Visit your favourite destinations
Western Europe
North America
Caribbean
Africa
Asia
Eastern Europe
South America
Australasia
Middle East
East Indies

A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Muara Angke Nature Reserve, North Jakarta, 26 September, 2004,

Mark Schellekens

During a short visit to Jakarta, I visited the Muara Angke Nature Reserve, close to the Muara Angke fish marketThe reserve is protected by law but apparently not much money is made free by the local government. The watchtower overlooking the area can’t be climbed as the ladders are rusted through and many of the wooden walkways have rotted away or have been destroyed by local youths. The only walkways strong enough to hold people are the walkways that lead North into the area from the Reserve Office. These walkways are kept well as they are used by local fisherman and farmers to make their way into the reserve. This walkway leads to a viewing platform but sadly this platform has no views whatsoever as the surroundings are overgrown. Still, the reserve in the middle of Indonesia’s overcrowded capital makes a nice change from the crowded city and many birds can still be found.

The birdlist:

Great Cormorant                 Phalacrocorax carbo
4 Adult birds and 2 juvenile birds were seen sitting in the trees opposite the viewing platform, surrounded by P.sulcorostrisIdentification was made by the white throats of the adult birds and the brown plumage with grayish chests of the 2 juvenile birdsAlso bigger size than P.sulcorostris.

Little Black Cormorant       Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Over 30 birds of this species were observed mainly sitting in treetops and some over flying the area out to sea.

Darter                                   Anhinga melanogaster
At least 17 birds were observed, mainly flying over the area but some sitting in trees in the heart of the reserveSome sitting drying their wings on remnants of walkways.

Grey Heron                          Ardea cinerea
Over 40 birds counted throughout the area but mainly seen feeding on the large muddy area in the middle of the reserveSome perched low in treesMany birds in breeding plumage.

Purple Heron                        Ardea purpurea
Over 25 birds counted, including one immature birdSome birds in breeding plumage.

Great Egret                          Egretta alba
Five birds, all seen on the edge of the muddy areaAll birds with black bills.

Intermediate Egret              Egretta intermedia
Eleven individuals seen scattered over the areaMainly close to the muddy area but a single bird near the beach.

Little Egret                           Egretta garzetta
Over 30 birds observed.

Pacific Reef-egret                Egretta sacra
A single dark-morphed bird was observed sitting on a walkway close to the main road.

Cattle Egret                          Bubulcus ibis
At least 35 birds were counted mainly in a big colony of egrets bordering the muddy areaSome birds showing signs of molting plumage.

Javan Pond-heron                Ardeola speciosa
Abundant, especially in and around the muddy area, with over 150 birds recorded.

Little Heron                          Butorides striatus
A single adult bird noted on a walkway near the visitors center.

Black-crowned Night-heron            Nycticorax nycticorax
An adult and an immature bird were observed sitting low in a tree bordering the muddy area.

Cinnamon Bittern                 Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Two male birds flushed from vegetation near the main road.

Wandering Whistling-duck  Dendrocygna arcuata
A flock of 17 birds joined a flock of 28 birds in a pond in the center of the reserve.

Ruddy-breasted Crake        Porzana fusca
A single bird seen feeding in the mangroves just up from the visitors center.

White-browed Crake           Piliolimnas cinerea
At least 8 birds observed at various locations in the reserve

White-breasted Waterhen               Amaurornis phoenicurus
At least 12 birds observed throughout the reserveAlso close to the main road.

Purple Swamphen                 Porphyrio porphyrio
Very common, especially on the muddy area in the center of the reserveSeen feeding in the open with Egrets and Herons.

Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos
Two birds of this species observed on the beach.

Rock Pigeon                         Columba livia
In a flock of 5 Spotted Doves, 2 Rock Pigeons were seen feeding on a path West of the area, bordering the reserveBoth birds unringed.

Spotted Dove                       Streptopelia chinensis
CommonAt least 30 birds observed mainly on paths and in trees bordering the reserve.

