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Itinerary: Papua New Guinea

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Itinerary: Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Birds in Paradise: August 12 – 29, 2011 With Christopher Leahy Of all the birding destinations in world, Papua New Guinea would have to rank among the most fascinating and exotic. The second largest island in the world, New Guinea was the last inhabited island on earth to be explored by Europeans, and even today many areas have little or no exposure to Western influence. The virtually untouched forests come alive with incredible fruit doves, fig parrots, fairywrens, jewel-babblers, pitas, honeyeaters and berrypeckers. Over twenty species of dazzling birds- of-paradise present elaborate iridescent colours and wild tail plumes in one of the most astonishing exhibits of the natural world. Travelling by air, road, and boat we will explore the diverse habitats of the country from winding lowland rivers and sprawling grasslands to rich highland ecosystems and forested valleys where native tribes still dance dressed to mimic the fabulous birds-of-paradise while adorned with elaborate head plumes of parrots and birds-of-paradise. Our eighteen-day tour covers the highlights of this enchanted and under-travelled country in depth. We can expect a phenomenal variety of remarkable birds and vast regions of immaculate forests that have been experienced by few people on earth. For those who wish, there is a New Britain extension ending on September 2, 2011 (5 days) DRAFTD THE TOUR IN DETAIL Day 1: Aug. 12 ~ Arrival in Port Moresby. Today we meet in Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea (PNG). This area was once home to the Motuan seagoing people famous for their impressively long boats with strange crab-claw shaped sails. PNG occupies the eastern half of the world‟s second largest island, New Guinea. PNG was divided between two colonial powers, the Germans in the north and the British in the south, but after the First World War, the country was given over to Australian rule until independence in 1975. The region of Port Moresby supports the richest avifauna in PNG due to its diversity of habitats from lowland rainforest and eucalypt savannah, rich mangroves, open grasslands and coastal palm beaches. In the afternoon we will visit the Pacific Adventist University, where we can get a pleasant introduction to some of the savannah and wetland birds of the island. The expansive and peaceful grounds of the university contain gardens and patches of habitat suitable for a surprising variety of lowland species and they literally teem with birds. We will spend the afternoon looking for species including the huge Blue-winged Kookaburra which has a distinctive raucous call, flocks of migrant Black-faced Cuckooshrike, often numbering more than fifty at a time, attractive Rufous-banded and Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters, the conspicuous Black-backed Butcherbird, the huge, skulking Pheasant Coucal and the guttural calls of the Helmeted Friarbird are heard throughout the grounds. One of the key birds is the subtly attractive Fawn-breasted Bowerbird and we will also look for Torresian Imperial Pigeon, Torresian Crow, the locally uncommon Bar- shouldered Dove, and flocks of attractive Green Figbird and Yellow-faced Myna. The grounds support many ponds and we can expect to see Comb-crested Jacana, Purple Swamphen (the local black-backed race is proposed as a split), Dusky Moorhen, and good numbers of Pacific Black Duck and Wandering Whistling-Duck lounging about. In the late afternoon, we will seek out the roost of a pair of impressively large Papuan Frogmouth! We will then check into our very comfortable hotel situated on the outskirts of the city. Day 2-3: Aug. 13-14 ~ Day excursion to Varirata National Park and birding in Lea Lea along Brown River Valley. We can expect some exciting birding close to Port Moresby and our day will begin with a very early morning departure to Varirata National Park, situated in the foothills above the city. Our first stop will be at the head of the notorious Kokoda Trail, where valiant efforts by Australian and local troops halted the Japanese march during the Second World War. Nearby, a small wetland may provide us with our first of several difficult Papuan mannikins: Great-billed, Streak- headed, Chestnut-breasted, and Grey-headed are all possible. The dry eucalypt forests that flank the quiet access road to Varirata provide superb birding and noisy screeches will reveal pairs of stunning Black-capped Lory or flocks of busy Coconut Lorikeet, Dusky Lory, and Red-cheeked Parrot. Here we will find a mix of New Guinea endemics and species shared with Australia. Likely species include the attractive White-shouldered Fairywren, Black Sunbird, White-throated and Green-backed Honeyeaters, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Varied Triller, Lemon- Mass Audubon Tours in partnership with Rockjumper Tours 800-289-9504 DRAFTD bellied Flyrobin, the beautiful Midget Myzomela, Brown Oriole, Spangled Drongo, and the noisy Hooded Butcherbird. Once we enter