TRIP REPORT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA and NEW

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1 TRIP REPORT: PAPUA NEW GUINEA and NEW BRITAIN DATES: 9-26 July (Main Tour) & July (New Britain Extension) GUIDE AND PHOTOS: Nick Leseberg The simple mention of Papuaa New Guinea will send most keen birders into a swoon. That is not surprising given the host of incredible birds possible like the King-of-Saxony to be on birds-of-paradise but Papua New Guinea is also Bird-of- Paradise above. The focus tends home to a huge variety of brightly colored pigeons and parrots, bowerbirds, kingfishers and a number of other curious species like the Wattled Ploughbill and Blue-capped Ifrita. It would be great if all these birds were as accessible as they are on David Attenborough s wonderful documentaries, but unfortunately birding in PNG is much tougher than most people think. The national saying is expect the unexpected and this applies to every aspect of the trip, from transport and accommodation through to land access and of course the birds; many people say it is the most difficult place they have ever birded. So if you are planning a trip to PNG it is important to be thoroughly prepared for the experience. It is certain you will see some of the world s most amazing birds and see them well, but it is also certain you will have to work hard for many of the other great birds thatt PNG is deservedly known for. Page 1 of 63

2 In many ways this trip to Papua New Guinea was a normal one. There were some amazing highs, but also a few disappointments. We were exceedingly lucky to see, not just hear all five owlet-nightjars, and some birds put in amazing performances like Wattled Ploughbill in the Tari Valley. Many of the birds-of-paradise such as Ribbon-tailed and Princess Stephanie s Astrapias, King-of-Saxony and Greater Birds-of-Paradise will be forever etched in the memories of everyone on the trip. At the same time misty conditions at Kwatu left everyone wanting better looks at Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, and flooding on the Ketu River meant most of the group only had short views of King Bird-of-Paradise as we watched from our boat. The skulkers skulked, and while everyone had good views of Blue Jewel-Babbler some people unfortunately missed out on Painted Quail-Thrush and Dusky Woodcock. Still, by the end of the trip we had amassed a very respectable list of 380 species including a lot of very special birds. No one saw everything, but everyone did manage to see a fair chunk of the many unique birds which inhabit Papua New Guinea. DAY 1: MONDAY, 9 TH JULY 2012 BRISBANE TO PORT MORESBY. It was an expectant crowd that gathered around the Air Niugini check-in counter at Brisbane airport, eager and excited to be heading north for many imagine is the birding equivalent of the promised land. As we waited to board our plane some people tried to add a few lastminute Aussie birds to the trip list, while others pored over the field guide imagining the spectacular parrots, pigeons and of course birds-of-paradise we were hoping to see. We boarded our plane and three hours later were touching down in hot and humid Port Moresby. The immigration line was long and tiresome but eventually we were outside, bins, cameras and telescopes in hand ready to commence our assault. For a pleasant first afternoon we headed to an old favourite here in Port Moresby, the always productive grounds of the Pacific Adventist University. We stopped in the main lakes area and got our list off to a good start with a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo feeding on caterpillars. A few birds familiar to those who have been to Australia showed well, including Australasian Figbirds and Willie Wagtails, while a trio of Rufous Night-Herons were spotted roosting quietly in the canopy of a huge rain tree. Several Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds were chasing each other about, while out on the lakes we picked up Plumed and Wandering Whistling-Ducks, Australasian Grebes, and a pair of dainty Green Pygmy-Geese. A low repeated ooming soon brought our attention to the first beautiful pigeon of the trip, a stunning Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove which perched up in the afternoon sun giving fantastic scope views. A few Torresian Imperial-Pigeons flew past, and we also scored a couple of raucous Yellow-faced Mynas while White-breasted Woodswallows soared overhead. We eventually spotted a Brown Oriole perched in the canopy, only the liquid gurgling call betraying its presence. The vocal Helmeted Friarbirds finally gave good views, then as we were shaping up to leave a gorgeous ultramarine Forest Kingfisher was seen sitting quietly above a small creek. Our local guide Daniel waved us down just before we left and urged us to follow him; his words, we might see something. Sure enough he took us to Page 2 of 63

3 a pair of huge Papuan Frogmouths, covertly perched in a leafy tree and quietly watching us through their scarcely opened eyes. It was a great way to finish the day, and we returned to our hotel for dinner and the first of many cold SP Lagers. Bird of the Day: Papuan Frogmouth. DAY 2: TUESDAY, 10 TH JULY 2012 PORT MORESBY TO KIUNGA. Our first morning in PNG was spent along the Laelae Road, where we found this Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove. Our first full day in PNG started with a 6am breakfast then we loaded our bus for a morning s birding along the coast west of Port Moresby. Before leaving the city we had our first new birds with both adult and immature Singing Starlings perched up for good views. Our first stop out of the city was at a small wetland where we picked up a Variable Goshawk sitting quietly in roadside tree allowing scope views. Stopping again near an area of mangroves, the first bird we laid eyes on was a cracking Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, shortly followed by our second Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove for the trip. Several Olive-backed Sunbirds flitted around, while Graceful Honeyeaters and Dusky Myzomelas popped up momentarily for a few people. A Pied Bushchat sang behind us, and we also got brief glimpses of a pair of Red-cheeked Parrots before we moved on. As we passed through some open savanna a couple of scruffy Pheasant Coucals were seen perched up in the roadside grass, while Blue-winged Kookaburras were posted on every other telephone pole. At a small wetland we found a few Pacific Black Ducks, before flushing up a couple of flocks of Spotted Whistling-Ducks which quickly wheeled overhead before heading away. Moving on we found increasing numbers of Rainbow Bee-Eaters gracing the telephone wires, then an opportunity stop for Golden-headed Cisticola also produced a nice Little Bronze-Cuckoo. Our next stop was Laelae where we quickly caught up with our target bird, Silver-eared Honeyeater, a range-restricted endemic. Poking around the coast near Laelae produced Mangrove Gerygone and a couple of distant terns, both Greater Crested and Gull-billed. A Brown Booby passed by far out to sea but otherwise things were fairly quiet. Page 3 of 63

4 We turned around and returned to Port Moresby scoring Pacific Reef-Heron on the way plus Striated Heron and a group of five Lesser Frigatebirds for those lucky enough to be on the right side of the bus. Of course they appeared as we were rounding a blind corner with nowhere to pull over. Our last bird for the day was a nice little Gray-headed Munia, serendipitously perched in grass right beside the bus as we stopped at an intersection. With our morning complete it was off to the airport to wait for our afternoon flight to Kiunga. Unfortunately things were running on PNG time and we left nearly an hour late, not arriving in Kiunga until after 5pm. We headed straight for our motel and dinner before a big rest in preparation for the next couple of days. Bird of the Day: Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove. DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, 11 TH JULY 2012 KIUNGA TO KWATU. The national saying in Papua New Guinea is expect the unexpected, and over the next two days we had that reinforced with both barrels. Instead of a boat ride to Kwatu as planned, fuel shortages (all excuses in PNG are given in inverted commas) meant things got started with a trip out to Boystown Road where unfortunately the weather was not being kind. Rain gave way to fog and things were not conducive to birding, with most of the birds only seen in silhouette; frustrating when many of them are lifers. We did get reasonable views of female Greater Bird-of-Paradise, but Yellow-streaked Lory and Yellow-capped Pygmy- Parrot both passed overhead with little to go off except call (and size of course). A pair of Streak-headed Honeyeaters popped up briefly and Long-billed Honeyeater was seen by a few while we also had our first views of a tiny male Black Sunbird, naturally at the top of a tall tree. Moving down off the hill the tiny birds in tall trees theme continued as everyone tried to make out a Green-backed Gerygone, his beautiful rhythmic melody sounding from the canopy. Unfortunately the hoped for male Flame Bowerbird failed to materialise, a couple of members of the group instead seeing a female briefly cross the road as most of us looked the other way. It had been a frustrating morning. Moving back to Kiunga we stored our bags before getting down to the riverbank where we boarded the boat for our trip to Kwatu Lodge. We were only about five minutes into the three hour journey when our boat s engine decided to conk out and we were left floating back to where we had come from, just a couple of Spangled Drongos and a Brush Cuckoo looking on from the riverside trees. Without going into details, three hours later we were back in the boat for take two. It was a slow pull up the Fly River as things were quite warm by now and bird activity was low. We managed a small party of Collared Imperial-Pigeons and a few Great Egrets on the riverbank, but otherwise things were quiet. The activity picked up as the afternoon progressed and we turned onto the Elevala River. Narrower than the Fly River, the birds are closer to the boat here and more visible. We had not been going long before a shout of hornbill! went out, and we were lucky to find a fantastic male Blyth s Hornbill feeding in a fruiting tree. We admired as he clambered about Page 4 of 63

