Papua New Guinea 2019
Wood Scorpion
Scoliid Wasp
Sand Wasp digging
Planthopper
Longhorn Beetle
Spiny black weevil
Skink on wooden step
Grasshopper
Spider in its web
A Green Cicada
Male Fiery Skimmer
Swamp Tiger
Scrub Darter
Scrub Darter feeding
Owl butterfly
Orange Bush Brown
Orange Bush Brown
Orchard Swallowtail feeding
Pearl Owl
Owl butterfly on dead leaf
New Guinea Clipper
Female Meadow Argus
Indian Fritillary feeding
Gram Blue
Euchenor Swallowtail feeding
Dingy Ring
Common Grass Yellow
Common Grass Blue
Male Ambrax Swallowtail
Male Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise on tall display post
Male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia catching the light to show the wonderful colouring of his head
Female Ribbon-tailed Astrapia eating fruit at bird table
Male Raggiana Bird of Paradise at communal display site
Male Raggiana Bird of Paradise at communal display site
Male Lesser Bird of Paradise
Displaying male Greater Bird of Paradise
Two male Greater Birds of Paradise displaying
Displaying male Greater Bird of Paradise
Male Brown Sicklebill showing splendid tail
Female Brown Sicklebill eating fruit at bird table
Male Blue Bird of Paradise on display post
White-winged Robin
Pair of Sclater's Crowned Pigeons
Rufous-naped Whistler
Plain Smoky Honeyeater on bird table
Papuan Frogmouth adult and youngster
Orange-breasted Fig Parrot eating berries
Male Flame Bowerbird in his bower
Male Flame Bowerbird tending to his bower
Friendly Fantail
Grey-streaked Honeyeater feeding from tree blossom
Mountain Mouse-warbler
Dwarf Fruit Dove
Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher
Male Brehm's Tiger Parrot at bird table
Belford's Melidectes at bird table
Barred Owlet-nightjar
We were invited to join a trip to Papua New Guinea organised by Josele Saiz of “Boletas Birdwatching Centre”. Nine of us enjoyed a couple of rewarding weeks in PNG in August 2019, seeing 16 Birds of Paradise species amongst a variety of other birds and some fascinating smaller creatures. We started the trip in Port Moresby from where we visited the grounds of the Pacific Adventist University and Varirata National Park before flying to Kiunga on the Fly River in the Western Province. While there we took a lengthy trip up river to spend a night at Kwatu Lodge, a traditional native guest house in a forest clearing. From Kiunga we flew to Mount Hagen in the western highlands from where we drove to Kumul Lodge in Enga Province for a 5 night stay. The trip was rounded off by two fascinating days at the Mount Hagen cultural show.