Indonesia's Exquisite Birds of Paradise
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INDONESIA'S EXQUISITE BIRDS OF PARADISE Whether you are a mere nestling who is new to bird watching, a Halmehera: Standard-wing (Wallace’s) Bird-of fully-fledged birder, or a seasoned twitcher, this 10-day (9-night) ornithological adventure through the remote, rainforest-clad islands of northern Raja Ampat and North Maluku, which includes a two-night stay at the famed Weda Resort on Halmahera, is a fantastic opportunity to add some significant numbers to your life lists. No other feathered family is as beautiful, or displays such diversity of plumage, extravagant decoration, and courtship behaviour as the ostentatious Bird of Paradise. In the company of our guest expert, Dr. Kees Groeneboer, we will be in hot pursuit of as many as six or seven species of these fabled shapeshifters, which strut, dazzle and dance in costumes worthy of the stage. -Paradise, Paradise Crow. Special birds in the Weda-Forest of Raja Ampat is one of the most noteworthy ecological niches on Halmahera Moluccan Goshawk, Moluccan Scrubfowl, Bare-eyed the planet, where you can snorkel within a below-surface world Rail, Drummer Rail, Scarletbreasted Fruit-Dove, Blue-capped reminiscent of a living kaleidoscope, while marveling at Fruit-Dove, Cinnamon-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Chattering Lory, above-surface views – and birds, which are among the most White (Alba) Cockatoo, Moluccan Cuckoo, Goliath Coucal, Blue stunning that you are likely to behold in a lifetime. Meanwhile, and-white Kingfisher, Sombre Kingfisher, Azure (Purple) Halmahera, in the North Maluku province, is where some of the Dollarbird, Ivory-breasted Pitta, Halmahera Cuckooshrike, world’s rarest and least-known birds occur. Note: An optional Rufous-bellied Triller, Halmahera (Dusky-brown) Oriole, two-night programme in Sorong at the end of the cruise is Moluccan Starling, White-streaked Friarbird, Halmahera availabel where the Magnificent Rifebird and the Twelve-wired Flowerpecker, Gery-headed Fruit-Dove, Moluccan King-Parrot, Bird-of-Paradise can be seen. Ask us for details. Which Rufous-bellied Whistler, Moluccan Owlet Nightjar, Moluccan Birds-of-Paradise might we see? On the islands of Gam, Scops-Owl. Special birds of Northern Raja Ampat Waigeo, Batanta and Salawati: Red Bird-of-Paradise, Wilson’s Orange-bellied Fruitdove, Pinon’s Imperial Pigeon, Palm Bird-of-Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode. On Batanta and Cockatoo, Papuan Frogmouth, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Salawati also: King Bird-of-Paradise, Twelve-wired Blue-black Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Western Crowned Bird-of-Paradise, Lesser Bird-of-Paradise, Magnificient Pigeon, Grey-headed Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Brown Bird-of-Paradise, Magnificent Rifflebird, Trumpet Manucode. On Cuckoo-Dove, Long-billed Honeyeater, Tawny-brested 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com Honeyeater, Varied Honeyeater, Spectacled Longbill, Day 3 Weda Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Black-capped Lory, Channel-billed This morning presents our last chance to spot more of the endemic Halmahera Cuckoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Barred Cuckooshrike, Raja Ampat birds in the Weda Forest. After lunch, we will check out of the Weda Resort and join our beautiful boat, the Katharina. Our tour leaders will give a safety Pitohui, Spot-winged Monarch, Golden Monarch, Singing briefing and, if time allows, we can go for another wonderful snorkel in Weda Starling, Brown Oriole, Yellow-faced Myna Special birds found Bay. In the afternoon we will start the long overnight crossing east to Pulau both in Northern Raja Ampat and Halmahera Red-cheeked Gebe, (pulau is the Indonesian word for 'island‘). Parrot, Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot, Claret-breasted Fruit-Dove, Day 4 Gebe Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Sulpher-crested The island of Gebe is situated halfway between Northern Raja Ampat and Cockatoo, Violetnecked Lory, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Halmahera, and birds can therefore be found from both regions. In the Shining Flycatcher, Torresian Crow, Dusky Scrubfowl, Common morning we will trek from the village of Umera to try to spot some of these birds. We may see imperial pigeons, fruit-doves, cuckoos, kingfishers, parrots Paradise Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Black Sunbird, Stephan’s and maybe we will see the Glossy-mantled Manucode. In the afternoon we Emerald Dove, Eclectus Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Great-billed can explore some of the tiny islands nearby for snorkelling and water sports. Parrot, Blyth’s Hornbill, Olive-backed Sunbird, Willie-wagtail, Overnight we