Visited sites (chronologically):

Singapore Botanical Gardens; Northern Territories,

AUS: Darwin: Buffalo Creek, Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve, Howard Springs Nature Park, Pine Creek, Darwin River Dam, Edith Falls Road, Ferguson River, Chinaman Creek, Mataranka, Warloch Ponds, Gorrie Road, Katherine, Victoria River, Victoria River Escarpment, Victoria River Access, Timber Creek, Bullita Access Road, Campbell Springs, Chainman Creek, Pine Creek, Gunlom*, Mardugal boatramp*, Anbangbang Billabong*, Manukala wetlands*, Fogg Dam, Buffalo Creek, Darwin Botanical Gardens, Charles Darwin Nature Park, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve; Alice Springs: Uluru, Kata Tjuta, King’s Canyon, Erldunda, Kunnoth Well, Ormiston Gorge, Ellery Creek, Simpson’s Gap [i.e. a mere 4,000 km in 8 days];

PNG: Varirata, kmp 17 Kiunga, Fly & Elevara River 3-hr boatride, Kwatu Lodge, Ok Menga Tano Road, Dablin Creek, Ok Ma Road, Kumul Lodge, Kama, Pigetes trail, Tonga, Varirata, Brown River, Pacific Adventist University;

Queensland, AUS: Brisbane: Lamington NP, Coolum Beach, Noosa NP (Peregian beach section), Noosa River entrance, Noosa Ville, Bellbird Creek Tea House (Kenilworth), Little Yabba Creek, Mary Cairncross Park; Cairns: Esplanade, Michaelmas Cay, Hastings Reef, Cairns Centenary Lakes boardwalk, Mt. Whitfield, Atherton Tablelands: Mt. Lewis, Carr Road, Bustard Downs, Mareeba wetlands, Mt. Hypipamee; S of Cairns: Etty Bay, Woonooroonan NP (Malborough section). 

*these sites are all part of Kakadu NP which southern part consists of dry unwelcoming eucalypt forest; however, the northern part holds several lush wetlands. Fogg Dam may not be a part of the NP but holds many similar waterbirds (and is situated closer to Darwin).

Participants: Hemme Batjes, Jan-Joost Bouwman, Remco Hofland (report), Peter Maaskant, Bert Pieterson and Peter-Paul Schets from the Netherlands.

**Note that this report only includes a species list per country; I meant to publish an annotated species list but do not have the time to complete the report (of which I finished the text end of 2010 but only posted in June 2012); I hope I’ll be able to do so in the future**

Brief legend: AUS = Australia; PNG = Papua New Guinea; NT = Northern Territories; Qld = Queensland, both states in Australia; POM = Port Moresby, the capital of PNG; HO = heard only; sev = several; BoP = Bird-of-Paradise.

Introduction: Visiting PNG is a dream for most birders and since I had been studying its birds for sev months (I was supposed to guide a trip there in summer 2010 but few booked) I decided to hook up with 5 friends who planned an independent trip. An extra incentive for me was their planned visit to the Northern Territories, Australia, since PNG and AUS wereat the time (apart from Antarctica) the only major areas in the world I hadn’t birded before. HB and BP were the only ones who had been to PNG and West-Papua before, respectively. I (RH) was the only one who spent an additional week in Qld, as I (as the only one) had never been to AUS before and therefore had never snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef and had never seen a Platypus or a Cassowary…

Highlights: Almost too many to mention, as both countries have a wealth of beautiful, distinctive, rare and sought-after birds, of which we saw many. My personal highlights were (in scientific order) Southern Cassowary, Beach Thick-knee, Banded Lapwing, Black-banded & Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Spinifex Pigeon, White- & Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons, Bourke's Parrot, Superb, Variegated, Lovely, Red-backed, Splendid, White-winged & Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren, Dusky Grasswren, Macleay's Honeyeater, Logrunner, Chowchilla, Grey-headed Robin, male Victoria's Riflebird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird (singing next to its bower) & Apostlebird (AUS); Salvadori's Teal (my first-and-only diving dabbling-duck!), New Guinea Eagle, Southern Crowned-Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Goldie's & Plum-faced Lorikeet, Wallace's & Barred Owlet-Nightjar, Shovel-billed & Hook-billed Kingfisher, Little, Common, Brown-headed & Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher, Golden Cuckooshrike, Blue & Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Slaty-chinned Longbill, King-of-Saxony & King Bird-of-paradise (PNG). To my fellow travellers, sought-after species such as White-throated Grasswren, Chestnut Rail, Red Goshawk, Hooded Parrot & Gouldian Finch ranked even higher.

Trip Totals: We recorded a total of 336 species in Aus (incl 5 HO)(incl my week in Qld but excl my friends’ morning north of Brisbane, when they saw Mangrove Honeyeater) and a total 288 species in PNG (incl 15 HO). Of these totals, c. 435 were lifers for me (RH), so I ended with a little over 4800 species on my lifelist (excl HO).

Most noticeable dips: Birds we specifically targeted but nevertheless dipped include Little Curlew (NT: too early), Yellow-rumped & Pictorella Manakin (N NT), Grey Honeyeater, Southern Emuwren & Spinifexbird (S NT); Carola’s Parotia & Grand Munia in PNG. We did not (all) see males (well) of all BoP’s encountered, such as Magnificent & Crested BoP, Lawe’s Parotia and Magnificent Riflebird. And, invariably with a group this size, some saw birds others didn’t and vice versa. Personally, I would have loved seeing a Quail-thrush or a Lyrebird, but in my opinion there is no better reason to return to a beautiful place than to know that there are gorgeous (new) birds waiting for you!

Acknowledgements: Pre-trip, Justin Janssen (NL) and Mike Jarvis (Aus, NT) gave invaluable advice on our wanted birds in Australia, especially with regards to NT. Ruben Vlot (NL) shared great recent gen about birding near Cairns. Martin Kennewell, resident Singapore birder, was willing to help us have a go at Spotted Wood Owl at our 5-hr layover there. While in Qld, RH was greatly helped by a number of local BirdingPals: David Gravatt (Brisbane), Terry Langworthy (Cairns) and John Seale (Cairns). Roland van der Vliet (NL)’s gesture of giving me his ‘Birds of New Guinea’, long out of print, as a birthday present, was also most appreciated!

Visa: For Dutch residents, an electronic visa is required to enter Australia; this is provided by the Australian ETA (electronic travel authority) and can be requested online through https://www.ecom.immi.gov.au/visas/app/uu?form=TV. For PNG, a proper visa is necessary: this can be arranged through the Benelux embassy in Brussels or, an easier and cheaper option, upon arrival at Port Moresby airport. Beware however of the following: probably because of the start of a two-week Australian holiday, our Pacific Blue flight to Port Moresby was overbooked by at least 7 persons. Our passports and PNG visa were scrutinised in detail before handing us our boarding passes, even though we were the first to check in and had booked the flight months in advance. I felt like not having a pre-arranged visa could have cost us our seat on the plane – which would have meant flying out two days later (with the ticket and our expenses reimbursed by Pacific Blue).

Visitors from the Benelux can get their visa at Ambassade van Papua New Guinea, Tervurenlaan 430, 1150 Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, Belgium.

Money: Total cost of the combined trip was roughly EUR 5,500 per person, with roughly (only) EUR 3,500 for the PNG leg, and EUR 2,000 for the week in NT, Aus. I alone spent a week in Qld, in which I spent another c. EUR 500.

At the time of travel, the rate of the AUS$ against the EUR was 1.37. To us, AUS nevertheless seemed an expensive country, with lodging, rental cars and gas more expensive than in the Netherlands/Western Europe.

The PNG Kina rate to the EUR was 3.27. Even though PNG is a cheaper country than most of Western Europe, we did not benefit from that as we – like almost all birders visiting PNG – had pretty much arranged everything in advance, with guides that basically know what safety is worth to birders and charge accordingly.

Travel arrangements: All flights were booked through the internet, using the following websites:

(KLM)                        www.klm.com/travel/nl_nl/index.htm
(Qantas)                    www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/home/au/en
(Jetstar)                    www.jetstar.com/gx/en/index.aspx
(Virgin/Pacific Blue)   www.virginblue.com.au/
(Airlines PNG)            www.apng.com/
(Air Niugini)               www.airniugini.com.pg/

(International flights) We all booked KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Amsterdam – Singapore and return Cairns – Singapore – Amsterdam (RH: 1,208 EUR) or Brisbane – Singapore – Amsterdam (other 5: c. 1,030 EUR). Note that I paid more since I booked c. 2 months later than the others.

The return flight between Brisbane and Port Moresby was booked with Pacific Blue, a discount sister airline to the AUS domestic Virgin Blue. This flight cost (me) 384 EUR. Note that there are also direct flights from, e.g., Cairns and Singapore to Port Moresby.

The one-way flight between Singapore and Darwin was booked with Jetstar, for 112 EUR.

(Domestic flights) As with the international flights, I paid more than my fellow travellers (rates stated below are mine). The AUS flights were booked with either Qantas or Virgin Blue; the PNG ones with Airlines PNG or Air Niugini, as follows:

Darwin – Alice Springs (return); Qantas; 424 EUR; 2 hrs
Darwin – Brisbane; Virgin Blue; 154 EUR; 4 hrs
POM – Kiunga; Airlines PNG*, Dash-8 24-seater; 252 EUR; 2 hrs
Kiunga – Mt. Hagen; Airlines PNG, Dash-8 24-seater; 186 EUR; 1 hr
Mt. Hagen - POM; Air Niugini Fokker-100; 97 EUR; 1 hr
Brisbane – Cairns; Virgin Blue (booked by phone a day in advance); c. 300 EUR; 2 hrs

*the other 5 erroneously booked two flights POM-Kiunga, one with Air Niugini (1 pm) and one with Airlines PNG (9 am). They later cancelled the Air Niugini one but were not refunded their 45 EUR

The total cost of airtravel this trip, for me, was slightly over 2,700 EUR. This included a 300 EUR flight btw Brisbane and Cairns that was booked only a day in advance. The others spent around 2,000 EUR on airtravel (I think).

(Rental cars) Pre-booked at www.Vroomvroomvroom.au (= Avis) for the Darwin area and Alice Springs; not pre-booked for the last half-day at Brisbane (Oct 1). The daily cost for a spacious car, able to hold 6 incl luggage and incl full insurance, was c. 160 Aus$ (c. 160 USD).

Guides and lodging (PNG): By email, PPS arranged transport, lodging and guiding in advance for the PNG leg of the trip, by contacting the following people:

- Port Moresby area: Varirata NP, Brown River & Pacific Adventist University           

Daniel Wakra               E danielwakra@yahoo.com                

Ph (675) 76880978 (B-mobile); (675) 72669696 (Degicel)

When contacted months in advance, Daniel Wakra at first asked for an insane amount of money, refusing to specify anything. In later correspondence he accused us of wasting his time with our questions. As all visiting birders want to visit Varirata but, because of the bad press POM receives, worry about their safety, they can be easily intimidated by this kind of email correspondence. In the end, we settled for a less insane but still high amount of money: 809 USD each for 3 nights at a hotel near POM airport; one full day, an afternoon and a morning of guided birding; all food and all transportation (but see below) and admission into Varirata and Pacific Adventist University (PAU) (but see below).

Daniel knows what birders want and since he has a monopoly on guiding the POM area, he can and will ask the highest price. In my opinion, while he is an experienced guide with a thorough knowledge of sites, sounds and habits, by acting the way he does he loses out on a lot of money by independent birders. After all, very few independent birders visit PNG at present, but this can be arranged easily (as this report shows) so if guides lower their prices it will most probably increase the number of visitors – thus in the end increase their income.

At Varirata and PAU, we did not pay an admission fee. The Granville Hotel was a dump and for the price we paid Daniel should’ve put us up in a better hotel. As the food at Granville Hotel did not appear enticing, we had dinner at the Gateway Hotel, located 1 km up the road. Daniel did not want the van and driver to stay and wait until we’d finished dinner (understandably) but we had to pay ourselves for the return taxis. Food at the Granville Hotel, incl the lunch box, was nothing special. Probably because of his malaria relapse, Daniel did not accompany us on our first afternoon in Varirata (but he did send a knowledgeable replacement, Paul Kiap), and took frequent naps during our full day there.

Another thing we feel an experienced, grossly-overpaid guide shouldn’t have done, is rob keen birders of two hrs birding at Varirata. During our full day there, we discussed birding at Brown River on our last morning. Because some of us didn’t want to miss out on Papuan Frogmouth, a near-certainty at PAU, we decided to leave Varirata somewhat early, around 4 pm, to be able to spend about an hr’s birding at PAU, which usually is enough to see Papuan Frogmouth and Spotted Whistling-Duck, the other local specialty. It was only when we nearly arrived at the PAU gate that Daniel said we couldn’t enter because the gate closed at 5 pm!

Although most visiting birders won’t be tempted to try and arrange access to Varirata themselves (because of safety issues), this can be done easily.

We wired 50% of the agreed amount in advance. We estimated the amount we still owed Daniel at 404 USD, yet he charged us 366 USD each upon departure at POM airport.

- Kiunga, Kwatu Lodge & Tabubil                           

Samuel Kepuknai        E kepuknai@online.net.pg                 

Ph (675) 76114757 (B-mobile); (675) 72010747 (Degicel)

On PPS first enquiry Samuel Kepuknai informed him of a daily price of 890 USD per person. When PPS replied that a mistake must have been made in the earlier email, Samuel responded with more sensible rates. Samuel’s response to emails was rather slow but professional. The designated guide, Kwiwan (see below), was excellent.

The amount charged (11.990 Kina, 3.443 EUR; 4.395 USD) broke into:

- 5 days transportation: 1500 K
- 3 nights hotel Kiunga, incl meals: 3 x 170 Kina a person = 510 K x 6 persons = 3060 K
- 1 night Kwatu lodge incl meals: 6x 195 K = 1170 K
- 1 night Tabubil: 6x 385 K = 2310 K
- meals Tabubil: 6x 200 K = 1200 k
- transport by boat over Fly & Elevara rivers: 6x 250 K = 1500 K
- 5 days guiding: 5x 250 K = 1250 K

We each paid Samuel 573 EUR, of which 60% (347 EUR) was wired in advance. Included in this price was all lodging, transportation, food and Kwiwan’s guiding in Kiunga, Kwatu Lodge and Tabubil. Excluded were drinks and the 4WD hire for Ok Ma road while at Tabubil and an extra jerrycan of gasoline for that trip (cost of this trip was an additional c. 35 EUR for each of us).

