Timor-Leste – an island-nation with a checkered historical past. Through the preparations for the journey, the island’s Wikipedia web page promised a number of chicken species: amongst these, the endangered Timor Inexperienced Pigeon and Wetar Floor Dove. First response: nice, I shall be in search of pigeons…
Then I learn a bit extra concerning the Wetar Floor Dove. Its international inhabitants dimension is estimated at 1500–7000 mature people and apparently it’s not current on Timor in any respect. One species much less to fret about – not going to occur. Extra analysis: the completely riveting paper “Pampusanna vs. Pampusana: a nomenclatural conundrum resolved, together with related errors and oversights” was not very useful, however jogged my memory of the papers ceaselessly talked about on this website. I used to be not going to see this pigeon however I did have chortle. The Ministry of Humorous Walks will need to have its equal, the Ministry of Needlessly Lengthy and Overly Descriptive and but Humorous Titles about Non-Points. Moreover, the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo and the Timor-Leste endemic subspecies of the Iris Lorikeet got here to avoid wasting the day. Who doesn’t love Polly or the Norwegian Blue? It wouldn’t be about pigeons in any case.
Attending to the island is a little bit of a logistic jigsaw. I needed to fly from Java to Bali, spend the night time on Bali (bummer) and take a airplane to Dili the subsequent day. I had declined to take the Australia possibility as pal of mine had crashed (and survived) on that route. Statistically very secure to make use of that particular flight, little doubt, however in some way much less engaging emotionally. It additionally took longer… Timor-Leste is a really poor nation which moderately paradoxically means it’s comparatively costly for outsiders. To keep away from extreme taxi fares I had employed Eco Discovery to drive me round. They have been very responsive and pleasant through the enquiry course of. Their mascot is the Timor Sparrow – one in all my goal birds – omen.
My driver-guide was a gentleman named Daniel. Whereas freed up from navigation and site visitors surviving, I nonetheless needed to do my very own birding and identification. Daniel shouldn’t be a birding information, however he was eager to be taught. He shortly picked up a few of the vital abilities. We have been quickly scanning each side of the automotive successfully as we headed in direction of the saline lakes west of Dili: Tasi Tolu Lake (header image) and Lagoa Maubara.
Tasi Tolu Lake has been the scene of some moderately horrendous human rights violations, however all that lies up to now. The peaceable pastime of birding is entrance and centre lately. The lake might be a lot better in January or February, however I nonetheless obtained to finish my set of darters with the Australasian Darter. A number of Nice White Egrets, not less than 60 Australian Pelicans and the very cute Pink-capped Plovers. We lucked upon two species of honey-eaters on the João Paulo II chapel on the hill bordering Tasi Tolu Lake: the Timor Meliphaga and the Timor Friarbird. Honey-eaters are a typical Australian household. You possibly can think about their feedback on my presence amongst their flowering bushes – I clearly heard “dinkum Dutchman”, however they weren’t “throwing shrimp on the barbie”. That’s prejudiced occupied with Australian delicacies – haven’t you seen Masterchef? Apart from, they eat nectar.
The woods on the shores of Lagoa Maubara have been higher than the lake itself. I discovered Timor Gerygone (Plain Gerygone). The parentheses name for somewhat facet be aware, as a result of this isn’t a plain chicken. I appeared it up and it seems that the nice Alfred Russel Wallace known as this chicken “plain”. Alfred Russel Wallace is the archetypical gentleman, the person who graciously let Darwin take the credit score for a very powerful biology idea in historical past and my private hero. He suffered from malaria – I cannot do something however permit the misnomer assuming his sensible thoughts was adled by fever. I ought to most likely write about Alfred Russel quickly.
There are fairly a couple of different websites close to Dili. eBird has some data, however Timor-Leste is what they name “under-birded” with a great deal of alternative for exploration. When you’ve got little time, take a look at Remexio, Aileu, Dare and the Tankae Espresso Plantation. When you’ve got a bit extra time, learn my posts over the approaching weeks.
