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)

Opportunistic foraging by Superb Fairy-Wrens Malurus cyaneus

From Point Addis, Victoria (38o25' S 144o15' E) the coast and hills to the west were bathed in a golden light as the sun went down, while off shore there was a steady, if not spectacular, eastward passage of Fluttering Shearwaters Puffinus gavia. The fine, calm evening of 6 August 1998 was not really conducive to sea-watching with only a few of the shearwaters passing close enough for us to be confident of identifying them. While waiting for these occasional closer groups of birds our attention wandered. A Rufous Bristlebird Dasyornis broadbenti fed in the open around the edge of the cliff top car park even running under some of the parked cars.

Two female-plumaged Superb Fairy-Wrens Malurus cyaneus were also working their way along the seaward edge of the car park. When they reached our car, they flew up onto the bumper and proceeded to glean dead insects from the headlights, radiator grill and bumper. The two birds fed in this way for about 90 seconds before continuing round the edge of the car park. We had watched from a distance of c. 6 m using 10 X 50 and 8 x30 binoculars but could not discern what the Fairy-Wrens were picking from the car, whatever they were taking was too small. Not being entomologists, we were also unable to identify the insect remains on the front of the car.

We have not been able to find any references to this behaviour for Superb Fairy-Wren, or any other Fairy-Wrens (Schodde 1982, Rowley & Russell 1997), although they are noted to quickly take advantage of any new food source that may present itself (Schodde 1982) and, for example, a male Superb Fairy-Wren took dead flies from the window ledge of the bird observatory at Melaleuca, SW Tasmania (RH pers obs). Other species have been recorded taking advantage of similar food sources e.g. House Sparrows in the U.K. (Bankier 1984, Simmons 1984)

Bankier, A.M. 1984. House Sparrows collecting insects from cars. British Birds 77(3):121.
Rowley, I., & E. Russell. 1997. Fairy-Wrens and Grass-Wrens. Oxford.
Schodde, R. 1982. The Fairy-Wrens. A Monograph of the Maluridae. Lansdowne Editions. Melbourne
Simmons, K.E.L. 1984. House Sparrows collecting insects from cars. British Birds 77(3):121.

NEW YEAR'S DAY BIRDWATCH 1998

As has become a Hicks family tradition we spent the first day of 1998 and our second New Year's Day down-under on a bird-watching big-day. Usually we limit ourselves to an area within 10 km of home but as we had moved during 1997 (albeit only 5 km from Seaholme to Altona Meadows) we decided to use the same search area as last year.

Seaholme is a small suburb, sandwiched between Williamstown and Altona, to the west of Melbourne, Victoria. Taking Seaholme Station as the centre ofour home range, Melbourne's western suburbs occupy the north-eastern quadrant while much of the south-eastern quadrant is covered by the waters of Altona Bay. The coast and Marybyrnong River form the southern and eastern boundaries with Point Cook R.A.A.F. base the southernmostpoint. The western border was formed by the Derrimut /Hopkins Road (northof Werribee) while to the north we did not cross the Western Highway. This area offers a range of habitats including suburban gardens, grassland, wetlands and coast but little in the way of woodland. Last year we recorded 74 species but felt we could have done better witha bit more local knowledge and more experience of Australian birds. Our aim was to beat last year's total and if possible push on to the magical ton although to achieve this total we would need to be exceedingly lucky.

New Year's Eve had been warm and sticky and it did not seem much cooler when the alarm roused us from a deep slumber at 05:05. It was still dark outside but the first bird of 1998 was heard before we were out of bed when the distant strains of a Skylark wafted through the open window on the light morning breeze (poetical aren't I?). As night gradually gaveway to day, a Willie Wagtail was the second bird to join the dawn chorus quickly followed by a tuneful Blackbird, noisy White-plumed Honeyeaters and even more raucous Common Mynas. A little later the dulcet tones of an Australian Magpie and the more strident calls of a Red Wattlebird were heard. With the light improving and the eyelids gradually unsticking a flock of Silver Gulls drifting over the house became the first birds seen on New Year's Day.

