Hello all,
This is quite a long report and as a warning for the purists who may wish
to delete, it mentions creatures other than birds.
In August 2002 I travelled to PNG. My destination was Alatou at the
eastern end of the island. I was travelling there to compile a bird list
and other relevant information, and train indigenous people so that local
tour operatiors would be able to run "ecotours for bird watchers". It
was a tall order given I only had a week!
Alatou is a tiny town situated on Milne Bay and overshadowed by the
impressive Owen Stanley ranges. Milne Bay was the site of a famous
battle in 1942 in which the Allied troops defeated the Japanese. It was
one of the most decisive campaigns of the war. There are seven groups of
islands nearby, the Trobriand, Woodlark, Laughlan, Louisiade Archipelago,
Conflict, Samarai and the D=EDEntrecasteaux. The names originate from a
variety of explorers who visited the area from 1660. Milne Bay is
renowned for its diving but the local tour operators Peter Tarumuri and
Vicky Neville believed that more could be made of the area.
Vicky met me at the tiny airport and took me to my accommodation on the
edge of town. It was a tiny lodge of but two units joined by a common
verandah, the whole structure expertly built, of local timber,
yellow-brown in colour and polished. The bedroom had a high peaked roof
from which hung a fan. French doors hung with bright yellow curtains
overlooked the bay. All was spotlessly clean.
Wandering around the tiny yard, a steaming mug of plunger PNG coffee in
my hand I spotted Brown-backed, Dusky and Varied honeyeaters, Helmeted
Friarbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, and Fawn-breasted Bowerbird. Spotted
Shininng Starlings, shiny black with irridescent greens and purples,
fussed around their nest hole in an abandoned post across the road. And
then a bulky green pigeon with an orange forehead - Orange-fronted
Fruit-Dove, dropped into the bare branches of a tree next to the fence.
Like a plump matron engrossed in a soap opera it sat ignoring me and the
passing children who called out 'Good Morning', as they passed. At their
voices two Emerald Doves shot out of the bushes near the front gate, and
a flock of small parrots (flying too fast to identify with certainty)
screeched out of a nearby laden coconut palm. In the tiny yard gorgeous
butterflies hung around the red-flowering gingers, among them the red,
black and white Orchard Swallowtail, and a gorgeous yellow and white
Taenaris sp. with huge eye spots, all in the tiny yard. A flock of
Red-flanked Lorikeets streaked overhead. Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrots and
Little Red Parrot visited from time to time.
Later I talked with Peter and Vicky about birdwatching tourism. Does
Peter's happy grin mean that this mysterous activity called birdwatching
makes a bit more sense to him?
A short walk along the main road by the beach showed me more apodid
species of than I'd ever seen at one time. The air was filled with
zooming birds - Uniform and Glossy Swiftlet, Spine-tailed Swift and
White-throated Needletail. They were flying only a few metres above the
ground.
Walking into the nearby hills with Inali a young journalist, I spotted
more Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds, also Brown Oriole. A flock of Coroneted
Fruit-doves, their lime-green backs and rosy crowns perched in a tree
some distance down the hill. I caught a glimpse of Crinkle-collared
Manucode fossicking about in a fruit tree. There were many psittacids.
Palm and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Little Corellas, Eastern Black-capped
Lories, Rainbow Lorikeets; Eclectus and Red-flanked Parrots flew
overhead. Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrots and Red-cheeked Parrots clung to the
trees in small flocks.
The hill was steep and very slippery, not suitable for my worn gumboots,
and I soon ended up flat on my back. I'm used to getting muddy so just
lay there and laughed. Inali was quite upset thinking I may have been
hurt. I reassured her I was fine.
Most nights I dined in the Napitana pole house bar and restaurant, owned
and managed by Gretta Kwasnicka Todurawai. and her husband Michael.
Gretta is of Polish descent and Michael is a national. They met at a
party in the highlands. where Gretta was teaching. Quite drunk at the
time (so Gretta told me) she tore into Michael a very senior public
servant about her students' lack of resources. Michael replied
indignantly, "Do you know who I am?" To which Gretta answered, "I know
very blood well who you are!". Twenty years later they are still
together.
Gretta, her adopted daughters Flora and Judith, and staff serve delicious
food - bullrushes (I think) steamed in coconut cream; local fish; taro.
The food is locally purchased and prepared in Milne Bay style, cooked in
clay pots. There was also a dish that made me think of my mum's
cooking - steak and kidney pie. This dish was also a favourite of
Nana's, Gretta's Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo. an ugly-tempered little
mammal with little in the way of cognitive abilities (I imagine a few of
your readers think that Nana and I may have more than a few things in
common!). Unfortunately I wasn't a favourite of said animal for it
climbed my leg at every opportunity and savaged me.
