HEAVEN'S MIRROR: A BIRDER IN SUMATRA
Birdwatching Sumatra, birding Sumatra
INTRODUCTION
The dormant volcanic lake of North Sumatra and its surroundings provide the birder with a delightful array of avifauna. While most birders head to Kerinci Park to the south and Leuser Park to the north for great Sumatran birding, Lake Toba offers a pleasant climate and an abundance of inexpensive comfortable accommodation, where the keen birder can go out searching for Sumatran endemics whilst their non-birding companion shovels down banana pancakes and has a swim.
UPDATE Sept 2014...The new airport KNO is on the east side of Medan, located near the coast and appears quite close to PERCUT MUDFLATS. Should be worth a visit, I have not gone there myself however.
Update : as of February 2015 my species count was 194.
Getting here is now fairly easy and inexpensive with the onset of budget airlines flying into Medan's Polonia airport. A new airport is being built, and is scheduled to be opened 2 years ago and to begin building in 3 years from now. If you've traveled to Indonesia before, the previous sentence makes complete sense. The road to Parapat, the access town to Lake Toba, is generally a suicidal public bus ride of 4-5 hours which departs from Medan's southern Amplas Bus Station. If this is your first trip to Indonesia, you will not forget this bus ride or Medan's ambiance.
The Batak people here ceased the consumption of Christian missionaries over 100 years ago and have now embraced Christianity and are very welcoming. Most people are fisherman and farmers or are very gifted musicians and artists.
Viewed by Satellite on Googlemaps, much of the area has been deforested, but there are still a few places of beautiful forest and jungle to the East of the lake. The lake provides opportunities for marshland and grass species, but no wintering ducks (yet?). Ranging in altitude from 900 to 2000 meters above sea level, the hiking is easy to moderate and this is where most endemics naturally occur and some lowland species find refuge from the deforestation below.
Of the 188 species recorded here thus far, resident species number about 145, while 40 others are winter visitors and passage migrants. Eleven are near-endemics, and 9 are Sumatran endemics; Cream-striped Bulbul, Sumatran Green Pigeon, Sumatran (Bronzed-tailed) Peacock Pheasant, Sumatran (Blue-tailed) Trogon, Blue-masked Leafbird, Sumatran Treepie, Sumatran Drongo, Shiny Whistling Thrush and the Sunda (Chestnut-winged) Whistling Thrush.
The breeding season seems to be controlled by the wet season, which according to local people has become erratic. The rains tend to be in November and February, but can happen or not happen at anytime. This may be affecting the breeding habits of some species. In January of 2012 I saw waterbird species juveniles of Moorhens, White-breasted Waterhens and Purple Swamphens. In February four different Cuckoo species were seen or heard, and forest species nests of Gray-throated Babblers and Fulvous-chested Jungle Babblers contained eggs. Grass species specialists Baya Weavers where building nests in February.
I used MacKinnon's Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali 1993. Still a great field guide despite being 20 years old. Look on the internet for new name changes and splits.
Thanks to Dave K and Steve H for their birding contributions, the only two birders I've met at Lake Toba, who I invited to come visit.
WHERE TO SEE BIRDS
Using the tourist village of Tuk-Tuk as a base, these 5 areas can be visited as day trips:
1 The Marsh-upon-Ambarita is located on the lakes edge approximately 1.5km north of the village of Ambarita. Egrets, Purple Heron and Purple Swamphen are common here. Slaty-breasted Rail, White-browed Crake, Ruddy-breasted Crake and both Yellow and Cinnamon Bittern need a bit of searching. Skulkers include Yellow-bellied Prinia, Zitting Cisticola and Pallas's grasshopper Warbler. Painted Snipe and Pintail Snipe are regular here. Bluetailed Bee-eaters, and 3 species of Kingfisher enjoy this area.
2 The Route to Broken Heart Waterfall traverses a variety of habitat. The paddyfields and rice fields are home to Scaly-breasted, White-headed and White-rumped Munias, Baya Weaver and Hill Prinia. Brown, Tiger and Long-tail Shrikes. The forested groves always provide some interesting winter visitor; Mugimaki flycatcher, Forest Wagtail and Blue & White Flycatcher. Cuckoo's seem to turn up here as well; Little Bronze, Drongo, Plaintive and Moustached Hawk. This track can be very slippery on the final approach.
