This is the second of nine blog posts of my recent trip to Papua New Guinea, now concentrating on the region of Tabubil, situated in the Western Provence and an area famous for its significant rainfall. Sadly due to these wet conditions, the camera was seeing very little action.
At Tabubil, we were guided by Jimmy who works with Samuel who owns Kiunga Nature Tours.
Our very helpful app on our phones was also a great attribute to the entire trip, this being a Test Flight application to the Birds of New Guinea, meaning we didn't have to carry a book that would have otherwise been very strenuous.
There are only three main regions in the Tabubil area to concentrate on, these being Dablin Creek Road, forest above the hydro station, and the river crossing closeby to the Shovel-billed site, meaning two nights can be a respectable amount of time to visit here, that's ensuring the weather is on your side.
Tuesday 25th June
There was a delayed breakfast at our hotel in Port Moresby (a typical PNG theme) but we made it to the airport with plenty of time spare, and the check-in process was all very simple (despite Tony leaving his main luggage at the entrance for the first of three times!!). The flight from Port Moresby to Tabubil was on time and running smoothly until that dreaded voice of the captain disabled us from our docile state, informing the cabin that recent and continued bad weather meant that the plane would not be landing at its proposed destination, but instead at Kiunga, some three hours driving time south of Tabubil.
This was a minor set back but nothing too disastrous, and from landing we quickly organised a vehicle to take us up the highway to Tabubil at the cost of 100K each. The journey was particularly rough, not just for the cramped and uncomfortable conditions, but the road wasn't in the best of conditions. Ian came out worse of us all with severe travel sickness which led him to shouting up front for the vehicle to stop, and once stopped, Ian trying to disembark was very humorous as his legs had lost all feeling (a result of the cramped conditions), and fell out of the back of the vehicle and just laid on his belly just off the bumpy carriageway. He soon improved and we were back on our way arriving at The Cloudlands Hotel, Tabubil around mid afternoon, but not before being pulled over by the police asking us white folk if we were in safe hands, this being a surprising but equally reassuring question from the authorities.
We made our way to Dablin Creek Road (this being Parotia central.....sometimes) and walked the road full of optimism, but avian life was absent and we arrived back at the hotel reminiscing on what a poor day today had been.
Highlights for today:
Amboyna Cuckoo Dove - 3
Papuan Mountain Pigeon - 2
Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot - 1
Orange-breasted Fig Parrot - 20
White-shouldered Fairywren - 1
New Guinea Friarbird - 1
Scrub Honeyeater - 1
Black Butcherbird - 1
Grey-headed Cuckooshrike - 1
White-bellied Thicket Fantail - 1
Wednesday 26th June
Well sadly the overnight rain didn't ease and after breakfast we made the ascent to 800m and arrived deep in the forest at a recently published site for the Shovel-billed Kookaburra, probably the biggest target for this entire region. An individual could be heard and it seemed likely we would get lucky as we coaxed two birds close to us, but they remained heard-only, although we still had the evening to try our luck, as they go completely silent during the day. What was a huge relief was ticking our first Bird-of-Paradise, this being a male Greater Bird-of-Paradise. We waked this road for a while admiring some NG Vulturine Parrots and our only Golden Cuckooshrike of the trip, before heading downhill to a river crossing (finding a Salvadori's Teal being another good find), where we spent the remainder of the day uphill from here and enjoyed some excellent birding, and for the first time this trip, the sun appeared and things were looking up.
With the sun came many raptors that made the most of getting dry before all taking flight, and my 3000th species came flying through in the early afternoon, this being a fine Eclectus Parrot.
After finding a whole host of species (including more BoPs and some staggeringly beautiful Wallace's Fairywrens), we returned to the Shovel-billed site. After a quick play of the recording, a bird instantly responded. Over a short time frame two birds came very close, and with tensions rising for a majority of reasons (one this being a mega bird to see, and light running out fast), Jimmy's (our local guide) superb whistling coaxed the bird into a good position, and I was fortunate to see a bird fly into the canopy behind some foliage. I had to quickly reposition myself which meant crawling up a scree type bank and plough through thick vegetation until I could see the exact position. Despite all my commotion, I could clearly see the bird without bins, and once I had satisfied myself with the silhouetted and gormless shape above, I set about trying to get the others on it. Of the four who did see the bird before it flew off were elated after seeing one of the PNG enigmas, and rounded off a superb days birding.
