TRIP REPORT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA and NEW BRITAIN

Transcription

1 TRIP REPORT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA and NEW BRITAIN DATES: 7-24 July 2014 (Main Tour) & July 2014 (New Britain Extension) GUIDE: Nick Leseberg PHOTOS: Walt Chambers, Sherry Hagen, Lesley Cornish and Nick Leseberg Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, just one of the stunning birds-of-paradise that Papua New Guinea is justly famous for. (Photo Walt Chambers). The island of New Guinea is a place that most would agree deserves its seat in the pantheon of great world birding destinations. It is an island where evolution has gone mad; impossibly gaudy birds-of-paradise with bizarre antennae and ridiculously long tails, pigeons the size of turkeys, kingfishers that look like parrots, and parrots that look like vultures. While New Page 1 of 77

2 Guinea is best known for these spectacular species, there are multitudes of other lesserknown birds that make this island extra special. The secretive jewel-babblers, painted berrypeckers and the odd Wattled Ploughbill are just a few of the birds that may not leap out from the pages of the field guide, but which are equally deserving of the discerning birder s attention. Papua New Guinea, the nation that covers the eastern half of this captivating island provides the most accessible birding, and so it is here that most birders travel for their New Guinea experience. We had brilliant views of this very confiding Short-tailed Paradigalla in the grounds of Ambua Lodge. It is tempting to hope that you will step straight off the plane and onto the set of a David Attenborough documentary, with birds-of-paradise displaying in every tree, but those who have visited or done their research know that PNG is perhaps one of the toughest birding destinations on earth. The forest here does not give up her secrets to the impatient, but for those willing to put in the time the rewards are tremendous. And so it was on this trip. Just a few of the highlights included knockout views of a crimson-and-white male King Bird-ofparadise after nearly an hour of frustration watching a vine tangle, while in Varirata National Park it took several hours of repeatedly straining our ears for the high-pitched contact call of Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler before we all had stunning views of one of these gorgeous skulkers. However, no trip to PNG is without its frustrations, and this one was no different. Late flights, blocked roads and rain all impacted the trip at some point, but thankfully did not have much impact on our overall efforts. We walked away with a total of Page 2 of 77

3 352 species recorded on the main trip, with a further 44 added on the New Britain extension for a grand total of 396 species, an excellent effort. There were many contenders for bird-of-the-trip, but the clear favorite was the male Blue Bird-of-paradise who gave repeated and extended views over several hours one morning near Kumul Lodge. Second place went to Greater Bird-of-paradise; our afternoon spent watching at least half-a-dozen males furiously displaying to several females provided that quintessential PNG experience everyone is after, one that really was straight off the set of Attenborough in Paradise. Third place went to the impossibly blue Common Paradise- Kingfisher, with a last gasp effort by our local guide Edmund resulting in extended scope views of one of these graceful kingfishers. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and King-of-Saxony Birdof-paradise tied for fourth place, while honorable mentions went to the enormous Southern Crowned-Pigeon, Brown Sicklebill, a dashing male Superb Bird-of-paradise, huge Blyth s Hornbills, the gorgeous Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, a bizarre Wattled Ploughbill, nocturnal Feline Owlet-Nightjar and finally, Raggiana Bird-of-paradise. 3 points 2 points 1 point Walt King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise Blue Bird-of-paradise Southern Crowned-Pigeon Julie Greater Bird-of-paradise Blue Bird-of-paradise Southern Crowned-Pigeon Gail Common Paradise-Kingfisher Brown Sicklebill Blyth s Hornbill Marcia Blue Bird-of-paradise Greater Bird-of-paradise Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher Ron Blue Bird-of-paradise Superb Bird-of-paradise Wattled Ploughbill Lesley Blue Bird-of-paradise King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise Feline Owlet-Nightjar Arden Ribbon-tailed Astrapia Greater Bird-of-paradise Blue Bird-of-paradise Sherry Common Paradise-Kingfisher Ribbon-tailed Astrapia Raggiana Bird-of-paradise Blue Bird-of-paradise was the clear winner in bird-of-the-trip voting, but competition for the remaining spots was tight. DAY 1: MONDAY, 7 TH JULY 2014 BRISBANE TO PORT MORESBY. Our tour started with an early morning meeting at the Air Niugini check-in counter in Brisbane s international terminal, with a few people having arrived a couple of days early to adjust and spend some time birding in Australia, while a few brave souls were rolling straight from other birding trips into this one. Things got off to a good start with our plane leaving on time, and arriving in hot and humid Port Moresby around lunchtime. We were promptly met by our driver who ferried us to the Holiday Inn for a quick lunch, followed by a short break to get our gear together and jump back on the bus. To get our PNG lists started we headed for the Pacific Adventist University, or PAU, situated on the outskirts of Port Moresby and the first stop for many birding trips to PNG. The grounds of PAU provide a great introduction to Australasian birding, as the open woodlands and ponds harbor a number of species that are found in both PNG and northern Australia. Best of all, the birds are easy to see, not always the case in PNG! We soon picked Page 3 of 77

4 up Purple Swamphens and Pacific Black Ducks on the ponds, while a couple of Rufousbanded Honeyeaters flitted about. A Black-backed Butcherbird sat up in the scope for us, and we also spotted a couple of tiny Australasian Grebes foraging amongst the waterweed. We then picked up a raptor soaring a long way off, an enormous Gurney s Eagle, although it has to be said the distant views were particularly unsatisfying and left us hoping for better views of this difficult bird later on. Continuing around the edge of the main pond we found our first Comb-crested Jacanas while a pair of Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds finally sat still long enough for everyone to get good views. These were followed shortly after by a large flock of Gray-headed Munias that were feeding in seeding grasses, and although they moved about quite a bit, we all managed good views. We also spotted a couple of Yellowfaced Mynas after their harsh calls alerted us to a pair sitting overhead. We eventually had nice views of a few Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds in the grounds of PAU, and our local guide Daniel even found us the elaborate bower constructed by the male. Our local guide Daniel then lead us to a large grove of enormous rain trees, where after a few minutes searching we found a trio of snoozing Papuan Frogmouths, perhaps PAU s best-known avian residents. Also around were colorful Rainbow Lorikeets, noisy Helmeted Friarbirds and the first of many Sacred Kingfishers for the trip. Moving on to the next pond we scanned the edges for more ducks, turning up a small party of Plumed Whistling-Ducks which seem to have completely replaced the Wandering Whistling-Ducks once found here. We spotted a lone White-eyed Duck resting on the water s edge, while Pied Herons and Page 4 of 77

5 both Great and Intermediate Egrets foraged on the muddy margins. Skirting the pond, a low ooming alerted us to an Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove calling from a mango tree on the far side of the water. We all scanned the tree closely before finally spotting a pair of these gorgeous pigeons, which after a few minutes flew even closer, allowing scope views of what we hoped would be the first of several fruit-dove species on the trip. As well as the fruitdoves we spied Torresian Imperial-Pigeons overhead, both Australasian Figbirds and Singing Starlings in the surrounding trees and Pacific Swallows on the powerlines. Having seen most of the possibilities here at PAU we decided to head off, making one more short stop so Daniel could show us a Fawn-breasted Bowerbird bower. We then returned to the Holiday Inn where we celebrated the start of the trip with the first of many SP Export Lagers, the local brew of choice here in PNG. Bird of the Day: Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove. Papuan Frogmouth is one of highlights at PAU, and we found a trio of these cryptically colored night birds. DAY 2: TUESDAY, 8 TH JULY 2014 PORT MORESBY TO TABUBIL (VIA KIUNGA!). It was an early start as we packed our bags, had breakfast, then made our way to the airport for the two hour flight to the steamy lowlands of Western Province. Our destination was Tabubil in the foothills of the Star Mountains, unofficially one of the wettest places on Earth, Page 5 of 77

