Birdwatching and Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Waigeo island is the most suitable destination for visitors who are keen on and birdwatching. Most birdwatchers go to southern Waigeo. They could enjoy birdwatching and snorkeling. The best time to do birdwatching is in the mornings and in the afternoons. Birds such as Coconut Lorikeet, Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's hornbill, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Beach Kingfisher, and Red Bird of Paradise.

To watch birds, visitors need a good pair of binoculars that are equipped with Bak4 roof prisms. They produce sharp image of birds in distant trees. Visitors can also bring my spotting scope. To take pictures of the birds, visitors can use D-SLR camera with telephoto lens. Personally I use an old Fujifilm HS50EXR. It is not the best birdwatching gear on the market but it is good enough to enhance my birding experience while doing birdwatching in Waigeo island.

More coral reef areas could be found in Batanta, Gam, Kri, Mansuar, Arborek, Wayag, Piaynemo, Misool islands, Kofiau. There is abundant marine life in the islands of Raja Ampat. Marine animals. table corals, elkhorn corals, and sea grass thrive at the depths from 0.5 to 10 meters.

Birding Optics

Female Red Bird of Paradise

Snorkeling

After two days of birding in the area, I completed my activities at the beach by enjoying snorkeling over its coral reef. I saw a lot of species of fish including parrotfish, surgeonfish, grouper, boxfish, butterflyfish, moorish idol, needlefish, barracuda, and various damselfish. Raja Ampat has been famous around the world as a regency that has got the highest marine bio-diversity in the world.

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

A friend of mine who owns the land plans to build a dive resorts at this beach. Soon, there will be bungalows which can be rent by tourists who want to enjoy snorkeling and birdwatching at this beach.
As a matter of fact, Raja Ampat has got hundreds of islands which visitors can choose to enjoy snorkeling, and birdwatching such as Mansuar, Mansuar Kecil, Gam, Arborek, Waigeo, Piaynemo, Batanta, Salawati, Misool, and Wayag. There are homestays or dive resorts operated by local people and foreign companies.

If you are interested in taking snorkeling and birdwatching tour in Raja Ampat and mainland West Papua, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Birding and Photography Tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Snorkeling Holiday in Raja Ampat
• Birding Tour in Sonder of Minahasa Highland

Wildlife Binoculars

I often guide tourists in the forest. To watch birds, butterflies on distant flowers, or orchids in high trees, we usually use binoculars. I personally use a pair of 10x42 mm Visionking binoculars. They have got Bak4 roof prisms to deliver crisp images of birds or other wild animals that I watch. But they are not the best birdwatching optics available in the market.
Recommended Binoculars

a pair of Swarovski SLC 10×42 WB binoculars

For the best wildlife watching experience, I highly recommend that visitors buy a pair of Swarovski SLC 10x42 WB binoculars. The binoculars have got fluorite HD glass elements, and are filled with nitrogen. They are light enough to travel with. These binoculars belong to Mr. and Mrs. Buttiker, Swiss tourists who visited Arfak range for birdwatching.

Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata) was eating Red-Pandanus Fruit

During their trip in Arfak mountains, they were able to watch Vogelkop Bowerbird, Western Parotia, Green-backed Robin, Feline Owlet-Nightjar, Emerald Ground Dove, and etc. These birds were seen at the elevation between 1,300 and 1,500 meters above sea level.
For birds that live in lowland and lower montane forest, the variety of species will be different. Based on my previous birdwatching experience, I saw Lesser Birds of Paradise, Glossy Manucode, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificemt Riflebird, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Hooded Butcherbird, Palm Cockatoo, and a lot more.
Because the humidity and rainfall in tropical rainforest is very high, I highly recommend that visitors bring binoculars that are watertight or waterproof.

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)
in Arfak mountains

There are also similar binoculars manufactured by Leica, Nikon or Vortex.
Spotting Scope
In addition to binoculars, I also use a very affordable Kinglux 20- 60×60 spotting scope. It is equipped with Bak4 prism and is filled with nitrogen gas. Experienced birdwatchers usually bring Swarovski ATX 30-70×95 spotting scope.
Booking
If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour with me in Raja Ampat, Klasow valley of Sorong, and Arfak mountains of Manokwari, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com. written by Charles Roring