However Gretta's two other animal companions, a Vulturine Parrot called
Polly, and an Eastern Black-capped Lory, Pretty were delightful,
particularly the latter. She would follow the gardener's hand as he
smoothed the new gravel in the garden, attempting to hop on for the ride.
And despite my being a stranger she welcomed me into her fold, making
straight for my vacant shoulder.
Vulturine Parrot, one of the highlights of birding in PNG, has a wicked
looking bill but is actually a fruit-eater. This species is threatened
by hunting for its red and black plumage. In Gretta's garden Polly liked
to turn over stones.
The next morning I went to Napatana to interview Gretta on a tape
recorder I'd borrowed from the ABC. We sat in the bar overlooking the
little lodges which surrounded the big building like children around a
parent. All like my own little place were built of the most beautiful
local woods, in a traditional style The big garden with its flowering
shrubs and tall trees was a magnet for birds - Orange-bellied Fruit-dove,
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-bellied Sunbird which nested in the
roof. Pacific Swallows skimmed low over the paths and perched on the
power lines below us.
Unfortunately the tape recorder wouldn't cooperate, giving out loud
squeals in concert with Polly and Pretty which were perched on Gretta's
shoulders. To add pain to frustration and noise I was again attacked by
Nana and in a worse mood because its breakfast was late!
Lowland Forest
Later in the morning I went to explore lowland rainforest with Jack,
Peter and Vicky. Jack, a national, was a member of the Australian Navy
for many years, and is highly skilled and competent in many areas.
As we passed along the road large clumsy birds threw themselves out of
the long grass of the verges to scurry across in front of us - Lesser
Black and Pheasant Coucals. Wait a minute, Lesser Black Coucals? As far
as I knew they weren't supposed to be here, but here they were! There
was obviously much to be discovered about the place! In an emergent tree
sat a half a dozen black and yellow birds, mynas. Now there are two such
species in this area. This one had an orange-yellow collar and crown,
and a black face - Golden Myna.
The forest was tall and dark, the floor covered with black, dank wood
highlighted with leaf-green and copper ferns. High above our heads the
canopy rang with a cacaphony of bird shrieks, squeals, musical calls;
high- pitched and low; soft and loudly raucous. Some I knew were
Green-backed and Large-billed Gerygones and Little-bronze Cuckoo, Varied
Triller and Leaden Flycatcher. A bird sounding suspiciously like
Bush-hen called from vegetation nearby, and further away, a Hooded Pitta.
But before I could move the men crashed into the forest swinging their
bush knives. Suddenly the forest was quiet, the calls fading into the
dim green distance. How could these men who told me they were hunters,
be so noisy? I moved away from them and waited, but the only birds I saw
were female Raggiana's bird of paradise of which there were three or
four, and a glimpse of a tiny barred, blue-legged bird which may have
been a female King Bird of Paradise (certainly the call was much like
that on Crouch's tapes).
Moving further into the forest I came upon a large kingfisher, its back
to me. I waited, and it finally turned around - Rufous-bellied
Kinfisher. What a nice bird! Wandering off down the road I came upon a
patch of tall grass, and upon hearing calls stopped till their owners
appeared - White-shouldered Fairy-wrens.
That evening we visited Sagatai, a settlement for oil palm workers and
walked along a hill trail to a patch of rainforest overlooking the bay.
A bird that sounded very much like a Greater Black Coucal called from
nearby and a Magnificent Riflebird perched on a nearby tree. Dusky
Lories and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos flew past. On the way home a
White-browed Crake ran across the road and nightjars flitted in front of
our headlights.
Mangroves
Next morning I went out with a trainee guide to visit mangroves.
Unfortunately he turned up late as usual. We drove through a village
where people were celebrating the arrival of missionaries, and we had to
wait on the road for 'cannibals' (the guide's description of the
traditionally dressed men stalking the 'missionaries') to cross.
We walked to the beach, along a very rough narrow walkway over mangrove
mud - I nearly fell in several times and even the guide looked wobbly -
he had to take off his shoes and socks! Few birds were active, but I
did spot Silver-eared Honeyeater in a small solitary tree halfway between
sea and the village.
We then plodded through mangroves for about a kilometre before entering
the village at another point. Golden Mangrove Whistler. and Grey
Whistler and other small birds were calling from cover but not moving
about, and the only species I saw were Little Egret and Striated Heron
and Collared Kingfisher. The guide walking in front of me did see a
kingfisher which immediately departed (next time I vowed I would lead!).
