DOCSLIB.ORG

West New Britain Extension July 22–27, 2017

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
West New Britain Extension July 22–27, 2017 WEST NEW BRITAIN EXTENSION JULY 22 –27, 2017 White-mantled Kingfisher (Dion Hobcroft) LEADER: DION HOBCROFT LIST COMPILED BY: DION HOBCROFT VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM WEST NEW BRITAIN EXTENSION JULY 22 –27, 2017 By Dion Hobcroft A Purple-bellied Lory dines out in a Coconut flower. (Dion Hobcroft) Our tour got off to a shaky start with a cancelled flight from Port Moresby to Hoskins. Luckily, the superb Airways Hotel honored our rooms from the previous day that we had missed due to another cancelled flight. Love you Air Niugini! After settling in to the very comfortable Walindi Dive Resort, with its well-planned rooms, tasty meals, and excellent staff, we headed out for our first birding in New Britain. We met Joel, a local villager, who guided us up beyond his village into the forest. He led us to a New Britain Boobook, a small hawk-owl he keeps tabs on (and has done so for the past few years). With the elections on, I joked with Joel that we should call the owl “Prime Minister Pete.” We had actually seen the Prime Minister the day before. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 West New Britain Extension, 2017 After great looks at “Pete” we slowly wandered to a viewing area over the forest that was heaving with birds —lots of Eclectus Parrots, our first Blue-eyed Cockatoos, dozens of Red-knobbed and Yellowish imperial-pigeons, Long-tailed Myna, Variable Goshawk, an all-white Pied Coucal, a single Channel-billed Cuckoo (quite rare on NB), the beautiful Purple-bellied Lory, the scarce Black-bellied Myzomela, and great views of the colorful Knob-billed Fruit-Dove. It was a great start. We had some great looks at Nicobar Pigeon, this one in the forest interior on Restoff Island. The Nicobar Pigeon is apparently the closest relative of the famous extinct Dodo of Mauritius. (Dion Hobcroft) The next morning we did the boat trip to the inshore islands of Malo Malo and Restoff. The weather was not great, with strong winds and consistent rain. Luckily we did not get exposed to the open ocean, and eventually the rain fizzled out. One of the first birds was a surprise Peregrine Falcon, actively hunting pigeons. This is a rare bird in the Bismarck Archipelago, here represented by the small, black-backed Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 West New Britain Extension, 2017 subspecies ernesti . It certainly had the pigeons in a flap, and we had great views of many Island Imperial-Pigeons, several Mackinlay’s Cuckoo-doves, and the sought after Nicobar Pigeon. A Brahminy Kite tried to snatch a Rainbow Bee-eater, putting a wintering flock of hundreds of individuals to flight. Several White-bellied Sea- Eagles were also present. We found the brilliant Beach Kingfisher and Sclater’s Myzomela, but the Mangrove Golden Whistler was hard to pin down in the windswept forest on Restoff. There were plenty of terns about (Black Noddy, Bridled, Siberian Common, Black-naped, and Crested) with the odd Lesser Frigatebird loitering about. On the reefs we found the odd Whimbrel, Pacific Reef Egret, and singles of both Great and Little Egret. The elusive White-mantled Kingfisher was one of many scarce birds we encountered on our morning in Garu. (Dion Hobcroft) After a break we ventured out to Kulu River. A good sighting here was of the giant Violaceous Coucal, a spectacular but cryptic giant purple cuckoo with a powerful, resonant voice. We had good looks at Black Bittern, Stephan’s Dove, and White- browed Crake, while Melanesian Scrubfowls were seen in flight. After dark we Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 West New Britain Extension, 2017 searched for the enigmatic Golden Masked-Owl, a species we had seen for the first time last year, after considerable spade work. Until last year it had been one of the most poorly known birds in Melanesia, of almost mythical status. We had great luck with two sightings, the second particularly gratifying, as the owl stayed put on a post for a great study. The first owl was more skittish, but we could see it had a small rat held in its mandibles. It was almost certainly the same pair we had followed up from the previous tour; good to see they were holding their