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Waigeo, Arfak and Geelvink Islands

We begin our Papuan bird watching adventure with a pilgrimage to Waigeo’s avian delights in the environs of the peculiarly shaped Mount Nok, often dubbed ‘Buffelhorn’ mountain. Next, we shift our attention to the Arfak Mountains, where we'll bird all elevations during three separate forays into the interior. The last leg of our birding expedition, we devote to the deep water islands of Biak and Numfor in Papua's famed Geelvink Bay. The ultimate Vogelkop birding trip!

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 > Waigeo Island Early afternoon arrival at Sorong’s DEO Airport on domestic flight from the Indonesian gateway of your choice. We shall set out immediately on the three hours’ speedboat ride to Waifoi at the far end of Waigeo’s Mayalibit Bay. We’ll have snacks aboard and stop en route at the Siam River mangroves and tidal mudflats, where water birds as Radjah Shelduck, Little Pied Cormorant, Great-billed and Striated Heron, and Australian Ibis occur year-round, alongside a selection of migrant Palearctic waders in season. Other birds we may encounter here include Little Kingfisher, Large-billed Gerygone, and Torresian Crow. We shall spend the last hour of light at a tiny islet that is being used by roosting and nesting Nicobar Pigeon and Spice Imperial-Pigeon. After dinner at Waifoi, an optional nocturnal excursion in the environs here could produce Papuan Frogmouth and Large-tailed Nightjar.

Day 2 > Waigeo Island We may start out early with an optional short spotlighting session, and after a hearty pre-dawn breakfast, will bird all morning toward a camp at 345 m elevation. Blyth’s Hornbills and colorful parrots that include Rainbow Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Palm and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked and Eclectus Parrot, fly overhead as we acquaint ourselves with the vocal or behavioral conspicuous subset of the interior forest avifauna: Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Brush Cuckoo, Slender-billed and Great Cuckoo-Dove, Stephan’s Dove, Wompoo, Superb and Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Purple-tailed and Pinyon Imperial-Pigeon, Mimic and Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, New Guinea Friarbird, Variable and Rusty Pitohui, Hooded and Black Butcherbird, Brown Oriole, Northern Fantail, Spangled Drongo, and Yellow-faced Myna. After lunch at camp, we will monitor one of several display courts of the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise from a hide, in the dire hope of witnessing the full array of amazing display postures of this extremely sexy bird at close range. Having truly absorbed this, we will spend the last hours of light at a display tree of Waitanta’s other endemic paradisaeid, the Red Bird of Paradise, and take ample time to observe the several fine males that normally gather here, interacting with soliciting females. Jungle Hawk-Owl and Marbled Frogmouth are possibilities here on an optional nocturnal excursion after dinner.

Day 3 > Waigeo Island Following an optional nocturnal stroll, we’ll enjoy our breakfast while listening to the developing dawn chorus, which here invariably includes Hook-billed Kingfisher, Rusty Mouse-warbler, Olive Flyrobin, Black-sided Robin, and Variable and Rusty Pitohui among others. We’ll have a welcome, literal resit or otherwise second observation session at one of the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise courts. Besides, while sitting quietly in the hide, there’s always a chance of a Cinnamon Ground-Dove or Pheasant Pigeon casually walking across the court, or we could attract skulkers as Red-bellied Pitta and Rusty Mouse-warbler. After lunch, there will be another opportunity to monitor either Wilson’s or Red Bird of Paradise or we could simply bird in the vicinity where we may be rewarded with sightings of Variable Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Common Paradise-Kingfisher, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Moluccan King-Parrot, Long-tailed Buzzard, White-eared Catbird, Red-throated Myzomela, Long-billed and Puff-backed Honeyeater, Fairy and Yellow-bellied Gerygone, Grey Whistler, Little Shrike-thrush, Brown-headed Crow, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Lowland Peltops, Black-shouldered Cicadabird, Sooty Thicket-Fantail, Spot-winged, Golden and Frilled Monarch, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Black Berrypecker, and Green-crowned, Plumed and Pygmy Longbill. Dinner and optional spotlighting session.