5 the branches before departing with a characteristic whoosh-whoosh as he flapped off into the forest. Wompoo Fruit-Dove rocketed across the front of the boat with only a couple of people seeing it, then shortly after we picked up our first Eclectus Parrots, a couple of difficult to see females sitting quietly in the foliage of a tall tree. A few flocks of Metallic Starlings were seen bathing in the river and when they perched on a riverside snag we were able to pick out a few distinctive Yellow-eyed Starlings. We had seen Black-capped Lories this morning but got better views in the afternoon sun as a pair of these stunning black and red parrots hooted and screeched their way across the river. Our next new parrot was a lone Large Fig-Parrot which bolted across the river, although only a couple of the group were able to get the green body and orange head. We saw our first enormous Blyth s Hornbill from the boat on our way up to Kwatu Lodge. We finally arrived at Kwatu Lodge and barely had time to unload our bags before we were back on the boat to squeeze some birding out of the remaining daylight. We returned downstream and as we rounded the corner back onto the Elevala River spotted our first Palm Cockatoo, its shaggy crest catching everyone s attention. Our local guide Jimmy then pointed downstream to a riverside snag protruding from the canopy and sure enough there was an immature male Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise on top, practicing for the real thing. The highlight of the day though was about to come when we spotted three enormous Southern Crowned Pigeons sitting quietly by the river, pumping their tails nervously as they Page 5 of 63

6 prepared to roost. We had sustained views of these magnificent birds which left everyone breathless, as the trials of earlier in the day were briefly forgotten. We returned to the lodge picking up a perched Pinon Imperial-Pigeon on the way and an overflying Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeon, before pushing a little upstream from the lodge to float back down hoping for a nightjar which didn t eventuate. We were serenaded instead by the raucous crowing of a Red-necked Crake and the deep booming of Greater Black Coucals. A great end to the day was extended views of this eventually very obliging Wallace s Owlet-Nightjar. After a well-deserved dinner those keen for a spot of night birding gathered before setting off along the trail. Not far from the lodge we tried for Wallace s Owlet-Nightjar and got an immediate response with a very vocal bird calling from the canopy seemingly right over our heads. Try as we might though we couldn t see the bird except for a momentary flicker of wings as he changed perches. He did not leave the area though and when after quite a wait we picked up just a shadow of movement, it led us to the bird and we were able to get a sustained five minutes of watching this delightful little character. Moving on we tried for Spangled Owlet- Nightjar, but with light rain setting in and not even a hint of a response we called it quits for the day and returned to the lodge for a welcome sleep. Bird of the Day: Southern Crowned Pigeon. DAY 4: THURSDAY, 12 TH JULY 2012 KWATU TO KIUNGA. A few hardy souls were up again before dawn to have another dig at the Spangled Owlet- Nightjar. As we trudged off into the forest still clearing the sleep from our eyes, we could hear the coarse koo-loo koo-loo of a female Marbled Frogmouth in the distance but that was all. We had a distant response by an owlet-nightjar, but nothing more. Trying a couple more spots we heard nothing, until one final distant response. About five minutes later and thinking we had missed our chance a shadow flickered overhead. Hurriedly getting the torch on the movement revealed an absolutely cracking Spangled Owlet-Nightjar peering down at us from only a couple of meters above our heads. We all had sensational and extended views of what was an early contender for bird-of-the-trip. As we returned to the lodge for breakfast a nearby pair of Marbled Frogmouths serenaded us as the darkness gave way to the foggy gloom of morning. The bird activity increased and Page 6 of 63

7 we soon picked up a party of Orange-bellied Fruit-Doves in a bare tree, which were joined by a diminutive Dwarf Fruit-Dove that gave good views and allowed us to compare size. Moving to a cleared area above the riverbank Rufous-bellied Kookaburras and Glossymantled Manucodes were calling nearby, but difficult to see. Unfortunately our next quarry didn t really cooperate either. We had distant views of a male Twelve-wired Bird-of- Paradise on his display pole, but in the morning mist it was not ideal. We moved down to the boat and set out on the river to try another display post but this male didn t want to get out of bed so we were left wanting more. We had consolation prizes though, with a pair of Beautiful Fruit-Doves and a trio of Boyer s Cuckoo-Shrikes. A highlight of any trip to Kwatu is the world s largest pigeon, the immense Southern Crown Pigeon. Returning upstream past the lodge we started to find a few more birds, with good views of Orangebreasted Fig-Parrot finally had by all. Another Southern Crowned Pigeon set our hearts pumping, this time a male that appeared to be displaying to his mate. We eventually pulled over on the riverbank and got out of the boat to start an amazing few hours of birding. Our first target was Hookbilled Kingfisher and our local guide Jimmy with his assistant Thomas did a masterful job of enticing the bird in, then finding it hidden deep in the canopy for scope views. Next cab off the rank was a stunning Little Paradise-Kingfisher which also posed for extended scope views. A small feeding flock passed through and we had to work hard to get onto the birds, but most of us managed Black-sided Robin and Frilled Monarch. A pair of White-bellied Pitohuis came in but refused to stay still, only a couple of people getting perched views, and even they were brief. A Hooded Monarch called and came close but wouldn t show well, while Yellowbellied Gerygones stayed in the canopy. A little further on we again spotted the Hooded Monarch but some pishing to try and bring him closer instead brought in a brilliant male Golden Monarch that perched right in front of us giving everyone good views. A couple of Hooded Pittas calling nearby responded to simple imitations of their call but try as we might we couldn t entice one into full view. Only a couple of people got glimpses of one as it hopped up very briefly. Our next bird was another skulker, the gorgeous Blue Jewel-Babbler. We heard a bird calling and positioned ourselves looking down a forest trail before Jimmy was able to whistle the bird in. It took some time as the bird crept ever closer, before finally trotting quickly across the trail for everyone to see. On that note we called it a Page 7 of 63

8 morning and with our list growing returned to the boat and downstream to the lodge for lunch and a break. Packing up our gear after lunch we loaded the boat and jumped in before positioning ourselves for the next bird. The river had risen a couple of feet overnight flooding the usual viewing position so we had to stay in the boat, but we soon had the blood-red and white male King Bird-of-Paradise flitting around above our heads. It took some time but we all finally managed to get clear views of this very special bird. Heading downstream for Kiunga we stopped for a few birds including a last ditch Lowland Peltops and finally a young Common Paradise-Kingfisher. At that point we swung back on to the river and hit top speed, but that wasn t enough to outrun a deluge of biblical proportions, which persisted for more than an hour leaving us all thoroughly soaked as we arrived in Kiunga. The birding gods must have been exacting their revenge for what had been quite an incredible day. Bird of the Day: Spangled Owlet-Nightjar. DAY 5: FRIDAY, 13 TH JULY 2012 KIUNGA TO TABUBIL. We had got our hopes up when we noticed the ground was dry on our way to breakfast, but of course as soon as we got into the bus to head out to the fabled Kilometre 17 the rain started coming down. We arrived and spent a few minutes in the misty rain watching some fruit-doves come and go, managing to score our first Pink-spotted Fruit-Doves, and also a distant Pinon Imperial-Pigeon. Moving into the forest conditions were difficult. It was dark and gloomy, but as we moved towards the Greater Bird-of-Paradise display tree we could hear the birds going about their business. Unfortunately when we arrived the rain was continuing and activity at the tree was subdued. Through misty conditions and fogged optics we were able to watch the males display, but the spectacle wasn t up to its usual standard. In the meantime we managed a few other birds moving through. A Rufous-backed Fantail called around us incessantly but only a couple of people managed to see it well. A pair of Obscure Honeyeaters remained obscure high in the canopy, as did a Yellow-bellied Gerygone. Eventually we called it quits after a difficult morning and moved back out to the bus, where a pair of Yellow-streaked Lories flew over before giving us our first perched views for the trip. It was then time to head for Tabubil. We arrived at our accommodation in time for a latish lunch then it was off birding. Our first stop was the gravel pits at Kilometre 120 where the first bird was a cooperative Trumpet Manucode which gave pretty good views. We then searched for and soon found a pair of delightful Little Ringed Plovers which tottered around allowing great scope views. We moved off soon after and went to Ok Menga to commence our vigil for Salvadori s Teal. Unfortunately this afternoon the teal did not show but while we were waiting we got a few Scrub Honeyeaters and a single Spotted Honeyeater, along with a handful of cute pied Torrent Flycatchers. A Long-tailed Honey-Buzzard flew over the valley as did a few flocks of Papuan Mountain-Pigeons, before we decided to walk back along the road. It was a Page 8 of 63