6 with an average rainfall of 8 meters, or more than 24 feet! We left on time, but the thick cloud that often shrouds Tabubil confounded our efforts to land and we found ourselves landing at Kiunga instead. The airline organized a bus for us, and before long we had begun the three hour road trip to Tabubil, arriving around lunchtime. It was a bus trip we had hoped to avoid, but we found ourselves where we wanted to be eventually! After a belated lunch at our motel in Tabubil, we headed for Ok Menga, one of only a couple of birding sites left around Tabubil. Unfortunately the rain that prevented us landing earlier in the day had hung around, so with umbrellas brandished we took our position overlooking the hydroplant and commenced our vigil for Salvadori s Teal. The rain was fairly constant, but in between a few showers we were able to enjoy some of the birds around, picking up our first black-and-white Torrent Flycatchers plus a pair of Mountain Peltops. Gorgeous blue-and-white Glossy Swiftlets darted about below the canopy, while a couple of Scrub Honeyeaters caught our attention, the first of the difficult Meliphaga genus that would test us throughout the trip. Unfortunately the rain would not relent and the teal would not show itself, so a soggy group of birders boarded the bus and made their way back to Tabubil for dinner, hoping tomorrow would bring better luck. Bird of the Day: Glossy Swiftlet DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, 9 TH JULY 2014 TABUBIL TO KIUNGA. Because of changes by the airline to our flight schedule before the trip even began, we had been forced to make some adjustments to the itinerary, with the main change being a reduction to only one night in Tabubil. After our travails yesterday we had lost several hours of planned birding time in the area, and with the rain yesterday hampering our efforts to catch up we were left with just one morning in Tabubil to see the handful of species that are only possible on this leg of the trip. We woke with some trepidation, hoping the rain might hold off and allow us to make the most of our morning. We looked to be in luck as we boarded our bus before daybreak and headed for Dablin Creek, with leaden skies hanging low in the valley, but no rain. Soon after arriving we heard the curious gobbling of Marbled Frogmouths, and were even able to spot a distant Jungle Boobook in the predawn gloom. As day broke we hiked up the road, hearing the distinctive repeated whistle of a Shovelbilled Kookaburra; unfortunately it was too far away to try and call in. Arriving at the top of the road things were initially fairly quiet, but the action soon began. It started with a couple of female Carola s Parotias feeding in a fruiting tree, followed by a party of dashing Torrentlarks moving along Dablin Creek itself. From the top of the road we hiked a little way up the pipe walkway, where after a bit of effort we all had great views of a smart White-rumped Robin. We maintained our position here on the walkway and let the birds come to us, a good strategy. We soon had a couple of female Magnificent Birds-of-paradise feeding in Page 6 of 77

7 nearby trees, while more Carola s Parotias passed through also. A couple of Long-billed Honeyeaters darted about and we also picked up a pair of Black Fantails, along with a small group of Gray-headed Cicadabirds. Moving down from the walkway and back onto the road we found an unexpected female Sclater s Whistler, followed by glimpses of a typically shy male Magnificent Bird-ofparadise. Soon after, our guide Samuel spotted a fantastic Pesquet s (Vulturine) Parrot perched up on the hillside in a bare tree. This large parrot is quite scarce and can be difficult to see well, often being seen only in distant flight, so it was quite a treat to study this strange bird at length in the scope. While the rest of us were watching the parrot a small grayish bird caught someone s attention, one of Dablin Creek s specialties, an Obscure Berrypecker. As drab as the name suggests, this uninspiring bird with its patchy and poorlyknown distribution, is still one of PNG s least-known species. Unfortunately this individual did not hang around, and only a few of the group were able to see it. Still, there were plenty of other birds around to catch up on; Stout-billed Cuckooshrike, Black-fronted White-eye, Great Cuckoo-Dove and Papuan (Black-shouldered) Cicadabird all made it onto the list before time caught up with us and we had to depart. We had only been at Dablin Creek for a morning, but it had been quite a morning, and we had seen most of our targets. Also called Vulturine Parrot, Pesquet s Parrot is a highly sought after species, and we were very lucky to get extended views of this bird at Dablin Creek. (Photo Walt Chambers). Page 7 of 77

8 After dropping into our accommodation to pack our bags and grab a packed lunch, we returned to Ok Menga where we still had hopes of picking up a last gasp Salvadori s Teal. Unfortunately we had used up all our luck at Dablin Creek and our couple of hours at Ok Menga proved fruitless; we saw most of the same birds we had already seen yesterday, and still no teal. With time catching up we had to leave just after lunch time as we tried to make it to Kiunga in time for a stop at the fabled Kilometer 17. Our only stop on the way was at the gravel pits by the Ok Tedi River where we easily found about a dozen Little Ringed Plovers, a curious sedentary race here that is a possible future split from the migratory Palearctic and East Asian races. We spent an incredible afternoon watching at least halfa-dozen male Greater Birds-of-paradise frantically displaying near Kiunga. (Photo Walt Chambers). We arrived at KM17 around 4:30pm and immediately jumped off the bus, hiking for 20 minutes along a muddy forest trail to position ourselves for the afternoon s show. Rain threatened but thankfully held off as we heard the distinctive crowing of Greater Birds-ofparadise sitting in the tree tops. We were hoping the males would come to life in their display tree, but visits here are dependent on a number of variables, so we were nervous as we caught brief glimpses of a couple of males flitting about in the canopy. After an anxious 15 minutes a female bird arrived, and suddenly the display tree sprung to life. For the next half-an-hour we were treated to one of the best displays I have seen at this site as several more females visited, each one throwing the half-a-dozen males into a frenzy of calling, bowing, shuffling, wing-flicking and shimmering yellow flank plumes. One of these bouts culminated with a male achieving the ultimate prize, copulation with the visiting female; we all chuckled as he then flopped off his perch, seemingly exhausted from the effort. As the action at the display tree tapered off we returned to the bus, with a couple of us lucky to spot a pair of shy Variable Pitohuis on the way. By the time we arrived at the bus it was dusk, and after a huge but successful day we were happy to head into Kiunga and grab dinner and a beer before another big day tomorrow. Bird of the Day: Greater Bird-of-paradise. Page 8 of 77

9 DAY 4: THURSDAY, 10 TH JULY 2014 KIUNGA TO KWATU. We were up very early for breakfast, then shortly after 6:00am in the half-light of dawn it was down to the Fly River to board our boat for one of my favorite parts of the trip, a morning cruising up the Fly and Elevala Rivers to Kwatu Lodge. After collecting our guide Edmund from another boat we started up the river, although the gray skies made birding difficult with most birds horribly backlit. Still, with a bit of persistence we were able to get good views of Collared Imperial-Pigeons, a small party of Yellow-streaked Lories and a pair of White-bellied Sea-Eagles. Turning off the wide Fly River onto the narrower Elevala River improved the birding, as the birds were closer and the skies had cleared a little. With a bit of effort we soon picked up Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Moustached Treeswift and a couple of Orange-breasted Fig-Parrots. We also flushed a few parties of Pacific Baza from the riverside forest, and it wasn t long before the loud whooshing of a pair of enormous Blyth s Hornbills caught our attention as they lumbered overhead. Soon after we lucked on a huge fruiting tree that must have had nearly thirty of these enormous birds in attendance, along with a host of other goodies, including Pink-spotted, Orange-bellied and Dwarf Fruit-Doves, Pinon and Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeons and Large Fig-Parrot. The fig-parrot was particularly pleasing, as it is a bird so often seen only in flight dashing across the river. We also had a typically frustrating encounter with a pair of furtive Emperor Fairywrens in dense vegetation by the water s edge, before we had to leave the fruiting tree behind and continue upriver. We didn t end up arriving at the lodge until after midday, after a fantastic morning on the river. Blyth s Hornbills were common along the fringes of the Elevala River during our cruise to Kwatu. Page 9 of 77

