TRIP REPORT – SOUTHERN MOLUCCAN AND TANIMBAR ISLANDS, INDONESIA

Black-lored Parrot

1-22 MARCH, 2014

PARTICIPANTS: Greg Roberts (leader- email friarbird.roberts@gmail.com), Merilyn Browne, Tim Burr, Barbara De Witt, Peter Ginsburg, Marie Tarrant, Bill Watson

SUMMARY

This was a highly successful private trip to far-flung islands of eastern Indonesia that have been relatively little visited by birders. Among the goodies we scored were a male Black-lored Parrot on Buru that landed in a tree near the road, affording us prolonged views of this mega-rarity. The Black-lored Parrot has been seen so rarely that it had been thought to be nocturnal; we are only the third group of birders to the region to see the species - see here for more pictures and details, and this is only the second time the species has been photographed in the wild.

Almost as exciting was Blue-eared Lory on Seram.  We had up to 15 birds on three days in the same flowering tree. Again, we are only the second birding group to see this species; the last sighting was in 2007. Soon after seeing the Blue-eareds, we saw a single Purple-naped Lory, another very difficult endemic.  (Images of Blue-eared Lories and other Seram birds can be found here.)

Other difficult endemics and rarities that we saw included Buru Honeyeater, Buru Thrush, Lesser Masked Owl, Lazuli Kingfisher, Grey-backed Tern, Moluccan Scrubfowl, Buru Green-Pigeon and Grey-hooded Dark-eye. The only endemics and specialties missed were Blue-fronted Lorikeet and Rufous-throated Dark-eye on Buru (no easily accessible sites are known for either), Seram Thrush on Seram (very difficult), the newly discovered Seram Masked Owl (though we tried for it), and Tanimbar Scrubfowl on Yandema (this tricky species needs a whole morning; we did not have one to spare).

The trip went very well logistically; we encountered no difficulties with transport, food and accommodation arrangements, which were organised expertly by Ceisar Riupassa of Ambon-based Likestours (email -likestours@yahoo.co.id). Ceisar and his amiable and helpful partner, Vinno, are not birding guides but they know where all the hotspots are, and their eyes are sharp. I cannot recommend highly enough the services of Ceisar, who did an excellent job in pulling together a potentially quite difficult trip.

The islands visited were, in order: Ambon, Buru, Yamdena, Kai Cecil, Kai Besar, Haruku, Seram, Palau Sawai, Palau Lusaolde.

We were fortunate also with the weather, losing almost no birding time due to rain. Most days were hot but not unbearably so, with cloud cover often helping. Our only negative experience was a nasty flu-like virus which temporarily put some of the group out of action. Thanks to Peter and Tim for putting together a useful checklist for the trip.

ITINERARY AND DIARY  

Lazuli Kingfisher

March 2. The group met at Jakarta International Airport for the early morning flight to Ambon. We went directly from the airport to the main birding site on Ambon – secondary forest along Tulahu Road. Here we encountered our first regional specialties including a nice pair of Lazuli Kingfishers close up and individual Ambon White-eyes – endemic to this island – in two places (see here for more). We had a rest at the Hotel Mutiara in Ambon (our base for the trip) before boarding the packed overnight ferry to Buru. We slept in crowded but reasonably comfortable air-conditioned cabins.

March 3. Disembarking at the Buru capital, Namlea, we headed north-west in 4-wheel drives, birding fragments of secondary growth where nice birds included 100+ Great-billed Parrots, Buru Oriole and Moluccan Cuckoo. We arrived at the village of Waspait on the north coast of Buru and checked into the Waspait Resort Buru, our (surprisingly flash) hotel for the next five nights. In the afternoon we drove up the Wamlana Logging Road (Wamlana Road) to 650m, coming to grips with endemics and specialties such as Buru Friarbird, Moluccan King-Parrot, Buru Raquet-tail, Buru Drongo, Buru Flowerpecker, Buru Golden-Bulbul and Yellow-throated Whistler.