Coucal sp                            Centropus sp.
A single Coucal was briefly observed flying out and in the reedbeds near the viewing platformNo definite ID could be madeLocal farmers know the Sunda Coucal well and stated that it is not uncommon in the reserve

Edible-nest Swiftlet              Aerodramus fuciphaga
At least 15 birds were seen over flying the reserveIn the nearby fishing village, several  Swiftlet breeding houses were seen.

Linchi Swiftlet                      Collocalia linchii
Abundant over the reserve and surroundings.

Fork-tailed Swift                  Apus pacificus
Three birds over flying the beach area North of the reserve.

Small Blue Kingfisher          Alcedo coerulescens
One bird seen hunting from a mangrove tree and several other birds of this species heard calling from the mangroves.

Sacred Kingfisher                Todiramphus sanctus
A single bird seen in a tree at the visitor center.

Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
Just 2 birds in the mangroves.

Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker       Dendrocopus macei
A single male bird seen flying out of the mangroves and flying into a tree bordering the reserve on the West side.

Brown-capped Woodpecker            Dendrocopus moluccensis
At least 2 pairs in the trees bordering the mangroves on the Western side of the reserve.

Barn Swallow                        Hirundo rustica
Two birds over flying the beach area.

Pacific Swallow                     Hirundo tahitica
Numerous over the reserve, adjoining mangroves and beach.

Pied Triller                           Lalage nigra
Two male birds in trees bordering the reserve on the West side.

Sooty-headed Bulbul            Pycnototus aurigaster
Four birds in trees bordering the reserve on the West side.

Yellow-vented Bulbul           Pycnototus goiavier
Abundant throughout the reserve in all types of habitats.

Common Iora                       Aegithina tiphia
Two birds recorded in the mangrove with several others heard singing from the surrounding trees and mangroves.

Zitting Cisticola                    Cisticola juncidis
A single bird was seen displaying from scrubs on the West side of the reserve.

Bar-winged Prinia                Prinia familiaris
Common, especially in the mangroves and scrub surrounding the reserve.

Common Tailorbird  Ortothomus sutorius
Several birds seen and heardNot as common as O.ruficeps

Ashy Tailorbird                    Ortothomus ruficeps
AbundantSeen everywhereFrom mangroves to scrub and treesNest observed in mangroves with adult birds flying in and out.

Flyeater                                Gerygone sulphurea
Very commonMainly heard singing from all over the reserve.

Pied Fantail                          Rhipidura javanica
Very common mainly in the mangroves and surrounding scrub and trees.

Great Tit                               Parus major
A pair observed picking insects off treetrunks near the main road.

Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker         Dicaeum trochileum
Several pairs present in the reserve

Olive-backed Sunbird          Nectarinia jugularis
Many pairs in the reserveAbundant in mangroves.

Javan White-eye                  Zosterops flavus
Four birds observed in the reedbeds near the viewing platformAccording to the local farmers still a common bird

Javan Munia                        Lonchura leucogastroides
Four birds observed in a flock of 15 L.punctulata, seen feeding on a path bordering the reserve.

Scaly-breasted Munia         Lonchura punctulata
CommonFlocks counting up to 15 birdsAlso in mangroves but mainly seen feeding on paths bordering the reserve.

Tree Sparrow                       Passer montanus
Several birds observed near the main road.

Javan Myna                         Acridotherus javanicus
Two birds seen over flying the muddy area.

Black Drongo                       Dicrurus macrocercus
A single bird seen in the mangroves near the viewing platform and another one heard calling from the wooded area to the West.

White-breasted Wood-swallow        Artamus leucorhynchos
A single bird seen hunting from a dead tree on the Northern side of the reserve.

Racket-tailed Treepie         Crypsirina temia
At least 3 birds observed in the mangroves.

Mark Schellekens
Woloara – Ende – Kelimutu 
Flores, N.T.T86372  
Indonesia
 
e-mail: ljmschellekens@yahoo.com             
Mobile: (0062)81339165676

 

Why not send us a report, or an update to one of your current reports?