Birdwatching Tour in Manokwari Forest

King Bird of Paradise in Susnguakti forest
Arfak mountains - Manokwari

There are several birdwatching sites in Manokwari regency. One of them is Susnguakti forest in the eastern region of Arfak mountains. Its lower montane forest environment is the natural habitat of several species of paradise birds including Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius), Magnificent Riflebird.
There are also other birds that can be watched in the rainforest of Susnguakti such as Hooded Butcherbird, Blyth's hornbill, and Common Paradise Kingfisher.
Tropical rainforest that covers this area is actually a rich environment. Visitors can see colorful butterflies such as Vindula arsinoe, and various kinds of lizards, including the Arfak Dragon Lizard. There are snakes too. But the main attractions in Susnguakti forest, in addition to birds, are cuscus possum, glowing mushrooms, fireflies, and a large varieties of plants.
Accommodation

Camping site in the forest of Susnguakti, Manokwari

As of today, there is no guesthouse in the middle of Susnguakti forest of Manokwari. But we have built simple shelters for our guests who want to stay for a few days. We have served tens of visitors who come from various countries in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.
We also provide complete camping (shelter, mattrasses, and tents), cooking and eating utensils for visitors and local guides.
How to get there?

Lesser Birds of Paradise in Manokwari forest

Fly from your country to Jakarta, or Manado. These are big cities in Indonesia. After that, take a domestic flight to Manokwari. Airlines such as Garuda, Batik, and Sriwijaya have got regular flights between Jakarta and Manokwari.
I can meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and organize your trip to Susnguakti forest.
Booking
Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Azure Kingfisher

Azure Kingfisher in Klasow valley

This is the picture of an Azure Kingfisher that I saw while I was guiding a Dutch visitor in Klasow valley of Sorong regency, Indonesia. At first, I thought it was a Dwarf Kingfisher but after reading some description in the field guide book Birds of New Guinea, I concluded that it was an Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus).
The bird lives near the river whose water is calm. I and the Dutch birder were sitting at the bank of a small river when I saw the bird landed on a vine just a few meters away from me. It was was a nice moment. I took my Fujifilm camera and slowly aimed it at the bird. I made several shots of the bird. There are several species of Kingfishers in the valley. Some of them include: Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, and Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher.
If you plan to go birdwatching in rainforest of West Papua, don't forget to bring a good pair of binoculars such as 10x42 that is made by Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, or Nikon.

Also read:

• Tangkoko Birding Tour
• Birding and Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Kingfishers

There are a lot of species of Kingfishers in tropical rainforest of West Papua. I personally have seen a lot of them both in lowland, lower montane forest and in the islands of Raja Ampat, Klasow valley and Arfak mountains. In lower montane forest of Arfak range, while I was waiting for the Lesser Birds of Paradise to show up in the branches of trees above myself, suddenly I saw a Common Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea) landed on a branch of a tree just a few meters away from me. He sat there for less than one minute and then flew away again. Fortunately, I was able to make some pictures of the bird. It was the second time I saw the bird in relatively the same place.

Kingfishers of Klasow Valley

Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher

I also saw several species of Kingfishers in lowland forest of Sorong regency. Some of them include Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra and Yellow-billed Kingfisher. Some like to live along the sides of the river whereas others like forest edges near the village. For the Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, I saw the bird several times in Klasow valley. I does not live near a river. The bird liked to sit alone one the branch of a tree with the above green leaves as heat cover. Actually, I did not see the bird. I was walking towards a tree where Lesser Birds of Paradise were dancing. A local guide stopped me and pointed his finger to the kingfisher. The bird was not far. I immediately aimed my Fujifilm HS 50EXR camera at the bird ant shot him. A few seconds later, the bird flew away. I was lucky, it was a good shot.

Yellow-billed Kingfisher

For the picture of these Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro), I took it when I guided a Chinese lady in Klasow valley. We were trying to see King Bird of Paradise but he did not show up. Next, we moved on to the tree where Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise like to perch and dance. He did not come either. But ee heard the sounds of Yellow-billed Kingfisher at the forest edge that bordered with the clearing area of the village. We approached the birds. They were not afraid of us. Perhaps, the birds were so much attracted to each other. It was a mating season for the kingfishers, I think.

In Raja Ampat, I had the chance to see Hooked-billed Kingfisher while walking in the forest in southern region of Waigeo. I also saw Beach Kingfisher on several occasions. Recently, I visited Waisai town of Raja Ampat for two days. While I was doing a short birding walk at a cape near the harbor of the town, I saw a Beach Kingfisher calling from a branch of a tree near the sea. He was quite big compared to other kingfishers.

I will go to Sorong regency tomorrow again. I hope that I will be able to see and make photographs of the ones that I have not seen before.
Also read:

• Tangkoko Birding Tour
• Birding and Photography Tour in Minahasa Highland