Birds of Paradise in Rainforest of Sorong Regency

Lesser Birds of Paradise

Sorong city as the gate to Raja Ampat islands has got its own attraction. There is tropical rainforest in the east of the regency that is the natural habitat of several species of birds of paradise such as Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus), and King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius).
To watch those birds, tourists need at least 3 days/ 2 nights to explore the rainforest of Klabolo. There are simple huts in the forest for visitors to stay and to enjoy birdwatching. Villagers work as cooks, local guides, and porters.

Magnificent Riflebird

As a tourist guide, I have organized tours for hundreds of tourists to Klabolo forest of Sorong regency. During the tours, participants have the opportunities to see birds of paradise and a lot of other birds including palm cockatoo, yellow-faced myna, golden myna, rainbow bee-eater, pinon imperial pigeon, lowland peltop, grey goshawk, variable goshawk, pink spotted fruit dove, orange-bellied fruit dove, beautiful fruit dove, great cuckoo dove, oriental dollarbird, azure kingfisher, yellow-billed kingfisher, red-breasted paradise kingfisher, forest kingfisher, black lory, large fig parrot, red-cheeked parrot, eclectus parrot, sulphur crested cockatoo, palm cockatoo and, blyth's hotnbill, even the northern cassowary.
Booking
Please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180

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

Manokwari Wildlife Tour

Hiking tour in Manokwari

I offer a 3-day/ 2-night hiking, birding, wildlife watching and camping in tropical rainforest of Manokwari. During the tour, participants will stay in the jungle to watch paradise birds, cuscus possum, tree dragon lizard, and see green vegetation of Susnguakti forest of Arfak mountains. Participants of the tour need to bring binoculars and camera with telephoto lenses if they want to watch and take pictures of wild animals in the forest. A spotting scope is good too but not a must. There are basecamps in the forest, mattrasses, pillows, as well as cooking and eating utensils. There are dome tents tent function like a mini bedroom and mosquito nets for visitors who want to stay for several nights.
During the tour we will do morning, and afternoon walks in the forest to find Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus), Rufous-bellied Kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud), and Coconut Lorikeet as well as Great Cuckoo Dove, Common Paradise Kingfisher and Hooded Butcherbird. We will also do night walks to find cuscus possum, bandicoot, ground brown skink, and even the glowing mushrooms. Local villager will immitate the sounds of female cuscus possum to attract the male one. When the calls are being carried out, everybody must turn off his or her flashlights/ torch.
Visitors from French, Switzerland, the Philipines, German, the USA, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Czech, China, South Korea, Sweden and Australia used to visit Susnguakti forest.
Please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Birding Adventure in Sorong Forest

Oriental Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)

Birding in Sorong Ridge Forest

Sorong is a city in West Papua province of Indonesia. It is the gate to Raja Ampat which is a famous destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. Most visitors who want to visit Raja Ampat will need to fly to Sorong city. They may have one or two days in the city before continuing their trip to the island. Taking a tour to a forest will increase the adventure experience of tourists about West Papua's nature. There is a forest area in the regency that is the natural habitat of various species of birds such as: Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus), Variable Goshawk (Accipiter hiogaster), Olive-crowned Sunbird (Dicaeum pectorale), Yellow-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Hooded Butcherbird (Cracticus cassicus), Helmetted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides), Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus), Yellow-faced Myna (Mino dumontii), Oriental Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra), Coconut Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus), Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon), Rufous-bellied Kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud), Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), and a lot more.

Rainbow Bee-eater in Sorong forest

Visitors who want to do land tour in Sorong city before or after their trip can take this rainforest hiking and birding tour. To do birding in this forest, visitors need to bring their own binoculars such as the Swarovski EL 8.5×42, Swarovski SLC 10×42, Nikon Monarch 5 10×42 or the more affordable Visionking 10×42 mm.
Since our birding tour is carried out along a mountain ridge, bringing a spotting scope will greatly enhance the birding experience.

Duration of The Birding Tour

The birding adventure in Sorong forest can be as short as 1 day to as long as 3 or 4 days. For day birding tour, participants can start by leaving their hotels at 05.00 and return to the hotel again at approximately 18.00. Birding in the forest for the whole day and going back to the hotel in the evening is one of the most convenient way to see tropical birds of West Papua in Sorong city.

