Slightly off the usual area, but I just got back from a trip to
Bensbach in far sw PNG, staying at the Bensbach Lodge some 100 km up
the Bensbach River from the coast. This is in the Fly River drainage
and is an area of savanna and grassland which has many otherwise
Australian species:
White Ibis common
Straw-necked Ibis quite common
Glossy Ibis a few
Royal Spoonbill three small parties
Pied Heron a few
Intermediate Egret common
Little Egret two singles
Eastern Cattle Egret two flocks of about 20
Eastern Great Egret a few
Great-billed Heron 6 along a 10 km stretch up river, and a coup,e of
singles downriver, some subadults seen.
Australian Pelican two sightings, with 2 then a single
Brolgas were seen in a couple of sites, with counts of 15 at one and
12 at another.
Australian Bustard 3 birds at one site.
Spotted Whistling Duck quite widespread and breeding, one pair with a
brood of 5 ducklings.
Eastern Osprey just one sighting
Australian Hobby one record
Whistling Kite abundant, up to 70 per day
White-bellied Sea-Eagle common along the river with pairs every 3 km
or so
Australian Pratincole common on the plains, with counts of about 70
several times.
Barking Owl 4 seen quite close to the Loge, with a pair roosting by
the grounds.
Australian Owlet-nightjar what sounded like this species was heard at
0400 one morning
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo 1 downriver from the lodge, a PNG tick!
Blue-winged Kookaburra common
Sacred Kingfisher a few
Forest Kingfisher one or two seen
Little Kingfisher one seen
Red-winged Parrot the group saw a couple.
Rainbow Lorikeet common, and an interesting record as this form here
is the red-chested type, not the bar- breasted form of the rest of the
country which is now split as Coconut Lorikeet by the IOC.
Noisy Pitta quite vocal near the Lodge
Noisy Friarbird one record downriver, also a PNG tick.
Little Friarbird quite widespread in small numbers
Graceful Honeyeater common by the Lodge, split from the quite distinct
Elegant Honeyeater Meliphaga cinereifrons of the SE.
Blue-faced Honeyeater a couple of singles only
Red-headed Honeyeater (Myzomela) one male about 110 km upriver in
paperbark swamp forest, unexpected so far inland and another PNG tick
Spectacled Monarch one imm. was seen
Rufous Fantail one calling by the Lodge, and not Arafura Fantail.
Northern Fantail one seen
Tawny Grassbird common, quite different to the larger Papuan Grassbird
of the hills and mountains which has very different calls.
Australian Reed Warbler 2 heard takking in kunai grass
Grey-crowned Babbler a few small parties
Magpie-lark just one record
Australian Magpie just a couple of sightings
New Guinea specials included Spangled Kookaburra still around the
Lodge, as on my last visit back in 1993. It is sympatric here with
Rufous-bellied and Blue-winged kookaburras.
Blue-tailed Bee-eaters were common, and it must be a good bet that
this species will turn up in the Torres Strait or the Top End at some
point.
Notable absentees were Magpie-Goose, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little
Corella, Rainbow Bee-eater and sadly for me, Brown Honeyeater, which i
still need in PNG. No sign of Southern Boobook or Bush Thick-knee
either.
Oh yes, the fishing is still terrific, some large barra were caught
but worrying an invasive species called the snakehead has been
introduced and may be having very harmful effects, it's amazing how we
seem to be incapable of learning and muck up just about every fish
stock!
Phil Gregory
www.cassowary-house.com.au
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www.birding-aus.org
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