I flew out of Abu Dhabi on 21st July & met up with Aiden, Andrew, Graham & Oscar in Singapore Airport. We had a long six hour wait & flew with Air New Guinea to Port Moresby. We spent the night at a comfortable local hotel & then were picked up early for our day at Varirata National Park. This park is one of the best known birding localities in Papua, being only an hour out of the capital.
That is where we are heading!
Early morning at the lookout.
I was very surprised by this park as it was very well looked after & protected. It covers an area of rainforest on the plateau, surrounded by some dry savanna like woodlands. There is an excellent network of trails within the park & we enjoyed our time here.
There is a good road to the park.
Birding in the picnic site.
This is a superb area for a range of the larger birds.
Best birds: Brown Goshawk; Grey headed Goshawk; Amboyna Cuckoo Dove; Pacific Emerald Dove; Pink spotted Fruit Dove; Superb Fruit Dove; Beautiful Fruit Dove; Orange-bellied Fruit Dove; Zoe's Imperial Pigeon; Papuan Mountain Pigeon; Barred Owlet-Nightjar; Brown headed Paradise Kingfisher; Blue winged Kookaburra; Forest Kingfisher; Yellow billed Kingfisher; Azure Kingfisher; Rainbow Bee-eater; Sulphur crested Cockatoo; Red cheeked Parrot; Black capped Lory; Ruby throated; Dusky; Papuan Black & Red collared Myzomelas; Mimic & Elegant Honeyeaters; Black Berrypecker; Pygmy Longbill; Stout billed; Barred; Boyer's & White bellied Cuckooshrikes; Black Cicadabird; Grey Whistler; White bellied Whistler; Hooded Pitohui; Chestnut bellied Fantail; Drongo Fantail; Spot winged Monarch; Golden Monarch; Frilled Monarch; Leaden Flycatcher; Growling Riflebird; 25+ Reggiana Bird of Paradise; White faced Robin; Lemon bellied Flyrobin; Yellow faced Myna; Red capped Flowerpecker & Grey headed Manakin.
On 24th July we flew to Tabubil which is a mining town right next to the Irian Jaya border. It has the look & feel of a frontier type place about it, but it gives access to some excellent forest from the Dablin Creek Road & also near the OK Menga Hydro Plant. We spent the next two days here but were dogged by quite a bit of rain & I didn't take many photos because of the wet conditions. Birding was hard & slow going but our perseverance paid off & we recorded some rare & difficult to see species.
4 Salvadori's Teal; Long tailed Honey Buzzard; 2 Australian Pratincole (at the airport); Amboyna Cuckoo Dove; Superb Cuckoo Dove; Papuan Mountain Pigeon; White eared Bronze Cuckoo; 3 Pesquet's Parrot; Blue collared Parrot; 15 Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot; Dusky Lory; Orange breasted Fig-Parrot; White shouldered Fairy Wren; Long billed Honeyeater; Common Smoky Honeyeater; Scrub Honeyeater; Rusty Mouse Warbler; Obscure Berrypecker; Great Woodswallow; Mountain Peltops; Black Butcherbird; Black shouldered Cicadabird; Grey headed Cuckooshrike; Black Fantail; Grey Crow; Queen Carola's Parotia; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; White rumped Robin & Torrent Flyrobin.
King Bird of Paradise
Always difficult to see, as they are
high in the canopy.
Greater Bird of Paradise
There was a lone male Reggiana BOP
displaying at the lek.
Purple tailed Imperial Pigeon
Little Ringed Plover of the endemic local race.
On 26th July were drove to Kiunga, which is a port town on the mighty Fly River. The road was built to get equipment & supplies from the river to the huge mine. We made a couple of short stops but it was basically a travel day. We did however spend a couple of hours at the famous Kilometer 17 forest, which featured strongly in the Life of Birds series.
Best birds:
Pacific Baza; 3 Little Ringed Plover; Orange bellied Fruit Dove; Pacific Koel; Electus Parrot; Yellowish streaked Lory; Pygmy Longbill; Hooded Butcherbird; Brown Oriole; Black winged Monarch; Glossy mantled Manucode; Trumpet Manucode; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; 5 Greater Bird of Paradise & Metallic Starling.
Great Cuckoo Dove
This is a difficult species to see well.
Brush Cuckoo
Greater Bird of Paradise
The next day was spent mainly on the knoll along the Boys Town Road. This is an area a few kilometers out of the town which still has some good forest, although it has been logged in the past & local people hunt here. We just stood on the small rise & watched for birds flying over & across the track. it proved to be a brilliant morning's birding!
Best birds:
2 Long tailed Honey Buzzard; Bar tailed Cuckoo Dove; Great Cuckoo Dove; Dwarf Fruit Dove; Pinon's Imperial Pigeon; Brush Cuckoo; Papuan Spine-tailed Swift; Dusky Lory; 6 Flame Bowerbird; Spotted Honeyeater; Meyer's Friarbird; Hooded Butcherbird; Spangled Drongo; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; Greater Bird of Paradise & Yellow faced Myna.