10 We dumped our bags and tucked into lunch, continuing to bird as we ate and spotting a couple of goodies in the trees surrounding the lodge including Lowland Peltops and a few very confiding Orange-breasted Fig-Parrots. We were then back in the boat for our afternoon expedition into the flooded forests upstream from the lodge. It is tough and sweaty work birding these forests, with many of the birds being difficult to see. Our first targets were a few of the kingfishers the area is known for and our local guide Edmund soon had a Little Paradise-Kingfisher sitting low over the trail. Unfortunately not everyone got onto it before it dashed off through the forest, not to return. We had similarly frustrating experiences with Common Paradise-Kingfisher and Hook-billed Kingfisher, both calling close by, but refusing to show themselves. Moving off through the forest we could hear the loud kraan-kraan-kraan of a male King Bird-of-paradise calling from his vine tangle, but having tracked down his call, seeing him would be another story. We all caught glimpses as he flitted about in the canopy, and it took a good half-an-hour before most of us had caught even a brief glimpse. In the meantime we were entertained by a Southern Crowned-Pigeon that crashed away through the canopy and a stunning Beautiful Fruit-Dove sitting quietly in the mid-story and allowing prolonged scope views. Finally our persistence paid off, as Edmund was able to spot the King sitting still for long enough to get the scope on him. We were able to spend a few minutes admiring this incredible little bird, with his crimson-andwhite plumage and wiry tail tipped with small green discs. Leaving him behind we returned to the boat and spent the last hour of daylight cruising the river, soon finding our main quarry, another hulking Southern Crowned-Pigeon, with great views this time as the bird sat in the riverside vegetation long enough for us all to admire the bizarre lacey crest. This Lowland Peltops was one of a pair resident at Kwatu Lodge during our stay. Page 10 of 77

11 After dinner we waited for complete darkness before those of us up for some night-birding were back down to the boat for another trip upstream. While cruising along in the boat we spotted a Marbled Frogmouth we had heard calling from the lodge, and heard several more Hook-billed Kingfishers which continued to taunt us. Soon after jumping off the boat we heard one of our target birds calling nearby, a Wallace s Owlet-Nightjar. Despite our best efforts, we simply could not find it through the thick vegetation, even though the bird continued to call regularly. This would unfortunately be a theme for the night, with our next target, the rare Papuan (Hawk-Owl) Boobook also proving very difficult to track down (the naming of the two hawk-owls in PNG under Clements taxonomy is very confusing the bird Clements calls Jungle Boobook is widely known as Papuan Boobook, but inexplicably that name has now been given to the bird that is usually known as Papuan Hawk-Owl). Several times we had a bird calling from almost directly overhead, but in spite of our best efforts we never caught more than a glimpse as it stayed hidden in the dense vegetation. After a couple of hours of hard work we unfortunately had to call it quits, returning to the lodge to grab some sleep before another big day tomorrow. Bird of the Day: King Bird-of-paradise. We saw several Southern Crowned-Pigeons during our late afternoon cruise along the Ketu River near Kwatu Lodge. (Photo Sherry Hagen). Page 11 of 77

12 DAY 5: FRIDAY, 11 TH JULY 2014 KWATU TO KIUNGA. A few of us were up early to have another crack at Starry Owlet-Nightjar. We had not heard a peep from them last night, and unfortunately they were silent again this morning. We did get a nice Hooded Pitta as a consolation prize, roosting right over the trail, just above our heads. After getting back to the lodge we had breakfast before heading down to the boat again, cruising up the river for our morning foray. As we cruised up the river we found a female Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise that our guide Edmund was able to call in, plus the usual pigeons and parrots flying back-and-forth across the river. We arrived at our new site where we were planning a trek to Edmund s new flightless rail hide, and quickly started picking up a few new birds. First cab off the rank was a nice Yellow-billed Kingfisher that sat up in the scope for a while, followed soon after by a frustrating party of Wallace s Fairywrens, which stayed typically high in the canopy. Moving on, our next new bird was a nice female Golden Cuckooshrike; we had heard several yesterday but none were close enough for good views, so it was good to find a cooperative individual. This Hooded Pitta was spotted roosting low over the trail during a pre-dawn walk from Kwatu. We arrived at Edmund s New Guinea Flightless Rail hide and took our positions, keeping an eye out for the rails coming through searching for the huge grubs which they extract from the fallen sago palm trunks. Unfortunately we were out of luck and after an hour or so in the hide had to move on to get some of the other birds we still needed. Right outside the Page 12 of 77

13 hide we picked up a nice Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, then a little further on we spent 30 minutes playing cat-and-mouse with a Wompoo Fruit-Dove which most of us ended up seeing, if only briefly. Next we ran into a nice feeding flock which luckily didn t move through too fast, allowing us to sift through the birds and find Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Frilled and Spot-winged Monarchs, Gray Whistler and Rufous-backed Fantail. Continuing along the trail we heard the high-pitched call of a Blue Jewel-Babbler, so back-tracked a little and positioned ourselves on the trail in the hope of seeing the bird come across. The bird came in quickly as Edmund expertly imitated its whistle, in fact a little too quickly as we saw it dash across the trail in flight, just a flash of blue. Unfortunately it couldn t be enticed back into the open, so we had to be satisfied with just our brief views. With time running out, the jewel-babbler would be our last new bird of the morning as we returned to the boat and cruised back down the river to Kwatu, a stately Palm Cockatoo our only noteworthy sighting of the return trip. Another shot of the Lowland Peltops that kept us entertained from the balcony at Kwatu Lodge. (Photo Walt Chambers). After lunch we spent an hour or so resting on the lodge verandah, keeping an eye on the comings and goings in the garden. The same pair of Lowland Peltops continued to sally from their nearby perches, and a Little Bronze-Cuckoo sat up nearby giving us our best views of the trip. We also spotted a pair of rare Longbilled Cuckoos, always a nice bird to find. Eventually we had to get our gear together and load up the boat for our return trip to Kiunga, leaving behind my favorite birding destination. We still had one stop to make though, so a little downstream from the lodge we were back out of the boat and winding our way along a track through the forest searching for Common Paradise- Kingfisher. A few minutes later there were three birds calling around us, and we were eventually able to spot one sitting in the open, allowing extended scope views of this stunning blue-and-white kingfisher and its long white tail. While watching the paradisekingfisher a Hook-billed Kingfisher called nearby but typically refused to show itself, although we did pick up a pair of Hooded Monarchs as a consolation prize. On that note we had to call it quits for the day, jumping back on the boat and resuming the long trip back to Kiunga. It was nine sweaty and smelly birders that disembarked after an epic couple of days, and we returned to our accommodation for some very enjoyable showers and even more enjoyable beers! Bird of the Day: Common Paradise-Kingfisher. Page 13 of 77

14 DAY 6: SATURDAY, 12 TH JULY 2014 KIUNGA TO PORT MORESBY. Our final day in the lowlands started with a short delay as we waited for our guide Edmund to arrive, then it was out to Flame Knoll on Boystown Road where our main target for the day would be the incandescent Flame Bowerbird. On arrival we met another birding group with the same plan, and although the knoll is not huge, there was enough room for everyone and the extra eyes were welcome. Birding at this site can be frustrating, as many of the birds are only seen in silhouette flying over, but on this morning we also managed to get our fair share of nice sightings. A few Zoe Imperial-Pigeons were spotted on distant snags, and we also had our best views yet of both Pink-spotted and Orange-bellied Fruit- Doves. A Brush Cuckoo, a bird we had been hearing incessantly for the last few days showed nice and close, and we also managed our first perched views of a pair of Doubleeyed Fig-Parrots which looked to be inspecting a nest hollow. As the morning wore on we continued to be entertained by a few Black-capped Lories, with a pair perching nearby to give us our best views so far. We also picked up a nice Trumpet Manucode that was close enough for us to see the diagnostic shaggy mane. An unexpected highlight was a few Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrots spotted feeding in a nearby tree. So often these tiny parrots are only seen as tiny black spots passing overhead, so it was good to get perched views where we could make out the color. Edmund had told us the time to wait for was 9 o clock, but just before this the shout of Flame Bowerbird! went up, and as we all frantically searched the tree line a few people managed to spot the bright yellow male disappearing. It was a reminder of how fleeting glimpses of this bird often are at this site, so everyone refocused, hopeful we might pick it up again. Edmund was confident and sure enough, just after 9 o clock the shout went up again. This time most of us got onto the male as he flew across the road. He was followed shortly after by a female, then both birds were spotted perched. Scopes were frantically arranged, and nearly everyone managed a brief view of the birds before they dropped down, never to be seen again. Our major target was in the bag, but there was still a bit of action ahead for the morning. Edmund picked up a gorgeous male Golden Monarch perched on a snag above the canopy and we all had scope views of this dapper little bird, one that had given us some grief over the past couple of days. Perhaps the highlight though was a raptor that sailed by, just as we were getting ready to leave. The bird was right at eye level, so we had difficulty spotting the diagnostic tail pattern, but as the bird turned to avoid a pair of mobbing Spangled Drongos we were able to spot the dense barring and declare Doria s Goshawk! This scarce raptor would be our best raptor sighting of the trip and was a fantastic way to finish the morning. Leaving Flame Knoll behind, we returned to Kiunga, packed our bags and checked out before making one final birding stop at the airport. There are not many places I visit regularly where the grassy verges of the runway are a prime birding location; I m sure if nine birders toting binoculars, scopes and cameras started tramping around the edge of the Page 14 of 77

