Tropical Birding Tour in Sorong Forest

Large Fig parrot

Sorong regency is an important gate for tourists who want to go to Raja Ampat. But this city is also an important hub for visitors who are interested in birdwatching. There is a huge forest area relatively near Sorong city approximately 1.5 hour ride to the east. It is a lowland rainforest. Hundreds of species of birds live in the tropical rainforest including Cassowary, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Lowland Peltop, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Magnificen Riflebird, Moustached Tree Swift and a lot more.

Western Crowned Pigeon in Klasow Valley of Sorong regency

Guided Birding
I have organized birding tours to this forest for more than 3 years and I see that the number of visitors is increasing every year. Birdwatchers can enjoy birding for 3 to 4 days exploring the bio-diversity of the forest. Guided birding tours to this lowland forest of Sorong can be done for visitors who plan to watch tropical birds and other animals such as butterflies, wallaby (a kind of kangaroo but has got smaller body), deer, snake, and wild pigs.

Paradise Birds

Magnificent Riflebird (Ptilinoris magnificus)

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor) is the vocal point of birding in this valley. But there are also other species that can be watched including King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Birds of Paradise. There are Common Paradise Kingfisher and Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher too. To watch these birds, we need to wake up early in the mornings or late in the afternoons.

Lesser Birds of Paradise

The Great Eggfly Butterfly

ButterfliesThere are a lot of species of butterflies from the small ones such as Meadow Argus butterflies to the bigger ones such as Ornitopthera priamus and Blue Mountain Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses) and New Guinea clipper. Visitors can watch them easily by having tea or coffee from the verandah of the garden house or walking around the clearing area of the jungle village.

Klasow valley in Sorong regency of West Papua

Watching Wallaby
I mention about wallaby. To watch this little kangaroo, we need to do night walk. The easiest way is to walk along the path that connects the jungle village of Klabolo stream and the main road.

What you need to bring
In general, most birdwatchers know what they need to bring. Here are some of the equipment that visitors need:

• Binoculars - usually roof prism with magnification 10 x 42 mm.
• Spotting scope with a good tripod (if you have)
• Reference book Birds of New Guinea, written by Thane K. Pratt, Bruce Beehler, and friends
• Flashlight/ head torch
• Laser Pointer

How to get there:
Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
There are regular daily flights served by such airlines as Garuda, Xpress Air, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air between Sorong and Jakarta.
When you have arrived in Sorong city, I could meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and organize your birding trip to Klasow valley.

Booking:
For customized itinerary and cost, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by sending whatsapp message to my number: +6281332245180.

Related posts:
Birdwatching in Lowland Forest of Sorong
Hiking in the forest of Sorong

Tropical Birding Tour in West Papua

Pinon Imperial Pigeon

As a tour guide, I have organized numerous tropical birding tours in West Papua for birdwatchers. Visitors can be a solo traveling birdwatcher or even a big group of avid birders who want to see such birds as dwarf kingfisher, large tailed nightjar, sulphur crested cockatoo or even cassowary bird, birds of paradise and etc.

Birding Destinations

• Numfor Island - It is located between Manokwari city and Biak island. Visitors can reach the island by plane or ferry boat. The vocal point of Numfor is Numfor Paradise Kingfisher.
• Manokwari lowland forest
• Manokwari lower montane forest
• Manokwari middle elevation montane forest - This is one of the most popular destinations in West Papua. Mount Soyti of Arfak range is a recommended site. Here, visitors can watch Magnificent Birds of Paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus), Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata), Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis innornatus)
• Sorong lowland forest in Klasow valley
• Raja Ampat lowland and lower montane forest in Waigeo island
• Ases valley of Tambrauw mountains (suitable for a group of tourists of at least 2 to 3 people).

I recommend that visitors go to Manokwari middle elevation montane forest, Sorong' Klasow valley and Raja Ampat's Waigeo island to cover the vocal points of birds in the region. It will be cheaper to go as a group of at least 3 people in order to share the cost.
However, if there is a solo traveling birdwatcher who is interested in watching birds with me as a guide, I will be ok with that as long as the minimum cost is covered.
Booking:
For customized itinerary and cost, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or text/ whatsapp message to: +6281332245180

