Yellow-billed Malkoha

Yellow-billed Malkoha in the highland of Minahasa

This is the picture of Yellow-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus calyorhynchus) that I saw in Minahasa highland while I was doing a morning bird walk. I saw two birds at that time. However, I could only take picture of one of them. The bird was endemic to Sulawesi island. The forest had never been visited by any birdwatchers. So, it was a new birding site. I also saw several other species of birds including Hair-crested Drongo, Black-naped Oriole, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Scaly-breasted Munia, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Collared Kingfisher, Cattle Egret, Olive-backed Sunbird, Slender-billed Crow, and Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon. 
In the evening, I returned to the same site and I called the Sulawesi Scops Owl. The bird flew closer to me and landed on the branch of a tree. I took some pictures of the owl too. It was a great experience birding in Minahasa highland.
As a tourist guide, I offer birding tour to this region for visitors who are interested in watching birds and other wild animals of North Sulawesi. To share the cost, the number of participants should be at least 2 to 4 people. 
If you are interested, please, contact me by email to: leororing@gmail.com or send whatsapp message to my cell phone number: +6281332245180.
Also read:
North Sulawesi Tour Package
Birding in North Sulawesi

Birding in Minahasa peninsula

Sooty-headed Bulbul

Here is the picture of Sooty-headed Bulbul that I saw in the highland of Minahasa yesterday. There were a lot of these birds in trees when I visited the new birding site. Because I was standing on a slope across from the trees. I could take near eye level pictures of the Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster).
The Province of North Sulawesi is a great destination for birding and wildlife watching, sightseeing. There are several famous places in the region such as Tambun, Ambang, Mount Mahawu, Temboan, and Tangkoko. From my short exploration of Minahasa regency, I found several new birding sites. I call them the Clove Garden, the Well, and the Key Point. There are still a lot of places that are potential for birding. I will visit them in the future too.

Sulawesi Hornbill

There are hundreds of species of birds that visitors could watch when they visit these new birding sites. Some of them include Sulawesi Scops Owl (Otus manadensis), Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Yellow-billed Malkoha, (Phaenicophaeus calyorhynchus), Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla), Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata), and etc. The duration of the trip can be 7 day/ 6 nights covering both lowland, highland of Sulawesi. The birding tour can be combined with visits to villages and farmland sof local people so that visitors can see how Minahasan farmers live in their daily life.

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher

If you are interested in birding in Minahasa and other places in North Sulawesi, and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp +6281332245180.

Related Post:

Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Knobbed Hornbill in North Sulawesi

Knobbed Hornbill

This is the photograph of Knobbed Hornbill that I saw in North Sulawesi. At that time, I was guiding some Taiwanese tourists on a birding tour in the region. The bird was seen during the day while we were hiking and watching wild animals in Tangkoko Nature Reserve.
It was a nice experience because we could also watch other birds as well such as the Grossbeak Starling, White-necked Myna, Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, and Red-backed Thrush.
We also saw squirrel, snake and gliding lizard and tens of crested macaque monkeys.
Our trip in Tangkoko was the continuation of our previous tours in Tambun forest, Mount Ambang, and the highlands of Minahasa.
As a tourist guide, I could organize your tour in this beautiful region. If you are interested in visiting Minahasa and other parts of North Sulawesi to see its birds, scenery, and meet its people, and want me to be your private guide, please, contact me by email to: leororing@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Nature Tour in North Sulawesi

