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New Britain Extension II Trip Report 11th to 15th August 2016 (5 days) New Britain Boobook by Jonathan Rossouw Tour Leaders: Erik Forsyth & Wayne Jones Trip report compiled by Wayne Jones Trip Report – RBL New Britain Extension II 2016 2 After arriving at Hoskins airport we made the hour-long drive to the idyllic dive resort of Walindi. Along the way, we made a couple of stops to look at Buff-bellied Mannikin and Melanesian Kingfisher. Not long after, while watching Common Sandpiper, a dark morph Pacific Reef Heron and Sacred Kingfisher flew in from the Walindi reception area and a group of Lesser Frigatebirds flew low over our heads! The climate on New Britain is generally hot and humid – the epitome of a tropical island – so we waited for the relative coolness of mid-afternoon to venture to the Kulu River. The journey took us through vast palm oil plantations where little birdlife remains. A few species have adapted well to these plantations and we enjoyed spectacular looks at multiple Stephan’s Emerald Doves, Pacific Black Duck and three Black Bitterns. The bitterns hunt in the narrow canals criss-crossing the plantations and this must rate as one of the best places in the world to see this normally shy species! We found a lookout point along the Kulu River from where Pacific Baza by Jonathan Rossouw we had good views up and down the river and across to the riparian forest on the other side. As the afternoon wore on, activity picked up a little and we eventually had good looks at Little Pied Cormorant, Pacific Baza, Variable Goshawk, Brahminy Kite, Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove, the lovely Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon, White-necked Coucal, Brush Cuckoo, a few White-rumped Swiftlets among the far more common Uniform Swiftlets, Blyth’s Hornbill, raucous Blue-eyed Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, incredibly bright Purple-bellied Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Bismarck Crow, Metallic Starling, Long-tailed Myna and Black Sunbird. We wandered along the edge of the forest, hoping to lay eyes on a Black-capped Paradise Kingfisher that was calling just within the dense vegetation but the little guy eluded us. As dusk was approaching, we began our search for Melanesian Megapodes, which leave their foraging areas in the plantations to return to the natural forest flanking the river. After a few glimpsed birds, we eventually had wonderful views of two individuals, and in the end saw eight of these big-footed “chickens”. We were up and raring to go particularly early the following morning, we had a long way to drive and we needed to squeeze in as much birding time as possible before the heat and humidity became too much for us AND the birds! We, once again, navigated the maze- like system of roads through the palm plantation, flushing bitterns and doves along the way, until we reached Garu Wildlife Management Area, a patch of intact lowland forest. While walking the road that cuts Melanesian Megapode by Markus Lilje Trip Report – RBL New Britain Extension II 2016 3 through the forest, we racked up an impressive tally of columbids – the common Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon, the multi-coloured Knob-billed Fruit Dove, Yellowish Imperial Pigeon, the tricky Finsch’s Imperial Pigeon and a few of us even snagged views of a high-flying Black Imperial Pigeon off in the distance. Other goodies included two separate Violaceous Coucals – often a very tough bird to get eyes on, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Moustached Treeswift, Oriental Dollarbird, a pristine White-mantled Kingfisher sitting in the canopy, Song Parrot, Ashy Myzomela, New Britain Friarbird, Northern Fantail, a fleeting male Velvet Flycatcher, Red-banded Flowerpecker and a pair of White-breasted Ground Doves. En route back to the lodge, a few minutes at a small patch of grassland/fallow fields produced Papuan Grassbird, Australian Reed Warbler, Common Kingfisher (at a stream) and three beautiful Buff-banded Rails. Over lunchtime, half a dozen obliging Buff-faced Pygmy Parrots treated guests to fantastically close views and huge Common Green Birdwings floated between flowering trees. That afternoon we headed towards Kilu Ridge, below which a local man had located a pair of roosting Papuan Boobooks. We waded uphill, through the soup-thick air and were rewarded with a pair of dinky round birds eyeing us suspiciously from their leafy hideout. Leaving Finsch’s Imperial Pigeon by Markus Lilje the owls behind, we climbed further to an open lookout area along the ridge. We had a commanding view out over the forest below and, thankfully, the tiniest hint of a breeze made the air a little less stifling. Varied Triller showed nicely and a pair of Blue- eyed Cockatoos kept us entertained. We even had a few Great Flying Foxes cruise over. That night, as with the other nights, we ventured into the palm plantations in search of the fabled Golden Masked Owl that was rediscovered in the area in the last three years. We were, sadly, not successful, although a few flushed Nankeen Night Herons got our hearts racing each time!! We did get to see a firefly tree, where hundreds (thousands?) of fireflies flicked their little