15 runway here in Brisbane, we would soon find ourselves being handcuffed and dragged away for an interview with the authorities! Here in Kiunga though, the runway s grassy edges are a great place to find Red-backed Buttonquail. We had only just arrived when we spotted a smart female dashing through the grass, a very confiding bird that did not flush and eventually allowed us all good views of what would be our last new bird in the lowlands. We retired for lunch, followed by a long wait for our plane to Port Moresby which was running a couple of hours behind schedule. Still, we made it back to the capital eventually and were very happy with our efforts for the first leg of the trip. Bird of the Day: Golden Monarch. DAY 7: SUNDAY, 13 TH JULY 2014 PORT MORESBY TO TARI. After another early start (is there any other kind of start on a birding trip?) we were on our way to the airport where we were hoping to take our flight to Tari. On arrival we were confronted with an enormous line, some unhappy locals and the possibility of missing our flight. Fortunately things settled down and we made our flight with plenty of time. After a short stop in Mount Hagen we landed in Tari and were immediately whisked away to Female Lawes Parotias were regular visitors to the fruiting trees in the grounds at Ambua Lodge. Ambua Lodge, shown to our rooms, then were soon out birding the lodge grounds. Initially our focus was on Ambua s famous fruiting tree which was just coming into fruit, and while not pulling the array of species it sometimes does, still produced female Loria s Satinbird and a few parties of gorgeous little Tit Berrypeckers. We had a break for lunch before spending some more time in the lodge grounds, picking up a Fan-tailed Cuckoo that visited briefly, an uncooperative Black-breasted Boatbill, and the first of many female Lawes Parotias we would see over the coming days. We decided to spend the late afternoon further up the valley, giving us our first exposure to PNG s fabled highlands. We boarded the bus and drove up the valley to the 7-Corners area, making a short stop on the way for our first views of a male King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise perched on a snag, his weird antennae waving in the breeze. After arriving at the top of the valley we jumped out and spent an hour or so wandering up and down the road. We had Page 15 of 77

16 only been there a few minutes before we picked up our first Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, a female bird feeding in a fruiting Schefflera. Belford s Melidectes were common and we also picked up a pair of Blue-capped Ifritas, working their way nuthatch-like along the mossy branches of the roadside trees. A couple of Papuan Lorikeets passed through like small red comets, not really allowing us to get a good look, although a pair of Orange-billed Lorikeets stopped long enough for most of us to get quick views in the scope. The distinctive rustling of wings alerted us to a stunning male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia flying overhead, complete with stupendous white streamers trailing behind. Unfortunately he kept flying through, but we would see several more over the next week in the highlands. We had just hit a small pocket of activity, with White-winged Robin, Crested Berrypeckers and a Friendly Fantail when the heavens opened and the rain came down, sending as scrambling back to the bus for shelter. Unfortunately it didn t look like abating, so we decided to call it a day and returned to the lodge for a beer and dinner. Bird of the Day: King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise. DAY 8: MONDAY, 14 TH JULY 2014 TARI VALLEY. After an early breakfast we started our morning in the lodge grounds, keeping an eye on the fruiting trees where there was a bit of action, although the only new bird was a female Stephanie s Astrapia. Making our way down to the helipad we searched for any Black Sicklebills that may have been manning their display posts, but drew a blank. We decided to head back up to 7-Corners for the rest of the morning and see if we could improve on our efforts from yesterday morning. Soon after arriving we had picked up a number of the same birds we found yesterday, with the addition of a nice male Regent Whistler, a few Blackbacked Honeyeaters and brief views of an uncooperative Red-collared Myzomela. We also found the Crested Berrypeckers again, and this time everyone enjoyed good views of these gorgeous blue birds in bright sunshine. Moving off the road onto one of the forest trails, we knuckled down to try for a few of the skulkers that inhabit the mossy forests at these elevations. A Lesser Ground-Robin calling nearby was the first to attract our attention, and while a few of us managed brief views, for the most part it remained just too far away in the undergrowth. Soon after the people at the front of the group were lucky to spot a Forbes s Rail ducking off the trail, but again, we were out of luck as it gave only one more glimpse before disappearing into the forest. After two close shaves we were due for a spot of luck and soon got it, with a Northern Logrunner calling very close. We managed to coax it a little closer with some playback, before it suddenly ducked out into the open, realized there were eight surprised birders staring at it, then quickly ducked back into cover. It then circled around and gave two more encore performances, allowing everyone to get great views of what is an extremely tough bird to Page 16 of 77

17 see. On that note we called it quits after quite a successful morning, and returned to Ambua for a well-deserved break. Stephanie s Astrapias were common around Ambua Lodge, and we saw several each day. (Photo Walt Chambers). After lunch we decided to spend the afternoon in the lower reaches of the Tari Valley, getting the bus to take us a little way up the road above the lodge, then wandering downhill and seeing what was about. Almost as soon as we d jumped off the bus we picked up a couple of Rufous-backed Honeyeaters, which would be one of the most common birds for the afternoon. Next up was a female Stephanie s Astrapia feeding in a Schefflera close to the road, followed soon after by a stunning male flng over the road, his incredibly long black tail trailing behind. A Blue-gray Robin called from the forest and we soon had him sitting up in a tree by the road, and the distinctive whistle of a Rufousthroated Bronze-Cuckoo calling from a tall tree alerted us to a bird we had heard but not seen earlier in the morning. As we continued downhill we slowly racked up new birds, with Canary Flycatcher, Brown-backed Whistler and Lemon-breasted Berrypecker all finding their way onto our list, while we also picked up better views of a couple of species we had already seen including Blue-capped Ifrita and Black Fantail. We made a short stop to try for Mountain Kingfisher, and although we heard a distant bird calling it couldn t be enticed any closer. We did have a bit more luck with a cracking Blackthroated Robin, its weird, high-pitched and ventriloquial call teasing us until we finally spotted it sitting still in the canopy. As the light faded we spotted a cracking male Sclater s Whistler, but our final bird for the afternoon and bird-of-the-day, would be a stunning, bright red Papuan Lorikeet, feeding in the open on a fruiting Schefflera. The bird fed for some time, allowing us to watch it through the scope and soak up its beautiful plumage and long yellow tail streamers, a big improvement on the fleeting glimpses we d had to this point of birds zipping through the trees. We returned to the lodge for dinner before one Page 17 of 77

18 final excursion back up the mountain to try for Archbold s Nightjar, unfortunately without success, although we did get our best views for the trip of a Jungle Boobook sitting in the open outside our cabins as we returned. Bird of the Day: Papuan Lorikeet. This Jungle Boobook was hanging around the lodge grounds at Ambua, and serenaded us to sleep on a couple of nights. DAY 9: TUESDAY, 15 TH JULY 2014 TARI VALLEY. This morning saw us on our way back up the Tari Valley. We continued past 7-Corners and through the Tari Gap, traversing some of the high altitude grasslands at the top of the valley. We picked up a couple of new birds here including a trio of Brown Quail and a pair of fairly distant Eastern Marsh-Harriers, often called Papuan Harrier and a possible future split. Continuing on past the grasslands we stopped in a patch of forest where we spent a couple of hours wandering along the road. After getting out of the bus we seemed to be surrounded by Regent Whistlers; the forest was filled with the strident calling of several males. A female Brown Sicklebill flew quickly across the road and we also picked up another female Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, before a flock of Black Sitellas passed overhead, unfortunately not stopping for us to get perched views. The delicate, rolling song of a Garnet Robin caught our ear, and after a bit of work we had a gorgeous maroon male flitting around in a tree by the road, with everyone eventually scoring good views. The birds kept popping up, but after a few days now in the highlands, most were things we had Page 18 of 77

