Rondon Ridge to Ambua

The Interior Highlands

Today we transferred from Rondon to Ambua.   After a 6 am breakfast we took a chartered flight in a small plane to the Ambua airstrip.   This is a small runway which aims uphill - an interesting experience!   We waitied to film the plane taking off again - downhill this time.   Within five minutes we had arrived at the lodge where the hydro-electricity was on the blink and we were checked into the "business" wing.   Noisy with absolutely no insulation between the two floors, but brand new and clean, it was comfortable.

Ambua Lodge gardens

We had a cup of tea by the main lodge and watched Great Woodswallow perched and calling from a nearby tree.   Pied Bushchat moved from perch to perch, utilising the roofs of the nearby rondavels as look out points.   Glossy Swiftlets and Pacific Swallow flew above us.

Before lunch we had an orientation meeting then had a walk to the helipad to start our Ambua list.   It was a slow start with not a bird to be seen or heard for some time.   Eventually a Melidictes showed it's face - we could not make up our minds between Belford's and Yellow-Browed.   We decided it could be a hybrid
of the two, but tomorrow will tell when we have our birding guide with us - today we had a stand in.

We took a walk back through the lodge and out towards a small waterfall and along the small levada which had been built to funnel the water to the hydro-electric system (currently failing!).   Here we did a lot better with Brown Sicklebill, brilliant views of Yellow-bellied Lorikeet, Red-collared Myzomela, Common Smokey Honeyeater, Friendly and Black Fantail, Canary Flycatcher,  Blue-grey Robin, Black Kite and a female Stephanie's Astrapia completed the morning's list.

Pied Bushchat

Just before lunch we had the entertainment of a marital dispute between two locals involving a lot of shouting, running and the wielding of machetes!   As far as we are aware it all ended amicably . . . .but see later.

After lunch we had a siesta then met up at 3 pm for a trip along the Ambua/Tari Gap road for some birding along the roadside.   This is an area which has proved very productive in the past but as we drove along we could see huge areas which are being cleared of trees.   It does not bode well for the future.

As the usual afternoon rain fell we sat in the bus waiting for it to ease, and as with every other afternoon so far, by 4 pm it was drying up, and we could start our walk.

We added the following birds this afternoon; Papuan Lorikeet - both usual and dark morph, Blue-capped Irifa, Crested Berrypecker a very handsome bird, Dimorphic Fantail, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia - male female and juvenile at different stages, Rufous-backed Honeyeater, displaying Brown Sicklebill, King of

The Hydro-electric Sluice

Saxony Bird of Paradise, and at the end of the afternoon at the start of the drive Phil found the male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia.

As the weather was brighter we decided to walk the last few hundred yards back to the lodge, with the bus following behind.   Dispute number two occurred when a young girl came running down the road towards us with an older man, brandishing a machete and both shouting at each other.   Every so often the woman stopped to hurl a large stone at the man, then carried on running.   They were accompanied by a large crowd laughing and enjoying the entertainment.   We have Relate - PNG deals with things in a more direct way.

King of Saxony Bird of Paradise

After a quick wash and brush up it was time for dinner, the checklist and a five minute birding session to look for Papuan Boobook.   Success within minutes -a real first for night birding, eh Colin!