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Other new species were Rufous-sided Honeyeater, Black Monarch , Sclater’s and Regent Whistler as well as Red-collared and Mountain Red-headed Myzomela. Zeth also delivered a splendid Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren and a male White-breasted Fruit-Dove on its nest. MacGregor’s Bird-of-paradise Macgregoria pulchraSeen at 4 locations on 8 km stretch of the road and around Lake Habbema. May soon be renamed “Paradise Honeyeater” since it is an aberrant honeyeater according to DNA. Some resemblance to the Smoky Honeyeater-complex can certainly be admitted. Furthermore, the Snow Mountain race is 50% heavier than the Owen Stanley Mountain counterpart.
Our bird on Biak had a broad and distinct blackish breast band, white chin and belly as well as a demarcated white supercilium. Still occupied by the Fantail our first good view of a male ‘Biak Golden Monarch’ was obtained. We also looked closely at the ‘Biak Black-browed Triller’, of which some individuals show white wing markings almost as extensive as in White-winged Triller. Afternoon birding revealed several topics of taxonomic interest.
- Spotted Catbird Ailuroedus melanotisSeveral birds heard, but only seen by half of the group at the Magnificent BOP blind, in Arfak.
- A. Bruijn, by J.
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- In the wild, the bird has hybridised with the black sicklebill creating offspring that were once considered a distinct species, the Elliot’s sicklebill “Epimachus ellioti”.
No other information about breeding or display behaviour. Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more. Welcome to BirdForum, the internet’s largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it. Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive…
Papuan lorikeet
Also heard en route from Wamena to Lake Habbema. Black Monarch Monarcha axillaris2 birds noted in Arfak. A plumage mimic of Black Fantail, with which it is often seen. White-breasted Thicket-Fantail Rhipidura leucothoraxGood views obtained in Nimbokrang. Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren Clytomyias insignis2 birds of this difficult species showed well in Arfak.
Lunch was carried up from the base camp by porters and enjoyed with a Long-tailed Buzzard soaring up nicely below the “Garden House” at 1700 m. In the afternoon we walked down to the village and followed the same road as yesterday. Ornate Melidectes and Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike were good encounters, together with an exposed pair of White-shouldered Fairy-Wrens. At 9 o’clock activities ceased around the hides, so it was time to walk further up. Not far away, Zeth knew where Mountain and Feline Owlet-Nightjar had their day roosts, which invited to fantastic observations.
After lunch tents and gear were packed together, and we said goodbye to our hosts at Batanta. On the way back towards Sorong, we made another stop further east on Salawati. A pond held Spotted Whistling-Ducks and Rufous Night-Heron, while the nearby scrub forest edge produced Red-throated Myzomela together with Spotted and Long-billed Honeyeater. In late afternoon we stopped at the island of Senapang, which turned out to be a reliable stake-out for the desired Beach Kingfisher. Great-billed Parrots and Spice Imperial-Pigeons offered fine fly-by-observations. In the meantime a White-breasted Woodswallow circled above us and a flock of Black-naped Terns were feeding off the coast.
Vogelkop Bowerbird Amblyornis inornatusSeveral bowers, but just a couple of birds seen, in Arfak. A mimic songster doing it all, a construction engineer, a bold thief and a fruit organiser. What a charismatic bird!
Blue whale
A male Mottled Whistler was seen briefly, but the cute Garnet Robin and Canary Flycatcher were much more obliging. Further along the track our first Yellow-billed Lorikeets were seen singing high up in a tree. Commonly seen species throughout the stay were Vogelkop Melidectes, Vogelkop Scrubwren, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Island Leaf-Warbler and Western Mountain White-eye. Zeth took us for a walk along the road in a try for Buff-tailed Sicklebill. We didn’t find that species but felt satisfied anyway, having the first experiences of Zeth’s impressive knowledge of Arfak bird calls, of which we tried to learn at least a few.
Also a West Papuan endemic. Spotted Catbird Ailuroedus melanotisSeveral birds heard, but only seen by half of the group at the Magnificent BOP blind, in Arfak. Mountain Firetail Oreostruthus fuliginosusTotally 8 birds were seen around Lake Habbema. Blue-faced Parrot-Finch Erythrura trichroaApproximately 10 birds were seen in Arfak, 1 en route to Lake Habbema. Lesser Ground Robin Amalocichla incertaMany heard, seen by some in Arfak.