Purple-winged Roller

As a touris guide, I offer tours to North Sulawesi for visitors who are interested in seing nature, watching birds, butterflies, and other animals in the forest. The duration of the tour can be as short as 7 to 9 days covering most of the important forest areas from Kotamobagu to Minahasa and then to Bitung.
The tour that I offer is not only for birding and wildlife watching but also for seeing beautiful natural places of Minahasa such as Lake Tondano and Lake Linow, terraces of rice fields, and farmlands that surround traditional villages of North Celebes.
From my previous trips I and my clients saw Maleo, White-necked Myna, Purple-winged Roller, Citrine Cannary Flycatcher, Gross-beaked Starling, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Scops Owl, Speckled Boobok, Green-backed Kingfisher, Large-billed Kingfisher, Lilac Cheeked Kingfisher, Slender-billed Cuckoo Dove, Hair-crested Drongo, Black-naped Oriole, Sunda Teal, Little Egret, Cattle Egret.
In addition to birds, while walking in the forest, we saw Crested-Macaque Monkeys, Gliding Lizard, snake, and Sulawesi bear Cuscus.
Sulawesi has got a lot of endemic animals. This tropical island is located in the transition zone between the continents of Asia and Australia.
Besides birding and wildlife watching, I also did trips to traditional eating houses of the region. I did them to taste traditional cakes, and spicy cuisine of Minahasa.

Lake Tondano, photo by Charles Roring

Visitors who plan to take this tour with me have to bring their own binoculars and if possible, camera with telephoto lens such as Nikon or Canon D-Slr with 400 or even 600 mm lenses. Sigma and Tamron manufacture 150-600 mm lenses that are suitable for bird and wildlife photography. Those who do not want to carry heavy photographic devices can bring Nikon P900 or Nikon P1000 that is very powerful in shooting birds and wild animals in distant trees.
To share the cost, visitors can travel in a group of 4 to 8 people. For more information on itinerary and cost, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: leororing@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa Regency
• Birding in the Farmland of Minahasa Highland
• Birding and Butterflywatching in Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland of North Sulawesi

Sonder

Sonder town in of Minahasa highland

This was Sonder, a small town in Minahasa. I spent several days here exploring its farmland. Most of the town dwellers were farmers. They planted rice, vegetables, and other agricultural crops. While in Sonder, I did some exploration to clove plantation areas, to rice fields, to fish farm and to chicken farm. People from Sonder were famous in North Sulawesi for their clove commodity. Clove was the raw material for making the Indonesian cigarette called Rokok Kretek. In 1970s and early 1980s, the price of clove was very high. A lot of farmers in Sonder became very rich.
Now, clove is not the only commodity that they rely on. Farmers in Minahasa have diversified their business by planting other crops. They also raise pigs and run chicken farms.
In addition to Sonder, I also visited several other towns in Minahasa highland such as Tomohon, Kawangkoan, Tondano, and Langowan. These towns were surrounded by villages.
As a guide, I offer cultural tours for tourists who want to visit the highland of Minahasa. I can organize trips to see villages, and meet farmers, or have sightseeing tours to beatiful places such as Mount Mahawu, Lake Tondano, Lake Linow or terraces of rice-fields and waterfalls in Tincep village.
If you are interested in visiting Minahasa, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180

Also read:

• Birding Vacation in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Sahul Sunbird in Minahasa Highland
• Minahasa Beach and Great-billed Kingfisher
• Birds in Minahasa
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Exploring the Natural Beauty of North Sulawesi
• Yellow-billed Malkoha
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Nature Tour in North Sulawesi 

Finding Nemo in Manokwari Waters

I know several coral reef sites in Manokwari  regency which tourists can visit to see nemo and a lot of other species of tropical fish. From my snorkeling trips, I usually see Pink Anemonefish, Red and Black Anemonefish, as well as Spinecheek Anemonefish. They live in coral reef at depths from 1.5 meters to 10 meters below sea level. 

Finding Nemo

For visitors who want to enjoy snorkeling tour with me, I suggest that they bring their own snorkeling device that fit on their faces and feet. To take pictures underwater, a pocket camera such as Nikon W300 or Olympus Tough TG-5, or Canon G7X with waterproof case. I personally use Fujifilm XQ2 with its waterproof case. Most of the pictures in this collage plate were made by Fujifilm XQ2 and Canon G1X. 

When I take pictures of the fish, I try my best to be closer or in an eye level position with the fish. However, it cannot always be done because of the waves and current. 