19 already seen, such as Black-backed Honeyeater, Mountain Gerygone, Dimorphic Fantail and Crested Berrypecker. A few of us did manage fleeting glimpses of a party of Orangecrowned Fairywrens, the only other new bird for this stop. Around mid-morning we started the trip back to Ambua, getting great views of another Eastern Marsh-Harrier sailing past very close to the road, plus Pied Bushchat and Longtailed Shrike in the grasslands. Further down the valley we made a stop below Bailey s Bridge to try for the Mountain Kingfisher again, this time without success, although a Lesser Ground-Robin calling nearby piqued our interest. Moving in off the road onto a small muddy trail we tried to get a view of the ground-robin, but again it proved elusive, with a few people getting glimpses as it skittered across the trail. We had a bit more success with our next two targets though. On a hunch we tried for Papuan Treecreeper, and soon had a bird calling nearby. This mysterious bird can be quite difficult to track down, so we were very excited when it came in and propped itself up on a nearby trunk, allowing great looks for everyone and even scope views for a couple of us. Our good luck continued when the piping of a Spotted Jewel-Babbler caught our ears, slowly moving closer until this stunning skulker ducked across the trail. In an incredible performance, the bird then returned to the edge of the trail and kept calling away, all but in the open and giving cracking views of a highly sought after species. It was a great finish to the morning! We had great views of this Eastern Marsh-Harrier coursing over the grasslands at the top of the Tari Valley. Page 19 of 77

20 After a break for lunch we decided to head down to the farmland in the valley below the lodge, formerly a good site for Sooty Owl, although the bird had not been seen for some time. Still, the local landowners had a few possible stakeouts so we met up with them and went for a wander around the fields, gathering quite an entourage of children and curious onlookers as we went. Luckily there are a few other birds in the area, and as we moved along we found Island Leaf-Warbler, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Black-headed Whistler and our first Rainbow Bee-eaters. We drew a blank on the owl, although one hollow we checked had a telltale speckled gray feather caught in the entrance, betraying a previous resident who unfortunately wasn t home today. We also found Marbled Honeyeater and Capped White-eye, our only sightings of these species for the trip. Despite missing the owl, it had been a successful afternoon, and we returned to Ambua to spend the last part of the day in the lodge grounds, not turning up anything new for the list. Bird of the Day: Spotted Jewel-Babbler. DAY 10: WEDNESDAY, 16 TH JULY 2014 TARI VALLEY. With only one day left in the Tari Valley, we had to spend the morning looking for Black Sicklebill, one of the local targets that had so far eluded us. We started off down at the lodge helipad, where in spite of the clear weather we couldn t spot any males on their display posts, so decided to jump in the bus and try our luck from the road below the lodge. Unfortunately we could hear a couple of distant birds, but they refused to show themselves. We did have a bit of luck with a few other species, eventually finding a pair of Hooded Cuckooshrikes, a bird we had heard but not seen several times over the past few days. Only a couple of us were lucky enough to spot a pair of Papuan King-Parrots, but we all got onto a cracking jet-black male Lawes Parotia, complete with his six wiry head plumes. Unlike the females which we d seen every day in the lodge grounds, the males are exceedingly shy and difficult to see, so this was certainly a highlight. After no further hints of the sicklebill, we decided to move down off the road and take a wander around the Ambua airstrip which proved fruitful. After a couple of fleeting glimpses we all had nice views of a Buff-banded Rail skulking about a nearby garden, and a flock of Hooded Munias was flushed from the grass surrounding the airstrip. From a vantage point beside the airstrip we had spotted some activity in a stand of trees across a small valley, and were focusing on that area when someone called sicklebill! The distinctive, long-tailed shape of a Black Sicklebill flew down the slope and into the trees, but unfortunately not everyone had seen it. We watched the trees for some time, but despite our patience the bird wouldn t show itself again or had moved on unnoticed. We continued down the airstrip and picked up a few birds we had already seen, plus a nice male White-shouldered Fairywren, our first views of the trip. Returning to the lodge we decided to spend the last part of the morning poking around the lodge grounds. We got lucky, turning up a Short- Page 20 of 77

21 tailed Paradigalla feeding in one of the fruiting trees near the helipad, a species we were missing and which had been starting to give us (me anyway!) a few worries. We ended up with wonderful, extended views of this curious bird-of-paradise as it alternately rested then fed in the fruiting tree for over an hour. We also had a bit of extra luck as we picked up a young Brown Goshawk soaring overhead with one of the omnipresent Brahminy Kites. I was starting to worry we might miss Short-tailed Paradigalla, until we found this bird feeding and preening quietly in the grounds of Ambua Lodge. After lunch we headed up to Bailey s Bridge, making another attempt at Mountain Kingfisher on the way. Unfortunately it wasn t a case of third time lucky, with a bird calling from very close to the road but refusing to show itself. We continued up the valley, stopping to watch a male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia perched on his usual post, long streamers gently waving in the breeze. A male King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise was also spotted nearby, while a calling male Brown Sicklebill kept us interested,but only showed briefly on a snag for a couple of the group before disappearing. We moved off the road onto a faint trail into the forest and tried for Ashy Robin, hearing a bird calling that wouldn t show itself. As a consolation though, we did get cracking views of a Black-mantled Goshawk that came careening through the forest, perched momentarily, and disappeared again. A second attempt at the robin on another trail was marginally more successful, with most people getting fleeting views of a bird in flight. Two of the group who happened to be in the right place managed brief but clear views as the bird perched nearby for about five seconds before leaving again. We spent the remaining hour or so of light back on the road, picking up a couple of new birds including Rufous-naped Whistler, Mountain Mouse-Warbler and a Page 21 of 77

22 fantastic black morph Papuan Lorikeet. We finished up our day with another shot at Archbold s Nightjar, but drew a blank in the cold conditions, so jumped back in the bus and returned to the lodge for a well-deserved beer. Bird of the Day: Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. DAY 11: THURSDAY, 17 TH JULY 2014 AMBUA LODGE TO KUMUL LODGE. Today was primarily a travel day as we took a bus from Ambua across to Kumul Lodge, although we still had a bit of time for another crack at Black Sicklebill before leaving. Unfortunately the weather wasn t kind, with thick fog blanketing the lower reaches of the Tari Valley; we could hear a couple of distant calls, but the fog made it difficult to pick out any birds that may have been perched up. We had to resign ourselves to being satisfied with our glimpses from yesterday. We returned to the lodge and got on our way to Kumul around 7:30am, a long trip that doesn t offer a lot of birding. We pressed on for the entire morning, and had made it past halfway before we struck a problem, to be fair the first major logistical problem of the trip. Recent rain had turned a section of steep dirt road into a slippery slide, with vehicles able to make it down the hill, but large vehicles (like buses!) going in our direction were unable to make it up. Traffic jams and road blockages are a spectator sport in PNG, so as expected this event had drawn quite a crowd. Unfortunately most were intent on enjoying the spectacle rather than trying to solve the problem, including the highway patrol, who seemed happy just to rub shoulders with the locals. Eventually after a little gentle persuasion a few of the drivers in front of us were convinced to have a crack at getting up the hill, and with a bit of assistance from a few athletic onlooker, and much applause, they were able to make it. Our driver wasn t quite as keen, but after some subtle, then not-so-subtle prodding, he manned up and we hit the hill at pace! It wasn t all smooth sailing, but it wasn t anything some energetic locals couldn t fix, so with their assistance and after three hours of waiting, we were finally on our way. We had got away just in time, allowing us to arrive at Kumul Lodge with enough light remaining to spend a fruitful halfhour watching Kumul s fabled feeding table. In quick succession we picked up Brown Sicklebill, Smoky Honeyeater, Belford s Melidectes, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and the gorgeous Brehm s Tiger-Parrot. It was a good end to a long, long day. Bird of the Day: Brown Sicklebill. DAY 12: FRIDAY, 18 TH JULY 2014 KUMUL LODGE. After our time at Ambua we had made a pretty big dent in our list of highland species, leaving us a handful of birds to target during our few days at Kumul. We decided to spend the first morning searching for what is arguably one of the world s most beautiful birds, the Page 22 of 77