9 worthwhile twenty minutes, as we picked up a trio of distant Pesquet s (Vulturine) Parrots cruising along the top of the ridge, our only sighting for the trip. As dusk settled a pair of Moustached Treeswifts careened through the valley on their impressive scythe-like wings prompting someone to vote for it as bird-of-the-day. It was then time to retire to the bus and return to Tabubil for dinner. Bird of the Day: Greater Bird-of-Paradise. DAY 6: SATURDAY, 14 TH JULY 2012 TABUBIL. It was an early start this morning as we had to be at the entrance to the Ok Menga tunnel before dawn. On arrival we could hear a couple of Jungle Hawk-Owls hooting away (also called Papuan Boobooks), and soon had one calling from close to the road. It remained hidden though so we moved on to our main target, the enigmatic Shovel-billed Kingfisher. We soon had a bird calling back to us, and then suddenly it was calling from right beside the road, within about 20 metres of where we were standing. No matter which angle we tried though we couldn t actually get eyes on the bird, and so it remained a heard only. Disappointed but hopeful of another shot tomorrow morning we returned through Tabubil and out to Dablin Creek which unfortunately is becoming more deforested each year. After an adventurous bus ride as far up the hill as we could go, we jumped out and walked to the top where our focus was a fruiting tree that was bringing in quite a few birds. We soon saw our first female Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, but she didn t hang around and was soon joined in leaving by about three others we hadn t even noticed. Luckily there were plenty of other birds to keep us occupied, with the usual Blackheaded Whistlers and Lemon-bellied Flycatchers showing well. A gorgeous male Red-breasted Pygmy- Parrot alighted in a nearby tree and after a few minutes everyone had good scope views of this delightful little parrot. A pair of Mountain Peltops arrived and flitted around for the rest of the morning and eventually Mountain Peltops is common around Tabubil. everyone got good views of a very obliging pair of Golden Cuckoo-Shrikes, plus Grayheaded and Stout-billed Cuckoo-Shrikes. A White-rumped Robin was momentarily enticed from the gloomy undergrowth beside the road while the sputtering call of a Dwarf Honeyeater was heard by all, but the bird only seen by a lucky couple. Perhaps the highlight of the morning though was great views of a male Superb Fruit-Dove sitting quietly in the fruiting tree, showing off his multi-coloured plumage to fantastic effect. After a big morning we called it quits and returned to the bus, trying for Rusty Mouse-Warbler on the way which showed for a lucky few. Page 9 of 63

10 After lunch and a break we returned to Dablin Creek to pick up one last target, and after quite a bit of searching we managed to turn up a distant female Carola s Parotia. We also had as good a view as could be expected of a high-flying Blue-collared Parrot. With the parotia in the bag we went back to Ok Menga, stopping near the exit from the tunnel where there was a bit of activity. Red-throated Myzomela was a good pick up before continuing on to the spillway to resume our vigil for the Salvadori s Teal. It looked like we would draw another blank when after an hour there had been no sign, but suddenly the shout of there it is! rang out. We frantically focused scopes, bins and cameras on the corner of the river, but the bird was not to be seen. It then popped its head out from behind a rock before slowly and carefully working its way towards us. Finally the gorgeous bird perched up on a rock allowing us all to admire it for a minute or two, before departing up the river and out of sight. Short, sweet, but so-very-exciting! Things weren t over as we picked up a White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo in the fading light before jumping in the bus to head home. We made a last ditch attempt at Shovel-billed Kingfisher on our way out but as expected it was unsuccessful. Still, it had been a good day and one of the best of the trip so far. Bird of the Day: Salvadori s Teal. DAY 7: SUNDAY, 15 TH JULY 2012 TABUBIL TO KIUNGA. It was back to the Ok Menga tunnel before dawn, this time with a little more success. We soon had a pair of Jungle Hawk-Owls calling nearby and after a little searching had scope views of them sitting next to each other low down in the forest. Unfortunately we didn t even hear the kingfisher, so it would remain on the list as a heard only. We continued through the tunnel and spent a couple of hours walking along the road to the spillway, picking up plenty of birds on the way. A tree at the top of the hill near the tunnel exit was a hotspot of activity, with a party of Red-flanked Lorikeets feeding actively and our local guide Jimmy picked out a couple of smaller Pygmy Lorikeets, an unexpected bonus. Unfortunately they were very active and not everyone was able to get satisfactory views. A pair of Black-capped Lories flew into the tree momentarily giving our best views yet before heading off. A White-bellied Thicket-Fantail called but wouldn t come out and a Blackbilled Cuckoo-Dove streaked past, perching momentarily but only a few people got onto it. As we moved along the road we got better views than yesterday of White-eared Bronze- Cuckoo, and a Variable Pitohui made a brief appearance. A pair of Lesser Black Coucals called from the undergrowth but only one of us got to see the flick of a tail as the bird slipped away. Another White-bellied Thicket-Fantail called by the road but this one was more cooperative, and everyone got reasonable views, including the white tail tips. A calling Emperor Fairywren caught our attention with a few of the group lucky to be looking at exactly the right spot where the stunning male popped out before disappearing. Finally at the spillway we saw some more Torrent Flycatchers, but not the hoped for Torrent-larks, and no Salvadori s Teal. We left Ok Menga and made our way over to Dablin Creek for a final quick stop which netted us better views of both female Magnificent Birds-of-Paradise and Page 10 of 63

11 Carola s Parotia before returning to Tabubil for an early lunch and then departure for Kiunga. We arrived at Kilometre 17 around 3:30pm, and after watching a few Pink-spotted Fruit- Doves around the road headed into the forest hoping for a better show from the Greater Birds-of-Paradise. On the way in we heard a Hooded Pitta which was enticed across the track on a couple of occasions, but only for very brief flight views. We also scored a small party of New Guinea Babblers, a catch-up bird for a few of the group. We made it to the lek and in good weather had a couple of male Greater Birds-of-Paradise bouncing around, but they soon left the tree and continued calling from the surrounding forest. While waiting quietly for the activity to restart we were surprised by a pair of male birds-of-paradise that came crashing down through the canopy, clasping each other s feet before letting go only metres above our heads and darting off through the forest. This drew our attention to a couple of young males practicing their displays, but without any females to impress things weren t in full swing. We bided our time until finally a couple of females arrived and sent the males in to the requisite frenzy with about five or six heading straight to the display tree and bouncing around, their bright yellow flank plumes fully fluffed and thrust out while calling incessantly and flicking their wings. Finally, it was views worthy of such a fantastic bird. Sated, we left the lek and hadn t gone far when a Hooded Pitta was spotted bouncing off the trail. This time we lined up along the trail while the bird was called out, giving a fly-by worthy of an airshow as it passed within metres of the throng of spectators, giving a tilt of the wings as it passed by to show off the sky-blue wing patches. The last bird of the afternoon was a Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeon, another catch-up bird which all of the group were happy to get to grips with. On that note we called it quits for the day, returning to Kiunga to prepare for our trip to the highlands. Bird of the Day: Greater Bird-of-Paradise. DAY 8: MONDAY, 16 TH JULY 2012 KIUNGA TO...KIUNGA. With the rain holding off, we departed after an early breakfast to have another crack at Boystown Road before our flight up into the Central Highlands. On the way we made a stop at the edge of the airport where we had barely formed a line and stepped off, when two Red-backed Buttonquails were spotted scurrying through the grass. Luckily we were right near a cleared area, and everyone got good views of these fantastic little birds which are usually seen as they flush from under your feet. Continuing on to Boystown Road we established our sentry post on Flame Knoll and commenced piquet duty, waiting for Flame Bowerbird. Although we had seen many of the birds already, it proved to be a good morning for getting better views of some species. A Zoe Imperial-Pigeon perched nicely in the open, while a couple of Black-capped Lories passed low overhead then perched nearby in a flurry of color, prompting someone to suggest a more appropriate name would be Black-capped Page 11 of 63

12 Awfully Red Lory. A Gray-headed Goshawk was also spotted some way down the road in a tree and performed its undulating display flight along the road towards us. Eventually the shout of Flame Bowerbird! went up, but with the male disappearing from view and most people not looking in the right direction only a couple of us were lucky to get on it. We waited though and just as a Plain Honeyeater arrived nearby our local guide Jimmy spotted another bowerbird, probably the same one, on its way back across the road. Again it was very quick, but this time the bird perched in a distant tree and most of the group were able to get views through the scope although it was tough to see among leaves. Unfortunately the bird dropped out of view before everyone got a look, and was destined not to return. We picked up one more new bird for the trip when a Meyer s Friarbird which had been calling during the morning finally came by to say hello, and we had another crack at Emperor Fairywren with everyone this time getting eyes on the little blue streak. We jumped back in the bus after a fairly successful morning and returned to Kiunga where we completed packing and loaded up for our trip to the airport and onwards to the Central Highlands. Unfortunately things didn t go quite as planned. On arrival at the airport we were told our flight wasn t going as Airlines PNG was now operating a new flight schedule. When did this change happen? Yesterday was the helpful reply. Either way, with no plane to take us to Mount Hagen we had to settle in for another night in Kiunga, but not before a little bit of musical hotel rooms made sure everyone was in a good mood. Now with an afternoon to kill those of us that were not ready for some quiet time decided to make one more attempt at Long-billed Cuckoo on Boystown Road. We didn t find the cuckoo or indeed any new birds for the list, but in the lovely afternoon light we did get nice looks at some old favourites. Several parties of Yellow-streaked Lories and Red-cheeked Parrots flew by while Beautiful Fruit-Dove was scoped up after only reasonable views before this. Pink-spotted and Orange-bellied Fruit-Doves both posed nicely, and a Moustached Treeswift sat stationary in a distant tree while a Yellow-billed Kingfisher was heard calling but wouldn t show itself. With the shadows lengthening and everyone one rung out after a hard slog in the lowlands, we returned to Kiunga via the airport and a nice sighting of White-shouldered Fairywren before dinner, beer and hopes that tomorrow we would be on our way. Bird of the Day: Flame Bowerbird. DAY 9: TUESDAY, 17 TH JULY 2012 KIUNGA TO...KUMUL LODGE! We had been moved to an early morning flight from Kiunga to Mount Hagen, so with a little trepidation we arrived at the airport in the hope this would be our day. A surprise was a small flock of Sooty Terns flying around, a long, long way from the nearest ocean and clearly feeling the effects as they landed on the tarmac exhausted. An airport guard was even able to walk up to one immature bird and pick it up. Later after the trip was finished I was told Page 12 of 63

