Day 1: Arrival in Denpasar (Bali)

Arrival into Denpasar International Airport, either from the Tropical Birding Bali and Java pre-tour or from your international arrival. Located in the south-west corner of the beautiful island of Bali, we will prepare for our onward journey to the Lesser Sundas. Night in the bustling tourist city of Denpasar, Bali.

 

*Please Note: On this day, if you have arrived early, we can arrange a half-day or full day’s cultural activities to visit some of the extraordinary temples on Bali, which are markedly different from what will be experienced on the Lesser Sundas tour. Please contact the office should you wish to do so.

 

Day 2: Bali to Sumba

We take a morning flight to the town of Waingapu on the island of Sumba before driving straight to the grassy scrublands of Yambu, to look for our first Lesser Sundas endemic, the tiny Sumba Buttonquail. On the journey to Lewa, our base for the next three nights, we may also find Malaysian Plover, Ashy-bellied and Yellow-spectacled White-eyes (Wallace’s Heleia), Apricot-breasted Sunbird or even Olive-backed (or Javan) Tailorbird, the only of the tailorbirds to be found east of Wallace’s Line. We will stay three nights in a simple homestay in Lewa, where it is the only place to stay.

 

Days 3-4: Lewa and Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park (Sumba)

Two full days will be spent on Sumba seeking out its key species; namely the superb Red-naped Fruit-Dove, inconspicuous Sumba Green-Pigeon, Apricot-breasted Sunbird, Sumba (Blood-breasted) Flowerpecker, Sumba Myzomela, and three brown flycatchers, invitingly named Sumba Flycatcher, Sumba Brown Flycatcher, and Sumba Jungle (Warbling) Flycatcher. Orange-crested (Yellow-crested) Cockatoo will also be a major target, if they persist on the island, as their populations are becoming critically low. Elegant Pittas will be heard repeatedly, and tried for too, and they are also possible again on the island of Flores. The night birding will be equally important, as three different nightbirds will be sought over several nights and mornings if necessary; Mees’s Nightjar is best sought at dusk, while pre-dawn can sometimes be better for either of the brace of endemic boobooks, (Great) Sumba and Least (Little Sumba) Boobooks. These two nights will be spent, like the first, in a very simple homestay that is close to the birding areas.

 

Day 5: Sumba to Timor

Early in the morning we shall leave leave Lewa returning to Waingapu, where we will take a short flight east to Kupang on the island of Timor. This modern capital is surrounded by Eucalyptus woodland and between the habitat and birds one can sense the presence of the nearby continent of Australia. We first head to a local patch of woodland and mangroves where we might encounter our first Timor endemics such as Timor Meliphaga (Streak-breasted Honeyeater) and Timor Friarbird, while in the grassy verges we might see Brown Quail or Red-backed Buttonquail. Depending on flights, we may have some time in the afternoon to make our first visit to Bipolo, where forest patches, paddies and coastal ponds may produce our first forest endemics like Plain (Timor) Gerygone, Timor (Northern) Fantail, as well as the chance at wetland and open country birds like the rare Timor Sparrow, handsome Five-colored Munia, Oriental Plover, Australian Pratincole, Pied Heron, or White-browed Crake. We also intend to make our first try for Timor (Southern) Boobook on this night too.

 

Day 6: Kupang (Timor) to Rote

Just to the southwest of Timor lies the small island of Rote, which can be easily accessed by way of a passenger ferry. On the journey over, we will keep an eye out for petrels or boobies, but as soon as we get on the island we will be seeking our first endemics with a full afternoon and the following morning likely to be available to us there (dependent on final ferry schedules). There are three island endemics, Rote Myzomela (just added as a species on the Clements list in August 2018), Rote (Timor) Leaf Warbler (a noticeably big-billed form that is also due for imminent recognition as a distinct species), and the (Southern) Rote Boobook. However, there is far more besides these three on offer on Rote; while there we will also seek to get some of the other local specialties, like Timor (White-bellied) Bushchat, the inconspicuous Jonquil (Olive-shouldered) Parrot, the striking Orange-banded Thrush, the tiny Timor Stubtail, and Slaty (Black) Cuckoo-Dove, which is usually easier than on Timor. More widespread wetland species may be found along the way on paddies and on a nearby lake; species like Australian Pelican, Red-capped Plover, and Royal Spoonbill may give this a distinctly Australian flavor. A single night will be spent in a simple resort on the little visited island of Rote. The night and morning (if necessary) will be our only chance at the local Rote (Southern) Boobook.

 

Day 7: Rote to Kupang (Timor)

The morning will be spent mopping up any endemic or ‘local’ target birds, before we travel back to Kupang. If we have time (dependent on ferry schedules) we may continue to explore mainland Timor this day too during the afternoon. The night will be spent in a modern business hotel on the city of Kupang.