March 4. Our morning began with an unsuccessful pre-dawn search for the Buru race of Hantu Boobook but nice looks at a co-operative Moluccan Scops-Owl. Our focus for the day was the higher elevation forests (900-1300m) of the Wamlana Road and a relatively new logging road running off Wamlana to Danau Rana (Danau Road). The latter was particularly rewarding; it was along here that we found the Black-lored Parrot, in the heat of the day shortly after lunch. Buru Raquet-tails were surprisingly common. We chalked up Buru Mountain-Pigeon, Buru Leaf-Warbler, Buru White-eye, Tawny-backed Fantail, Wakolo Myzomela, White-naped Monarch and Drab Whistler. The various distinctive island races of species such as Drab Whistler and Northern Fantail suggest many more splits in future. For more pictures and information from Buru, see here.

Buru Golden-Bulbul

March 5. Back up in the mountains, today birding solely along the Danau Road. Birds included Pale Cicadabird, Buru Cuckoo-shrike, Buru Bush-Warbler, Buru Jungle-Flycatcher and Cinnamon-chested Flycatcher. We heard what we believed was Buru Honeyeater and Merilyn taped its call, although we did not see the bird.

March 6. We drove west through the lowlands to the coastal villages of Bara and Eruba, where we birded patches of lowland rainforest and secondary forest.  We heard Forsten’s Scrubfowl and some of us saw a Buru Green-Pigeon. Black-tipped Monarch, a snappy lowlands endemic, was seen several times.

March 7. We returned to the Danau Road, with those in the front vehicle seeing Buru Thrush on the road early in the morning. At the spot where we taped the suspected Buru Honeyeater two days earlier, we saw 6-8 Buru Honeyeaters feeding in a band of white flowering trees. 

March 8 - We went back to Eruba village for the morning, crosssing the river before dawn and calling in a fine Lesser Masked Owl. In the afternoon we drove back to Namlea, calling in at Danua Sawah, a small lake, and boarded the overnight ferry to Ambon.

March 9. After disembarking we again visited the Tulahu Road, failing to see the white-eye or kingfisher again but adding Seram Imperial-Pigeon to the list.

Cinnamon-tailed Fantail

March 10.  Because of baggage weight restrictions on small planes, most of our luggage was left at Hotel Mutiara before we caught the flight to Saumlaki, the capital of Yamdena Island - the largest of the Tanimbar group. For most of the trip we were in the Moluccas but on Yamdena we were in the eastern Lesser Sundas. Our birding on Yamdena was at various roadside scrub patches along the main road out of Saumlaki, particularly a strip of forest lining the creek at Kebun 45. During our first afternoon we saw the distinctive regional races of Dusky Cuckoo-Dove, Mistletoebird and Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove. The specialties and endemics came thick and fast: Yellow-eyed Imperial-Pigeon, Blue-streaked Lory, Tanimbar Corella, Tanimbar Triller, Rufous-sided Gerygone, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Loetoe Monarch, Cinnamon-tailed Fantail, Wallacean Whistler, Tanimbar Friarbird, Tanimbar Starling, Scaly-breasted Honeyeater. After the difficult birding on Buru, birds seemed to be everywhere. Our accommodation in Saumlaki was the Harapan Indah Hotel, positioned nicely over the water.

Tanimbar Corella

March 11. In the early morning we taped in a Tanimbar Boobook along the Yonif 734 Road. Further along this road during the morning we had Tanimbar Oriole, Tanimbar Crow, Tanimbar Bush-Warbler, Banda Myzomela, Wallacean Cuckoo-shrike and Tricoloured Parrotfinch.

March 12. Back to the scrub patches on the main road. At Kebun 45 we saw Long-tailed Fantail, Slaty-backed Thrush and Fawn-breasted Thrush. Along another scrubby trail we had Wallace’s Fruit-Dove and better views of the parrotfinch, while Greater Wallacean Drongo was found along the road. More from the Tanimbars can be found here.

