Bird Watching in "Curah Sawo" Mangrove Coast, Probolinggo, East Java

Sunday morning, February 20th, 2011, local volunteers of ProFauna Indonesia from all over East Java Province like Kediri, Pandaan, Probolinggo, and Malang cities and also a foreign volunteer from United Kingdom gathered in Curah Sawo mangrove coast, Probolinggo City (100 km from Surabaya) to bird watch. The rainfall mangrove forests by the coast was formerly known as a habitat for water birds such as the lesser adjutant and white-bellied sea-eagle.

The hot weather did not prevent the excitement of the participants to bird watch in the North Coast of Java. They were enthusiastic about observing the beauty of birds in the natural habitat, not to mention that the event was led by Made Astuti, ProFauna co-founder who is also a bird watcher.

They found the following beautiful birds:

• Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis)
• Common sandpiper (Trinaga hypoleucos)
• Pied fantail (Rhipidura javanica)
• Collared kingfisher (Todirhampus chloris)
• Cerulean kingfisher (Alcedo coerulescens)
• Spotted dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
• Oriental white eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)
• Scaly-breasted munia (Lonchura punctulata)
• Striated heron (Butorides striatus)
• Common iona (Aegithina tiphia)

After the birdwatching, the participants had a discussion with the foreign volunteer, Philip Thorpe -an ecologist- who shared his experience about the conservation works he does to inspire the local volunteers to protect wildlife and nature with ProFauna.