Highlights for today:
Salvadori's Teal - 1
Pacific Baza - 1
Long-tailed Honey Buzzard - 1
Pygmy Eagle - 1
Variable Goshawk - 3
Grey-headed Goshawk - 1
Pale-vented Bush-Hen - 2
Bar-tailed Cuckoo Dove - 3
Great Cuckoo Dove - 2
Superb Fruit Dove - 1
Beautiful Fruit Dove - 4
White-eared Bronze Cuckoo - 2
Shovel-billed Kookaburra - 1
Forest Kingfisher - 1
Australian Hobby - 1
Pesquet's Parrot - 3
Eclectus Parrot - 2
Large Fig Parrot - 2
Wallace's Fairywren - 3
Pale-billed Scrubwren - 1
Yellow-breasted Boatbill - 1
Mountain Peltops - 6
Golden Cuckooshrike - 1
Rufous-backed Fantail - 1
Drongo Fantail - 1
Crinkle-collared Manucode - 1
Magnificent Riflebird - 1
Greater Bird-of-Paradise - 8
Torrent Flyrobin - 2
Yellow-legged Flyrobin - 3
Thursday 27th June
Our last morning at Tabubil, and with yesterday's BoP (Bird-of-Paradise) bonanza we were keen to add to the list. We were praying for no rain and that's exactly what didn't happen. The rain thankfully wasn't that hard and the valley of Dablin Creek was clearer then our first time here, though the clouds were still rolling in off the steep-sided hillside.
Sad news was that Jimmy's mother had passed away during the night, and would mean Jimmy would sadly not be guiding us a Kwatu, a great shame as he was a top guide.
The main target this morning thankfully didn't take too long to show itself, in fact all ten of them, these being the superb Carola's Parotias. They were all superb, but when a young male started lifting it's skirt and dancing on the branch on which it was sat, turned out to be the biggest highlight of the trip. You see the documentaries on tv, but to actually think we would witness such an event was just not in our minds at all, but the luck of witnessing dancing BoPs carried on, this just so happened to be the best of the lot. The charismatic dance went on for a further three attempts, and was just one of those lifetime moments. A female Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise also joined the party of female Parotias adding some variation within the roadside trees, although we weren't complaining with the Parotias one bit.
A long calm down was needed after the above, and when all was normal I ventured off into a densely vegetated ditch and waited to see what came my way. A half hour stand still produced a very skulky White-rumped Robin, two species of Longbills and a superb Dimorphic Fantail.
We left Dablin Creek very happy with our list from here, and after lunch we made our way south towards Kiunga finding three Little Ringed Plovers along the way. A brief stop at a bridge looking down on the river below (Pratts Crossing) produced very little, other then six prats trying to find a Torrent-Lark.
Highlights for today:
Superb Fruit Dove - 1
White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo - 1
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra - 1
Blue-collared Parrot - ca. 20
Ornate Melidectes - 1
Dwarf Longbill - 1
Yellow-bellied Longbill - 1
Black-bellied Cuckooshrike - 1
Black Fantail - 2
Dimorphic Fantail - 1
Carola's Parotia - 10
Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise - 1 fem
White-rumped Robin - 1
At Tabubil, we were guided by Jimmy who works with Samuel who owns Kiunga Nature Tours.
Our very helpful app on our phones was also a great attribute to the entire trip, this being a Test Flight application to the Birds of New Guinea, meaning we didn't have to carry a book that would have otherwise been very strenuous.
There are only three main regions in the Tabubil area to concentrate on, these being Dablin Creek Road, forest above the hydro station, and the river crossing closeby to the Shovel-billed site, meaning two nights can be a respectable amount of time to visit here, that's ensuring the weather is on your side.
Tuesday 25th June
There was a delayed breakfast at our hotel in Port Moresby (a typical PNG theme) but we made it to the airport with plenty of time spare, and the check-in process was all very simple (despite Tony leaving his main luggage at the entrance for the first of three times!!). The flight from Port Moresby to Tabubil was on time and running smoothly until that dreaded voice of the captain disabled us from our docile state, informing the cabin that recent and continued bad weather meant that the plane would not be landing at its proposed destination, but instead at Kiunga, some three hours driving time south of Tabubil.
This was a minor set back but nothing too disastrous, and from landing we quickly organised a vehicle to take us up the highway to Tabubil at the cost of 100K each. The journey was particularly rough, not just for the cramped and uncomfortable conditions, but the road wasn't in the best of conditions. Ian came out worse of us all with severe travel sickness which led him to shouting up front for the vehicle to stop, and once stopped, Ian trying to disembark was very humorous as his legs had lost all feeling (a result of the cramped conditions), and fell out of the back of the vehicle and just laid on his belly just off the bumpy carriageway. He soon improved and we were back on our way arriving at The Cloudlands Hotel, Tabubil around mid afternoon, but not before being pulled over by the police asking us white folk if we were in safe hands, this being a surprising but equally reassuring question from the authorities.
We made our way to Dablin Creek Road (this being Parotia central.....sometimes) and walked the road full of optimism, but avian life was absent and we arrived back at the hotel reminiscing on what a poor day today had been.
Highlights for today:
Amboyna Cuckoo Dove - 3
Papuan Mountain Pigeon - 2
Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot - 1
Orange-breasted Fig Parrot - 20
White-shouldered Fairywren - 1
New Guinea Friarbird - 1
Scrub Honeyeater - 1
Black Butcherbird - 1
Grey-headed Cuckooshrike - 1
White-bellied Thicket Fantail - 1
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| Our first of 8 internals |
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| Ian enjoying the PNG lifestyle |
Wednesday 26th June
Well sadly the overnight rain didn't ease and after breakfast we made the ascent to 800m and arrived deep in the forest at a recently published site for the Shovel-billed Kookaburra, probably the biggest target for this entire region. An individual could be heard and it seemed likely we would get lucky as we coaxed two birds close to us, but they remained heard-only, although we still had the evening to try our luck, as they go completely silent during the day. What was a huge relief was ticking our first Bird-of-Paradise, this being a male Greater Bird-of-Paradise. We waked this road for a while admiring some NG Vulturine Parrots and our only Golden Cuckooshrike of the trip, before heading downhill to a river crossing (finding a Salvadori's Teal being another good find), where we spent the remainder of the day uphill from here and enjoyed some excellent birding, and for the first time this trip, the sun appeared and things were looking up.