own. The rare Golden Masked-Owl was seen again this year on two consecutive nights involving two individuals. I took this photo on the 2016 tour. (Dion Hobcroft) We had a superb morning at Garu Wildlife Management Area. First of all, the elusive Black Imperial-Pigeon turned up. It is an uncommon straggler to the lowlands. Then a Finsch’s Imperial-Pigeon sat out in full scope view —a lucky break for a bird normally well-hidden in the forest interior. A Shining Bronze-cuckoo flew and landed in front of a female Superb Fruit-Dove I had lined up in the scope. Our good run of fortune continued with a pair of New Britain Kingfishers we whistled in Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 West New Britain Extension, 2017 to the crown of an emergent tree for walk-away looks. Then an Oriental Hobby flew over the road and sailed about over our heads for a great view. Even better, a pair of Black-headed Paradise-Kingfishers were pinned down in the forest interior and showed well in the scope. We also had good looks at endemics like Ashy Myzomela and Bismarck Flowerpecker. At the Numundo Beef Ranch we quickly found the Bismarck Munia, Australian Reed-Warbler, Buff-banded Rail, and the rare subspecies of Papuan Grassbird, while a King Quail popped up briefly. The long- staying flock of Intermediate Egrets was still present, into their third year. It was quite something when this male Dwarf Koel came and bossed the Beautiful Fruit-Doves out of this fig tree on our afternoon in Varirata National Park. This bird is typically a heard only, being ridiculously shy on most occasions! (Dion Hobcroft) Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 West New Britain Extension, 2017 After another good break in the middle of the day, a post-lunch siesta, we returned to Kulu River. At the bridge we enjoyed White-rumped Swiftlets, a Moustached Treeswift, and had brief looks at Rufous-vented Bush-hen and an amazing Green- fronted Hanging-Parrot that flew into my binocular view while scanning swiftlets! At dusk several Nicobar Pigeons flew about, and then a Large-tailed Nightjar started to call. After a bit of patient playback, we had great looks at the nightjars flying around and over us. As a grand finale, we had another superb look at a Golden Owl. It had been a remarkable day. Against a tropical sky the Oriental Dollarbird is often a dark silhouette. Against the forest though, it transforms in good light: a lustrous blue with scarlet beak. (Dion Hobcroft) Our plane took off on time. It encountered some serious weather (rain and fog) at Lae, and the pilot aborted our first landing but came in successfully the second time around. After a delay we made it through to Port Moresby, appreciating blue skies. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Here we met Leonard and Kelly and took off up to Varirata after checking in to the now familiar Airways Hotel with their attentive staff. The rare Gurney’s Eagle was a welcome sight over the forest at Varirata. (Dion Hobcroft) It proved to be a superb session of forest birding. A giant Gurney’s Eagle soared above the forest while a male Dwarf Koel came right down into a fig tree and chased several fruit-doves about. Both of these species are rarely encountered this well. In the forest interior we enjoyed the cute White-faced Robin while a flowering tree produced a procession of birds like Pygmy and Dwarf longbills, Long-billed Honeyeater, Red-throated Myzomela, and a surprise Goldie’s Lorikeet. The birds were definitely in the mood with many species being very cooperative like Blue-winged Kookaburra, Coconut Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot, Yellow-eyed and White-bellied cuckoo-shrikes, Beautiful and Pink-spotted fruit-doves, Spot- winged and Black-faced monarchs, Chestnut-bellied Fantail, Yellow-bellied Gerygone, and Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise. The ultra-elusive Piping Bellbird flashed past while other famous skulkers tantalized us by calling nearby but remaining firmly hidden. After a fine farewell dinner we toasted our success in seeing so many fantastic birds that make Papua New Guinea home. Our wonderful group had enjoyed a comfortable tour, taking in all this remote location has to offer in good style. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 West New Britain Extension, 2017 One of the last birds seen on our tour was this female Blue-winged Kookaburra (note the chestnut tail) at Varirata. (Dion Hobcroft) BIRDS: WEST NEW BRITAIN/VARIRATA Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Melanesian Scrubfowl (Megapodius eremita) King (Blue-breasted) Quail (Coturnix chinensis) Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) Port Moresby Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) Great Egret (Ardea alba) Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia) Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra) Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Rufous Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) Port Moresby Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 10 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Gurney’s Eagle (Aquila gurneyi) Varirata Variable Goshawk (Accipiter hiogaster) Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) Varirata Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis) Rufous-tailed
Load more

Recommended publications
  • KEY of ABBREVIATIONS a 1-10, A= C10-15, A
    HERITAGE EXPEDITIONS SECRETS OF MELANESIA #1959 24 October - 4 November 2019 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 Day 22 Day 23 Day 24 Day 25 Day 26 Day 27 Day 28 Day 29 Day 30 Species Area of Occurrence MELANESIAN MEGAPODE 1 PNG H 1 H KEY OF ABBREVIATIONS Megapodius eremita VANUATU MEGAPODE 2 VAN 1 Megapodius layardi A 1-10, A= c10-15, A- about 15-30, A+ c80-100, PACIFIC BLACK DUCK 3 PNG B 10-100, B= more than a hundred, Anas superciliosa B- low hundreds, C 100-1000, C- low thousands, SPOTTED WHISTLING DUCK 4 Dendrocygna guttata C+ high thousands, D tens of thousands (i.e. 10,000- WANDERING WHISTLING DUCK 100,000), D= more than ten thousand, D- low tens of 5 PNG Dendrocygna arcuata thousands, D+ high tens of thousands, E hundreds of RADJAH SHELDUCK 6 Tadorna radjah thousands (i.e. 100,000-1,000,000), H Heard Only VANUATU PETREL 7 VAN Pterodroma occulta MAGNIFICENT PETREL 8 VAN 2 Pterodroma (brevipes) magnificens COLLARD PETREL 9 VAN Pterodroma brevipes TAHITI PETREL 10 R 1 Pseudobulweria rostrata BECK'S PETREL 11 PNG Pseudobulweria becki STREAKED SHEARWATER 12 PNG Calonectris leucomelas CHRISTMAS SHEARWATER 13 R Puffinus nativitatis WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER 14 R A A 3 Puffinus pacificus TROPICAL SHEARWATER 15 R Puffinus balloni HEINROTH'S SHEARWATER 16 PNG, SOL 1 Puffinus heinrothi SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER 17 R Puffinus tenuirostris FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER 18 R Puffinus carneipes BULWER'S PETREL 19 R Bulweria bulwerii WILSON'S STORM-PETREL
    [Show full text]
  • Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
    Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2.
    [Show full text]
  • PAPUA NEW GUINEA Paradise Untamed
    Tropical Birding: Papua New Guinea July-August 2010 A Tropical Birding Set Departure Tour PAPUA NEW GUINEA (with the NEW BRITAIN EXTENSION): Paradise Untamed RIBBON-TAILED ASTRAPIA Kumul Lodge Voted bird of the trip 15 July – 5 August, 2010 Tour Leader: Sam Woods www.tropicalbirding.com [email protected] 1-409-515-0514 1 Tropical Birding: Papua New Guinea July-August 2010 Papua New Guinea is known as the “land of unexpected”, and their national saying is “expect the unexpected”. For good, and bad, we experienced some examples of this during this successful tour on this resource-rich island, and ammased a great trip list of 407 species . Some of what we saw was very much expected: a slew of species from arguably the most spectacular bird family on the planet, the outrageous birds-of-paradise. We picked up 24 species of birds-of-paradise on the tour, with the majority being males, some of which were seen in full, jaw-dropping display mode! The flurry of displaying male Greater Birds-of-paradise during a late afternoon show in the steamy lowland jungle near Kiunga standing out, as did the wonderful performance put on by PNG’s national bird, the Raggiana Bird-of- paradise near the nation’s capital, at Varirata NP. Getting a bunch of BOPs was expected, even in the land of the unexpected. However, on only our third day in the country watching a tree full of BOPs, of NINE different species (and 3 sicklebill species at one time in the same tree ) was very much unexpected even in New Guinea.