23 stunning Blue Bird-of-paradise. We were up before dawn for breakfast, then on our way to Tonga, a small village in the valley below Kumul. Arriving just after first light, we started our hike up a steep hillside above the village, soon hearing the loud crowing of a male calling above us. Like a siren s call it dragged us up the hill, but of course just as we seemed to be approaching the origin, it moved back down the slope below us. We quickly hit reverse and tumbled down the hill, coming around a corner to be greeted with the unforgettable sight of a magnificent male Blue Bird-of-paradise sitting proudly in the crown of a fruiting tree. So began a full 30 minutes of peerless views of this amazing bird, as it perched in the crown of the tree and allowed us to admire its jet black body, neon blue wings, wispy blue skirt and long tail plumes. These were, without doubt, the best views of this bird I had ever had. As we enjoyed the BoP there was some more activity in the tree which caught our attention, and we picked up our first Black-billed Cuckoo-Doves for the trip, a surprise Spotted Honeyeater, and a rather disheveled young male Superb Bird-of-paradise. We had absolutely incredible views of Blue Bird-of-paradise. (Photo Walt Chambers). After the male Blue Bird-of-paradise finally departed we continued up the hill, trying to track down a male Superb Bird-of-paradise we could hear calling. Incredibly, we spotted the male Blue Bird-of-paradise again, this time closer but a little backlit. Still, it s not a bird you ever walk past, so we took another look! The Superb Bird-of-paradise was proving difficult to track down, and when a fantastic adult Brown Goshawk cruised over we thought he may have dived for cover. We kept searching though and were rewarded when he eventually revealed himself, giving us fantastic views of this gorgeous bird, with his bright green cravat flared out and catching the morning light. Moving slowly back down the slope a few of us had brief views of a Slaty-chinned Longbill, while a pair of Streaked Berrypeckers popped up also. They would be the last new species for the morning as we made our way back to the bus and returned to Kumul. We made a couple of short stops on the way, but only picked up a few species we had already seen, including Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Tit Berrypecker and our best views of the common Red-capped Flowerpecker. Page 23 of 77

24 Down time is never an issue at Kumul Lodge; you can always spend time simply watching the feeding table. Our pre-lunch vigil didn t turn up anything new, but the balcony looking over the feeding table also provides a great lookout for seeing what else is happening in the garden. From here we spotted Regent Whistlers, White-winged Robins, Crested Berrypeckers and a drab female Crested Satinbird, all feeding in the garden. With half-aneye kept out the window of the dining room, we spotted our first female Sanford s Bowerbird visiting the table during lunch, while our time on the balcony after lunch resulted in our first Bronze Ground-Dove. With rain threatening we cancelled our afternoon expedition and spent some more time in the lodge grounds dodging rain showers. A lateafternoon walk along the forest trails didn t produce anything new, although we did find a few mixed flocks of Large Scrubwrens, Canary Flycatchers and White-winged Robins. At Max s garden we found Pied Bushchat and flushed a few Brown Quail, but the rain made birding difficult. On our way back to the lodge we waited until dusk in an area of swampy forest and were rewarded with a Dusky Woodcock roding overhead, his wings whirring mechanically as he flew about the canopy. That would be our last bird of the day, as we returned to the lodge for dinner, before making an unsuccessful foray for owlet-nightjars. We didn t hear a peep out of either Feline or Mountain Owlet-Nightjars, although we did spot a Black-tailed Giant-Rat feeding on scraps left behind at the feeding table. Bird of the Day: Blue Bird-of-paradise. Regent Whistlers are common residents in the highlands, particularly in the gardens of Kumul Lodge. Page 24 of 77

25 DAY 13: SATURDAY, 19 TH JULY 2014 KUMUL LODGE. A few of us were up before dawn to have another crack at the owlet-nightjars, and this time we met with a little more success. A couple of us had heard the distinctive squeaky toy call of Mountain Owlet-Nightjar throughout the night, although we couldn t rustle one up this morning. Moving down the lodge driveway we tried for Feline Owlet-Nightjar and got an almost immediate response. The bird came in and perched close by, but there were just enough branches between us and the perfectly camouflaged bird that not everyone got a good view before it flew off. Unfortunately we couldn t get a repeat performance and it frustratingly remained beyond view, or was only seen as a silhouette flying over the road. Moving back up towards the lodge we had one more try for the Mountain Owlet-Nightjar around the cabins, hearing a bird respond quite close by, but it only called once and certainly couldn t be found. Unfortunately with a big day of birding ahead time had caught up with us and we had to call it quits to head to breakfast. Our last full day in the highlands was a little frantic, as we visited a number of different sites trying to track down the few species that had so far eluded us. Our first target was another bird-of-paradise, this time Lesser Bird-of-paradise, so we were off before dawn again into the valley below Kumul. Over the last few years this has become an increasingly frustrating bird to see, with previously reliable sites becoming inaccessible for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit the best option was to search for the birds on a distant hillside from the road, and although we did find a nice male sitting up on a snag that gave extended views, it was a little unsatisfying. The roadside in that area did provide us with better views of Slaty-chinned Longbill and Mountain Myzomela, two birds we d seen poorly yesterday. Moving on, we stopped at a flowering eucalypt which was packed with gorgeous Goldie s Lorikeets. We had seen this species in flight high overhead a few times over the last few days, so were pleased to finally get perched views. As a bonus, we also spotted an Ornate Melidectes nearby. Pressing on a little further, we jumped out of the bus and took up a vantage point looking over an area of secondary forest, a stakeout for Yellowbreasted Bowerbird. We didn t have to wait long before we found one, although it was a while before it sat up long enough for us all to get good views through the scope. Before heading off we also picked up a few other birds, including a trio of White-bellied Cuckooshrikes and a surprise White-breasted Fruit-Dove. We had knocked off our main targets fairly early, and decided to use the rest of the morning birding the promisingly named Saxony Trail, which we had hoped to visit yesterday afternoon before the rain intervened. The trail is not far from Kumul Lodge as the crow (or perhaps bird-of-paradise) flies, but is quite a bit lower in elevation and can be a great place to spend a few hours. Our main target was its namesake, the King-of-Saxony Bird-ofparadise, and as we climbed the steep beginning of the trail we could hear the unusual insect-like buzzing of a male calling from his display post. We had already seen one in the Tari Valley, but this site offered a great opportunity to get close to this bizarre bird. Sure Page 25 of 77

26 enough we spotted the bird sitting up on his calling post and were able to get him in the scope so everyone could admire the weird antennae waving in the breeze, and even the bright green lining of his mouth when he called. It was only the start of nearly an hour we spent with the bird, as he called from his post for a while longer before moving to a nearby tree where we watched him feed for a while. It finished with him shooting past only feet above our heads as we walked out, antennae streaming behind like contrails. In the meantime there were a few other birds to keep us occupied. A male Brown Sicklebill with his incredibly long tail came through, and a couple of Dimorphic Fantails flitted about in the mid-canopy. We also picked up the high-pitched electronic whistle of a Wattled Ploughbill which we were able to call in, although he was extremely shy and only a couple of people had good views before he departed. We had more luck with a party of Orange-crowned Fairywrens, an often shy bird that a few of us had seen at the top of the Tari Valley, but which this time were much more cooperative. Our final new bird for the morning was a pair of Black-throated Honeyeaters that we finally managed to call in after having heard them several times in the Tari Valley without actually seeing one. On that note we finished up after a very successful morning and returned to Kumul to spend some more time watching the feeding table. This very cute Calaby s Pademelon was spotted feeding quietly under the feeding table at Kumul. (Photo Walt Chambers). After lunch we spent a bit more time watching the feeding table, with the Bronze Ground-Dove popping up again briefly. The highlight of our post-lunch session though was actually a mammal, with a female Calaby s Pademelon along with her small joey being spotted under the feeding table. She was very shy and never ventured into the open, but with persistence we all managed reasonable views as she fed quietly in the dense cover below the table. Around mid-afternoon we decided to take another turn around the lodge grounds, and ended up having a very successful afternoon. A Mountain Firetail was found feeding quietly on the edge of a small clearing, and both Crested Berrypeckers and Papuan Lorikeets were seen feeding in flowering Scheffleras. We also picked up a pair of Plum-faced Lorikeets that gave us great views as they fed quietly in a flowering tree. Like many of the lorikeets, this species is often only seen in flight high overhead, so it was great to be able to watch them feeding for nearly Page 26 of 77

