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| Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise |
We started at 5.30 am with tea, coffee and banana cake, before setting off pre-dawn to try to find a 12 wired Bird of Paradise. Not long after we had set off in the boat, our guide said he could see the bird. To ensure we had the best view possible, he took us onto the land, through a short forest fringe to a path from where we had excellent views of a male, sadly lacking his 12 wires! It is moult time for him. We continued cruising, adding Rufous Night- Heron, Little Black Cormorant, had great views of 4 Palm Cockatoo sitting in a palm tree - very apt - Grey Cuckoo-Dove and Glossy Manucode were also added to our trip list before we had our second stop, this time through a forest which was infested with mosquitos and where we were up to our ankles in water in some places, but it was worth it - after some patience we saw King Bird of Paradise.
Back to the lodge for breakfast, it was then time for a turn around the garden. By now the sun was high in the sky, and the temperature and humidity were soaring. The mozzies were feeding well, and after about 40 minutes we decided to admit defeat and return to the veranda for cooling drinks. We did manage to see male and female Black Sunbird, Mimic Meliphaga, Variable Pithoui and heard a Yellow-billed Kingfisher.
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| The lodge above the river |
After lunch (and a lengthy siesta) we were off down the river again, this time adding four Hornbills, Meyer's Friarbird, Spangled Drongo, Brown Oriole, Orange-bellied Fruit- dove, Oriental Cuckoo, a flying Palm Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Brown Cuckoo-Dove and just to remind us of home, a lovely Common
Sandpiper which was presumably on migration from Siberia.
More Edward's Fig-parrot, and Dusky Loris going were going into roost as we returned to the Lodge.
