THE DAY OF THE WILSON'S BIRD-OF-PARADISE EXTRAVAGANZA

So this was it. THE day. The day when we would get to see the incomparable Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise. If anyone has ever asked you what’s the ‘best bird’ you’ve seen or some similar awkward question, well look no further! It was almost an hour’s drive to the start of the trail and we did it in the dark of course (another 4.30am start) and then a short and very easy 15 minute walk to the large hide. We were inside by 5.45am and then waited impatiently for dawn to break, but could hear the Wilson’s BoP’s calling almost as soon as we arrived. With the light seemingly taking an inordinate amount of time to do it’s one job we could see several birds moving around and eventually could make out bright scarlet or crimson backs of at least 4 Wilson’s BoP’s. Anyway, over the next hour and a half we had the most incredible views of what has to be THE most beautiful of all Birds-of-Paradise…. The males danced around their vertical display spikes just a few inches above the ground, whilst several females watched on rather unamused I thought. It was one of those magical sights I’ve dreamed about for years. I mean, the males look like they have glowing blue brains exposed to the world, a bright scarlet mantle, shining green underparts, and curly tail wired that look like they are made out of velvet. Just look at these photos man!

The one, the only........... Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise

I could go on with the superlatives but at the risk of you throwing up! SO how to follow that little episode……? Well a Papuan Pitta began calling and it took a bit of effort but eventually everyone had decent looks at this most-wanted bird as well. 

Always in the gloomiest part of the forest...... Papuan Pitta

What a start to the morning, with numerous Common Paradise-Kingfishers calling all around we walked back to the waiting cars and had breakfast. We were definitely on a roll as a pair of Raja Ampat Pitohui’s showed quite well right next to us before we drove a bit further along the former logging track. We then began walking, trying to find Western Crowned Pigeon but I wasn’t enthused by our chances as the local guides didn’t seem that bothered in my opinion. So instead we just birded and had a successful couple of hours along a side trail with Common Paradise-Kingfisher, Frilled Monarch, Black Berrypecker, several Tawny-breasted Honeyeaters, Northern Fantail, Pale-billed Scrubwren and Fairy Gerygone.

 

After lunch back at the resort we returned to the same forest and this time had good views of the rare Brown-headed Crow, as well as Puff-backed Honeyeater, and repeated views of many of the same species as this morning. But it was rather slow going, with a Papuan Frogmouth seen on telegraph wires as we drove back to the resort.