Both Kiunga Guesthouse in Kiunga and Cloudlands Hotel in Tabubil were adequate, the best in town; Kwatu Lodge was very basic, with small berths and thin matrasses, and no running water.

- Mt. Hagen area: Kumul Lodge and surroundings          

Kim Arut (manager)    E kumul-lodge@global.net.pg
MobilePh (675) 71805427 (Degicel); (675) 76852373 (B-mobile)
OfficePh (675) 5421615 / (after hours) (675) 5422162
P.O. Box 989, Mt. Hagen
Western Highlands Province
Papua New Guinea

Manager Kim responded to email quickly and friendly. This is a good lodge with great birds, to a reasonable price. However, they forgot our (pre-arranged) airport pick-up, which cost us two birding hours on the day of arrival. We agreed in advance on 3 nights, airport-transfers both ways and a birding guide to more distant sites for Lesser, Blue, Superb and Magnificent BoP, and a trip to the nearby (Pigetes) trail for King-of-Saxony BoP; we wired 223 USD each in advance.

Apart from food and drinks (served at reasonable prices) we estimated the amount we still owed Kumul Lodge was 220 USD, yet they charged us well over 300 USD each. The difference was caused by the fact that a sixth person joining resulted in a higher per capita charge: the group rate of over 5 persons was considerable higher that of a group of up to 5 persons. While this did not pose a significant problem, we were not warned of this in advance, even though the joining of a sixth person was clearly announced by email months in advance. Another thing not mentioned in email correspondence, was the charge of a daily 40 K (= 12 EUR) each for the use of the lodges trails. We therefore did not carry enough cash USD to pay the bill. The Kumul Lodge staff kindly lowered it so that we could pay (and catch our flight). [Afterwards I was told that an unexpected higher bill is a regular feat here; from email correspondence it appears as though the Kumul Lodge costs c. 60 USD a day but in the end we paid twice that. It is worth it however!]

The initial bill (8800 K, 2691 EUR) broke up into:

- 3 nights Kumul Lodge, excl meals: 200 K per twin room x6 x3: 1800 K
- airport transfer 6x 70 K x 2: 840 K
- Kama excursion (Lesser BoP), x6: 1001 K
- Tonga excursion (Blue & Superb BoP), x6: 631 K
- Pigites trail (King-of-Saxony BoP), x6: 501 K
- 2nd time Pigites trail, x5: 308 K
- ”around the lodge area bush trackings” (40 K), x6 x2: 480 K
- ”lenel fee” (8 K pp) x22: 176 K (we never figured out what this was for)
- laundry service: 75 K
- dinner (60 K = 18 EUR) x6 x3: 1080 K
- lunch (47 K = 14 EUR) x6 x4: 1128 K
- breakfast (35 K = 10 EUR) x6 x3: 630 K
- VAT 10%: 568 K

Since we already wired the equivalent of 3112 K, we had to pay 5688 K (= 290 EUR each).

Other than Daniel Wakra, we used the following guides in PNG:

- Paul Kiap (Ph (675) 72525470), a colleague of Daniel Wakra, took us to Varirata NP our first afternoon. While probably less experienced than Daniel, Paul is knowledgeable on many sounds and knew stake-outs for the most important Varirata species, such as Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, Raggiana BoP, Barred Owlet-Nightjar and Doria’s Hawk.

- Kwiwan Sibu (Ph (675) 73976376) was our designated guide in the Kiunga, Kwatu Lodge & Tabubil area and did an excellent job. Always high-spirited, tireless, knowledgeable on plumage, sounds and habits, he comes highly recommended.

- Max Pakao (Ph (675) 71302617) was our designated guide in the Kumul Lodge area; he took us to special, lower-lying areas for Lesser, Blue, Superb & Magnificent BoP, as well as a multitude of other local specialties incl Yellow-breasted Bowerbird, Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Brown-breasted Gerygone and so on. He did a fine job. We did not employ him on the lodge trails, where I’m sure he (with his knowledge of sounds) could’ve shown us birds we did not encounter elsewhere.

NOTE that Kumul Lodge apparently employs two guides, both called Max. The one we had, Max Pakao, is excellent, but it’s said that the other one is much less good.

BirdingPals (AUS): While spending a week in Queensland, I was much helped by a number of BirdingPals, that I contacted through http://www.birdingpal.org/Australianew.htm. Mike Jarvis gave us valuable pretrip advice on NT specialties and, although he offered to take us out birding, our tight NT birding schedule didn’t allow for it.

Darwin (& other Top End sites)

- Mike Jarvis                 E jarmike@gmail.com                         Ph +61 429021160

Brisbane (incl Lamington NP)

- David Gravatt            E david.gravatt@ozemail.com.au        Ph +61 437116609

Cairns (incl Atherton Tablelands)

- Terry Langworthy      E tel1@westnet.com.au                      Ph +61 740337054
- John Seale                E johnsealeoz@yahoo.com                 Ph +61 740521195

Wildlife tours (AUS): When planning the trip, I meant to hire (and therefore contacted) Alan Gillanders, a wildlife guide in the Atherton Tablelands (www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/;                 E alan@alanswildlifetours.com.au; Ph +61 740953784; cell +61 408 953 786;). He specialises in showing the Atherton specialties incl Golden Bowerbird, Lumholtz’s Tree-Kangaroo, Green Ringtail & Coppery Brushtail Possum and occasionally Striped Possum. Unfortunately I never got around to accompanying him – I would’ve loved seeing a Tree-Kangaroo !

An alternative possibility for seeing Tree-Kangaroos and Possums is to go with Wait-a-while Rainforest Tours (www.waitawhile.com.au/), which operate out of Cairns. I meant to go with them on my last evening there but unfortunately they were fully booked.

Legend: HO = heard only; kmp = kilometre post; E = east; W = west etc; sev = several; hrs = hours; mins = minutes; temp = temperature; incl = including.

Literature: the following was taken and used on the trip

*     A Fields Guide to the Mammals of Australia, by Peter Menkhorst & Frank Knight (2001), ISBN 019550870 X.
*     Finding birds in Darwin, Kakadu and the Top End, by Niven McCrie & James Watson (2006); ISBN-10: 0646460412
*     The complete guide to finding the birds of Australia, by Richard & Sarah Thomas (1996); OUT OF PRINT; ISBN-10: 0952806509
*     Birding Australia, by Lloyd Nielsen (2008); ISBN-13: 9780957988101
*     The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds, by Peter Slater, Pat Slater & Raoul Slater, second edition (2009); ISBN 9781877069635
*     Birds of Australia, by Ken Simpson & Nicolas Day, 7th edition (2007); ISBN 978-0-7136-6982-4.
*     Birds of New Guinea, by Bruce Beehler, Thane Pratt & Dale Zimmermann (1986); OUT OF PRINT; ISBN 0-691-08385-1.

Sounds taken: I took a large selection of sounds (c. 2.5 GB), kindly provided by Peter van Scheepen. Few birds responded to tape, the ones that did included most species of honeyeater (e.g. White-lined, Bar-breasted, Macleay’s, Bridled etc), Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Noisy Pitta, White-winged & Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren, Chowchilla, White-eared Monarch (AUS) and all 4 species of Paradise-Kingfisher, Shovel-billed, Hook-billed & Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar, Blue & Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler (not that they were easy!), Golden Cuckooshrike (eventually), Lesser Melampitta & Black Thicket-Fantail (PNG).

Day-to-day account:

Fri Sept 10                

Departure from Amsterdam Schiphol airport at 9 pm for Singapore, with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Bags labeled for Darwin.

Sat Sept 11               

Arrival Singapore 3.25 pm; taxi to Singapore Botanical Gardens (40 mins), where local birder Martin Kennewell was waiting. Nice views of Red-legged Crake (that this site is apparently best in the world for), Common Flameback and Grey-rumped Treeswift; dipped Spotted Wood Owl at dusk; taxi back to Changi airport; departure for Darwin 10.20 pm with JetStar.

Sun Sept 12              

Arrival Darwin 4.30 am. The Avis rental car proved smaller than the one we had pre-booked: our Toyota Tarago was barely large enough to hold 6 people and luggage. Straight to Buffalo Creek (Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove), followed by Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve (Grey-crowned Babbler), Howard Springs Nature Park (Rainbow Pitta), Pine Creek (Great Bowerbird), Darwin River Dam (Partridge Pigeon), Edith Falls Road, Ferguson River; often staying only about an hour on site before moving on to the next one. Breakfast & lunch (& coffee) were typically had at McDonald’s. Stayed the night at Katherine. Dry and c. 35 C in the day.

Mon Sept 13             

Between 6 am and 8 pm visited Chinaman Creek (150 Gouldian Finch), Mataranka (Red Goshawk), Warloch Ponds (Star Finch, Grey Falcon), Gorrie Road (Black-tailed Treecreeper), Katherine (Apostlebird), Victoria River (Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren), Victoria River Escarpment (Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-quilled Rock-Pigeon, Peregrine). Stayed at Timber Creek. 40+ C in the day.

Tue Sept 14              

Birded Victoria River Access (Masked Finch, Antilopine Wallaroo), Timber Creek (White-browed (Buff-sided) Robin), Bullita Access Road, Campbell Springs (Chestnut-breasted Manakin), Chainman Creek (Chestnut-backed Buttonquail flushed repeatedly), Pine Creek (Hooded Parrot), drove onwards to Kakadu NP and towards Gunlom for only a few km’s and birded the road, not finding much. Stayed at Mary River Roadhouse. An evening drive, though no birds were vocal, produced a Tawny Frogmouth and a Dingo walking the road. 35+ C in the day.

Wed Sept 15             

Most of the day spent in Kakadu NP, starting at Gunlom. All but one (JJB) walked up the steep trail at Gunlom in early morning and then turned right onto the escarpments. Having been advised by Martin Kennewell, who recently scored on its third attempt, we walked, listened and occasionally played tape for the rare and elusive White-throated Grasswren. Fortunately, the morning was overcast and it was only at c. 10 am that temperature started rising above 30 C. One by one we bagged the area’s specialties: Sandstone Shrike-Thrush, Chestnut-quilledRock-Pigeon, a single Black-banded (a.k.a. Banded) Fruit-Dove in a fig tree, a single Short-eared Rock Wallaby, White-lined Honeyeater, until finally we struck upon a White-throated Grasswren, that flew out of a small gorge in front of us, landed on a rock, pumped its tail a couple of times and disappeared, not to be found again. The site was roughly 2 km from the steep trail (see Wp 71 at List of useful GPS waypoints). We then continued to Mardugal boatramp (Bar-breasted Honeyeater), Anbangbang Billabong (Green Pygmy-Goose, Comb-crested Jacana and Plumed Whistling-Duck) and the nearby Aboriginal drawings, the Manukala wetlands (many Purple Swamphens) and Fogg Dam (many Magpie-Geese and Broad-billed Flycatcher). Stayed in Darwin. 35+ C.

Thu Sept 16              

Spent the morning at Buffalo Creek, where luck struck again (2 x 2 Chestnut Rail), Darwin Botanical Gardens (Bush Thick-Knee), Charles Darwin Nature Park (Mangrove Robin), Casuarina Coastal Reserve near the hospital (Little Kingfisher, Mangrove & Green-backed Gerygone), Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve. Departed Darwin 2.50 pm for Alice Springs (arrival 4.50 pm) with Qantas. Drove the c. 500 km to Yundwarra (Uluru / Ayer’s Rock accommodation village), stopping en-route for birding just once, random (Crimson Chat, Little Buttonquail, Zebra Finch, which all turned out to be abundant now that it had been raining for weeks – and still was). We also had a diner-stop at Erldunda, at the crossroads of the main Stuart Highway (N-S) and the Lasseter highway (E-W, towards Uluru). Arrived at Yundwarra c. 10.30 pm and found rooms at c. EUR 80 per person. Temp warm in Darwin, but cool and raining at Alice Springs & further south.

Fri Sept 17                

Breakfast 20 EUR each. Drove to Uluru in the cold & rain (Red-backed Kingfisher, Pallid Cuckoo) and the weird-shaped rocks of Kata Tjuta 40 km further up: here, near the parking lot, we found a mixed flock holding Redthroat, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Southern Whiteface and Splendid Fairy-Wren. Drove towards King’s Canyon, stopping en-route picking up birds like Pied & Black Honeyeater (latter RH only), Bourke’s Parrot & White-browed Babbler. The whole desert, incl the one surrounding Uluru, was flowering, lush and green; waterfalls were trickling from Uluru and Kata Tjuta; Crimson Chat, Little Buttonquail, Budgerigar and Masked Woodswallow were abundant; we were getting wet & cold. Frequently, temporary lakes formed along the road, in one of which we found Maned Duck, Hardhead, Grey Teal, Australasian and Hoary-headed Grebe. At King’s Canyon, a family of Dusky Grasswren allowed close viewing. Stayed at Erldunda. Wet and cold (12 C) all day.

Sat Sept 18              

All morning was spent in the rain, wind and cold c. 20 km north of Erldunda, walking the wet, green plains on either side of the Stuart Highway. In the end we pinned down specialties such as Banded Whiteface and Orange Chat, along with other goodies such as Chestnut Quail-Thrush (JJB only), White-winged Fairy-Wren, Crested Bellbird, Mulga Parrot and sev dozens of Galah, Cockatiel & White-winged Triller. Crimson Chat, Budgerigar, Little Buttonquail, Diamond Dove & Zebra Finch were abundant.

Back at Alice Springs, checked into accommodation (after a bit of a search) and then drove to Kunnoth Well, north of town. Here, we dipped Grey Honeyeater despite extensive searching. Stayed at Alice Springs. Temp 11 C in the morning; slightly warmer, with occasional dry spells, in the afternoon.

SunSept 19              

No rain today but still a cold wind. Started at Ormiston Gorge. At the parking lot, Spinifex Pigeon proved easy and with a little walking around we also found Western Bowerbird, confiding Port Lincoln Ringneck and Grey-headed Honeyeater. Next was Ellery Creek, where we (again) dipped on Spinifexbird and Southern Emuwren, yet found sev Black Honeyeater. Before heading back to Alice Springs, we stopped at Simpson’s Gap, picking up Little Woodswallow. Departed Alice Springs with Qantas 5.20 pm, arriving at Darwin 7.25 pm.