March 13. We returned to Yonif 734 Road in the early morning and saw a pair of boobooks and another Long-tailed Fantail. We later flew to Tual, the capital of Kai Kecil Island in the Kai Islands. Our hotel, the Suita Indah, was ordinary but there’s not much choice here. We saw Kai Coucal while driving from the airport and in the afternoon visited a patch of scrub at the coastal village of Ohoililir, where White-tailed Monarch showed.

Grey-backed Tern - Pic Merilyn Browne

March 14.  We boarded a chartered boat to take us to Kai Besar Island. Watching from the boat was most rewarding: we saw a juvenile Grey-backed Tern (along with several Bridled Terns), 5 Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels and 2 Streaked Shearwaters. On Kai Besar we easily found Great Kai White-eye, endemic to this island. Kai Leaf-Warbler was spotted after a shortish walk to 370m above the Bukit Indah Mission, where we saw Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot and White-tailed Monarch again. In the afternoon we returned to Kai Cecil and drove to Ohoililir, where an Island Whistler - a specialty for this site - was seen.

Island Monarch

March 15. The morning was occupied on the quite new road to the airport (dubbed here the Airport Road) which cuts through some excellent rainforest, with plenty of side-trails to garden plots in the forest. This roadside forest is set to overtake Ohoililir as the prime Kai birding site. We saw plenty of Little Kai White-eyes (endemic to Kai Cecil) as well as Pied Bronze-Cuckoo, Grey-headed Whistler, Island Monarch and Red-bellied Pitta.  For more from the Kai Islands, see here. In the afternoon we visited a small lake, Danel Abel, and the coastal village of Namar.

Kai Coucal

March 16. We returned in the morning to the Airport Road, seeing Kai Cicadabird, large numbers of Wallacean Fruit-Doves and a migrating flock of 18 Channel-billed Cuckoos. In the afternoon we flew back to Ambon. That evening we boarded another chartered boat to take us to Haruku Island, famed for its breeding population of the rare Moluccan Scrubfowl. We saw two birds well about an hour after sunset - a fitting end to a very long day.  A more detailed account of the Haruku visit and pics can be found here.

March 17.  We caught the ferry from Ambon to Seram, arriving at the port of Amahai and crossing the island along the Trans-Seram Highway, passing through the Manuseli National Park, our primary birding destination for the island. Stopping along the road we saw our first Seram endemics including Streak-breasted Fantail, Seram Cockatoo, Seram Leaf-Warbler and Seram Mountain-Pigeon, along with Blyth’s Hornbill. Our accommodation in the delightful village of Sawai was the basic but enchanting Lisar Bahari Community Guest-house, where an impressive array of coral marine life can be watched from the balconies.

Seram Cockatoo

March 18. The morning was spent in the highest area (about 1200m) of Manusela along the road closest to Sawai. In a single flowering tree we saw Seram Myzomela, Wakalo Myzomela, Seram Honeyeater and most surprisingly, a flock of Blue-eared Lories.  Nearby we had Seram White-eye and for some, Grey-hooded Dark-eye. We drove down to about 900m, seeing Seram Oriole, Seram Friarbird and for some, Rufescent Dark-eye in roadside scrub. We had lunch at a parrot rehabilitation centre operated by Ceisar and his colleagues. Seram’s parrot populations have been severely depleted by the cage bird trade and the centre aims to re-establish wild populations through captive breeding. We saw Seram Crow after lunch and later in the afternoon, near the Sawai turnoff, several Long-crested Mynas and another Seram Crow.

Seram Oriole

March 19. Early in the morning on the road up to Manusela we had a calling pair of Hantu Boobooks, with the birds offering brief fly-over views. Boobooks were also heard on the hillside behind our hotel. On the higher stretches of road we again had Blue-eared Lory and Rufescent Dark-eye. Some of us in the afternoon enjoyed a delightful snorkelling session near Sawai, seeing among other things a huge Broadclub Cuttlefish.

