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WINGS Birding Tours – Photo Gallery

Indonesia: West Papua

The birds-of-paradise are the undisputed stars of our West Papua tour and arguably the most amazing is the incomparable Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise.
Just up the trail a bit we’ll hope to meet the Red Bird of Paradise.
In the Arfak Mountains we’ll have access to a number of hides, each with their own star birds - here the Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise…
…and nearby a Black Sicklebill, just about to go into his dance routine…
…in order to impress this lovely female.
Sometimes the Vogelkop Lophorina (formerly known as Superb Bird-of-Paradise) will drop in…
…and a little further down the trail we’ll find ourselves watching this incredible dancer…
…the Western Parotia.
Can we ever get enough of this bird?
Maybe not!
The New Guinea bowerbirds are otherworldly in their own way. Here is the rather drab Vogelkop Bowerbird…
…but there’s nothing drab about his bower!
Nightbirds are another feature of this tour; the weird Feline Owlet-nightjar…
…the more widespread Marbled Frogmouth…
…the very localised endemic Biak Scops-Owl…
…a Mountain Owlet-nightjar…
…Papuan Hawk-Owl…
…and Papuan Frogmouth, are all possible.
But wait, there’s so much more; the exotic endemic Arfak Catbird…
…the canopy-dwelling Frilled Monarch…
…and another fancy monarch, the Golden Monarch.
New Guinea is well endowed with exotic pigeons but this one takes the cake! The Western Crowned-Pigeon…
…a somewhat more subdued but very colorful Yellow-bibbed Fruit Dove…
…the chunky Wompoo Fruit-Dove, named for its call…
…and the impressive Great Cuckoo-Dove.
The central montane areas hold some unusual birds like Wattle Ploughbill…
…the Western Crested Tit-Berrypecker…
…and this Painted Tiger Parrot
Another unique group is the Australo-Papuan Robins. We should see a number of them including the cute Blue-grey Robin…
…the handsome Green-backed Robin…
…and the impressive and elusive Greater Ground-Robin.
Mew Guinea kingfishers are some of the fanciest to be found anywhere. Here, the lowland dwelling Yellow-billed Kingfisher…
…the widespread, but nevertheless splendid, Common Paradise Kingfisher…
…and the endemic Biak Paradise-Kingfisher is equally splendid.
There are lots of interesting if often drab honeyeaters. This Forest Meliphaga can pose some identification issues…
and the Red-collared Myzomela and its relatives can also cause some head scratching….
The melidectes honeyeaters, are unique to New Guinea. Here the fittingly-named Ornate Melidectes…
…and the Cinnamon-browed Melidectes.
The Plum-faced Lorikeet is pleasingly common…
…while the Rufous-naped Bellbird is less so.
Baliem Whistler is found, not surprisingly, in the Baliem Valley…
…while the Snow Mountain Munia is another Baliem Valley speciality.
Handsome Spotted Whistling Ducks can be found in lowland lakes and swamps…
Throughout our adventures, we’ll use comfortable 4WD vehicles…
…and meet many wonderful local people.
Here’s a roadside stall selling vegetables.
Here we’re having lunch in the field…
…and here a tea break in the field!
We’ll spend time in the hides; here is the Black Sicklebill hide…
where there are great photo opportunities.
Here we’re shooting…
…Red Birds-of-Paradise….
…from a sturdily built hide in the canopy.
Much of our birding will be along quiet roads…
Here, we’re waiting for our modern ferry to Waigeo.
It’s not just about the birds. There are many other fascinating creatures like this Waigeo Cuscus, here with her baby.
…Spectacled Fruit Bats…
…or this cute little Arfak Treefrog…
…and this incredible broad-nosed weevil…
…or this beautiful Argiope orb weaver spider…
…as well as many jewel-like butterflies, here a birdwing.
…and a host of fascinating plants like this Nepenthes pitcher plant.
Why don’t you join us on what promises to be an unforgettable journey?

 

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