Hertfordshire News, Comment and Bulletin articles
This month
Birding Beyond Hertfordshire - Papua New Guinea (part 2)
Trip to Spain planned - spaces available
News from HBC Rare Birds Panel
Return to the Herts Bird Club homepage
Birding Beyond Hertfordshire - Papua New Guinea (part 2)
Ted Fletcher concludes his report, the first part of which can be found here.
Breakfast at six and we were all keyed up after yesterday’s frenzied experiences. Today's plan was to drive (slowly) uphill almost to the maximum height possible (8440 ft) to seek a few of the species which favoured the high plateau. It was strangely quiet and probably to be expected that an anticlimax was scheduled. New Guinea Harpy Eagle and Salvadori's Teal were two targets that failed to show. Torrent Lark did oblige as did Papuan and Plum-faced Lorikeets, Garnet Robin and Blue-capped Ifrita. I always marvel at the names of some of the birds one encounters in a totally foreign environment, a bit like the letters left over at the end of a game of scrabble. Allied to the babblers, the ifrita's name derives from an Arabic (!) word for spirit or djinn and was so-called by C. Kowaldi, a government agent in British New Guinea in the 1890's - well, you learn something every day! We abandoned the heights and descended around 1500 feet for some forest birding, always a challenge but more so in PNG. Birds were the anticipated few and far between but among the successes of stalking along narrow and non-existent trails were Lesser Melampitta, Mountain Mouse Warbler (its name says it all), Large Scrubwren, White-winged Robin, Regent Whistler and Papuan Logrunner. The fact that no-one saw all more or less typified the trials involved with birding such habitat. We gave the driver an afternoon off and opted instead to follow a well defined scenic river trail which followed a four-mile up and down circle starting from and returning to the lodge. A VERY BAD MISTAKE - WORST DECISION OF THE TRIP!!! Along the way there was the prospect of crossing three narrow bamboo suspension bridges that spanned the river rushing below, giving extra excitement and a trio of photo opportunities - no, that was not the reason for despair. Capped and New Guinea White-eyes were new birds and a most fleeting glimpse of a Buff-tailed Sicklebill - another new BoP - teased people's moral code. Should it be counted or not? Most took the ethical high-ground, declaring that they would not. I wonder what they thought back home, if updating a world list?? The local guide had just remarked that we had passed the half-way point when, as if the weather had been waiting for exactly such comment, it began to rain. Within less than a minute it became plainly evident why rainforest is so-called but on reflection, nobody had expected such ferocity and no-one from a widely travelled group could recall such a downpour. Imagine standing fully clothed under a power shower that operated from above, alongside and below. It was no use trying to shelter - once the upper leaves had become saturated (two minutes?) they offered no protection. Umbrellas were forcibly beaten down. The path very quickly became a muddy stream, quickly assuming sporadic riverine proportions. Rain that hit anything solid bounced upwards. It took around 90 minutes for the group to return to the lodge. Each moved at their own pace with the local guide bringing up the rear for obvious safety reasons. The last to arrive back was twenty minutes later than the first. The oft used cliché 'soaked to the skin' applied literally to everyone. No person could later boast of a single item of dry clothing. Despite the severe drenching, it was an enjoyable walk until the skies opened and after a hot shower (probably not really necessary), a change of clothes and once dry again, good humour prevailed. The trip grand total was now 177.