Saltwater Crocodile

March 20.  In a hired boat we crossed the water from our hotel to Palau Sawai, where one of us (GR) saw a Forsten’s Scrubfowl near its mound. We moved on to the tiny Palau Lusaolde, where about 20 Olive Honeyeaters - a small island specialty species - were seen. Some honeyeaters were watched flying out to sea and returning to the island. The boat moved on to the Salaway River, where another Forsten’s Scrubfowl flushed from the bank and a sunbaking Saltwater Crocodile was a nice find. The coastal scenery along the north coast of Seram was quite spectacular.

March 21. We drove back to Amahai, stopping once more in high altitude forest in Manuseli where Grey-hooded Dark-eye and Blue-eared Lory were again seen. We caught the afternoon ferry back to Ambon.

March 22. Everyone left on early morning flights from Ambon to Jakarta or Denpasar.

This report has also been posted on Surfbirds: http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=2442

Our group at birdcall, Buru

SPECIES LIST

Moluccan Scrubfowl Megapodius wallacei - 2 Haruku

Forsten's Scrubfowl M. forstenii - 1 Palau Sawai; 1 Salaway River; calling Bara

Orange-footed Scrubfowl M. reinwardt - 1 Ohoililir

Blue-breasted Quail Coturnix chinensis – 4 roadside, Buru lowlands

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - 4 Danau Sawah

Australasian Grebe T. novaehollandiae - 2 Danel Ablel

Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas - 1 offshore north Buru coast; 2 from ferry to Kai Besar

Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma matsudairae – 5 from ferry to Kai Besar

Great Frigatebird Fregata minor – a few off north Buru coast

Lesser Frigatebird F. ariel – common off north Buru coast

Brown Booby Sula leucogaster – a few off north Buru coast

Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos

Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae – 2 Danau Sawah

Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus – 7 Saumlaki Harbour

Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis – 1 Salaway River; 1 Seram roadside lowlands

Striated Heron Butorides striata

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea – a few Buru

Great Egret A. alba

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Pacific Reef-Heron E. sacra – common

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Rufous Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus – 1 Bara

Australian Ibis Threskiornis moluccus – 1 Salaway River

Osprey Pandion haliaetus – 1 near Sawai

Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata – race reinwardtii 1 Salaway River

 Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis – common Seram, Buru highlands

Variable Goshawk Accipiter hiogaster – race polionotus 2 Yamdena; race pallidiceps 1 Wamlana Road; race hiogaster 1 Manusela ; race albiventris 2 Kai Kecil

Brown Goshawk A. fasciatus - race buruensis 1 Danau Sawah

Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus

White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster

White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus - race leucomelana 2 Salaway River

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola – 4 Palau Sawai

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes – 2 Palau Sawai

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Far Eastern Curlew N. madagascariensis – 2 Palau Sawai

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus – common off north Buru coast; several from Seram-Ambon ferry

Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum - 1 Saumlaki Airport

Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus – 2 off north Buru coast; 6 from ferry to Kai Besar; 2 from Seram-Ambon ferry

Grey-backed Tern O. lunatus – 1 juvenile from ferry to Kai Besar

Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii

Rock Pigeon Columba livia

Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis

White-throated (Metallic) Pigeon Columba [vitiensis] halmaheira – 1 Danau Road; 1 Manusela

Dusky (Bar-necked) Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia magna - race timorlaoensis common Yamdena

Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove M. amboinensis – race amboinensis common Buru,Seram; race keyensis small numbers Kai Islands

Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica – 2 Ambon

Pacific Emerald Dove C. [indica] chrysochlora – several Yamdena; 2 Kai Kecil

Stephan’s Dove C. stephani - 1 Kai Kecil; 1 Kai Besar

Barred Dove Geopelia maugei – small numbers Yamdena, Kai Kecil

Buru Green-Pigeon Treron aromaticus – 1 Bara

Wallace's Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus wallacii – common Kai Kecil (100+ in one grouping); a few Yamdena

