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Snow Mountains specialtiesFollowing in the footsteps of American mammalogist, explorer and millionaire, Richard Archbold, a superb selection of the wonderfully diverse montane avifauna of New Guinea can be seen when hiking through cultivation and upper montane forests up the Ibele Valley onto the Lake Habbema alpine plateau at 3,200 m elevation above the timberline, in the shadow of Peak Trikora. Here, in some of the most splendid mountain scenery this side of the Himalayas, lives the abberant MacGregor’s 'Bird of Paradise' Macgregoria pulchra, the star attraction of the trip. Day-by-day itineraryDay 1 Morning arrival at Jayapura’s Sentani Airport on overnight's domestic flight from Jakarta and onward connection to Wamena, the administrative and transportation hub of the up to 20 km wide and more than 80 km long Grand Baliem Valley of the Snow Mountains. The short, one hour hop lifts us across the vast expanses of lowland floodplain forest of the ‘Meervlakte’ with its myriad of meandering rivers, along the precipitous northern scarp of the Snow Mountains, finally into the beautifully landscaped Grand Baliem upland valley at a chilly 1,500 m above sea level. Following lunch, we shall bird the rest of the afternoon in cultivations, grasslands and patchy open woodland in the Baliem Valley. Our main target is the endemic Black-breasted Munia, while other birds inhabiting the open country here include Blue-breasted Quail, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Brahminy Kite, Papuan Harrier, Variable Goshawk, Brown Falcon, White-shouldered Fairywren, Ornate Melidectes, Smoky Honeyeater, Buff-faced Scrubwren, Mountain and Brown-breasted Gerygone, White-eyed Robin, Golden Whistler, Superb Bird of Paradise, Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Bushchat, Golden-headed Cisticola, Capped White-eye, Island Leaf-Warbler, Tawny Grassbird, and Red-capped Flowerpecker. Dinner and a good night’s rest in Wamena. Day 2 Following a pre-dawn breakfast in our Wamena hotel we shall drive out for three hours along a new road to the magnificent Lake Habbema alpine plateau at c. 3,200 m elevation. Here, above the timberline in the shadow of Peak Trikora, we shall start our exploration of the Snow Mountains proper by mid-morning with a gentle walk along the lake shore as we slowly adjust to the altitude. A thorough scan of the lake itself could produce Salvadori’s and Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, and Eurasian Coot, while Spotless Crake is common along the marshy lake shore. Other goodies we may come across in the surrounding scrubby hillocks include Orange-billed Lorikeet, Papuan Harrier, Brown Falcon, Australian Kestrel, Orange-cheeked Honeyeater, Short-bearded Melidectes, Papuan Thornbill, Lorentz’s Whistler, and Crested Berrypecker. After enjoying a packed lunch while overlooking the lake, we shall have the entire afternoon to bird through grasslands and shrubbery toward our camp near the 3,225 m pass into the Ibele Valley. En route, it should not take long before we spot our first Papuan Grassbird, Alpine Pipit, or colorful flock of Snow Mountain Munias, but to find the secretive Snow Mountain Quail we may need to persevere. After dinner at camp a nocturnal foray could produce Archbold’s Owlet-Nightjar, Archbold’s Nightjar as well as roding New Guinea Woodcock. Overnight at camp. Day 3 Today we shall direct our efforts to the heathy hills above camp. The open stands of Libocedrus-pines and associated shrubberies here constitute the preferred habitat of the delightful MacGregor’s 'Bird of Paradise' and early morning is the best time to get to grips with this star bird. Observing Macgregoria here, in what ranks as some of the finest mountain scenery this side of the Himalayas, is an unforgettable experience, regardless of whether this enigmatic taxon is a bird of paradise or a member of the honeyeater family. Other noteworthy species in this habitat and the scattered pockets of closed forest here include Whiskered and Orange-billed Lorikeet, Brehm’s and Painted Tiger-Parrot, Red-collared Myzomela, Black-throated, Orange-cheeked, Black-backed and Smoky Honeyeater, Sooty and Short-bearded Melidectes, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Large Scrubwren, Papuan Thornbill, Greater Ground-robin, Garnet and Alpine Robin, Lorentz’s Whistler, Great Wood-swallow, Friendly Fantail, and Mountain Firetail. After lunch at camp, we have an entire afternoon to track down some of the more elusive species mentioned above. Dinner and overnight at camp. Day 4 We shall take a packed lunch and bird an entire day through excellent cloud-forests in the uppermost stretches of the Ibele Valley toward a new camp at 2,800 m elevation in a planted Pandanus-grove, locally known as Yaubagema. This is the general area of the ‘Mosbosch Camp’ of the Third Archbold Expedition to New Guinea. The first part of our excursion traverses the interface between open heathy pine forest and closed mossy cloud-forest. Here we stand an excellent chance of seeing Macgregoria again, while looking out specifically for the increasingly rare and hyper-elusive Archbold’s Bowerbird. Further down in the mossy cloud-forest, we may connect with Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Papuan, Whiskered and Orange-billed Lorikeet, Brehm’s and Modest Tiger-Parrot, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Papuan Treecreeper, Black-backed Honeyeater, Belford’s Melidectes, Papuan Scrubwren, Greater Ground-robin, Canary Flyrobin, Garnet, Alpine, Black-throated and White-winged Robin, New Guinea Logrunner, Lesser Melampitta, Loria’s and Crested Bird of Paradise, Splendid Astrapia, Hooded Cuckoo-shrike, Dimorphic Fantail, Fan-tailed and Crested Berrypecker, and Mountain Firetail. During part of this excursion we will be birding along a fast-flowing stream where Torrent-lark is a regular encounter. A nocturnal stroll after dinner could produce Sooty Owl, Jungle Hawk-Owl, Large Owlet-Nightjar, Archbold’s Nightjar, and New Guinea Woodcock. Overnight at camp. Day 5 Wake up to a true day's birding in paradise as we shall be spending time at known haunts of Crested and Loria’s Bird of Paradise, Brown Sicklebill, Splendid Astrapia, and King-of-Saxony Bird of Paradise today. Other goodies present here include Shovel-billed Kookaburra, Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo, Goldie's and Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot, Black-billed and Great Cuckoo-Dove, White-bibbed Fruit-Dove, Shining Imperial-Pigeon, Chestnut Forest-Rail, Black-mantled Goshawk, Archbold’s and MacGregor's Bowerbird, Orange-crowned Fairywren, Olive-streaked Honeyeater, Lesser Ground-robin, Blue-grey Robin, Spotted Jewel-Babbler, Ifrit, Papuan Whipbird, Varied and Black Sittella, Mottled, Rufous-naped and Regent Whistler, Black Pitohui, Wattled Ploughbill, Great Wood-swallow, Mountain Peltops, Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Tit Berrypecker, and Blue-faced and Papuan Parrotfinch. Dinner and overnight at camp. Day 6 We have a full day to search for some of the more elusive species enumerated above, with a hearty lunch in between. Dinner and overnight at camp. Day 7 We have an entire morning to slowly bird up to the 3,225 m pass again. Following a late lunch here, vehicles will transport us back to Wamena for dinner and a good night’s sleep. Day 8 Following a hearty pre-dawn breakfast at our Wamena hotel we shall take the first morning’s flight to Jayapura and connect onward to Jakarta. Recommended extensions
Related linksRead on about the birdlife of the Snow Mountains of New Guinea. Read on about our Best of Papua birding expedition visiting the Snow Mountains of New Guinea. Read on about our Easy Papua birding expedition visiting the Snow Mountains of New Guinea. Browse our terms and conditions. Browse our check-list of the birds of Papua. |
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