Day 4 > Waigeo Island As always, a nocturnal foray prior to our pre-dawn breakfast remains a possibility. Today, we will require the entire morning to cover three difficult kilometers to a camp at 730 m elevation in the summit area of Mount Nok. After lunch on site, we will bird all afternoon in the vicinity of camp, spending the last hour of light near a known roosting tree of the enigmatic Bruijn’s Brush-turkey. After dinner, an optional nocturnal effort could produce Jungle Hawk-Owl, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar, and Marbled Frogmouth.

Day 5 > Waigeo Island Following an optional nocturnal stroll and pre-dawn breakfast we’ll make sure to sit in a hide in front of a tended incubation mound of Bruijn’s Brush-turkey at first light. We shall monitor the mound all morning in the hope of getting to grips with the mound-tending male. After lunch, we will bird all afternoon in the vicinity of camp spending time at water sources and at a known roosting tree of Bruijn’s Brush-turkey towards dusk. Other noteworthy birds we may see here include Hook-billed Kingfisher, Pheasant Pigeon, Gurney’s Eagle, the highly distinctive steini-subspecies of the Black Myzomela, Mountain Honeyeater, Beccari's and Pale-billed Scrubwren, Green-backed Gerygone, and Brown-headed Crow. Dinner and optional spotlighting.

Day 6 > Waigeo Island After an optional nocturnal walk and pre-dawn breakfast, we shall either monitor the incubation mound of Bruijn’s Brush-turkey if necessary, climb to the summit of Mount Nok, where we’ll enjoy a magnificent view over the island if the weather allows, or simply bird in the vicinity of camp. Subsequent to lunch, we will probably require most of the afternoon to bird down to a camp at 60 m elevation along the Wai Paley River. We may still spend the last hour of light birding along the river, followed by dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Day 7 > Waigeo Island Following an optional bout of spotlighting and our pre-dawn breakfast, we will bird first light along the river and spend all morning birding toward a camp at 30 m elevation along the Waremag River. Huge communal incubation mounds of the Dusky Megapode are scattered everywhere throughout the pristine flat bottom-valley lowland forests here, and it should not take long before we feast our eyes on a couple of Western Crowned-Pigeons as they break the relative silence with their clapping wing beats to alight in nearby tall forest trees. After lunch on site we will bird all afternoon upstream along the river where we may see Azure and Variable Kingfisher, Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot, Great-billed Parrot, Moustached Treeswift, New Guinea Bronzewing, Pink-spotted, Claret-breasted, Orange-bellied and Dwarf Fruit-Dove, Red-necked Crake, Grey and Grey-headed Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, White-eared Catbird, Red-throated Myzomela, Spotted, Brown-backed and Green-backed Honeyeater, Brown-headed Crow, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red Bird of Paradise, and Yellow-eyed and New Guinea Cuckoo-shrike. Also here, Jungle Hawk-Owl and Marbled Frogmouth remain earnest possibilities on an optional nocturnal excursion after dinner.

Day 8 > Waigeo Island After an optional nocturnal foray and pre-dawn breakfast we will bird first light along the river in search for some of the more elusive species mentioned above, and then bird all morning toward Waifoi. After lunch here we shall transfer to a tiny islet in the Dampier Strait where we will have a relaxed afternoon’s birding in search of regional small island specialists like the prasinorrhous-subspecies of White-bibbed Fruit-Dove, Olive Honeyeater, Island Whistler, Rufous Fantail, Island Monarch, Moluccan Starling, and Lemon-bellied White-eye. Other noteworthy birds present here include Dusky Megapode, Beach Kingfisher, Violet-necked Lory, Spice and Bicolored Imperial-Pigeon, Great-billed and Striated Heron, Varied Honeyeater, and Metallic Starling. We shall proceed to Sorong in the evening for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Day 9 > Arfak montane forests After a hearty breakfast in our Sorong hotel we will take the early morning, 50 minutes’ flight to Manokwari and set out on the two hours’ drive by 4WD-vehicle to Siyoubrig. Here, we shall start our exploration of the Arfak Mountains after lunch, with a gentle introduction to the commoner or more conspicuous species of the garden clearings and secondary forests: Fan-tailed Cuckoo, White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo, Whiskered and Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Slender-billed and Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove, White-bibbed Fruit-Dove, Red-collared Myzomela, Rufous-sided and Western Smoky Honeyeater, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Sclater’s Whistler, Superb Bird of Paradise, Black and Friendly Fantail, Capped White-eye and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. After dinner there is an optional nocturnal foray, which may produce Sooty Owl, Jungle Hawk-Owl, Large and Mountain Owlet-Nightjar, Papuan Frogmouth and Large-tailed Nightjar.