13 another group in Kiunga on the same day had recorded a Wedge-tailed Shearwater, so clearly something funny was going on. At first it seemed we may have hit another road block as the airline staff attempted to bump us another day, but a little enthusiastic negotiation saw us all issued with boarding passes, and sure enough we were on our way to Mount Hagen with a quick stop enroute in Tabubil. On arrival we were met by the friendly staff of Kumul Lodge and after some concern about road blockages due to elections, trees falling on buses and possible unruly mobs (we heard all three stories but who knows which if any were true) we finally arrived at the fabled Kumul Lodge, dumped our bags and headed straight for the feeding table. Someone commented that perhaps this was the fastest rate at which they had ever added to their life list as within only a minute we had seen Brehm s Tiger-Parrot, Smoky Honeyeater, Island Thrush, Belford s Melidectes, White-winged Robin, Rufous-naped Whistler and after only a few more minutes, Crested Berrypecker, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, Brown Sicklebill, and a scruffy young Regent Whistler. Always a favourite at the Kumul Lodge feeding table Brehm s Tiger-Parrot. We had to drag ourselves away to lunch then it was off to check out our rooms before hitting the lodge trails. Our target was a Kumul specialty and our local guide Max took us straight to a spot in the forest where a fruiting tree had one very spectacular attendant, a male Crested Satinbird. He sat quietly in the foliage and allowed everyone scope views of his beautiful orange and black plumage. Returning to the lodge a couple of people were Page 13 of 63

14 lucky enough to pick up a Lesser Melampitta flitting off the trail, before it was back to enjoy the comings and goings of the feeding table with the addition of our first Friendly Fantails, Black-backed Honeyeaters in the garden and a male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, unfortunately with only about a quarter of his magnificent tail. With dusk settling we trooped down to the bus for a journey of only a couple of minutes to a road bend where we would try for Archbold s Nightjar. We heard a distant bird, but had probably arrived a little late, so returned to the lodge for dinner without success. After a delicious dinner we trooped back down the drive to try for a couple of the owlet-nightjars Kumul is famous for. Although we had a Mountain Owlet-Nightjar circling us and doing his best impression of a squeaking rubber toy, the bird refused to show itself so it was back to the lodge and off to bed in preparation for a big day tomorrow. Bird of the Day: Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. DAY 10: WEDNESDAY, 18 TH JULY 2012 KUMUL LODGE. This Mountain Owlet-Nightjar was sitting at eye level waiting for us to find him early in the morning at Kumul Lodge. Most of the group were up before dawn to try for night birds again, having been woken at some point during the night by the squeaking of Mountain Owlet-Nightjars foraging around the lodge. We met with immediate success, and without even having to try playback found a very confiding Mountain Owlet- Nightjar sitting low down in a small tree and giving extended views. Incredibly, within a few minutes we also had a Feline Owlet-Nightjar perched in a high tree, but still allowing us to watch him for a minute or two before he disappeared into the forest. Our amazing luck with owlet-nightjars was continuing, with the pressure now firmly on Daniel to produce a Barred Owlet-Nightjar in Varirata later in the trip to complete the set! Page 14 of 63

15 We had finished all this in only 30 minutes so had some time to kill before breakfast at 6:00am, then at 6:30am it was into the bus and off to Tonga. Normally we would go for Lesser Bird-of-Paradise on our first morning, but the usual lek was inaccessible; depending on who you asked this was variously due to election troubles, the lodge not paying the landowners suitable access fees or collapsed bridges. There was another possible site where the birds could be seen very distantly, but with only one morning I did not want to waste it on a possible so decided to go for a probable. After arriving at Tonga we climbed a hillside to the sound of both Superb and Blue Birds-of-Paradise calling to advertise their presence, and after reaching a good viewpoint we started scanning the hillside for the birds. A male Superb was found quite easily, flaring his cravat for all to see, but the Blue proved much more difficult. We did briefly have a female sitting up in the scope, but that doesn t really count does it? Finally after nearly an hour of scanning and moving around to get a better vantage point the male popped up into view at the top of the ridge and finally allowed extended scope views. He was quite a long distance away but his beautiful plumage including flank plumes and tail streamers could still be seen in the scope. With our quarry in the bag we returned to the bus and pressed on for our next bird. We crossed the Lai River and stopped on the hillside above the river for some roadside birding. Moving in off the road we soon found a small party of Hooded Munias, a new bird for the trip. Over the next few minutes we also scored Tawny (Papuan) Grassbird, and a couple of dashing Ornate Melidectes to complement the Yellow-browed Melidectes we had found at Tonga. We had to wait a little longer for our target to show up but when it did everyone was very happy with the result a nice Yellow-breasted Bowerbird perched up showing off his yellow breast and looking much more attractive than the illustration. With the morning getting on we left and made our way back towards Kumul, making a couple of stops on the way. At some flowering shrubs we picked up a gorgeous male Mountain Myzomela, but he was quickly trumped by a stunning male Red-collared Myzomela that sat in the open and allowed everyone great views. Finally, scouring the trees by the roadside as we climbed to the lodge produced our last new bird for the morning, a very nice Yellowbilled Lorikeet. After lunch and a bit more time in front of the feeding table we loaded up the bus again and were back down slope, climbing a steep and slippery trail up to a viewpoint over a thickly forested valley. Almost immediately after arriving an insect-like call alerted us to a dashing male King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise who had popped up onto his display perch to show his wares. Over the next hour or so we got great views as he repeatedly climbed up to call, his antennae waving in the breeze. We were also treated to plenty of other comings and goings to a couple of fruiting trees. A male Brown Sicklebill, his machinegun-like call announcing his presence, eventually showed well. A few of us were lucky to pick up a brief view of a female Spotted Berrypecker, and a party of colourful Tit Berrypeckers passed through. A Loria s Satinbird was another good get while Plum-faced Lorikeets whizzed past several times, perching once briefly but too quickly for most of us. Finally we had to leave Page 15 of 63

16 and on the return trip we ran into a party of very vocal Orange-crowned Fairywrens. Incredibly they managed to remain hidden from most of the group beneath the thick bamboo, even though they sounded like they were within touching distance. We returned to the lodge with still half-an-hour until dusk, so decided on a wander down the driveway. It turned out to be a lucky decision as just after leaving the car park a dark shape was spotted scurrying off into the forest. After a quick sprint to reposition, a beater moved into the small patch of forest from the opposite side and herded a secretive Dusky Woodcock back towards the crowd. A few lucky viewers saw it on the ground then most of the group got to see it flush and fly across the road. This sequence was repeated with most people getting tickable views of this very difficult species. Hoping our luck would hold, a few hardy souls decided to go again for the Archbold s Nightjar before dinner. Back at the same road corner as darkness settled it seemed we were out of luck when Max, our local guide, spotted a dark shape settled on the road. The torch revealed eyeshine as we moved towards it but of course a truck came along at that exact moment and we saw the Archbold s Nightjar flush from the road, not to return. Still, that wasn t a bad note on which to end the day. After dinner the people that had missed the morning owlet-nightjar trip went out again but without success. Of course after returning to our rooms Mountain Owlet-Nightjars were heard calling around the huts. A search proved fruitless but did find a very cute Mountain Cuscus sitting quietly in a tree. Bird of the Day: King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise. DAY 11: THURSDAY, 19 TH JULY 2012 KUMUL LODGE TO AMBUA LODGE. Today was primarily a travel day as we took a bus from Kumul across to the Tari Valley and our base for the next few days, Ambua Lodge. Still, after breakfast and a last few minutes watching the feeding table we squeezed in 30 minutes of birding around the lodge. It was worthwhile as we picked up Mountain Mouse-Warbler foraging quietly in the garden and a party of Papuan Scrubwrens moving through the undergrowth. A family of three Crested Berrypeckers including one dependent young were a nice find, while many of the overflying lorikeets were just too quick. From a vantage point beside the lodge we were able to get some extended views of these fast-flying parrots in flight and a few of us were able to make out the purple heads of Goldie s Lorikeets streaking down the valley. We boarded the bus at about 7:30am and got on our way to Tari, a fairly long and arduous trip with few birds. One stop produced Mountain Myzomela and Buff-faced Scrubwren but otherwise it was just Black Kites until we approached Tari Gap. Here we picked up Eastern (Papuan) Marsh-Harrier soaring overhead, and the raptor theme continued with a young Black-mantled Goshawk dashing across the road as we entered the valley giving good views to those lucky enough to be looking out the front. After nearly ten hours in the bus we were very happy to arrive at Ambua Lodge, and even happier to dump our bags and spend the last few minutes looking around the grounds and enjoying the beautiful view. Great Page 16 of 63