It was 05:40 and time to get out and about. House Sparrow, Starling and Spotted Turtle Dove were seen in neighbours' gardens as we made our way to Truganina Swamp, my local patch. The swamp forms part of Melbourne Water's drainage system acting as a retarding basin to prevent flooding. Laverton Creek flows through the middle of the swamp and has been widened to facilitate flood control. Much of the area is currently dry grassland due to lack of rain but there are areas of salt marsh and reed-bed; the latter mainly to the east of the creek. There is a small freshwater pond/swamp behind Mount St. Joseph's school which is also in the processing of drying out. Kooringal Golf course, to the south-east, is well wooded but there is no access from the swamp. The Western Purification Plant, to the south-west, is similarly out of bounds but the settling tanks can be viewed through the fence and often hold concentrations of ducks and gulls. Since moving to the area, in May1997, I have recorded 91 species here and over recent weeks have regularly seen over 50 species in a two-hour walk. We were hoping for a similar score today.

As we neared the swamp a pair of Magpie Larks foraged on the grass reserve but more birds were being recorded by sound than sight; the buzzing song of several Golden-headed Cisticolas were heard from the first reed-bed while a Greenfinch wheezed and Superb Fairy Wren twittered nearby; the disjointed jangling notes of an Australian Reed Warbler came from the reed beds alongside the upper reaches of Laverton Creek. All this was a bit frustrating for Andrew and Matthew who wanted to see some birds. On cue, three Little Black Cormorants flew towards the coast, following the line of Laverton Creek while a solitary Australian Pelican and a squadron of Straw-necked Ibises glided towards the settling ponds of the Western Water treatment plant. Little Ravens flew over; Purple Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens streaked for the cover of the creek-side reed-beds. Black Swan, Pacific Black Duck and Hoary-headed Grebe inhabited this narrow, reed-fringed, section of Laverton Creek and the whistled call of Little Grassbird came from the reeds. Where the creek widened and the water became shallower a single Great Egret and White-faced Heron fed beside 15 White-headed Stilts. They were joined by 72 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 28 Curlew Sandpipers and three Greenshank, while overhead flew Welcome Swallow and Whiskered Tern,the majority still in breeding plumage although some are beginning to look scruffy. On land a female White-fronted Chat searched for food on the cinder track and a couple of Goldfinches feed from the seed head of a giant thistle. Stubble Quail had been heard calling from the grassland west of the creek for the first time in mid-December and we were fortunate to flush one from near the track on New Year's day. As expected the settling ponds and surrounds of the Western Water treatment plant brought a rush of species. Masked Lapwing, Feral Pigeon and Australian White Ibis foraged on the grassy banks while the tanks themselves held numerous Australian Shelducks, Eurasian Coots, Chestnut and Grey Teal. I was particularly pleased to pick out a pair of Australasian Shoveler. These had first been noted on 27 December and I was hoping they would hang around. Little Pied Cormorants sat on the pontoons separating the ponds and a small flock of White-eyed Duck (Hardheads) swam and dived on the pond closest to the road. Three Galahs flew from Kooringal Golf Course, where we think they roost, to feed on the short turf of the water works and a Royal Spoonbill flew down the creek. At 07:08 Yellow-rumped Thornbill became our 50th species(approximately an hour earlier than last year).

