The near-mythical Madanga (Charles Davies) INDONESIA’S SOUTHERN MOLUCCAS 4 – 26 NOVEMBER 2016 LEADER: CRAIG ROBSON This was our fifth tour now to the not-so-remote islands of Buru, Ambon, Haruku, Yamdena (Tanimbar), Kai and Seram, and it turned out to be another amazing experience. Our huge total of 265 species included 18 tour write-ins, three of which were new species for the Birdquest Life List - the amazing and much sought- after Madanga (or Madanga Pipit), which had only been seen previously by four intrepid birders/ornithologists (and not at all for 10 years), the cryptic Violet-hooded Starling, and the endangered small-island endemic Black-chinned (or Boano) Monarch. We also heard the recently described Seram Masked Owl, the specific status of which remains in doubt. Once again, off the north coast of Seram, we re- found the lone wintering Chinese Crested Tern that was first discovered by us back in 2010. Other species to feature in the top five birds of the tour were Blue-eared Lory, which perched-up very nicely in the Seram highlands, and Buru Thrush, which we all watched (and even videoed) at the nest, incubating its single egg. The fantastic views that we had of all the nightbirds and pittas were also memorable. The smooth running and seamless logistics of the tour, thanks to Ceisar Riupassa, Vinno Soewarian and our local teams of 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Indonesia’s Southern Moluccas www.birdquest-tours.com drivers, made things very easy and comfortable for us. There was always time for a coffee and biscuit break, and a well-earned beng-beng! Day one began with our lunchtime arrival at Pattimura Airport on Ambon, the capital of Maluku Province. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in an area of remnant forest patches and cultivated gardens at Ewang Tulehu. The main target-bird was Ambon White-eye, and one soon appeared on-cue. A small selection of regional specialities, including Seram Spangled Drongo (split from Spangled), Spectacled Monarch, Moluccan Flycatcher (or Monarch), Ambon Golden Bulbul (a potential split from Seram Golden) and Ashy (or Seram) Flowerpecker got us in the mood for what was to come. At a nearby wetland, we added Oriental Plover, a cracking Comb-crested Jacana, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, and Oriental Pratincole. After dinner in town, we boarded the relatively comfortable overnight ferry to the remote island of Buru. It was a typically smooth crossing, and some of us were able to get a bit of sleep in our cabins. On arrival, we headed straight off for some introductory birding in the patchy lowland forest remnants known as Waslabi. As soon as the sun began to rise, the familiar whistled tones of Black-tipped (or Buru) Monarch emanated from the lush understorey, and we soon had our first proper endemic under the belt. A stroll along a rough track brought a typically good selection of local birds, including Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove (split from Slender-billed or Brown), Coconut Lorikeet, Black-faced (or Buru) Friarbird, Pale Cicadabird, Drab Whistler, Black-eared (or Buru) Oriole, Buru Spangled Drongo (split from Spangled), Buru Fantail (split from Northern), White-naped (or Buru Pied) Monarch, Buru Golden Bulbul, Arctic Warbler, and Flame-breasted (or Buru) Flowerpecker. Buru Green Pigeon was tantalizingly heard out of view. After lunch in Namlea, we drove to our very comfortable accommodation at the recently completed Buru Island Resort at Waspait, mid-way along the north coast. Moluccan Masked Owl (Rainer Kopa) 2 BirdQuest Tour Report: Indonesia’s Southern Moluccas www.birdquest-tours.com South Moluccan (or Buru) Pitta (Keith Betton) Streak-breasted Jungle Flycatcher (Craig Robson) The next few days were spent exploring the nearby Wamlana Logging Road and Danau Road, with 4WD vehicles at our disposal. In the uplands we were able to reach 1420m by road, and it was during this time that we found the vast majority of our new birds, including Buru Mountain Pigeon, Buru Boobook (split from Hantu), Buru Racket-tail, the local form of South Moluccan Pitta (sometimes split as Buru Pitta), Buru Myzomela (a potential split from Wakolo), the scarce Buru Honeyeater, Buru Cuckooshrike, the local form of Yellow-throated (or Moluccan) Whistler (sometimes split as Buru Whistler), Tawny-backed Fantail, Buru Leaf Warbler (split from Island), Buru Bush Warbler (split from Chestnut-backed), Buru White-eye, Streak- breasted Jungle Flycatcher (or Buru Warbling-flycatcher), and some unexpected Blue-faced Parrotfinches. The elusive Black-lored Parrot was seen three times, but unfortunately only in flight, while a dependant 3 BirdQuest Tour Report: Indonesia’s Southern Moluccas www.birdquest-tours.com fledged juvenile Moluccan Cuckoo being fed by Buru Leaf Warbler was one of our more interesting finds. Two years previously, with the help of our local guide Vinno, we had cut a trail up to a hill-top above the Danau Road, reaching 1660m elevation. The purpose of this endeavor