17 Woodswallows soared over the manicured lawns of the lodge and several Yellow-billed Lorikeets arrived in some fruiting trees giving good views. Things from the helipad were quiet so it was back to our rooms for a much needed shower before our delicious dinner. It was then time for bed before our three-day assault on the Tari Valley. Bird of the Day: Eastern (Papuan) Marsh-Harrier. DAY 12: FRIDAY, 20 TH JULY 2012 TARI VALLEY. We were excited to get into a full day of birding in the Tari Valley and decided to spend the first hour in the lodge grounds watching some fruiting trees that had been bringing in a few birds-of-paradise. On arrival after breakfast there were already birds present with most getting their first good look at Loria s Satinbird as a couple of nice males chased each other around. A female Superb Bird-of-Paradise was soon joined by a female Brown Sicklebill before our first new bird for the trip arrived, a female Princess Stephanie s Astrapia (maybe my favourite bird name in the world). Otherwise things were quieter than previous years and this would be noticed throughout the valley. We left the lodge and moved up the road a ways before getting out for some roadside birding. We soon found a male Princess Stephanie s Astrapia complete with stupendously long tail feathers, while a party of Black Sitellas moved quickly across the road. Papuan Treecreeper and Mountain Kingfisher were both heard while Canary Flycatcher was spotted in a roadside tree. Blue-capped Ifritas are fairly common in the highlands. The cap is much bluer than the field guide it almost sparkles! We moved further up the valley to 7 Corners where we spent a while wandering the road to see what we could pick up. Plum-faced Lorikeets seemed to be constantly overhead but were very difficult to get good views of, as where a few pairs of Papuan Lorikeet. A small party of Blue-capped Ifritas moved through allowing everyone fantastic views of this adorable bird and its sparkling blue cap; another bird the field guide does no justice to. We moved in off the road to try a few skulkers and met with immediate success as a Lesser Melampitta approached through the undergrowth before moving around us and giving everyone fantastic views of this shy bird. We must have used up all our luck though because both Lesser Ground-Robin and Northern Logrunner were heard, and only the ground-robin seen briefly by two lucky viewers. Continuing along the trail we found a fruiting schefflera tree with both Black-backed and Black-throated Honeyeaters which were Page 17 of 63

18 soon replaced by a cracking black morph Papuan Lorikeet that everyone watched for several minutes, marvelling at the long tail. Moving back up to the road we found a trio of Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoos which perched up nicely before we decided to call it quits for the morning and return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch a quick trip to the helipad proved fortuitous as a nice Short-tailed Paradigalla was spotted on the opposite slope of the valley giving good views through the scope. It was then back out to the road where we spent some time birding the lower valley. Immediately after leaving the gates we stopped for a party of Hooded Cuckoo-Shrikes which put on quite a show chasing each other through the canopy, sitting still long enough for everyone to get good views. We tried hard for Mottled Whistler which came in and called but remained frustratingly reclusive, only two people getting any sort of views. A more obliging Brownbacked Whistler was a consolation prize with everyone seeing him well. Moving off the road we tried for one of the valley s most wanted skulkers and got an almost immediate response from a Spotted Jewel-Babbler. The bird came in quickly and crossed a narrow trail before popping up briefly on a log where only a couple of people got split second views. After a tantalising wait he peeked over the log again before showing himself one more time on top of the log then again as he re-crossed the narrow trail. Only two people in the group missed him, which given the difficulty of this bird meant we were quite lucky. This amazing King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise was displaying just beside the road giving us great views. From the jewel-babbler it was up to Benson s Trail where things were fairly quiet. An Ashy Robin was seen by one person as it passed in the gloom of the forest but otherwise activity levels were low. As a reward for effort though we had great views of a male King-of-Saxony Birdof-Paradise displaying on his pole just beside the road. We continued up to the top of the valley as darkness fell and spent some time perusing the grasslands near Tari Gap looking for Australasian Grass- Owl but unsurprisingly dipped. We returned to the lodge for dinner only to find that one member of the group who had stayed behind feeling a little out-ofsorts had been treated to a fly past by a New Guinea Eagle, unfortunately the only sighting during the entire trip. Bird of the Day: Blue-capped Ifrita. Page 18 of 63

19 DAY 13: SATURDAY, 21 ST JULY 2012 TARI VALLEY. We left the lodge as day was breaking to head up to the Tari Gap, lured by the promise of a fruiting tree which had been bringing in a few goodies. After picking up Long-tailed Shrike on the way nearly the first bird on arrival at the tree was a female Sanford s Bowerbird. This was shortly followed by a brilliant male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia complete with tail streamers undulating past like some sort of rhythmic gymnast. There were plenty of other birds around to be seen and over the next hour or so we racked up Dimorphic Fantail, Blackthroated Honeyeater and our second party of Black Sitellas for the trip. A Garnet Robin called but did not show itself while a male Regent Whistler was more obliging. We returned to 7 Corners where we jumped out of the bus and worked our way down the road. We moved off the road onto one of the trails to try for a couple of skulkers but after a few attempts it looked like we might dip again. As we neared the road a Lesser Ground- Robin called nearby and finally after some effort nearly everyone got reasonable views of this slippery little critter. Deciding to try for Northern Logrunner again we were surprised when after only a few seconds of playback one popped up momentarily right next to us. Unfortunately that was about it. We pursued them for some time and had them calling very close but they would not reveal themselves, leaving only a couple of people with tickable views of this very tough bird. Back on the road we continued to walk downhill and got a few more birds for our efforts including a small flock of Mountain Gerygones. With lunch approaching we jumped in the bus and headed back towards the lower valley to try for a couple of birds. Moving off the road onto a short trail we soon had a very difficult bird, Papuan Treecreeper, feeding quietly in a tree right beside us and giving everyone extended scope views. We next tried to call in a Blue-gray Robin and after only a couple of minutes had two of these very dapper birds perched up in front of us. A young Sclater s Whistler passed by, so on a winning note we decided to call it quits for lunch. After lunch it was time for our obligatory visit to the Greater Sooty-Owl roost, a well known site downhill from Ambua where a local farmer has a resident owl roosting in a tree on his property. It turned into a bit of a cultural experience as we passed through the busy Saturday markets, with the entire town turned out it seemed and all waving to the visitors. We arrived at the farm and soon attracted a posse of curious children who would let us pass by them on the skinny farm trail before suddenly appearing in front of us again after scrambling through hedges and fields to keep at the front of the group, giggling and pointing the whole way much to our (and their) amusement. We arrived at the roost tree and were just able to make out the top of a Greater Sooty-Owl head before the owner retreated deeper into her hollow. The farmer then went through his well-drilled routine, scraping the bottom of the tree until the resident owl shuffled up in the hollow, took a look outside and decided there wasn t much happening of interest before retiring back out of sight. We returned to the bus much to the disappointment of the children but happy with our efforts which had also included Cicadabird and Island Leaf-Warbler. With the afternoon getting on Page 19 of 63

20 we decided to take things easy and try the lodge trails to see what we could find. We were hoping for a Wattled Ploughbill which didn t eventuate. We did find a Rufous Shrike-Thrush but not much else. After a long day we called it quits allowing us to get dinner early and then it was off to bed in preparation for our final day in the Tari Valley. Bird of the Day: Greater Sooty-Owl. The world s most twitched Greater Sooty-Owl? She only put in a short appearance, but it was enough to be voted as bird of the day. DAY 14: SUNDAY, 22 ND JULY 2012 TARI VALLEY. After nearly a week in the highlands we had been steadily getting through our list of required birds, and with only one day left most of the easy stuff was out of the way and we were focusing on a specific hit list. First cab off the rank was hopefully Garnet Robin which we had heard yesterday but not seen. We got an early start and headed for 7 Corners where we birded the road, listening for the distinctive descending song of this sought after bird. We eventually picked one up and had it coming towards us when two unfortunate events coincided. A noisy lorry cruising past with obligatory horn honking and a pair of Page 20 of 63