will cruise south to Pulau Kofiau. Spangled Drongo. Day 5 Pulau Kofiau In the morning we can go trekking in search of some of the endemic birds on ITINERARY Pulau Kofiau: Spectacled Imperial Pigeon, Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher, Spotted Kestrel, Kofiau Monarch, Black-faced Munia. In the afternoon we can enjoy Day 1 Ternate some good snorkelling and explore the area using the dinghies. In the early evening we will begin our cruise to the island of Gam. Our birding-watching adventure will begin in Ternate, in Indonesia’s North Maluku province. After everyone has been picked up at the airport or from a hotel in Ternate City, we will travel by speedboat to Sofifi Harbour on Day 6 Pulau Gam Halmahera. From there, our journey continues by car to the Weda Resort on Starting before dawn, we will trek from the village of Yanbesir on Pulau Gam in the east side of the island. This ride of 3-4 hours takes us through some the hope of seeing the Red Birds of Paradise performing their spectacular facinating landscape. Stops will be made along the way so that we can catch courtship dances. On the way back we should see many other birds native to our first glimpses of some of the birds of Halmahera. We will check in at the the area. Hopefully we will also meet the Glossy-mantled Manucode. In the Weda Resort and have lunch there. In the afternoon, we can enjoy our first afternoon we will visit the nearby tiny island of Mioskon, which is home to a bird watching experience in the Weda Forest, where we will see more of the number of special birds. There is also the possibility of some good snorkelling endemic birds. Hopefully we can also observe the beautiful courtship dance of off the beach. At dusk, we can watch thousands of flying foxes crossing over the Standardwing (Wallace’s) Bird-of-Paradise, which only lives on Halmahera. to the mainland of Waigeo Island. In the evening we, too, will head to Waigeo. Day 2 Weda Day 7 Waigeo At dawn we will set out on a trek through the Weda Forest looking for more of Starting once again before dawn, we can participate in a long trek from the the fabulous birds of Halmahera. We will start from another spot where we can village of Sapokoren on Pulau Waigeo in search of the fabulous Wilson’s Bird watch the Standardwing (Wallace’s) Bird-of- Paradise again, dancing in the of Paradise, hopefully we will see its elaborate mating display just in front of trees above us. The rest of the morning we may spot many more birds of us on the forest floor. Making our way back to the boat we will be Halmahera, including, perhaps, the endemic Paradise Crow. In the afternoon accompanied by the calls and sounds of the jungle coming to life, and we can we can enjoy additional bird watching in the area or some fantastic snorkelling be sure to spot a variety of birds along the way. We might even see the in Weda Bay. Glossy-mantled Manucode and Red Bird-of-Paradise flying around. In the 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com afternoon we will move to the nearby island of Mansuar for snorkelling and beach activities, and in the evening we will cruise to the south side of Pulau Batanta. Day 8 Batanta On Pulau Batanta we will set off in the early morning to go birding from the village of Walibed, where once again we will have the opportunity to see various birds-of-paradise, parrots, pigeons and other native birds of Raja Ampat. In the afternoon we may do another walk in this area, and in the evening the Katharina will cross to the nearby island of Salawati. Day 9 Salawati Early in the morning we will go bird-watching in the Salawati Forest, the home of the King Bird-of-Paradise. With a bit of luck, we might also find the Magnificient Rifflebird, Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, Lesser Bird-of-Paradise or Trumpet Manucode. We even might get to meet the Northern Cassowary here too. In the afternoon we can take another bird watching walk in this area. In the evening we will have our farewell party with the crew of the Katharina and overnight we will cruise to our final desination, the harbour of Sorong. Day 10 Sorong After a quick stop for a last swim and refreshments on one of the nearby islands, we will make our way back to the harbour of Sorong. Here we will bid farewell to the ship and her crew. Our tenders will take you ashore for your transfer to the airport for your onward travel. Please Note: Itineraries are subject to change. 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com YOUR SHIP: KATHARINA YOUR SHIP: Katharina VESSEL TYPE: Yacht LENGTH: 40 metres PASSENGER CAPACITY: 14 BUILT/REFURBISHED: 1995 / 2014 The Katharina is a traditional Indonesian pinisi, built in 1995 in Kalimantan using only the very best grades of ironwood. Her slim hull was originally being planned for commercial sailing carrying freight before we spotted her in the making.