    [Show full text]
  • Predictable Evolution Toward Flightlessness in Volant Island Birds
    Predictable evolution toward flightlessness in volant island birds Natalie A. Wrighta,b,1, David W. Steadmanc, and Christopher C. Witta aDepartment of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001; bDivision of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812; and cFlorida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800 Edited by James A. Estes, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, and approved March 9, 2016 (received for review November 19, 2015) Birds are prolific colonists of islands, where they readily evolve distinct predators (18). Alternatively, flightlessness may represent an ex- forms. Identifying predictable, directional patterns of evolutionary treme state of a continuum of morphological variation that reflects change in island birds, however, has proved challenging. The “island locomotory requirements for survival and reproduction. Across a rule” predicts that island species evolve toward intermediate sizes, but continuum of insularity, from continents to small islands, biotic its general applicability to birds is questionable. However, convergent communities exhibit gradients of species diversity (21) and corre- evolution has clearly occurred in the island bird lineages that have sponding ecological pressures (22). If flightlessness is illustrative of undergone transitions to secondary flightlessness, a process involving island bird evolution in general, reductions in predation pressure drastic reduction of the flight muscles and enlargement of the hin- associated with increased insularity should trigger incremental shifts dlimbs. Here, we investigated whether volant island bird populations in energy allocation from the forelimbs to the hindlimbs. Accord- tend to change shape in a way that converges subtly on the flightless ingly, we hypothesize that volant island birds, even those unlikely to form.
    [Show full text]
  • Andaman and Nicobar Common Name Scientific Name
    Andaman and Nicobar Common name Scientific name ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus coromandelianus Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Garganey Spatula querquedula Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Northern Pintail Anas acuta Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Andaman Teal Anas albogularis Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula GALLIFORMES: Megapodiidae Nicobar Scrubfowl Megapodius nicobariensis GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus Blue-breasted Quail Synoicus chinensis Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Jungle Bush-Quail Perdicula asiatica Painted Bush-Quail Perdicula erythrorhyncha Chinese Francolin Francolinus pintadeanus Gray Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Andaman and Nicobar COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae Rock Pigeon Columba livia Andaman Wood-Pigeon Columba palumboides Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Andaman Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia rufipennis Asian Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica Andaman Green-Pigeon Treron chloropterus Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea Nicobar Imperial-Pigeon Ducula nicobarica Pied Imperial-Pigeon
    [Show full text]
  • Papua New Guinea IV Trip Report 22Nd July to 8Th August 2018 (18 Days)
    Papua New Guinea IV Trip Report 22nd July to 8th August 2018 (18 days) Flame Bowerbird by Glen Valentine Tour Leaders: Glen Valentine & David Erterius Trip report compiled by Glen Valentine Trip Report – RBL Papua New Guinea IV 2018 2 Top 10 birds of the tour as voted for by the tour participants: 1. Flame Bowerbird 2. King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise 3. Wattled Ploughbill 4. Blue-capped Ifrit, King Bird-of-Paradise & Papuan Frogmouth 5. Wallace’s Fairywren, Superb Bird-of-Paradise, Wallace’s Owlet-nightjar, MacGregor’s Bowerbird (for its elaborate bower!) & Brown Sicklebill, 6. Queen Carola’s Parotia 7. Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher 8. Moustached Treeswift, Blue Jewel-babbler, Emperor Fairywren & Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot 9. Crested Berrypecker & Black-capped Lory 10. Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot Sclater’s Crowned Pigeon by Glen Valentine Tour Summary Tucked away between the Lesser Sundas and the expansive continent of Australia is the legendary island of New Guinea. Home to the spectacular birds-of-paradise, arguably the world’s most attractive and intriguing bird family, New Guinea will always be one of those very special destinations that every birder wishes to visit sometime in their lives. Rockjumper Birding Tours Trip Report – RBL Papua New Guinea IV 2018 3 Our fourth of six comprehensive birding tours to Papua New Guinea (the eastern half of the island of New Guinea) for the 2018 season coincided, as always with the dry season and the advent of displaying birds-of-paradise. The trip was a resounding success once again and racked