was to facilitate a search for the islands most inaccessible endemic, the little-known Madanga (or Madanga Pipit). We were without luck on that occasion, and it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I managed to persuade the whole group to give it a try on our latest tour. There was no guarantee of finding anything after an uphill hike along a poorly- marked and occasionally very steep trail. Buru Green Pigeon and Buru Mountain Pigeon (Craig Robson) Buru Bush (or Grasshopper) Warbler (Charles Davies) But you don’t find anything unless you try! Just short of the highest point of the hill, with moss and epiphytes much in evidence on the larger trees, we paused for a break and to listen for signs of a bird flock. There had been almost no birds on the way up. Hearing the faintest of calls downslope slightly, to one side, I ventured a little further in. There was a Tawny-backed Fantail and a Buru Leaf Warbler, which passes for a bird flock in 4 BirdQuest Tour Report: Indonesia’s Southern Moluccas www.birdquest-tours.com these parts. Suddenly I noticed something fly onto a mossy tree-trunk. I knew what it was going to be and, sure enough, it was the Madanga - a pair in fact. I yelled-out to the group and moved down to try and keep onto the flock. What followed can only be described as mass panic as everyone careered downslope without a care for the numerous tangled vines and rattans. There were some tense moments before everyone had good views of the birds, but what an experience. Only four birders had ever seen the species before! A rufous-throated green and grey pipit that forages on mossy tree-trunks like a nuthatch. This was not the only good bird along the trail either, for lower down we were lucky enough to find the occupied nest of a Buru Thrush and, when we concealed ourselves distantly, an adult bird came back to incubate its single egg. Oriental Plover on Ambon (Craig Robson) There were also some great birds in the remnant lowland forest patches near Bara, to the north-west. Best of all was the fantastic Moluccan Masked Owl that showed itself so well, at the second attempt! Buru Green Pigeon was really hard work this time but we eventually tracked down a pair at a nest on our very last morning on the island. A great place for pigeons and parrots still, we enjoyed Spectacled (or Buru) Imperial Pigeon, Eastern Superb (or Superb), White-bibbed and Claret-breasted Fruit Doves, raucous Great-billed and Eclectus Parrots, and gaudy Red Lories and Coconut Lorikeets. We returned to Namlea and caught the overnight ferry back to Ambon. On the following morning, we re- visited Ewang Tulehu, walking much further towards the hills than we had previously. We enjoyed our first views of the local form of Variable Goshawk and Seram Imperial Pigeon, Ambon White-eye put in another appearance and, at the end of our walk, we heard a singing Seram Leaf Warbler (split from Island) in the distance – unexpected here and at rather low elevation (300m). In the afternoon, we re-visited what is perhaps the only freshwater lake on the island at Ewang Suli. There is always something unusual here and this time we saw Australasian Grebe, ten Oriental Plovers, Red-necked Stint, and Yellow-browed Wagtail (the taivana form of Eastern Yellow Wagtail). A morning flight the next day transported us to Yamdena, the largest of the Tanimbar Islands - politically in Maluku but zoogeographically in the eastern Lesser Sundas. Starting after lunch, we spent the next three- and-a-half days making twice-daily forays to several different areas of forest alongside the main roads to the north and north-west of Saumlaki. With so much lowland primary and secondary forest, not to mention 5 BirdQuest Tour Report: Indonesia’s Southern Moluccas www.birdquest-tours.com clearings, scrub and grassland, the interior of Yamdena is literally heaving with birds. Picking our way around the southern edge of this forest mass, following a series of old logging roads and trails, we soon notched-up the vast majority of the target-birds, including Tanimbar Megapode (our early success with this tricky endemic being most welcome), Tanimbar Cuckoo-Dove (split from Bar-necked), Wallace’s and Rose- crowned Fruit-Doves (the latter lacking a rose crown here!), Elegant and Pink-headed Imperial Pigeons, Pied Bronze Cuckoo (split from Little), Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, Tanimbar Corella (or Cockatoo), Blue- streaked Lory, Elegant Pitta, Banda Myzomela, the ubiquitous Scaly-breasted (or Banda) Honeyeater, Golden-bellied (or Tanimbar) Flyrobin, Tanimbar Friarbird, Rufous-sided (or Banda Sea) Gerygone, White- browed (or Tanimbar) Triller, Wallacean Whistler, Tanimbar Oriole, Cinnamon-tailed, Long-tailed (or Charming) and Arafura (or Supertramp) Fantails, Black-bibbed (or Banda Sea) Monarch, Loetoe (or Tanimbar) Monarch, Tanimbar Bush Warbler, Tanimbar Starling, Slaty-backed Thrush, Tanimbar Flycatcher, Salvadoris’s Flowerpecker (split from Mistletoebird), the lovely Tricoloured Parrotfinch, and Five-coloured Munia.