What to bring for Birding in Sorong forest

• Birding gear: binoculars and spotting scope
• Wear hiking boots or sportshoes
• Insect repellent lotion or spray
• Some biscuits and a bottle of water
• Field guide-book: Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler

Booking

If you are interested in taking this birding adventure tour, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by text message to my whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Pinon Imperial Pigeon

Pinon Imperial Pigeon

Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon) lives in tropical rainforest of West Papua. They are important seed dispersers that maintain the forest. April is the mating season of the bird. When I guided a Canadian tourist a few days ago, I saw some Pinon Imperial Pigeon mating in trees. Because they were bigger than the average birds, I could take several good pictures of them. In addition to pigeons, I also saw Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Bee-eater and Oriental Dollarbird in the forest.Walking deeper into the jungle, I could see Lesser Birds of Paradise performing courtship dance to attract their female birds.

It is the source of protein for some people.  The bird has been hunted for years. The availability of air gun in certain places such as in Manokwari and Sorong, have increased the hunting of the birds at an alarming rate. 

From my personal experience, in the villages where I introduce birdwatching tourism, the hunting of birds have been stopped. The population of birds has been restored.

Visitors need to bring binoculars or a spotting scope in order to watch birds in Indonesia. Two weeks ago, I guided two tourists from France on a hiking, camping, and birding trip to Susnguakti forest. We watched Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, and Magnificent Riflebird as well as other tropical birds during the day and we did night walk to watch cuscus possum. One of the tourists carried a pair of Olympus 10×42 EXPS I binoculars. Birding gear from famous brands such as Nikon, Leica, Swarovski are also used by avid birders. 

If you are interested in Birding in West Papua, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:
Beautiful Fruit Dove

Birding in Fulgidus Forest of Tambrauw Regency

Fulgidus is the name of forest in West Papua that I promote as birding destination for visitors who want to watch birds especially the ones that are endemic to tropical rainforest such as Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, King Bird of Paradise, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and Western Crowned Pigeon, Western Black-capped Lory, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, and etc.
Visitors need a pair of binoculars, and spotting scope to enjoy birding in Fulgidus forest. Wearing darker color clothing, hiking boots or sport shoes is important for exploring the rainforest and birds of the forest.

Getting to Fulgidus forest

It is not difficult to go to Fulgidus forest of Tambrauw Mountains. You need to take an international flight from your country to Jakarta. It is the  capital of Indonesia. There are such airlines as Garuda, Batik, Sriwijaya and NAM air that provide regular flights to Sorong city of West Papua province. I could organize your trip to Fulgidus forest to watch paradise birds, see unique plants of Tambrauw.

Booking
For detailed itinerary and cost calculation, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text message to: +6281332245180.

Red-necked Phalarope in Tambrauw Mountains

Red-necked Phalarope in winter plumage

Last year when I made an exploratory trip to Tambrauw Mountains, I saw a small bird in Fef valley right in front of the new office building of Tambrauw's regent. At that time I did not know its species name. I only know that it was a shore bird. I made some pictures of the bird and then did the identification works at home several days later.
To my surprise, from the field guide book the Birds of New Guinea (written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler), I found that the bird's name was Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus). The bird lives in Artic region of North America and Eurasia during the breeding period.  In winter time, this small bird fly for thousands of kilometers and land in the interior region of Tambrauw mountains.
The regency of Tambrauw is located in the vogelkop region of New Guinea. Most of its land is still covered by tropical rainforest. It is the natural habitat of hundreds of species of birds including birds of paradise such as Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, King Bird of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Glossy Manucode, Western Parotia, Black Sicklebill and etc.
If you are interested in visiting Tambrauw regency for birding and wildlife watching, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp to: +6381332245180.

Yellow-faced Myna

Yellow-faced Myna (Mino dumontii)

This is Yellow-face Myna - a large starling that lives in lowland and lower montane forest of New Guinea and its surrounding island. It saw the bird for the first time when I guided two Belgium tourists to Tambrauw mountains. After that, I saw the bird again in Klabolo forest of Sorong regency, in Mesirrokow forest of Manokwari as well as in Waigeo of Raja Ampat islands.
I made the above photograph when I went birding in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. It was morning time when I saw the bird sitting on the branch of a tree above my head. In Wikipedia, it says that Yellow-faced Myna eats fruits and insects.