I recognised the calls of .
One mystery - I heard what sounded very much like Chestnut Rail, a bird
I'm familiar with. However it isn't recorded from this area. Phil
Gregory suggested that I might have heard Red-necked Rail. However as
far as I know this species does not frequent mangroves, and its call
differs. Any other ideas?
A short walk through nearby rainforest turned up Little Bronze-Cuckoo,
Streak-headed Honeyeater, Shining Flycatcher and over the grasslands
near the river a black and white raptor, Pied Harrier.
The school
At lunchtime I went to the International School to address the children.
The principal was surprised to find that three of his pupils wanted to
be writers, and so I talked about my books as well as birdwatching.
While initally response was slow soon questions were coming thick and
fast from boys and girls, white and national, of all ages. I asked the
name of the bird on the school's logo. No one knew, not even the
principal! Finding out I was writing an insect book the children
ventured the names of insects. Finally I stressed the importance of
looking after the habitat of birds.
Afterward two kids approached. From the copy of my book Birds of
Australia's Top End which I'd passed around, they had worked out the
identity of the mystery logo - a Forest Kingfisher.
The teachers were also enthusiastic particularly Miss Badi Andrews who
told me about birds of paradise in her backyard, and Bruce Imatama. He
told me there was a ban on shooting birds and other wildlife in the
school grounds, and suggested that the children might be interested in
forming a club to watch wildlife. I replied that with the level of
interest I'd seen I'd be happy to run a school excursion if I returned.
Later that afternoon I left my accommodation to walk to a road
overlooking the nearby hills. Alatou is relatively safe and I had no
qualms about walking around on my own. Milne Bay is a matrilineal
society which means that inheritance of the land passes through the
female line, and this may be why. It is also a strongly Christian society
Next thing two young lads approached to ask what I was doing. I
explained about birdwatching, offering Teddy and Tuafana a look through
the binoculars. A larger group of boys approached and soon I had an
audience of a dozen all wanting to use the binoculars. Then we took
photos of each other looking for birds. On the way back I spotted a new
bird sitting in a tree - Orange-fronted Fruit-Dove.
Later the trainee picked me up to take me to his village to look for
birds, but as he was late it was almost dark by the time we arrived, and
we saw nothing.
The islands
The next day Vicky and I set off for Samurai and Doini islands with a
couple of men. The sea was rough and the engine stopped occasionally.
However the men were competent mechanics and sea men, and I wasn't
worried about being stranded in the middle of the bay or sinking.
Samurai Island was like a step back in time with its lovely old
buildings. Vicky and I bought some tapioca cake and fruit at the market.
Vicky said she'd never suffered a stomach upset after eating such food
(neither did I while I was there although I ate market food on a number
of occasions).
Doini Island nearby is one of the areas Vicky is looking at for tourism
This hilly island is covered with thick rainforest separated from beaches
of blinding white sand by a belt of graceful casuarinas. Metallic
starlings nesting en masse in a tree near the caretaker's property were
active - I never tired of watching these beautiful irridescent birds. A
Pied Imperial-Pigeon shot out of a tree to my right, a flock of mannikins
(probably Chestnut-breasted), fled the long grass in a sunlit patch
among the forest, an identified meliphagid flitted among the dense
casuarinas, and fruit-doves cooed enticingly from the hill above. Coral
sand beach washed by aqua sea, deep green forest and a variety of birds -
what a combination! I suggested that if I return we spend at least a
night in the area so that I could do a proper bird survey.
The ranges
The next morning Vicky, Peter, the traineed guide and myself left for
Naura in the Owen Stanley Ranges, picking up the appropriate landowners
along the way. The birding day started well with a New Guinea
Harpy-Eagle, and then later the smaller but similar-looking Long-tailed
Buzzard. Both are pale birds of prey with extensive dark banding on
wings and tail.
When we stopped for the others I spotted some unusual black and yellow
birds in a dead tree across the valley. This time the birds had a
orange-yellow face and moustache - Yellow-faced Myna.
We drove along a logging road until it ended, and then walked into the
mountains, five national blokes and two white women.
We were aiming for a spot in the mountains where Conservation
International had reported 27 species of birds of paradise, a two hour
hike, supposedly. However within half an hour Vicky announced that she'd
just been told the walk was two days! As we weren't equipped we decided
to stay where we were overnight, on a mountain ridge.