the park, we will slowly walk narrow trails that enter the moister evergreen hill forest. These well marked trails wind through a variety of habitats with some excellent lookouts over Port Moresby and the coastline, providing a full day of new sights and sounds. These forests are particularly rich in kingfishers. In fact, New Guinea hosts the world‟s highest density of these desirable birds with 24 species occurring! We will search for the beautiful endemic Russet Paradise Kingfisher, one of several paradise kingfisher species found on PNG and distinguished by their long trailing tails. Furthermore, Yellow- billed, Azure, Little, Forest, Chameleon, and Sacred Kingfishers and the most attractive of all the giant kingfishers, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, occur in Varirata. Columbids are also very well represented here, particularly a wonderful collection of stunning fruit doves including Wompoo, Pink-spotted, Superb, Beautiful and Ornate Fruit Doves. Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, and the elusive Pheasant Pigeon are other species we will be on the lookout for. The latter is likely to be heard but we would be very fortunate to observe this secretive ground dweller. Other species we can find on the trails include White-faced Robin, Black Cicadabird, Barred Cuckooshrike, Chestnut-bellied and Sooty Thicket Fantails, Frilled, Black-faced, Spot-winged, and Black Monarchs, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, the stunning Goldenface, Rusty and Grey Whistlers, the poisonous Hooded, Rusty and Variable Pitohuis, Pale-billed Scrub- Wren, Fairy Gerygone, Mottle-breasted, Puff-backed and Spotted Honeyeaters, Black Berrypecker and Plumed and Pygmy Longbills. The last mentioned three species belong to the Berrypecker family that is endemic to New Guinea. We will also attempt to locate the localized endemic Barred Owlet-Nightjar by checking several potential roost sites. Besides the Pheasant Pigeon, several other secretive terrestrial birds occur in Varirata, all of them a challenge to observe! We will search for these species, including Dwarf Cassowary, Black-billed Brush-turkey (we will visit several impressive mounds), Crested Pitohui, Cinnamon Ground-Dove, Painted Quail-Thrush, and the stunning Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler and Northern Scrub Robin. However, the absolute highlight of the day will be witnessing the marvellous performance by testosterone-ridden male Raggiana Birds-of-paradise, whose elaborate red and orange flank plumes dance in anticipation of a potential mate. We will visit a special display site where, after sitting quietly, we can hope for good numbers of displaying males and receptive females. Finally, we will know for sure that we really are in birders‟ heaven! A second species of Bird-of-paradise, the appropriately named Magnificent Riflebird, also occurs. We will search out the loud guttural calls of the males and hope to see this species form, which is sometimes differentiated and referred to as Eastern Riflebird. On our second day here, we will either revisit Varirata National Park or other sites around Port Moresby, depending on what species we still need and the road conditions. A drive to Hisui Mangroves might provide Mangrove Robin, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Mangrove Fantail, with Coroneted Fruit Dove and Silver-eared Honeyeater en route. If conditions allow, we will also walk along the road adjacent to the Brown River, an area that consistently proves to be extremely productive. Mass Audubon Tours in partnership with Rockjumper Tours 800-289-9504 DRAFTD Day 4: Aug 15 ~ Port Moresby to Tabubil. Early this morning we will catch an internal flight to the mining town of Tabubil in the foothills of the Star Mountains. The gradual transition from lowland to foothill forest will prove productive as we keep an eye out for specialties and endemics. This new road, built to service the rich Ok Tedi copper and gold mine above Tabubil, will allow us to access the little-known foothill forests of the Star Mountains. This area‟s remoteness, near the Indonesian border, allows us to observe foothill forest and birds in virtually the same pristine habitat as an observer would have seen hundreds of years ago. There are several narrow forest trails and a few unpaved roads from which we will be birding, and we are sure to see some spectacular species amongst the rich foothill vegetation. A stop at a hydro-electric plant will give us a chance to search for the three New Guinea torrent specialists; Torrent Flyrobin, Torrentlark and the lovely Salvadori‟s Teal. These three fast-flowing river specialists are all very attractive species and can be quite difficult to observe. Finally, we will do some birding around Tabubil itself. Although we will be visiting during the dry season, this is one of the wettest spots in the world and rain can well be expected! Day 5-6: Aug 16 - 17 ~ Tabubil area. The forests around Tabubil provide some excellent birding. We have opportunities over the next two days for observing some very rarely seen birds.
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