There is also Golden Myna (Mino anais) that has got black, white and yellow colors. These Golden Myna and Yellow-faced Myna can be watched in the mornings and in the afternoons in the forest of Tambrauw Mountains, Manokwari, Sorong, and Raja Ampat. Actually, they are not the only birds that tourists can watch while taking a birding tour with me in West Papua. From my previous birding tours, I saw a lot of species of woodland and coastal birds such as: Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Large Fig Parrot, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove.

Paradise Birds Tour in West Papua

Most tourists who take birding and rainforest tours with me want to watch paradise birds. Therefore, I offer trips to Susnguakti forest and Mount Soti in Arfak range of Manokwari, to Syuan river and Miyah forest in Tambrauw mountains, to Klabolo and Sunbird forest in Sorong regency, and to Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. During the two weeks hiking and birding tours, we will watch paradise birds such as:

• Lesser Birds of Paradise
• King Birds of Paradise
• Glossy Manucode
• Western Parotia
• Magnificent Bird of Paradise
• Black Sicklebill
• Twelve-wired Birds of Paradise
• Wilson's Bird of Paradise
• Red Bird of Paradise

Booking
If you are interested in visiting West Papua province of Indonesia to take a birding tour with me, for detailed itinerary and cost, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Birding in Susnguakti Forest

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)

Birding in Lower Montane Forest of Arfak Mountains

There is a birding site in the south of Manokwari city which visitors can go to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Magnificent Riflebird, Hooded Butcherbird, Coconut Lorikeet, Great Cuckoo Dove, Beautiful Fruit Dove  and a lot of other birds that live in lower montane forest.

To reach that forest, we need to go by car for 1.5 hours and then continue our trip by hiking steep slopes of Arfak range for 1 hour. We will arrive at our huts and birding site located in the middle of Susnguakti forest.

Our Clients

Birding in Susnguakti forest of Arfak range

As a tourist guide, I have organized hiking and birding tours to this forest for visitors who come from various countries in the world such as Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, Germany, China, Korea, Australia, Switzerland, Austria, and a lot of other countries which I cannot mention one by one in this blog post. We spend between 3 days to 5 days in the forest to explore the biodiversity of plants and animals in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari. 

There are also some Indonesian tourists who visited Susnguakti to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise.

Night Walk

Tour in the forest will be done both during the days and at nights. In the mornings and in the afternoons, we will walk under the canopy of the forest to watch birds, butterflies, insects, and tropical plants. At nights, we will walk through the forest to find cuscus possum, brown ground skink, and Papua dragon lizard. Wear hiking boots and socks to protect yourself from mosquito and snake. Sometimes we could see birds that sleep on the lower branches of trees. One example is the Spot-winged Monarch (Symposiarchus guttula). I was walking with 2 Dutch tourists and our local guide when we saw the bird. I and one of the tourists carefully aimed our cameras at the bird and then shot him several times. After that, we left him to continue our exploration of the forest.

Where to stay in Susnguakti forest

I and local villagers have prepared huts in the jungle for visitors to stay. We provide dome tents, mattrasses, pillows, sleeping bags, cooking and eating utensils to serve tourists who take birding and wildlife watching tour with us. These huts are located near a small river. These huts are not luxurious hotels but they are our only accommodation for visitors who want to watch paradise birds, cuscus possum, Papua dragon lizard, and a lot of unique vegetation in this lower montane forest of Arfak range.

What visitors need to bring:

Please, bring a good pair of binoculars, camera with telephoto lens, head torch, trousers, t-shirts (dark colour ones such as dark green, dark gray, or the camouflage colours), hiking boots or sport shoes with socks, personal toiletries, and towel, anti insect spray or lotion.

How to get to Manokwari?