Superb Fruit-Dove P. superbus – a few Ambon, Buru, Seram

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove P. regina - race xanthogaster common Yamdena; a few Kai Kecil

White-breasted Fruit-Dove P. rivoli – common Buru highlands, Kai Kecil

Claret-breasted Fruit-Dove P. viridis – common Ambon, Buru; a few Seram

Seram Imperial-Pigeon Ducula neglecta – 1 Ambon; common Seram

Spectacled Imperial-Pigeon D. perspicillata  - common Buru

Elegant (Yellow-eyed) Imperial-Pigeon D. concinna – common Yamdena, a few Kai Kecil

Pied Imperial-Pigeon D. bicolour- widespread in small numbers

Buru Mountain-Pigeon Gymnophaps mada – 4-6 Danau Road

Seram Mountain-Pigeon G. stalkeri – 2-3 Manusela

Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus – calling Kai Islands

Moluccan Cuckoo C. aeruginosus – common Ambon, Buru, Seram

Pied (Little) Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx [minutillus] crassirostris – 4-5 Kai Kecil, adults and juveniles photographed

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus – 1 Bara, heard elsewhere Buru & Ambon

Eastern Koel E. cyanocephalus – Heard Yamdena, Kai Islands

Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae – flock of 18 Kai Kecil

Kai Coucal Centropus spilopterus – small numbers Kai Kecil

Lesser Coucal C. bengalensis – a few Buru, Yamdena

Lesser Masked-Owl Tyto sororcula – 1 called in near Eruba

Moluccan Scops-Owl Otus magicus – race bouruensis 1 Wamlana Road, 1 Bara, others heard Buru; race magicus heard Manusela

Tanimbar Boobook Ninox forbesi – 2 Yamdena

Hantu Boobook N. squamipila – 2 Manusela; heard Sawai

Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus – 1 Wamlana Road; heard Eruba

Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta – common & widespread

Seram Swiftlet Aerodramus ceramensis – common Ambon, Buru; a few Seram

Uniform Swiftlet A. vanikorensis – Ambon, Kai Kecil, Seram

Moustached Treeswift  Hemiprocne mystacea – a few Buru, Seram

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis – 1 Danau Rana

Lazuli Kingfisher Todiramphus lazuli – 2 Ambon

Collared Kingfisher T. chloris – common

Beach Kingfisher T. saurophagus – 1 Palau Lusaolde

Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher Todiramphus australasia – heard only Yamdena

Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis – a few Kai Kecil, Seram

Blyth's Hornbill Aceros plicatus – common Manusela

Spotted Kestrel Falco moluccensis – race moluccensis common Buru, 2 Manusela; race microbalius a few Yamdena

Oriental Hobby Falco severus – 1 Manusela

Tanimbar Corella Cacatua goffiniana – common Yamdena; a few Kai Kecil

Seram (Salmon-crested) Cockatoo C. moluccensis – small numbers Manusela

Moluccan Red Lory Eos bornea – race bornea small numbers Yamdena, Manusela; race cyanonothorus common Buru

Blue-streaked Lory E. reticulate – fairly common Yamdena

Blue-eared Lory E. semilarvata – up to 15 on 3 days Manusela

Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus –race haematodus a few Ambon, Buru; common Manusela

Purple-naped Lory Lorius domicella – 1 Manusela

Red-flanked Lorikeet Charmosyna placentis – a few Kai Kecil, Seram

Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot Micropsitta keiensis – small numbers Kai Islands

Red-cheeked Parrot Geoffroyus geoffroyi – race rhodops common Buru, Seram; race timorlaoensis a few Yamdena

Buru Racquet-tail Prioniturus mada – common Buru

Black-lored Parrot Tanygnathus gramineus – 1 Danau Road

Great-billed Parrot T. megalorynchos – race affinis common Buru, Seram; race subaffinis a few Yamdena

Eclectus Parrot Eclectus roratus - race roratus fairly common Bara, Manusela, Kai Kecil; race riedeli a few Yamdena