Huge trees hung with vines towered overhead. Palms and saplings, ferns,
orchids, plots of a beautiful plant with dark green sculpted leaves with
smelt of anise and looked as it it wouldn't be out of place as a pot
plant in a city apartment; great logs covered with moss - the ridge
looked as if it had come right out of a calendar depicting twelve of the
most beautiful places on earth. And it seemed relatively benign. I
found a few burrows possibly of large hunting spiders such as Selenosmia
spp. but no sign of anything else that might cause me to be more
vigilant than I normally am in such places. Apart from grabbing the
trunk of a particularly spiky palm and dealing with a couple of leeches
none of us had any problems.
I went off birdwatching and Pehepi the landowner for that particular area
followed, concerned I would get lost. I thanked him for his concern and
reassured him I was fine. Then he motioned me to follow him.
Stealthily we moved to a tree overhanging a tree-crowded valley. And
there sat two Blyth's Hornbills. Standing underneath the towering
canopy he and I had discussed the skills needed for birdwatching ie
stealth, and camouflage, similar to the skills he needed for successful
hunting.
Not much was moving around in the afternoon heat and so we soon gave up
looking.
Vicky had thought one pot would suffice for cooking rice and boiling
water but the men disagreed and decided to go all the way back to town
to buy a kettle! This incident gave rise to much teasing about 'dim dim'
(white fellow) ways (this didn't include me as I was considered 'mixed
race'),
There was also a slight misunderstanding over sleeping arrangements. I
thought Peter was scared of leeches and so offered to sleep outside on a
tarpaulin or share one of the two large tents with Vicky. However it
turned out Peter was trying to protect me! Sharing our thoughts after
dinner we couldn't stop laughing (the hysteria might have had more to do
with the couple of scotch and cokes we each had!).
Sorting out how to erect the tents took some doing, particularly as it
was dark by then. However they were similar to mine at home, and so we
eventually got them up. However some equipment had been forgotten, eg
sleeping bags and mats and as the night was cold all suffered somewhat,
particularly the men who slept outside on the tarpaulins. My only other
discomfort came from a stake left when the area was cleared for the tent
which threaten to skewer me every time I rolled over! The cold and my
stake were fuel for more jokes and laughter!
After breakfast (rice, fish and coffee) I went off to birdwatch. After
an hour or so Pehepi turned up, Vicky's binoculars around his neck. I
was watching a shrub under which I suspected lurked a bird - judging by
the occasional calls. .It finally popped into sight - a rather plain
brown bird with a white throat, forehead and faint eyebrow. A Lesser
Ground-robin. Pehepi watched for a while and then stalked off to squat
under a large fig tree to watch birds by himself. By then I'd spotted a
large irridescent bird foraging in a fig tree - Trumpet Manucode.
Other birds I saw included a gorgeous Superb Fruit-Dove, Purple-tailed
Imperial-Pigeon, Crested Pitohui, a delightful Blue-grey Robin which
sallied from a branch not far from me, Rufous-backed Fantail, a Frilled
Monarch high above in the canopy, and of course Raggiana's Bird of
Paradise (no males but several females). More Blyth's Hornbills flew
past, with a rumble. Then Pehepi and I put our heads together over a
bird book to work out the birds he had seen. One, I hadn't the foggiest
about. A parrot something like the Papuan King-Parrot, but with a blue
head and breast. Another he had seen was Pinon Imperial Pigeon.
In the undergrowth I spotted a rather beautiful orchid with a white and
pink flower hidden under a fallen log, a Coeleogyne sp. . Other plants
that caught my eye were Commelina sp. (Wandering Jew is a member of this
family), and Smilax sp., a vine. There were beautiful butterflies too,
including a chequered leaf-green butterfly, possibly Graphium ogamemnon.,
As Pehepi and I walked down the mountain together he showed me the
mountain to which his ownership extended, and told me of the orchids in
the area. He was interested in showing these plants, birds and
butterflies to visitors and we talked about hides and lodges. I suggested
a portable hide design using green mosquito net and camouflage
tarpaulins.
When we came upon the loggers' bulldozers Pehepi discovered they had
encroached on his land without permission, and what's more damaged the
area outside of that they had permission to clear. He was very angry and
yelled at the bulldozer drivers. He explained to me that he wanted the
road but not the excess damage. And all wanted something more permanent
than this track built without terraced cuttings and already eroding.
Before we parted Pehepi asked that I take his photograph and show it to
my children. If I couldn't return then one day they might visit, and
would be able to recognise him from his picture.
I left the next day, but hope to return to finish what I started. My
sincere thanks to Vicki Powys for copying the Crouch tapes for me.
Denise
Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra)
08 89818492
www.denisegoodfellow.com
www.earthfoot.org
www.laurelhillpress.com
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