3 The best opportunity for forest birds is in Taman Eden (The Garden of Eden). From the entrance gate at 1200 asl(above sea level), one can explore the trails unguided through mostly undisturbed lower and upper montane forest, up to the top of 2100 asl Gunung Panguluba. The climb to the summit is difficult, but the main birding trails are mostly flat. Here most of the endemics can be found, including Sumatran Trogon and Blue-masked Leafbird, both of which are regularly seen along the first 2 km' of the main trail. Look for Sumatran Green Pigeon, Eyebrowed Thrush, Siberian Thrush and Black-browed Barbet in the fruiting trees. Sumatran (Bronzed-tailed) Peacock Pheasant, both Shiny and Chestnut-winged Whistling Thrushes, Sunda Bulbul and Pygmy Blue Flycatcher occur here but are uncommon. The sightings of 3 species of Laughingthrushes (Sunda, Black and the Chestnut-capped) is encouraging; the bird trappers have not wiped them out yet. Oranged-backed Woodpeckers and Wreathed Hornbills give evidence of large trees in this forest. Mammals such as Siamang, Serow, wild pig, and giant squirrel put in a show for the punters. To get to Taman Eden, take public transport 16km south of Parapat along the main Trans-Sumatran highway.
****New additions: On a hike near the summit at this location, Dave K photo'ed a Sumatran (Long-billed ) Wren Babbler in Sept 2013. White crested Laughing-thrushes also seen, once thought to be trapped out.
4 Kampus Hutan, 12km north of Parapat on the main highway to Siantar, also has nice forest species and lots of trails to keep the birder occupied for a few days. It appears as though part of this area was deforested probably during the Dutch occupation, but a good secondary forest has reappeared, and Hornbills do occur. The Panorama trail has 3 bulbul species; Sunda, Cream-striped and Orange-spotted, and is almost a guaranteed sighting of the endemic Blue-masked Leafbird. Orange-breasted Trogon was seen here, MacKinnon listed this as an Endangered Sumatran bird in 1993 (although it is common throughout South East Asia). Sliver-breasted broadbill is rare here, yet Longtailed Broadbill is more common. There are some camp sites here which could be nice if no-one else shows up and the pigs leave you alone. Your better off booking into a palace or cabin on Tuktuk for $5 night.
5 A steep and difficult 700 Meter elevation climb from the bank in Ambarita to Jenny's Guesthouse on the top of Samosir occasional shows a nice species, and Grey-breasted Partridge is often heard calling. The route has become quite overgrown, and if you get caught in the rain you could be into some serious barney.
LIST OF SPECIES
This list follows MacKinnon's Fieldguide
Co – Common R - Resident
Fc – Fairly Common WV – Winter Visitor
Un – Uncommon NBV- Non-breeding Visitor
Sc – Scarce ( ) - not seen by me
Lc- Local ?? - possible sighting
Purple Heron Co/R
Cattle Egret Co/R
Great Egret Un/NBV/R
Intermediate Egret Un/R
Little Egret Co/WV
Striated Heron Un/R
Black Crowned Night Heron Lc/WV Roosting at Simanido islands
Yellow Bittern Un/R
Cinnamon Bittern Fc/R
Black Bittern Sc/R or Wv Seen just once.
Osprey Un/WV
Oriental Honey-Buzzard Co/R/WV
Black Shouldered Kite Un/R
Brahminy Kite Co/R
White-Bellied Sea Eagle Sc/R Erratic Visitor
Japanese Sparrowhawk Un/WV
Black Eagle Un/R
Changeable Hawk Eagle Un/R
Oriental Hobby Sc/R seen just once
Crested Serpent Eagle Un/R
?? Milky Stork A large stork-like bird with extended neck seen circling like an Openbill Stork one day when I was eating banana pancakes and forgot my bins.
Grey-breasted Partridge Un/R
Barred Buttonquail Un/R
Sumatran Peacock Pheasant Un/R
Slaty-breasted Rail Un/R
Ruddy-breasted Crake Un/R
White-browed Crake Sc/R
White-breasted Waterhen Co/R
Common Moorhen Co/R
Purple Swamphen Co/R
Common Sandpiper Co/R
Painted Snipe Lc/WV/R Decreasing numbers every year in Ambarita Marsh
Pintail Snipe Un/R
Sumatran Green Pigeon Un/R
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Co/R
Mountain Imperial Pigeon Un/R
Rock Dove Lc/R
Barred Cuckoo-Dove Un/R
Little Cuckoo-Dove Co/R
Spotted Dove Co/R
Zebra Dove Co/R
(Emerald Dove) Sc/R