Mon Sept 20             

Departed Darwin 1.40 am with Virgin Blue to Brisbane, arriving 5.45 am; departing Brisbane, with Pacific Blue, way past the scheduled 10 am, because of overbooked flight; arrival Port Moresby therefore 2.15 pm instead of the scheduled 1.15 pm. Were met on arrival by Paul Kiap, who informed us that intended guide Daniel Wakra was at a Mt. Hagen hospital, apparently with a malaria relapse. Paul and two other men took us to check into the pre-booked (very barely adequate, yet the only affordable Port Moresby) Granville Hotel, near the airport, and onwards to Varirata, an uphill one-hour drive away. In 1.5 hr at Varirata, in deteriorating light conditions and some rain, we dipped Barred Owlet-Nightjar (twice), but had good views of Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, Pink-spotted & Superb Fruit-Dove and partly-obscured views of displaying Raggiana BoP. At dusk, many Eclectus Parrots and Western Black-capped Lories flew past. As the hotel restaurant did not look appealing, we had dinner at the nearby Gateway Hotel.

TueSept 21              

Departure Port Moresby with Airlines PNG (Dash-8, 24-seater airplane) at 10 am, arriving at Kiunga at noon. A Kiunga Guesthouse van picked us up from the airport for the 1-km drive to the guesthouse in the centre of the village. Local guide Samuel Kepuknai was waiting for us there and introduced us to Kwiwan Sibu, our guide for the next few days. After check-in and lunch we set off for an afternoon of birding at kmp 17 along the road towards Tabubil. A nice selection of birds was seen along the trail that enters the rainforest here; in the top of a flowering tree near the entry of the trail we saw Greater Streaked (= Yellow-streaked) Lory, Red-cheeked Parrot, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Mimic Meliphaga, Streak-headed & Tawny-breasted Honeyeater & Meyer’s Friarbird. The trail itself produced Long-tailed Buzzard, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Golden & Frilled Monarch, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Variable & Rusty Pitohui, Black Berrypecker, Red-throated Myzomela, Trumpet Manucode (BP only) and 20 displaying Greater BoPs. An evening roadside stroll delivered Yellow-faced Myna, Pink-spotted & Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove. After dinner at Kiunga Guesthouse we returned to the same road for nightbirding. Although Southern Boobook, Papuan & Marbled Frogmouth were all calling, the only bird we got into view was a Wallace’s Owlet-Nightjar: a great bird and a new bird-family for PPS and RH!

Wed Sept 22             

Very early morning departure by boat towards Kwatu Lodge, by way of the wide Fly and the smaller Elevara River. The previous evening we’d decided against trying for Fire-maned Bowerbird at Boy’s Town Road first, as we were informed that we would otherwise not see Twelve-wiredBoP display – sure enough we saw three males displaying along the river, along with many other birds including the Archeopteryx-resembling Channel-billed Cuckoo, 100’s of pigeons (Zoe’s, Pinon and (few) Collared Imperial Pigeon and Papuan Mountain Pigeon), sev Great Cuckoo-Dove, dozens of fruit-doves (incl a single DwarfFruit-Dove) and parrots (Dusky & Western Black-capped Lory), few pairs of Pacific Baza & Blyth’s Hornbill as well as Grey Crow & Glossy-mantledManucode. Upon arrival at Kwatu Lodge, just before noon, Orange-breasted Fig Parrots were feeding opposite the lodge’s balcony. High water levels meant birding from the boat in the afternoon, with occasional short walks into the forest – over muddy and sometimes inundated trails. This also meant the marsh where New Guinea Flightless Rail is normally a certainty, was inundated and could not be reached (the birds had probably moved anyway). Best birds included Great-billed Heron, a male King BoP, Southern Crowned Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Pesquet’s (Vulturine) Parrot and Hook-billed Kingfisher. According to guide Kwiwan the nightbirds on the Kwatu Lodge grounds were taped out, so we went over to the nearby, now abandoned, Ekame Lodge, where plenty were calling: c. 5 Southern Boobooks, 1 Papuan Hawk-Owl, 1-2 Starry Owlet-Nightjars and 2 Marbled Frogmouths: unfortunately we didn’t see any.

Thu Sept 23              

Birding in areas near the lodge yielded some nice birds incl scope views of a Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon (perched), Large Fig-Parrot, Hooded Pitta (PPS), Blue Jewel-Babbler, New Guinea Babbler, Little Paradise-Kingfisher & Twelve-wired BoP. Headed back to Kiunga after lunch (2+ hr boat ride) and, shortly after arrival, left for Tabubil in a minivan (3-hr drive). Upon passing kmp 17 at 5 pm Kwiwan sighted something big above the trees and we had excellent views of New Guinea Eagle soaring low above the rainforest for 2-mins! Stayed at Cloudlands Hotel in Tabubil.

Fri Sept 24                

Breakfast being brought out late meant a 5.45 am departure (instead of the 5.30 guide Kwiwan insisted on), which meant a 6.10 arrival at Ok Menga Tano: although Shovel-billed Kingfisher was still calling when we arrived, it stopped shortly after and did not respond to tape or whistling (taped out) meaning we dipped it. On to Dablin Creek where the van didn’t make it up the hill so we walked fairly steep uphill for c. 1.5 km. Along the way we encountered Long-tailed Buzzards, our first White-shouldered Fairy-Wrens, Highland Peltops & Black-headed Whistler (RH only) and, at some trees halfway up (one flowering), encountered Red-breastedPygmy-Parrot (that Kwiwan called Buff-faced), Obscure Berrypecker, Black Monarch, Black Myzomela, Spotted Honeyeater and 2 female MagnificentBoP. At the top of the hill another steep climb awaited us: a walkway over a pipeline towards a pumping-station surrounded by mountainous rainforest. Although by now it was late morning and hot, in the forest we still saw a number of nice birds, incl Greater Melampitta (untickable flight views & HO), Goldenface (Dwarf Whistler), Yellow-bellied, Dwarf & Slaty-chinned Longbill (latter RH & BP). Lunch and afternoon rest for most, while Kwiwan and I arranged a 4WD for the next day and talked to the Ok mine representatives, securing access to the very-recently-repaired-bridge, meaning that the famous Ok Ma Road, closed for 3 years, was reachable again. Kwiwan and Samuel, who’d come up to Tabubil in the afternoon, suggested that since there had been no birders (or tapes) at Ok Ma the past years, good birds (and especially Shovel-billed Kingfisher) would be easier to find than elsewhere.

[Now, I’ve heard similar stories in sev countries in different continents from a range of guides, and their promises never materialized....]

Steady rain in afternoon. Afternoon visit to pumping station on Ok Menga Tano road where – despite work in progress - 5 mins of waiting produced a pair of Salvadori’s Teal and another half-hr wait a male Torrent-Lark. The subsequent walk along the Ok Menga Tano road produced 4 distant Pesquet’s Parrots, 800+ Dusky Lories flying past, Lesser Black Coucal, Torrent Flyrobin, Rusty Mouse-Warbler (BP), Black Butcherbird, Black Sunbird & a distant perched Greater BoP. Cloudlands Hotel again.

Sat Sept 25               

3.15 am start, heading out to Ok Ma road. The early start was necessary, Kwiwan stated, so that, in case we encountered a patch in the road too bad even for the 4WD to handle, we could start walking and still be in time (pre-6 am) to have a shot at Shovel-billed Kingfisher at the intended site, (only) 8 kms up from the repaired bridge. After all, this was our last chance for this enigmatic bird. No such bad patch was encountered however, so that at 5 am we reached the site. Three Marbled Frogmouths were calling from near the parked 4WD but were not tape-responsive, nor were the three Hook-billed Kingfishers that started calling around 5.45 am.

At 6 am one, and later two, Shovel-billed Kingfisher started calling next to our parked car! I easily taped one in and over the next half hour all of us had excellent scope views of one perched 6m high up a tree...!!! Even the ‘scars’ on the bill were clearly visible.

[So, it finally happened, and with the right bird!]

The rest of the morning was spent walking the track up for c. 1 km and down again; at the top of the hill there appeared to be an invisible line marking the territory of another clan, on whose ground Kwiwan (and therefore we) were not allowed to go. Birds encountered along Ok Ma road incl New Guinea Bronzewing (one flying low over the track), pairs of Superb & Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Brush & Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Black-shouldered, Black, Grey-headed & Golden Cuckooshrike, Golden Monarch, Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler, Greater Melampitta (PM only), Rusty Whistler, Variable Pitohui, Brown Oriole, Highland Peltops, Crinkle-collared Manucode, (female) Magnificent Riflebird & (female) Raggiana BoP. HO were Pheasant Pigeon, White-crowned Koel, Black Thicket-Fantail, White-rumped Robin & Magnificent BoP.

After lunch at Cloudlands Hotel we drove back to Kiunga, stopping en-route at the vantage point of kmp 93.5 (Tramea spec & Rhyothemis resplendens dragonflies) and for 1.5 hr at kmp 17: Pinon Imperial & Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Greater Streaked Lory, Orange-fronted Hanging-Parrot (RH, Samuel & Kwiwan), Dwarf Koel, Black Cuckooshrike, Blyth’s Hornbill, Lowland Peltops, Trumpet Manucode & Greater BoP. HO were Lewin’s Rail, Long-billed Cuckoo & White-bellied Thicket-Fantail. In the evening, saw Zyxomma petiolatum (a crepuscular dragonfly) at Kiunga Guesthouse restaurant.

Sun Sept 26              

Departed Kiunga 8.40 am with Airlines PNG, arriving Mt. Hagen 9.35 am. In our extended email corresponce with Kumul Lodge we agreed upon an ‘airport pick-up’ (for which we were charged 70 K = 21 EUR each) but upon arrival no-one was there. Friendly and helpful locals informed us that the lodge was about 1.5-hr drive, and it would cost c. 150 K (= 45 EUR) to get there per taxi (“or we could wait until their brother had arrived on the next flight, and then they’d drop us off there for free”). After we waited for half an hour, we called the lodge and were informed that “they’d be there in half an hour”: 1.5-hr later they arrived and drove us to the lodge, where we arrived another 1.5-hr later.

I walked up to the lodge from the parking, entered the beautifully-constructed wooden building, dropped my bags and followed the signs for “bird hide #2” (there is no #1) and the first and only bird on the famous Kumul Lodge bird table was…..an adult male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia! In the next 10 secs we saw another 8 lifers, incl Brown Sicklebill (also a male), Island Thrush, White-winged Robin, Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Common Smoky Honeyeater and Belford’s Melidectes. Lunch (looking out onto the bird table) was repeatedly halted by a run for bins deposited on a nearby table. All afternoon was spent around the lodge; goodies found were a female Crested BoP behind cottage no 2 (JJB, RH); Bronze Ground Dove briefly at the bird table (HB), Chestnut Forest-Rail visiting the bird table (RH, BP) and Fan-tailed Berrypecker along Parking trail 1 (RH, BP). Stayed at Kumul Lodge.

Mon Sept 27             

Up at 4 am, 4.30 breakfast, 5 am departure for the almost 2-hr drive down to a Lesser BoP lek at Kama, with 4WD and guide Max. We were joined by two ladies who apparently came along to watch the car while we birded. 6 am light, 6.45 arrival at the lek where the birds showed nicely, along with our first Ornate Melidectes and NG White-eye. A couple of roadside stops on the return journey produced Yellow-breasted Bowerbird (calling from a hidden bower), Magnificent BoP, Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove, Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Black Fantail, Papuan Grassbird, Island Leaf-Warbler, Brown-breasted Gerygone and Long-tailed Shrike.

Back at Kumul lodge we birded the trails before lunch, which produced different things as we all walked different trails in the rain. Best were Wattled Ploughbill (female, P4), Crested BoPpair (P2), Blue-capped Ifrita (P3), Lesser Melampitta (P2), Canary Flyrobin at the nest (P2).

After lunch, starting 3 pm, we walked the excellent Pigetes Trail, located 10 mins drive from the lodge, guided by Max. Highlights here included Tit Berrypecker, Loria’sBoP, fly-by pairs of Papuan King Parrot and Stephanie’s Astrapia and, best of all, displaying male King-of-Saxony BoP. Wattled Ploughbill was HO. Stayed at Kumul Lodge.

Tue Sept 28              

Started birding at Tonga at 7.15 am, with Max. Walked a roadside trail for 500m and then scoped the forested hillside in front of us until we’d found males of both Superb and Blue BoP. The trail up the hill did not really enter proper forest so our birding was limited to the start of the trail and a few fruiting trees along it. Afterwards, tried a fruiting tree along the road for better views of male Magnificent BoP, but none showed to us (Max briefly saw a male). As it was warmer than yesterday, the trails around the lodge were quieter with birds. The lodge itself was more crowded however, as a mixed Fam-trip flock of birders/photographers had arrived. Before lunch, some of us walked trails and others stayed near the lodge, resulting in Crested Berrypecker fly-by views for the ones that stayed near the lodge. After lunch we returned to Pigetes Trail and saw much of the same birds as yesterday, with Spotted Jewel-Babbler HO. Stayed at Kumul Lodge.

Wed Sept 29             

With Max guiding the Fam-trip to the Lesser BoP, we walked the trails of Kumul lodge by ourselves, targeting birds previously missed. This produced, for example, very poor views of Crested Berrypecker for RH & PPS, with great views for HB (who’d seen it before on another trip). I picked up Lesser Melampitta & Canary Flyrobin at P2. We left after lunch. Paying the bill was a hassle, as the lodge produced a bill with rates higher than those communicated by email. Airport-transfer by lodge staff. Departed Mt. Hagen 4.45 pm with Air Niugini (Fokker 100), arriving Port Moresby 5.45 pm. This time, were met at the airport by Daniel Wakra and again checked into Granville Hotel (some of us in a room of which the lock was broken :-). Dinner at Gateway Hotel, taxi back to Granville Hotel.

