Rainforest Flowers in Klasow Valley of Sorong Regency

I often see wild flowers in the rainforest of Klasow valley when I guide tourists on hiking and birdwatching tours in West Papua. There are tens of villages in the valley including Malagufuk, Klatomok, Klayeli, Malagubtuk, Klabili, Klasow, and etc. The valley is located in the east of Sorong city around 1.5 hours by 4WD car and then another 1.5 hours on foot through the jungle to reach a small village near Klabolo stream. Tropical plants such as iron wood tree, pandanus, ficus tree, lianas, and various shrub plants grow along the paths that lead visitors to the jungle village. Everything looks green in the jungle. However, if we do careful exploration of the forest, we will be able to see various species of flowers that can only be seen in tropical rainforest.
Big Flowers from the Jungle

Rainforest Red Flower Uvaria papua

Early this month I saw a big flower whose petals were red. Its stigma was yellow. I never saw it before so I uploaded on my Facebook account and ask my friends to help me. Some people said that it was Uvaria grandiflora but based on my obsevation, the leaves are different and this flower does not have white color at the base of its petals that surrounds the stigma.  After reading their comments and suggestions, I decided to name: Uvaria papua.

Zinnia Flower and Blue Tiger Butterfly

There are a lot of other flowers that we can see in the forest of Klasow valley. The main problem that I face is the lack of field guide books for Flowers of New Guinea. So, I could only upload them in this blog and hope that readers will help me identify them.

Birdwatching
There are a lot of birds that we can see in the valley. As a matter of fact, I have organized birding trips to this forest numerous times. Some of the birds that I and the birdwatchers saw or heard during the trips are listed below:

Western Crowned Pigeon in
the jungle of Klasow valley

• Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)
• Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus)
• Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleuca)
• King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius)
• Lowland Peltops (Peltop blainvilii)
• Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto)
• Frilled Monarch (Arses telescophthalmus)
• Helmetted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides)
• White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis)
• Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta)
• Moustached Tree-swift (Hemiprocne mustacea)
• Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis)
• Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)
• Papuan hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus)
• Rufous-bellied Kookabara (Dacelo gaudichaud)
• Shovel-billed Kingfisher (Clytoceyx rex)
• Forest Kingfisher (Halcyon macleayii)
• Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus)
• Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon torotoro)
• Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra)
• Eclectus parrot (Eclectus rotatus)
• Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
• Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi)
• Western Black-capped Lory (Lorius lory)
• Large Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii)
• Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon)
• Pink-spotted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus)
• Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)
• Beautiful Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus)
• Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata)
• Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
• Grey-headed Goshawk (Accipiter poliocephalus)
• Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti)
• Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida)
• and etc.

Rainforest Tour
Interested in visiting rainforest in Klasow valley to see flowers and butterfly? Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com, whatsapp: +6281332245180 or use the contact form in the top right side of this blog.

Related articles:

• Birding in Malagufuk Village of Klasow Valley
• Malagufuk's Birds
• Tropical Birding Tour in Sorong Forest
• Birdwatching Tour in Klasow Valley of Sorong Regency