27 a minute until one of the self-appointed security guards of the forest, a Smoky Honeyeater, came through and chased them off. Continuing along the trails we walked down towards Max s garden where we didn t pick up anything new. On the return trip we again heard the distinctive high-pitched call of a Wattled Ploughbill, but this individual was much more cooperative than the bird we had found this morning and we were all treated to fantastic views of the peculiar male, complete with fleshy pink wattles and weird triangular bill. We also heard a Lesser Melampitta some ways off the trail but unfortunately couldn t bring it into view. As darkness fell we returned to the lodge for dinner, a few of us heading out for a short turn on the trails after dark, but it was a quiet night and we didn t even hear any owlet-nightjars. Bird of the Day: Wattled Ploughbill. DAY 14: SUNDAY, 20 TH JULY 2014 KUMUL LODGE TO PORT MORESBY. Blue-capped Ifritas were common in the garden at Kumul. (Photo Sherry Hagen). After our close shave yesterday morning, four of us were up before dawn again for our final shot at the owlet-nightjars. Moving straight to where we d seen the Feline Owlet-Nightjar yesterday morning, we again heard the bird calling very close by, but it refused to show itself, always calling just far enough from the trail to avoid the spotlight. We were about to admit defeat when we heard a Mountain Owlet-Nightjar calling only fifty yards back up the road. We ducked up to try and see it but a short burst of playback drew a blank. Curiously though, it seemed to reinvigorate the Feline Owlet-Nightjar which came in and started calling very close, perhaps a territorial response to a competitor? After a few more snippets of playback a silhouette was spotted flying up into a nearby tree, and we finally got the spotlight on it, soaking up fantastic views of this exquisite bird. It seemed just reward for our hard work over several nights and early mornings! Interestingly we would leave Kumul without having seen the Mountain Owlet-Nightjar, usually the easier of the two to see here. Some highpitched chattering we had heard close by a couple of times and moving about in the forest made us wonder if the birds didn t have some fledged young which were occupying most of Page 27 of 77

28 their time. We returned to the lodge for breakfast, then took another short turn on the trails searching for Lesser Melampitta. We heard a couple of birds, including one calling very close to the trail, but it refused to show itself until a few of us got to see it briefly as it flitted across the trail. It would be our last new bird in the highlands as we returned to the lodge to pack our bags for the trip back to Mount Hagen then on to Port Moresby. Our flights went off without a hitch and we arrived in Port Moresby after lunch, with a couple of hours to rest and recuperate before we got together for a short turn through the grounds of our hotel. Our target was Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, but as we wandered around we reacquainted ourselves with a few common species from early in the trip, including Helmeted Friarbird, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird and a Papuan Frogmouth sitting on its nest, spotted by an eagle-eyed Marcia. We did eventually find the honeyeater, getting nice views of a bird as it fed in some of the ornamental flowers in the garden. We then retired to the bar to enjoy a few beers and reminisce about the last couple of weeks before we began our final few days of the tour. Bird of the Day: Feline Owlet-Nightjar. After several hours without luck, we were finally rewarded with great views of this stunning Feline Owlet-Nightjar. (Photo Walt Chambers). Page 28 of 77

29 DAY 15: MONDAY, 21 ST JULY 2014 VARIRATA NATIONAL PARK. An hour from downtown Port Moresby, Varirata National Park is one of my favorite birding sites in PNG. It can be a difficult place to bird though, with a number of cryptic skulkers, and feeding flocks that move quickly through the forest challenging even the sharpest birder. At the heart of the park is The Clearing, an open picnic area that provides a great vantage point to see birds moving around in the nearby forest, and always the starting point for a day of birding. We arrived soon after first light (and a short break to change a flat tire), to find another birding group already there and into the action. We quickly picked up Pinkspotted Fruit-Dove and Hooded Pitohui around the edge of the clearing before deciding to move off on one of the trails. Heading up towards Varirata Lookout we soon ran into our first feeding flock, but it was a frustrating experience as the birds moved quickly and remained fairly high. Still, we managed to see Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Frilled Monarch and Pale-billed Scrubwren, while a Goldenface (Dwarf Whistler) was heard calling but couldn t be seen. Continuing along the trail we were lucky to spot a Variable Dwarf- Kingfisher sitting quietly in the understory, and had great scope views of this gorgeous little bird, usually seen as just a blue flash zipping down the creek. Soon after we ran into another feeding flock and had a little more success this time as we picked up Spot-winged Monarch, Fairy Gerygone, Rufous Shrike-Thrush and Gray Whistler. Turning around and beginning the walk back towards the clearing, we were about to endure the most frustrating episode (bird-wise) of the trip. At the front of the group and looking carefully where I was going, I glanced up to see a large shape moving through the brush to the side of the trail; it took a split-second before I realized it was a Dwarf Cassowary! Word was hurriedly passed back down the line, and while everyone rushed up to where the bird had walked off the track, I craned over the edge, only seeing a creekline which the bird hadn t crossed and hadn t walked up. Reasoning it must have headed downstream I bolted down the track parallel to the creek to see if the bird could be flushed back upstream. Incredibly, in this short time the bird had simply disappeared. Like a phantom it had melted into the forest, and although we spent a frantic five minutes trying to figure out where it may have gone, we drew a complete blank. It was depressing to think we had come so close to seeing such a sought after species; I can feel the frustration returning as I write this! Alas it wasn t to be, and we dejectedly moved off down the trail wondering about what might have been. A nice view of a Gray-headed Goshawk shortly after brightened the mood a little, then we were back into the action with no time to sulk as a brown-and-black flock moved through. Feeding flocks in PNG come in two varieties; the flocks like we had already seen of smaller insectivores such as monarchs, gerygones and scrubwrens, and flocks of larger birds such as pitohuis and cuckooshrikes, usually with brown or black plumage. This brown-and-black flock included Rusty Pitohui, Black Cicadabird and a female Magnificent Riflebird. Page 29 of 77

30 We spotted a couple of these very cute White-faced Robins beside the trails in Varirata. (Photo Walt Chambers). After a short break to recover, we set off on another trail towards Gare s Lookout, a steep track that makes it less accessible than some of the park s other trails. We were on the hunt for Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, and after a long uphill slog soon had a bird calling from just off the trail. Despite our best efforts we couldn t get the bird to come into view and after a while it lost interest and moved off. Disappointed, we continued uphill but soon picked up an interesting bird, a very young Black-billed Brushturkey that was foraging just off the trail. We arrived at the top of the trail and set ourselves up to try for Pheasant Pigeon, soon having a bird respond to my poor imitation of its most unpigeon-like call. The bird was some distance away but continued to respond to the call, and after a short wait we soon had this large, striking pigeon strutting around in front of us, pumping its tail up and down. This is a cracking bird and a difficult one to see well, so we were very happy to find it. Moving back down the hill we spotted a White-faced Robin perched beside the trail, before we had a frustrating encounter with a Painted Quail-thrush, another of Varirata s skulkers that refused to show itself. We returned to the clearing for a short break, and with a little time to fill in before lunch decided on a short turn on the Treehouse Trail. It was a successful jaunt, with a nice mixed flock producing Chestnut-bellied Fantail, Black Berrypecker and our best views of Yellowbreasted Boatbill among a few species we had already seen. We also picked up a stunning Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, its bright orange breast glowing in the gloomy understory. We returned to the clearing and had a break for lunch, being pleasantly interrupted by a Gurney s Eagle spotted soaring overhead by the other birding group also enjoying their lunch break. After lunch we hung around watching some of the comings and goings at a fruiting tree at the edge of the clearing. Boyer s Cuckooshrikes and Hooded Pitohuis were regular visitors, while a pair of Plain Honeyeaters also dropped in occasionally. After a relaxing hour or two at the clearing we decided to press on, visiting probably Varirata s most famous attraction, the Raggiana Bird-of-paradise lek. Unfortunately the last couple of years have seen activity here slowly decreasing, but we had a bit of luck with a couple of males in attendance despite the windy conditions. While not displaying, we still had reasonable views as they sat preening in the mid-canopy. Moving on to Varirata Lookout we soon found a Barred Owlet-Nightjar peering out from its regular roost in a Page 30 of 77