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Recovery Plan for the Sihek Or Guam Micronesian Kingfisher (Halcyon Cinnamomina Cinnamomina)
    DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate actions which the best available science indicates are required to recover and protect listed species. Plans are published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sometimes prepared with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Recovery teams serve as independent advisors to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery plans are reviewed by the public and submitted to additional peer review before they are approved and adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Objectives will be attained and any necessary funds made available subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. Nothing in this plan should be construed as a commitment or requirement that any Federal agency obligate or pay funds in contravention of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 USC 1341, or any other law or regulation. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery plans represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed as approved by the Regional Director or Director. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species status, and the completion of recovery actions. Please check for updates or revisions at the website addresses provided below before using this plan. Literature citation of this document should read as follows: U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • (2004): Identification, Distribution, and Function of Gastroliths in Dinosaurs
    IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION, AND FUNCTION OF GASTROLITHS IN DINOSAURS AND EXTANT BIRDS WITH EMPHASIS ON OSTRICHES (STRUTHIO CAMELUS) Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades (Dr. rer. nat.) der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn vorgelegt von Oliver Wings aus Sangerhausen Bonn 2004 Diplodocid sauropod accidentally ingesting gastroliths while feeding on a cycad. IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION, AND FUNCTION OF GASTROLITHS IN DINOSAURS AND EXTANT BIRDS WITH EMPHASIS ON OSTRICHES (STRUTHIO CAMELUS) Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades (Dr. rer. nat.) der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn vorgelegt von Oliver Wings aus Sangerhausen Bonn 2004 Angefertigt mit Genehmigung der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn 1. Referent: Privat-Dozent Dr. Martin Sander 2. Referent: Professor Dr. Jes Rust Tag der Promotion: 02.12.2004 Diese Dissertation ist auf dem Hochschulschriftenserver der ULB Bonn http://hss.ulb.uni- bonn.de/diss_online elektronisch publiziert This dissertation is published electronically on the ULB Bonn server for university publications: http://hss.ulb.uni-bonn.de/diss_online Dedicated to Claudia. Thanks for everything. French proverb: “Il a un estomac d’autuche!” (literally: He has the stomach of an ostrich!) means: He can tolerate everything! Geheimnisvoll am lichten Tag Läßt sich Natur des Schleiers nicht berauben, Und was sie deinem Geist
    [Show full text]
  • Papua New Guinea Ii
    The Greater Bird-of-paradise display we witnessed at the km 17 lek in Kiunga was truly unforgettable. PAPUA NEW GUINEA II 12– 28 August / 1 September 2016 LEADER: DANI LOPEZ VELASCO Our second tour to Papua New Guinea – including New Britain - in 2016 was a great success and delivered an unprecedented number of high quality birds. A total of 21 species of Birds-of-paradise (BoPs), - undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary, and “out of this world” bird families in the world, were recorded, perhaps most memorable being a superb male Blue BoP, scoped at close range near Kumul for as long as we wished and showing one of the most vivid blue colours in the animal world. Just as impressive though were spectacular performances by displaying Raggiana and Greater BoPs in excellent light, with up to 8 males lekking at a time, a stunning male King BoP and two displaying males Twelve-wired BoPs at the Elevala River, a cracking adult male Magnificent BoP in the scope for hours at Tabubil, several amazing King-of-Saxony BoPs, waving their incredible head plumes like some strange insect antennae in the mossy forest of Tari Valley, great sightings of both Princess Stephanie´s and Ribbon-tailed Astrapias with their ridiculously long tail feathers, superb scope studies of Black and Brown Sicklebills uttering their machine-gun like calls, and so on. While Birds-of-paradise are certainly the signature family in PNG, there is of course 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Papua New Guinea II www.birdquest-tours.com plenty more besides, for example we recorded a grand total of 33 species of pigeons and doves, -they reach their greatest diversity here in New Guinea, as do kingfishers-, including nine Fruit Doves, a rare New Guinea Bronzewing feeding on the road, and, during the extension, both Black Imperial Pigeon and Pied Cuckoo-Dove.
