New Britain I Trip Report

th nd 18 to 22 July 2012 (5 days)

Tour Leader: Erik Forsyth & Rich Lindie

Tour Summary

Boarding our aircraft to the South Pacific islands of the Bismarck Archipelago, we landed on New Britain, part of a volcanic series situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where, from our diving resort, we were literally encircled by a chain of volcanoes. After a cancelled flight the previous day we arrived in the late afternoon in time for some initial birding. At a nearby ridge we found our first endemics including Blue- eyed Cockatoo, Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon, New Guinea and both White-necked and the huge Violaceous Coucals. The next morning we ventured out into the surrounding rainforest in Pokili Wildlife Management Area. This was quite an endeavour at times as we literally had to weave our footsteps around hundreds of Melanesian Scrubfowl burrows that had been dug deeply into the ground to incubate clutches of in the warm volcanic soil. Here we enjoyed good views of the scrubfowl and learnt about the sustainable harvesting of the eggs at this colony. Other great here included the spectacular Black- headed Paradise Kingfisher, Purple-bellied Lory, Red-knobbed , Long-tailed Myna, the scarce RBT Trip Report – New Britain extension 2012 2

Red-chinned Lorikeet and smart Black-bellied . We were also fortunate in seeing the scarce Bismarck Black Myzomela, which has only recently been recorded in this area. An afternoon excursion to Kilu Ridge gave us fabulous scope views of a pair of New Britain Boobook, Red-flanked Lorikeet, huge Blyth’s Hornbills gliding over, Purple-bellied Lorys, gaudy Eclectus and a pair of the highly sought-after Song feeding in a nearby tree!

Boarding our sea-bound diving vessel we next motored into the Bismarck Sea to explore several small remote tropical islands. En route to the islands we stopped amongst a frenzied flock of feeding and enjoyed close looks at Swift, Common, the beautiful Black-naped and a lone Bridled. Arriving at Malu Malu we soon located island specialties such as Sclater’s Myzomela, Island Imperial Pigeon, Spot-breasted -Dove, Mangrove (Black-tailed) Whistler, Beach Kingfisher and great looks at the lovely , several of which flew past the boat. Anchoring beside the white sand beaches of Restorf Island, we also snorkeled amongst living coral beset with every color imaginable, with a fabulous array of exotic sea- creatures ranging from anemones to urchins, starfish to crabs, and sea lilies to parrotfish. And so concluded our very successful and highly enjoyable tour of New Britain.

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Photo Credits: Nicobar Pigeon and Blue-eyed Cockatoo by John Tino, New Britain Boobook, Black-capped Paradise Kingfisher and Sclater’s Myzomela by John Caddick.

Annotated Checklists of Birds

Nomenclature and follows the IOC 3.6 List of: Gill, F. and M. Wright. 2012. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press.

Total species recorded: 63

Key to endemic/near endemic abbreviations NG – endemic to New Guinea NB – endemic to New Britain BA – endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago NE – near endemic to New Guinea

Megapodes Megapodiidae Melanesian (Volcano) Scrubfowl (NE) Megapodius eremita Always a highlight of our visit to New Britain is the vast nesting colony at Pokili Wildlife Management Area. In this area hundreds of birds lay their eggs in the warm soil in this hot springs area that covers several hectares! The entire area is riddled with nest burrows. Just walking through a portion of the colony, we flushed up to twenty adults and had many scope views of these strange birds skulking in the trees.

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns Ardeidae [Eastern] Great Egret Bubulcus coromandus One was seen in an open field. Little Egret Egretta garzetta A singleton was seen wading near Walindi resort. Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra Several dark and white morphs were seen from our resort and again near Restorf Island.

Frigatebirds Fregatidae Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel Two seen daily in Kimbe Bay.

Ospreys Pandionidae Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus Several birds were seen in Kimbe Bay.

Hawks, Eagles & Kites Accipitridae Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus Common across the island. White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster A singleton was seen in the bay. Variable Goshawk Accipiter hiogaster

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The common accipiter on New Britain and heard daily.

Sandpipers, Snipes Scolopacidae Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Two birds in Kimbe Bay.

Terns Sternidae Black Noddy Anous minutes Great looks at a near our boat in Kimbe Bay, New Britain. Swift (Great Crested) Sterna bergii Common in Kimbe Bay. Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus A singleton was seen in Kimbe Bay. Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana Great looks at ten birds in Kimbe Bay. Sterna hirundo At least twenty birds were seen on our trip into Kimbe Bay.

Pigeons & Doves Spot-breasted (Mackinlay’s) Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia mackinlayi A singleton was seen in flight on Restorf Island; this is one of the small-island specialist species. Stephan's Emerald Dove Chalcophaps stephani Two birds were seen in flight near Garu Forest. Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica We enjoyed outstanding flight views on Restorf Island in Kimbe Bay. Knob-billed Fruit Dove (BA) Ptilinopus insolitus Great scope looks at Kilu Ridge. Red-knobbed (Knob-billed) Imperial Pigeon (NE) Ducula rubricera Common on New Britain, with more than one hundred birds total being seen between our various birding sites. Floury (Island/Grey) Imperial Pigeon (NE) Ducula pistrinaria Up to forty were seen all over both Kimbe and Restorf islands during our Bismarck Sea boat trip. Bismarck (Yellow-tinted) Imperial Pigeon (NE) Ducula subflavescens Two birds were seen briefly at Tamara Ridge.

