July 4 – Day 8: Lei River & Hospital

After a leisurely breakfast we visited some different sites today. On our way to the Lei river we chanced upon one of our targets in town, a family party of Torrent Flycatchers. Around the grounds of a hospital we had some Singing Starlings and the first House Sparrows of the trip (!). It was quite a busy site with Rainbow Bee-eaters, Great Woodswallow, Brush Cuckoo and Mountain Myzomela all seen.

Driving along and checking other sites we encountered several raptors: Brown Goshawk, Pygmy Eagle and Brown Falcon. A Papuan Grassbird kept us waiting but eventually showed well. Back at the lodge a Mountain Mouse Warbler walked under the feeding area while the Belford's Melidectes continued to squabble over the plentiful fruit, often chasing the BoPs away.

Belford's Melidectes

Brown Sicklebill

The commonest bird at the feeders was Common Smoky Honeyeater. They have either a yellow or red face patch. We though this was either due to breeding condition or individual colour morphs but I watched one bird's colour change from yellow to red at it was being hassled by a Melidectes and a few birds showed a bit of both colours.

Common Smoky Honeyeater

Common Smoky Honeyeater

Friendly Fantail in the lodge grounds

In the afternoon we went to what looked like someone’s garden with benches, fruiting trees and a view over a clearing in the forest. It proved an ideal location, straightaway we saw Loria’s Satinbird, not as stunning as yesterday’s Crested but still a good bird to connect with. 

The afternoon birding site

There were lots of birds visiting, probably more than we’d seen at any other site, including Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo, Tit Berrypecker, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, King of Saxony BoP, an enormously-tailed Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia, Black Cicadbird and Ashy Robin of the Black-capped race.

Back at the lodge we tried for some night birds before dinner. We walked along a damp trail and stopped at a small clearing where New Guinea Woodcock can sometimes be seen. We heard it call very close behind us and then a bit later a long way down the hillside so our luck was out this time. It was a similar story with Papuan Boobook and Mountain Owlet-Nightjar which were also heard-only.

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.

July 2 – Day 6: Yasukom to Kumul

Last night’s awful dinner gave me food poisoning so I skipped breakfast. We packed up and drove back to the track for more birding. Despite not feeling great I still managed to see a few new birds: Grey-streaked Honeyeater, White-shouldered Fairywren, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Garnet Robin and Black-throated Boatbill. Mid-morning we left the area and drove to the next lodge, arriving in time for lunch.

Kumul Lodge was a refreshing change from the last hotel and is famous for its feeders which attract, amongst others, Birds-of-Paradise. We dumped our stuff, grabbed our cameras and headed to the upper veranda. 

Brown Sicklebill

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia

Within a few minutes we’d seen two BoPs – Brown Sicklebill and Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. Other birds came in regularly to feed on the fruit while other birds fed on the lawn or in surrounding trees, such as Island Thrush, this race looking very like our familiar Blackbird, along with White-winged Robin and Rufous-naped Bellbird.

Island Thrush

White-winged Robin

After lunch we took a rather too energetic trail around the grounds. It obviously hadn’t been walked for a while as a tree had fallen down and completely blocked the path which meant crashing through the undergrowth to rejoin it. And for our troubles, almost the only bird we saw was Papuan Scrubwren. We returned to the feeders until we received news that a pair of Crested Satinbirds were showing in the grounds so we dashed outside to see these rare and stunning birds. 

male Crested Satinbird

Back at the feeders we also saw Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot and Eastern Crested Berrypecker.

male Brehm's Tiger-Parrot

female Brehm's Tiger-Parrot