#9: Tangkoko Tales: Among Sulawesi's Feathered Treasures
After nine hours of travel, we finally landed in Manado. Because of the delay circus sponsored by the Lion Air group, our guide Ateng and Eugene were stranded in Sorong and were scheduled to arrive two days later.
We were picked up by one of Ateng's team members, and this guy really drove like crazy while avoiding the toll roads. Probably because of the exhaustion, I ended up vomiting by the roadside as we were approaching Tangkoko, our home for the next three days. The trip should have taken only 45 minutes, but instead lasted an hour and a half as we passed through old zigzag roads. It was my first time vomiting in years!
Upon arrival, we were treated to another home-cooked Indonesian meal, but I was too dizzy to eat. I was completely exhausted and sleepy. Our hotel was just a minute's drive away, and everyone had their own room. It was probably one of the best sleeps of the trip, especially with our call time set at 6:30 AM the following day.
Vomit selfie look
Just the 3 of us after Ateng & Eugene was left in Sorong. Will see them the next day.
Tangkoko National Park
The homestay served some great pancakes for breakfast, and the coffee was amazing, as always in Indonesia. The park was conveniently located near our homestay, just a five-minute walk to the entrance.
Since Ateng was stuck in Sorong, his son Luis took over guiding duties. The weather was decent, and the forest offered easy, walkable trails. There were a few uphill sections, but everything was manageable. Our usual route consisted of an 11-kilometer loop that eventually brought us back to the entrance.
As you trek through the forest, birding is relatively easy, and setting up a tripod is entirely feasible.
The Green-backed Kingfisher was very cooperative whenever we encountered it, often remaining calm enough for excellent portrait shots. The Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher was equally accommodating. Yellow-billed Malkohas were everywhere, usually moving in flocks of six to eight birds, but they were quick to disappear into the forest, making photography more challenging.
Several Ashy Woodpeckers could also be seen, along with many of the other species commonly found in this forest.
The main highlight was supposed to be the Knobbed Hornbill. There is a feeding area where photographers and birdwatchers typically wait for birds bringing food to their partners. Fortunately, our guide heard a pair nearby and led us to a nesting area where they were simply playing around. It was truly an amazing sight.
Other wildlife can also be found within the park. One of the most notable is the Spectral Tarsier, locally known as the Tangkasi, one of the smallest primates on Earth, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
Mission Impossible
Holding on tight during a motorcycle ride with Ateng, my 600mm f/4 slung beside me, en route to the Sulawesi Scops Owl location.
Overall, this destination is good enough to cover most of your target species within two days. Beyond that, sightings may become somewhat repetitive. Still, as always, the joy comes from searching and seeing what the forest decides to reveal.
SAMPIRAN RIVER MOUTH
Another adventure awaited us.
A quick ten-minute drive brought us to the coast, where we walked across volcanic stones to reach our boat. From there, we headed toward the mangroves, and the experience was as amazing as it could get.
The best part was the boat ride across the waters of the Molucca Sea on our way to the mangrove forests. The seas were slightly rough, and all cameras needed to be protected with plastic bags. As always, there was a sense of magic in the journey itself.
Our main target was the Great-billed Kingfisher, and it certainly did not disappoint, giving us several excellent opportunities for photographs.
Other birds in the area included Rainbow Bee-eaters and Lesser Frigatebirds, but these proved very difficult to photograph due to the boat's movement and the birds' distance.
I must say, it was a truly wonderful experience.
TEMBOAN HILL LOOKOUT
A short 15-minute drive from the homestay brought us to this beautiful overlook, where cool fresh air greeted us.
During our visit, strong winds were blowing throughout the area. The Knobbed Hornbills were visible, but they were very far away, making quality photographs difficult to obtain. Even so, the atmosphere was a perfect 10/10.
On one of our mornings, we had breakfast here, and it was terrific. Afterwards, we walked along the roadside and managed to capture some excellent shots of both the Gray-sided Flowerpecker and the Yellow-sided Flowerpecker.
Bird activity was relatively slow, but the location certainly has a lot of potential under better weather conditions. The previous few days had been particularly windy.
On our way back to the homestay, we stopped by a reservoir where an Oriental Darter posed beautifully against the sunset.
We successfully photographed seven species of kingfishers during our stay in Tangkoko, making this a very successful and memorable sortie. Next, we head to Tomohon for the final leg of our adventure. Watch out for that story soon! 🙂
Off to Tomohon
Tangkoko done, Tomohon next.
Wait for my Tomohon write up next. ❤️🇮🇩