We crossed Laverton Creek and headed north beside the golf course fence. Grey Fantail and New Holland Honeyeater were seen in the bushes. By now the sun was up and had burnt off the early morning haze sending temperatures climbing. Marsh Sandpiper and Red-capped Plover were the only new birds seen on the shallow salt marsh on the east side of the swamp but there were a pair of White-headed Stilts with three young about half adult size. Mount St Joseph's pond, situated behind the school of the same name has been slowly drying out over the last month and has been home to several Australian Spotted Crakes and a couple of Latham's Snipe. Fortunately, the muddy margins had not dried out completely and both the crake and snipe found their way onto our list without too much hassle. With the rise in temperature bird activity had dropped off and as we headed homewards across the north end of the swamp we were bothered more by flies than birds, only Black-shouldered Kite, hovering laboriously over the dry grassland and a Brown Falcon perched on the railway's overhead lines were added to the new year's day list. Back home, our resident Tree Sparrows were up and about having been conspicuously absent when we set out, they must be late risers. Over breakfast in the garden Purple-crowned Lorikeets fed in some flowering eucalypts on the other side of the road and a Song Thrush visited our vegetable patch searching for snails. We had scored well on my local patch recording 61 species and were beginning to think the ton might be possible.

By 09:30 breakfast was over and we were on the road, heading for Point Cook Metropolitan Park. Richard's Pipits were common in the roadside fields. Spectacle Lake, in the Point Cook Metropolitan Park, was even drier than when we had last visited on Christmas Day, with even fewer birds present. Red-necked Stint was the only new bird amongst the small numbers of waders. A male Red-rumped Parrot bursting past the narrow windows of the hide in a kaleidoscope of colour was a nice bonus. From the homestead, we walked through the coastal scrub, hearing first then seeing Silvereye, before following the shore to Point Cook. An immature Pacific Gull and, Crested Terns were perched on the rocks while awinter-plumaged Common Tern patrolled off-shore. The buzzy calls of a White-browed Scrub-wren were heard from the brush at the back of the beach where a Singing Honeyeater was also seen. Further round the coast, also perched on rocks exposed by the falling tide were Pied Cormorants and a solitary Pied Oystercatcher. At 12:45 with the sun high in the sky we headed home for some shade and a late lunch. So far we had recorded 72 species, only two less than last year's total.

Only Andrew and I ventured out after lunch, the others deciding to remain at home in the shade. In the dry conditions the Fairy Martins had abandoned the only colony, of 5 nests, that I knew of within the area, so we dipped out there. Our first new bird of the afternoon was a Singing Bushlark, doing a very passable imitation of a Galah, while perched on a fence in the grasslands to the north-west of Laverton. Nearby, in the same fields we had first seen them on New Year's Day 1997, were a flock of 16 Banded Lapwing which included four juveniles. While scanning a mixed flock of Starlings and House Sparrows, one bird parachuted down to the fence with its legs extended, most un-starling-like. Closer examination revealed it to be a male BrownSonglark. This was a lifer and quite a bit bigger than I had expected. Not a bad way to go past last years total. The time was 15:10. Continuing through the grasslands we found a pair of White-browed Wood-Swallows along Woods Road (near Truganina homestead). I had not previously seen either the songlark or the wood-swallow in this area before and wondered whether the inland drought conditions had pushed these birds further south than usual. Nearby an Australian Kestrel hovered over the desiccated grasses. Now it was time to try and pick up species we had so far missed. Australasian Grebes, in breeding plumage were found at Newport Lakes and two Swamp Harriers terrorised the gulls and ducks at the Williamstown wetlands on the north shore of Kororoit Creek. A walk along the levee between Cherry Lake and Kororoit Creek produced a Crested Pigeon, our 80th species at 17:15, Red-browed Firetail and a Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, but the water level was high in the pool where the creek widens out so no waders were present. Finally, we returned to Point Cook where the Black-tailed Native Hens still refused to show themselves at Spectacle Lake but we were compensated with an Australian Hobby dashing past. Near one of the picnic sites we came close to running over a covey of six Brown Quail that decided to cross the road right in front of the car - at least theygot themselves noticed and on our list. A Little Wattlebird, flying froma flowering gum tree was our 85th and last species of New Year's Day1998.