31 hollow tree, then it was off down the trail for the hour long walk back towards the clearing. Things were fairly quiet and we didn t see any birds we hadn t already seen. Nearing the bottom of the trail we again heard the high-pitched contact call of a Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, so set ourselves up to see if we could spot it crossing the trail. This time we were in luck and we all had great views of this beautiful bird as it ducked across the trail then foraged close by. It completed the set of jewel-babblers for the trip, quite an achievement! Back at the clearing we spent some more time watching activity around the edge and in the fruiting tree, with half-a-dozen aptly named Beautiful Fruit-Doves the highlight. We also saw a few Barred Cuckooshrikes come in, while more Pink-spotted Fruit- Doves and Red-cheeked Parrots also perched up. After a long day we finally had to drag ourselves away from the park, doing a little birding in the dry woodland along the entrance road just outside the park. We didn t find much, with Rainbow Bee-eater and Black Myzomela the only notable species. Bird of the Day: Pheasant Pigeon. DAY 16: TUESDAY, 22 ND JULY 2014 VARIRATA NATIONAL PARK. Beautiful Fruit-Doves were regular visitors to a fruiting tree at the clearing in Varirata. (Photo Walt Chambers). On our second day at Varirata we were hoping to mop up the few species we hadn t yet seen, and perhaps improve on our views of some of the species we had found yesterday. We arrived early and went straight to the Raggiana lek, but the windy conditions meant the birds were not around. There was little point hanging around, so we moved on to the clearing which was more protected from the wind and was again packed with birds. We started off watching the fruiting tree, with a procession of species similar to those we had seen yesterday including Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Black-fronted White-eye, Boyer s Cuckooshrike and Hooded Pitohui. After a while we decided to wander back up the Varirata Lookout Trail, soon coming across the same flock we had seen yesterday. We could hear the Goldenface again, and this time with a bit of persistence most of us were able to get reasonable views as it moved quickly through the canopy. Returning to the clearing we picked up a black-and-brown flock moving around the edge, with nice views of Rusty Pitohui again and brief views of a Crinkle-collared Manucode and female Magnificent Riflebird. We followed the flock into the forest along Page 31 of 77

32 the Treehouse Trail, where most of us were able to get onto the riflebird. We then ran into another small feeding flock, with the surprise sighting a gorgeous White-eared Bronze- Cuckoo, along with a number of other regulars including Chestnut-bellied Fantail, Spotwinged Monarch and Yellow-breasted Boatbill. Continuing up the Treehouse Trail we heard a Superb Fruit-Dove which we couldn t get eyes on, before running into yet another feeding flock. This one held a new bird for us, a Pygmy Drongo-Fantail (formerly Mountain or Papuan Drongo), although it didn t hang around and soon disappeared before we had all seen it. We decided to try for Painted Quail-thrush nearby, and although we didn t see the quail-thrush, we did see a Crested Pitohui which showed itself for a split-second before disappearing. On the way back to the clearing we ran into the Brown-headed Paradise- Kingfisher again, along with another birding group who had just arrived and were also on the last day of their PNG trip. We all wandered back out to the clearing and swapped stories about the last couple of weeks before taking a break for lunch. Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher is one of the highlights of any trip to Varirata. (Photo Walt Chambers). After lunch we relaxed around the clearing for a while, where activity at the fruiting tree kept us entertained. Rested up, we decided to take a walk down the Creek Trail so left the clearing and got on our way. We soon ran into a small flock, picking up nice views of Black-winged Monarch, a bird we had seen poorly yesterday. As we moved down the trail we got some brief views of Rusty Mouse-Warbler which a few people were still missing, before we ran into another feeding flock. A Pygmy Drongo- Fantail was in attendance allowing the few who had missed it earlier to catch up. The high-pitched twitterings of Wallace s Fairywrens could also be heard, but we were unable to find these tiny birds in the canopy. We didn t find anything else during our time on the trail, so returned to the clearing for a short while before making one last stop at the Raggiana Bird-of-paradise lek. We did get views of one male sitting quietly in the mid-canopy, but there was no display activity, so with time running out we had to get on our way. We had time for a short stop in the woodland just outside the park and in only 10 minutes were able to pick up the handful of birds we needed, spotting Forest Kingfisher, White-bellied Whistler, White-throated Honeyeater and Lemon-bellied Page 32 of 77

33 Flycatcher in quick succession, along with a Brown Quail toddling up the edge of the road. These would be our last new birds for the day as we made our way back to Port Moresby to rest up for our final day of the main tour. Bird of the Day: White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo. This White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo was a surprise find at Varirata. After missing it at Tabubil I thought we may not see it on the trip, but we got lucky. (Photo Walt Chambers). DAY 17: WEDNESDAY, 23 RD JULY 2014 HISIU. We planned to spend our final day of the main tour searching for a last few endemic species in the grasslands, savannas and wetlands along the coastline west of Port Moresby. We departed early and got on our way to Hisiu, a small village a couple of hours drive from Port Moresby. Approaching the village we made a couple of stops in the open grasslands where we found both Gray-headed and Chestnut-breasted Munias, plus a typically scraggy Pheasant Coucal. Stopping in the village itself we immediately picked up our first Silvereared Honeyeaters, although it took a while before they sat still long enough for us to get good views. Several noisy flocks of Dusky Lories passed overhead, while a sharp-eyed Walt found a nice Rufous Night-Heron roosting in a distant bush. A nearby wetland had our first Australasian Darter, and Walt continued his good form, picking up a Royal Spoonbill among a group of Australian Ibis. The highlight of this first stop though, was undoubtedly a cracking Page 33 of 77

34 Grand Munia, a rare and thinly distributed species that after a brief initial appearance popped up long enough for us all to get nice scope views. Leaving Hisiu we continued out to the coast, making our next stop near a large area of mangroves. We didn t have much luck with the typical mangrove species, only hearing both Mangrove Robin and Mangrove Gerygone, although we did get brief views of a Black Thicket-Fantail. A couple of Glossymantled Manucodes were around, and we also got scope views of a nice Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove. Leaving the mangroves behind we trekked out to the nearby beach where we had Gull-billed and Caspian Terns coursing along the If you ve ever seen the gorgeous Emperor Fairywren, you ll understand how difficult it is to see, let alone photograph! (Photo Walt Chambers). water s edge, while a distant rock stack was home to a number of Brown Boobies. The highlight though was definitely a lone Beach Thick-knee roosting quietly among the driftwood at the back of the beach. Heading back to the road we heard the distinctive jerky warble of an Emperor Fairywren, and soon had a pair of these gorgeous little birds peering out from the undergrowth at us, giving much better views than we d had on the Elevala River earlier in the trip. We left the mangroves behind and made a short but bumpy journey back along the coast and out to a nearby estuary, stopping for Blue-winged Kookaburra along the way. On arrival at the estuary we spotted a mixed flock of Great and Lesser Crested Terns roosting on the sandbars at the mouth of the river, before setting ourselves up for lunch looking out over the calm waters of the Coral Sea. After lunch we headed away from the coast, stopping in at a large wetland to clean up on a few of the wetland species we still needed. The swamp was teeming with birds, and before we had reached the edge we had found both Spotted and Wandering Whistling-Ducks, two of our primary targets. Scanning the water we also picked up Green Pygmy-goose, another new bird for the list, plus Australasian Grebe and Comb-crested Jacana, two birds we had seen on the first day of the trip at PAU. We also added an aptly named Australian Reed- Warbler which popped up in the reeds beside us. We returned to the bus and made our way to a small area of woodland where we were hoping to score just a few last birds for our list. We quickly found Brown-backed Honeyeater before the tell-tale falling-leaf melody of a White-throated Gerygone sent us charging off up a small hill. The perpetrator proved a little difficult to locate, although a White-winged Triller kept us occupied while we searched. We finally spotted the gerygone, and everyone had nice views of this very cute little bird, the Page 34 of 77