21 territorial Dimorphic Fantails colluded to send the robin back into the forest not to be seen again. Unfortunately only one of the group got anything more than unsatisfactory flight views. After trying a while longer we eventually had to give up on the robin and be happy with the appearance it had made. We headed down the valley to Benson s Trail and trudged in to the clearing. Here we found a nice Fan-tailed Cuckoo sitting up on a snag and calling away as well as a great male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia with complete tail plumes. Our next bird was a complete surprise when after a minute or two of playback an absolutely stonking male Wattled Ploughbill appeared at the forest edge and proceeded to investigate. For more than a minute he flitted around, leaving everyone gasping at his brilliant pink wattles which are much more impressive than the field guide indicates. It was easily the best views of this bird I have ever had and it left everyone quite chuffed. Our luck continued as another of our target birds fell, a very obliging pair of Black-throated Robins. An Ashy Robin called deep in the forest but wouldn t come to the edge so we decided to return to the road. The male King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise was back on his display post and we also picked up our best views so far of Black-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike. We continued to bird our way down the valley, but apart from responses from Mountain Kingfisher didn t pick up anything that we needed. We called an early stop for lunch and kicked off again around 3pm. Birding the road above the lodge didn t produce anything we hadn t already seen, with Princess Stephanie s Astrapia and Canary Flycatcher. We tried fruitlessly for Mottled Whistler and without hope had another go at Mountain Kingfisher when suddenly we got a response from right beside the road. We searched anxiously but couldn t find the bird until it exploded from the trees and crossed the road, everyone praying it would stop. It perched high up in a roadside tree and after some frantic repositioning everyone got brief scope views before a passing truck sent the bird back to whence it came, but leaving an elated crowd behind! Hoping our luck would hold we descended past the lodge to check out an allegedly fruiting tree, our only lead so far on possible Lawe s Parotia. After a quick trip to town to pick up the tree s owner we got in for a look, but apart from a distant Collared Sparrowhawk found nothing of note. By this stage it was quite late and with most of the group happy to finish for the night a few hardy souls decided to try one more time for Ashy Robin at Benson s Trail. Except for a Mountain Mouse-Warbler at the start of the trail it was 20 minutes of near misses as we entered a clearing to surprise a Northern Logrunner up off the trail, very unexpectedly foraging in the open. Unfortunately no one managed to get onto it as it dove for cover, but it started calling loudly right from the edge of the forest. Of course we couldn t see it though and to make matters worse an Ashy Robin was calling from just inside the forest as well. Try as we might we couldn t lure either bird into the open and with darkness descending along with rain we had to call it quits for the day and return to Ambua for dinner. Bird of the Day: Wattled Ploughbill. Page 21 of 63

22 DAY 15: MONDAY, 23 RD JULY 2012 AMBUA LODGE TO PORT MORESBY. We woke on our final morning in the Tari Valley to heavy skies, steady rain and thick fog. With only an hour or two to bird before we had to leave for Tari and our flight back to Port Moresby, a few of us decided to return to the fruiting tree to try and find Lawe s Parotia while the rest of the group decided the dry cabins were a more inviting option. Below the lodge the fog would clear momentarily before coming in again and there was certainly no activity that suggested the parotia would be arriving soon. We did get a nice female Blue Bird-of-Paradise, a Capped White-eye and a very brief Papuan King-Parrot fly-by, but with nothing except the harsh grating of a parotia far below in the valley we decided to return to the lodge. On the way back we scanned the surrounding trees until someone shouted sicklebill!. Screeching to a halt we jumped out to watch a male Black Sicklebill sitting up on his display perch only a hundred metres from the road. We also spotted some movement below him and sure enough a female popped out of the canopy onto his display snag. Straight away he was into action with the epaulettes on his shoulders erected over his head to form a hood and his whole body straightened out to form a most unnatural shape. He then commenced his spaceship display, rocking side-to-side on his perch! We watched in excitement, but after about a minute the female didn t seem too interested (perhaps it was just a young male) and he gave up, returning to preening. Still, it was a minute none of us would forget and for the lucky few who had braved the conditions, a highlight of the trip. On getting back to the lodge we found that the home team had of course had a stellar morning at the fruiting trees, with a list including White-breasted Fruit-Dove, Spotted Berrypecker, Princess Stephanie s Astrapia, Superb Bird-of-Paradise and of course a female Lawe s Parotia. Luckily this one had hung around allowing the returning party to get onto it before we had to load up the bus and leave for Tari. With an hour or so to wait at the airport we picked up Australasian Pipit and Hooded Munias on the grass, but those would be our last real birds for the day as our flight left on time for Port Moresby and we decided to have a quiet afternoon resting up for our final push on the mainland, Varirata National Park. Bird of the Day: Black Sicklebill. DAY 16: TUESDAY, 24 TH JULY 2012 VARIRATA NATIONAL PARK. It was a very early start as we needed to make it to Varirata NP for daybreak, and just as the light was starting to peek through we arrived at the main picnic area where we spent an hour or so watching the surrounding trees. A pair of Yellow-faced Mynas reminded us we were no longer in the highlands, as did a trio of Pink-spotted Fruit-Doves, and a fruiting tree at the edge of the clearing attracted a party of Boyer s Cuckoo-Shrikes which would return on and off throughout the day. A small feeding flock moved past the edge of the clearing and produced Fairy Gerygone, Frilled Monarch and Chestnut-bellied Fantail, while a pair of Variable Kingfishers was heard calling just out of sight. Page 22 of 63

23 With activity in the clearing starting to reduce we moved onto the Treehouse Trail and almost immediately got going on our first skulker. A Northern Scrub-Robin was heard calling and after an excruciating time bringing it slowly closer it seemed to be calling on top of us. Of course we picked up little more than a flick of a wing here or there until finally for only a couple of lucky members of the group it was spotted flitting through some brush before disappearing; a pretty typical scrub-robin experience. Our next target was a Varirata specialty and boy did it deliver. A pair of Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfishers was called in and after some searching one of them was found sitting quietly in the canopy allowing extended scope views and photos for everyone. Unsurprisingly this would turn out to be bird of the day. Continuing up to the treehouse things were fairly quiet with wind picking up and not much bird activity. We had a crack at our next skulker and very quickly got a The very attractive Brown-headed Paradise- Kingfisher. He was difficult to find but once found gave us great views. response from a Painted Quail-Thrush. After repositioning the group the bird was enticed to the edge of a clearing where it poked its head up, was spotted by a lucky few, then just as quickly ran off. The rest of us moved to another vantage point where we would hopefully get longer views, and sure enough the bird was spotted intermittently through the thick undergrowth walking along the sides of a gully. Still not everyone had seen it though, but a final try was too much and a couple of the group unfortunately missed out. An attempt at the final skulker, Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler, drew a blank before we moved down from the treehouse and tried to track down a pair of calling Black-billed Brush-Turkeys. They seemed to be calling only metres away but always remained one step ahead of us. We did happen on a small feeding flock and brief views of our first Spot-winged Monarch and Pale-billed Scrubwrens but nothing else of interest. A calling Magnificent Riflebird frustrated our attempts to find it and only one of us got onto a White-faced Robin which popped up briefly. We returned to the clearing for a quick break and good views of Hooded Pitohui before one more lap of the Treehouse Trail. The only new bird was a pair of New Guinea Cuckoo-Shrikes so we returned to the clearing for lunch. Page 23 of 63

24 He was a bit shy at first, but eventually the Barred Owlet-Nightjar popped up to keep our perfect record with owletnightjars in tact. Our lunch break was interrupted a couple of times by activity around the clearing including another feeding flock which had Spot-winged Monarch, Green-backed Honeyeaters, Blackwinged Monarch and our first Yellowbreasted Boatbill. The fruiting tree also attracted a couple of Black-fronted Whiteeyes, a very attractive little bird. After a sort of break (I guess you never really stop birding in Varirata) we headed for the Lookout Trail where things were very quiet. We didn t actually add any new birds until nearly the end where one of Varirata s old favourites performed on cue. A very cute little Barred Owlet-Nightjar popped its head up from a roost hollow, had a look around, smiled for the cameras then shuffled back out of sight. That completed an amazing five out of five owlet-nightjars for the trip, not just five recorded, or four seen and a guide only, but extended perched views of all five species possible on this itinerary. Our good luck continued as a Yellow-billed Kingfisher called nearby and after some searching was finally found and scoped much to everyone s delight. With the afternoon wearing on we returned to the clearing via the Raggiana Bird-of- Paradise lek where there wasn t much happening, and picked up two new birds to finish off our time in the park. A Black Myzomela showed briefly before flying off but the highlight was a male Magnificent Riflebird who perched up on a high snag in the afternoon sun, growling and showing off his blue-green gorget. On that note we left the park but the birding wasn t finished yet. We stopped in the open eucalypt woodland just outside the park to pick up a few new birds, mostly Australian species such as White-throated Honeyeater, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch and Barred Cuckoo-Shrike, but we did add a final endemic for the day, White-bellied Whistler. We then called curtains on a long day and returned to Port Moresby for dinner and a rest before our final day of the main tour. Bird of the Day: Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher. DAY 17: WEDNESDAY, 25 TH JULY 2012 VARIRATA NATIONAL PARK. Like yesterday we were up early to get to Varirata NP, with our first tick of the day a mammal. Someone with sharp eyes had managed to see a Spotted Cuscus (a type of possum-like marsupial) climbing a roadside tree and we were all able to get brief looks as it disappeared into the canopy. On arrival at Varirata the news was bad, with a strong wind removing any chances we had of watching displaying male Raggiana Birds-of-Paradise. A couple were heard calling and one flew past but our bad luck with displaying BOPs Page 24 of 63

