The YUS Conservation Area engages local communities in forest and tree kangaroo conservation. Forests continue to be lost at the lower elevations adjacent to largely cleared lowlands and helicopter logging contributes to degradation. Hunting of tree kangaroo and echidna can diminish vulnerable populations over time. This is an account of the trip undertaken immediately before my budget tour of PNG that followed the “standard” itinerary see surfbirds. I had been to Manus in 1999 but not to the Huon Peninsula or D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago which held the last of the PNG birds-of-paradise I needed .
This little-known astrapia is a medium-sized bird-of-paradise species, excluding the tail. The males reach up to around 69 cm long and weighs up to 205g, including the tail, while the smaller female is around 47 cm (18.5 in) long and weighs slightly less at 200g. It takes around 5-6 years to reach full adult plumage, like its congeners.
We admired the view of the forest and its little villages dotted around and then began to walk back down the road. We hadn’t gone too far when we encountered a flock including Yellowish-streaked, Rufous-backed and Black-throated Honeyeaters together with the much wanted Spotted Berrypecker and Mottled Whistler. Spotted Berrypecker seemed fairly common with 10+ birds seen and we even found an active nest in a roadside tree. No time to hang around so we immediately began the walk with Mombi to the village of Welawa at an elevation of 250m as we needed to get there before dark to see the Goldies BoP which allegedly hung around trees at the village in the late afternoon. A fairly stiff walk then followed with brief views of Curl-crested Manucode, endemic to the islands here, before we arrived around 17.00 at Welawa, a village of 3-4 basic huts surrounded by vegetable gardens.
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- Meantime DH had a big flock of mainly monarchs and fantails plus a Long-billed Honeyeater.
- The Huon Peninsula Montane Rain Forests blanket one of the most spectacular montane landscapes on the planet.
- To my knowledge, we were the first non-commercial birding party to visit the latter two areas successfully in recent years.
Continuing down the road we encountered Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Tit Berrypecker and following a quick lunch on the road at 13.15 added Brown Falcon, Mountain Kingfisher, Mid-mountain Berrypecker, Brown-breasted Gerygone and Brown-backed Whistler. With some difficultly we finally saw another of the Huon endemics, the vocal but elusive Cinnamon-browed Melidectes. Around 15.30 the truck picked us up and we made our way down to Satop, somewhat painfully for those sitting over the wheel arches of the vehicle as it bumped along the rough road. The day’s only disappointment was a stop at the beer shop where we found the beer was “finished”. Dropped off by the now friendly Satop villagers and headed back to the Mission. As it was still bright and sunny we continued further down the valley but activity was low so we soon returned to the mission to relax with a cup of coffee at the end of a very successful day.
Checked out and picked up JH from his hotel, arriving at the airport in good time for the flight. Just as well we did as the flight in a small Dash 8 proved to be overbooked and several very irritated people were told they would have to wait for a later flight. Arriving back in POM we checked into the Granville where lack of electricity in our standard room meant a free upgrade to an “Executive” room. Didn’t make much odds if you dislike cockroaches – they occur in both!! Spent an hour at the Datec internet place, recently upgraded to broadband, a first for JH in PNG, then back to the Granville while JH went to the airport to pick up the first two of the other 4 participants for the main tour.
Lexicographical data
Donning our waterproofs we set off and once clear of Sewa Bay the water in the channel was running fast with 3 foot swells, not much when you are standing on the shore but pretty impressive in a boat only 3foot above the water in the open sea. Many fewer birds on the crossing although the palish grey mantle and wings of a party of 5 black-capped terns that flew across the bows were very suggestive of Grey-backed Tern rather than Bridled Tern. In the early afternoon we walked down the road seeing Mountain Peltops, Ornate Fruit-Dove and Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove , White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Pygmy Honeyeater and an immature/female Emperor BOP and Riflebird. The rain began in earnest and soon was pouring down in torrents as we sheltered under the eaves of a building at the side of the road along with school children and villagers who giggled a lot at our presence.
This portion of New Guinea is a very active tectonic area with a complex geologic history. The surface geology of this ecoregion is a combination of Miocene siltstone, conglomerate, volcanics, and limestone. The Finisterre Range in particular consists of one steep ridge of limestone.
White-fronted bee-e…
The rain would not let up so we endured a miserable walk back to the Mission. The ladies produced dinner using our supplies plus local rice and vegetables. We talked a lot about how to handle things tomorrow but it was really DW’s play and he seemed to want to target the local dissenters, have a strong talk with them and then pay them to act as guides. Breeding behavior is relatively vaguely known, though thanks to Tim Laman and Edwin Scholes’ observations, their behavior better understood. During courtship displays, the males start with a series of short hops between branches, which is known as perch-hopping. During this display, the male adjusts his position to suit the eye of the observing female constantly.