Manokwari is the capital of Papua Barat province of Indonesia. There are regular flights from Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia) to Manokwari served by such airlines as Garuda, Batik Air, Sriwijaya, and Lion + Wings Air. I could meet you at the airport of Manokwari or at the hotel where you stay in the city and organize your bird and wildlife watching tour to Susnguakti forest.

Booking your birding tour in Manokwari

If you plan to visit West Papua for hiking and birding in tropical rainforest of Manokwari, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by sending text message to my number: +6281332245180.

Nightwalk in Susnguakti Forest

Exploring the Susnguakti forest at night to see nocturnal animals

Papua Dragon Lizard

Susnguakti is a rainforest area in the south of Manokwari city. It has been a destination for tourists who are interested in seeing wildlife. Every time I organize a birding and wildlife watching tour in this forest for visitors I always add nightwalk or night herping tour in the list of activities that we can do in the forest. When we do the nightwalk, we could see such animals as Cuscus Possum, bandicoot, Arfak Dragon Lizard,  Vogelkop Brown Ground Skink, White Snake (Micropechis small-eyed white snake), pygmy toad, moth, firefly and sleeping bird. There is glowing mushroom especially during wet season.

White Snake Micropechis ikaheka

Don't Provoke the White Small-eyed Snakes

During the tour, visitors MUST NOT provoke snakes in the forest especially the ones that local people call Ular Putih (White Snake). This Micropechis ikaheka is very venomous and is considered as one of the deadliest reptiles in the world. One bite from this snake can be fatal. So, visitors must wear hiking boots or sport shoes and socks and maintain a safe distance from the snake if they see it in the jungle.
What to wear

To do the night herping tour, visitors need to wear long pants, shoes and socks, hand torch or head torch and camera. I and one or two local villagers conduct the night walk tours. We will explore the higher and lower elevation areas of the forest to find the nocturnal animals. It is an interesting activity for tourists because they are able to watch not only birds of paradise but also reptile and nocturnal animals of Arfak mountains.

Birding during the day

In addition to night tours, visitors can also do morning and afternoon hiking trips in Susnguakti forest to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Magnificent Riflebird, Hooded Butcherbird, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra and a lot of other tropical birds that live in the forest.
Booking
Please, contact me (Charled Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180

Rainforest Wildlife Watching Tour in Manokwari

King Bird of Paradise in Susnguakti forest
of Manokwari

I have just completed a 3-day/ 2-night wildlife watching tour in Susnguakti forest of Manokwari with a Ducth couple. During the tour, we did morning, afternoon, and night walks in the forest to see its animals and plants. From all day walks, we saw Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Birds of Paradise, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove, Hooded Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, and a brown bird which is perhaps a helmetted friarbird.
We also saw cruiser butterfly, birdwing butterfly Ornithoptera priamus and Swallow-tailed Blue Mountain Butterfly Papilio ulysses.
In the last day before we left our jungle base-camp, our local guide brought a bandicoot that had been caught by a trap. I covered her body, head and front legs and asked a local guide to release the lasso node that was tying her left rear leg. Slowly, she left us and ran into the bush again.

Night Walks in Susnguakti Forest

Papua Dragon Lizard

From 2 night walks that we did, we saw glowing mushrooms, very big ground skink lizards (whose length was approximately between 35 and 40 cm), and a Papua dragon lizard, a pygmy toad, cuscus possum and a venomous snake locally called Ular Putih. Susnguakti forest is as a touris destination is suitable for visitors who are physically fit. Before taking a rainforest tour in this place, I highly recommend that visitors take a regular jogging exercise at least three months before the tour.
What to bring

• To watch birds and wild animals in this tropical rainforest, visitors need to wear a good pair of hiking shoes and socks, wear dark color clothing such as dark green or dark gray t-shirts and pants. 
• Binoculars, and camera with telephoto lens of up to 600 mm are highly recommended. 
• For night walk, a hand torch or a head torch will be needed. Don't forget to also bring a rain poncho.

How to get to Manokwari city?

• If you are interested in visiting Susnguakti forest for wildlife watching need to take an international flight from their country to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. 
• After that, they could take a domestic flight provided by Garuda, Sriwijaya, and Batik Air to Manokwari city. I could meet you at the airport and organize your tour to Susnguakti forest.

Booking
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.