If you are interested in visiting Manokwari city and want me to organize your snorkeling tours to various coral reef places, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by sending whatsapp message to my number +6281332245180 or email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Wonderful Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat archipelago is a wonderful archipelago in West Papua province of the Republic of Indonesia. It has been famous for its marine life. Its forest is the natural habitat of hundreds of bird species such as parrots, kingfishers, fruit doves and pigeons, and birds of paradise. I organize tours to this regency for visitors who want to see tropical islands that are surrounded by white sandy beaches and coral reef, tropical fish as well as explore rainforest to watch its beautiful paradise birds.

Wonderful Raja Ampat

The usual duration of the tour is 3 days to 1 week covering big and small islands in the archipelago.

For those who like sightseeing, they could go by a speedboat or motorized wooden boat to see the karst in Wayag, Wawiyai of Kabui bay, as well as Fish Lagoon in eastern region of Waigeo.

Every time I guide tourists around Raja Ampat, I always do snorkeling and some freediving to see the wealth of its marine life. There are a lot of species of fish, corals and other marine animals. Fish such as pink anemonefish, sweetlips, wrasse, butterflyfish, moorish idol, and dolphins can easily be seen at depths of around 2 to 5 meters or more below sea level. To identify their species names, I use a field guide book Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific written by Gerald Allen, Roger Steene, Paul Humann, and Ned Deloach.

My camera Fujifilm XQ2 greatly helps me in taking underwater pictures of the coral reef environment. I sometimes use Nikon W300. To take pictures of the fish, most often, I have to freedive and position my body to be on the same level or a little lower than the fish. I also do my best not to make any movements in the water. When I am still, fish will not feel intimidated with my presence. They will swim closer to me. As a result, I make closer photographs of fish and other marine animals.

Birdwatching

Birding is also my favorite activity when I walk in the forest. I bring a pair of Visionking 10×42 mm binoculars and a camera with telephoto lens. Waigeo island is the island that I highly recommend for birdwatchers.

Birdwatching could be done in almost all islands of Raja Ampat. In the coastal area, Radjah Shelduck, Beach Stone Curlew, Willie Wagtail, Beach Kingfisher, White-bellied Sea Eagle, and Spice Imperial Pigeon are the ones that visitors can watch. When they walk deeper into the forest, they will be able to watch Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, Eclectus Parrot and Western-crowned Pigeon.

Please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or email: peace4wp@gmail.com for booking your tour.

My Freediving Photos from Raja Ampat

I often guide tourist on a snorkeling tours to Raja Ampat. During the tours, I could take a lot of pictures and coral reef. To make high quality photos, I need to be on the same eye level with my subject. It means I have to freedive to deeper water.
Here are some photos that I made in Warduwer beach of Waigeo island in Raja Ampat.

Freediving Picture from Raja Ampat

Freediving Picture from Raja Ampat archipelago

Raja Ampat Underwater

If you are looking for a guide for your snorkeling and birding tour in Raja Ampat, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Raja Ampat is Snokelers Paradise

Abundant Reef-fish in the waters of
Warduwer beach of Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has got the highest marine biodiversity in the world. It is definitely a paradise for snorkelers. There are a lot of coral reef sites that are suitable for visitors who want to enjoy snorkeling. Some of them are described below:
Warduwer Beach - This beach is located in the southern region of Waigeo island. Its reef flat are is quite wide and suitable for anyone who wants to enjoy snorkeling for the first time. Here visitors can see various kinds of damselfish, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, yellow-tailed blue devil (Chrysiptera cynea). More experienced snorkelers can go to drop off reef of the beach. It is a nice place because the reef slope is a great site to see parrotfish, barracuda, batfish, trevally, tasselled wobbegong, scorpionfish, anemonefish and a lot more.
Yenbuba Strait - This the place where sea current is sometimes strong. Visitors need to make sure that they are accompanied by experienced snorkeling guide. A lot of species of big and small fish can be seen here.
There are still a lot of other snorkeling sites that I want to describe in this post but I will do it later when I update this post.