Moluccan King-Parrot Alisterus buruensis – race buruensis fairly common Buru; race amboinensis a few Manusela

Red-bellied Pitta erythrogaster – race rubrinucha heard Bara; race piroensis heard Manusela; race kuehni 1 Kai Kecil, others heard

Elegant Pitta Pitta elegans - heard only Yamdena

Seram (Drab) Myzomela Myzomela blasii – small numbers Manusela

Wakolo Myzomela M. wakoloensis – race wakoloensis fairly common Buru highlands; race elisabethae a few Manusela

Banda Myzomela M. boiei – a few Yamdena

Streak-breasted (White-tufted) Honeyeater - Lichmera squamata – common Yamdena

Buru Honeyeater L. deningeri – 6-8 Danau Road

Seram Honeyeater L. monticola – common Manusela

Olive Honeyeater L. argentauris – common Palau Lusaolde

Buru (Black-faced) Friarbird Philemon moluccensis – common Buru

Tanimbar (Black-faced) Friarbird P. [moluccensis] plumigenis – common Yamdena, Kai Islands

Seram Friarbird P. subcorniculatus – common Seram

Rufous-sided Gerygone Gerygone dorsalis – race dorsalis common Yamdena; race keyensis a few Kai Kecil

White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus – common Buru, Yamdena

Moluccan Cuckooshrike Coracina atriceps – 1 Manusela

Wallacean Cuckooshrike C. personata - race unimoda a few Yamdena

Buru Cuckooshrike C. fortis – 2-3 Danau Road

Tanimbar (White-browed) Triller Lalage moesta – common Yamdena

Varied Triller L. leucomela – common Kai Islands

Pale Cicadabird Edolisoma ceramense – small numbers Buru, Seram

Kai Cicadabird E. dispar – 2-3 Kai Kecil

Common Cicadabird E. tenuirostre – 2-3 Danau Road

Yellow-throated Whistler Pachycephala macrorhyncha – race buruensis fairly common Buru; race macrorhyncha common Seram, 1 Ambon; race fuscoflava a few Yamdena

Island Whistler P. phaionota – 1 Ohoililir

Grey-headed (Grey) Whistler P. [simplex] rufipennis; a few Kai Kecil

Wallacean Whistler P. arctitorquis – common Yamdena

Drab Whistler P. griseonota – race examinata common Buru; race griseonota a few Manusela

Buru Oriole Oriolus bouroensis – fairly common Buru

Tanimbar Oriole O. decipiens – fairly common Tanimbar

Seram Oriole O. forsteni – a few Manusela

Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti – fairly common Kai Kecil

Greater Wallacean Drongo Dicrurus densus – race kuehni a few Yamdena; race megalornis common Kai Islands

Buru (Spangled) Drongo Dicrurus [bracteatus] buruensis – common Buru

Seram (Spangled) Drongo D. [bracteatus] amboinensis – a few Ambon, Manusela

Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris – race bouruensis common Buru; race cinerea a few Manusela; race assimilis common Kai Islands

Willie Wagtail R. leucophrys - common Buru

Cinnamon-tailed Fantail R. fuscorufa – common Yamdena

Tawny-backed Fantail R. superflua – 1 Wamlana Road; 2 Danau Road

Streaky-breasted Fantail R. dedemi – fairly common Manusela

Long-tailed Fantail R. opistherythra – 2 Yamdena

Arafura Fantail R. dryas – race hamadryas fairly common Yamdena, race squamata 1 Ohoililir

White-naped Monarch Carterornis pileatus – fairly common Buru

Loetoe Monarch C. castus – common Yamdena

Island Monarch Monarcha cinerascens – common Kai Islands; 2 Palau Sawai

Spectacled Monarch Symposiachrus trivirgatus – 1 Ambon; fairly common Manusela

White-tailed Monarch S. leucurus – a few Kai Islands

Black-tipped Monarch S. loricatus – fairly common Bara

Black-bibbed Monarch S. mundus – a few Yamdena

Slaty (Moluccan) Flycatcher Myiagra galeata – race buruensis small numbers Buru; race seranensis a few Ambon, Manusela