Our routine was now well established, up at six for an early breakfast and then out for more birds. The initial destination was downhill to a known haunt of Blue Bird of Paradise. The slight drizzle was essentially un-noticed when compared with yesterday's 'waterfall' but was not conducive to quality birding. We had mooched up and down with little reward save for some tiny Island Leaf Warblers flitting in the canopy when suddenly the target was heard in the distance. The drawback was that a solid wall of shrubs and low trees blocked the line of sight. Then one of those uplifting episodes of serendipity that occasionally smiles and offsets all the past disappointments befell. One of the party had located a tiny gap in the foliage and, by pure chance, the only line of sight was directly to the bird, an excellent male alternately preening and crowing. There was room for only the single 'scope so everyone had swift views prior to taking a second, then even third look as the bird remained on a dead branch. It was another colourful example with a black cowl and a light-blue back. Short blue plumes were eclipsed by two very long black tail streamers. Regrettably, during the 15 or so minutes it was observed, it chose not to perform its inverted display and call. We had just all scrambled back into the bus to move away when a shout of 'parotia' from the driver created instant panic. A Lawes' Parotia had just flown in. This was yet another BoP, albeit one of the duller species with a small green bib. The male parotias are characterised by six bouncing spatulate head wires and these could be clearly seen, as could its white forehead spot. So, in high spirits we re-embarked for the journey down the mountain. This was punctuated by stops for more good birds: Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Fan-tailed and Brush Cuckoos, Black-shouldered Kite, White-shouldered Fairywren and Black-headed Whistler. After an hour or so, we pulled up at one of the Cultural Centres dotted along the road, ostensibly as a loo stop. This proved to be a very sound move as the next hour or so spent in the centre's grounds turned up some of the most memorable birding of the entire trip. Pride of place went to a Papuan Frogmouth roosting motionless on a high bough. Close 'scope scrutiny showed that it was sitting on a nest and very occasionally the head and neck of a fluffy white chick could be discerned beneath the adult's breast feathers - surely a sight seen by very few. The episode prompted somebody to venture whether frogmouth chicks ought to be called tadpolemouths! Next in line were six diminutive Red-breasted Pygmy Parrots, incredibly tiny (half a centimetre smaller than a Goldcrest) treecreeper-like greenish birds with a blue head, pink cheeks and a red breast, which were feeding communally on a lichen covered trunk. Two nearby Papuan King Parrots provided an excellent comparison of scale. Another Lawes' Parotia gave far better views of its racquet tipped head wires than the one seen earlier. We reluctantly left the centre in search of the last quarry of the day, a dark brown duck with white scalloped flanks, chocolate brown head and orange bill. This was Salvadori's Teal, a bird found only in the montane areas of New Guinea. We spread out along a shallow ridge overlooking the fast-flowing Hulia River and waited - and waited - and waited - and......there they were, a pair close to the bank in view for all of ten seconds before merging back into the reeds - no problem!
Next day was the last full day in PNG and the general plan was to try to catch up with some of the more significant dips, top of the list being the Harpy Eagle not seen two days ago so it was turn right outside the gate and drive up to the plateau again. Two hours on the summit grasslands produced three times as many eagles as last time but three times nil is still nothing. Tawny Grassbird was new however, this nondescript brown job probably illustrating the depths to which we had now descended for new ticks. We heard Mountain Kingfisher for the umpteenth time but continued to fail to connect. Black-throated Honeyeater was a new bird for all and I caught up with Canary Flycatcher and Garnet Robin, two species I had missed previously. The plumage of Garnet Robin is described as unique at which I could not cavil - the male having a deep red rump, back and cap, dark wings and tail with a conspicuous white wing bar, tail feather tips and eye ring. A short foray off the road on the way back down proved fruitful adding Mountain Firetail, Lemon-breasted Berrypecker, White-bibbed Fruit Dove, Meyer's Goshawk and Olive Straightbill to the trip list whilst two Short-tailed Paradigallas dashed past, bisecting the group at waist level. Birds of Paradise had been prominent throughout the day with the tally of King-of-Saxonys reaching double figures and that of Brown Sicklebills almost that but one last bonus was declared with the sight of a stunning male Crested Bird of Paradise showing its golden-orange back. At the log call that evening the symbolic figure of 200 species was passed, my own tally of birds seen reaching 194.
Last Day! October 6th was mainly a travel day encompassing a long rickety drive plus two flights. We enjoyed a final breakfast at Ambua looking out over breathtaking views on a glorious morning. The first stop was Tari where we landed six days ago and it was there that the final new bird of the trip was logged - a Grey Wagtail! Half way round the world to see a species that I can find within a few hundred yards but that's surely what birding is all about. It was market day at Tari and it seemed to us that the total valley population had come to see us off as the perimeter wire fence was packed solid with parents and children massed beneath a sea of multi-coloured umbrellas and all waving enthusiastically. The numbers would have been the envy of many soccer clubs in the lower divisions. Maybe they were glad to see us go! At Port Moresby, it was quickly back to the hotel, each to reclaim luggage that needed to be left behind when we travelled inland due to the weight restrictions on the internal flights, a brief snack and a sally round nearby shops for souvenirs. Everyone admitted to arriving in PNG with an element of apprehension, we departed as complete converts having fallen under its spell - birding amid the island's extraordinarily beautiful rainforests may have been tough but wow, what birds!!!
Those readers who have been paying attention will now query the comment in the first sentence of the previous paragraph. What happened to the second flight? Well, it was just about to occur as the party was now off to Cairns in Australia for a further eight days - but that's another story.......
