After my Rote birding trip I moved over to the island of Timor and the city of Kupang. From here I took a drive east across to the town of Soe, where I birded around the village of Fatumnasi on Gunung Mutis (Mount Mutis). After a bit more birding at mid-elevation around Soe, I came back down to the coast and Bipolo Forest where, in addition to the forest birding, I spent some time checking out some rice paddies and coastal wetland sites. One this trip I got to grips with loads of endemic species and subspecies, some regional specials, and even found a Timor rarity...
One of the star birds that I was looking for was the undescribed "Mount Mutis Parrotfinch" and after a morning of hiking around mountain trails I was rewarded with some great views of an adult male. Other highlights of my time at a bit of elevation in Timor included Timor Boobook, Pink-headed Imperial Pigeon, Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, Olive-headed Lorikeet, Black-breasted (Timor) Myzomela, Timor Friarbird, Flame-eared (Yellow-eared) Honeyeater, Streak-breasted (Timor) Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Whistler, Northern (Timor) Fantail, Sunda Bush Warbler, Timor Stubtail, Timor Leaf Warbler, Buff-banded (Timor) Thicketbird, Spot-breasted Heleia, Island (Timor) Thrush, Chestnut-backed Thrush, Black-banded Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Timor Blue Flycatcher (Timor Warbling-flycatcher), White-bellied (Timor) Bush Chat, Thick-billed (Tenggara) Flowerpecker, and Blood-breasted (Timor) Flowerpecker.
One of the really nice surprises while birding on Mount Mutis, was discovering a Grey-streaked Flycatcher. This appears to be the first record for Timor! Got some nice and prolonged views of the bird as it fed in the sub-canopy.
Some of the lowland forest yielded Arafura Fantail, Timor Boobook, Red-cheeked Parrot, Wallacean (Timor) Cuckooshrike, Fawn-breasted Whistler, Wallacean (Timor Spangled) Drongo, Spectacled Monarch, Orange-sided (Orange-banded) Thrush, lots of honeyeaters, and Short-toed Snake Eagle.
It was really enjoyable birding in the rice paddies and coastal wetlands and I found a load of great birds with some of the highlights including a flock of 16 Pied Herons, plus Oriental Plover, Australian Pratincole, Sunda Teal, Terek Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Yellow Bittern, White-faced Heron, (Lesser Sunda) Zebra Finch, Five-colored Munia, Red Avadavat, Paddyfield Pipit, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
Next stop Sumba....
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