lights on and off in near-perfect unison. What a magical sight! On our final full day on New Britain, we took a boat ride out to two islets in Kimbe Bay – Restorff and Little Malu Malu Islands – where we found Island Imperial Pigeon, sought-after Nicobar Pigeon, a single MacKinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove, the stunningly clean-looking Beach Kingfisher, Sclater’s Myzomela, Island Monarch and the gorgeous Mangrove Golden Whistler. The waters between the islands and the mainland also turned up Brown Booby, Lesser Frigatebird, hundreds of Black Noddies, Greater Crested, Black-naped and Buff-banded Rail by Jonathan Rossouw Trip Report – RBL New Britain Extension II 2016 4 Common Terns, Eastern Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle and Pacific Golden Plover, Grey-tailed Tattler and Ruddy Turnstone on some exposed reefs. But the birdlife wasn’t the only attraction of these little islands! The coral reefs here are rated among the best in the world and we were lucky to spend a short time snorkelling around a small part. The diversity of the corals and fish was simply incredible, and highlights included a feisty Mantis Shrimp, an array of butterflyfishes, Clark’s and Spinecheek Anemonefishes and a stealthy Great Barracuda that patrolled the edge of the reef. That afternoon, we returned to the Kulu River where we finally nailed Black-capped Paradise Kingfisher and had excellent looks at a good number of Red-flanked Lorikeets. The following day we left wonderful Walindi behind and headed back to Port Moresby a day earlier due to complications with the national carrier. We spent the remainder of the day exploring areas of the capital we had not visited before, including the famous stilt town, the CBD and Black-capped Paradise Kingfisher by Markus Lilje the Lae Lae mangroves area and even added one last trip lifer to our list – Silver-eared Honeyeater. Annotated List of species recorded List powered through the report generator of our partner iGoTerra. Birds (88 in total: 86 seen, 2 heard) Nomenclature and taxonomy follows Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2016. IOC World Bird List (v 6.2). Status codes: E = Endemic, NE = Near-endemic, I = Introduced IUCN codes: CR = Critically endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, EW = Extinct in the Wild, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient Papua New Guinea Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl Anatidae Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa pelewensis Kulu River 11.8, NBPOL Palm Plantations 12.8 and Kulu River 13.8. Megapodes Megapodiidae Melanesian Megapode Megapodius eremita Kulu River 11.8. Trip Report – RBL New Britain Extension II 2016 5 Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns Ardeidae Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis australis Observed NBPOL Palm Plantations 11-13.8. Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus NBPOL Palm Plantations 12.8 and NBPOL Palm Plantations 13.8. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus NBPOL Palm Plantations 11.8 and NBPOL Palm Plantations 13.8. Great Egret Ardea alba modesta Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 13.8. Little Egret Egretta garzetta nigripes Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8 and Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8. Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra sacra Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 11.8, Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8, Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8 and Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 14.8. Frigatebirds Fregatidae Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel ariel Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 11.8, Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8 and Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8. Boobies and Gannets Sulidae Brown Booby Sula leucogaster plotus Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8. Cormorants and Shags Phalacrocoracidae Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos melanoleucos Kulu River 11.8. Osprey Pandionidae Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8 and Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8. Hawks, Eagles, and Kites Accipitridae Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata Kulu River 11.8. Variable Goshawk Accipiter hiogaster Kulu River 11.8, Garu Wildlife Management Area 12.8 and Kulu River 13.8. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus Kulu River 11.8, Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8, Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8 and Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 14.8. White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Walindi Plantation Resort, Kimbe 12.8 and Malu Malu Island and Restorff Island, 13.8. Rails, Gallinules, and Coots Rallidae Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis NBPOL Palm Plantations 12.8. White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea 1 heard NBPOL Palm Plantations 12.8. Trip Report – RBL New Britain Extension II 2016 6 Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus NBPOL Palm Plantations 12.8.
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