Sulfur crested Cockaatoo
Collared Imperial Pigeon
Pinon's Imperial Pigeon
Sclater's crowned Pigeon
What a bird!
Eastern Ornate fruit Dove
On the 28th July we took the boat up the Fly River. At first the river is wide, but eventually one turns off on to the Elevala & eventually the Ketu Rivers & the birding gets a lot more interesting. Large species were evident, highlights being:
Great billed Heron
Green Pygmy Goose
Rufous bellied Kookaburra
Blyth's Hornbill
2 Great billed Heron; Pacific Baza; White bellied Sea Eagle; 3 Southern Crowned Pigeon; 15+ Collared Imperial Pigeon; Dwarf Koel; 17 Channel billed Cuckoo; Papuan Spine-tailed Swift; Rufous bellied Kookaburra; 10 Blyth's Hornbill; 5 Palm Cockatoo; 5 Large Fig Parrot & Twelve wired Bird of Paradise.
We arrived at our basic camp deep in lowland forest which was our home for the next two nights. it is a very basic camp but we were made welcome & really enjoyed our birding here. The trails were muddy & slippy & the birding was tough at times & it rained quite a bit, but the quality was outstanding.
Superb Fruit Dove
Hook billed Kingfisher
Best birds:
Male Southern Cassowary on a nest; Black billed brush Turkey; Black Bittern; New Guinea Flightless Rail; Dwarf Fruit Dove; Purple tailed Imperial Pigeon; Pacific Koel; Marbled Frogmouth; White throated Nightjar; Hook billed Kingfisher; Common & Little Paradise Kingfisher; Palm Cockatoo; Papuan Babbler; Blue Jewel Babbler; White bellied Pitohui; Hooded Monarch; Shining Flycatcher; Glossy mantled Manucode; Twelve wired Bird of Paradise; Metallic Starling; Yellow eyed Starling & Golden Myna.
We headed back up the river to Kiunga on 30th July, but heavy rain stopped us from conducting much birding. We arrived at our hotel well & truly soaked & relaxed in the relative luxury of our surroundings!
The next day we flew back to Port Moresby instead of to Mount Hagen. There had been some disturbances in the area due to elections & the airport was closed.
Barred Owlet Nightjar
This is a different bird
than before.
Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher
Brown headed Paradise Kingfisher
Soft because of high ISO
We managed to arrange a morning at Varirata National Park for the 1st August. This proved to be an inspired choice! The birding was excellent.
We were just about to leave in mid afternoon, when I flushed two Forest Bitterns from the stream! After a bit of searching we found one bird & enjoyed brilliant views of it perched, before it melted away into the forest. One of those magical moments!
Best birds:
2 Forest Bittern; Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove; Zoe's Imperial Pigeon; Azure Kingfisher; Blyth's Hornbill; Black capped Lory; Pale billed Scrubwren; 6 Papuan Babbler; Painted Quail Thrush; Stout billed, barred & Boyer's Cuckooshrikes; Black Cicadabird; Crested Pithui; Rusty Pithui; Hooded Pithui; Spangled Drongo; 4 Chestnut bellied Fantail; Growling Riflebird; 20 Reggiana Bird of Paradise; 4 White faced Robin & Red capped Flowerpecker.
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Mixed waterfowl, with Hardhead in the center.
Plumed Whistling Duck in the center
Plumed Whistling Duck
Green Pygmy Goose
Rare here.
Purple Swamphen
In the afternoon we had a couple of hours at PAU Campus on the outskirts of the city. This is a great place for waterbirds & it makes a change from the dark forest interior.
Best birds:
38 Plumed Whistling Duck; 2 Wandering Whistling Duck; 50+ Pacific Black Duck; 3 Grey Teal; Hardhead; Green Pygmy Goose; 6 Intermediate Egret; 3 Pied Heron; 5 Little Pied Cormorant; 90+ Little Black Cormorant; Whistling Kite; 8 Comb-crested Jacana; 8 Torresian Imperial Pigeon; 3 Peaceful Dove; Bar shouldered Dove; 3 Papuan Frogmouth; 2 Coconut Lorikeet; 4 Fawn breasted Bowerbird; 2 Yellow tinted Honeyeater; White breasted Woodswallow; White bellied Cuckooshrike; Varied Triller; Australian Figbird; Willie Wagtail & Black Backed Butcherbird.
On the next day disaster struck! We were bumped off our flight & had to spend another day in Port Moresby. No birding was undertaken.
Our accommodation in the town.
Found just outside my room!
Dablin Creek Road
Birding was very slow here, but in the end
we saw most of the goodies!
Steep & slippy!
Sheltering from the rain.
The river at the OK Menga Plant.
Me!