There were very few downsides to the trip. No-one was really bothered by any insects, although most people did get at least a few bites. My legs reacted quite violently on account of something that I had eaten, been bittten by, touched or washed with but basically cleared up in a few days. The humidity was oppressive at times but was certainly not unbearable, neither did it actually spoil anyone's enjoyment. Food was excellent throughout, being a mix of local dishes and meals to be found in any English restaurant. I did have one minor trivial disappointment. We did not encounter a Carola's Parotia. Please bear with me. The parotias used to be known as six-wired birds of paradise before somebody decided that the names were too long-winded. They were renamed parotias from the greek word parotis, meaning a lock or curl by the ear, and referring to the racquet-tipped head wires that spring from the head of the males. Carola's was further expanded as Queen Carola of Saxony's Six-wired Bird of Paradise and, at that time was the bird with the longest name in the world, whether counted by letters or by the number of words. It would have been rather exclusive to have been able to claim to have seen the bird that once had the longest ever name, now incidentally held by the Himalayan Golden-backed Three toed Woodpecker (unless, of course, somebody knows differently). There's something else you have learned.
It would be wrong if I did not give full credit for assistance in preparing this article. It was impossible to recall all the details from a check list and I am very grateful to Chris Kightley for readily giving me permission to refer freely to - no, let's be honest, to plagiarise ( 'let no-one else's work evade your eyes' - Tom Lehrer) the Limosa Holidays trip report of the tour. Also, I have purposely been careful not to produce an article that consisted of list after list of birds seen each day, rather I have tried to concentrate on individual highlights.
One final comment is whilst preparing this article, I read a travel piece about scuba diving in PNG wherein the remoteness of some parts of the country were illustrated by the fact that, since the advent of aircraft, over 5,000 planes have been recorded as crashing in New Guinea, a large number of which flew into mountains in low cloud, especially during World War II. A more telling rider was that over 2,000 of them remain unlocated. Happy holidays.
Ted Fletcher
Birding Beyond Hertfordshire - Spaces available on trip to Picos, Spain, March 2002
Jack Fearnside and Gary Elton are planning a trip to Picos at the end of March 2002, target species include Black Woodpecker, Wallcreeper, and Snow Finch. Anybody interested in going should contact either Jack (01923 237984) or Gary (020 8428 3964) for further details.
Hilfield Bird Report 2000 is now ready. For your copy send a Cheque or Postal Order for £2.50 (includes post and packaging) to: Gary Elton, 263 Muirfield Road, South Oxhey, Watford, Herts WD1 6HZ
Proposed changes to species requiring descriptions for assessment by HBC Rare Birds Panel
At its meeting on 5 June 2001, the Herts Bird Club Rare Birds Panel (Jack Fearnside, Alan Harris, Mike Ilett, Barry Reed, Rob Young and Ted Fletcher - Secretary) reviewed the list of species for which descriptions, to be assessed by the panel, were required. Since the removal of Buzzard from the list in 1996, the numbers of several other species have increased considerably to the extent that it is suspected that some records are not being submitted solely because to so do would require the observer to prepare a description - a task which some consider onerous, especially where multiple sightings have occurred. The task of the panel would also be eased were it not necessary if some of the now more common birds, which present no identification pitfalls, no longer needed to be assessed.
Accordingly the panel recommended that the following species be removed from the list of those needing such descriptions:-
| Red Kite |
| Marsh Harrier |
| Osprey |
| Mediterranean Gull |
| Yellow-legged Gull |
| Waxwing |
A safeguard would be available to the County Recorder to request a description if he believed the circumstances warranted. This was thought to be possible in the case of the two gulls.
Additionally, it was also proposed that Barnacle Goose be removed from the full County List as the provenance of all birds seen in Herts was as escapes from captive stock or it was not possible to establish an unambiguous wild pedigree.
Conversely, the panel believed that there were some species which were now far less common where the integrity of the record would benefit from a review by the panel and they have proposed that the following species should now qualify for a description and assessment:-
| Green-winged Teal |
| Common Scoter |
| Knot |
| Sanderling |
| Curlew Sandpiper |
| Spotted Redshank |
| Little Tern |
| Bearded Tit |
| Mealy Redpoll |
Notwithstanding the inclusion of the above species, the overall effect would definitely result in less descriptions being needed.
The Herts Bird Club's Committee endorsed the above proposals at its meeting on 5th July with the comment that they be brought into effect immediately.
Ted Fletcher
A full list of species requiring a description will be added to the website very soon. [GW]