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 Bush-hen (Amaurornis moluccana)
White-browed Crake (Amaurornis cinerea)
Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Black Noddy (Anous minutus)
Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)
Black-naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia amboinensis)
Mackinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia mackinlayi)
Stephan’s Dove (Chalcophaps stephani)
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 11 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica)
Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus) Varirata
Knob-billed Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus insolitus)
Superb Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus superbus)
Beautiful Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus) Varirata
Red-knobbed Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula rubricera)
Finsch’s Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula finschii)
Island Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula pistrinaria)
Black Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula melanochroa)
Yellowish Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula [spillorhoa] subflavescens)
Pied Coucal (Centropus ateralbus)
Violaceous Coucal (Centropus violaceus)
Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) Varirata
Dwarf Koel (Microdynamis parva) Varirata
Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae)
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus)
Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus) Heard only
Golden Masked-Owl (Tyto aurantia)
New Britain Boobook (Ninox odiosa)
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 12 West New Britain Extension, 2017
Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus)
Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta)
White-rumped Swiftlet (Aerodramus spodiopygius)
Uniform Swiftlet (Aerodramus vanikorensis)
Moustached Treeswift (Hemiprocne mystacea)
Blyth’s Hornbill (Aceros plicatus)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis hispidoides)
Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) Varirata
White-mantled Kingfisher (Todiramphus albonotatus)
Melanesian Kingfisher (Todiramphus tristrami)
Beach Kingfisher (Todiramphus saurophagus)
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)
Black-backed Paradise-Kingfisher (Tanysiptera [sylvia] nigriceps)
Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus)
Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) Varirata
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 13 West New Britain Extension, 2017
Oriental Hobby (Falco severus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Blue-eyed Cockatoo (Cacatua opthalmica)
Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrot (Micropsitta pusio)
Eclectus Parrot (Lorius roratus solomonensis)
Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi) Varirata
Red-flanked Lorikeet (Charmosyna placentis)
Purple-bellied Lory (Lorius hypoinchrous)
Black-capped Lory (Lorius lory) Varirata
Goldie’s Lorikeet (Psitteuteles goldiei) Varirata
Coconut (Rainbow) Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus massena)
Green-fronted Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus tener)
Streak-headed Honeyeater (Pycnopygius stictocephalus) Varirata
Mimic Meliphaga (Meliphaga analoga) Varirata
Long-billed Honeyeater (Melilestes megarhynchus) Varirata
Ruby-throated Myzomela (Myzomela eques) Varirata
Ashy Myzomela (Myzomela cineracea)
Papuan Black Myzomela (Myzomela nigrita) Varirata
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 14 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Sclater’s Myzomela (Myzomela sclateri)
Black-bellied Myzomela (Myzomela erythromelas)
Tawny-breasted Honeyeater (Xanthotis flaviventer) Varirata
Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) Varirata
New Britain Friarbird (Philemon cockerelli)
Goldenface (Pachycare flavogriseum) Heard only, Varirata
Rusty Mouse-Warbler (Crateroscelis murina) Heard only, Varirata
Fairy Gerygone (Gerygone palpebrosa) Varirata
Yellow-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone chrysogaster) Varirata
Black Berrypecker (Melanocharis nigra) Varirata
Spectacled Longbill (Oedistoma iliolophus) Varirata
Pygmy Longbill (Oedistoma pygmaeum) Varirata
Black Butcherbird (Cracticus quoyi) Heard only, Varirata
Barred Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina lineata) Varirata
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis)
Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela)
Rusty Pitohui (Colluricincla ferruginea) Varirata
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 15 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Little Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha) Varirata
Mangrove Golden Whistler (Pachycephala melanura)
Piping Bellbird (Ornorectes cristatus) Varirata
Hooded Pitohui (Pitohui dichrous) Varirata
Brown Oriole (Oriolus szalayi) Varirata: heard only
Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus)
Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris)
Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)
Chestnut-bellied Fantail (Rhipidura hyperythra) Varirata
Black-faced Monarch (Monarcha melanopsis) Varirata
Spot-winged Monarch (Symposiachrus guttula) Varirata
Frilled Monarch (Arses telescopthalmus) Varirata
Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto)
Velvet (Lesser Shining) Flycatcher (Myiagra hebetior)
Gray Crow (Corvus tristis) Varirata
Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) Port Moresby
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 16 West New Britain Extension, 2017 Bismarck Crow (Corvus insularis)
Growling Riflebird (Ptiloris intercedens) Varirata, Heard only
Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisea raggiana) Varirata
White-faced Robin (Tregellasia leucops) Varirata
Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)
Australian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
Papuan Grassbird (Megalurus macrurus)
Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica)
Singing Starling (Aplonis cantoroides)
Yellow-faced Myna (Mino dumontii) Varirata
Long-tailed Myna (Mino krefftii)
Red-capped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum geelvinkianum)
Red-banded (Bismarck) Flowerpecker (Dicaeum eximium)
Black Sunbird (Leptocoma sericea)
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 17 West New Britain Extension, 2017
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Bismarck (Buff-bellied) Munia (Lonchura melaena)
MAMMALS
Great Flying-fox (Pteropus neohibernicus)
Bismarck Flying-fox (Pteropus capistratus)
Island Flying-fox (Pteropus hypomelanus)
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 18 West New Britain Extension, 2017