In this article, I am still talking about birding and butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa regency. For visitors who have just arrived in Manado city, they can go by car to Tounelet village of Sonder town. It takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour reach it depending on the traffic. The small forest in Tounelet slope should be the first place to see. It is the habitat of Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Black-crowned Sunbird, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Cattle Egret, Finch-billed Myna, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sahul Sunbird, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, and etc.
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| Some birds in District Sonder of Minahasa regency |
Visitors could watch birds along the roadside near Siloam hospital to look for the birds and butterflies that sit on the branches of trees and flowering plants.
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| Crimson Sunbird |
The next sites to explore are the terraces of ricefields in Talikuran village and the hill forest behind it. White-breasted Woodswallow, Grey Wagtail, Rock Pigeon, Sulawesi Drongo, Cattle Egret, Collared Kingfisher White-browed Crake, Barred Rail and etc. The area is also suitable for butterflywatching. Clipper, Blanchard's Ghost, Blanchard's Wood Nymph and a lot of other butterflies could be seen here. The farmlands on the hills above the rice fields have got flowering shrub plants and trees that attract various species butterflies.
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| Some butterflies in Sonder's forest of Minahasa Highland |
More areas in North Sulawesi can be explored including Tangkoko National Park, Tambun Maleo Conservation Area, and Tapak Kulintang Forest. We could watch more birds including Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pygmy Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher and Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Pygmy Hornbill, Maleo, Great-billed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Scops Owl, and etc.
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| Blue-tailed Bee-eater |
Extended TripThis birdwatching and butterflywatching trip in the highland of Minahasa can be extended to other areas such as to Tunan waterfall, Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Tambun Maleo Sanctuary where more birds and butterflies could be seen. During this extended trips, birds such as Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Pygmy Hornbill, Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit Dove, and etc. could be watched.
Wildlife Watching Devices
Most wildlife watchers bring binoculars. I personally use 2 SVBONY 10×50. One is mounted on a tripod while the other is hanged on my neck. To take picture of birds, butterflies and wildlife in general, I use Fujifilm HS50EXR. It is a bridge camera that is light and fast enough to focus on birds and butterflies. The quality of pictures that it produces is quite good for my writing works in the internet. Most birdwatchers use 10×42 binoculars, point and shoot or D-SLR cameras with telephoto lens.
Where to fly
To travel to Minahasa highland, visitors need to fly to Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado city.
- It can easily be reached by flying from Singapore or other cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Balikpapan and Sorong. Garuda, Citilink, TransNusa, Lion Air, Batik Air fly between major cities in Indonesia and Manado city.
- Scoot Air has got direct flight between Manado and Singapore.
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| Manado city, the capital of North Sulawesi Province in Indonesia |
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| Sam Ratulangi Airport of Manado city |
If you are interested in taking a birdwatching and butterflywaching trip in Minahasa highland of Sulawesi and want me to organize your trip, please, contact: Charles Roring by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
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