25 continued. Still there were more birds to be seen so we returned to the clearing where there was another Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove to greet us and we had our best views for the trip of a pair of perched Red-cheeked Parrots. We decided to walk the creek trail so headed down that way and at a fruiting tree found a bit of activity with a couple of people able to get onto the usually shy Rusty Pitohui while a Crested Pitohui called nearby. Variable Kingfishers were heard but were very difficult to see, streaking up and down the creek like tiny blue exocet missiles. Continuing into the forest we found another fruiting tree which had a number of beautiful Common Green Birdwing butterflies in attendance as well as several Black Myzomelas, a catch up bird from yesterday for a few people. Some of us were even lucky enough to finally get onto Dwarf Honeyeater which had been calling incessantly both yesterday and this morning. Unfortunately the wind made it very difficult to hear many birds and as we moved along the trails things seemed quiet. Attempts at Red-bellied Pitta and Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler drew blanks although we did get a response from Painted Quail-Thrush as we cut across to the Treehouse Trail from the creek. Descending from the treehouse we finally picked up a few birds including our first Black Berrypecker and most of us got another nice look at Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher sitting quietly in the understorey. A feeding flock came through which held several lovely male Fairy Gerygones and also allowed everyone in the group to finally tick Spot-winged Monarch. A Yellow-bellied Gerygone was mercifully low in the canopy giving most of us much better looks than previously around Kiunga. A Whitefaced Robin showed briefly but unfortunately not everyone got it which is unusual for this often cooperative bird. Moving back out to the clearing we had a rest for a while before deciding to cruise up the Lookout Trail to finish the morning. It turned out to be a good decision as we came across a nice flock not far up the trail and heard the strident call of the highly sought after Dwarf Whistler. He was a tricky customer but eventually most of us were being wowed by the beautiful bright yellow underparts and dark cap of this fantastic little bird. Continuing up the trail a couple of people got very brief views of another pair of Painted Quail-Thrush flushed from the side of the track and we heard a Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler but couldn t elicit a response. With lunch upon us we returned to the clearing for a break as the day was heating up and were lucky to have a Great Cuckoo-Dove fly by while we were sitting around eating our sandwiches, a bird which had eluded most of the group until now. After lunch we made one more turn along the Treehouse Trail getting Black Berrypecker for the few that had missed it but not adding any other birds to the list. From there it was down to the creek again where after much to-ing and fro-ing a couple of people finally got eyes on a Variable Kingfisher but unfortunately most of the group saw nothing but the usual blue streak. With the afternoon wearing on and the bird activity dying down we decided to give the Boundary Trail a crack but unsurprisingly things were fairly quiet there too. We then reluctantly bid Varirata farewell after what has to be said was a relatively quiet couple of Page 25 of 63

26 days in a park that when on song can easily soak up two day s birding. Still, there was one more bird for us to get so it was down to the Kokoda Monument to try for Grand Munias. We positioned ourselves overlooking a grassy valley and waited for the birds to show, getting a couple of false starts with some Gray-headed Munias feeding in the area. Fawnbreasted Bowerbirds regularly passed back and forth while Rainbow Bee-eaters foraged and a rare slaty-phase Variable Goshawk posed nicely in a tree for good views. Finally after it seemed we would dip a single Grand Munia was spotted on the opposite side of the valley, and after much consternation was finally put in the scope. Not everyone got good views before the bird flew but with ten sets of eyes searching it was eventually found again and everybody was able to add it to their list. Perhaps it was a fitting end to a Papua New Guinea trip; a nice bird that is difficult to find, tricky to see well and left most of us wanting better views. Bird of the Day: Dwarf Whistler. And so the main tour came to a close. It had been a tough trip and typical for Papua New Guinea with some logistical challenges, a few frustrations, many great birds including some cooperative species and of course some not-so-cooperative species that left us wanting more. Over our final dinner at the Holiday Inn we completed our lists, remembered some of the great birds we d seen, and cast our votes for bird of the trip with everyone giving a 3, 2, 1 to their top three birds. After the votes were tallied we ended up with a surprise dead heat between Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and Wattled Ploughbill. It goes to show the circumstances in which you see the bird count for a lot, with the ploughbill seemingly no competition for the astrapia. After the point blank views we had though, everyone agreed the gorgeous male ploughbill was a worthy winner. Second place went to the very cute Spangled Owlet-Nightjar while third place was another tie between two of those quintessential PNG birds, King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise and Southern Crowned Pigeon. NEW BRITAIN EXTENSION DAY 18: THURSDAY, 26 TH JULY 2012 PORT MORESBY TO WALINDI PLANTATION RESORT. It was a very early start as we all left the Holiday Inn at 4:00am to either make a return flight to Australia, or for five of the group, continue on to New Britain for our four day extension. We arrived at Hoskins airport where our first birds were a couple of Singing Starlings sitting on the airport terminal then it was into our van and off to Walindi Plantation Resort on the shores of Kimbe Bay. We were still driving around the airfield perimeter when a pair of Bluebreasted (King) Quail shot across the front of the car but it wasn t until the end of the drive we got our next bird, a small party of neat Bismarck (Buff-bellied) Munias, our first endemic. Pushing on to the resort breakfast was waiting for us so we tucked in before heading off to our private bungalows to relax for the morning. Page 26 of 63

27 We met for lunch then had another hour or so waiting for the midday heat to diminish a little before setting out to bird the gardens. There was a pair of Collared Kingfishers around and we also scored Red-banded Flowerpecker, Ashy Myzomela and great views of perched Moustached Treeswift. We then loaded up our 4WD and set out with local guide Joseph to the nearest birding spot, Kilu Ridge. After a short trip up a bumpy 4WD track we dismounted and started the walk up to the ridge. We soon had more new birds with a very pretty pair of Purple-bellied Lories feeding in a coconut palm while Blue-eyed Cockatoos flew past. Joseph took us straight to a stakeout for our next new bird, the sought after New Britain Hawk-Owl which was roosting quietly in a tall tree. From there it was up to a lookout point, where we watched the first of what would be hundreds of bright Eclectus Parrots flying back-and-forth, checking nest hollows and generally being noisy. The distinctive screech of this parrot is the backbeat of the New Britain soundtrack. Knob-billed Fruit-Dove is one of several pigeons we saw only on New Britain. Moving on up the ridge a little further we had our first of many Redknobbed Imperial-Pigeons giving good views and we also spotted our first Knob-billed Fruit-Doves with one bird feeding close in a fruiting tree. A few New Britain Friarbirds bounced around while a couple of parties of Singing Parrots passed overhead. A pair of these parrots landed but only briefly, so not everyone was able to get them in the scope. A couple more Blue-eyed Cockatoos played around in some nearby trees while enormous Greater Flyingfoxes passed by occasionally including one mother with an infant clinging to her belly. As the activity started to decrease we moved back down to the first viewpoint from where we could see a party of Torresian Imperial-Pigeons gathering in the crown of a tall tree to roost; here they are the distinctive Yellowish Imperial-Pigeons that are cream-coloured rather than white. They were our last new bird of the afternoon as we moved down off the ridge and returned to the resort for a well-earned beer and delicious buffet dinner; it felt like a holiday rather than a PNG birding trip! Bird of the Day: Eclectus Parrot. Page 27 of 63

28 DAY 19: FRIDAY, 27 TH JULY 2012 GARU WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. We left the resort at 5:30am to make our way to Garu Wildlife Management Area where we would be spending the whole day birding. Most of the way there we were driving through oil palm plantations and although there weren t a lot of birds we still picked up a few. Stephan s Doves were seen foraging along the road while the plantations themselves seem to hold a healthy population of Black Bitterns. We saw several including one of the uncommon cream-coloured morph that is sometimes found on New Britain. We arrived at the entrance to the wildlife management area and jumped out of the bus, getting our first new bird seconds later as a family party of Pied Coucals were spotted clambering through the mid-storey. More birds followed as Red-flanked Lorikeets screeched overhead, raucous Purple-bellied Lories called loudly from the trees and of course there were several pairs of Eclectus Parrots around. A small party of Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrots landed in a nearby tree but were only visible for moments and most of the group missed them. We started to wander along the road and soon heard our first Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfishers which here on New Britain are the distinctive blackcapped form. Of course seeing them was a different story as they stayed well inside the forest. Red-knobbed Imperial-Pigeons were common but one of the best birds of the morning was a pair of unexpected Bismarck (Black) Imperial-Pigeons which flew past high overhead. A Pacific Baza flapped lazily across the road then perched in the open for as all to get good views while the woop-woop of Violaceous Coucals drew us to a pair of these huge birds which are deceptively tricky to see in the dense tangles of the mid-storey. Still, we were able to get reasonable views of the distinctive eye patches as they sat there and preened. Red-knobbed Imperial-Pigeon is common on New Britain and we saw it at most sites we visited. We tried for New Britain (White-mantled) Kingfisher without success before getting back in the bus and moving further along the road. Another try for the paradise-kingfisher came up empty handed and try as we might we couldn t get eyes on any Finsch s Imperial-Pigeons although we could hear them calling from the forest around us. Page 28 of 63