With the sun came many raptors that made the most of getting dry before all taking flight, and my 3000th species came flying through in the early afternoon, this being a fine Eclectus Parrot.
After finding a whole host of species (including more BoPs and some staggeringly beautiful Wallace's Fairywrens), we returned to the Shovel-billed site. After a quick play of the recording, a bird instantly responded. Over a short time frame two birds came very close, and with tensions rising for a majority of reasons (one this being a mega bird to see, and light running out fast), Jimmy's (our local guide) superb whistling coaxed the bird into a good position, and I was fortunate to see a bird fly into the canopy behind some foliage. I had to quickly reposition myself which meant crawling up a scree type bank and plough through thick vegetation until I could see the exact position. Despite all my commotion, I could clearly see the bird without bins, and once I had satisfied myself with the silhouetted and gormless shape above, I set about trying to get the others on it. Of the four who did see the bird before it flew off were elated after seeing one of the PNG enigmas, and rounded off a superb days birding.
Highlights for today:
Salvadori's Teal - 1
Pacific Baza - 1
Long-tailed Honey Buzzard - 1
Pygmy Eagle - 1
Variable Goshawk - 3
Grey-headed Goshawk - 1
Pale-vented Bush-Hen - 2
Bar-tailed Cuckoo Dove - 3
Great Cuckoo Dove - 2
Superb Fruit Dove - 1
Beautiful Fruit Dove - 4
White-eared Bronze Cuckoo - 2
Shovel-billed Kookaburra - 1
Forest Kingfisher - 1
Australian Hobby - 1
Pesquet's Parrot - 3
Eclectus Parrot - 2
Large Fig Parrot - 2
Wallace's Fairywren - 3
Pale-billed Scrubwren - 1
Yellow-breasted Boatbill - 1
Mountain Peltops - 6
Golden Cuckooshrike - 1
Rufous-backed Fantail - 1
Drongo Fantail - 1
Crinkle-collared Manucode - 1
Magnificent Riflebird - 1
Greater Bird-of-Paradise - 8
Torrent Flyrobin - 2
Yellow-legged Flyrobin - 3
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| Variable Goshawk |
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| Pygmy Eagle |
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| Forest Kingfisher |
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| Salvadori's playground |
Thursday 27th June
Our last morning at Tabubil, and with yesterday's BoP (Bird-of-Paradise) bonanza we were keen to add to the list. We were praying for no rain and that's exactly what didn't happen. The rain thankfully wasn't that hard and the valley of Dablin Creek was clearer then our first time here, though the clouds were still rolling in off the steep-sided hillside.
Sad news was that Jimmy's mother had passed away during the night, and would mean Jimmy would sadly not be guiding us a Kwatu, a great shame as he was a top guide.
The main target this morning thankfully didn't take too long to show itself, in fact all ten of them, these being the superb Carola's Parotias. They were all superb, but when a young male started lifting it's skirt and dancing on the branch on which it was sat, turned out to be the biggest highlight of the trip. You see the documentaries on tv, but to actually think we would witness such an event was just not in our minds at all, but the luck of witnessing dancing BoPs carried on, this just so happened to be the best of the lot. The charismatic dance went on for a further three attempts, and was just one of those lifetime moments. A female Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise also joined the party of female Parotias adding some variation within the roadside trees, although we weren't complaining with the Parotias one bit.
A long calm down was needed after the above, and when all was normal I ventured off into a densely vegetated ditch and waited to see what came my way. A half hour stand still produced a very skulky White-rumped Robin, two species of Longbills and a superb Dimorphic Fantail.
We left Dablin Creek very happy with our list from here, and after lunch we made our way south towards Kiunga finding three Little Ringed Plovers along the way. A brief stop at a bridge looking down on the river below (Pratts Crossing) produced very little, other then six prats trying to find a Torrent-Lark.
Highlights for today:
Superb Fruit Dove - 1
White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo - 1
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra - 1
Blue-collared Parrot - ca. 20
Ornate Melidectes - 1
Dwarf Longbill - 1
Yellow-bellied Longbill - 1
Black-bellied Cuckooshrike - 1
Black Fantail - 2
Dimorphic Fantail - 1
Carola's Parotia - 10
Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise - 1 fem
White-rumped Robin - 1
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female Carola's Parotia - Tabubil
being the best site in PNG for this species.
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| Dwarf/Spectacled Longbill |
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| Waterfall at top of Dablin Creek |
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| Dablin Creek Road |
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| Pratt's Crossing |
