My Ride and Bird Life: October 2015

Monas or Monumen Nasional (National Monument) located at Central Jakarta. Locals usually came to Monas for historical trip, view the city landscape from the top, and do the other outdoor activities. For me, Monas is another famous birding hotspot in Jakarta. Here, the trees are shorter than the other birding places in Jakarta like Ragunan Zoo or Taman Kridaloka (Kridaloka Park) at Senayan which make it easy for any “fresh” birder to find the birds. Monas also known as the easiest place to find some garden birds like Asian Pied Starling, Zebra Dove, Coppersmith Barbet, and Van Hasselt’s Sunbird. Although the first two species are common at the other part of South East Asia, here both of them are became rare due the trapping and bird trading activity.

Monas from above.

It’s been almost 2 years since my last visit to this place, so I decided to make a visit on 26 Sept 2015. While at the same time a monthly birdwatching event called Jakarta Bird Walk (JBW) was held. Many things has changed at Monas, before I usually left my helmet at the helmet care but not that day. So, I have to carried it around and it’s not easy to moved with my bagpack and my helmet. As I prepared my camera, a very confidence Spotted Dove gave me a very close view even I have to zoom out my lens to get the pictures.

My first Spotted Dove.

Then I walked around the deer pen where I got a Red-breasted Parakeet, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker, and Changeable Lizard. Later on, I met my friend Eci and some new bird peoples including the very young birder named Kaysan. I was amazed how a boy like him can get interested in birds because usually a boy on his age preferred to play games or do the sport things like football. You guys can read his activity here on: http://catatankaysan.weebly.com/blog

A lonely Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker foraging on coconut tree.

Same individual.

A couple of Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker.

One of the couple.

Male Red-breasted Parakeet.

Golden-bellied Gerygone.

An angry Changeable Lizard.

Sooty-headed Bulbul.

We walked to the west side of the park. On that side, we saw a lonely juvenile Scaly-breasted Munia mixed with Eurasian Tree Sparrow flocks, some feral Rock Pigeons, and also the locally rare Zebra Dove. While we’re focused on the Zebra Dove, Kaysan’s mom approached us and told us that she saw a family of Pink-necked Green Pigeon. Moved closer, we found that there was an adult male with two fledglings. Too bad they perched under the shade and the sun is too bright already, so I only took a few record shot of them.

Face to face with the Munia.

A feral Rock Pigeon.

Posing with its meal.

Feeding on grasss

Zebra Dove on its feeding ground.

Going for a drink.

Sooty-headed Bulbul habitat.

A couple of Zebra Dove.

Another Spotted Dove.

Pink-necked Green Pigeon family.

Since I had to work on that day, I only spent around two hours at Monas. Most of the species that we found are the common species because I was too lazy. I saw no more than 20 species. Still, I enjoyed every birding moment in my life. At least I refreshed my mind with my feathered friends.