09.2015 Last of birding in PNG

My last full day in PNG included an afternoon of birding. The guide and driver took us out of town and we saw birds that typically enjoy open areas, such as kestrels, kites, coocooshrikes, a Kukuburra and kingfishers. It was a nice ending to a memorable trip.

Forest Kingfisher. One cool looking bird.

Nice pair of raja shell ducks.

OK, so they are not birds. These men were selling betelnut in an outdoor market.

The man said it was a baby kangaroo. My guide said it was a wallaby. Cute critter nonetheless.

Imperial pigeons.

Brown goshawk hunting.

 

09.2015 King of Saxony

This is a beautiful bird of paradise. We saw the male, female and juvenile on several occasions while birding on Rondon Ridge. On the trail by 5AM we were there when the birds wake up! What a great two days of birding.

He is a beautiful bird with the feathers extending from his head. Now this was bird watching!

 

09.2015

After leaving Ambua we flew to Karawari. The lodge is located on the Sepik River and the weather is hot and humid. There was no electricity when we arrived but a part came in and soon it was fixed. It is a nice lodge, quaint with masks and other tribal artwork in the dining and lounge areas as well as on the walls of the cottages. The manager was very nice and the guides Chris Nick and Paul Apia were excellent. Another guide, Joseph Tano, was hired by a couple from Ambua, and he was a very knowledgeable addition to birding. Again, I did not have the booked full day birding as I was the only one who still wanted to do that and a boat broke down. The couple with the hired guide had one boat and the rest of the people that arrived in the lodge travelled in a dugout canoe! That actually was very cool. While I did not see as many new birds as I would  have liked, it was a very enjoyable experience.

Had to get out the same way I got in - throuogh the window.

Local kids. There are no services here - no teachers, no doctors, no nurses, no priests or clergy. Poverty is obvious.

Terminal 1.

We were picjed up at the airport and taken to the lodge. Had to climb down the bank to the river. This is the dry season.

Dug out canoe with outboard motor. This is how we traveled after the other boat had engine troubles.

View from the deck of the lodge. You can just sit there and watch the birds. Birding made easy.

Tribal masks.

Hornbill.

Chris Nick, guide. His name as well as that of Joseph Tano are in the bird guide.

Preparing sago palm for meals.

More pictures soon.