ranged from 5-10°C. Whereas in the dry season can reach 4°C. The humidity is quite high, ranging from 42-45% (lowest) to 90-97% (the highest).

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