Cockatoos Cacatuidae Blue-eyed Cockatoo (NB) Cacatua ophthalmica Pleasingly common on New Britain and seen at all sites visited.

Parrots Psittacidae Coconut (Rainbow) Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus Recorded daily in small numbers. Purple-bellied (Eastern Black-capped) Lory (NG)Lorius hypoinochrous We had many fine views of this beautiful bird. Red-flanked Lorikeet (NE) Charmosyna placentis Seen very well on Kilu Ridge.

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Singing Parrot (BA) Geofroyuss heteroclitus Great looks at a pair of this scarce species on Kilu Ridge. Eclectus Parrot (NE) Eclectus roratus This bird is much more abundant on New Britain than on mainland New Guinea, where we estimated up to one hundred in a single day!

Cuckoos and Coucals Cuculidae Pied (White-necked) Coucal (BA) Centropus ateralbus Good looks daily. A variety of patterns was represented. Violet (Violaceous) Coucal (BA) Centropus violaceus Good scope looks at Tamara Ridge and at Pokili Forest. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceaus Heard at Pokili Forest.

Owls Strigidae New Britain Boobook (BA) Ninox odiosa We enjoyed scope looks at two birds at a day roost in Kimbe Bay.

Treeswifts Hemiprocnidae Moustached Treeswift (NE) Hemiprocne mystacea Great looks around Walindi Lodge.

Swifts Apodidae Uniform Swiftlet Aerodramus vanikorensis Very common in the lowlands and hills, where seen virtually every day.

Rollers Coraciidae Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis Seen regularly in the lowlands.

Kingfishers Alcedinidae Black-capped Paradise Kingfisher (NE) Tanysiptera sylvia We worked hard for this species and eventually had great looks. Collared Kingfisher Todirhamphus tristrami One bird recorded while boating around the smaller islands. Beach (White-headed) Kingfisher (NE) Todirhamphus saurophaga Two of these island specialists were seen very well on Restorf Island. Sacred Kingfisher Todirhamphus sanctus A singleton was seen at Pokili Forest. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis About five birds were seen on New Britain.

Bee-eaters Meropidae Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus This Australasian migrant was seen in small numbers.

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Hornbills Bucerotidae Blyth's Hornbill (NE) Aceros plicatus This species was seen extremely well perched and in flight.

Honeyeaters Meliphagidae New Britain Friarbird (NB) Philemon cockerelli This species was fairly common on New Britain. (BA) Myzomela cineracea A total of ten birds were seen on New Britain. Bismarck Black Myzomela (BA) Myzomela pammelaena A singleton was seen well at Pokili Forest. This species has only recently been recorded in Kimbe Bay and there have been several sightings in the surrounding forests. Scarlet-bibbed (Sclater's) Myzomela (BA) Myzomela sclateri Up to six were seen on Restorf island visited on our Bismarck Sea boat trip. This small is endemic to islands (mostly small ones) offshore the main Bismarck Islands. Black-bellied Myzomela (BA) Myzomela erythromelas Great looks at a pair in Pokili Forest.

Cuckoo-shrikes Campephagidae White-bellied Cuckooshrike Coracina papuensis A single bird was seen at Pokili Forest. Varied Triller Lalage leucomela Three birds were seen at Walindi Resort.

Whistlers Pachycephalidae Mangrove (Black-tailed) Golden Whistler Pachycephala melanura Two birds seen including a nice look at a bright male on Restorf Island, Kimbe Bay.

Drongos Dicruridae Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus Seen in small numbers daily.

Fantails Rhipiduridae Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys Very widespread, being seen every day throughout the extension. Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris A couple birds were seen in Pokili Forest.

Monarchs Monarchidae Shining Flycatcher Myiagra alecto Common along the secondary growth where several males and females were seen.

Crows and Jays Corvidae Bismarck Crow (BA) Corvus insularis

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This recent split from the Torresian Crow was common on New Britain.

Swallows & Martins Hirundinidae Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica This is the common swallow of the region and was widespread throughout the lowlands.

Leaf Warblers & allies Phylloscopidae Island Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus poliocephalus A singleton was seen at Pokili Forest.

Starlings Sturnidae Metallic Starling (NE) Aplonis metallica We found this colonial starling to be abundant throughout the extension. Long-tailed Myna (NE) Mino kreffti We enjoyed several nice views of this species on New Britain.

Flowerpeckers Dicaeidae Red-banded (Bismarck) Flowerpecker (BA) Dicaeum eximium A singleton was seen at Pokili Forest.

Sunbirds & Spiderhunters Nectariniidae Black Sunbird Leptocoma sericea Fairly common in the lowlands. Olive-backed (Yellow-bellied) Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis This species was also seen on several occasions in secondary growth.

Waxbills & Allies Estrildidae Sooty Munia (Buff-bellied Mannikin) (BA) Lonchura melaena Up to twenty birds were seen well in Kimbe Bay, New Britain.

Annotated Checklist of Mammals Recorded

Great Flying-fox (NE) Pteropus neohibernicus Seen daily throughout New Britain.

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