For 3 days we visited the most popular Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java which is famous for its panoramic epic Mount Bromo, Tenggerese peoples and the highest peak of Java island, Semeru mountain. In contrast to other visitors who usually visit the breathtaking mount Bromo or climb Semeru mountain, we visited four birding spots around that area. This National Park still has a large rainforest that is still good and protected, and would be good habitat conditions for wildlife, especially birds.
On 17 January morning we headed to Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java. The cliff area that became the crossroad of Malang-Lumajang highway still has good forest. We start from the searching of a bridge then walk westwards. In the morning the condition of passing vehicles is quite rare, so we just enjoy bird watching. Highlight birds that we managed to see for this spots are (Javan) Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Banded Kingfisher, (Javan) Banded Broadbill, Yellow-throated Hanging-parrot, Yellow-eared Barbet and Grey-cheeked tit-babbler.
Then at noon we drove to the south coast of Lumajang, at Selok Anyar village where habitat in this area is a rice field along the edge of the coastline with some angles there are fish ponds owned by the residents. Also there are some rice fields that become pastures where the buffalo graze.
We arrived here at 1.00 pm at a fishpond, immediately greeted by the Small-blue Kingfisher flying past us toward the other ponds. Then we walked along the rice fields, pastures and ponds to the rows of Australian pine tree beachside. As a result we noted many birds and the highlights were Javan Kingfisher, Small-blue or Cerulean Kingfisher, Javan Plover, Red Avadavat, Javan Munia.
On the second day we can only do a short birding until 10.30 pm in Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP because the rain does not stop until night. But in the lowland forest with a semi-natural lake, we managed to note endemic birds such as Javan Kingfisher, Sunda Cuckoo, Javan-banded Pitta, Sunda Forktail, and Javan Sunbird.
Similarly on the last day we were less fortunate. Arriving at the fourth birding spot, Coban Trisula departs from Ranu Darungan 1.5 hours through the rainforest in the area of Senduro and Tengger villages in Ranu Pani village and arrives at the location around 10:00 am. Not long after the rain was down until the afternoon. The rain stopped briefly, and there were some active birds like Pink-headed Fruitdove and White-browed Shrike-Babbler as well as the end of birding trips at Bromo Tengger Semeru NP.
HIGHLIGHTS:
(Javan) Buff-rumped Woodpecker: 2 individuals seen at Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java.
Banded Kingfisher: a female perched for 30 minutes at Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java.
(Javan) Banded Broadbill: 2 adults with 1 immature, looking for it’s meals at Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java.
Yellow-throated Hanging-parrot: 2-3 birds were foraging at Piket Nol, Lumajang and 1 flight at Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Yellow-eared Barbet: party of 22 birds at fruiting ficus sp tree in Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java.
Sunda Coucal: 2 birds seen at sugarcane fields in south-coast of Lumajang, East Java.
Grey-cheeked Tit-babbler: a small flock about 6 birds at Piket Nol, Lumajang, East Java.
Crescent-chested Babbler: 6 birds foraging at bushes in Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Javan Plover: a small flock of 6 birds foraging at paddy field in south-coast of Lumajang, East Java.
Javan Kingfisher: 3 individuals at paddy field south-coast of Lumajang and 1 bird at Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Small-blue or Cerulean Kingfisher: 2 birds perched at a fishpond in the south-coast of Lumajang, East Java.
Blue-eared Kingfisher: a pair of male and female around lake of Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Javan-banded Pitta: 4 individuals calling each other at Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Javan Sunbird: A pair of male and female in Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Sunda Forktail: single bird at the lake of Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Sunda Cuckoo: 2 birds singing in the canopy of a big tree in Ranu Darungan, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Pink-headed Fruitdove: 1 adult and 1 immature foraging at Coban Trisula, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
White-browed Shrike-Babbler: 1 male and 2 female catch moths at Coban Trisula, Bromo Tengger Semeru NP, East Java.
Red Avadat: 30 individuals looking for food on the ground of a paddy field in the south-coast of Lumajang, East Java.
Javan Munia: total 67 birds foraging paddy seed at paddy field in south-coast of Lumajang, East Java.
Other notable birds included:
Crested-serpent Eagle, Black-thighed Falconet, White-breasted Waterhen, Greater Coucal, Lesser Coucal, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Lesser Shortwing, Horsfield’s Babbler, Ashy Drongo, Red-billed Malkoha, Plaintive Cuckoo, Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo, Collared Kingfisher, Black-banded Barbet, Grey-and-buff Woodpecker, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Pied Triller, Scarlet Minivet, Large Woodshrike, Black-headed Bulbul, Sooty-vented Bulbul, Cream-vented Bulbul, Ashy Tailorbird, Wood Sandpiper, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Purple Heron, Eastern Cattle Egret, Javan Pond Heron, Common Buttonquail, Barred Buttonquail, Pacific Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, Swinhoe’s Snipe, Pin-tailed Snipe, Greater Crested Tern, Spotted Dove, Savanna Nightjar, Cave Swiftlet, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, Pacific Swallow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Paddyfield Pipit, Zitting Cisticola, Plain Prinia, Common Tailorbird, Scaly-breasted Munia.
PHOTOGRAPHED BIRDS:
