Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos on New Britain

While waiting for an Air Niugini flight from Hoskins airfield, West New Britain Province, on 27 September 1998, I passed the time by bird-watching around the airport terminal. Up to 20 Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva, one Large Sand-Plover Charadrius leschenaultii and one Whimbel Numenius phaeopus foraged or roosted on the short grass bordering the airports runway and taxi-way. Among these waders was a sandpiper, which at first I thought was a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata. Fortuitously, it flew closer to the terminal so that I could observe it from a distance of about 30 m, without the problems of heat haze, and could see that it was a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotus.

It was smaller than the Pacific Golden Plover; the Large Sand-Plover was too distant for direct comparison. It had a relatively short, straight, dark bill, yellowish at the base. There was no hint of rufous in its brownish crown. It had a pale supercilium. The streaked breast was a ‘cold’ brown with none of the buff or rufous tones of a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. The breast streaking was cleanly demarcated from the white of the belly. Its legs were yellowish-green. In flight it showed a faint, pale wing bar while the rump had a dark central bar with white sides.

Pectoral Sandpiper is a regular but uncommon non-breeding visitor to PNG with the great majority of records (as for most migrant species visiting PNG) from the Port Moresby area (Coates 1985). The only records away from Port Moresby are from Higaturu, Northern Province and Bougainville, North Solomons Province (Coates 1985), which is more indicative of observer coverage than species occurrence. This is the first record of Pectoral Sandpiper for the island of New Britain and for the province of West New Britain.

Coates, B.J. 1985. Birds of Papua New Guinea, Volume 1. Dove.

Myola

Roger and Jenny Hicks lived in Papua New Guinea for six years between 1985 and 1991. Their sons, Andrew and Matthew were both born in Port Moresby. They left PNG when the boys were still young but had always promised to return so Andrew and Matthew would have their own memories of the land of their birth.

Behind Port Moresby, the mountains of the Owen Stanley Range rise to 3500m with the peak of Mount Victoria dominating the skyline. Nestled beside a grassy basin at 2100m in the heart of this range, less than 30 minutes flying time from Port Moresby, is the small village of Myola and its bush materials guest house. Its proximity to the capital and the crisp, cool air at this altitude made it a favoured weekend retreat while we were resident in Port Moresby. It was also top of our list of places to revisit when we returned to PNG.

Myola is only accessible on foot or by air. We opted for the latter and as Myola is not on a scheduled route, we chartered a plane from one of the third level airlines. The flight parallels the route of the infamous Kokoda Trail, crossing the same rugged terrain, deep forest filled river valleys separated by steep, narrow ridges. From the air, the villages of the local Koiari people appear as a thin strip of bare earth lined with up to thirty houses built along one of the broader ridge tops. Nearby and usually along another ridge, is the wider, undulating village airstrip. Otherwise, the only break in the forest cover are the occasional glimpses of white water in the valley floors as the rivers tumble towards the sea.

At over 2000m, Myola lies above the limit of cultivation for the staple food crops of the area and so is not permanently occupied. It also differs from other villages in occupying a flat site on the edge of an inter-montane basin. It is believed this site was first occupied during WW2 when the open grassland of the basin was used as a dropping zone to re-supply troops fighting along the nearby Kokoda Trail. After the construction of an airstrip, at right-angles to the current strip, it was also used as a supply depot and field hospital.

Flights for Myola depart early, before convection currents in the mountains make flying a risky business. As we climbed steadily into the Owen Stanleys many of the valleys were still filled with cloud but the Myola basin, thankfully, was clear. From the air not much seemed to have changed. We could make out the guest house and the other village buildings, about 20 bush material huts, clustered around the northern end of the airstrip. Upon landing, the villagers gathered round the plane to help unload our gear. We were warmly greeted by Mark and his wife Gaba who still run the guest house. We had last seen them when we spent Christmas 1991, our last in PNG, at Myola, and I think they were surprised to see us again. When we had time to pause and take stock a few changes became apparent such as a few more huts at the forest edge but nothing to detract from our pleasure at being back and in no time at all it seemed as though we had never been away. Tawny Grassbirds chirruped from the dense grass beside the runway; Mountain and Glossy Swiftlets cruised overhead and Goldie’s Lorikeets streaked to and from their roost and nests in the crowns of tall pandanus trees close to the village.

Jenny and the boys had often heard talk of the tree fern forest which lies about 800m above Myola and had long wanted to see this magical valley for themselves. After a traditional Myola breakfast of fresh home-baked bread and coffee we set off. At first the going was flat but soon started climbing steeply. It quickly became obvious that not many had walked this way recently and at times we had to crawl under fallen trees or hack our way through dense undergrowth. This did not deter Andrew and Matthew who relished the role of trail blazers for most of the climb. While they remained bright and cheerful the rest of us floundered red-faced in their wake. Much of our effort was going into climbing with little energy to spare for birding. When I did stop for a breather my glasses would fog up. Such are the frustrations of a bespectacled birder in the tropics. I did manage to see small Plum-faced Lorikeets and larger Orange-billed Lorikeets feeding at the flowers of a towering Syzigium sp. where they were joined by Red-collared Myzomelas, small honeyeaters where the male is glossy black except for a red back, nape, neck and breast. When I first arrived in New Guinea it was known as the Red-caped Myzomela which seems a more appropriate name.

We reached the half-way point after about 90 minutes of climbing and when a Macgregor’s Bowerbird bower was discovered close by the trail we called a 10 minute halt. The bower was on a ridge crest and consisted of a bowl of moss about 1.5 m across with mossy walls between 10-15cm high. A small sapling in the centre of the bowl was decorated with moss for the first 10cm and then with a criss-cross of small twigs for a further 40cm. The rim of the bowl was decorated with butterfly wings (of at least five different species), black beetle cases, iridescent blue beetle cases, black lichen and black bark. I had previously seen a bower very near this one in August 1988. Although the bower appeared to be well maintained unfortunately the owner did not put in an appearance. When the colour of our faces had subsided from livid red to a more healthy pink we continued our climb seeing Canary Flycatcher, a bright yellow relative of the Jacky Winter, in the forest understorey and Brown-breasted Gerygones in the forest canopy. Another 90 energy-sapping minutes later we reached the summit of the ridge at about 2800m. Following a brief, very steep descent we broke out of the trees onto the edge of the tree fern forest.

The tree ferns occupy a valley at about 2700m through which runs the clear, sparkling and very cold Iora Creek. The upper slopes of the valley are cloaked in montane forest. The lower slopes are covered with evenly spaced tree ferns mostly 3-4m tall and interspersed with grasses. It is not a very rich bird habitat; we only recorded Tawny Grassbird and Grey Gerygone, but is nonetheless fascinating. Why is this valley dominated by tree-ferns when others nearby are forest filled? There are tree ferns just inside the forest so is the forest slowly encroaching or are the tree ferns spreading? We pondered these questions, without reaching any conclusions, while eating our picnic lunch on a vantage point that afforded views up and down this wonderful valley. All too soon it was time to leave. Bird-watching was easier on the way down. My glasses remained clear allowing me to record displaying Papuan Mountain Pigeons, climbing steeply above the canopy and then gliding down to the trees (just like Spotted Turtle Doves in suburban Melbourne). Also seen on the descent were a female Stephanie’s Astrapia (a bird of paradise) using her long bill to probe the rotting wood of a dead branch and a Black-breasted Boatbill flycatching under the canopy. It was a tired but well satisfied group that walked back into Myola at dusk.

That evening we recovered from our exertions while celebrating Chris’s birthday around the camp fire. The call of a Mountain Owlet-Nightjar rending the still night air prompted us to play recordings of other night birds. On previous visits we had heard the falling bomb whistle of Sooty Owls and more recently a visiting bird-watching tour group had recorded Feline Owlet-Nightjar. This species, the largest of the owlet-nightjars, has a boldly marked face and long cat-like ‘whiskers’. Sadly, we had no success and instead turned our attention to the night sky. Amongst the myriad pin pricks of light Will Glynn pointed out Jupiter and through the ‘scope we could see four of its moons. Eventually, it was time for bed.

Salvadori’s Teal is endemic to New Guinea, being found on mountain streams and lakes above 600m. So far it had avoided addition to my list, but had recently been recorded at Myola prompting a stomp through the grasslands of the basin and along the banks of Iora Creek. The grassland is home to very few birds: a local population of Grey-headed Mannikins probably of a subspecies awaiting formal description; ubiquitous Tawny Grassbirds and small parties of King Quail. Numerous Pacific Swallows hawked over the reed beds bordering Iora Creek and although we disturbed some duck they turned out to be Pacific Blacks. Undeterred, I set out alone early the following morning to explore the creek closer to Myola. They had to be there somewhere. More King Quail were flushed from the grassland as was a single Spotless Crake which flew away with its legs trailing. More Pacific Black Ducks were seen on the creek along with Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants. After two hours struggling through the uneven tussocky grass that edges the creek I heard splashing coming from under some grass that overhung the water. At first I thought it was probably one of the giant rats (up to 1m long) that can be found in this habitat but then made out the large yellow bill of a Salvadori’s Teal and its heavily barred flanks. At the same moment the duck saw me and flew off without a sound, keeping well below the banks of the deeply incised creek. I made a bee-line back to the village for a well earned breakfast feeling well satisfied with myself.

Bird-watching around the edge of the village, where the forest had once been cleared but had now regenerated to dense secondary growth, could be rewarding. Fan-tailed Cuckoos favoured the stumps of forest trees as perches while Pacific Swallows and Island Thrushes could be seen about the village. Three species of Birds of Paradise, Stephanie’s Astrapia, Brown Sicklebill and Loria’s Bird of Paradise fed on the small berries of an unidentified tree which also attracted flocks of New Guinea White-eyes and Tit Berrypeckers. Fan-tailed Berrypeckers fed on the same berries but kept to the denser undergrowth. Small parties of Blue-faced Parrot-Finches were regularly recorded feeding in the village gardens but flying to the surrounding forest when disturbed.

The forests around Myola are readily accessible along several trails where the walking is much easier than the climb to the tree fern forest or following Iora Creek through the grasslands. Belford’s Melidectes, a large friarbird-sized honeyeater was the most conspicuous and noisy bird in the forest. It was most often seen flying under the canopy of the 30m tall trees. The moss-draped branches of the forest trees were a rich hunting ground for numerous species. Blue-capped Ifritas, robin-sized brown birds with a white supercilium and stunning metallic light blue caps behaved much like the tits of northern Europe as they foraged amongst the moss. Papuan Treecreepers mainly confined their activities to the tree trunks and larger branches; as with their Eurasian counterparts they only ever spiralled upwards. Although closely related to the Australian treecreepers I have never recorded them foraging on the ground. Black Sittellas were adept at climbing up and down branches but mainly kept to the canopy and smaller branches. Other birds foraged on the ground amongst the leaf litter including; Rufous-naped Whistler, a large long-legged whistler, mainly dark green above and paler below with a rufous nape patch and yellow throat; Spotted Jewel-Babbler, thrush-sized with dark green upperparts, bluish underparts and white cheeks, it takes its name from two rows of spots across the wing coverts; and Lesser Ground Robin another thrush-sized ground-dweller with only weak powers of flight and drab brown plumage. It can take a while to get onto all these birds but it is worth the effort.

With great birding and good company Myola lived up to and even exceeded our expectations. It remains ‘nambawan ples bilong PNG’ for Jenny and I and now hopefully Andrew and Matthew will also regard it as a special place.

We would like to thank Will Glynn who organised our long weekend in Myola; our companions Brian Bond, Chris Eastwood, Will Glynn and Liz Kerr without whom it would not have been as much fun and, last but not least, Mark and Gaba who run the Myola Guest House. Thank you all for helping Jenny and I rekindle old memories and for giving all of us, but especially Andrew and Matthew, such enjoyable new memories of Myola.

Getting There: Accommodation at Myola Guest House can be booked through South Pacific Tours, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Fax: +675 323 5246; Email: spt@onthenet.com.au. Costs in September 1998 were K45.00 per night including accommodation and 3 meals per day. Charter Flights can be booked through MBA Tel: +675 325 2011. To charter a nine seater Islander cost K1800 in September 1998.

Complete list of species recorded at Myola between 1985 and 1998. Species recorded in September 1998 are marked with a ‘X’

Dwarf Cassowary Casuarius bennetti
X Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
X Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
Darter Anhinga melanogaster
Swamp Harrier Circus approximans
New Guinea Harpy-Eagle Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
X Peregrine Falco peregrinus
X Salvadori's Teal Anas waigiuensis
X Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Common Scrubfowl Megapodius freycinet
Wattled Brush-Turkey Aepypodius arfakianus
Brown Quail Coturnix australis
X King Quail Coturnix chinensis
Lewin's Rail Rallus pectoralis
Forbes’ Forest-Rail Rallina forbesi
X Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis
Rufous Woodcock Scolopax saturata
Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia nigrirostris
X Bronze Ground-Dove Gallicolumba beccarii
X White-breasted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus rivoli
X Papuan Mountain Pigeon Gymnophaps albertisii
X Goldie's Lorikeet Trichoglossus goldiei
Pygmy Lorikeet Charmosyna wilhelminae
Little Red Lorikeet Charmosyna pulchella
X Papuan Lorikeet Charmosyna papou
X Plum-faced Lorikeet Oreopsittacus arfaki
X Yellow-billed Lorikeet Neopsittacus musschenbroekii
X Orange-billed Lorikeet Neopsittacus pullicauda
X Brehm's Tiger-Parrot Psittacella brehmii
Madarasz's Tiger-Parrot Psittacella madaraszi
X Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx ruficollis
Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa
Feline Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles insignis
X Mountain Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles albertisi
Mountain Nightjar Eurostopodus archboldi
X Mountain Swiftlet Collocalia hirundinacea
X Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Shovel-billed Kingfisher Clytoceyx rex
Sacred Kingfisher Halcyon sancta
X Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
X Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus
X Spotted Jewel-Babbler Ptilorrhoa leucosticta
X Lesser Melampitta Melampitta lugubris
X Blue-capped Ifrita Ifrita kowaldi
X Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis
X Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren Clytomyias insignis
X Mountain Mouse-Warbler Crateroscelis robusta
X Large Scrub-Wren Sericornis nouhuysi
X Buff-faced Scrub-Wren Sericornis perspicillatus
X Papuan Scrub-Wren Sericornis papuensis
New Guinea Thornbill Acanthiza murina
X Grey Gerygone Gerygone cinerea
X Brown-breasted Gerygone Gerygone ruficollis
X Dimorphic Fantail Rhipidura brachyrhyncha
Black Fantail Rhipidura atra
X Friendly Fantail Rhipidura albolimbata
X Black Monarch Monarcha axillaris
X Black-breasted Boatbill Machaerirhynchus nigripectus
X Canary Flycatcher Microeca papuana
X Garnet Robin Eugerygone rubra
X Ashy Robin Poecilodryas albispecularis
Black-throated Robin Poecilodryas albonotata
X Lesser Ground-Robin Amalocichla incerta
X Blue-Grey Robin Peneothello cyanus
X Mottled Whistler Rhagologus leucostigma
X Regent Whistler Pachycephala schlegelii
X Brown-backed Whistler Pachycephala modesta
X Rufous-naped Whistler Pachycephala rufinucha
Wattled Ploughbill Eulacestoma nigropectus
Papuan Treecreeper Cormobates placens
Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera
X Black Sittella Daphoenositta miranda
X Fan-tailed Berrypecker Melanocharis versteri
X Spotted Berrypecker Rhamphocharis crassirostris
X Tit Berrypecker Oreocharis arfaki
X New Guinea White-eye Zosterops novaeguineae
Olive Straightbill Timeliopsis fulvigula
X Slaty-chinned Longbill Toxorhamphus poliopterus
X Red-collared Myzomela Myzomela rosenbergii
Black-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus subfrenatus
X Rufous-backed Honeyeater Ptiloprora guisei
X Belford's Melidectes Melidectes belfordi
X Common Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes fumigatus
X Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Erythrura trichroa
X Grey-headed Mannikin Lonchura caniceps
Eastern Alpine Mannikin Lonchura monticola
Torrent-Lark Grallina bruijni
Macgregor's Bowerbird Amblyornis macgregoriae
X Loria's Bird of Paradise Cnemophilus loriae
X Brown Sicklebill Epimachus meyeri

X Stephanie's Astrapia Astrapia stephaniae

(Originally published in Australian Birding 5(2): 12-14)

First documented record of House Sparrow Passer domesticus nesting in PNG

On 14 September 1998 while visiting the Gateways Hotel, Seven Mile, Port Moresby, National Capital District (NCD), I heard the familiar chirping calls of House Sparrows Passer domesticus. Several sparrows were feeding along the Jackson’s Parade fence line of the hotel while others were perched in coconut palms growing along the same fence line. A minimum of four males and two female House Sparrows were seen. While searching for House Sparrows in the crowns of the palms I noticed nests in three of the trees. A female House Sparrow entered one of the nests.

The nests were large, untidy bundles of dried grasses built among the dead leaves at the base of the palms’ crowns. Each nest was approximately 25 cm across and 20 cm deep (from top to bottom of the bundle of dried grasses) with an entrance in the side.

On 22 September 1998 a second colony of House Sparrows was discovered at the Islander Hotel, Waigani, NCD. Two nests had been built in a patch of bamboo near the hotel’s main entrance. Adult House Sparrows were sitting in the bamboo near the nests. The nests were untidy balls, constructed of dried bamboo leaves, of which there was a plentiful supply nearby and supported by several bamboo stems. Each nest was approximately 20 cm across and 20 cm deep. By 15 October 1998 there were 4 nests in the patch of bamboo

These observation are the first documented occurrence of House Sparrows nesting in PNG although previously breeding was suspected on Yule Island, Central Province, c. 100 km NW of Port Moresby, in 1988 (Gregory-Smith & Gregory-Smith 1989). House Sparrows seem to be well established in Port Moresby now (Hicks in prep) so it is unlikely these are the first nesting attempt by this species.

The origins of Port Moresby’s House Sparrow colonists is not known. The first three records of House Sparrow in PNG all occurred near the port of Port Moresby (Ashford 1978, Hicks 1986, R. Gregory-Smith in Hicks 1988) prompting speculation that they had a ship assisted passage. However, this species has been spreading north along the east coast of Australia and by 1990 had reached the southern Torres Straits Islands (Coates 1990) so its occurrence in Port Moresby is not surprising.

Ashford, R.W. 1978. First record of House Sparrow for PNG. Emu 78:36.
Coates, B.J. 1990. Birds of Papua New Guinea, Volume 2. Dove.
Gregory-Smith, R. & J. Gregory-Smith. 1989. House Sparrow Passer domesticus on Yule Island, Central Province. Muruk 4(1):23.
Hicks, R.K. 1986. Female House Sparrow Passer domesticus on Paga Hill, Port Moresby - A second record for PNG. Muruk 1(3):20
Hicks, R.K. 1988. Recent Observations: January - March 1987. Muruk 3(1) 26-30.
Hicks, R.K. in prep. House Sparrow Passer domesticus established in Port Moresby.

Of Plumes and Wigs

Roger and Jenny Hicks lived in Papua New Guinea for six years between 1985 and 1991. Their sons, Andrew and Matthew were both born in Port Moresby. They left PNG when the boys were still young but had always promised to return so Andrew and Matthew would have their own memories of the land of their birth.

Built overlooking the Tari Basin, Ambua Lodge in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea is one of the best places in the world to see birds of paradise. Thirteen species have been recorded between the township of Tari, at 1600 m, where much of the land is under cultivation and Tari Gap, at 2700 m, where the moss forest gives way to mid-montane grassland. Ambua Lodge, at 2100 m, lies at the limit of cultivation and the edge of the moss forest. Many of the species recorded in this altitude range are New Guinea endemics, including such sought after birds as Chestnut Forest Rail, Crested Berrypecker and Plum-faced Lorikeet, making Ambua Lodge one of the premier birding destinations in PNG, if not the world.

Ambua consists of a large, comfortable lodge where all main meals are taken, with forty individual bush material huts spaced down the hill so that each hut has a panoramic view of the Tari Basin below. Although rustic on the outside, the huts are all mod-cons inside, even down to the electric blankets for those chilly nights. The electricity is supplied by the lodge’s own hydro-electric plant.

My family and I stayed at Ambua Lodge from 7 - 11 September 1998. As we arrived at the lodge a female Stephanie’s Astrapia, our first bird of paradise, flew over the car park to a fruiting umbrella tree Schefflera sp. This tree attracted several other species, including a pair of Tit Berrypeckers, the male superficially resembling the Great Tit of Eurasia but with yellow cheeks and a male Loria’s Bird of Paradise, about the same size as a Common Starling, but with velvety black plumage and a contrasting lime green gape.

Situated at the forest edge, the grounds of the lodge are a good place to start birding. It is often easier to see the birds here than inside the forest. Great Wood-Swallows, large cousins of the White-breasted Wood-Swallows, and Sacred Kingfishers used the hut rooves as vantage points from which to hunt while a male Pied Chat used the same perch as a song-post. However, the most obvious bird in the lodge grounds was a melidectes, a large friarbird-sized honeyeater, which woke us with its loud raucous calls each morning. Why do the loudest birds always wake first? The birds here exhibit characteristics of both Belford’s and Yellow-browed Melidectes making it difficult to know which one to tick.

The Wata River, which powers the lodge’s hydro-electric plant, flows through a deep forested valley immediately behind the lodge. Superb Birds of Paradise inhabit this forest and a male was heard calling and seen in the trees just below the lodge’s heliport on most mornings. The Superb Bird of Paradise is another medium sized velvety black bird of paradise, sporting a blue, wedge-shaped breast-shield that extends either side of the body. From the lodge a circular trail descends into the valley to vantage points overlooking spectacular waterfalls before continuing down to the river. Black and white Torrent Larks, close relatives of the Magpie Lark so familiar in Australia, were seen along the river. Their high-pitched calls which carry above the sound of rushing water drew our attention. Another inhabitant of swift flowing mountain streams is the endemic Salvadori’s Teal. It has been recorded along the Wata River, but unfortunately not by us on this trip. A traditional rope bridge spans the river and the trail climbs steeply out of the valley before following the valley edge upstream. Away from the noise generated by the river it was easier to hear and find forest birds. A Short-tailed Paradigalla, another medium sized, black bird of paradise distinguished by its yellow and blue facial wattles, foraged in the forest canopy by apparently probing in rotten wood with its relatively long bill.

The Highlands Highway, winding past Ambua en route to Mendi (and eventually via Mount Hagen to the sea at Lae, on New Guinea’s north coast) gives easy access to the moss forest above the lodge and to the alpine grassland of Tari Gap. Traffic on the highway is very light with only the occasional PMV (Public Motorised Vehicle) and 4WD to disturb the birds and bird-watchers. Near the lodge we saw a female Lawes’ Parotia (another bird of paradise) while further up the road we watched a Rufous-backed Honeyeater building its nest of moss in the top of a small tree. Numerous parrots and lorikeets flew over but only the sleigh bell-like calls of flocks of Blue-collared Parrots were identified. They are closely related to the Red-cheeked Parrot. After only four days back in PNG, I was still struggling to put a name to the majority of calls. Many of PNG's forest birds, and especially the birds of paradise, have much noisier wing beats than birds in Australia and Europe. A rustle of feathers caused us to look up just in time to see a male Stephanie's Astrapia flying across the road trailing his two long, broad, purple-black tail feathers behind him. As the morning sunlight caught his breast feathers they almost glowed, changing colour from a dark blue-green to an iridescent turquoise. Unfortunately, this wonderful view was all too brief.

Benson's Trail, named after the local land owner, is a 1 km track cut into the epiphyte-draped moss forest at about 2200 m. Among the birding tour groups visiting Ambua, it has gained a reputation as a prime area for seeing many of the areas specialities. We spent a morning along the trail and having been given permission to catch and band* birds set four mist nets in the forest under-storey. While wondering what we might catch, we bird watched along the trail, hearing the loud staccato machine-gun like calls of the Brown Sicklebill and the even stranger radio-static calls of a King of Saxony Bird of Paradise. By following the calls, a male King of Saxony Bird of Paradise, complete with head plumes longer than his body, was located in the forest canopy. Also in the canopy a party of Black Sittellas, all dark except for a reddish face and tail, foraged along the moss covered branches while a pair of Friendly Fantails attended a nest in the under storey. The first round of the nets produced a Common Smoky Honeyeater, blackish in colour that blushed when handled, turning its normally yellow facial wattle a bright red. Subsequently we caught Rufous-backed Honeyeater, Olive Straightbill (another honeyeater), Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren and a pair of Black-breasted Boatbills. However, the prize catch of the day was a male King of Saxony Bird of Paradise, complete with its weird and wonderful head plumes. The two plumes, about 40 cm long, each consist of a single feather starting from just behind the eye. The barbs on the feather are specially modified to form small platelets, about the size of a fingernail and with a rubbery feel. Whilst this bird was in the hand it kept up a constant barrage of calls which attracted a male Brown Sicklebill, one of the largest birds of paradise, to within a couple of metres of where we were sitting. Shortly after this, it began to rain heavily so ending our banding activities for the day.

Tari Basin, below Ambua Lodge, is home to the Huli people who were unknown to the outside, western, world before 1935 when Jack Hides, a patrol officer in the Papuan Service, led an exploratory patrol into their territory. The Huli are farmers, growing sweet potatoes and taro in gardens near their scattered settlements. They are, perhaps, best known for the wigs of human hair worn by the men and decorated with yellow and red flowers, cuscus (a type of possum) fur and bird of paradise plumes. These wigs, which can take up to two years to grow, are usually made from the wearer’s own hair. When young and single, Huli men attend special wig schools where their hair is sprinkled with special spring water to encourage its growth. As it grows it is stretched and shaped using a bamboo cane. When the head of hair has reached the desired size and shape, whether for a day-to-day mushroom-shaped wig or a special crescent-shaped ceremonial wig, it is painstakingly cut from the head using a ceremonial knife.

On an excursion to a Huli village we were shown around the wig school and later met some Huli warriors dressed up for a sing-sing. As well as the wigs, elaborately decorated with flowers, fur and feathers, the wigmen also paint their faces in intricate designs. In days gone by the colours would have been obtained from the surrounding bush, yellow from clay, black from charcoal and red from various fruits, but now they use poster paints. It was fascinating watching the Huli prepare for their dance, taking as much care over their make-up as Hollywood superstars.

Feathers, particularly bird of paradise plumes, are an important part of the wig decoration. During our visit to the Huli we identified feathers from the following species adorning their wigs:- the triangular, metallic, turquoise-blue frontal shield and black breast feathers of the Superb Bird of Paradise formed a centre piece over the forehead; the primary feathers of New Guinea Harpy Eagle or Long-tailed Buzzard were stuck in the edge of some wigs while others sported the whole wings of either Barn Owl or Grass Owl; the wings and tails of various lorikeets and occasionally whole birds, stuck in beak first, adorned some wigs; longer feathers, such as Ribbontail Astrapia and Black Sicklebill tail feathers or King of Saxony Bird of Paradise head plumes and a spray of Raggiana (red), Lesser Bird of Paradise (yellow) or Cassowary (brown) feathers topped off the wig. From the six wigs on display we identified the feathers of over 20 species of birds, including those of eight birds of paradise.

The Huli we visited lived in the Tani Valley, at about 1600m and some 15 km west of Tari. At this altitude cultivation is possible and much of the ground is given over to gardens with the occasional copse of casuarina trees. In this habitat the birds were different from those recorded around the lodge. Long-tailed Shrikes stood sentinel on roadside bushes and Western Mountain White-Eyes, here at the eastern edge of their range, foraged and fed fledged young in garden edge trees. Most interesting though was a flock of Hooded Mannikins. This species normally has a white breast, but the birds in the Tani Valley had cinnamon underparts and probably represent an undescribed sub-species.

Our stay at Ambua ended with an early morning foray up to the Tari Gap where we walked along the Highland Highway as the sun climbed over the surrounding mountains lending a golden hue to the montane grassland. The light really was magical. Island Thrushes, close relatives and very similar to the Common Blackbird, fed on the roadside and Red-collared Myzomelas, small honeyeaters, the males resplendent in scarlet and black, fed in the stunted forest trees. As we descended from the gap a male Ribbontail Astrapia with his 1 m long, black tipped white tail undulating behind him flew across the road. Our eighth bird of paradise and a fitting way to end our stay at Ambua Lodge.

*We were licensed to import mist-nets into and to band birds in PNG by the PNG Department of Environment and Conservation. The bands were supplied by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme with whom we are also licensed.

We would like to thank Neil DaCosta, manager at Ambua, who did much to make our stay so enjoyable; Maria and Mark who made a lasting impression on Andrew and Matthew; Jake who rescued us from the tropical downpour and finally Padja, our field assistant who stayed with us even when the rain poured. Thank you all for making our stay at Ambua so memorable.

Getting There: Accommodation at Ambua Lodge can be booked through Trans Niugini Tours, P.O. Box 371, Mount Hagen, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea; Tel: +675 521438; Fax: +675 52 2470; Email: travel@pngtours.com. Air Niugini flies daily between Port Moresby and Tari.

List
Between 7 - 11 September 1998, I recorded 57 species while staying at Ambua Lodge. Included in this list are all the birds of paradise which have been recorded between Tari township and Tari Gap. Those I did not see on this trip are marked with an ‘X’.

Great Egret Egretta alba
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides
Brown Quail Coturnix australis
Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos
Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia nigrirostris
Papuan Mountain Pigeon Gymnophaps albertisii
Dusky Lory Pseudeos fuscata
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Goldie's Lorikeet Trichoglossus goldiei
Papuan Lorikeet Charmosyna papou
Yellow-billed Lorikeet Neopsittacus musschenbroekii
Blue-collared Parrot Geoffroyus simplex
Mountain Swiftlet Collocalia hirundinacea
Sacred Kingfisher Halcyon sancta
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
Pied Chat Saxicola caprata
Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalus
Island Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus
White-shouldered Fairy-Wren Malurus alboscapulatus
Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren Clytomyias insignis
Buff-faced Scrub-Wren Sericornis perspicillatus
Dimorphic Fantail Rhipidura brachyrhyncha
Friendly Fantail Rhipidura albolimbata
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Black Monarch Monarcha axillaris
Black-breasted Boatbill Machaerirhynchus nigripectus
Canary Flycatcher Microeca papuana
Blue-Grey Robin Peneothello cyanus
Sclater's Whistler Pachycephala soror
Regent Whistler Pachycephala schlegelii
Brown-backed Whistler Pachycephala modesta
Little Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha
Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Black Sittella Daphoenositta miranda
Tit Berrypecker Oreocharis arfaki
Western Mountain White-eye Zosterops fuscicapillus
Red-collared Myzomela Myzomela rosenbergii
Rufous-backed Honeyeater Ptiloprora guisei
Grey-streaked Honeyeater Ptiloprora perstriata
Belford's Melidectes Melidectes belfordi
Yellow-browed Melidectes Melidectes rufocrissalis
Common Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes fumigatus
Hooded Mannikin Lonchura spectabilis
Torrent-Lark Grallina bruijni
Great Wood-Swallow Artamus maximus
Mountain Peltops Peltops montanus
X Crested Bird of Paradise Cnemophilus macgregorii
Loria's Bird of Paradise Cnemophilus loriae
Short-tailed Paradigalla Paradigalla brevicauda
X Buff-tailed Sicklebill Epimachus albertisi
X Black Sicklebill Epimachus fastuosus
Brown Sicklebill Epimachus meyeri
Ribbon-tailed Astrapia Astrapia mayeri
Stephanie's Astrapia Astrapia stephaniae
Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba
Lawes' Parotia Parotia lawesii
King of Saxony Bird of Paradise Pteridophora alberti
X Raggiana Bird of Paradise Paradisaea raggiana
X Blue Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rudolphi

(Originally published in Australian Birding 5(2):12-14)

Hooded Mannikins Lonchura spectablis with cinnamon underparts near Tari, Southern Highlands Province

Hooded Mannikins Lonchura spectablis are locally common in northern New Guinea and also occur on New Britain. In PNG their range extends from the Sepik to Wau and through the eastern and central highlands west to Tari, Southern Highlands Province (SHP) (Beehler et al 1986). The more usual form has a white breast but birds with buffish underparts occur in the lowlands along the Sepik river, and in the highlands at Karimui, Chimbu Province (Coates 1990) and at Koroba, SHP (G. Clapp pers. comm. in Coates 1990). Some of these buff-breasted forms have been given subspecific status. Others, including those at Karimui and Koroba, are considered to be subspecifically distinct but have not been formally described (Restall 1996).

On 10 September 1998, I visited the village of Halungi, in the Tani Valley, SHP (map ref. YU002562, 05o49' S 142o49' E). Halungi lies at c. 1680 m and is about 14 km west of Tari and 13 km SSE of Koroba (distances as the crow flies). In a native garden a flock of 20 Hooded Mannikins fed on grass seeds and regularly flew to a nearby pool to drink allowing ample opportunity to study their plumage. All were typical Hooded Mannikins, with largish blue-grey bills, black heads, including chin and throat (giving hooded appearance), brown wings and back, and black belly (between legs), vent and undertail coverts. However, the breast, belly (to the legs), flanks upper tail coverts and upperside of the tail were noted as a uniform buffish-orange. The plumage of all birds in the flock was similar. Two Hooded Mannikins flew off carrying grass stems and were presumably nesting nearby, suggesting these birds were adults and not immatures.

Later comparison of pictures of the Hooded Mannikins seen at Halungi with the Naturalists Colour Guide (Smithe 1975) determined cinnamon (colour number 39) to be the closest match. The Koroba birds were described as having fawn underparts (G. Clapp pers. comm. in Coates 1990) and depicted with tawny breast and flanks in Restall (1996).

This observation corroborates the sighting of non-white breasted Hooded Mannikins by Clapp at nearby Koroba. No other flocks of Hooded Mannikin were seen during my stay in the Tari area but I was told both white breasted and buff breasted forms occur in the Tari Valley (J. Tano pers. comm.)

Beehler, B., T.K. Pratt & D. Zimmerman. 1986. Birds of New Guinea. Princeton.
Coates, B.J. 1990. Birds of Papua New Guinea, Volume 2. Dove.
Restall, R. 1996. Munias and Mannikins. Pica Press.
Smithe, F.B. 1975. Naturalist's Color Guide. American Museum of Natural History.

It’s good to be back....

As our Air Niugini flight crossed the New Guinea coastline to the south-east of Port Moresby, a lump appeared in my throat. The approach to Jackson’s Airport took us over many well-remembered land marks; Paga Hill, our first home in PNG, Central Government Offices where I had worked for six years and Moitaka Settling Ponds where many happy hours were spent bird-watching. There had also been some changes with new roads and buildings, including the impressive new airport terminal which we passed through with the minimum of delay. It felt good to be back.

When we left PNG in February 1991, Andrew was three years old and Matthew only 18 months. Neither remembered much of the land of their birth so we had always promised them we would return when they were old enough to appreciate the unique and wonderful sights and sounds of Papua New Guinea. With Andrew ten and Matthew fast approaching nine years old we made the promised journey.

Some of the planning for our 2-month trip had been accomplished before we left Australia but we relied heavily on friends from days gone by who were still resident in Port Moresby. Chris Eastwood had very kindly offered to put us up while we were in the capital and Will Glynn had done much chasing around on our behalf. Included in our itinerary were Ambua Lodge in the Southern Highlands Province where we hoped to see several birds of paradise and something of the culture of the Huli wig men who inhabit the nearby Tari valley; Myola, a small guest house in the Owen Stanley Mountains, only about 20 minutes flying time from Port Moresby and probably our favourite place in PNG; Walindi, in West New Britain, where we hoped to introduce the boys to the colourful underwater world of the coral reef; devastated Rabaul, the town buried under volcanic ash and finally Kavieng on New Ireland, the one main island we had not visited. The itinerary was designed to show the boys something of the diverse landscapes and cultures that comprise PNG and, hopefully, to fill in some of the gaps in my PNG bird list.

The birding started as we touched down at Jackson’s Airport on the outskirts of Port Moresby. From his side of the plane Andrew saw a Brown Falcon while Matthew and I watched a flock of Torresian Crows. From the airport, we followed the new highway over Burns Peak seeing White-breasted Wood-Swallow and Singing Starling en route. Chris’ apartment looks towards the stilt village of Hanuabada and the blue waters of Fairfax Harbour with a back drop of brown, dry savanna covered hills. From the vantage point of his balcony we saw many of the familiar town birds of Port Moresby. Rufous-banded Honeyeaters dunked themselves in the swimming pool prior to preening on the nearby fence. Pacific Swallows, (looking surprisingly tailless as I have now got used to Australia’s Welcome Swallows), hawked around the apartment block although there was no sign of nesting. Peaceful Doves, Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds and Pied Chats were also seen.

Early on our first morning back in PNG, we were driving through the spectacular scenery of the Laloki Gorge and past Rouna Falls on the way to Varirata National Park although Andrew and Matthew were more impressed with the sight of their first Brahminy Kite. Its chestnut wings and white head gleamed in the early morning sun as it soared along the side of the gorge while we negotiated one of several hairpin bends. The park is perched at 900 m on a scarp of the Astrolabe Range with fine views back over the coastal plain. Blue-winged Kookaburras yodelled from trees near the park entrance and Rainbow Lorikeets screeched overhead. First stop in the park was the Raggiana Bird of Paradise display tree, conveniently situated close to the road leading to Varirata Lookout. The boys were entranced as six males, fluffed up their red plumes, strutted along their chosen perches and gave voice to their loud ringing calls - a rousing welcome fit for a David Attenborough wildlife documentary! Joining in the dawn chorus were numerous other, familiar, calls but the names of the perpetrators frustratingly eluded me. Those recognised included the hoarse wolf-whistle of the Magnificent Riflebird, the loud honking of the Black-billed Brush-Turkey and the far carrying whistle of a Pheasant Pigeon, which responded to my imitation of its call. It felt good to be back.