Thu Sept 30              

Full day birding at Varirata with Daniel Wakra guiding. Mainly birded central pick-nick area (Yellow-billed Kingfisher), Cycle Track (White-faced Robin, Rusty Mouse-Warbler, Stout-billed Cuckooshrike, Painted Quail-Thrush, Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, 6-m long Python; Tree House Trail (Pheasant Pigeon and Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler HO); Gary’s Lookout Trail (Barred Owlet-Nightjar, Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher), a small unnamed trail (Variable Kingfisher HO) and the Boundary Trail (dipped Doria’s Hawk at their –probably – abandoned nest, in the rain; Hooded Pitta HO).

Since it was decided we were to visit brown River on our last morning, Daniel suggested visiting the Pacific Adventist University (PAU) grounds in the last hour of daylight, for specialties Papuan Frogmouth and Spotted Whistling-Duck – only to mention, 2 mins before arriving, that it closed at 5 pm! A half-hearted attempt at seeing crakes at a roadside marsh (in the rain) did not yield anything. Dinner at Gateway Hotel, taxis back to Granville Hotel.

Fri Oct 1                    

6.30 am departure from Granville Hotel, arriving at Brown River, a secondary roadside scrub-site west of POM, at 7.30 am. Started with walking a side-road, listening and looking out for Coroneted Fruit-Dove (to no avail). Spent between 8 and 10 am in roadside secondary scrub, where Common Paradise-Kingfisher was incredibly common (c. 4 seen and 20+ HO); other specialties seen here incl Black-billed Brush-Turkey, Emperor Fairy-Wren, Northern Scrub-Robin & Spectacled Monarch, while Great Black Coucal was HO. Drove to PAU next, where stayed from 10.30 until 11. Papuan Frogmouth and Spotted Whistling-Duck proved easy. Quick visit to Granville Hotel for collecting our bags, checking in at airport at noon.

Departed Port Moresby 2.05 pm with Pacific Blue, arriving at Brisbane 5.05 pm. Rented a car from Avis and drove to Spring Hill Terraces (pre-booked by RH, with fortunately two more rooms still available). Joint farewell dinner in town, as RH continued birding in Qld for another week, while the other 5 were leaving for Holland the next day.

Sat Oct 2                   

As previously arranged by email and confirmed over the phone the previous night, local BirdingPal David Gravatt picked me (RH) up from my hotel at 6 am. In slight rain, in a Brisbane suburb, I saw my first Striated Pardalote (a new bird-family), Laughing Kookaburra and Superb Fairy-Wren, of which I even videod a male attacking its own image in David’s car’s mirror! Slightly beyond Canungra, the gateway village to Lamington NP, I had great views of a Platypus feeding in the (now heavy) rain, while David was making tea. On our way up to Lamington, we connected with Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and rescued a Crimson Rosella that was apparently hit by a car (it was gone when we returned, so it may have survived). Arriving at O'Reilly's Rainforest Resort, we soon saw dozens of Satin andRegent Bowerbirds (the latter more plentiful) & Crimson Rosellas, as well as Wonga Pigeon and Australian King Parrot (of which one bit my finger). Paradise Riflebird was HO from the carpark. Despite the rain, we entered the trailsystem and chased after calling Albert’s Lyrebird that didn’t show; much easier were Eastern Whipbird (3 males, 10 HO) and Australian Logrunner, of which a pair fed next to the trail. Other lifers were Large-billed, White-browed and Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown & Striated Thornbill, Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler, Green Catbird, Pied Currawong, Red-browed Firetail and Russet-tailed Thrush.

Lunch at O'Reilly's restaurant. On our way down we stopped and taped in Spotted Pardalote, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-faced Honeyeater; we also saw Whiptail (‘Pretty-face’) andRed-necked Wallaby. In the evening, after some hard searching, we finally connected with a pair of the beautiful Banded Lapwing. Booked a flight to Cairns for the next day. Stayed at Spring Hill Terraces, Brisbane.

Sun Oct 3                 

Birded the Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane with David, from 6 am to 2 pm, visiting Coolum Beach(Little Wattlebird, Osprey with prey), Noosa NP (Peregian beach section)(White-cheeked Honeyeater), Noosa Heads NP (where couldn’t find a parking space – so no Koala :-( ), NoosaRiver entrance, Noosa Ville (Black Swan), Bellbird Creek Tea House at Kenilworth (New HollandHoneyeater (further north than normal), Scarlet and Dusky Myzomela (further south than normal),Bell Miner, Spectacled Monarch, Dusky Woodswallow, Little Shrikethrush, Red-backed & Variegated Fairywren), Little Yabba Creek (Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Wompoo Pigeon in large figtree,Red-bellied Black Snake), Mary Cairncross Park (localised rainforest patch: Green Catbird,Red-legged Pademelon).Dropped at Brisbane airport by David at 3 pm; 4.40 pm take-off (Virgin Blue), arrival at Cairns at 7pm in the dark and torrential rains. Taxi into town, to Bellview. Booked SeaStar snorkelling tour fornext day (165 Aus$ / 120 EUR). Stayed at Bellview, along the Esplanade.

Mon Oct 4                 

Up at 5 am, walking the Cairns Esplanade until 7 am, finding a much-wanted Beach Thick-knee feeding towards the northern end. Boarded SeaStar in Cairns marina at 7.30, departure 8.15 (15mins late). Upon arrival at Michaelmas Cay about an hour later, found Red-footed Boobies on amoored glass-bottom boat and Great Frigatebirds on the island, along with 2 more lifers: SootyTern (c. 9,000) and Brown Noddy (c. 11,000)! Other good birds incl Brown Booby, Bridled &Black-naped Tern.

After enjoying & photographing the birds for 45 mins, I snorkelled, followed by a great luch on board the SeaStar. When the crowds arrived at Michaelmas Cay, Brown & Red-footed Booby and Great Frigatebird had gone. Afternoon snorkelling at Hastings Reef was even better: Smooth Flutemouth, Slingjaw, Bird and Moon Wrasse (+ 4 Bridled Terns perched on a buoy). Back at marina c. 4 pm. Late afternoon walk along Esplanade, scoped waders. Stayed at Bellview. According to locals first dry day in a week.

Tue Oct 5                 

5.30 am taxi (15 Aus$) to Centenary Lakes boardwalk for futile attempt on Red-necked Crake (HOalong boardwalk through rainforest). Lifers seen were Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Yellow andBrown-backed Honeyeater. Next were the red and blue-arrow trails through Mt. Whitfield park:the latter a tough climb in places, with few birds, although here I connected with a lovely male Lovely Fairywren. Walked back to Bellview along the mangroves (Mangrove Robin) and the Esplanade, where I again saw the Beach Thick-knee, this time next to the northern mangroves,at noon! Lunch at the Raw Prawn, afternoon spent watching the waders along the Esplanade(Great Knots, Red-necked Stints, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Far Eastern Curlew, Australian Pelican andmy personal favorite: Broad-billed Sandpiper). Stayed at Bellview. A hot day.

Wed Oct 6                 

Picked up at 4.15 am by local BirdingPal Terry Langworthy. In 1.5 hr we drove to the top of Mt. Lewis in the northern part of the Atherton Tablelands. Foggy and light rain. After searching throughthe Red-browed Firetails for Blue-faced Finch (dipped), Terry showed me a Tooth-billedBowerbird singing away at its bower, and some weird Spotted Catbirds. Lower down we saw agorgeous male Victoria’s Riflebird and a family group of most-wanted Chowchillas, while sevNoisy Pittas were HO. At Carr Road we easily saw (and video’d) a confiding MacLeay’sHoneyeater. The Bustards Downs (Mary Farm Rd) duly produced three (rather distant)Australian Bustards, carefully strutting through the tall grass. Mareeba Wetlands did not producethe hoped-for Black-throated Finch or Squatter Pigeon, but a flock of Apostlebirds and 4 confidingroadside Australian Bustards more than made up for that (1 coming in, 3 coming out; see videoson surfbirds.com). The Crater at Mt. Hypipamee was Terry’s special site for Bridled Honeyeater,while we also connected with Pale Yellow Robin and a confiding male Eastern Whipbird. Knowingit was my most-wanted bird, Terry drove me all the way to Etty Bay, c. 170 km’s from where wewere, where in late afternoon (4.30 pm) we had great views of the female Southern Cassowarythat usually turns up at the local trailerpark, beach and forest roads! I hope one day to return thefavour by showing Terry male Ruff in Holland! Back at Cairns 7.15 pm. Apart from some light rain,wind and fog in the morning, a rather nice sunny day. Stayed at Bellview.

Thu Oct 7                  

Since local BirdingPal John Seale only had time in the morning, we decided to check out a localpath of rainforest at Woonooroonan NP, targeting Noisy Pitta and White-eared Monarch. Firsthowever, we tried for bogey-bird Buff-banded Rail, which indeed was fairly easy to find feeding inroadside grassy edges of sugarcane fields – along with another lifer: Pale-vented Bushhen.At our first stop in the higher part of Woonooroonan NP, John heard the distinctive call ofWhite-eared Monarch, that was easily taped in and showed well. Further up, I chased two of thecalling Noisy Pittas and got to see both – and an added bonus in the form of a male PiedMonarch. Ullysses Butterfly and Zodiac Moths were also much appreciated, the heat and theswamp flies less so. Chased after a calling Cicadabird but it never showed. Late morning was spentat Centenary Lakes, Cairns (where dipped on Cicadabird again) and the northern end of theEsplanade (where dipped Red-capped Plover).My last chance for possums and tree-kangaroo was this evening’s Wait-a-while Rainforest Tour, butunfortunately they were fully booked. Therefore spent my last afternoon again along the Esplanade,with another Broad-billed Sandpiper. And with 1000’s of Rainbow Lorikeets flying in, and 1000’sof fruit bats (flying foxes) flying out of the city’s trees.

Fri Oct 8                    

A last stroll over the Esplanade, followed by the 9 am airport bus to Cairns airport. Departed Cairns with Jetstar 12.45 pm, arriving Singapore half an hour past the scheduled 7 pm. The delay was caused by a broken-off landing procedure at stop-over site Darwin airport, because of a heavy thunderstorm passing over. During the half-hour on the ground we had to get off the airplane, but from the transit waiting-area there was no view over the runways and the surrounding meadows. This proved extra sour when upon arrival at Singapore I checked my email and read local birder Mike Jarvis’ account of a flock of 130 Little Curlews having been seen right at Darwin airport runways a week earlier…

Sat Oct 9                   

Departed Singapore 00.25 am with KLM, arriving Amsterdam Schiphol airport at 6.55 am, half an hour ahead of schedule.

Notes on specific sites: 

At Kumul Lodge a number of trails crisscross the beautiful treefern- and moss-covered forest that is typical of this altitude in PNG (2850+m). The trails are well-maintained but have no names (that we are aware of), which makes pointing out where something can be (re)found difficult. We were not supplied with a map of the lodge’s trails. I hereby describe the trails we used, as some of these are mentioned in the (unfortunately very imcompletely) annotated species list. Note that it is likely that most common groundbirds, such as Mountain Mouse-Warbler and Lesser Melampitta, and flocking birds such as Blue-capped Ifrita and scrubwrens, are most likely found along any trail – with luck, perseverance and/or the aid of a tape. Also note that a daily fee of c. EUR 12 is charged per person to use the lodge’s trails.

‘Parking trail 1’ (P1)      Upon arrival at the lodge’s parking, the entry to the lodge is through a (wooden) fenced and roofed trail leading up for c. 80m. When facing the entry, c. 20m to one’s left (just right from the track that you just entered the parking by) is the start of a trail that eventually (after c. 100m) reaches an intersection where left is indicated by a wooden sign stating ‘Max’s orchid trail’)(see next description); right ascends steeply to the cottages of the lodge, and straight continues through beautiful forest.

‘Max’s orchid trail’        Slightly wider than the other trails around the lodge, it is along this trail that we saw Orange-crowned Fairy-Wren. After following the trail for about 20 mins, it reaches an intersection of which the turn-offs lead to local villages, and straight makes one end up in high-altitude grassland – with few, if any, birds.

‘Parking trail 2’ (P2)      Up from the parking in front of the lodge’s entry is another open space, like a second parking. On the lodge’s side there is a small house and something that appears to be an (albeit very low) canopy tower. Apart from the first parking, one can reach this place by walking down a trail that starts next to the lodge’s kitchen. Opposite the entry point of the second parking are three small trails that I, for lack of a better idea, dub ‘parking trails 2, 3 and 4. The left-most one (parking trail 2), closest to the lodge, proved to be good on a number of occasions for species like Crested BoP (male!), Lesser Melampitta and breeding Canary Flyrobin.

‘Parking trail 3’             The center trail that starts from the second parking, held a flock of Blue-capped Ifrita on one date.

‘Parking trail 4’             The right-most trail loops around both parkings and exits next to a small wooden house, though a small botanical garden (complete with signs). Along this trail I saw a female Wattled Ploughbill feeding in the top of a low treefern, one rainy morning.

List of useful GPS waypoints: My (RH) Garmin E-trex was stolen in Panama earlier in 2010, but I liked its ease so I bought the exact same.

Wp 71             Gunlom, Kakadu: exact site of White-throated Grasswren (315m)
                        S 13˚26’ 04.5”            / E 132˚25’ 34.9”

Wp 75             Kwatu Lodge, Elevara River
                        S 06˚04’ 30.3”            / E 141˚31’ 23.1”

Wp 76             Kmp 17 btw Kiunga & Tabubil (a.o. New Guinea Eagle)
                        S 05˚59’ 45.4”            / E 141˚17’ 39.7”

Wp 77             Ok Menga Tano: Shovel-billed Kingfisher (HO)
                        S 05˚20’ 14.4”            / E 141˚18’ 01.0”

Wp 78             Hotel Cloudlands, Tabubil (552m)
                        S 05˚16’ 15.4”            / E 141˚13’ 13.6”

Wp 79             Ok Ma Road: site Shovel-billed Kingfisher (596m)
                        S 05˚20’ 15.4”            / E 141˚12’ 57.7”

Wp 80             Mt. Hagen airport (1655m)
                        S 05˚49’ 43.7” / E 144˚17’ 45.9”

Wp 81             Kumul Lodge (2860m)
                        S 05˚47’ 33.2” / E 143˚58’ 26.2”

Wp 82             Pigetes trail: late afternoon display site of King-of-Saxony BoP (2695m)
                        S 05˚46’ 50.1” / E 143˚57’ 21.7”

Wp 83             Tonga: Blue, Superb & Magnificent BoP (2972m)
                        S 05˚42’ 18.7” / E 143˚55’ 12.9”

Wp 85             Pigetes trail: Loria’s BoP, Wattled Ploughbill HO (2765m)
                        S 05˚47’ 05.0” / E 143˚57’ 53.5”

(Incompletely annotated) List of observed birds in Australia: Taxonomy roughly follows The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds (see Literature, p. 6).

