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Papua New Guinea.
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Author:  Andy Sims [ Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Papua New Guinea.
Just back from a private 3 week birding trip to PNG.
I went with two friends from England and we spent two days in Singapore before flying to Port Moresby where we were met by a 4th birder from California.
In the three weeks we visited Varirata N P, Kiunga, Ekame lodge (up the Fly river), Tabubil, Mount Hagen and Tari before returning to Port Moresby. We used local guides in each area and travelled around in 4 WD vehicles and on 5 internal flights.
We suffered numerous problems, including cancellations, with the internal flights which are notoriously unreliable.
Weather was dry at Port Moresby but wet in all other areas with often only 2 or 3 hours of dry weather during the morning and rain most afternoons.
Insects were a problem in low to mid elevation areas with lots of mosquitoes, leeches and chiggers.
Birding was hard work as the birds tend to be very secretive due to the fact that they are still hunted in many areas.
Despite all this we had a great time and I saw 290 species in the three weeks (plus a further 59 in Singapore) getting 31 lifers in Singapore and an amazing 278 in PNG.
Highlights were as follows:-
24 species of “Birds of Paradise” with males of all but 2 of these and many seen displaying.
3 sightings of New Guinea Harpy Eagle.
Chestnut Forest-Rail right out in the open.
6 Southern Crowned Pigeons, very large and impressive.
9 species of Fruit Dove.
6 species of Imperial Pigeons.
21 species of Lorikeets, Cockatoos and Parrots.
10 species of Cuckoo.
3 Papuan Frogmouths.
Barred and Mountain Owlet Nightjars.
10 species of Kingfisher including the incredible Shovel-billed and Hook-billed.
11 species of Cuckoo-Shrike.
New Guinea Logrunner.
A family party of seldom seen Papuan Whipbirds.
Painted Quail-Thrush.
3 species of Jewel-Babblers with very good views of Spotted, Blue and Chestnut-backed.
5 species of Pitohui including the poisonous Hooded and the seldom seen Crested.
Wattled Ploughbills.
5 species of Mannikin including Grand.
Torrent Lark and Torrent Flycatcher.
Great and White-breasted Woodswallows.
Plus Fairy-Wrens, Gerygones, Fantails, Monarchs, Robins, Whistlers, Honeyeaters and Meliphagas.

All in all a superb place to visit, but bear in mind the PNG motto “Expect the unexpected”.

If anyone wants a full list of the birds I saw please send me an email and I will forward it to you.
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