Indonesia Highlights: Bali Extension - August 2026
Dates: August 16 - 23, 2026
Leader: Dion Hobcroft
E-bird
Total Species: 114 birds
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Overall Summary
We arrived smoothly into Denpasar and were soon whisked away by our Balinese team of Don, Gomang, and Bonenk to a lovely restaurant to have an Indonesian Independence Day feast. The food in this country is delicious. Having had success earlier with Java Sparrow in West Java, we made good time to Pura Batu Karu, a Hindu temple set in hill rainforest. The birding in the afternoon was a bit slow yet consistent, and we enjoyed scope views of Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Flame-fronted Barbet at the nest, a perched Yellow-throated Hanging-Parrot, close Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, and Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. We took the time to see a few of the free-flying Black-winged Mynas of the snowy-white West Javan population, melanopterus, that are sadly extinct in the wild now. We made good time to Handara, and everyone was settled into their rooms before dark.
We spent the following day and a half exploring the montane rainforest sites in close proximity to Handara, including the Bedugul Botanic Gardens. More new birds came by at a regular pace, most notably including the rare Javan Hawk-Eagle, a Common Flameback of the scarce Balinese endemic subspecies exul, and great views of the elusive Javan Owlet (our seventh owl species seen on the tours). Other good birds included Black-backed Fruit-Dove, Javan Scimitar-Babbler, Fulvous-chested Jungle-Flycatcher, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Olive-backed Tailorbird, Javan Flowerpecker, the orange subspecies siebersii of Scarlet Minivet, Lesser Cuckooshrike, and finally, we clawed back excellent views of the Yellow-eared Barbet for those who had missed it in Carita. The lovely Javan Whistling-Thrush was Bob’s 5,000th bird species he had seen in the wild! A brief wetland survey at Danau Buyan turned up multiple Yellow Bitterns and a Striated Grassbird. Overall, it was pretty lively birding in a very pleasant climate, set in beautiful forests with splendid accommodation.
It was time to move along, and we drove to the more remote and wild west coast of Bali, where we spent three nights at the lovely Mimpi Resort. On our first afternoon, we visited a coastal woodland area where Bali Myna was the star of the show and allowed some fabulous photographic opportunities. Once on the brink of extinction, this spectacular bird has gone from strength to strength in recent years, and it is a heartening recovery. It was a “birdy” location, with point-blank views of Orange-breasted and Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Sacred Kingfisher, Long-tailed Shrike, Small Minivet, White-shouldered Triller, and Brown Honeyeater, while on the mudflats we found a lone Lesser Adjutant.
Our full day here in Bali Barat National Park saw us visiting multiple sites and finding almost all of our targets. The first stop on the agricultural edge of the park produced real wild Black-winged Mynas, here of the grayer Bali subspecies tertius. Gray-rumped Treeswift, Lineated and Coppersmith barbets, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Oriental Cuckooshrike, and Javan Myna were all new for the trip. The second stop found us in a photographic hide set in monsoon vine forest. In quick succession, Javan Banded-Pitta, Racket-tailed Treepie, Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher, and a female Laced Woodpecker gave astonishing views and photographic opportunities. Crescent-chested Babblers skulked around us. A pair of Black-thighed Falconets filled the scope. Another quick stop and we had Small Blue Kingfisher providing great views. We squeezed in one last stop with the heat building and again had success, this time with a pair of Barred Buttonquails feeding out in a relatively open, scrubby site. The afternoon proved a bit slower as we trawled along the coast for the now-rare Beach Thick-knee, which eluded us. Our best pickup was a Malaysian Plover and Lemon-bellied White-eye. Mammals stole the show, with an abundance of Long-tailed Macaques, the scarcer Black Langur, Southern Red Barking Deer, and Javan Rusa all seen well.
Having had early success with most of our key targets, it enabled us to set out on a fairly ambitious early morning to take the ferry across to East Java. Arriving in Banyuwangi, we made the drive up to Gunung Ijen, and by 7:00 a.m. we were set up in a bird hide. It soon paid dividends, with very close views, in order of appearance, of Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Scaly Thrush, Lesser Shortwing, Javan Banded-Pitta (again), Javan Whistling-Thrush, Red Junglefowl, and, after it looked like all was lost, a fine pair of the rare and very localized Gray-breasted Partridge. Time to hit the mixed flocks, and again it was a bit of an express train of new birds, with Wreathed Hornbill, Checker-throated Woodpecker, White-bellied Fantail, Sunda Minivet, Javan Bulbul, Mountain Leaf-Warbler, Blue Nuthatch, and a fine study of the spectacular Black-banded Barbet. At key stakeouts, we had great looks at both Javan and Sunda Bush-Warblers and, on the second attempt, a great view of the amazing Pink-headed Fruit-Dove. Back on the ferry, we found several Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, a bit unexpected.
With one last morning of birding, we jagged a pair of Mangrove Whistlers in the resort gardens at breakfast. Later, we enjoyed stunning views of Green Junglefowl, Asian Emerald Dove, the now-rare Oriental Magpie-Robin of the subspecies pluto, a male Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, and divine Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters again. A Black Giant Squirrel was a good pickup. Our time was up, and we returned to Denpasar, with participants flying out that evening and the following morning.
All up, on our Indonesia tours we recorded 374 species of mostly forest birds and 30 mammal species, so it was very successful. On Bali and East Java, we recorded 120 species of birds and seven mammal species.
Thank you all very much for travelling with me and Victor Emanuel Nature Tours.
Day-by-Day Summary
August 16 - Arrive in Denpasar. Transfer to Handara via Pura Batu Karu.
August 17 - Full day Handara and Bedugul Botanic Gardens.
August 18 - Morning Bedugul Botanic Gardens. Afternoon transfer to Mimpi near Bali Barat National Park.
August 19 - Full day Bali Barat National Park.
August 20 - Transfer to Gunung Ijen National Park in East Java and then return to Mimpi.
August 21 - Morning Bali Barat National Park. Transfer to Denpasar.
August 22 - Fly home.
Wildlife Seen:
MAMMALS:
Long-tailed Macaque
Black Leaf Monkey
Horsfield's Treeshrew
Black Giant Squirrel
Plantain Squirrel
Javan Rusa
Southern Red Muntjac