Highlighted birds (e.g. Brolga) are rare, endemic and/or otherwise sought-after species.

1.       Southern Cassowary - Casuarius casuarius: 1 ad female Etty Bay (Qld), c. 80 km south of Cairns. This wild bird lives in the rainforest bordering the sea but, especially in late afternoon and usually daily, it can be seen on the track between the rainforest and the beach, on the beach itself or on the grounds of the trailerpark, as in my case (beach and trailerpark). According to the trailerpark owner, 2 females and 4 males roam the area.
[ Emu - Dromaius novaehollandiae: 8 in enclosure, Erldunda (NT); 4 Mareeba Wetlands, Atherton Tablelands (Qld), were apparently introduced]
2.       Orange-footed Scrubfowl - Megapodius reinwardt: 5 Buffalo Creek; 9 Botanical Gardens, Darwin (NT); 9 Centenary Lakes, Cairns (Qld)
3.       Australian Brush-Turkey - Alectura lathami: 8 Lamington NP; 9 Noosa River entrance north of Brisbane; 8 Centenary Lakes, Cairns (Qld)
4.       Brown Quail - Coturnix ypsilophora: c. 30 Chinaman Creek (NT)
5.       Chestnut-backed Button-Quail - Turnix castanota: 4 flushed repeatedly, Chainman Creek (NT)
6.       Little Button-Quail - Turnix velox: > 100 seen in areas around Alice Springs (NT) (most north of Erldunda and at Kunnoth Well)
7.       Australian Pelican - Pelecanus conspicillatus: 1 Buffalo Creek, Darwin; 7 over Chinaman Creek (= well inland); 6 Manukala wetlands; 10+ Buffalo Creek, Darwin (NT); 1 Noosa River entrance north of Brisbane; up to 8 Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
8.       Red-footed Booby - Sula sula: 4 (1 light and 1 intermediate ad + 2 imm) Michaelmas Cay, E of Cairns (Qld)
9.       Brown Booby - Sula leucogaster: 1 ad Michaelmas Cay; 1 ad over Hastings Reef (Qld)
10.   Great Frigatebird - Fregata minor: 3 females Michaelmas Cay, E of Cairns (Qld)
11.   Australian Darter - Anhinga novaehollandiae: singles at Darwin River Dam and Victoria River; 8 Manukala Wetlands (NT); 1 Mareeba wetlands (Atherton Tablelands west of Cairns)(Qld)
12.   Pied Cormorant - Phalacrocorax varius: 1 north of Brisbane (Qld)
13.   Little Pied Cormorant - Phalacrocorax melanoleucos: up to 3 daily in the Top End (NT); 1 near Lamington NP; 3 north of Brisbane; 5 Mareeba wetlands, west of Cairns (Qld)
14.   Little Black Cormorant - Phalacrocorax sulcirostris: 5 near Lamington NP; 1 Cairns
15.   Hoary-headed Grebe - Poliocephalus poliocephalus: 1 on a temporary lake E of Uluru (NT)
16.   Australasian Grebe - Tachybaptus novaehollandiae: 3 on a temporary lake E of Uluru (NT)
17.   Magpie Goose - Anseranas semipalmata: 12 over the road north of Katherine; few dozens at Kakadu NP (mostly Anbangbang Billabong and Manukala wetlands); 2,000+ Fogg Dam (NT)
18.   Black Swan - Cygnus atratus: 4 Noosa Ville, north of Brisbane (Qld)
19.   Wandering Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna arcuata: 500+ at Kakadu NP & Fogg Dam (NT); 150 Mareeba wetlands; 30 south of Cairns (Qld)
20.   Plumed Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna eytoni: 50+ at Kakadu NP & Fogg Dam (NT); 10 west of Brisbane (where looking for Banded Lapwing)(Qld)
21.   Radjah Shelduck - Tadorna radjah: a pair at Darwin River Dam; 1 Kakadu NP (NT)
22.   Pacific Black Duck - Anas superciliosa: 1 Fogg Dam (NT); 20 west of Brisbane; 2 north of Brisbane (Qld)
23.   Hardhead - Aythya australis: 8 on a temporary lake E of Uluru (NT)
24.   Maned Duck - Chenonetta jubata: 1 pair on a temporary lake E of Uluru (NT); 80 in Brisbane suburbs and in agricultural areas west of the city (Qld)
25.   Green Pygmy-Goose - Nettapus pulchellus: 150 Kakadu NP (Anbangbang Billabong and Manukala wetlands)(NT)
26.   Buff-banded Rail - Gallirallus philippensis: 1 pair and a single, feeding at the edge of sugarcane fields S of Cairns (Qld)
27.   [HO] Red-necked Crake - Rallina tricolor: 1 HO very early morning, from the rainforest boardwalk, Centenary Lakes, Cairns (Qld)
28.   (Pale-vented) Bush-hen - Amaurornis moluccanus: 1 pair feeding at the edge of sugarcane fields south of Cairns (Qld)
29.   Dusky Moorhen - Gallinula tenebrosa: 2 in an agricultural area west of Brisbane; 4 north of Brisbane (Qld)
30.   Purple Swamphen - Porphyrio porphyrio: 500+ Kakadu NP (Manukala wetlands) & Fogg Dam (NT); 4 near Cairns (Qld)
31.   Chestnut Rail - Eulabeornis castaneoventris: 1-2 pairs Buffalo Creek, Darwin (NT). Prolonged scope views of 1 pair feeding at the mangroves’ edge across from the boatramp; with briefly 1 pair seen along the mangroves at the boatramp’s side (16 Oct; none seen 12 Oct when tide was too high).
32.   Pacific (White-necked) Heron - Ardea pacifica: 1 over Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve, Darwin; 1 in a dry roadside marsh near Warloch Ponds (had us fooled, speeding by at first we thought it was a bustard :-); 2 south of Alice Springs (NT)
33.   Pied Heron - Ardea picata: 5 near Darwin; 10+ in Kakadu NP (NT)
34.   White-faced Heron - Egretta novaehollandiae: up to 2 on two dates in Top End
35.   Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis: 50+ in Kakadu NP (NT)
36.   Great Egret - Egretta alba: 5 near Darwin; 20+ in Kakadu NP (NT)
37.   Little Egret - Egretta garzetta: 1 near Darwin; common in Kakadu NP (NT)
38.   Intermediate Egret - Ardea intermedia: 30+ in Kakadu NP (NT)
39.   Eastern Reef-Egret - Egretta sacra: 1 dark and 1 light phase Cairns Esplanade (NT)
40.   Striated Heron - Butorides striatus: 1 Buffalo Creek, Darwin (NT)(only on Sept 16).
41.   Rufous Night-Heron - Nycticorax caledonicus: 1 ad and 1 juv at Howard Springs Nature Park (NT)
42.   Australian White Ibis - Threskiornis molucca: 30+ at sites near Darwin; 350+ in Kakadu NP;
            5 Darwin Botanical Gardens (NT)
43.   Straw-necked Ibis - Threskiornis spinicollis: 3 Howard Springs Nature Park, 50+ Kakadu NP, 5 Darwin Botanical Gardens (NT), 2 north of Brisbane (Qld)
44.   Royal Spoonbill - Platelea regia: 1 Noosa Ville, 3 Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
45.   Black-necked Stork - Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus: singles the first 4 days in NT (Sept 12-15)
46.   Brolga - Grus rubicunda: 1 roadside near Edith Falls Road , a pair at Warloch Ponds (NT)
47.   Australian Bustard - Ardeotis australis: 3 Bustard Downs and 4 Mareeba, Atherton Tablelands (Qld)
48.   Far Eastern Curlew - Numenius madagascariensis: 1 Buffalo Creek (NT), 10+ Cairns Esplanade
49.   Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus: 2 Buffalo Creek (NT), 30+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
50.   Grey-tailed Tattler - Tringa brevipes: 10+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
51.   Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos: Up to 2 Buffalo Creek (NT)
52.   Greenshank - Tringa nebularia: 1 Buffalo Creek (NT)
53.   Terek Sandpiper - Xenus cinereus: 10+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
54.   Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica: 2 Buffalo Creek (NT), 70 Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
55.   Great Knot - Calidris tenuirostris: 80+ Buffalo Creek (NT), 130+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
56.   Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Calidris acuminuta: 30+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
57.   Red-necked Stint - Calidris ruficollis: 50+ Buffalo Creek (NT), 100+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
58.   Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea: 25+ Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
59.   Sanderling - Calidris alba: 2 Cairns Esplanade (rare, according to locals)(Qld)
60.   Broad-billed Sandpiper - Limicola falcinellus: 2 Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
61.   Australian Pratincole - Stiltia isabella: 1 Brisbane? airport upon touch-down [PPS]
62.   Comb-crested Jacana - Irediparra gallinacea: 150+ Kakadu NP (NT), 1 Mareeba Wetlands, N of Cairns (Qld)
63.   Bush Thick-knee - Burhinus grallarius: 3 Botanical Gardens, Darwin; 3, 1; 1 at 4 a.m. on the sidewalk of Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
64.   Beach Thick-knee - Esacus neglectus: 1 confiding ad, N end Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
65.   Pied Oystercatcher - Haematopus longirostris:
66.   Masked Lapwing - Vanellus miles: 1 pair near Brisbane (NT)
67.   Banded Lapwing - Vanellus tricolor: 1 pair on a turf farm, north of Brisbane
68.   Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola: 5 Buffalo Creek (NT)
69.   Red-kneed Dotterel - Erythrogonys cinctus: 1 (NT) [PM only]
70.   Lesser Sand Plover - Charadrius mongolus:
71.   Greater Sand Plover - Charadrius leschenaultii:
72.   Black-fronted Dotterel - Elseyornis melanops:
73.   Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres: 3 Buffalo Creek (NT), 3 Michaelmas Cay
74.   Silver Gull - Larus novaehollandiae:
75.   Caspian Tern - Hydroprogne caspia: 1 Buffalo Creek (NT), 1 Cairns Esplanade
76.   Gull-billed Tern - Sterna nilotica: 1 Buffalo Creek (NT), 3 Cairns Esplanade
77.   Common Tern - Sterna hirundo: 20 Hastings Reef, 1 Cairns Esplanade (did, however, have dull-orange legs)
78.   Black-naped Tern - Sterna sumatrana: 2 btw Cairns & Michaelmas Cay, 2 Hastings Reef
79.   Sooty Tern - Onychoprion fuscata: c. 9,000 (incl many downy chicks) Michaelmas Cay (Qld)
80.   Bridled Tern - Onychoprion anaethetus: 2 btw Cairns & Michaelmas Cay, 4 Hastings Reef
81.   Little Tern - Sternula albifrons: 2 ad Cairns Esplanade, 8 Hastings Reef
82.   Great Crested Tern - Sterna bergii: 20+ Buffalo Creek (NT), few Cairns Esplanade, 30+ Michaelmas Cay
83.   Lesser Crested Tern - Sterna bengalensis: 2 ad Michaelmas Cay (Qld)
84.   Brown (Common) Noddy - Anous stolidus: c. 11,000 Michaelmas Cay (Qld)
85.   Australian Black-shouldered Kite - Elanus axillaris: (Qld)
86.   Osprey - Pandion haliaetus: 1 Coolum Beach, 2 + nest Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
87.   Black-breasted Buzzard - Hamirostra melanosternon: NT
88.   Black Kite - Milvus migrans:
89.   Whistling Kite - Haliastur sphenurus:
90.   Brahminy Kite - Haliastur indus:
91.   White-bellied Sea-Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster: 1 Buffalo Creek near Darwin (NT), 1 ad Noosa Heads (Qld), 1 ad every night past Cairns Esplanade (Qld)
92.   Wedge-tailed Eagle - Aquila audax: 2 Victoria River escarpment (NT); 2 Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth (Qld)
93.   Little Eagle - Hieraaetus morphnoides:
94.   Brown Goshawk - Accipiter fasciatus:
95.   Collared Sparrowhawk - Accipiter cirrhocephalus:
96.   Grey (Variable) Goshawk - Accipiter novaehollandiae:
97.   Red Goshawk - Erythrotriorchis radiatus: 1 breeding adult at the known site at Mataranka (N NT)
98.   Swamp Harrier - Circus approximans:
99.   Spotted Harrier - Circus assimilis:
100.   Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus: 1 over Victoria River Escarpment (NT)
101.   Australian Hobby - Falco longipennis: 1 Alice Springs airport, twice (NT)
102.   Brown Falcon - Falco berigora:
103.   Grey Falcon - Falco hypoleucos: 1 hunting over the vast grassfields of Warloch Ponds (NT)
104.   Australian Kestrel - Falco cenchroides:
105.   Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus regina: 1 Buffalo Creek on the first visit
106.   Black-banded Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus alligator: 1 in a fig tree roughly two-thirds between the top of the trail and the site where we saw White-throated Grasswren (see GPS waypoints)
107.   Wompoo Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus magnificus: 1 seen at very old, very large fig tree at Little Yabba Creek, N of Brisbane (Qld)
108.   Torresian (Pied) Imperial Pigeon - Ducula (bicolor) spilorrhoa: NT
109.   White-headed Pigeon - Columba leucomela:
110.   Brown Cuckoo-Dove - Macropygia phasianella:
111.   Peaceful Dove - Geopelia placida:
112.   Diamond Dove - Geopelia cuneata:
113.   Bar-shouldered Dove - Geopelia humeralis:
114.   Emerald Dove - Chalcophaps indica:
115.   Partridge Pigeon - Geophaps smithii: 1 pair Darwin River Dam (NT)
116.   Crested Pigeon - Geophaps lophotes:
117.   Spinifex Pigeon - Geophaps plumifera: 3+ pairs, very confiding, Ormiston Gorge (S NT)
118.   Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon - Petrophassa rufipennis: sev, Gunlom, Kakadu NP (NT)
119.   White-quilled Rock-Pigeon - Petrophassa albipennis: sev, Victoria River Escarpment (NT)
120.   Common Bronzewing - Phaps chalcoptera:
121.   Wonga Pigeon - Leucosarcia melanoleuca:
122.   Red-tailed Black Cockatoo - Calyptorhynchus banksii:
123.   Galah - Cacatua roseicapilla:
124.   Little Corella - Cacatua sanguinea:
125.   Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - Cacatua galerita:
126.   Rainbow Lorikeet - Trichoglossus haematodus: Qld
Red-collared Lorikeet - Trichoglossus haematodus rubritorquis: NT
127.   Scaly-breasted Lorikeet - Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus:
128.   Varied Lorikeet - Psitteuteles versicolor:
129.   Double-eyed Fig-Parrot - Cyclopsitta diophthalma: Cairns (Qld)
130.   Australian King Parrot - Alisterus scapularis:
131.   Red-winged Parrot - Aprosmictus erythropterus:
132.   Port Lincoln Ringneck - Barnardius zonarius:
133.   Pale-headed Rosella - Platycercus adscitus:
134.   Northern Rosella - Platycercus venustus:
135.   Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans:
136.   Mulga Parrot - Psephotus varius:
137.   Hooded Parrot - Psephotus dissimilis: 6+ central meadow, Pine Creek (N NT)
138.   Bourke's Parrot - Neopsephotus bourkii: sev btw Kata Tjuta & King’s Canyon (S NT)
139.   Cockatiel - Nymphicus hollandicus:
140.   Budgerigar - Melopsittacus undulatus:
141.   Pheasant Coucal - Centropus phasianinus:
142.   Channel-billed Cuckoo - Scythops novaehollandiae: 1 Lamington NP, W of Brisbane (Qld)
143.   Australian Koel - Eudynamys cyanocephala:
144.   Fan-tailed Cuckoo - Cacomantis flabelliformis: 1 Little Yabba Creek, N of Brisbane (Qld)
145.   [HO] Brush Cuckoo - Cuculus variolosus:
146.   Pallid Cuckoo - Cuculus pallidus:
147.   Shining Bronze-Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx lucidus:
148.   Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx basalis:
149.   Little (Gould's) Bronze-Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx russatus minutillus:
150.   Tawny Frogmouth - Podargus strigoides:
151.   Large-tailed Nightjar - Caprimulgus macrurus:         
152.   White-rumped Swiftlet - Aerodramus spodiopygius:
153.   Azure Kingfisher - Alcedo azurea:
154.   Little Kingfisher - Alcedo pusilla: 1, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, near the hospital, Darwin (N NT)
155.   Laughing Kookaburra - Dacelo novaeguineae:
156.   Blue-winged Kookaburra - Dacelo leachii:
157.   Forest Kingfisher - Todiramphus macleayii:
158.   Red-backed Kingfisher - Todiramphus pyrrhopygia:
159.   Collared Kingfisher - Todiramphus chloris:
160.   Sacred Kingfisher - Todiramphus sanctus:
161.   Rainbow Bee-eater - Merops ornatus:
162.   Dollarbird - Eurystomus orientalis:
163.   Rainbow Pitta - Pitta iris: c. 8, Howard Springs Nature Park (must be the easiest pitta in the world)
164.   Noisy Pitta - Pitta versicolor: sev HO, Mt. Lewis, Atherton Tablelands; 1 seen well, sev HO Woonooroonan NP, S of Cairns (Qld)
165.   [HO] Albert's Lyrebird - Menura alberti: 1 singing ind neared to within 15m but nevertheless not seen, near the nursery, Lamington NP          
166.   White-throated Treecreeper - Cormobates leucophaeus: 1 1 taped in, halfway the descent btw Lamington NP & the valley floor (Qld)
167.   Black-tailed Treecreeper - Climacteris melanura: 2 Gorrie Road (taped in)
168.   Rufous Songlark - Cincloramphus mathewsi:
169.   Brown Songlark - Cincloramphus cruralis:
170.   Superb Fairy-Wren - Malurus cyaneus:
171.   Variegated Fairy-Wren - Malurus lamberti: XX; Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth (Qld)
172.   Lovely Fairy-Wren - Malurus amabilis: 1 male at intersection Blue Ridge with Red trail, Mt. Whitfield
173.   Red-backed Fairy-Wren - Malurus melanocephalus: sev, Warloch Ponds (N NT); 2 Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth (Qld)
174.   White-winged Fairy-Wren - Malurus leucopterus: a long chase in pouring rain (!) eventually provided great views of a (wet) male and sev females, 20 km north of Erldunda (S NT)
175.   Splendid Fairy-wren - Malurus splendens: small flock in/near a mixed flock, next to Kata Tjuta, near Uluru (S NT)
176.   Purple-crowned Fairy-wren - Malurus coronatus: sev, Victoria River (N NT)
177.   White-throated Grasswren - Amytornis woodwardi: 1 Gunlom, Kakadu NP (wp 71)(PM, PPS, BP, RH)
178.   Dusky Grasswren - Amytornis purnelli: sev, King’s Canyon (S NT)
179.   Spotted Pardalote - Pardalotus punctatus: 1 taped in, halfway the descent btw Lamington NP & the valley floor (Qld)
180.   Striated Pardalote - Pardalotus striatus:
181.   Atherton Scrubwren - Sericornis keri:
182.   Large-billed Scrubwren - Sericornis magnirostris:
183.   White-browed Scrubwren - Sericornis frontalis:
184.   Yellow-throated Scrubwren - Sericornis citreogularis:
185.   Redthroat - Pyrrholaemus brunneus: 1 male in a mixed flock, Kata Tjuta near Uluru (S NT)(RH & PPS only)
186.   White-throated Gerygone - Gerygone olivacea: 1 singing male Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
187.   Fairy Gerygone - Gerygone palpebrosa:
188.   Brown Gerygone - Gerygone mouki:
189.   Western Gerygone - Gerygone fusca:
190.   Green-backed Gerygone - Gerygone chloronotus:
191.   Mangrove Gerygone - Gerygone levigaster:
192.   Large-billed Gerygone - Gerygone magnirostris:
193.   Brown Thornbill - Acanthiza pusilla:
194.   Striated Thornbill - Acanthiza lineata:
195.   Buff-rumped Thornbill - Acanthiza reguloides:
196.   Yellow-rumped Thornbill - Acanthiza chrysorrhoa:
197.   Chestnut-rumped Thornbill - Acanthiza uropygialis:
198.   Weebill - Smicrornis brevirostris:
199.   Southern Whiteface - Aphelocephala leucopsis:
200.   Banded Whiteface - Aphelocephala nigricincta: 1-2 , 20 km north of Erldunda (S NT)
201.   Lewin's Honeyeater - Meliphaga lewinii: XX; sev Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
202.   Yellow-spotted Honeyeater - Meliphaga notata:
203.   Graceful Honeyeater - Meliphaga gracilis:
204.   White-lined Honeyeater - Meliphaga albilineata: sev, Gunlom, Kakadu NP (NT)
205.   Bridled Honeyeater - Lichenostomus frenatus:
206.   Yellow-faced Honeyeater - Lichenostomus chrysops: sev halfway the descent btw Lamington NP & the valley floor (Qld)
207.   Yellow Honeyeater - Lichenostomus flavus:
208.   Singing Honeyeater - Lichenostomus virescens:
209.   Grey-headed Honeyeater - Lichenostomus keartlandi:
210.   Varied Honeyeater - Lichenostomus versicolor:
211.   White-gaped Honeyeater - Lichenostomus unicolor:
212.   White-plumed Honeyeater - Lichenostomus penicillatus:
213.   Yellow-tinted Honeyeater - Lichenostomus flavescens:
214.   Blue-faced Honeyeater - Entomyzon cyanotis:
215.   Bell Miner - Manorina melanophrys: 2, sev heard, Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth (Qld)
216.   Noisy Miner - Manorina melanocephala:
217.   Yellow-throated Miner - Manorina flavigula:
218.   Macleay's Honeyeater - Xanthotis macleayana:
219.   White-throated Honeyeater - Melithreptus albogularis:
220.   Black-chinned Honeyeater - Melithreptus gularis:
221.   Orange Chat - Epthianura aurifrons: 1-2, 20 km north of Erldunda (S NT)
222.   Crimson Chat - Epthianura tricolor:
223.   Dusky Honeyeater - Myzomela obscura: 7+ Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
224.   Scarlet Honeyeater - Myzomela sanguinolenta: 1 pair Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
225.   Red-headed Honeyeater - Myzomela erythrocephala:
226.   Black Honeyeater - Certhionyx niger: 1 btw Kata Tjuta & King’s Canyon (S NT); sev Ellery Creek (S NT)
227.   Banded Honeyeater - Certhionyx pectoralis:
228.   Pied Honeyeater - Certhionyx variegatus: sev btw Kata Tjuta & King’s Canyon (S NT)
229.   Brown Honeyeater - Lichmera indistincta:
230.   New Holland Honeyeater - Phylidonyris novaehollandiae: 4+ Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth (Qld)
231.   White-cheeked Honeyeater - Phylidonyris nigra: 7 Noosa NP, Peregian beach section
232.   Bar-breasted Honeyeater - Ramsayornis fasciatus:
233.   Brown-backed Honeyeater - Ramsayornis modestus:
234.   Rufous-throated Honeyeater - Conopophila rufogularis:
235.   Rufous-banded Honeyeater - Conopophila albogularis:
236.   Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater - Acanthagenys rufogularis:
237.   Little Wattlebird - Anthochaera lunulata: 3 Coolum Beach (Qld)
238.   Little Friarbird - Philemon citreogularis:
239.   Helmeted Friarbird - Philemon buceroides:
240.   Silver-crowned Friarbird - Philemon argenticeps:
241.   Noisy Friarbird - Philemon corniculatus:
242.   Chiming Wedgebill - Psophodes occidentalis: sev along the road btw Yundwarra and Uluru (S NT)
243.   (Australian) Logrunner - Orthonyx temminckii: 1 pair feeding, in pouring rain, next to trail near O'Reilly's Rainforest Resort, Lamington NP (Qld)
244.   Chowchilla - Orthonyx spaldingii: a confiding family group seen feeding, sev more HO, Mt. Lewis in the northern part of the Atherton Tablelands
245.   Eastern Whipbird - Psophodes olivaceus: sev, in pouring rain, next to trail near O'Reilly's Rainforest Resort, Lamington NP (Qld); The Crater, Mt. Hypipamee (Qld)
246.   Chestnut Quail-thrush - Cinclosoma castanotus: 1, 20 km north of Erldunda (NT) [JJB]
247.   Grey-crowned Babbler - Pomatostomus temporalis:
248.   White-browed Babbler - Pomatostomus superciliosus:
249.   Red-capped Robin - Petroica goodenovii: just one, 20 km north of Erldunda
250.   Hooded Robin - Melanodryas cucullata:
251.   Eastern Yellow Robin - Eopsaltria australis:
252.   Mangrove Robin - Eopsaltria pulverulenta:
253.   Lemon-bellied Flycatcher - Microeca flavigaster:
254.   Jacky-winter - Microeca fascinans: 1 Gorrie Road [PPS]
255.   Grey-headed Robin - Heteromyias albispecularis:
256.   Pale-yellow Robin - Tregellasia capito:
257.   White-browed (Buff-sided) Robin - Poecilodryas superciliosa: 1 Timber Creek (N NT)
258.   Little Shrike-Thrush - Colluricincla megarhyncha: 1 Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
259.   Grey Shrike-Thrush - Colluricincla harmonica:
260.   Sandstone Shrike-thrush - Colluricincla woodwardi: 1 Gunlom, Kakadu NP (NT)
261.   Crested Bellbird - Oreoica gutturalis:
262.   Golden Whistler - Pachycephala pectoralis:
263.   Grey Whistler - Pachycephala simplex:
264.   Rufous Whistler - Pachycephala rufiventris:
265.   Northern Fantail - Rhipidura rufiventris:
266.   Grey Fantail - Rhipidura fuliginosa:
267.   Rufous Fantail - Rhipidura rufifrons:
268.   Willie-Wagtail - Rhipidura leucophrys:
269.   Broad-billed Flycatcher - Myiagra ruficollis: Fogg Dam (NT)
270.   Leaden Flycatcher - Myiagra rubecula:
271.   Satin Flycatcher - Myiagra cyanoleuca:
272.   Shining Flycatcher - Myiagra alecto:
273.   Restless Flycatcher - Myiagra inquieta:
274.   Yellow-breasted Boatbill - Machaerirhynchus flaviventer:
275.   Black-faced Monarch - Monarcha melanopsis:
276.   Spectacled Monarch - Monarcha trivirgatus: 2 Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth; 2 Woonooroonan NP, Malborough section, near Cairns (Qld)
277.   Pied Monarch Arses kaupi: 1 male Woonooroonan NP, Malborough section, near Cairns (Qld)
278.   White-eared Monarch Monarcha leucotis: 1 seen well, 3 HO, Woonooroonan NP, Malborough section, near Cairns (Qld)
279.   Magpie-Lark - Grallina cyanoleuca:
280.   Spangled Drongo - Dicrurus bracteatus:
281.   Green Oriole - Oriolus flavocinctus:
282.   Olive-backed Oriole - Oriolus sagittatus:
283.   Australasian (Green) Figbird - Sphecotheres vieilloti:
284.   [HO] Paradise Riflebird - Ptiloris paradiseus: 1 HO from O’Reilly’s Rainforest
Resort car park, Lamington NP (Qld)  
285.   Victoria's Riflebird - Ptiloris victoriae: 1 male, Mt. Lewis, Atherton Tablelands (Qld)
286.   Tooth-billed Bowerbird - Scenopoeetes dentirostris: 1 singing next to its bower, Mt. Lewis, Atherton Tablelands (Qld)
287.   Spotted Catbird - Ailuroedus melanotis:
288.   Green Catbird - Ailuroedus crassirostris:
289.   Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus:
290.   Regent Bowerbird - Sericulus chrysocephalus:
291.   Great Bowerbird - Chlamydera nuchalis:
292.   Western Bowerbird - Chlamydera guttata: 1 Ormiston Gorge (S NT)
293.   Black-faced Cuckooshrike - Coracina novaehollandiae:
294.   Yellow-eyed Cuckooshrike - Coracina lineata:
295.   White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina papuensis:
296.   [HO] Cicadabird - Coracina tenuirostris:        
297.   White-winged Triller - Lalage tricolour:
298.   Varied Triller - Lalage leucomela:
299.   White-breasted Woodswallow - Artamus leucorynchus:
300.   Masked Woodswallow - Artamus personatus:
301.   Black-faced Woodswallow - Artamus cinereus:
302.   Dusky Woodswallow - Artamus cyanopterus: 1 Bellbird Creek Tea House, Kenilworth
303.   Little Woodswallow - Artamus minor: sev, Simpson’s Gap near Alice Springs (S NT)
304.   Black Butcherbird - Cracticus quoyi:
305.   Grey Butcherbird - Cracticus torquatus:
306.   Black-backed Butcherbird - Cracticus mentalis:
307.   Pied Butcherbird - Cracticus nigrogularis:
308.   Silver-backed Butcherbird - Cracticus argenteus: 1 Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve (NT)
309.   Australian Magpie - Gymnorhina tibicen:
310.   Pied Currawong - Strepera graculina:
311.   Torresian Crow - Corvus orru:
312.   Little Crow - Corvus bennetti:
313.   Apostlebird - Struthidea cinerea:
[ White-backed Swallow - Cheramoeca leucosternus: 1 found dead west of Erldunda, roadkill ]
314.   Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica:
315.   Welcome Swallow - Hirundo neoxena:
316.   Tree Martin - Hirundo nigricans:
317.   Fairy Martin - Hirundo ariel:
318.   Australasian Pipit - Anthus novaeseelandiae:
319.   Golden-headed Cisticola - Cisticola exilis:
320.   Tawny Grassbird - Megalurus timoriensis:
321.   Australian Yellow White-eye - Zosterops luteus:
322.   Silvereye - Zosterops lateralis:
323.   Double-barred Finch - Taeniopygia bichenovii:
324.   Zebra Finch - Taeniopygia guttata:
325.   Masked Finch - Poephila personata:
326.   Long-tailed Finch - Poephila acuticauda:
327.   Gouldian Finch - Chloebia gouldiae: 150 Chinaman Creek
328.   Crimson Finch - Neochmia phaeton:
329.   Red-browed Firetial - Neochmia temporalis:
330.   Star Finch - Neochmia ruficauda: small roadside flock, Warloch Ponds (NT)
331.   Chestnut-breasted Munia - Lonchura castaneothorax:
332.   Olive-backed Sunbird - Nectarinia jugularis:
333.   Olive-tailed (Bassian) Thrush - Zoothera lunulata: 3 Mt. Lewis (Qld)
334.   Russet-tailed Thrush - Zoothera heinei: 1 Lamington NP (Qld)
335.   Metallic Starling - Aplonis metallica:

Mammals

Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus 1, 4 km from Canungra, near Lamington NP (Qld)
Dingo Canis lupus dingo 1 at night Kakadu NP; 1 at dusk Yungara (Uluru)(NT)
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus 3 btw Brisbane & Lamington NP (Qld)
Antilopine Wallaroo Macropus antilopinus 4 Victoria River Access (NT)
Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis Up to 20 daily (NT)        
Short-eared Rock Wallaby Petrogale brachyotis 1 Gunlom, Kakadu (NT)        
Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus banksianus
Whiptail (“Pretty-face”) Wallaby Macropus parryi 2 on a dry eucalypt hillside btw Lamington NP &  Brisbane (Qld)
Red-necked Pademelon Thylogale thetis (Qld)
Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica (Qld)
Northern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon macrourus 1 (NT)
Long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta 3 at night btw Cairns and Mt. Lewis (Qld)
Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes 1 dead Mt. Whitfield NP, Cairns (Qld)
Spectacled Flying-Fox Pteropus conspicillatus 2,000 daily, Cairns; 1,000 Atherton (Qld)

Reptiles

Red-bellied Black Snake: 1 crossing road, Little Yabba Creek (Qld)
Yellow-bellied Whip Snake: 2 Mt. Whitfield NP, Cairns (Qld)

Dragonflies (identified from my photographs by Dutch expert Vincent Kalkman)

P1140155: Crocothemis nigrofrons
P1140157: Rhodothemis lieftincki
P1140160: Agriocnemis rubescens (immatures are red)
P1140164 en 65: Rhyothemis graphiptera
P1140246: Austroagrion spec
P1140247: Orthetrum caledonicum (recognized by the yellow spot in the wingtip)
P1140249: Crocothemis nigrofrons
P1140253: Orthetrum caledonicum
P1140256: Diplacodes haematodes
P1140258: Orthetrum migratum
P1140365: Crocothemis nigrofrons (?)
P1140492: Neurothemis stigmatizans
P1140497: Orthetrum villosovittatum
P1140498-99: Neurothemis stigmatizans

Fish (all: Hastings Reef, c. 50 km east of Cairns, Qld)

Bird Wrasse Epibalus insidiator
Slingjaw Wrasse Gomphosus varius
Moon Wrasse Thalassoma linare
Smooth Flutemouth Fistularia commersonii
Threadfin Butterflyfish Chaetodon auriga
Greensnout Parrotfish Scarus spinus
Giant Trevally Caraux ignobilis
Spiny Chromis Acanthochromis pilyocanthus
Blue-green Chromis Chromis viridis
Shovel-nosed Shark: 1 Cairns Esplanade at high tide, probably hunting for crabs

(Incompletely anotated) Triplist Papua New Guinea Sept 2010

Highlighted birds (e.g. New Guinea Eagle) are personal highlights. For a clarification of trail names near Kumul Lodge, see Notes on specific sites.

