Sunday, October 20, 2024

Another Birding Tour in Arfak Mountains and Klasow Valley

I have just conducted another birding tour in Arfak mountains and Klasow valley with a Dutch-Australian lady. We flew from Sorong city to Manokwari by Lion Air and then went directly to Arfak mountains by a chartered 4WD car.  We went hiking to watch Western Parotia, Black Sicklebill, Vogelkop Lophorina (female), Magnificent Bird of Paradise as well as other birds such as Blue Gray Robin, Black Fantail, Ornate Melidectes, Fantail Monarch, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Gray Green Scrubwren, Green-backed Robin, Mountain Fruit Dove, and Feline Owlet Nightjar. 

Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Western Parotia, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise
Some rainforest birds in Arfak mountains in Manokwari and Klasow Valley (Malagufuk) of Sorong regency

We visited the sites of Wattled Brush Turkey, and Vogelkop Bowerbird but it always rained in the afternoons when we were there. So, we could not see the birds.

After spending 4 days/ 3 nights in Arfak mountains of Manokwari, we flew back to Sorong city again. We had to buy food materials before continuing our trip to Klasow valley where we spent 3 days 2 nights there. We saw a lot of species of birds including Hooded Pitta, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Tawny Straightbill, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Black Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Golden Myna, Yellow-faced Myna, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Greater-black Coucal, Sahul Sunbird, and a lot more. 

Ornate Melidectes
Ornate Melidectes in Arfak mountains

For mammals, we saw dorcopsis, ground mouse, bandicoot, and fruit bats. I don't have field guide book for mammals of New Guinea. So, I could not accurately determine their species. 

We also saw a lot of species of butterflies from the Titonus birdwing in Arfak range to Meadow Argus, Hypolimnas Bolina, and Papilio Ulysses in Klasow valley. 

If you are interested in taking a bird tour in Arfak mountains, and Klasow valley of West Papua and need someone to arrange your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180. 


BIRDING IN SUBDISTRICT SONDER OF MINAHASA HIGHLAND


Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa highland of Indonesia. It is a great destination  for visiting birders who want to see the  avifauna of Sulawesi island. 

There are several interesting birding sites in Sonder and its surrounding areas. The paddy fields are the habitat of Purple Heron, White-browed Crake, Cinnamon Bittern, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Collared Kingfisher, Isabelline Bush Hen. 

The farmland of Sonder and the forest along the riverside is the site for finding Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi-crested Myna, White-rumped Triller, Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo, Finch-billed Myna, Lesser Fish Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle and etc. 

As we explore the higher elevation forest of Sonder, we could see more interesting birds such as the White-faced Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Swiftlet, Glossy Swiftlet, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, 

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