Day 10 > Arfak montane forests Depending on last night’s results, the weather and our morale, we may start early with an optional short nocturnal excursion. We will have our hearty breakfast while enjoying the developing dawn chorus, and gather at the edge of a garden clearing around first light when many species actively forage into the open. Here and in adjacent tracts of secondary forest we could see Long-billed, Marbled, Rufous-sided and Western Smoky Honeyeater, Vogelkop Melidectes, Perplexing, Vogelkop, Grey-green and Pale-billed Scrubwren, Blue-grey and Green-backed Robin, Mountain Peltops, Black-shouldered Cicadabird, Black Monarch, Black-breasted Boatbill and Island Leaf-Warbler. We will then proceed to an area where several display courts of the Magnificent Bird of Paradise are located, in the hope to witness the full array of amazing display postures of this beautiful species at close range from a hide. The rest of the morning, we will search for species likely to elude us for a while or for which better views may be desirable: Vogelkop Melidectes, Green-backed Robin, Spotted Catbird, Superb Bird of Paradise, Western Parotia and Long-tailed Paradigalla. After lunch we’ll have the rest of the day to seek out these most-wanted birds at known haunts or otherwise, and pay attention to other hot stuff as Bronze Ground-Dove, White-striped Forest-Rail, Garnet Robin, Mottled Whistler, Great Wood-swallow, Torrent-lark, Lemon-breasted and Spotted Berrypecker, and partly nomadic Blue-faced and Papuan Parrotfinch. After dinner we may try our luck again at spotlighting some of the above mentioned nocturnal species present here.

Day 11 > Arfak montane forests As always, a nocturnal foray prior to our pre-dawn breakfast remains a possibility. Today, we will bird around the garden clearing near camp at first light and then slowly ascend to a camp at the edge of a garden clearing in primary forest at 1,815 m elevation. As we gradually shift to higher ground and enter primary forest we shall start hearing Shining Imperial-Pigeon, Papuan Treecreeper, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Mountain Gerygone, Canary Flyrobin, Spotted Jewel-Babbler, Rufous-naped Whistler, Black Pitohui, and Dimorphic Fantail. After lunch at our new camp we will monitor nearby display courts of the Western Parotia from comfortable hides. The wacko ballet performance of the court-tending male of this species simply has to be witnessed to be believed, and invariably ranks as a highlight of a birding trip to the Arfaks. Having truly absorbed this, we will spend the last hours of light birding around the garden clearing near camp where we may be rewarded with sightings of White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo, Pygmy Lorikeet, Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot, Blue-collared Parrot, Long-tailed Buzzard, Vogelkop Melidectes, Mountain Peltops, and Long-tailed Paradigalla. After dinner we may attempt a short nocturnal exploration of the vicinity in search of Sooty Owl, Jungle Hawk-Owl, and Large and Mountain Owlet-Nightjar, while there’s always a good chance of roding New Guinea Woodcock here.