1.     Australasian Grebe - Tachybaptus novaehollandiae:
2.     Pied Cormorant - Phalacrocorax varius:
3.     Little Pied Cormorant - Phalacrocorax melanoleucos:
4.     Little Black Cormorant - Phalacrocorax sulcirostris:
5.     Little Egret - Egretta garzetta:
6.     Great-billed Heron - Ardea sumatrana:
7.     Pied Heron - Egretta picata:
8.     Great Egret - Ardea alba:
9.     Intermediate Egret - Egretta intermedia:
10.   Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis:
11.   Rufous Night-Heron - Nycticorax caledonicus:
12.   Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus:
13.   Australian Ibis - Threskiornis molucca:
14.   Spotted Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna guttata:
15.   Wandering Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna arcuata:
16.   Plumed Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna eytoni:
17.   Radjah Shelduck - Tadorna radjah:
18.   Salvadori's Teal - Salvadorina waigiuensis:
19.   Pacific Black Duck - Anas superciliosa:
20.   Pacific Baza - Aviceda subcristata:
21.   Long-tailed Buzzard - Henicopernis longicauda:
22.   Black Kite - Milvus migrans:
23.   Whistling Kite - Haliastur sphenurus:
24.   Brahminy Kite - Haliastur indus:
25.   White-bellied Sea-Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster:
26.   Papuan Harrier - Circus (spilonotus) spilothorax:
27.   Variable Goshawk - Accipiter novaehollandiae:
28.   Brown (Australasian) Goshawk - Accipiter fasciatus:
29.   New Guinea Eagle - Harpyopsis novaeguineae:
30.   Gurney’s Eagle - Aquila gurneyi: JJB only
31.   Little Eagle - Hieraaetus morphnoides:
32.   Brown Falcon - Falco berigora:
33.   Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus:
34.   Black-billed Brush-turkey - Talegalla fuscirostris: Seen by HB, PM, BP & PPS; HO by RH, JJB
35.   Brown Quail - Coturnix ypsilophora:
36.   Chestnut Forest-Rail - Rallina rubra:
37.   Australian Swamphen - Porphyrio (porphyrio) melanotus:
38.   Dusky Moorhen - Gallinula tenebrosa:
39.   Comb-crested Jacana - Irediparra gallinacea:
40.   Pacific Golden-Plover - Pluvialis fulva: 30 POM airport upon arrival from Aus (HB, RH, PPS)
41.   Masked Lapwing - Vanellus miles:
42.   Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos:
43.   Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove - Macropygia amboinensis:
44.   Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove - Macropygia nigrirostris:
45.   Great Cuckoo-Dove - Reinwardtoena reinwardtsi:
46.   Stephan's Dove - Chalcophaps stephani:
47.   New Guinea Bronzewing - Henicophaps albifrons: Flight views only
48.   Peaceful Dove - Geopelia placida:
49.   Bronze Ground-Dove - Gallicolumba beccarii: HB only
50.   [HO] Pheasant Pigeon - Otidiphaps nobilis:
51.   [HO] Wompoo Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus magnificus:
52.   Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus perlatus:
53.   [HO] Ornate Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus ornatus:
54.   Superb Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus superbus:
55.   Beautiful Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus pulchellus:
56.   Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus iozonus:
57.   Dwarf Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus naina: 1 over Elevara river near Kwatu Lodge (not HB)
58.   Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula rufigaster:
59.   Pinon Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula pinon:
60.   Collared Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula mullerii:
61.   Zoe's Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula zoeae:
62.   Torresian Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula spilorrhoa:
63.   Papuan Mountain-Pigeon - Gymnophaps albertisii:
64.   Southern Crowned-Pigeon - Goura scheepmakeri: 1 peched up a tree along Elevara River, late afternoon
65.   Palm Cockatoo - Probosciger aterrimus: a pair peched along Elevara River, late afternoon
66.   Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - Cacatua galerita:
67.   Yellow-streaked Lory - Chalcopsitta sintillata:
68.   Dusky Lory - Pseudeos fuscata:
69.   Rainbow Lorikeet - Trichoglossus haematodus:
70.   Goldie's Lorikeet - Psitteuteles goldiei:
71.   Black-capped Lory - Lorius lory:
72.   Red-flanked Lorikeet - Charmosyna placentis:
73.   Papuan Lorikeet - Charmosyna papou:
74.   Plum-faced Lorikeet - Oreopsittacus arfaki:
75.   Yellow-billed Lorikeet - Neopsittacus musschenbroekii:
76.   Orange-billed Lorikeet - Neopsittacus pullicauda:
77.   Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot - Micropsitta bruijnii ssp novum: 4 Dablin Creek
78.   Orange-breasted Fig Parrot - Cyclopsitta gulielmitertii:
79.   Large Fig Parrot - Psittaculirostris desmarestii:
80.   Brehm's Tiger Parrot - Psittacella brehmii:
81.   Red-cheeked Parrot - Geoffroyus geoffroyi:
82.   Eclectus Parrot - Eclectus roratus:
83.   Pesquet's Parrot - Psittrichas fulgidus:
84.   Papuan King Parrot - Alisterus chloropterus:
85.   Orange-fronted Hanging Parrot - Loriculus aurantiifrons: 1 over the road near kmp 17, calling loudly (RH, Samuel & Kwiwan)
86.   Brush Cuckoo - Cacomantis variolosus:
87.   Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo - Cacomantis castaneiventris:
88.   [HO] Long-billed Cuckoo - Rhamphomantis megarhynchus: (RH only)
89.   White-eared Bronze Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx meyeri:
90.   White-crowned Koel - Caliechthrus leucolophus: (BP only)
91.   Dwarf Koel - Microdynamis parva:
92.   Common Koel - Eudynamys scolopacea:
93.   Australian Koel - Eudynamys (scolopacea) cyanocephala:
94.   Channel-billed Cuckoo - Scythrops novaehollandiae:
95.   [HO] Greater Black Coucal - Centropus menbeki: HO Brown River
96.   Pheasant Coucal - Centropus phasianinus:
97.   Lesser Black Coucal - Centropus bernsteini:
98.   [HO] Southern Boobook - Ninox novaeseelandiae:
99.   [HO] Papuan Hawk-Owl - Uroglaux dimorpha:
100.   [HO] Starry Owlet-Nightjar - Aegotheles tatei:
101.   Barred Owlet-Nightjar - Aegotheles bennettii:
102.   Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar - Aegotheles wallacii:
103.   Papuan Frogmouth - Podargus papuensis: 1 at nest, PAU near POM
104.   [HO] Marbled Frogmouth - Podargus ocellatus:
105.   Mountain (Papuan) Nightjar - Eurostopodus papuensis:
106.   Large-tailed Nightjar - Caprimulgus macrurus:
107.   Glossy Swiftlet - Collocalia esculenta:
108.   Uniform Swiftlet - Aerodramus vanikorensis:
109.   Papuan Spinetail - Mearnsia novaeguineae:
110.   Moustached Treeswift - Hemiprocne mystacea:
111.   Azure Kingfisher - Alcedo azurea:
112.   [HO] Variable Kingfisher - Ceyx lepidus: Varirata
113.   Blue-winged Kookaburra - Dacelo leachii:
114.   Rufous-bellied Kookaburra - Dacelo gaudichaud: Varirata, Kwatu lodge
115.   Shovel-billed Kingfisher - Clytoceyx rex: 1 HO early morning Ok Menga Tano; 1 taped in with excellent scopeviews, another HO, Ok Ma road, Tabubil
116.   Sacred Kingfisher - Todirhamphus sanctus:
117.   Hook-billed Kingfisher - Melidora macrorrhina: HO in sev sites, a.o. Ok Ma road; 1 briefly seen perched Elevara river [RH; flight views by JJB & PM]
118.   Yellow-billed Kingfisher - Syma torotoro: Varirata
119.   Little Paradise-Kingfisher - Tanysiptera hydrocharis: Kwatu lodge
120.   Common Paradise-Kingfisher - Tanysiptera galatea: common, Brown River near POM
121.   Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher - Tanysiptera danae: a pair on 2 dates, Varirata
122.   Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher - Tanysiptera sylvia: Varirata
123.   Rainbow Bee-eater - Merops ornatus:
124.   Dollarbird - Eurystomus orientalis:
125.   Papuan (Blyth's) Hornbill - Rhycticeros plicatus:
126.   Hooded Pitta - Pitta sordida: 1 Varirata [PPS]
127.   [HO] Red-bellied Pitta - Pitta erythrogaster:
128.   Australasian Pipit - Anthus novaeseelandiae:
129.   Black-faced Cuckooshrike - Coracina novaehollandiae:
130.   Stout-billed Cuckooshrike - Coracina caeruleogrisea: Varirata [PM & BP]
131.   Yellow-eyed (Barred) Cuckooshrike - Coracina lineata: 1 pair picknickplace Varirata
132.   Boyer's Cuckooshrike - Coracina boyeri:
133.   White-bellied Cuckooshrike - Coracina papuensis:
134.   Black (New Guinea) Cuckooshrike - Coracina melaena:
135.   Black-shouldered Cicadabird - Coracina incerta:
136.   Grey-headed Cuckooshrike - Coracina schisticeps:
137.   Golden Cuckooshrike - Campochaera sloetii: a pair along Ok Ma road, Tabubil [HB, RH & PM]
138.   Varied Triller - Lalage leucomela:
139.   Island Thrush - Turdus poliocephalus:
140.   Pied Bushchat - Saxicola caprata:
141.   Willie-wagtail Rhipidura - leucophrys:
142.   Northern Fantail - Rhipidura rufiventris:
143.   Black Thicket-Fantail - Rhipidura maculipectus:
144.   [HO] White-bellied Thicket-Fantail - Rhipidura leucothorax:
145.   Black Fantail - Rhipidura atra:
146.   Chestnut-bellied Fantail - Rhipidura hyperythra:
147.   Friendly Fantail - Rhipidura albolimbata:
148.   Dimorphic Fantail - Rhipidura brachyrhyncha:
149.   Rufous Fantail - Rhipidura rufifrons:
150.   Black Monarch - Monarcha axillaris:
151.   Black-faced Monarch - Monarcha melanopsis:
152.   Spot-winged Monarch - Monarcha guttula:
153.   Hooded Monarch - Monarcha manadensis:
154.   Golden Monarch - Monarcha chrysomela: 1 in a mixed flock, kmp 17 Kiunga; 2 Ok Ma Road, Tabubil; 3+ Brown River west of Pt. Moresby
155.   Frilled Monarch - Arses telescopthalmus: 2 in a mixed flock, kmp 17 Kiunga
156.   Satin Flycatcher - Myiagra cyanoleuca:
157.   Shining Flycatcher - Myiagra alecto:
158.   Yellow-breasted Boatbill - Machaerirhynchus flaviventer:
159.   Black-breasted Boatbill - Machaerirhynchus nigripectus:
160.   Golden-headed Cisticola - Cisticola exilis:
161.   Island Leaf-Warbler - Phylloscopus poliocephalus: Few singing, Kama; few in roadside flocks below Kumul Lodge.
162.   Papuan Grassbird - Megalurus macrurus:
163.   New Guinea Babbler - Pomatostomus isidorei: small flock near Kwatu lodge
164.   Painted Quail-thrush - Cinclosoma ajax: 1 along side-trail of Cycle Track, Varirata (PM & BP only, poor views by PPS)
165.   [HO] Spotted Jewel-babbler - Ptilorrhoa leucosticta: 1 Pigetes trail, Kumul.
166.   Blue Jewel-babbler - Ptilorrhoa caerulescens:
167.   Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler - Ptilorrhoa castanonota: brief views of one along a side trail of Ok Ma road, Tabubil (PM). Here, RH, BP and PPS tried taping one (intermittently for 1.5 hr!) with Kwiwan: resulting in good views only for RH and poor views for PPS; BP, despite standing next to the others, did not see it!; 3 HO along Cycle Track, Varirata (RH)
168.   Ifrit (Blue-capped Ifrita) - Ifrita kowaldi: small flocks on lodge’s trails, Kumul Lodge
169.   Lesser Melampitta - Melampitta lugubris: fairly common (by voice) along trails surrounding Kumul Lodge. 3 seen well along ‘P2’ (HB, JJB, PM, PPS); 2 taped out along ‘Max’ orchid trail’ (RH). Not seen by BP.
170.   Greater Melampitta - Melampitta gigantea: 1 along Ok Ma road, Tabubil (PM only; HO by others)
171.   Goldenface (Dwarf Whistler) - Pachycare flavogriseum:
172.   Rufous-naped Whistler - Aleadryas rufinucha:
173.   Rusty Whistler - Pachycephala hyperythra:
174.   Brown-backed Whistler - Pachycephala modesta:
175.   Grey Whistler - Pachycephala simplex:
176.   Sclater's Whistler - Pachycephala soror:
177.   Regent Whistler - Pachycephala schlegelii:
178.   Black-headed Whistler - Pachycephala monacha: a pair scoped in a distant lone tree, Dablin Creek (RH)
179.   Rufous Whistler - Pachycephala rufiventris:
180.   Little Shrike-thrush - Colluricincla megarhyncha: HO at Dablin Creek; 1 Varirata (PPS)
181.   Grey Shrike-thrush - Colluricincla harmonica:
182.   Variable Pitohui - Pitohui kirhocephalus:
183.   Hooded Pitohui - Pitohui dichrous:
184.   White-bellied Pitohui - Pitohui incertus:
185.   Rusty Pitohui - Pitohui ferrugineus:
186.   Wattled Ploughbill - Eulacestoma nigropectus: Female near Kumul Lodge parking lot, in poor weather (RH); HO along Pigetes trail, near Kumul Lodge
187.   Lesser Ground-robin - Amalocichla incerta: 1 Kumul Lodge [HB]
188.   Torrent Flyrobin - Monachella muelleriana:
189.   Canary Flyrobin - Microeca papuana: Not seen by BP
190.   Garnet Robin - Eugerygone rubra: [JJB]
191.   White-faced Robin - Tregellasia leucops:
192.   Black-sided Robin - Poecilodryas hypoleuca:
193.   White-winged Robin - Peneothello sigillata:
194.   [HO] White-rumped Robin - Peneothello bimaculatus:         
195.   Northern Scrub-Robin - Drymodes superciliaris: 1 taped in (took c. 45 mins), Brown River, west of Pt. Moresby [HB, RH, PM, PPS].
196.   Orange-crowned Fairy-wren - Clytomyias insignis: a vocal flock of c. 5 seen near the intersection on ‘Max’ orchid trail’, Kumul Lodge [RH, PM, PPS]. HO along Pigetes trail near Kumul Lodge.
197.   Wallace's Fairy-wren - Sipodotus wallacii: Brown River, west of Pt. Moresby [Seen well by PPS; poorly by PM]
198.   White-shouldered Fairy-wren - Malurus alboscapulatus:
199.   Emperor Fairy-wren - Malurus cyanocephalus: 1 male Brown River, west of POM
200.   Rusty Mouse-warbler - Crateroscelis murina: 1 along Ok Menga Tano Road, Tabubil [BP]; 1 Cycle Track, Varirata [HB, PM, PPS]. Not seen by JJB & RH. Frequently HO.
201.   Mountain Mouse-warbler - Crateroscelis robusta: regular but unobtrusive on trails near Kumul Lodge
202.   Large Scrubwren - Sericornis nouhuysi:
203.   Buff-faced Scrubwren - Sericornis perspicillatus:
204.   Papuan Scrubwren - Sericornis papuensis:
205.   Pale-billed Scrubwren - Sericornis spilodera:
206.   Green-backed Gerygone - Gerygone chloronota:
207.   Yellow-bellied Gerygone - Gerygone chrysogaster:
208.   Brown-breasted Gerygone - Gerygone ruficollis:
209.   Black Sunbird - Leptocoma aspasia:
210.   Olive-backed Sunbird - Cinnyris jugularis:
211.   Obscure Berrypecker - Melanocharis arfakiana: 1-2 Dablin Creek, Tabubil
212.   Black Berrypecker - Melanocharis nigra:
213.   Fan-tailed Berrypecker - Melanocharis versteri: 1 along P1, Kumul Lodge [RH, BP]; 2 briefly along Pigetes trail [RH]; 1 along the far end of P2 [PM]. Not seen by HB, JJB & PPS.
214.   Slaty-chinned Longbill - Toxorhamphus poliopterus: 1 feeding from a yellow flower inside forest near pumping station, Dablin Creek [RH, BP]
215.   Yellow-bellied Longbill - Toxorhamphus novaeguineae:
216.   Dwarf (Plumed) Longbill - Oedistoma iliolophus:
217.   Tit Berrypecker - Oreocharis arfaki:
218.   Crested Berrypecker - Paramythia montium: Only near Kumul Lodge. Excellent views of 3, perched low, on ‘Max’s orchid trail’ by HB; poor views there of 2, by RH & PPS; flight views of 2 past the lodge by PM; a perched bird seen briefly near the feeder by JJB; not seen by BP
219.   Red-capped (Papuan) Flowerpecker - Dicaeum geelvinkianum:
220.   Black-fronted White-eye - Zosterops minor: [JJB]
221.   New Guinea White-eye - Zosterops novaeguineae:
222.   Red-throated Myzomela - Myzomela eques: UTV’s for RH
223.   Black Myzomela - Myzomela nigrita:
224.   Mountain Myzomela - Myzomela adolphinae:
225.   Red-collared Myzomela - Myzomela rosenbergii:
226.   Hill-forest (Mountain) Honeyeater - Meliphaga orientalis:
227.   Scrub Honeyeater - Meliphaga albonotata:
228.   Puff-backed Honeyeater - Meliphaga aruensis: [JJB]
229.   Mimic Honeyeater - Meliphaga analoga:
230.   Graceful Honeyeater - Meliphaga gracilis:
231.   Black-throated Honeyeater - Lichenostomus subfrenatus:
232.   Tawny-breasted Honeyeater - Xanthotis flaviventer:
233.   Spotted Honeyeater - Xanthotis polygrammus:
234.   Plain Honeyeater - Pycnopygius ixoides:
235.   Marbled Honeyeater - Pycnopygius cinereus:
236.   Streak-headed Honeyeater - Pycnopygius stictocephalus:
237.   Meyer's Friarbird - Philemon meyeri:
238.   Helmeted Friarbird - Philemon buceroides:
239.   Rufous-backed Honeyeater - Ptiloprora guisei:
240.   Black-backed Honeyeater - Ptiloprora perstriata:
241.   Belford's Melidectes - Melidectes belfordi:
242.   Ornate Melidectes - Melidectes torquatus:
243.   Common Smoky Honeyeater - Melipotes fumigatus:
244.   Rufous-banded Honeyeater - Conopophila albogularis:
245.   Brown Oriole - Oriolus szalayi: UTV’s by RH
246.   Australasian Figbird - Sphecotheres vieilloti:
247.   Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach:
248.   Spangled Drongo - Dicrurus bracteatus:
249.   Torrent-lark - Grallina bruijni:
250.   White-breasted Woodswallow - Artamus leucorynchus:
251.   Great Woodswallow - Artamus maximus:
252.   Black-backed Butcherbird - Cracticus mentalis:
253.   Hooded Butcherbird - Cracticus cassicus:
254.   Black Butcherbird - Cracticus quoyi:
255.   Lowland Peltops - Peltops blainvillii: 1 kmp 17, Kiunga [JJB & RH]
256.   Highland Peltops - Peltops montanus:
257.   [HO] White-eared Catbird - Ailuroedus buccoides:   
258.   Archbold's Bowerbird - Archboldia papuensis: [HB]
259.   Lauterbach's (Yellow-breasted) Bowerbird - Chlamydera lauterbachi:
260.   Fawn-breasted Bowerbird - Chlamydera cerviniventris:
261.   Crested Bird-of-paradise - Cnemophilus macgregorii: RH only females; UTV’s for BP
262.   Loria's Bird-of-paradise - Cnemophilus loriae:
263.   Glossy-mantled Manucode - Manucodia ater: Displaying
264.   Crinkle-collared Manucode - Manucodia chalybatus:
265.   Trumpet Manucode - Manucodia keraudrenii:
266.   Brown Sicklebill - Epimachus meyeri:
267.   Superb Bird-of-paradise - Lophorina superba: Displaying
268.   Lawes's Parotia - Parotia lawesii: Female
269.   Magnificent Riflebird - Ptiloris magnificus: Females
270.   Magnificent Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus magnificus:
271.   King Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus regius:
272.   Ribbon-tailed Astrapia - Astrapia mayeri:
273.   Stephanie's Astrapia - Astrapia stephaniae: Pair in flight
274.   King-of-Saxony Bird-of-paradise - Pteridophora alberti: displaying male, Pigetes trail, Kumul
275.   Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise - Seleucidis melanoleucus: 3 displaying along Elevara river
276.   Lesser Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea minor: Displaying
277.   Greater Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea apoda: Displaying, Varirata
278.   Raggiana Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea raggiana: Displaying
279.   Blue Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rudolphi: 1 male
280.   Grey Crow - Corvus tristis:
281.   Torresian Crow - Corvus orru:
282.   Metallic Starling - Aplonis metallica:
283.   Golden Myna - Mino anais:
284.   Yellow-faced Myna - Mino dumontii:
285.   Mountain Firetail - Oreostruthus fuliginosus:
286.   Grey-headed Munia - Lonchura caniceps:
287.   Hooded Munia - Lonchura spectabilis:
288.   Chestnut-breasted Munia - Lonchura castaneothorax:

Mammal

Giant Naked-tailed (Black-tailed) Rat - Uromys anak: 4 on Kumul Lodge feeder at dusk, with two on the Orchid trail (2850m)(BP)

Reptiles

New Guinea Crocodile - Crocodylus novaeguineae: 1 Elevara River near Kiunga
Python species: one 6-m long individual Varirata
Water Dragon
Skinks

Dragonflies (identified from my photographs by Dutch expert Vincent Kalkman)

Neurobasis sp Several along Elevara river; sev at Varirata. A riverine damselfly that superficially resembles species from the European genus Calopteryx
Protorthemis coronata 1 in Kwatu Lodge garden; a beautiful thick-bodied orange dragonfly

Rhyothemis sp Common in Kwatu Lodge garden; a beautiful bronze-winged small dragonfly
Neurothemis decora Sev in forest near Kwatu Lodge. A beautiful black-and-white-winged small dragonfly. Starting at the body, two-thirds of both wings are black, with large white spots between the black and the clear wing-tips.

P1140836: Idiocnemis sp. 1 female
P1140849: Tramea sp.
P1140855: Rhyothemis resplendens
P1140858: Rhyothemis resplendens
P1140867: Zyxomma petiolatum (a crepuscular species)
P1150069: Rhinocypha tincta
P1150074: Neurothemis ramburi
P1150080: Neurothemis ramburi
P1150082: Orthetrum villosovittatum
P1150084-97: Argiolestes sidonia: sev at Varirata
P1150099: Huonia sp.

The genera Idiocnemis, Argiolestes (‘Hotlegs’) and Huonia are endemic to New Guinea.

Videos

June 2012

Remco Hofland, Oegstgeest, the Netherlands, cutia2005_AT_yahoo.co.uk