Watching Eclectus roratus bird in Sorong Forest of West Papua

Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) - female

Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) is one of the tropical birds which visitors can watch in the jungle of Klasow valley. The male has got green and red colors whereas the female - red and blue. This parrot, as well as other birds such as Sulphur Crested Cockatoo; Palm Cockatoo; Black capped Lory; Rainbow Lorikeet, lives in the lowland forest of the valley approximately 1.5 hours ride plus 1.5 hours walk from Sorong city.
A lot of birdwatchers from Europe, Australia, North America and Asia have visited the valley to watch tropical birds. They came as solo traveling lady or as a group of nature lovers who want to see not only birds but also the beauty of tropical rainforest.
Birds are usually active in the mornings and in the afternoons. They can be watched using a good pair of binoculars and spotting scope. Large fig parrot, (Micropsitta desmarestii) usually fly in groups and sit on the branches of fruiting trees. Pinon Imperial Pigeon is more solitary but sometimes fly as a couple or in a big formation of more than ten birds. There are also red cheek parrot and a lot of lorikeets in Klasow valley.

Butterflies and Flowers
Villagers grow flowers around their houses and along the paths that connect their village and the mainroad or the nearby rivers. These flower plants attract butterflies such as the cruiser, the silky owl, the blue mountain swallowtail and the New Guine clipper butterflies.

Wildlife Watching Devices
I highly recommend that visitors who want to watch birds and other wild animals in Klasow valley of Sorong regency to bring such equipment as:

• Roof Prism Binoculars 10 x 42
• Birds of New Guinea fieldguide book written by Thane K Pratt and Bruce Beehler.
• Digital camera with telephoto lens

In addition to birds, visitors who take birding trip to Klasow valley may also see colorful butterflies and wild flowers, dogs, cassowary bird, soa-soa lizard, wild pigs, deer and snake.

Booking
If you are interested in birding in Klasow valley, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to: +6281332245180.

Rainforest Tour in Mesirrokow River of Manokwari

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in Manokwari

I guided two French tourists, Guillaume and Jessica last weekend. We went hiking, camping and birdwatching along the banks of Mesirrokow river in the northwest region of Manokwari. The river-forest environment was the natural habitat of birds, insects, marsupial and mammals that are endemic to New Guinea.
To watch them, we need to walk along the banks and through the shallow water area of the river. I brought 2 pairs of binoculars and my old Fujifilm HS50EXR.

Eupholus schoenherri beetle

During the 3-day/ 2-night rainforest tour, we saw such birds as Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Papuan Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Grey Goshawk (Accipiter Novaehollandiae), Willie Wagtail, Little Ringed Plover, Western Black-capped Lory, Rainbow Lorikeet, Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) and a lot more.
We also saw beautiful butterflies such as New Guinea Clipper, Blue Mountain Swallowtail, the Silky Owl Butterfly, and other butterflies which I could not identify. There was one beettle called Eupholus schoenherri sitting on a leave. Its colors were so beautiful. I made some pictures of this unique insect. There were also flowers which I don't know its species name.
If you are interested in visiting Manokwari and exploring the bio-diversity of its rainforest, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Also read:

• Birding in Minahasa
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and butterflywatching in Sonder

Butterfly Watching in Arfak Mountains of Manokwari

Cruiser Butterfly in Arfak mountains
Manokwari

I guided two Swiss tourists on a hiking and camping tour in Arfak mountains two weeks ago. We stayed for 4 days/ 3 nights exploring the bio-diversity of the tropical jungle to see butterflies, dragon lizard, snake, and birds. We also had night walks to find cuscus possum and glowing mushrooms.
When the weather good, we could see a lot of colorful butterflies flying around our basecamp. I took the opportunity to take some pictures of them. There were Cruiser Butterfly (Vindula arsinoe), Blue Mountain Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses), and butterflies from the genus of Tirumala and Ornithoptera.

Red Abdomen Dragonfly

There were also dragon flies which I saw sitting on the green leaves or young twigs near our tents. My old Fujifilm HS 50EXR is powerful enough to take pictures of red-abdomen dragonfly. I don't have field-guide books of butterflies, dragonflies and beetles of New Guinea. Without such books, it will be very difficult to determine the species of the insects whose photographs I present in this blog.
In addition to insects, visitors can also see soa-soa lizards, cuscus possum and birds of paradise. Binoculars, spotting scope and super telephoto camera are needed to see and take pictures of them.

Arfak range is a very good destination for visitors who are interested in watching butterflies, dragonflies and beetles. Another site in Manokwari that I highly recommend for watching insects is Mansinam island.
If you plan to visit Manokwari to see its butterflies, dragonflies and beetles, and need a guide, you could book a  jungle tour from me by sending email to: peace4wp@gmail.com