Day 12 > Arfak montane forests Following an optional nocturnal foray and our usual pre-dawn breakfast we will bird the first hour of light around the garden clearing near camp where we hope to attract Long-tailed Paradigalla, if need be. We will then spend some time again at the Parotia display courts, which besides the not-to-be-missed display performances of the parotias themselves, also provide a reasonable chance of seeing otherwise highly retiring species as Wattled Brush-turkey and Bronze Ground-Dove casually walking across the courts in search of parotia faeces containing undigested fruit items. The rest of the morning we will bird in the primary forest in the vicinity where we may be rewarded with sightings of Vogelkop Bowerbird and Spotted Jewel-Babbler. After lunch we will require most of the afternoon to climb further to a camp in primary forest at 2,130 m elevation, which we will use as our base over the next two days. Along the way we may spot Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo, Papuan Lorikeet, Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot, Brehm’s and Modest Tiger-Parrot, the rare Pesquet’s Parrot, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Varied Sittella, Regent Whistler, Black Pitohui, Black Sicklebill, Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, and Fan-tailed Berrypecker. In case of dry weather, we should still be able to watch the evening display of the adult male Black Sicklebill near camp. Dusk will see us standing in a tree-fall gap in anticipation of roding New Guinea Woodcock. Sooty Owl, Jungle Hawk-Owl, and Large and Mountain Owlet-Nightjar all are possible on an optional nocturnal excursion after dinner.

Day 13 > Arfak montane forests Following an optional nocturnal stroll, we’ll enjoy our breakfast while listening to the developing dawn chorus including Vogelkop Scrubwren, Smoky and Ashy Robin, and especially Regent Whistler, a powerful and varied songster. In season, Wattled Brush-turkey, which reaches the upper limit of its altitudinal distribution here, may deliver its striking display call from an incubation mound near camp. We will bird all morning along a loop descending to 1,920 m elevation, primarily in search of the potentially highly elusive Arfak Astrapia and Black-billed Sicklebill, while also seeking good views of skulkers as Lesser Ground-robin, Smoky and Ashy Robin, Spotted Jewel-Babbler and Lesser Melampitta. In sunny weather, New Guinea Eagle may be heard calling persistently here and tracked down with moderate effort. Moreover, we will pass numerous bowers of the Vogelkop Bowerbird. After lunch at camp we could try other known haunts of the Arfak Astrapia higher up the mountain in the afternoon. Other goodies we may see here include Chestnut Forest-Rail, Black-mantled Goshawk, Orange-crowned Fairywren, Olive Straightbill, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Black-throated Robin, Varied Sittella, Mottled Whistler, Black Pitohui, and Tit Berrypecker. Dusk will see us back at camp for another New Guinea Woodcock watch in a tree-fall gap followed by dinner and optional nocturnal walk.

Day 14 > Arfak montane forests After a hearty pre-dawn breakfast we will commence our assault on the 2,425 m high summit of Mount Indon, trying Mountain Swiftlet, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Black-throated Honeyeater and adult male Arfak Astrapia as we stroll through utterly stunning cloud forests, swathed in mosses and epiphytes. Other goodies we may catch up with here are Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot, Olive Straightbill, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Black-throated Robin, Spotted Jewel-Babbler and Tit Berrypecker. We’ll have snacks and lunch underway and return to camp by mid-afternoon only, but in time for another observation of the evening display of the Black Sicklebill and New Guinea Woodcock watch at dusk, if the weather allows. Dinner and optional spotlighting.

Day 15 > Arfak montane forests Following an optional nocturnal foray and pre-dawn breakfast, we will bird all morning along the loop descending to 1,920 m where we’ll stand another chance of seeing New Guinea Eagle, Black-billed Sicklebill and Arfak Astrapia. After lunch at camp we will bird towards a new camp at 1,900 m, located near two forest clearings in primary ridgetop forest. Dusk will see us gathered at the edge of one of the clearings in anticipation of Archbold’s Nightjar hawking low over the heathy vegetation. After dinner we shall continue the search for this enigmatic species, which was discovered in the Arfak Mountains only as recently as 1995, more than 600 km away from its nearest known locality in the Snow Mountains.