    [Show full text]
  • Grand Australia Part Ii: Queensland, Victoria & Plains-Wanderer
    GRAND AUSTRALIA PART II: QUEENSLAND, VICTORIA & PLAINS-WANDERER OCTOBER 15–NOVEMBER 1, 2018 Southern Cassowary LEADER: DION HOBCROFT LIST COMPILED BY: DION HOBCROFT VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM GRAND AUSTRALIA PART II By Dion Hobcroft Few birds are as brilliant (in an opposite complementary fashion) as a male Australian King-parrot. On Part II of our Grand Australia tour, we were joined by six new participants. We had a magnificent start finding a handsome male Koala in near record time, and he posed well for us. With friend Duncan in the “monster bus” named “Vince,” we birded through the Kerry Valley and the country towns of Beaudesert and Canungra. Visiting several sites, we soon racked up a bird list of some 90 species with highlights including two Black-necked Storks, a Swamp Harrier, a Comb-crested Jacana male attending recently fledged chicks, a single Latham’s Snipe, colorful Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and Pale-headed Rosellas, a pair of obliging Speckled Warblers, beautiful Scarlet Myzomela and much more. It had been raining heavily at O’Reilly’s for nearly a fortnight, and our arrival was exquisitely timed for a break in the gloom as blue sky started to dominate. Pretty-faced Wallaby was a good marsupial, and at lunch we were joined by a spectacular male Eastern Water Dragon. Before breakfast we wandered along the trail system adjacent to the lodge and were joined by many new birds providing unbelievable close views and photographic chances. Wonga Pigeon and Bassian Thrush were two immediate good sightings followed closely by Albert’s Lyrebird, female Paradise Riflebird, Green Catbird, Regent Bowerbird, Australian Logrunner, three species of scrubwren, and a male Rose Robin amongst others.
    [Show full text]
  • Muruk July 2007 Vol 8-3-1
    Editorial There has been a 7-year gap between the last issue of the Papua New Guinea Birdwatching Society’s journal Muruk in 2000 (Vol. 8: 2) and this issue, which completes that volume. It serves a valuable purpose documenting significant records of New Guinea birds, and publishing notes and papers relevant to New Guinea ornithology. Thanks are due to Conservation International’s Melanesia Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation) for coming up with funds for the printing of the journal, with particular thanks to Roger James. The idea is to clear a large backlog of records, and publish articles relating to New Guinea ornithology, with the help of an editorial team: Editor - Phil Gregory Editorial consultants: K. David Bishop, Ian Burrows, Brian Coates, Guy Dutson, Chris Eastwood. We would like feedback about the direction the journal should take; it has been a useful reference resource over the years and is cited in many publications. Current thinking is to publish two issues per annum, with thoughts about expanding coverage to include other nearby areas such as Halmahera and the Solomon Islands, which have a large New Guinea component to the avifauna. The Pacific region as a whole is poorly served and there may be scope to include other parts of Melanesia and Polynesia. We now complete the old pre-2000 subscriptions with this issue, which is sent free to former subscribers, and invite new subscriptions. Editorial address: PO Box 387, Kuranda, Queensland 4881, Australia. Email - [email protected] Significant Sightings from Tour Reports Compiled and edited by Phil Gregory More and more companies are offering tours to PNG, mostly doing the same circuit but still coming up with interesting records or little known or rare species, breeding data or distributional information.
    [Show full text]
  • Papua New Guinea – New Britain Extension III 2016 1
    Trip Report - RBL Papua New Guinea – New Britain Extension III 2016 1 Papua New Guinea New Britain Extension III Trip Report 1st to 5th September 2016 (5 days) Golden Masked Owl by Glen Valentine Tour Leaders: Adam Walleyn & Wayne Jones Trip report compiled by Adam Walleyn Trip Report - RBL Papua New Guinea – New Britain Extension III 2016 2 Day 1: An early morning start out of Port Moresby saw us arriving at Hoskins airport and settling into Walindi Lodge in time for lunch. Walindi is one of the friendliest and most comfortable lodges in the country, not to mention with one of the best views! We picked up a few birds on the lodge grounds, including Pacific Reef Egret and Melanesian Kingfisher, before heading off to the Kulu River for our first birding foray. As we drove through miles of oil palm plantations, we got great looks at two of the few species that seem to do well in such a monotypic habitat: Black Bittern and Stephen’s Dove. Female Eclectus Parrot by Dennis Braddy Arriving at the river, pigeons and parrots were active – many Eclectus Parrots, a few endemic Blue-eyed Cockatoos, Purple-bellied Lories, lots of Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon and a couple of Yellowish Imperial Pigeon. We went for a short walk along the edge of the “buffer zone” of riparian forest that abuts the oil palm plantation and scored with good views of two of the major specialities of the extension: Melanesian Megapode and Nicobar Pigeon! Well pleased, we returned to the lodge for a delicious dinner and headed back out into the plantation in the darkness, armed with a torch.
    [Show full text]