Another cramped hide meant that White-eared Catbird was only seen by some along with Papuan Drongo and Dwarf Whistler, but although we could hear the Magnificent BoP calling there was no sign of it coming to the display court. Around 09.00 we emerged to walk the trail, seeing Hooded Pitohui and Crinkle-collared Manucode feeding in a huge tree and further along the trail 4-5White-rumped Robin put on a surprisingly good show. Following a slightly thicker porridge and raisin breakfast we headed back up to Satop, picked up the guides, drove up the valley and then walked a rough trail down to a hide that had been built adjacent to the display court of a Wahnes’ Parotia. Superb Bird of Paradise was briefly see on the walk in but on a chilly morning our uncomfortable 90 min wait in the cramped hide gave only brief views of the Parotia – we also heard an invisible Lesser Melampitta calling close to the hide. We climbed back out the valley to the road and walked a little way before taking another trail that led upward into dense closed forest. Regent Whistler and Huon Astrapia were seen on the way and once on the trail Grey-streaked Honeyeater, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Yellow-billed Lorikeet were found as was a perched Long-tailed Buzzard which soon flew off.
Lastly, what is called a post-copulatory tumble occurs, where, after mating, the male and female tumble towards the ground, entangled together while doing dramatic twisting and flapping, an unusual behavior even for the eccentric Paradisaeidae family. Nesting occurs from October–November; its nest is a firm, shallow cup made up of vines, dirt, rootlets, and roots, atop a foundation of broad leaves and moss, all constructed solely by the female. She lays a single, pinkish, blotched egg with fine streaks of lavender-greyish. Incubation unknown, though the nestling period is up to 27 days, with all parental duties tended to by the female only.
Met up with Augustus, the park ranger/guide who soon took us to daytime roosts of Marbled Frogmouth and Barred Owlet-Nightjar which was great – we probably also disturbed a roosting Barking Owl which flew off without anyone getting a good view. Back at the clearing Boyer’s Cuckoo-Shrike, Black Myzomela and Green-backed Gerygone were seen but a calling Painted Quail-thrush could not be located. The male has black plumage with a glossy blue crown, dark olive-green back, an iridescent purple-green elongated nape feathers, and a very long and broad purplish black tail. The female is smaller than male, and has blackish-brown plumage with pale barring on its abdomen. Concerned by the rising wind and somewhat behind schedule we pressed on, arriving at Sadowai around 10.00, immediately noting the choppy water in the sheltered bay. Captain Raymond was waiting and told us that the proposed trip to Duchess Island for Nicobar Pigeon and Louisade White-eye was off as we would need all our time and fuel to get back to East Cape.
Plenty of Eclectus and Eastern Black-capped Lories but no BoPs – finally we did hear some although seeing them proved virtually impossible due to the horrible overgrown rocky terrain and the fact that the birds were in high dense canopy. It was a real struggle and none of us had a decent view before dusk brought activities to an end. Leaving DH in the forest the others headed down the trail to an open area, where we took a short break before returning the hide. The bird seemed closer, calling just above our heads but nothing could be seen until for just a couple of seconds it blazed in, iridescent green, burnished gold and mahogany brown, perched on the display pole and just as quickly shot back into cover. Meantime DH had a big flock of mainly monarchs and fantails plus a Long-billed Honeyeater. Long lie for us and casual breakfast, JH returning at 09.45 from his morning walk and hitch to Rossun and back.
Splendid Astrapia Bird on mint background – archival print
Met Grace & Ken at the jetty and the small boat was soon whizzing across the bay to Kandriu Island . On arrival met by the local head man Jack Daniels who immediately showed us Yellow-bibbed Fruit-Dove sitting low in a tree by his house. Spent the next couple of hours walking round the island with an ever increasing gaggle of kids, seeing Spice Imperial Pigeon, McKinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove, Island Monarch, Bismarck Black Myzomela, Melanesian Scrubfowl and Beach Kingfisher among others. Returned to the main island late morning and idled the afternoon away, latterly on Ken & Grace’s super slow e-mail. As heavy rain had begun, we walked back to the edge of the trail leading from the forest, took some shelter as best we could and ate lunch.
Alfonzo Bissonnette is a wildlife conservationist and a television personality. He is 29 years old. When he was just four years old, he found his first dead animal on the side of the road. From that day on, he knew that he wanted to work with animals.
Alfonzo has always been passionate about protecting the environment and its inhabitants. As a child, he would spend hours catching bugs and spiders in his backyard, then release them back into the wild unharmed. He later studied Wildlife Conservation at university, and now works tirelessly to protect endangered species all over the world.
Alfonzo is also a television personality. He has been featured on several shows about wildlife conservation, and has even hosted his own show about animal rescue operations.