A nice lunch at ‘Max’ homestay followed by our drive to Torout. Here we spent a bit long marvelling at the Speckled Boobook on its day-roost, so our time in the superb forest remnant seemed a bit short in the end.

Anyway, -short-, that is Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Raquet-tail, Blue-backed Parrot, Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeon, perched Sulawesi Hawk Eagle, Spotted Kestrel and Purple Needletail all before another successful owling session. Sulawesi Masked Owl and Sulawesi Scops Owl twitched with ease while the Ochre-bellied Boobook only called sporadically and we didn’t pushed on for it to become another daytime roost scored on this trip later on in Tangkoko.

October 10^th

Birding the forest in the hills at Tapak Kolintang certainly gives another feel as it looks much damper here. Or perhaps it was just the easier roadside birding that rewarded us with quite a few superb Knobbed Hornbill sightings. They really are very common still in these unspoiled forests. Strikingly attractive are the words that come into mind when I remember our 2 sightings of Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher. No need to tell you that it was ‘sharp eyes’ Max who found both of these tiny fellows for us.

While regularly heard at Tangkoko later on, we did see our only Purple-winged Rollers along this stretch.

Another sumptuous lunch at the homestay later got us ready for the long drive to Tangkoko, arriving after dark.

October 11^th

It became clear soon. Our delightful time at Tangkoko with Samuel was going to be remembered as he’s such a joyful fellow and highly skilled showing you just about one after the other target species you might be after.

It started for us right away with Sulawesi Black Pigeon (which becomes White-faced Cuckoo-Dove in Clements…), I can only assume some of those who visited Tangkoko already might have missed it as it’s not at all easy to get and pretty scarce indeed.

Peter had set his hopes high on photographing Red-bellied Pitta…Samueeel…’Pitta time’…no kidding, straight on it next thing!

The rest of the day went on pretty much just like that; Red-backed Thrush, Isabelline Bush-Hen, White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Tabon Scubfowl, Sulawesi Babbler, Bay Coucal…

Another absolute highlight of the trip came with our late afternoon walk. Not so birdy…but then again with my keen interest in mammals and the Bear Cuscus in the morning, this is a mammal watching day to rank high in the lists. First came a big male Sulawesi Crested Macaque, which was a bit shy at first but then allowed for some decent portraits to be taken. Exactly the way you want to see the first one of this critically endangered and impressive looking monkey. A group of up to 80 seen in the forest was an experience on our last day but they seemed a bit used to tourists and cameras…

Now, it’s getting better still, Spectral Tarsier stake-out next! I’ve been treated seeing Philippine Tarsier on Bohol before and my second species was equally…what I’m going to make it…cute!

October 12^th

Samuel…Samuel, money back he said if you don’t see Ochre-bellied Boobook…

Pied Cuckoo-shrike is another hard to get one pointed out to us and how difficult it was to tear away from that Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher.

The boat ride off Tangkoko beach is nothing less than absolutely enjoyable. Additionally it does add quite a few species to the list and the ultimate climax comes in the form of Great-billed Kingfisher of which we saw a couple.

October 13^th

Last morning of the trip and spent well. Small Sulawesi Hanging Parrot was a good endemic to add to the list being near-threatened and I managed to photograph Ashy Woodpecker 3 times, including 2 males.

Samuel then found us a new daytime roost of Sulawesi Masked Owl, not sure how high he jumps but certainly he was the happiest man on earth when he did and actually he did forget to start joking about charging extra.

Another Red-bellied Pitta, quite a few Yellow-billed Malkohas and on the walk back Red-backed Thrush twice with a superb Stephan’s Dove along and a Ruddy Kingfisher photographed before we got back isn’t just the ordinary end of a last morning’s birding.

In the afternoon it was Roy again to work with a smooth drive in a brand new car back to Manado, but not without one last stop en-route. Not sure how we could have found the Crested Myna, perched so far away from our viewpoint over the forest but after a couple long minutes it became clear that there was indeed a bird out there! Scope up and scored our last endemic. Our second sighting of Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill is certainly worth to mention, very smart looking birds indeed!