29 With the wind and heat of the day starting to pick up we moved deeper into the forest along a narrow trail looking for scrubfowl. We found a nesting colony of these birds which here use geothermal heat from a nearby volcano to incubate their eggs in burrows rather than mounds of decomposing leaf litter as other megapodes do. Their burrows cover the ground and you must be careful not to slip into them. As well as the burrows we spotted two Melanesian Scrubfowl, including one that perched up for scope views. We had another crack at Black-capped Paradise-Kingfisher, this time managing to find a bird deep in the undergrowth that was happy to sit still and call for us. We continued along the road and stopped at an enormous fruiting tree which held large numbers of Red-knobbed Imperial- Pigeons and a few each of Torresian Imperial-Pigeons and Knob-billed Fruit-Doves. A nearby flowering tree also had a nice male Black-bellied Myzomela another New Britain endemic we were happy to catch up with. On that note we finished up for the morning pushing through to the coast where we had a delicious lunch before taking an hour or so to pass the hottest hours of the day in the comfort of the air-conditioned bus. After a nap we scanned the shoreline for birds and picked up Whimbrel and a few Greater Sand-Plovers before returning back through the wildlife management area. Another stop at the fruiting tree produced a Dull (Velvet) Flycatcher as well as the usual suspects but the rest of the road was fairly quiet. We tried several times for New Britain Kingfisher but the birds were not responsive today. When it looked like our afternoon might be a complete fizzer a nice Finsch s Imperial-Pigeon saved the day, clattering up from low beside the road and perching in a tree for nice scope views. A couple more attempts for the kingfisher were fruitless and on that note we decided to head on back to Walindi after quite a successful day. Bird of the Day: Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher. DAY 20: SATURDAY, 28 TH JULY 2012 BIG MALUMALU AND RESTORF ISLANDS. I had been looking forward to this day which is atypical for a busy birding trip like this one. Instead of slogging through forest we would be cruising some of the small islands of picturesque Kimbe Bay looking for a few species which specialise in making a living on these tiny islands, often no more than a few hundred metres long. Leaving the dock around 6:30am there was already a bit of wind but our captain did a good job of keeping the boat steady. There wasn t much in the way of seabirds, just a few Common Terns until we passed our first group of about a dozen Black-naped Terns. We pressed on past Restorf Island to our first destination, Big Malumalu. Here we anchored on the lee side of the island and settled in to see what was about. Immediately obvious were large numbers of Island Imperial-Pigeons which would periodically burst out from the forest-clad slopes of the island for a small circuit before returning back to the forest. A couple of Brahminy Kites floated around and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle also hung in the strong breeze for a while. Page 29 of 63

30 Shortly after we had anchored one of the deckhands was sent ashore and disappeared into the forest with the reason shortly to become obvious. Banging a couple of sticks together under the canopy flushed several of our next target species from the forest, the peculiar and tailess Nicobar Pigeon. Most of the birds dove back into the forest but a couple landed in full view and with the water so calm we were even able to set up the scope on the back deck of the boat and get nice looks at their iridescent green backs and long neck hackles. Our next new bird was another pigeon, this time a Mackinlay s Cuckoo-Dove. We were getting through the birds at a rapid rate and our luck continued. Scanning the forest canopy we picked up several Scarlet-bibbed (Sclater s) Myzomelas, another island specialist, as well as a bright male Black-tailed (Mangrove Golden) Whistler. Our final new bird from the island was another island tramp species, the rather plain Island Monarch. After watching a while longer we decided to leave Big Malumalu and head for Restorf Island. Skirting the edges of some of the exposed reefs on the way we picked up a white-phase Pacific Reef- Heron and a rather tatty Brown Noddy. We were soon approaching the southern side of Restorf Island where we kept our eyes peeled for our next target, Beach Kingfisher. Our local guide David momentarily spotted one but it quickly departed. Not to worry, another soon appeared and was joined by two more of these spectacular kingfishers with beautiful blue-green wings, white head and enormous bill. The birds were initially a little secretive but with persistence we all had great views of this great bird. We pulled alongside a little beach and jumped The picturesque shore of Restorf Island. off the boat to go for a short walk on the island. We were hoping to find a Yellowbibbed Fruit-Dove but all we found were more and more Island Imperial-Pigeons with several seeming to call from every tree. One more Nicobar Pigeon was spotted briefly as was a Melanesian Scrubfowl clattering away but otherwise the wind made it difficult to pick up any small fruit-doves. Returning to the boat we all avoided the small stonefish that had parked itself right near the boarding ladder, then it was snorkelling time for those of us who were keen. The fringing reefs of the island were home to hundreds of different species of fish and coral and it was a very pleasant way to spend the remainder of the morning. After a delicious lunch it was Page 30 of 63

31 time to return to the mainland and so it was off to Walindi where we arrived at around 2:00pm and retired to our rooms for a break. With nothing planned for the afternoon most of us decided on another trip up Kilu Ridge to see what we could find. Generally it was quieter than our first day but it is difficult to get tired of the antics of Eclectus Parrots and Blue-eyed Cockatoos which kept the photographers among us amused until it was time to return to Walindi for dinner. Bird of the Day: Nicobar Pigeon. DAY 21: SUNDAY, 29 TH JULY 2012 GARU WMA AND WALINDI AREA. Our last full day of birding kicked off with another early departure for Garu Wildlife Management Area where we would be targeting New Britain Kingfisher, a bird we were yet to connect with. We proceeded straight to the first kingfisher site and with conditions cooler and calmer than our first attempt hopes were high. The kingfishers forgot to read the script though and didn t turn up. Still we got some good birds with another Finsch s Imperial- Pigeon, several Blyth s Hornbills and our best views yet of Violaceous Coucals. While watching the coucals a Black Honey-Buzzard was flushed from a roadside tree but unfortunately only one of us got to see it. After a little searching it seemed to have disappeared but just when we had given up the bird floated lazily over the road giving everyone good views. We pushed on to our final kingfisher spot and within seconds of getting out of the bus we had a bird calling from the roadside canopy. Some frantic searching produced a pair of attractive New Britain (White-mantled) Kingfishers which we ogled for quite a while admiring their pale blue caps and eventually their white mantles. It seems you never run out of kingfishers to find on New Britain so with New Britain Kingfisher in the bag we left Garu to search for Bismarck Kingfisher. This turned out to be an arduous and unsuccessful but not entirely fruitless process. This kingfisher lives along small lowland streams which are difficult to access so searching for the kingfisher involves looking out from the few bridges which cross such streams and hoping for the best. To help us out our local guide Joseph did a little scouting trying to see if he could find the bird further down the stream and flush it towards us but it was nowhere to be seen. We did get nice views of a couple of Common Kingfishers but the highlight was a gorgeous Variable Kingfisher which landed close to us and sat out in the open for several minutes allowing us to admire this minute beauty. With lunch finally upon us we had to call a dip on the Bismarck Kingfisher and return to Walindi for an afternoon break. At about 3:00pm we headed out again to check a few grassy lowland sites. We soon saw our first Buff-banded Rail skulking through the grass followed by a small flock of Tree Martins, a common bird in Australia but rare here in the Bismarcks. An Australian Reed-Warbler followed soon after before we left for another site, a swampy area on an oil palm plantation. On a hunch we played for White-browed Crake and immediately had a couple of pairs calling back but try as we might none could be lured into the open. Beaten again it Page 31 of 63

32 seemed, we returned to the main road and were crossing a small creek when a Whitebrowed Crake was spotted in the fringing vegetation. Most of us got onto before it disappeared then luckily another one popped out a little further up the creek. Finally after everyone had seen at least one of the birds we pushed on to our final site for trip. Blue-eyed Cockatoos aren t as common as Eclectus Parrot on New Britain, but their raucous calls can be heard everywhere. Dusk was settling as we climbed a ridge at Numundo farm not far from Walindi, hoping we might pull a last few species out of the bag. We picked up a few curious onlookers on the way, but not many new birds. We did get plenty of birds we had already seen including Torresian and Red-knobbed Imperial- Pigeons, Moustached Treeswifts, Variable Goshawk and of course the ubiquitous Eclectus Parrots and Blue-eyed Cockatoos. The last new bird of the trip was a bit of a surprise though, with a raptor perching up in a nearby dead tree turning out to be a Peregrine Falcon, quite a rare species in these parts. Finally, with darkness nearly upon us we had to call curtains after 21 days of pretty intense birding. We returned to the bus and it was back to Walindi to do the list for the last time and have a couple of celebratory drinks to mark the end of the trip. Bird of the Day: Variable Kingfisher. Our trip to New Britian had been quite a success, with 87 species recorded including 44 species we hadn t seen on the mainland and 21 Melanesian endemics. Perhaps most memorable though was how easy the birding was, especially after some tough weeks on the mainland. The resort at Walindi is a fantastic base to explore from and the island is practically skulker free. It was a fantastic way to finish what had been a long and challenging trip. Page 32 of 63