 

Day 8: Biopolo to Oelnasi (Timor)

We will start out early and visit a new area of Biopolo, where wooded deciduous forest holds Pink-headed Imperial-Pigeons in the tall trees overhead, and the strident calls of Timor Thicketbird (Buff-banded Bushbird) are likely to be heard below, though seeing the latter species can be tricky at times! Other species that may feature in this area include Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, and Rose-crowned and Black-banded Fruit-Doves. The latter part of the morning will be spent driving northeast to the town of Soe, where the next two nights will be spent. In the afternoon we shall make our first visit to nearby Oelnasi, where we will seek out the elusive Black-banded Flycatcher, as well as Timor (Dusky) Cuckoo-Dove and bustling flocks of Timor Heleias (Spot-breasted White-eyes). We will linger until dark to look for the scarce Timor (Large-tailed) Nightjar. Timor (Southern) Boobook also occurs in this area too.

 

Day 9: Gunung Mutis (Timor)

A busy day lies ahead as we spend the entirety of it on Mount Mutis, accessed by way of a bumpy drive using 4WD vehicles. The higher elevations of this site relative to the others visited by this stage on Timor will open up a swathe of other endemics to us. In the early morning we will focus on the summit trail (not anywhere near as difficult as it sounds), and be on the lookout for Olive-headed Parakeets as they fly out from their roosts. Trickier species found in this particular area include the extremely shy Timor Imperial-Pigeon (only very rarely seen), Eucalypt (Little) Cuckoo-Dove, and Iris Lorikeet, which is challenging to find perched! More regular fare in this area are likely to be Island Thrush, and with the use of playback we will try and tempt one of the local Pygmy Cupwings out to scramble around one of their boulder-strewn hiding places. This part of the mountain may also produce the endemic Timor (Black-fronted) Myzomela, Metallic Pigeon, Sunda Bush-Warbler, or Sunda Cuckoo. Another area of the mountain will also be visited to look for the rare and only recently discovered Mount Mutis Parrotfinch among its more regular brethren, Tricolored Parrotfinch. This site also holds Timor (Blood-breasted) Flowerpecker, Timor Blue (Warbling) Flycatcher, and Yellow-eared Honeyeater. After a lengthy day up on the mountain we will return to our hotel in Soe for a second and final night.

 

Day 10: Lowlands of Timor

This day is largely a Timor “flexi-day”, where we will need to return to one or both of the main lowland sites of Oelnasi and Bipolo, in order to track down some of the remaining Timor specialties. The exact plan for this day will be outlined the evening before, once the continuing targets are known. At the end of the day we will return to the town of Kupang, where we will stay in a business hotel again, in readiness for our jump to Flores the following morning.

 

Day 11: Timor to Lake Ranamese and Kisol (Flores)

A morning flight will be taken from Kupang on Timor to Ruteng on the western side of the island of Flores. From there we will immediately start driving towards Kisol, where we will spend the next two nights in a nearby town (Borong). However, the journey takes us right past Lake Ranamese, a lake that often hosts Tricolored (Little) Grebe on the lake, but more importantly a series of endemics in the surrounding forest. We may well pick up our first Flores (Little) Minivets, Eyebrowed Heleias (White-browed White-eyes), Flores (Timor) Leaf Warblers, Trumpeting (Brown-capped) Fantails, Flores Spangled (Wallacean) Drongos, and Golden-rumped Flowerpeckers in the area. Flores Hawk-Eagle is also found there, although is very rare, with Rufous-bellied Eagle considerably more likely! We should arrive in the Kisol area by lunchtime, allowing us time in the afternoon for our first birding there, and also to linger for nightbirds too; Moluccan Scops-Owl is abundant there, and Wallace’s Scops-Owl and Mees’s Nightjar also occur. Two nights will be spent in a hotel within a town near to Kisol (Borong).

 

Day 12: Kisol (Flores)

An entire day will be spent in the lowland and hill forests of Kisol, which can boast some of the island’s most wanted birds. The loud calls of White-rumped (Glittering) Kingfishers betray the fact that they are relatively common. However, it is a forest interior species, and while most of the birding at Kisol can be done by road, it is quite normal to have to go into the forest to find this inconspicuous, bright orange-billed kingfisher. Another loud but elusive species, the Elegant Pitta is likely to be another major target at the site. The early morning and afternoon we will focus on the forest birds, and particularly the forest interior birds, while spending the middle portion of the day at a lookout, surveying the forested slopes for large raptors, most importantly, the critically endangered Flores Hawk-Eagle, for which this is the best site, but it is still rare. The forest birds we will seek include the scarce Flores Green-Pigeon, and we will be hoping for some fruiting trees to aid in this search. Also of interest will be the forested-dwelling Flores Crow; while not spectacular looking, its calls are entertaining, and quite uncrow-like. Pale-shouldered Cicadabird can also be encountered in this area too. On this day, either in the morning or evening, we have another chance to try for both Wallace’s and Moluccan Scops-Owls. A second night will be spent at a hotel in a town near Kisol.

