Steve Happ Photography Ramblings and dissertations

Toraja Utara

This morning I took a new path – the road to Batutumonga through Tikla. I think I went in this direction but I had no idea where I was. I just followed the road. Luckily I got a few birds and saw some villages still living the traditional life.

Sulawesi Woodpecker ( Yungipicus temminckii )

Also known as the Sulawesi Pygmy-Woodpecker. It is endemic to Sulawesi.

Red-chested Flowerpecker (Dicaeum maugei)

Very bad photo but the only one I got. They are also known as the blue-cheeked flowerpecker.

Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca)

Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)

This is a gorgeous shot. I love this one.

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)

Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla)

Also known as the Black-headed Munia and in Indonesian Bondol cokelat.

Toraja bird list

Sulawesi Woodpecker ( Yungipicus temminckii )
aka Sulawesi Pygmy-Woodpecker is endemic to Sulawesi.
Red-chested Flowerpecker (Dicaeum maugei)
Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca)
Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)
Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)
Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)
Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)
Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla) aka Black-headed Munia – (Bondol cokelat)

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https://ebird.org/region/ID-SL-SN?yr=all&m=

Country above the clouds – morning

This morning I went back up the mountain to Negeri Atas Awan, The country above the clouds, all the way to the village of Lalao. Right on the top of the mountain there is a bit of a plateau and there are rice fields anywhere there is a bit of flat land. A couple of ticks for me this morning so it was well worth it.

Sultan’s Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia doreya )

Sulawesi Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)

Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus stigmatus)

Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)

I have seen these before in Sabah.

Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)

Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)

Toraja bird list

Sultan’s Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia doreya )
Sulawesi Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus lanceolatus)
Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus stigmatus)
Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)
Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)
Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)
Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis omissus)
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)
drongo
Black Kite

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Negeri Atas Awan

In the afternoon I thought I had better go for a ride before the afternoon downpour started. I found the road to Lalao, the country above the clouds. It just went up and up. I stopped near the top because I saw a raptor and as you will see, it turned out to be an old friend.

Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus stigmatus)

Also called the Celebes Hanging-Parrot, Great Hanging-Parrot. It is endemic to Sulawesi and nearby smaller islands in Indonesia. Size is about 15 centimeters. It is generally green, with a black bill, forehead and chin red.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

I got quite a shock seeing this Black Kite. I did not expect to see him here. They are literally everywhere I go.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

I got another shock seeing these familiar birds. It seems they range from the Andaman Islands to Australia.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

This lucky guy has got a flying ant type thing. (Very scientific)

Toraja bird list

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)
Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus stigmatus)

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Rantepao Toraja Utara

I am now in Tana Toraja, the town of Rantepao. Technically it is Toraja Utara, North Toraja, since Toraja has been split into two divisions. I found a nice hostel, and I have a bike to rent so I can zoom around the countryside. Which I did this morning. I headed towards La’bo and then kept going until I found a nice creek with some bush alongside it.

Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis omissus)

The Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher is endemic to Indonesia. They are mainly found in subtropical moist lowland forests or montane forests. Its range is mostly Sulawesi, hence the name, doh! Their diet includes flies, termites, aphids and other small invertebrates.

Black-headed Munia (Lonchura malacca)

I think the farmers were trying to scare off the munias with plastic bags on poles. I wondered what they were doing at first until I realized that the plastic bags looked somewhat like raptors. Maybe?

Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa)

Pacific swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

Under a bridge, building a nest.

Pacific swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

Toraja bird list

Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis omissus)
White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides)
Black-headed Munia (Lonchura malacca)
Pacific swallow (Hirundo tahitica)
Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Cattle Egret

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Malino Highlands 1

Man, what a nightmare it was getting here! I thought that there would be bus from the southern terminal to Malino, but when I got there, there was no sign of a bus, only a chartered car and they wanted 500,000 rupiah to take me there. So I just went and had breakfast and waited to see if there would be any more takers for a shared car. But to no avail, so a nice guy gave me a lift to the pete-pete stop and I finally got on a cramped little bemo. Up the hills we went. It took nearly three hours to get sixty kilometers. What a slow journey. When I got to Malino i found a guest-house and settled in. Bad luck that it was a friday and the weekends are crowded and there was some training going on at my hostel. There were nearly two hundred people here. Hint – do not come here on the weekends. It is madness.

Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)

I was lucky to get this endemic Sulawesi bird. It was just by the side of the road.

Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)

Sulawesi Drongo (Dicrurus montanus)

Another endemic Sulawesi bird.

Sulphur-bellied Whistler (Pachycephala sulfuriventer)

I am not sure if I have seen this one before. But it sounds familiar. Edit. Nope, Not seen before. Tick.

Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)

At first I thought it was the Yellow-vented Bulbul, but of course it is not with that full black head.

Malino bird list

Black-ringed White-eye (Zosterops anomalus)
Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris)
Sulawesi Drongo (Dicrurus montanus)
Sulphur-bellied Whistler (Pachycephala sulfuriventer)
Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)
Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)
Eurasian Tree-sparrow

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Tourist photos from China to Makassar

It has taken me a while to process these photos, so here goes. Chengdu was my last stop on my trip to China. It went so fast and now it seems like an eternity ago.

Train to XiChang

This is the slow sleeper train from Kunming to Xichang. It has three rows of bunks. I slept on the middle one. They were actually pretty comfy. I caught the bus from XiChang to Chengdu.

Bicycles galore

There are thousands and thousands of bicycles near the square. They are all for rent and you have to scan the bar code with your phone to open the lock. Everything in China gets paid for on your phone. Using cash is almost over there now.

Advertising

Advertising is everywhere in China. Even while waiting for a lift in a building you get bombarded by ads and then, even inside the lift. This one is huge in a square in the fashion district of Chengdu.

Chengdu Hotpot

A nice dinner with some people I met in Australia. Thank you very much.

Durian Pizza

I could not believe it at first but I tried it and it was pretty good. Very sweet.

Traffic Overpass

The traffic is insane in the cities. There are no rules and drivers just push and shove to get where they want to go. It is utter chaos!

Me and Chairman Mao

Wide and Narrow Alleys

This is a more tradional shopping street with old houses and stuff.

Making dumplings

After a big walk, we sat down in a dumpling shop and ordered some jozu. They were pretty good. All healthy and steamed.

Little India

In Singapore I stayed near Little India. There was great food available. I feasted on Marsala Dosa, chai, and Puri Subji.

Bugis Schooner

At Pantai Lorasai, there was a bugis schooner tied up at the wharf. I thing mainly for touristic effect.

Cool Dude

This would be the coolest dude of the year. Kudos, bro.

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