Is it possible to see 100 species within a 10km radius of Seaholmestation? Well, it should be. In December 1997, I saw 12 species in this area that we did not record on New Year's day. These were Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Black-tailed Native Hen, Red-necked Avocet, Black-fronted Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Arctic Skua, RainbowLorikeet, Fairy Martin, Tree Martin, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and Striated Fieldwren. As we get to know our home range better, there is more chance. Maybe next year - if my contract is renewed!

Broad-billed Sandpiper: 29 December 1997

To build up an appetite for Christmas lunch, I went  for a walk round Point Cook, on Port Phillip Bay about 20 km west of Melbourne city centre - easily reached by following the signs from the Westgate Freeway.

We visited Spectacle Lake which has shrunk to about one-third its winter size, where there were a few waders, Marsh Sandpiper, Greenshank and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper plus Black-tailed Native Hen and Australian Shelduck.

At Point Cook itself (near the homestead) there was a flock of about 1000 waders feeding on the beach, on the falling tide. These were predominately Curlew Sandpiper and Red-necked Stint with a few Sharpies and Red Knot.

Amongst this throng was one Broad-billed Sandpiper (I apologise to the Melbourne and Victorian birders for not posting this earlier, but I only discovered the rarity value of this sighting yesterday). My field notes are as follows:-

Larger than a Red-necked Stint, smaller than Curlew Sandpiper. Most distinctive features a broad white supercilium extending from in front of eye to well-behind the eye. Bill proportionally longer than Red-necked Stint's but shorter than Curlew Sandpiper's although also down-curved. There seemed to be a reddish tinge to the base of the lower mandible otherwise the bill was black. The legs were dark, possibly greenish. Wings extended just beyond the tail. The bird's upperparts were greyish, but not as grey or as uniform as Curlew Sandpiper. Breast and undersides to the undertail coverts were white. There was fine grey

streaking on the ear coverts, extending onto the side of the neck and throat. There was a dark spot or patch on the wing between the bend of the wing and where it joins the body.

I looked hard for the split eye-strip but could not see it. I did not see the bird fly and so did not see the rump pattern. When I left the bird was happily feeding. (any comments on these notes would be gratefully received)

One other sighting of interest was a dark phase Skua heading past the point a long way out. I tentatively identified it as an Arctic Skua because it did not look powerful enough for a Pomarine. However, there was nothing else with which to compare it and it was a long way out.

Hospital Swamp 1/12/1997

Hospital Swamp, part of the Lake Connewarre complex of swamps (south of Geelong, Victoria) has been mentioned in despatches before. My visit on Sunday morning got off to a good start when I saw 4 Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying over before I had even got out of the car. About 500 Whiskered Terns, the majority in breeding plumage but some beginning to look scruffy around the edges and some in their pale non-breeding plumage drifted over the water and reed beds or rested on an exposed mud bank. Waders were numerous, mostly on the 'public' side of the dyke. First, to catch my eye was a solitary Glossy Ibis. I then turned my attention to the waders and was very pleased to find two of the closest birds were Pectoral Sandpipers. Although the waders were jumpy, frequently flying and circling the bay, these two birds always returned to the same patch of mud (close to the car parking area). The call of a Wood Sandpiper was heard and then seen - this is one of my favourite waders with its spangled upperparts - a very smart bird.

Species List:Black Swan, Australian Shelduck 68, Pacific Black Duck 24, Great Cormorant 2, White-faced Heron 1, Glossy Ibis 1, Swamp Harrier 1, Purple Swamphen, Marsh Sandpiper 1, Greenshank 8, Wood Sandpiper 1, Red-necked Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper 2, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper c350, Curlew Sandpiper < 20, White-headed Stilt, Black-fronted Plover 5, Red-kneed Dotterel 1, Masked Lapwing, Whiskered Tern c500, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo 4, Superb Fairy-Wren, Red Wattlebird, White-plumed Honeyeater, White-fronted Chat, Magpie Lark, Willie Wagtail, Australian Magpie, Little Raven, Skylark, House Sparrow, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Welcome Swallow, Little Grassbird, Blackbird, Starling, Common Myna