This was my first experience of bird-watching in Papua New Guinea outside the immediate environs of the capital. So much was new to me that I missed many birds observed by the rest of the party, if my impressions differ from those of the ‘old hands’ then I apologise in advance.
After meting at the NBC tree, we were on the road before 06:00 heading out of town on the Hiritano Highway. First stop was Veikabu Oxbow where I had my first sight of Azure, Little and Forest Kingfishers, Australian Darter and Comb-crested Jacana. Many other species were seen by the group, some identified only by ‘jizz’ or call which I have yet to learn.
The second stop in the rain forest shortly after the oxbow supplied the highlight of the day for many members of the party with a brief look at a Bat Hawk flying across the road, its moustachial streaks very prominent. Not having learnt the rarity value of various species yet, I was much more taken with the excellent views of a male Black Sunbird and a Yellow-billed Kingfisher. If I offend anyone’s sensibilities I can only apologise again and promise to look more carefully next time.
En route to Kanosia were several birds of prey, including a pair of Papuan Harriers, a Crested Hawk and a white phase Grey Goshawk of ghostly appearance. Kanosia Lagoon proved to be a bit of a disappointment as the water level was quite high. I for one did not mind too much as my list continued to increase with my first Green Pygmy Geese, Wandering Whistling Duck and Pacific Black Duck. An inadequate glimpse wasthe first view for most of us of a Baillon’s Crake, while a single Wood Sandpiper was a reminder of home. A brief stop was made at Aroa for refreshments and here we were entertained by Silver-eared Honeyeaters, probably my favourite bird of the day. Then it was off through the coconut plantations to Cape Suckling where Paulene fed the multitudes, and delicious it was too. Here I found it quite easy to separate Greater Sand Plovers and Mongolian Plovers and learnt to distinguish between Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds. Birds familiar from home, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Grey Plover and Whimbrel were seen alongside species previously seen only on the pages of books, Grey-tailed Tattler and Red-necked Stint. All these species were searching out the sun during the northern winter while in contrast three Channel-billed Cuckoos seen flying out to see were heading south to their Australian breeding grounds.
To sum up: 109 species were recorded including 10 birds of prey, 7 pigeons, 8 parrots and 7 kingfishers. I can only count half of these but intend to catch up with the rest shortly. Thanks to all the members who came along and helped me; especial thanks to Paulene, who supplied the grub, without which more than just one new arrival would have starved.
Species List:
Australasian Grebe, Greater Frigatebird, Lesser Frigatebird, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Darter, Brown Booby, Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Eastern Reef Egret, Nankeen Night Heron, Osprey, Pacific Baza, Bat Hawk, Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite, Papuan Harrier, Swamp Harrier, Grey Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Nankeen Kestrel, Spotted Whistling Duck, Wandering Whistling Duck, Green Pygmy Goose, Pacific Black Duck, Buff-banded Rail, White-browed Crake, Baillon’s Crake, Dusky Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Comb-crested Jacana, White-headed Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Grey Plover, Lesser Sand-Plover, Greater Sand-Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Whimbrel, Grey-tailed Tattler, Common Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Stint, Gull-billed Tern, Common Tern, Black-naped Tern, Swift (Crested) Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Stephan’s Ground-Dove, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Torresian Imperial Pigeon, Yellowish-streaked Lory, Coconut Lory, Black-capped Lory, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Pheasant Coucal, Papuan Spinetail, Uniform Swiftlet, Azure Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookabura, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Oriental Dollarbird, Pacific Swallow, Tree Martin, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Black Cuckoo-Shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrke, White-shouldered Fairy-Wren, Australian Reed Warbler, Golden-headed Cisticola, Willie Wagtail, Shining Flycatcher, Olive Flycatcher, Papuan Flowerpecker, Black-Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, Dusky Myzomela, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Silver-eared Honeyeater, Graceful Honeyeater, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Grey-headed Mannikin, Chestnut-breatsed Mannikin, Yellow-faced Myna, Singing Starling, Metallic Starling, Figbird, White-breasted Wood-Swallow, Black-backed Butcherbird, Hooded Butcherbird, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Trumpet Manucode, Glossy Manucode, Raggiana Bird of Paradise.
First published in PNGBS Newsletter 218: 3 - 4
After meting at the NBC tree, we were on the road before 06:00 heading out of town on the Hiritano Highway. First stop was Veikabu Oxbow where I had my first sight of Azure, Little and Forest Kingfishers, Australian Darter and Comb-crested Jacana. Many other species were seen by the group, some identified only by ‘jizz’ or call which I have yet to learn.
The second stop in the rain forest shortly after the oxbow supplied the highlight of the day for many members of the party with a brief look at a Bat Hawk flying across the road, its moustachial streaks very prominent. Not having learnt the rarity value of various species yet, I was much more taken with the excellent views of a male Black Sunbird and a Yellow-billed Kingfisher. If I offend anyone’s sensibilities I can only apologise again and promise to look more carefully next time.
En route to Kanosia were several birds of prey, including a pair of Papuan Harriers, a Crested Hawk and a white phase Grey Goshawk of ghostly appearance. Kanosia Lagoon proved to be a bit of a disappointment as the water level was quite high. I for one did not mind too much as my list continued to increase with my first Green Pygmy Geese, Wandering Whistling Duck and Pacific Black Duck. An inadequate glimpse wasthe first view for most of us of a Baillon’s Crake, while a single Wood Sandpiper was a reminder of home. A brief stop was made at Aroa for refreshments and here we were entertained by Silver-eared Honeyeaters, probably my favourite bird of the day. Then it was off through the coconut plantations to Cape Suckling where Paulene fed the multitudes, and delicious it was too. Here I found it quite easy to separate Greater Sand Plovers and Mongolian Plovers and learnt to distinguish between Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds. Birds familiar from home, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Grey Plover and Whimbrel were seen alongside species previously seen only on the pages of books, Grey-tailed Tattler and Red-necked Stint. All these species were searching out the sun during the northern winter while in contrast three Channel-billed Cuckoos seen flying out to see were heading south to their Australian breeding grounds.
To sum up: 109 species were recorded including 10 birds of prey, 7 pigeons, 8 parrots and 7 kingfishers. I can only count half of these but intend to catch up with the rest shortly. Thanks to all the members who came along and helped me; especial thanks to Paulene, who supplied the grub, without which more than just one new arrival would have starved.
Species List:
Australasian Grebe, Greater Frigatebird, Lesser Frigatebird, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Darter, Brown Booby, Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Eastern Reef Egret, Nankeen Night Heron, Osprey, Pacific Baza, Bat Hawk, Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite, Papuan Harrier, Swamp Harrier, Grey Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Nankeen Kestrel, Spotted Whistling Duck, Wandering Whistling Duck, Green Pygmy Goose, Pacific Black Duck, Buff-banded Rail, White-browed Crake, Baillon’s Crake, Dusky Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Comb-crested Jacana, White-headed Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Grey Plover, Lesser Sand-Plover, Greater Sand-Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Whimbrel, Grey-tailed Tattler, Common Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Stint, Gull-billed Tern, Common Tern, Black-naped Tern, Swift (Crested) Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Stephan’s Ground-Dove, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Torresian Imperial Pigeon, Yellowish-streaked Lory, Coconut Lory, Black-capped Lory, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Pheasant Coucal, Papuan Spinetail, Uniform Swiftlet, Azure Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookabura, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Oriental Dollarbird, Pacific Swallow, Tree Martin, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Black Cuckoo-Shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrke, White-shouldered Fairy-Wren, Australian Reed Warbler, Golden-headed Cisticola, Willie Wagtail, Shining Flycatcher, Olive Flycatcher, Papuan Flowerpecker, Black-Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, Dusky Myzomela, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Silver-eared Honeyeater, Graceful Honeyeater, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Grey-headed Mannikin, Chestnut-breatsed Mannikin, Yellow-faced Myna, Singing Starling, Metallic Starling, Figbird, White-breasted Wood-Swallow, Black-backed Butcherbird, Hooded Butcherbird, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Trumpet Manucode, Glossy Manucode, Raggiana Bird of Paradise.
First published in PNGBS Newsletter 218: 3 - 4