(Chestnut-winged Cuckoo) Sc/WV
Large Hawk-Cuckoo Un/R
Oriental Cuckoo Un/WV
Plaintive Cuckoo Co/R
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Sc/R
Little Bronze Cuckoo Un/R
Drongo Cuckoo Un/WV
(Moustached Hawk Cuckoo) Sc/WV
Lesser Coucal Fc/R
Green-billed Malkoha Un/R
Collared Owlet Un/R
??(H) Collared Scops Owl
??Himalayan Swiftlet Un/WV
Glossy Swiftlet Co/R
Little (House) Swift Un/R
Asian Palm-Swift Co/R
Grey-rumped Treeswift Un/R
Sumatran Trogon Un/R
Orange-breasted Trogon Sc/R
Common Kingfisher Co/WV
White-throated Kingfisher Co/R
Collared Kingfisher Un/R
Chestnut-headed Bee-Eater Sc/R
Bluetailed Bee-Eater Co/WV
Wreathed Hornbill Un/R
Fire-tufted Barbet Co/R
Black-browed Barbet Co/R
Coppersmith Barbet Co/R
Silver-breasted Broadbill Sc/R
Long-tailed Broadbill Un/R
Speckled Piculet Co/R
Rufous Woodpecker Sc/R
Common Flameback Co/R
Sunda Woodpecker Co/R
Maroon Woodpecker Un/R
Greater Yellownape Co/R
Lesser Yellownape Un/R
(Banded Woodpecker) Sc/R
Orange-backed Woodpecker Un/R
Barn Swallow Co/R
Pacific Swallow Co/R
Red Rumped Swallow Sc/WV 3 birds seen just once in January
Asian House Martin Un/WV
Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike Co/R
Sunda Cuckoo-shrike Fc/R
Pied Triller Co/R
Ashy Minivet Un/R
Grey-chinned Minivet Co/R
Scarlet Minivet Sc/R
Common Iora Co/R
Blue-masked Leafbird Co/R
Cream-striped Bubul Un/R
Sooty-headed Bulbul Co/R
Orange-spotted Bulbul Lc/R
Yellow-vented Bubul Co/R
Sunda Bulbul Co/R
Ashy Drongo Co/R
Crow-billed Drongo Sc/WV
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Co/R
Sumatran Drongo Un/R
Black-naped Oriole Co/R
Black & Crimson Oriole Co/R
Green Magpie Sc/R
Sumatran Treepie Co/R Panorama trail at Kampus
Great Tit Co/R
Blue Nuthatch Co/R
Lesser Shortwing Un/R
Siberian Blue Robin Un/WV
Spot-necked Babbler Sc/R
Sumatran Wren Babbler (one record at Taman Eden 100)
Eye-browed Wren Babbler Un/R
Pygmy Cupwing Co/R
Golden Babbler Co/R
Grey-throated Babbler Co/R
Long-tailed Sibia Un/R
White-Crested Laughingthrush Sc/R
Sunda Laughingthrush Fc/R
Black Laughingthrush Un/R
Chestnut-capped L.Thrush Co/R
White-browed (Blythe's)
Shrike Babbler Un/R
Magpie Robin Un/R
Lesser(Sunda) Forktail Un/R Kampus Hutan Stream
Blue Rock Thrush Sc/WV
Sunda(Chestnut-winged)
Whistling Thrush Sc/R
Shiny Whistling Thrush Sc/R
Blue Whistling Thrush Un/R
Siberian Thrush Co/WV
Eyebrowed Thrush Sc/WV
Golden Belly Gerygone Co/R
Chestnut Crowned Warbler Un/R
Yellow-Breasted Warbler Co/R
Yellow-Bellied Warbler Co/R
Arctic Warbler Co/WV
Eastern Crowned Warbler Sc/WV
Mountian Leaf Warbler Co/R
??Eastern Reed Warbler
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Un/WV
Lanceolated Warbler Sc/WV
Zitting Cistcola Co/R
Dark-necked Tailorbird Un/R
Mountain Tailorbird Co/R
Hill Prinia Co/R
Yellow-bellied Prinia Lc/R
Fulvous-chested
Jungle Flycatcher Un/R
Dark-sided Flycatcher Un/WV
Asian Brown Flycatcher Un/WV
Brown-streaked Flycatcher Sc/WV
Ferruginous Flycatcher Un/WV
Indigo Flycatcher Co/R
Mugimaki Flycatcher Co/WV
Rufous-browed Flycatcher Lc/R
Snowy-browed Flycatcher Un/R
Little Pied Flycatcher Un/R
Pygmy Blue Flycatcher Un/R
Grey-headed Canary Fly Co/R
Blue & White Flycatcher Un/WV
Large Niltava Co/R
White-throated Fantail Co/R
Rufous-winged Philentoma Sc/R
(Japanese Paradise Fly) Sc/WV
Asian Paradise Flycatcher Sc/R/WV
White-breasted Woodswallow Co/R
Brown Shrike Co/WV
Tiger Shrike Un/WV
Long-tailed Shrike Co/R
Grey Wagtail Co/WV
Yellow Wagtail Sc/WV
Forest Wagtail Un/WV
Paddyfield Pipt Co/R
Asian Glossy Starling Co/R
Common Myna Lc/Escapee
Javan Myna Co/ Introduced
Plain-throated Sunbird Sc/R
Olive-backed Sunbird Co/R
Temmick's Sunbird Co/R
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Sc/R Seen just once
Plain Flowerpecker Un/R
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Co/R
(Little Spider hunter) Sc/R
Oriental White-eye Co/R
Black-capped White-eye Co/R
White-rumped Munia Un/R
Scaly-breasted Munia Co/R
White-headed Munia Co/R
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Co/R
Baya Weaver Un/R
Please Email your additions to me at wheatleytom@hotmail.com, or drop into TuktukTimbul Guesthouse in Ambarita.