Papua New Guinea II - Rockjumper Birding Tours

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RBT Trip Report – Papua New Guinea 2012 Some of the top birds as voted by participants: 1. Southern Crowned Pigeon 2. Crested Satinbird 3. King-of-saxony BOP 4. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia 5. Lesser BOP Tour Summary 6. Palm Cockatoo 7. Twelve-wired BOP 8. Brown Sicklebill 9. New Guinea Flightless Rail 10. Greater Sooty Owl We started off our tour with a visit to the Pacific Adventist University, commencing at the various dams where we enjoyed superb sightings of Spotted and Plumed Whistling Duck, Pied Heron and numerous Comb-crested Jacanas. A casual stroll around the manicured gardens saw us finding Orangefronted Fruit Dove, a huge pair of Papuan Frogmouth at their day roost, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, localized Black-backed Butcherbird and Australasian Figbird. This rounded off a great start to this fabulous tour. From here we journeyed into the magnificent midelevation forests of Varirata National Park. Our time spent in this species rich reserve was most productive. Traversing the network of trails and forest edge we were delighted with sightings of Barred Owlet-nightjar peering out of its roosting hole, beautiful Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher, huge Blue-winged and Rufousbellied Kookaburras, Forest and Yellow-billed Kingfishers, White-throated and Streak-headed Honeyeaters, Papuan Black Myzomela, Black Australasian Figbird by John Caddick Berrypecker, Black Cicadabird and Hooded Pitohui. We had good looks at the splendid Raggiana Bird-ofparadise – several males were heard and seen in the surrounding trees, although shy at times. At a nearby site we found good numbers of the rare Great-billed Mannikin. Our trip out of Port Moresby the next day then took us to the Hisu mangroves, first stopping at dawn to watch a calling Barking Owl next to the road. Another early morning stop at a nearby forest produced great looks at a pair of huge Palm Cockatoos, strange Glossy-mantled Manucode and Pinon Imperial Pigeons. At the mangroves we scored with shy Black Thicket Fantail, Mangrove Gerygone, Little Bronze Cuckoo, a pair of Emperor Fairywrens and Brown-backed Honeyeaters, Grey-headed and Chestnut-breasted Mannakins as well as the scarce Bar-shouldered Dove. Scanning out at sea we recorded Lesser Frigatebirds and a roosting colony of Brown Booby, while the beach held several Gull-billed, Swift and a single Lesser Crested Tern. Raggiana Bird-of-paradise by John Caddick 2
RBT Trip Report – Papua New Guinea II 2012 Moving into the highlands, our next stop was the famous Tari area. The number of species of Birds-ofparadise in this area is something to behold: we were treated to an incredible eight species during our time here. Highlights included views of a Ribbon-tailed Astrapia male with full-length tail, Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia, King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise - a male showing off his headplumes for all to enjoy, Superb and Blue Birds-of-paradise making raucous territorial calls and giving outstanding scope views, as well as Loria’s Satinbird and Short-tailed Paradigalla, the latter two all too brief. Covering the lower forest trails, the Tari Gap with its areas of open grassland and the lower slopes saw us amass an impressive number of species. Apart from the BOPs we were treated to great looks at Plum-faced Lorikeet, superb Tari Gap scenery by John Caddick views of Painted Tiger Parrot, a Mountain Owlet-nightjar at its day roost, good looks at Sooty Owl, a Marbled Frogmouth scoped as it sat motionless on its day roost, stunning Tit Berrypecker, Black-breasted Boatbill, strange Blue-capped Ifrita - one of the poison birds, tiny Garnet Robin and nuthatch-like Black Sitella. Leaving Tari we made our way to Mount Hagen. Here we enjoyed a good deal of time watching the constant procession of birds coming and going to the bird feeder: Striking Brown Sicklebills were often around and a male with his distinctive machine-gun like call could be heard in the forest, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia were a constant delight (the males with their long white streamers!), Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Common Smoky Honeyeater, Belford’s Melidectes, Island Thrush and Archbold’s Bowerbird - a female of this generally shy and retiring species showed particularly well. A pair of Crested Berrypeckers was also regularly seen feeding on fruiting trees around the feeder. On our last morning we headed to the Orchid garden after a tip-off from a local guide. Here we found the little-known Sooty Melidectes calling from a flowering Serotea tree and enjoyed prolonged views; a lifer for all including the guides! Fantastic!! Working the forest trails was particularly rewarding, and we had some very special sightings. These included a stunning male Crested Satinbird and Lesser Melampittas. Other highlights in the area included Goldie’s and Papuan Lorikeets, Yellowbreasted Bowerbird, a pair of Magnificent Bird-ofparadise (albeit only briefly), Ornate Honeyeater, strange Torrent-lark, Red-collared Myzomela, Fantailed Berrypecker and Mountain Firetail. Finally bidding farewell to the highlands, we then made our way to Tabubil. We enjoyed many memorable sightings in this area including good scope looks at Queen Carola’s Parotia in a nearby Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia by John Caddick 3
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Papua New Guinea II - Rockjumper Birding Tours

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