What to bring?

In general, snorkelers need to bring their own equipment such as mask, snorkel, fins, weights, snorkeling suit, waterproof camera, and sunblock lotion and medicines.

Supermoon 27 April 2021

I am very happy tonight because I am able to watch supermoon at the frontyard of my house. Last month, I did moon watching but the weather was not so clear. It was raining. This month, which is tonight, the weather is very clear.

Supermoon above Manokwari city at night from 27 to 28 April 2021

At around 19:30, I installed my spotting scope and invited anyone who was passing by to see it. I used a Kinglux 20-60×60 mm spotting scope but for taking picture, I used Canon 200D with Tamron telephoto lens 150 - 600 mm G2 lens.

Some of my friends, Yansen Saragih and his brother, Matias Rumbruren, came to watch the Super full moon. After that they enjoyed fried banana, hot tea, coffee, and instant noodle soup at the nearby Pasar Kaget (meaning: Surprised Market).

The moon watching activity lasted for a few hours and was finished at around 23.30.

Well, I plan to conduct moon watching again tomorrow night at the same place. And it will be open for anyone who passes by. 

The moon watching gear will still be the same:

• Kinglux 20-60×60mm spotting scope
• Visionking Binoculars 10×42 mm 
• And for photographic device, I will use Canon 200D with Tamron telephoto lens.
• Well, I will still use the camera of  my cellphone to take picture of the moon watching scene.

Also read: 

• Full Moon
• Mandi Bulan

Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour Review

Raja Ampat is considered as the best destination for visitors who like snorkeling, freediving and scubadiving. The marine biodiversity of this archipelago is the richest in the world with thousands of tropical reef fish and marine animals that live in pristine coral reef. As a tourist guide, I often organize tours to Raja Ampat for visitors who want to spend 3 days to 1 week snorkeling and sightseeing around the islands.

Marine Life in the coral reef of Warduwer beach, Waigeo island

Snorkeling Sites

There are a lot of snorkeling sites in the regency that I like. Some of them include the coral reef areas in southern coast of Waigeo, Waim island, Mamiaef island, Friwen wall, Five Rocks, Kabui bay, Yenbuba strait, Cape Kri, western region of Mansuar, Gam island, and an island at the front of Piaynemo. There are a lot of fish in Yenbuba strait but the current is quite strong especially during the transitions between low and high tides. 

From my personal snorkeling experience with tourists, I consider the island in front of Piaynemo is my favorite choice for experienced snorkelers. Big fish including sharks can be seen in coral reef area. 

Arborek island has got snorkeling spots that are quite good but the jetty of the island is often crowded with speedboats that make the island as a rest area before and after visiting Piaynemo.

Coral reef in Sawondarek used to be one of the best snorkeling sites in Mansuar island. Unfortunately, the area around the jetty suffer from serious damaged due to waves and boat activities during low tide.

Karst islets in Raja Ampat

In southern coast of Waigeo, Warduwer beach and Yengkawe beach are my recommended site. However, experienced snorkelers and freedivers will choose Warduwer because of its drop off reef that is scary but rich of marine life. A beach resort will soon be constructed at this site. 

Five rocks are also rich in fish but the visibility is often poor due to constant waves and current that hit the rocks. For visitors who prefer secluded beach and exclusive snorkeling trip, Isanak beach in Waim and southern coast of Mamiaef island are excellent choice. There, snorkelers can enjoy camping for several nights to see the beauty of marine life in the uninhabited islands. Very few local guides know the existence of this beach. 

Snorkeling Device

Although Raja Ampat has been famous as one of the best snorkeling destinations in the world, it does not have local manufacturers that can make various kinds of snorkeling devices. So, visitors who want to go there must bring their own snorkeling mask, snorkel, fins, swimsuit, and underwater camera. 

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling vacation in Raja Ampat and want me to be your snorkeling buddy or guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Freediving Pictures from Waigeo Island of Raja Ampat

Humphead Wrasse moving away from me.