As the sun rose higher in the sky the intensity of the Raggiana display abated and, somewhat reluctantly, we left the display tree to reacquaint ourselves with some of the park’s trails and its birdlife. But first some breakfast. Most of the parks trails radiate from a central picnic area, well provided with sheltered tables and barbecues. Over a reviving cup of coffee, we kept our eyes on the surrounding forest; birds, particularly canopy dwelling species, can often be easier to see at the edge of clearings than in the forest. Glossy Swiftlets and Red-cheeked Parrots flew over the picnic area but there were few other birds moving. Our attention wandered to the more active butterflies. Vivid blue Ulysses flew powerfully round the edge of the clearing, seeming to patrol a preferred beat. A male Birdwing, with a 15 cm wingspan and boldly patterned in green, yellow and black, courted a black and white female with a 20 cm wingspan, by flying slightly below and in front of her. At the other end of the scale a very small blue, smaller than my thumb nail flew low across the grass.

Coffee finished, we set out along the circuit trail and into the hill forest. For a while the trail follows the course of Narirogo Creek and here we heard the high-pitched call of an Azure Kingfisher without even catching a glimpse of the bird. In recent times Blue-faced Parrot-Finches have frequented the patches of bamboo beside the trail but we were not lucky today. While looking for the parrot-finches the distinctive calls of the Crested Pitohui, a long series of identical notes, and Wompoo Fruit-Dove were identified. My ears were beginning to get tuned in but seeing the birds in the rain forest seemed more difficult than I remembered. White-faced Robin, Black Berrypecker, and Fairy Gerygone were seen well but many other birds remained just glimpses.

White-bibbed Fruit-Doves, a medium sized ground feeding pigeon, was something of a rarity when I lived in PNG, only occasionally being recorded in the remotest part of Varirata and I had not seen it. Like the Blue-faced Parrot-Finch, in recent times they have become quite common in the park and regularly recorded along the circuit trail. The reason for these more frequent sightings is not known, but it could possibly be in response to the 1997 drought. While I lingered looking for the parrot-finches, Chris flushed a White-bibbed Ground-Dove which flew to a nearby tree and remained perched. Jenny, Andrew and Matthew all had a good look at it, but Will and I were too late. After a few more false alarms, up to 6 birds were flushed from the side of the track, I eventually managed to get a good view of one perched in the open. It is an attractive dove with a dark head; broad white supercilium; white chin, throat and breast (and therefore male) and a greyish belly. The mantle and wing coverts appeared dark blue-black when in shadow but in the light took on a purplish sheen. A new bird on our first full day in PNG. Yes, it certainly was good to be back!

During our stay in PNG we returned to Varirata several times. Below is a complete list of the species we recorded in the park:

Long-tailed Buzzard Henicopernis longicauda
Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides
Black-billed Brush-Turkey Talegalla fuscirostris
Brown Quail Coturnix australis
Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensis
White-bibbed Ground-Dove Gallicolumba jobiensis
Pheasant Pigeon Otidiphaps nobilis
Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus
Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus perlatus
Superb Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus superbus
Beautiful Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus pulchellus
Greater Streaked Lory Chalcopsitta scintillata
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Western Black-capped Lory Lorius lory
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Red-cheeked Parrot Geoffroyus geoffroyi
White-crowned Koel Caliechthrus leucolophus
Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae
Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus
Papuan Frogmouth Podargus papuensis
Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher Tanysiptera danae
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra Dacelo gaudichaud
Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii
Forest Kingfisher Halcyon macleayii
Yellow-billed Kingfisher Halcyon torotoro
Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo Cacomantis castaneiventris
Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida
Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler Ptilorrhoa castanonotus
White-shouldered Fairy-Wren Malurus alboscapulatus
Rusty Mouse-Warbler Crateroscelis murina
Pale-billed Scrub-Wren Sericornis spilodera
Fairy Gerygone Gerygone palpebrosa
Chestnut-breasted Fantail Rhipidura hyperythra
Black-faced Monarch Monarcha melanopsis
Black-winged Monarch Monarcha frater
Spot-winged Monarch Monarcha guttula
Frilled Monarch Arses telescophthalmus
Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Microeca flavigaster
Yellow-legged Flycatcher Microeca griseoceps
White-faced Robin Tregellasia leucops
Dwarf Whistler Pachycare flavogrisea
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Little Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha
Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Hooded Pitohui Pitohui dichrous
Rusty Pitohui Pitohui ferrugineus
Crested Pitohui Pitohui cristatus
Black Berrypecker Melanocharis nigra
Black-fronted White-eye Zosterops atrifrons
Dwarf Honeyeater Oedistoma iliolophus
Papuan Black Myzomela Myzomela nigrita
Mountain Red-headed Myzomela Myzomela adolphinae
Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Erythrura trichroa
Mountain Drongo Chaetorhynchus papuensis
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
Hooded Butcherbird Cracticus cassicus
Black-backed Butcherbird Cracticus mentalis
Black Butcherbird Cracticus quoyi
White-eared Catbird Ailuroedus buccoides
Fawn-breasted Bowerbird Chlamydera cerviniventris
Magnificent Riflebird Ptiloris magnificus
Magnificent Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus magnificus
Raggiana Bird of Paradise Paradisaea raggiana
Torresian Crow Corvus orru

(Originally published in: Australian Birding 4(4): 7-8)