Day 16 > Arfak montane forests If need be, we shall try Archbold’s Nightjar prior to our pre-dawn breakfast. We will bird around the clearings early morning where we could be rewarded with observations of Brehm’s and Modest Tiger-Parrot, Blue-collared Parrot, Mountain Swiftlet, Black-throated Honeyeater, Cinnamon-browed and Vogelkop Melidectes, and Great Wood-swallow. We’ll then shift to the forest again where we’ll look primarily for the beautiful New Guinea Logrunner at known home-ranges. During this search we may also encounter Garnet, Black-throated, Smoky and Ashy Robin, Spotted Jewel-Babbler, Mottled Whistler, and Black Pitohui among others. There is also a territory and known nest site of the New Guinea Eagle in the immediate vicinity, which we could try. After lunch we will require most of the afternoon to slowly bird down through pristine forests to the Mokwam road at 1,600 m elevation. Here 4WD-vehicles await us to transport us to our Manokwari hotel in the evening.

Day 17 > Arfak foothill forests After a hearty pre-dawn breakfast in our Manokwari hotel, we will set out on the two hours’ drive by chartered 4WD-vehicle to our drop-off point on the Oransbari peninsula, from where we will bird all morning towards a camp at 180 m elevation in primary foothill forest along a fast-flowing stream. All along the walk, wacko Blyth’s Hornbills, majestic Palm and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, and noisy Red-cheeked and Eclectus Parrots fly overhead as we familiarize ourselves with the common or more conspicuous forest interior birds: Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Slender-billed and Great Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo, Superb and Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Purple-tailed and Pinon Imperial-Pigeon, Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, New Guinea Friarbird, Rufous Babbler, Little Shrike-thrush, Variable and Rusty Pitohui, Hooded and Black Butcherbird, Brown Oriole, Northern Fantail, Spangled Drongo, Spot-winged and Frilled Monarch, Yellow-faced Myna, Black Berrypecker and Green-crowned Longbill. After lunch at camp, we will bird all afternoon in the vicinity, where we stand an excellent chance of seeing avian delights as Large Fig-Parrot, Western Crowned-Pigeon, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Common Paradise-Kingfisher, Moluccan King-Parrot, and Magnificent, King and Lesser Bird of Paradise. A nocturnal foray after dinner may produce Jungle Hawk-Owl, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar and Marbled Frogmouth.

Day 18 > Arfak foothill forests We may start early with an optional short nocturnal excursion and will take our pre-dawn breakfast as the dawn chorus develops. We will bird all morning in the vicinity of camp where in addition to the previously mentioned species we may also feast our eyes on Red-billed Talegalla, White-crowned and Dwarf Koel, Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot, Cinnamon Ground-Dove, Thick-billed Ground-Pigeon, White-eared Catbird, Black-sided and Torrent Robin, and Blue Jewel-Babbler. After lunch we will bird toward a camp at 275 m elevation. Red-billed Talegallas and Magnificent Riflebirds call everywhere in these foothills and it need not take long before we will surprise our first pair of Blue Jewel-Babbler running away into cover. Other birds that we may see here include Long-billed Cuckoo, Double-eyed and Large Fig-Parrot, Pesquet’s Parrot, Pheasant Pigeon, Wallace’s Fairywren, Black-chinned Robin, Painted Quail-thrush, Rusty Whistler and Rufous Monarch. After dinner, Jungle Hawk-Owl, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar and Marbled Frogmouth may all be heard and, with some luck, seen on a nocturnal excursion here.

Day 19 > Arfak foothill forests After an optional nocturnal foray and pre-dawn breakfast, we will ascend slightly higher along a narrow ridge that supports a display tree of the Lesser Bird of Paradise where several fine adult males usually gather. We shall take ample time to observe and truly absorb the full array of displays and interactions at the lek. Besides, while sitting quietly in the forest, there’s always a chance of a Northern Cassowary, Red-billed Talegalla or Pheasant Pigeon casually walking by. After lunch we will spend most of the afternoon in a gulley where we should be rewarded with sightings of Azure and Variable Kingfisher, Thick-billed Ground-Pigeon, Red-bellied Pitta, Rusty Mouse-warbler and Sooty Thicket-Fantail, if we haven’t already seen them elsewhere yet. As per usual, a nocturnal walk is a possibility after dinner.

