July 3 – Day 7: Kumul area

Feeling much better after a good night’s sleep and some breakfast I was ready to go birding again. We went in convoy with another birding group that were staying at the lodge to the Lesser BoP site. It was calling regularly when we arrived but not showing. 

The Lesser BoP site

Lesser Bird of Paradise

While we waited there were plenty of other good birds to see such as Magnificent BoP and Greater Lophorina, although both were females, and a Yellow-breasted Bowerbird. Eventually the male Lesser BoP flew across to the tree in front and showed really well, another stunning BoP and considerably better than the females that I saw flypast several times in West Papua.

The next location was the Blue BoP site, which again involved waiting for it to show while we listened to it calling. We did see two male Greater Lophorinas displaying and frustratingly brief views of the Blue BoP. We returned to the lodge for lunch and another session at the feeders with a short break down to the end of the cabins to see a Mountain Firetail, albeit a dull brown juvenile rather than a smart male.

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia at the feeding station

Eastern Crested Berrypecker in the lodge grounds

We returned to the Blue BoP site in the afternoon. While we waited in the garden belonging to the local who protects this bird, a dog suddenly jumped into a bush and a Buff-banded Rail shot out the back! We finally nailed good scope views of the Blue BoP along with Lawe’s Parotia and Mountain Fruit-Dove.