 

Day 13: Kisol to Ruteng (Flores)

Depending on how we have done by this stage, we may either spend another morning in Kisol, or push forward, birding again near Lake Ranamese on the way towards Ruteng, where the next three nights will be spent in a business hotel. The rise in altitude in this area, will bring us in touching distance of some high dwelling endemics, like the extremely shy Flores Shortwing and Russet-capped Tesia. We will arrive in Ruteng in time to spend the late afternoon (and evening), at Golo Lusang, an area of hillforest that is home to the rare Flores Scops-Owl, which will be targeted during our nights and pre-dawns there.

 

Days 14-15: Golo Lusang and the Pagal Road (Flores)

These two areas comprise forested hills, and are the main spots to try and find higher elevation Flores specialties, but also possesses some of the lower species too, should we have missed them earlier. Of particular interest will be Crested Heleia (Dark-crowned White-eye), the tiny, emerald green Wallace’s Hanging-Parrot, the equally bright green Leaf (Rainbow) Lorikeet, the master songster, Bare-throated Whistler, Flores (Blood-breasted) Flowerpecker, Flores (Jungle) Warbling-Flycatcher, and a rich yellow-bellied form of Sunda (Oriental) White-eye. Other possibilities on these days include the gorgeous Flame-breasted Sunbird, Dark-backed Imperial-Pigeon, and Yellow-breasted (Sunda) Warbler. These two nights will also be spent in a business hotel in the city of Ruteng.

 

Day 16: Puarlolo to Labuan Bajo (Flores)

Before dawn, we will leave our Ruteng hotel for the last time, traveling to the extreme northwest of Flores, and the port of Labuan Bajo. However, on the way there we will stop at a very special forest indeed, Puarlolo, where the extremely localized Flores Monarch can be found. While searching for that striking endemic, we will also be on the lookout for the shy Chestnut-capped Thrush and Rufous-chested Flycatcher. After much of the morning at this coastal forest site, we shall either visit some coastal flats for shorebirds like Javan Plover, or visit another forest site, the Potawangka Road, where Rufous-backed (Oriental Dwarf) Kingfisher can be found among other forest birds. The next two nights will be spent at an excellent hotel in Labuan Bajo, the town from which all boats to Komodo depart. It therefore has a healthy tourist trade, unlike most of the places visited on this tour!

 

Day 17: Komodo and Labuan Bajo (Flores)

On this day we will take a very comfortable private boat trip to the island of Komodo, located off of the western end of Flores. One of the major reasons for our visit is the reason that so many other tourists come too, to see the largest living reptile, the gargantuan Komodo Dragon. Those tourists too rave about the snorkeling off of there, and we will have time to sample that too (this is optional), once we have finished with the dragons and birds of Komodo. Also, of significance on Komodo is one of the only remaining populations of the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo, which we will hope to encounter during a short walk on the island. Other species that may feature then include Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Green Junglefowl (arguably easier here than in any other part of their range), White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Barred and Island (Sunda) Collared Doves, Variable (Varied) Goshawk, Flame-breasted Sunbird, and Lemon-bellied White-eye. Going to and from the island is not only scenic and absorbing, but may also produce a Great-billed Heron clinging to rocks on the shores of some of the smaller islands between Komodo and Flores. If we are lucky a Beach Thick-knee might be spied too. This will be a very relaxed day following the frenetic pace of much of tour, with little walking, snorkeling available (optional) and generally easy birding. If we arrive back in Labuan Bajo with enough time, those who wish to do so can visit a nearby shoreline for shorebirds as well as frigatebirds, and perhaps a Stork-billed or Small Blue (Cerulean) Kingfisher. The final night of the tour will be spent in Labuan Bajo.

 

*PLEASE NOTE: The visit to Komodo island is currently scheduled on the itinerary. However, there are significant changes to be made with park regulations in the near future, which may affect this. Therefore, the island visit may continue as planned, but perhaps with an extra fee involved, or may not be possible at all. This is something that cannot be confirmed until near the time of the departure, with the constantly moving situation at the time of writing.

 

On the last day of the trip we take a boat ride to see Komodo Dragon (Sam Woods)

 

Day 18: Departure from Labuan Bajo (Flores)

The final birding of the tour will have been done on the afternoon before; this is merely a departure day, with transfers from the hotel to the well-served airport of Labuan Bajo bringing the tour to a close.