Day 20 > Arfak foothill forests We could start early with a short nocturnal foray prior to our pre-dawn breakfast and will bird all morning in the vicinity of camp. After lunch we will require most of the afternoon to walk back to our pick-up point from where we will transfer to our Manokwari hotel for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Day 21 > Arfak hill forests Having taken a hearty pre-dawn breakfast in our Manokwari hotel, we will set out on the half hour’s drive to our drop-off point near the Maruni River, from where we will walk and bird most of the morning to reach a camp at 800 m elevation. The first hour or so, while hiking through cocoa gardens and low stature secondary growth, may be relatively dull with only a handful of species like Scrub and Mimic Honeyeater, Hooded Butcherbird, Spangled Drongo, Shining Flycatcher, and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. But as soon as we enter primary forest at c. 500 m elevation, birds simply abound. Mixed insectivore feeding flocks usually include Pale-billed Scrubwren, Goldenface, Grey and Sclater’s Whistler, Variable and Hooded Pitohui, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Yellow-eyed and Grey-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Chestnut-bellied and Northern Fantail, Pygmy and Spangled Drongo, Black-winged, Spot-winged and Frilled Monarch, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Black-fronted White-eye, Black Berrypecker and Green-crowned Longbill. Everywhere in these hills resound the songs and calls of Red-billed Talegalla, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, White-crowned and Dwarf Koel, Pheasant Pigeon, Green-backed Gerygone, Olive Flyrobin, Black-chinned Robin, Northern Scrub-Robin, Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler, Rusty Whistler, Little Shrike-thrush, Crested Pitohui, Trumpet Manucode, and Magnificent Riflebird. After lunch at camp, we will hike slightly down towards a camp at 680 m elevation where we will bird till dusk and stay overnight. With luck, we may hear and see the sought-after Shovel-billed Kookaburra here as well as a variety of commoner stuff like Palm Cockatoo, Moluccan King-Parrot, Stephan’s Dove, Superb and Beautiful Fruit-Dove, Red-bellied Pitta, Masked Bowerbird, Red-throated Myzomela, Puff-backed and Spotted Honeyeater, Rusty Mouse-warbler, White-faced Robin, Sooty Thicket-Fantail, Rufous-backed Fantail, and Golden Monarch. A nocturnal foray after dinner may produce Sooty Owl, Jungle Hawk-Owl, Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar and Marbled Frogmouth.

Day 22 > Arfak hill forests Following an optional nocturnal excursion and pre-dawn breakfast, we will bird all morning in the relatively expansive flat area near camp, focusing on Shovel-billed Kookaburra at dawn and further seeking satisfying views of some of the more elusive and skulking species mentioned above. We will then bird uphill to take lunch at the 800 m camp. In the afternoon we shall bird through gently rising ridgetop forest up to a new camp at 975 m elevation where we will spend the night. Flowering trees along the ridge attract colorful Fairy, Josephine’s and Papuan Lorikeets, diminutive Red, Mountain and Black Myzomelas, and sometimes Vogelkop Melidectes. Additional species that we shall look out for along the ridge include Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Blue-collared and Pesquet’s Parrot, Thick-billed Ground-Pigeon, Spotted Catbird, Hill-forest Honeyeater, Wallace’s Fairywren, White-rumped Robin, Grey Crow, Crinkle-collared Manucode, Black-billed Sicklebill, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Mountain Peltops, Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike, Black-shouldered Cicadabird, and Black Monarch, while a nocturnal stroll after dinner may produce Sooty Owl, the mid-montane, distinctive affinis-subspecies of Barred Owlet-Nightjar and Marbled Frogmouth.