I frequently travel to Raja Ampat islands to organize snorkeling and freediving tours as well as hiking and birdwatching ones. Because I like taking pictures of marine life, I always allocate time to explore the coral reef of the island that I visit.
My recent trip was to southern part of Waigeo. I guided several tourists in the forest to see various species of birds such as Sacred Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Beach Kingfisher, Radjah Shelduck, Torressian Crow, Lemon-bellied White-Eye, Willie Wagtail, White-breasted Woodswallow. After guiding them in the morning, I continued my adventure by doing solo freediving at the drop off reef in front of Raja Ampat Dive Resort.

Moorish Idol and Damselfish

The sea surface was quite rough. The visibility under water was not so good, only around 5 to 7 meters. I held my Fujifilm XQ2 camera and slowly immersed myself into the water. There were a lot of fish in the water such as grouper, moorish idol, butterflyfish, damselfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, and snapper. I also saw a big humphead wrasse. I tried to get closer to her but she swam to deeper water. So, I could only take pictures of fish near me.
In the shallow water, I saw more reef fish but the visibility was so poor. So, I made fewer pictures. There were Christmas tree worms too.

Drop-reef in southern Waigeo island

The Fujifilm XQ2 camera that I used was not a waterproof camera. I had to put it into its waterproof case if I wanted to take underwater photographs. I was not the best camera either. But, the pictures it produced were good enough for identification of fish and other marine creatures that I saw in Raja Ampat.
The best months for snorkeling in Raja Ampat are October, Nov, Des, Jan, Feb, March, April, May and June. During July, August, and September, strong wind blows from the south. It was not a favorable season to see underwater marine life.

A Beach Resort in Raja Ampat

How to get there:

• Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
• Fly to Sorong city
• I will meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and organize your trip to Raja Ampat.

As a tourist guide, I can organize your tour to Raja Ampat where you could enjoy tours for snorkeling, freediving, sightseeing in the islands. Hiking and birding can also be organized. Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text to: +6281332245180 if you want to travel around Raja Ampat and other places in the mainland of West Papua. - written by Charles Roring
Also read:

• Adventure Tour in the Islands of Raja Ampat
• Where is Raja Ampat
• 7 Snorkeling Spots in Raja Ampat

I Like Freediving

Marine Life in Manokwari

I was born and grew up in Manokwari. When I was a little boy, this was only a little town. The beach was clean and the sea was crystal clear. With that kind of environment, I and my friends liked to go to the nearby harbor to swim. We really enjoyed it.

Now Manokwari has changed. It has turned into a fast growing city. I still like going to the beach. Wearing mask, snorkel and fins, I explore the coral reef and take pictures of the fish, seastar, anemone, and every interesting thing that I usually see in the water. I read in the internet that people call this kind of activity as recreational freediving.

Regal Angelfish

I often guide tourists on adventure tours (hiking, birding, snorkeling and freediving) in Raja Ampat, Tambrauw, Sorong, Manokwari, Numfor and even Triton bay.
The duration of the tour can be as short as 1 day to as long as 2 weeks.
Freediving is a fun but dangerous sport. So, I don't like competition about who can go deeper. Enjoy the fun and the beauty of marine life but don't put yourself into big trouble.

Basics of freediving

• Every person has his or her own limit in holding his or her own breath.
• Practice holding your breath, first above the water while you sit at the beach or at home. 
• You could also practice holding your breath while walking or swimming/ snorkeling.
• Do horizontal freediving and gradually improve your length of swimming (in feet or meters)
• Gradually do freediving in vertical or gradient way. 
• Try to be as relax as possible when you are freediving
• When you feel relax and safe, you can go down deeper and hold your breath longer.
• Respect marine life, do not cause any damages in the coral reef.

Visitors who want to come here should bring their own freediving gear plus a good camera. If you are interested in snorkeling and freediving, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp: +6281332245180 or by email: peace4wp@gmail.com.