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Biak Black Flycatcher Myiagra atraA nest with 3 chicks on a horizontal branch approximately 4 m above ground was visited by feeding male and female. The habitat was rather open roadside with low trees. Additional 4 single birds seen on Biak. Golden Cuckoo-shrike Campochaera sloetii2 individuals of this smart species were seen at SP1, close to Manokwari. 2 birds heard in Nimbokrang.
The Tamrau Mountains have been very scantily surveyed for any purpose till this day. The Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra is a large, approximately 76 cm long, black bird of paradise with an iridescent purple, green and bronze plumage. White-eared Catbird Ailuroedus buccoidesAll heard the characteristic call, but only Anita and Gert were men enough to get on to this bird (the brown-capped race) in Nimbokrang. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus1 on Senapang Island, 3 at flooded rice fields close to Jayapura. Red-collared Myzomela Myzomela rosenbergiiA couple of birds in Arfak, common at Baliem Valley Resort and Lake Habbema. Regent Whistler Pachycephala schlegeliiSeveral birds in Arfak and one male en route from Lake Habbema to Wamena.
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Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificusAt least 10 birds seen on Batanta and in Nimbokrang respectively. Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia amboinensisThe most common of the New Guinea Cuckoo-doves. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridaA juvenile bird over the small marsh at Sorong Airport. Spotted Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna guttata7 birds in the pond on Salawati. Lesser Frigatebird Fregata arielObserved close to Salawati.
As goes for many parrots in New Guinea, we never saw them sitting, but during the next three days we had splendid views of approximately flying birds in total. Morning tea/coffee gave new strength and with gear for staying over night at the Garden House we were off for more birding on a new trail up along the river. It started very well with a pair of Black Pitohui. Bird activity was low at mid-day, but eventually we reached a good area where dense vegetation and fruiting trees attracted many birds, making us stop there for quite some time. Lesser Melampitta called nearby, and was briefly seen jumping across the trail and under a big log. A female Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot and a Blue-faced Parrotfinch sat typically very still eating fruit, while a group of Tit Berrypeckers moved fast through the canopy.
Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina montana2 en route from Lake Habbema to Wamena. The common Cuckoo-shrike in Arfak Mountains. Rufous-throated Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx ruficollis3 birds together at Syioubrig, also seen well at Lake Habbema. Painted Tiger-Parrot Psittacella pictaTotally almost 10 birds around Lake Habbema. Several fantastic views.
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Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurusSeen and heard close to Hotel Sentani Indah, Jayapura. Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot Micropsitta keiensisTotally about 10 birds at SP1. Brilliant scope views of a pair thanks to Anita.
It would be interesting to hear if the flight feathers make the same noise on less heavy eastern birds too! Maybe “Mountains Paradise Honeyeater” is a good split? Anyway, MacGregor’s BOP is hunted for its good taste, but it was the superb views that earned the fifth place in the “Bird-of-the-trip” ranking. After having troubled our minds with taxonomic issues we awaited the sunset at a clearing, watching local hunters looking for prey. Just behind the back of them a Rufous-tailed Bush-hen sneaked out of the vegetation and was soon followed into cover by a juvenile.
The Arfak astrapia is the third largest of its genus, being approximately 76 cm long, including the tail. The female is less appealing, being dark brown over most of its body and a blackish head, and sporting much shorter tail feathers. The female is also exceptionally shorter than the male. In the wild, the bird has hybridised with the black sicklebill creating offspring that were once considered a distinct species, Elliot’s sicklebill “Epimachus ellioti”.
Plum-faced Lorikeet Oreopsittacus arfakiSeen in Arfak Mountains, but most memorable observations were obtained around Lake Habbema, where the species is apparently common. Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus iozonusThe common lowland Fruit-dove, very common in Nimbokrang. White-breasted Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus rivoliThe mountain race seen in Arfak; 1 male seen incubating. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareolaSmall numbers in flooded rice fields close to Jayapura. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva4 adults and 1 juvenile in a stony field on Biak on the 23rd of August.
New Guinea Thornbill Acanthiza murinaThis charismatic bird was common above 2500 m around Lake Habbema. White-shouldered Fairy-Wren Malurus alboscapulatusFairly common in Arfak and Baliem Valley. Island Thrush Turdus poliocephalusAnother high altitude bird, common around Lake Habbema.
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