Pacific Baza
Grey Crow
Best birds:
4 Salvadori's Teal; Long tailed Honey Buzzard; 2 Australian Pratincole (at the airport); Amboyna Cuckoo Dove; Superb Cuckoo Dove; Papuan Mountain Pigeon; White eared Bronze Cuckoo; 3 Pesquet's Parrot; Blue collared Parrot; 15 Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot; Dusky Lory; Orange breasted Fig-Parrot; White shouldered Fairy Wren; Long billed Honeyeater; Common Smoky Honeyeater; Scrub Honeyeater; Rusty Mouse Warbler; Obscure Berrypecker; Great Woodswallow; Mountain Peltops; Black Butcherbird; Black shouldered Cicadabird; Grey headed Cuckooshrike; Black Fantail; Grey Crow; Queen Carola's Parotia; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; White rumped Robin & Torrent Flyrobin.
Our transport.
The entrance to the famous KM 17 forest.
An Attenborough moment!
The track into the forest.
Walking to the BOP lek site.
Watching the Greater Birds of Paradise.
high in the canopy.
displaying at the lek.
Best birds:
Pacific Baza; 3 Little Ringed Plover; Orange bellied Fruit Dove; Pacific Koel; Electus Parrot; Yellowish streaked Lory; Pygmy Longbill; Hooded Butcherbird; Brown Oriole; Black winged Monarch; Glossy mantled Manucode; Trumpet Manucode; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; 5 Greater Bird of Paradise & Metallic Starling.
On the knoll on the Boys Town Road.
Best birds:
2 Long tailed Honey Buzzard; Bar tailed Cuckoo Dove; Great Cuckoo Dove; Dwarf Fruit Dove; Pinon's Imperial Pigeon; Brush Cuckoo; Papuan Spine-tailed Swift; Dusky Lory; 6 Flame Bowerbird; Spotted Honeyeater; Meyer's Friarbird; Hooded Butcherbird; Spangled Drongo; Magnificent Bird of Paradise; Greater Bird of Paradise & Yellow faced Myna.
Getting ready!
Dawn on the Fly River
We're off!
Birding has started
A few small villages are found alongside the river.
The river is the only way in & out
of this remote area.
The locals finding us quite interesting!
It is a long boat trip!
Male Southern Cassowary on nest.
Great billed Heron
Home from home!
Two of our local guides, who were excellent!
It rained a lot!
The trails were very muddy.
Leeches were common.
Marbled Frogmouth
Black billed brush Turkey
Sclater's crowned Pigeon
Common Paradise Kingfisher
Little Paradise Kingfisher
Twelve wired Bird of Paradise
This male was calling.
The fine wires can just be seen.
Female incubating.
Mottled breasted Honeyeater
Male Southern Cassowary on a nest; Black billed brush Turkey; Black Bittern; New Guinea Flightless Rail; Dwarf Fruit Dove; Purple tailed Imperial Pigeon; Pacific Koel; Marbled Frogmouth; White throated Nightjar; Hook billed Kingfisher; Common & Little Paradise Kingfisher; Palm Cockatoo; Papuan Babbler; Blue Jewel Babbler; White bellied Pitohui; Hooded Monarch; Shining Flycatcher; Glossy mantled Manucode; Twelve wired Bird of Paradise; Metallic Starling; Yellow eyed Starling & Golden Myna.
Going back to civilization.
Our nice apartments in Port Moresby.
Raggiana Bird of Paradise.
We visited the lek early on & it proved
to be a great experience.
This male in particular put on a fine show.
Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove
This is a different bird
than before.
A young Azure Kingfisher
Spot winged Monarch
Chestnut bellied Fantail
White faced Robin
Forest Bittern
Until recently this was one of the hardest
species to see in PNG.
Best birds:
2 Forest Bittern; Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove; Zoe's Imperial Pigeon; Azure Kingfisher; Blyth's Hornbill; Black capped Lory; Pale billed Scrubwren; 6 Papuan Babbler; Painted Quail Thrush; Stout billed, barred & Boyer's Cuckooshrikes; Black Cicadabird; Crested Pithui; Rusty Pithui; Hooded Pithui; Spangled Drongo; 4 Chestnut bellied Fantail; Growling Riflebird; 20 Reggiana Bird of Paradise; 4 White faced Robin & Red capped Flowerpecker.
The wetlands at PAU.
Intermediate Egret
Pied Heron
Pied Heron
Little Black & Little Pied Cormorants
Pacific Black Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck
Comb crested Jacana
Masked Lapwing
Papuan Frogmouth
Bar shouldered Dove
Black backed Butcherbird
Best birds:
38 Plumed Whistling Duck; 2 Wandering Whistling Duck; 50+ Pacific Black Duck; 3 Grey Teal; Hardhead; Green Pygmy Goose; 6 Intermediate Egret; 3 Pied Heron; 5 Little Pied Cormorant; 90+ Little Black Cormorant; Whistling Kite; 8 Comb-crested Jacana; 8 Torresian Imperial Pigeon; 3 Peaceful Dove; Bar shouldered Dove; 3 Papuan Frogmouth; 2 Coconut Lorikeet; 4 Fawn breasted Bowerbird; 2 Yellow tinted Honeyeater; White breasted Woodswallow; White bellied Cuckooshrike; Varied Triller; Australian Figbird; Willie Wagtail & Black Backed Butcherbird.
On the next day disaster struck! We were bumped off our flight & had to spend another day in Port Moresby. No birding was undertaken.
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