Broad-billed Flycatcher M. ruficollis – common Yamdena

Seram (Violet) Crow - Corvus  violaceus – 2 near Sawai

Tanimbar (Torresian) Crow - Corvus [orru] latirostris – 2 Yamdena

Golden-bellied Flyrobin (Flycatcher) Microeca hemixantha – common Yamdena

Buru Golden-Bulbul Alophoixus mystacalis – common Buru

Seram Golden-Bulbul A. affinis – race affinis common Seram; race flavicaudus 2 Ambon

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Pacific Swallow H. tahitica

Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus – fairly common Buru highlands, Manusela

Tanimbar Bush-Warbler Cettia carolinae – 3 Tanimbar, more heard

Buru (Chestnut-backed) Bush-Warbler Bradypterus [castaneus] disturbans – 1 Danau Road

Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis – widespread in small numbers

Buru (Island) Leaf-Warbler P. [poliocephalus] everetti – common Buru highlands

Seram (Island) Leaf-Warbler P. [poliocephalus] ceramensis – common Manusela

Kai (Island) Leaf-Warbler P. [poliocephalus] avicola – 2 Kai Besar

Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis – heard Tanimbar

Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis – common Buru

Grey-hooded Dark-eye (White-eye) Lophozosterops pinaiae – 3-4 Manusela

Rufescent Dark-eye (White-eye) Tephrozosterops stalkeri – 2 Manusela

Mountain White-eye Zosterops montanus – race montanus a few Buru highlands; race obstinatus common Manusela

Ashy-bellied White-eye Z. citronella – common Yandema

Great Kai White-eye Z. grayi – common Kai Besar

Little Kai White-eye Z. uropygialis - common Kai Kecil

Seram White-eye Z. stalkeri – a few Manusela

Buru White-eye Z. buruensis – common Buru highlands

Ambon White-eye Z. kuehni – 2 Ambon

Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta – widespread

Buru Jungle-Flycatcher Rhinomyias additus – 2 Danau Road

Island (Verditer) Flycatcher E. panayensis – a few Manusela

Tanimbar Flycatcher Ficedula riedeli – a few Yandema

Cinnamon-chested Flycatcher F. buruensis – race buruensis 2 Danau Road; race ceramensis heard Manusela

Buru Thrush Geokichla dumasi – 1 Danau Road

Slaty-backed Thrush G. schistacea – 2 Yandema, others heard

Fawn-breasted Thrush Zoothera machiki – 1 Yandema

Metallic Starling Aplonis metallica – common Ambon, Buru, Seram

Tanimbar Starling A. crassa – fairly common Yandema

Moluccan Starling A. mysolensis – fairly common Ambon, Buru, Seram

Long-crested Myna Basilornis corythaix – 3-4 near Sawai

Buru Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrothorax – common Buru

Ashy Flowerpecker D. vulneratum – common Ambon, Seram

Mistletoebird D. hirundinaceum – race fulgidum common Yandema

Black Sunbird Leptocoma sericea – race proserpina common Buru; race aspasioides common Ambon, Seram; race chlorolaema a few Kai Kecil

Black-breasted (Olive-backed) Sunbird Cinnyris [jugularis] clementiae  – race buruensis common Buru; race clementiae common Ambon; race keiensis fairly common Kai Islands

Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis – 30+ Danau Sawah

Grey Wagtail M. cinerea – widespread

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

Tricolored Parrotfinch Erythrura tricolor – a few Yandema

Black-faced Munia L. molucca – common Buru

Nutmeg Mannikin L. punctulata – 2 Yandema

Five-colored Munia L. quinticolor – fairly common Yandema

192 species

Other animals included Black-bearded Flying-Fox (common Kai Kecil) and an impressive Broadclub Cuttlefish seen while snorkelling off Seram