Birding in West New Guinea
and East Indonesia

When: Anytime

Length: Any length stay is welcome. A 15-Day Itinerary is described below to provide you with an idea of the options available.

Number of guests: One to several

Fee: Of course this depends upon the visitor's special needs and interests. However, here are some ballpark figures:

• 3-4 pax is USD. 130/day
• 5-6 pax is USD. 100/day

Introduction:
Indonesia has long been recognized as being one of ten countries in the world which possesses an incalculable wealth in its biodiversity and species endemism. With its 1.539 species of birds (17% of the world's total), Indonesia, which is the fourth richest country on earth in terms of number of endemic species (381), is indeed a biodiversity hotspot.

Two of the most important bird areas which support the richness of this thousand islands country's bird species are Irian Jaya (New Guinea) and Sulawesi (North Sulawesi Province).

Irian Jaya, with its more than 678 recorded species, contributes around 44% of all Indonesian's birds total. It is also the second place on earth which inherits the second largest number of Birds Of Paradise. From all 43 species of this amazing heaven birds, which are only distributed from eastern Australia to New Guinea, west to the north Moluccas, 28 species can be seen at Irian Jaya's areas, with 5 species of them are endemic to this region.

Sulawesi, with its almost 400 recorded species, contributes around 26% of Indonesian's bird total. From this official checklist, Sulawesi itself is home to 88 endemic species. Most of this endemics can be seen at one particular birding spot such as at Tangkoko Nature Reserve, on the northern part of North Sulawesi Province.

The reason why this IT combines the birding between the Wallacea region and New Guinea which ecologically has enormous differences in birds distribution and species diversity is to give each participants more chance of seeing more species in short time and to give more feeling of satisfaction in enjoying and watching all this fabulous birds in their natural habitat. Second is to give a real conservation actions and economical benefit to local community who owns the traditional land and who leaves by the reserve, to conserve their land for continues benefits of their future generation.

For birding in Irian Jaya, we have chosen the best and easiest birding sites at Biak island and Batanta-Salawati islands at Sorong Regency (on the Vogelkop). While at Sulawesi, you will be birding at the Northern Peninsula at the lowland with a perfect combination of the highland birds at Nani Warta Bone Nature Reserve, 8 hours west of Tangkoko.

Our trip will start from the coral island of Biak on the north of Irian Jaya. The reason to choose Biak as a start point is because it offers more reliable flight schedule as an International Airport. Also because this small island possess at least 5 endemic species which are rather easy to see. From Biak we will fly to Sorong , the western city of the Vogelkop with its wellknown western papuan islands. Our birding here will be started at local birding sites around the town main land and than continue to the islands of Batanta and Salawati, with a safety wooden longboat to see the 2 endemic BOPs of the areas and the littlest species of the BOP, the King BOP, plus other interesting birds such as the Western Crowned Pigeon.

Your arrival gate at est Papua is Biak, as Garuda Indonesia serves this route well. From there we'll fly to Sorong, the Bird's Head part of West New Guinea. From Sorong, we'll to Manado, the provincial city of North Sulawesi for our Sulawesi birding. From Sam Ratulangi Airport at Manado, we will be transferred to Tangkoko Nature Reserve, 2 hours driving east from Manado city.

You can see a map of our area associated with an article I have written about rediscovering the Waigeo Brush-turkey here.

NOTE: For a longer IT, please contact. Also we offer a seperate IT for West New Guinea and Sulawesi themselves seperately, depend on the request.

Day1: Arrive at Frans Kaisepo Biak Airport, transferred to hotel to have a nice rest after your long jetleg. Dinner at local restaurant. If time permit we'll start our short birding out of town.

Day2: After breakfast, with a vehicle, heading to the east, along the southern coast road to Warafri and along the logging tracks to see most of Biak endemics among others : Biak Red Lory, Geelvink Pygmy Parrot, Biak Coucal, Biak Paradise-kingfisher, Biak Monarch, Biak Flycatcher and Biak White-eye.

Day3: Transfer to airport after morning tea and toast for flying to Sorong and transfer to local best hotel. If time permitted, we'll proceed for an easy afternoon birding to Saoka Beach areas to see Eclectus Parrot, Beack Kingfisher, Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur Crested and Palm Cockatoo.

Day4: After an early breakfast, driving 18 km out of town and birding along the Intimpura Logging road to see the Black and Forest Bittern, Darter, Little Grebe, White-headed Shelduck, Grey Headed and Grey Goshawk, Oriental Hobby, Long-tailed Buzzard, Crested Hawk, Bronze Ground-Dove, Orange-fronted Friut-Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Black Lory, Great-billed Parrot, Azure and Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Fork-tailed and Moustached Tree-swift, Golden Monarch, Lowland Peltops, Red-throat Myzomela, Plain Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Myna and Glossy-mantled Manucode. Afternoon driving to Transmigration area to spot some water birds around the green rice field. The birds here among others are Purple Swamphen, Buff-banded Rail, White-browed Crake, Lesser Golden Plover, Swinhoe's Snipe, Chestnut Bittern (new record for West NG region), etc.

Day5: After a morning meal, we'll take a safe wooden longboat drive to reach Batanta and Salawati Island as the main endemics island of the areas. This trip takes 3 hours straight to location. On arrival, our local guide will set up our camps, while hearing the welcoming noise of Noisy and New Guinea Friarbird, etc. Soon after our campsite is setup, we will do our birding around the back of the camping sites to see Blue-breasted Pitta, Rufous-bellied Cockaburra, etc. In the afternoon (started from 3 pm) we'll be visisitng the display tree of the endemic Red Bird of head back before dawn to catch a sight of the sunset, while waiting the coming of the Papuan Frogmouth calling, who usually nests on a tree by the campsite, while having a cup of tea. Nice meals will be served around the campsite by our experienced local cook.