Day 23 > Arfak hill forests After an optional nocturnal walk and our usual pre-dawn breakfast we will bird all morning in the ridgetop forest around camp. New Guinea Eagle can often be heard here in good weather and we may be lucky enough to track down this awesome bird. Several bowers of the gorgeous Masked Bowerbird are located near camp and we could monitor these from a hide early morning in order to get those much-wanted close-up views of this otherwise habitual canopy-dweller. And while sitting quietly in the forest here we may well attract skulking Red-billed Talegalla, Red-bellied Pitta, Rusty Mouse-warbler, White-rumped Robin, Northern Scrub-Robin and Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler. After lunch, we will bird all afternoon back to the 800 m camp where we will stay the night. Dinner and optional nocturnal walk.

Day 24 > Arfak hill forests and Numfor Island We may take a short nocturnal stroll prior to our pre-dawn breakfast. Then we will bird a final morning in the vicinity of camp and bird down to our Maruni pick-up point from where we transfer back to Manokwari. After lunch in town we will set out on the three hour’s speedboat ride to Numfor Island. We could stop en route on the tiny off-shore Manem Islet, where small island specialists as Island Whistler and Island Monarch occur. The last hour of light may still see us birding on Numfor in search of the endemic Numfor Paradise-Kingfisher, followed by dinner and an optional spotlighting excursion. Overnight’s stay in a local guesthouse on Numfor.

Day 25 > Numfor and Biak Islands Following our pre-dawn breakfast, we will bird until mid-morning on Numfor. The main focus of our attention will of course be the delightful Numfor Paradise-Kingfisher and the distinctive maforensis-subspecies of Island Leaf-Warbler. Other interesting birds we may see here include Black-winged Lory, Yellow-bibbed Fruit-Dove, Biak Flycatcher and Long-tailed Starling. During the late morning we transfer to Kota Biak, where we’ll have lunch in town before proceeding to our Biak jungle camp in the afternoon. Here, we’ll have a relaxed evening’s birding in the environs of camp around a couple of forest clearings where we could be rewarded with sightings of Black-winged Lory, Red-fronted Lorikeet, Yellow-bibbed Fruit-Dove, Spice Imperial-Pigeon, Emperor Fairywren, Dusky Myzomela, Biak and Shining Flycatchers, Long-tailed Starling, and Biak White-eye. After dinner we’ll have a long spotlighting session primarily in search of the rarely seen Biak Scops Owl.

Day 26 > Biak Island We may start out early with an optional nocturnal excursion and following our pre-dawn breakfast, we shall bird first light around the clearings, which usually proves the best place to see the shy and skulking Biak Coucal. The rest of the morning we’ll spend along a trail running through a mixture of secondary growth and tall primary forest. Biak Paradise-Kingfishers and Hooded Pittas call everywhere in these forests but to see Biak Megapode, Geelvink Pygmy-parrot, Biak Gerygone, and Biak Monarch we may need to persevere. After lunch we’ll spend the hottest part of the day along a creek where we should find the world’s largest pigeon, the glorious Victoria Crowned-Pigeon. We’ll have a relaxed evening’s birding followed by dinner and an optional nocturnal foray, which could produce Biak Scops Owl, Papuan Frogmouth and Large-tailed Nightjar.

Day 27 > Biak Island Following an optional spotlighting session and pre-dawn breakfast, we’ll have a welcome additional full day to concentrate on finding those species that are likely to elude us for a while. We could monitor known incubation mounds of the Biak Megapode, bird along the creek for Victoria Crowned-Pigeon, and invariably spend much time scrutinizing mixed insectivore feeding flocks, with lunch in between. Dinner and optional nocturnal excursion.

Day 28 > Biak Island After a final morning‘s birding on Biak we will head back to Kota Biak for lunch, and report in time at Frans Kaisepo Airport for the domestic flight to the Indonesian gateway of your choice.

Waigeo, Arfak and Geelvink Islands

Day-by-day itinerary

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