Next dates

Day 1: The tour starts this evening in Sentani, Jayapura.

Day 2: The short but spectacular flight to the Grand Baliem Valley will see us  landing at Wamena ready to go birding. Focusing on the lower areas this afternoon, we will hopefully see some of our first specialties such as Baliem Whistler, Black-breasted Munia, Ornate Melidectes, and Greater Lophorina (better known as Greater Superb Bird-of-paradise!).

Day 3-4-5: In the high-altitude grasslands close to Lake Habbema we will search areas of ancient stunted forest for the striking MacGregor’s Honeyeater which although shy, frequently betray their presence with loud whooshing sounds as they fly along the hillsides with orange primary patches conspicuous. DNA studies have shown this amazing bird to be a honeyeater rather than a bird-of-paradise as once thought, but this makes it no less special. Snow Mountain Quail that are often flushed from the grasslands, Snow Mountain Mannikin, Snow Mountain Tiger Parrot, Mountain Firetail, Alpine Pipit and Papuan Harrier favouring the more open areas. Sooty and Short-bearded Melidectes, Orange-cheeked Honeyeaters and Lorentz’s Whistlers prefer the alpine shrubbery, Mountain Robin sing for the larger trees, while several pairs of Salvadori’s Teal inhabit the lake. As dusk falls we will hope to find a displaying New Guinea Woodcock and the little-known Archbold’s Nightjar. Nearby, the steep and muddy Ibele Trail allows us to enter some magical mossy forest where a whole new suite of birds appear. Ground-dwellers include Chestnut Forest Rail, Papuan Logrunner, Lesser Melampitta and the rare antpitta-like Greater Ground Robin, here being the only reliable site for this impressive species. There are also several other species of robins, scrubwrens, honeyeaters, and maybe even the elusive Archbold’s Bowerbird possible here.

Roadside birding opportunities on the way up to the lake are unfortunately changing every year due to rampant logging, and the large species lists seen on tours pre-2019 are no longer likely unless access to a new road becomes viable. Nonetheless, we will focus on the remaining patches where above all else the colourful Splendid Astrapia is the biggest drawcard, since it is not easily accessible anywhere else in New Guinea. We will hope for Western Crested Berrypecker and Black Sittella (two more species which are not commonly seen elsewhere), and then regard anything else we find as a bonus!

‍‍Day 6: This morning we fly back to Sentani before continuing to the lowland forests of Nimbokrang at the base of the imposing Cyclops Mountains where we will be based for the next four nights at a basic guesthouse. The remainder of the day with be spent exploring this bird-rich area.

‍Days 7-8-9: The flat alluvial rainforests of Nimbokrang have suffered from logging but large tracts of good secondary and selectively logged forest remain. The birding in these mosquito infested swamp forests is by no means easy but the rewards are great. Several bird-of-paradise species can be found here and we will be hoping to find Pale-billed Sicklebill and to witness the amazing displays of Twelve-wired and King Birds-of-paradise. The seemingly endless list of possible species here includes some true specialties of the area and thus we will target Salvadori’s Fig-Parrot, Brown and Black-capped Lories, Lowland Peltops, Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot, Blue Jewel Babbler, White-eared Catbird, Brown-headed Crow and Jobi Manucode. Victoria Crowned Pigeon and Collared Brushturkeys are present but not guaranteed, and there’s always the chance of Shovel-billed Kookaburra. Nights at Nimbokrang.

‍Day 10: After a final day of birding in these tropical lowland forests we will return to Sentani for an overnight stay.

‍Day 11: Early in the morning at some nearby grasslands we will look for Great-billed and Hooded Mannikin before taking a flight to Biak. In the afternoon we will begin our birding and will soon find some of the commoner island endemics. Night in Biak.

‍Days 12-13-14: Most endemics are best searched for in the forest here, including the pleasingly common Biak Paradise Kingfisher and Biak Hooded Pitta! Feeding flocks provide much excitement and are often joined by some of our targets; Geelvink Pygmy Parrot, Biak Gerygone, Biak Leaf Warbler, Biak Black Flycatcher, “Biak” Golden Monarch, and the rare Biak Monarch. We will also try to see the notoriously retiring Biak Scrubfowl and Biak Coucal, while at night the endemic Biak Scops Owl is usually similarly difficult to see! In more open areas we will look for Long-tailed Starling, Yellow-bibbed Fruit Dove, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove and Geelvink Imperial Pigeon which are vocal and often perch conspicuously. Secondary growth is also the favoured habitat of the endemic Biak White-eye, while overhead Black-winged Lory flash past, and with luck also the rapidly declining Biak Lorikeet. We do not expect to see the exceedingly uncommon Red-brown Myzomela, but will keep an eye out nonetheless!

If the weather is good and the seas are calm, we will take a one-night excursion across to Numfor. Numfor Paradise-kingfisher is abundant on the island, while the scarce Numfor Leaf warbler may take some searching. We may also see the Numfor form of Hooded Pitta and several other Geelvink Bay endemics shared with Biak, before returning to Biak.

‍Day 15: After a final morning birding session, the tour ends today at midday.

TRANS-FLY EXTENSION:

Day 1: Our pre-tour extension begins this morning in Merauke on the south coast of New Guinea (cheap direct flights which land early in the morning are available from Makassar). We will head out into the tropical woodland and begin our exploration of the area.

Day 2: Pride of place amongst the species to be found in this distinctly Australian-influenced bioregion is the magnificant Spangled Kookaburra, which is endemic to the Trans-Fly along with Black Mannikin, White-spotted Mannikin, and Grey-crowned Mannikin. An additional Estrild here is the beautiful “White-bellied” Crimson Finch, which is also endemic aside from an isolated population in remote parts of Queensland and some introduced birds around Jayapura. We should be able to enjoy several boisterous Greater Bird-of-paradise near their display tree, and we will keep an eye out for the isolated lowland form of Papuan White-eye (the taxonomy of which is certainly to-be-resolved!).  Amongst many other species present in the area, we might see Black-billed Brushturkey, Spotted Whistling Duck, Green Pygmy Goose, Magpie Goose, Barred Owlet-nightjar, Yellow-streaked Lory, Red-winged Parrot, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Black-eared Catbird, Tropical Scrubwren, Graceful Meliphaga, Black Thicket Fantail, and Black-backed Butcherbird.

Day 3: After some final morning birding we will take a flight north to Jayapura where we will meet those joining the main tour this evening.

Tour details