Day6: Today we have to wake up very early (4.00 am) in order to hike up to the display ground of the endemic Wilson's BOP. This hike is 300m elevation, so a very early start is needed. We'll go into the blind which will be built by our local guide as soon as we arrive before the first bird call. Around 6am if the weather is good, we'll be able to hear the first call of this elusive species and to see the male first clearing up his "garden" while calling females. They will soon arrive and queau up for him. If we are on the right mating season (August-Nov), we'll see the mating itself. After this incredible show, we'll trek down back while birding along the trail. Afternoon is birding around the coastal areas from the boat to see the Beach Kingfisher, Great billed Heron, Spice Imperial Pigeon, etc.

Day7: This whole day will be spent either for hiking up again to the Wilson's display ground or for watching the Red BOP again in a full morning, if the previous day was not so good. If both priority have been achieved, than day 7 will be to cross out to Salawati Island (10 minutes), started at 5.°°am (after early breakfast) to see the King BOP and possibly the largest pigeon on earth, the western species, Western Crowned Pigeon. You may also snorkeling here as underwater life around the area is above excellent.

Day 8: After breakfast we'll boat back to Sorong with a stop over at Senapang Island for bird spotting here. We expect to see Pied & Spice Imperial Pigeon, White bellied and Gurney's Eagle, Beach Stone-curlew, Whimbrel, White-breasted Wood-swallow, Sacred & beach Kingfisher, Torresian Crow, Palm Cockatoo, Eclestus Parrot, Great billed and Pied heron, etc. From here, another 1,5 hours boating to Sorong. After check in, we'll visist local fish market or souvenir shop.

Day 9: Transferred to Jefman Airport after breakfast for 70 minutes flying to Manado. Soon as we arrive, we will be transfer straight to Tangkoko Nature Reserve, 2 hours driving from Manado. Check in at Ranger homestay and have a nice tea. Sulawesi Drongo plus other birds calling will be welcoming us while having tea/coffe or a cool beer. Enjoy this absolute different situation. If time still permitted, we will take an easy afternoon birding or visiting the smallest primates sleeping tree and to see this smallest nocturnal monkey in the world starting to go out to find their food.

Day 10: After early breakfast, we'll start our first birding inside the reserve with the assistance of very good local ranger. On this first birding, we will see the endemic Hair-crested Drongo, Sulawesi Babbler, Sulawesi Serpent and Hawk-eagle, Slender-billed Crow, Sulawesi Black Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Ornate Lorikeet, Yellow-billed Malkoha (always following the Black Macaques group), Rudy and Lilac-checked Kingfisher, Knobbed Hornbill, etc. We will be back to our local inn for lunch. And after that you can have choice to go snorkeling or just take a rest for the afternoon birding.

Day 11: Full day birding, same as day 10 but with main target to see the Maleo, Barred Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, Large and Small Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Bay Coucal, Sulawesi Nightjar possibly, Sulawesi Drwaf Kingfisher (the hardest one), Purple-winged Roller, Ashy Woodpecker, White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Sulawesi Triller, etc. In the afternoon we will again visit smallest nocturnal primates at their rooting trees holes for pictures (flash light avoid) or you may also go snorkeling.

Day12: Today, we'll move to the west direction of Tangkoko to Bogani Nani Wartabone Reserve, 8 hours by car, passing through Manado City again. Our main village destination at Sinsingon. It is situated around 1000m above sea level. We will stop over around the rice paddies along the way to spot some water birds and possibly the Blue-tailed Bee-eater. Sinsingon has no local inn, so we will be staying with local people or at the Ranger post. A different atmosphere and temperature will make a cup of tea taste too good. We will first visit the nearest pool to spot the Common Kingfisher, Barred Rail and Common Morhen, plus a small tour around the village. In the afternoon, we'll begin our birding around the nearest forest to see Fiery-browed Starling, Sulawesi Crested Myna, Purple Needletail, Grey-rumped tree-swift, etc. Just before down, by standing at an open area, we will see the Sulawesi and Great Eared Nightjar sometime flying around to catch on their diet.

Day 13: Full day birding to see the highland special species with a break for lunch. The lists here from our last visit are: Rufous-winged Buzzard, Black Eagle, Speckled Boobook, Caerulean Cuckoo-shrike, Sulawesi Drongo, Mountain Tailorbird, Sulawesi White-eye, Black-ringed White-eye, streak-headed Dark-eye, Rusty-bellied Fantail, Citrine Flycather, Yellow-vented Whistler, Fiery-browed Starling, Sulawesi Crested Myna, Lesser and Greater Sulawesi Honeyeater, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, etc.

Day 14: Today, we go back to Manado, after the last morning birding. We will do an easy birding along the paved road, to see Grey-headed and Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeon, Red-eared Friut-dove, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail, Large Sulawesi Hanging-parrot, Collard Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, etc. On the way to Manado we may stop over at some places along the rice field to possibly spot the endemic Sulawesi Woodcock. After check in and a bit rest at a hotel in Manado City, we will visit a local fish market where the ancient evolution fish, the Coelacanth, has been seen for the first time history of Indonesia marine, in 1987, while spotting on waders, terns and eagle.

Day 15: After breakfast, before your departure, is a free time for you to visits local souvenir shops for nice gifts, such as T-shirts with Knobbed Hornbill or Tarsius Spectrum paints on it. Finally, you will be transferred to Sam Ratulangi Airport for your home destination. Trip ended.