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
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)
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