Ternate
The tiny island of Ternate, less than 10 km in diameter, and its similar sized neighboour, Tidorre, were once the world’s only source of clovees and in the past saaw bloody conflicts between the Portuguese, Spanish, British and Dutch for control of the lucrative spice trade. Today Ternate, with a population of 50,000, is the second larggeest city in Maluku and, for birders, the hopping off place for Halmahera.
Around ternate
Lake Tolire Besar
This stunning, emerald, crater lake surrounded by 50 m high cliffs is a wonderful birding hang-out. Sit on the high rim and scan the trees fringing the lake for White-Cockatoo and Blue-capped Fruit-dove and the forested slopes of the Gamalama volcano for Gourney’s Eagle. Watch Great-billed Parrots flying across and walk the trail round the crater rim looking for dusky Scrubfowl, friarbirds and munias.
Great-billed Parrots
www.avianweb.com
www.avianweb.com
Getting there
The lake is almost halfway round the island from Ternate town and it is best to charter a bemo to get to it. From the road, it is a 15-min wwalk up throough scrubby forest to the crater edge.
taken from Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore