PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2026 Part two: Huon & hotel gardens (07-10 August)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2026 Part two: Huon & hotel gardens

Friday 07 August 2026. We had breakfast at 05:30, departed from Crossroads at 06:00 and arrived at the charter entrance to Lae airport soon after 06:30. It was with some relief that we learned that the spare part had arrived the previous evening and had been fitted. We went through the weighing process again, saw Plumed Egret, Singing Bush Lark and Tree Sparrows and boarded the flight at about 07:30. Our pilot demonstrated why the P-750 was an XSTOL (Extra Short Take Off and Landing) getting us airborne, fully loaded, in under 800ft! It was a short hop over the mountains to the small coastal fishing village of Wasu where we arrived at about 08:00. A small crowd was gathered although they mainly appeared to be children on their way to school. A quick turn around by our plane left us waiting but before we could feel abandoned our arranged vehicle, a very uncomfortable flat-bed truck soon appeared. We climbed aboard and drove to a shop in the village where we stocked up with water, fruit, rice and some tins, all of which would have been too heavy to carry by plane. The shop had a range of more general goods and was presumably provisioned by an irregular ferry - a regular one might be a more reliable option than flying? At the shop I replaced the cap I'd lost/left in the taxi at Varirata on our first day. It was Chinese, cost about £3, and I've been wearing it ever since. We headed up a rough dirt road into the hills, sharing the back of the truck with our provisions and a few locals. I had flyaway views of 2 Pesquet's Parrots and 2 Great Woodswallows but it was hard to hold binoculars steady from the back of the truck. We arrived at Huon Birding Camp at 10:35 and dumped our bags. While tents and camp beds were being set up we birded up the road for a couple of hours before returning for lunch. I had a distant, barely identifiable view of a Black-mantled Goshawk (I'd not taken a scope which would have been useful) and saw 3 Huon Astrapias briefly in flight. After lunch we drove lower down to look for Emperor Bird of Paradise and soon heard a couple of males calling some way below the road. A trail led in the right direction and a fledgling was seen almost immediately but the males never seemed to get any closer despite our going some way down and low cloud rolled in. We returned to the road obtaining brief views of a female near where the fledgling had been. Two of the three endemic BoPs seen but neither were at all satisfactory. We were back at the camp at 18:00 and after a decent meal we tried spotlingting up the road for a couple of hours. This proved much more successful than our birding during daylight with good views of Feline and Mountain Owlet-Nightjars, a male Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Red-collared Myzomela, Olive Straightbill, Black-breasted Boatbill, Fan-tailed Berrypecker and Slaty Robin. Other birds seen during the day included Mountain Myzomela, 6 Grey Crows, Canary Flyrobin and 2 Island Leaf Warblers. Not a great start, at least in terms of views obtained of the better birds in daylight, but at least we'd made it to Huon.

replacement part fitted and tested

loading the hold

refuelling

onboard and ready to leave

crossing the Huon Mountains

so much good forest below although we wouldn't be reaching this elevation

Wasu landing strip

a quick turnaround

Nick and my tent, relatively tidy but we'd only just arrived

our view

our neighbours

a bit of protein with our bananas

Emperor Bird-of-Paradise fledgling

Mountain Owlet-Nightjar above Huon Birding Camp

Olive Straightbill above Huon Birding Camp

Feline Owlet-Nightjar above Huon Birding Camp

Saturday 08 August 2026. We were the first group at the camp for over 18 months and possibly as a result there seemed to be some issues around local knowledge and access for, in particular, Bird of Paradise and Bowerbird display areas. We were told there were two Wahne's Parotia hides, one seating 2 and the other 4 although it wasn't clear where they were or how much they were being used. We set off up the road after an early breakfast and after about half an hour stopped by a narrow trail that dropped steeply into a forested valley. This was apparently the way to a/both Parotia hide/s but it was quite a long way. How far?? The ladies stayed on the road while the rest of us set off down the trail but after 10 minutes, by which time we'd dropped a fair distance, Dani called a halt to check whether we wanted to continue. He apparently tried to dissuade us but maybe I didn't hear that. Having come this far it seemed foolish not to go on although the lack of knowledge in whaty awaited us was a bit of a concern. Dani went back, we continued with three guides. For me it was to be a very big mistake. Easy with hindsight to bail out and let some of the others try it out knowing we had a couple of hours, but no more, the following morning if they were successful. Easy with hindsight. We continued dropping splitting into 3 and 2, me the first of the three. Given the hide sizes I assumed we three were heading for the four seater but on arrival it seemed clear it was only for two and my being first had to shuffle to the far side, where viewing was very restricted, so Nick who was third could get in at all. I was somewhat dismayed that the ground infront of the hide was covered in several layers of leaves, in complete contrast to dancing floors I'd seen in West Papua. I asked the guide where the bird appeared and an angled trunk was pointed out. If I leant into Chris and closed one eye I could just about see it, rather uncomfortably. We were in the hide for over an hour and I saw absolutely nothing. Nick and Chris saw a distant dark shape fly through the background that might have been a parotia or a bowerbird. We left the hide and were surprised to find Jurgen and Andrew with a guide 2-300 metres back up the track. They'd not been taken to the other hide but were waiting to try ours. With our lack of success we all headed back to the road. Dani was waiting having had a decent couple of hours with Norma and Helena. He and Helena had seen a Wahne's Parotia fly over from the back of the truck as they were driving further up the road and they'd all had good views of Spangled Honeyeater and better views of Black-mantled Goshawk and Huon Astrapia. We all birded the road for an hour, me getting another brief flight view of a Huon Astrapia, but the clouds rolled in and we returned for lunch. I'd seen a couple of interesting shapes in the gloom that might, in better weather, have been Spangled Honeyeaters but very little else. After lunch we headed lower down to a different Emperor Bird of Paradise display tree. Fortunately we dropped below the clouds but on the guides recommendation that we'd be watching the BoPs from under the tree left telescopes behind. After a 15 minute walk we arrived at a dwelling on a fairly open ridge which overlooked at some distance an open tree with several male and female Emperor Birds of Paradise jumping around on open branches. Close they were not, in fact too distant for me to even attempt photos, although I now wish I had. One of the guides was sent back for telescopes (Norma had brought one too) but as might have been predicted, given how things were going, the clouds rolled in and the birds dispersed before they returned. At least we'd seen males but not the hoped for Bird of the Trip performance. Another spotlighting session produced Rufous-backed Honeyeater, Red-collared Myzomela, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, Slaty Robin and Papuan White-eye. It was definitely easier to see birds spotlighted at night, they just sat there before flying off before I could get my bins on them. Despite this issue during the day I also saw 2 Amboyna Cuckoo-Doves, Coconut Lorikeet, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Marbled Honeyeater, Helmetted Friarbird, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, bits of a Tit Berrypecker, 2 Regent and a Brown-backed Whistler, 2 Black and 2 Northern Fantails, Black Monarch, a smart Black-throated Robin, Island Leaf Warbler and Papuan White-eye. I also heard but failed to see Orange-crowned Fairywren, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Greater Lophorina and Growling Riflebird. Nothing was seen well/close enough to warrant attempting photos, a rather sad state of affairs.

Sunday 09 August 2026. Our last morning at Huon although as we had to leave camp at 10:00 it was to be a rather short morning. After an early breakfast we drove up the road to the area we'd been in the clouds the previous day. Fortunately it was clear and a few birds were active, one called as a Dwarf Koel flew into the top of a distant tree. I couldn't get any detail on it through binoculars. I switched to camera in the hope of obtaining an identifiable image but couldn't find it, it had flown and was later reidentified as a female parotia.  A couple of Spangled Honeyeaters zipped back and forth across the road but dived into cover before I could see them. We went 50m along a trail to where we'd heard Spotted Jewel-Babbler. It called distantly but wasn't responding. I returned to the road hoping for an identifiable view of Spangled Honeyeater and was soon joined by Nick. One soon flew across and landed but with its head obscured for me. Nick, a few metres away, had a clear view of it and went back onto the trail. I stayed out feeling I needed to see the bright yellow facial wattle and five minutes later, for about 5 seconds, I had an identifiable view of a Spangled Honeyeater. I quickly joined the others, now 150m further down the trail, to discover they'd had eyeball views of a Spangled Honeyeater, seen a skulky New Guinea Bronzewing and you've guessed it a Wahne's Parotia feeding high in a tree. I hung around the parotia tree for a while but nothing was moving so I joined the others at a viewpoint. Here a Mountain Kingfisher flew high into a tree above us where it gave reasonable views. We were now running short of time and headed out to the road, walking down a short way to where the truck was waiting for us. Before reaching the truck fate played a final wind-up. I saw a striking butterfly (or moth?) and while stopping to photograph it heard Dani shout 'Wahne's Parotia'. He and those nearest him saw it as it flew out of a nearby tree and disappeared. That effectively was it, my long standing desire to visit the Huon had turned out to be a huge disappointment. Whether a later charter to Lae and an extra few hours that morning would have made a difference I'll never know, although I felt sure the lost day had. We returned to camp, picked up our bags and drove down to the coast. Other birds I saw during our final few hours on the Huon included 8 Papuan Mountain Pigeons, 3 Mountain Swiftlet, 2 Marbled and a Black-throated Honeyeater, Black-breasted Boatbill, Regent Whistler, 3 Huon Astrapias incuding one perched briefly, Canary Flyrobin, Papuan Grassbird and Island Leaf Warbler while Lesser Melampitta was heard distantly.

Our charter flight to Lae was scheduled for 11:00 and arrived on time. We were back at Lae and transferred to the Crosroads for lunch. We were not flying from Lae to Port Morseby until the following morning so I was hopeful of an afternoon trip to Merambi Bridge and improved Edwards's Fig Parrot views but the Crossroads gardens for the 4th time was all that was on offer. I saw included a Pinon and 40 Torresian Imperial Pigeons, 2 Orange-bellied Fruit-Doves, 3 Blyth's Hornbills, Sacred Kingfisher, 2 Sulphur-crested Cocatoos, 3 Papuan Eclectuses, 2 Red-cheeked Parrots, 20 Dusky Lorys, 2 Coconut Lorikeets, 2 Scrub Honeyeaters, 2 Brown Orioles, 3 Yellow-faced Mynas and 10 Shining Starlings.

Mountain Kingfisher above Huon Birding Camp

Mirionia paradisea, the day flying moth that might have cost me a Parotia view

preparing to load up (registration P2-NCA?)

leaving Wasu just 48 hours after we had arrived

last view of Wasu

braided river near Lae (registration on wing P2-ANH??)

Yellow-faced Mynas at Crossroads

Monday 10 August 2026. Early breakfast and an hours wander around Crossroads Gardens before getting the bus to the airport. At Crossroads and Lae's Nadzab airport I saw 60 Torresian Imperial Pigeons, 2 Variable Goshawks, 2 Plumed Egrets, a Brahminy and 12 Black Kites, 2 Sacred Kingfishers, 2 Papuan Eclectuses, 4 Helmetted Friarbirds, 2 White-bellied Cuckooshrikes, Brown Oriole, 4 Willie Wagtails, 4 Pacific Swallows, 3 Yellow-faced Mynas and 5 Tree Sparrows - much as on the four previous occasions. Our Lae to Port Moresby flight was on time and we were back at Airways by lunchtime. Nothing had been organised for the afternoon and as it was hot Nick and I left it until 16:30 for a wander around the hotel gardens. We saw Torresian Imperial Pigeon, 2 Peaceful Doves, 2 Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds, 3 Rufous-banded and 4 Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters, 2 Black-faced Cuckooshrikes, 6 White-breasted Woodswallows, 2 Willie Wagtails, a Torresian Crow and 15 Tree Sparrows.

Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds at Airways

Yellow-tinted Honeyeater at Airways

Brahminy Kite at Airways

Torresian Imperial Pigeon at Airways

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2026 Part one: getting to Huon (02-06 August)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2026

I visited PNG in 2004 (starts here) and 2006 (starts here), both successful trips organised by Jon Hornbuckle which between them covered all the main birding sites with the exception of the Huon. In early 2019 Matt Eade asked me if I was interested in joining a private trip to PNG including Huon that summer. After much thought I declined. It was hard to justify a second or third trip to most of the sites despite there being a few nice birds I'd previously missed. Later I heard someone on Matt's trip had dropped out and had a rethink but by the time I contacted him he'd found a replacement. No worries, I had a good time in Borneo but as the years rolled by Huon increasingly seemed a missed opportunity.

Nick Preston phoned me in 2025 to ask if I knew that Birdquest were advertising a short trip to Huon and Bouganville in August 2026 and might I be interested? I was and we signed up. Closer inspection showed the trip only had three nights on Huon but the brochure suggested that would be long enough to see the key species. Other tour companies which included Huon or offered it as an extension also had three nights there so, while being less than I would have liked, it seemed it would be three days or nothing. Bouganville was five nights in Arawa in the lowlands although each day we would be going up to 1000m and in range for a few of the more montane species. It offered me some Bouganville endemics and more widespread Solomons species. As I'd not visited the Solomons, and the more I heard about them the less keen I was to ever go there, this seemed a reasonable combination. Nick and I hadn't visited New Britain either and booked five nights at Walindi after the Birdquest tour had finished to give us a good chance of seeing many of the lowland species there, some of which were quite appealing. New Britain's highland species were only feasible by expedition or helicopter!

 A month before departure Birdquest informed us we would have a day less on Bouganville due to changed airline schedules. My hope that we would do something useful with the time was not to be, for me the Birdquest trip proved to be deeply disappointing. In contrast New Britain was nothing short of excellent.

Photos for what most are worth were taken by me, new birds (just over 50 in total) are shown when first seen in red.

Sunday 02 August 2026. Megan dropped me at Hove Railway Station from where the National Express bus to Heathrow was departing to avoid the Brighton Pride carnival. I arrived at Heathrow at 16:30, way earlier than necessary but with time for delays. The previous time I had travelled to Heathrow on a Pride day, in 1985, I'd arrived two hours late with an old passport. Then Nick flew to Costa Rica and I went back home, ripped the cover off my old passport and returned the next day with the new passport and joined Nick there. No such issues this time. Nick had arrived at Heathrow before me and we departed on Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore at 22:00.

Monday 03 August 2026. We arrived in Singapore at 18:30 after a 13.5 hour flight during which I watched 4 Bourne films back to back. We had 2.5 hours in Changi before flying Air Niugini to Port Moresby.

Tuesday 04 August 2026. We arrived in Port Moresby at about 05:30 after a seven hour flight in an old uncomfortable 737. We cleared immigration, collected our bags, and breezed through customs. We were booked into the nearby Airways Hotel and soon found their courtesy minibus, checked in and put our bags in store while the helpful concierge arranged a taxi to take us to Varirata National Park for most of the day. This part of Port Moresby seemed very relaxed in contrast to our previous visits where the impression of a siege mentality prevailed. We left Airways at about 07:00 and arrived at Varirate at 08:00. Most traffic was heading into Port Moresby with the road quiet going our way. We spent seven hours birding at Varirata. One of the first birds seen was a superb photographable Rufous-bellied Kookaburra  which was when I remembered I'd taken the battery out of my camera before travelling and left the Airways without realising I didn't have it. We walked up the Lookout Trail and back then drove back to the entrance and tried the Circular Trail. We'd agreed with our driver Perry to spend four hours at Varirata but he was happy to follow us around and we stretched it to seven. Better birds I saw at Varirata were New Guinea Scrubfowl, Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove, Pacific Baza, 2 Rainbow Bee-eaters, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher (I only heard it), a Blue-winged and 2 Rufous-bellied Kookaburras, 2 Yellow-billed Kingfishers, Papuan Black Myzomela, a Barred and 2 Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes, Varied Triller, Piping Bellbird, Rusty Pitohui, 4 Chestnut-bellied Fantails, 2 Frilled, Spot-winged and Golden Monarchs, 2 Growling Riflebirds, 4 Raggiana Birds-of-Paradise (but no adult males) and a rather smart White-faced Robin. We'd only just scraped the surface and given how easy it had been to arrange our visit rather wished we'd gone out a couple of days earlier to spend more time there. Returning to the Airways we met the group all of whom had returned from an Adelbert Mountains pre-tour extension. Nick and I had visited there in 2006 and felt that a return would be an extravagence and our money better spent visiting New Britain.

views from Varirata Lookout

Wednesday 05 August 2026. The Domestic Terminal at Port Moresby was fairly chaotic but the Air Niugini counter for those booked in online was free and we were soon processed. Our hour flight to Lae was on time and we soon boarded what is best described as an armoured bus to take us to the Crossroads Hotel which was half way into town. The days birding was an afternoon walk around the extensive gardens which produced 4 Channel-billed Cuckoos, Peaceful Dove, 20 Torresian Imperial Pigeons, 6 Orange-bellied Fruit-Doves, 4 Masked Lapwings (Port Moresby runway), Eastern Cattle Egret, Glossy Swiftlet, Variable Goshawk, Papuan Harrier, a Whistling, 2 Brahminy and 20 Black Kites, 2 Sacred Kingfishers, 2 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Papuan Eclectus, Red-cheeked Parrot, 4 Black-capped and a Dusky Lory, 6 Coconut Lorikeets, 4 Helmetted Friarbirds, 2 White-bellied Cuckooshrikes, 2 Brown Orioles, 2 Willie Wagtails, Torresian Crow, 2 Pacific Swallows, 5 Yellow-faced Mynas, 8 Singing Starlings, Red-capped Flowerpecker, single Black and Sahul Sunbirds and 10 Tree Sparrows.

Port Moresby Airport from Airways Hotel

awaiting departure

leader Dani in armoured bus

Norma, Dani and Nick in Crossroads gardens

Helmetted Friarbirds at Crossroads

Willie Wagtail at Crossroads

Thursday 06 August 2026. After an early breakfast we birded in the Crossroads grounds for an hour seeing mostly similar species to the previous day plus 6 Pinon Imperial Pigeons, 3 Blyth's Hornbills and a Palm Cockatoo. We left some luggage at Crossroads and returned to Lae Airport with Chayne who ran the Huon Birding Camp. After an hour of hanging around we and the luggage we were taking were weighed. Our plane, a Pacific Aerospace P-750 XSTOL operated by North Coast Aviation and built in New Zealand, was pushed out onto the grass runway and the engine revved up. This was when everything started to unravel. Screwdrivers appeared and the engine casing was taken off and bits examined and replaced. The plane taxied a few 100m and full throttle applied but something was amiss and it returned to the hanger. A part was needed which should arrive on the last plane into Lae from Port Morseby later that day. Our short three night visit to the Huon was now down to two, at best. Back to Crossroads for lunch and then an afternoon trip through town to the Merambi Bridge where Edward's Fig Parrot was possible, having been a very remote possibility at Crossroads. We birded along the road until dusk seeing the Fig Parrot untickably in flight, Black-billed Coucal, 5 Channel-billed Cuckoos, Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, 2 Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Marbled and Streak-headed Honeyeaters, Black-shouldered Cicadabird and Hooded Butcherbird and White-bellied Thicket-Fantail. Needless to say an anxious night followed.

Mostly Shoreham (27 July-2 August 2026)

Monday 27 July 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: 27 Swifts, 2 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, 2 Peregrines, Willow Warbler and Blackcap heard and Whitethroat.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth on Mill Hill

Red Kite over Mill Hill

dead Mole on Mill Hill

Tuesday 28 July 2026. Beeding Hill triangle with Otis, 08:05-11:50, 30 species including 11 Stock Doves, 2 Red Kites, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker heard, 3 Kestrels, Jay, 90 Rooks, 3 Peregrines on pylons, 2 Skylarks, a Lesser and 5 Common Whitethroats, juvenile Redstart, 3 Stonechats, 14 Meadow Pipits, 150 Starlings, 15 Linnets, Goldfinch heard and 40 Corn Buntings. Crown Road: 3 Swifts and 4 Pied Wagtails.

Meadow Pipit on Beeding Hill

Peregrines on Beeding Hill

Stonechats on Beeding Hill

juvenile Stonechat

Lesser Whitethroat on Beeding Hill

very secretive juvenile Common Redstart on Beeding Hill

Wednesday 29 July 2026. Lancing Ring CP<>Cowbottom, 07:30-09:15, 26 species including 3 Stock Doves, 3 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Kestrels, Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroats, Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, juvenile Stonechat, 4 Linnets, 20 Goldfinches and a Corn Bunting. Lancing Ring with Megan and Otis, 09:15-11:00: 4 Swallows, 2 Willow Wablers, Chiffchaff, 4 Whitethroats and a Yellowhammer.

Pied Flycatcher near Lancing Ring

Thursday 30 July 2026. Mill Hill, 07:30-10:00: 4 Swifts, 4 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, 2 Kestrel, 5 Swallows, Cetti's Warbler (decent view!), Chiffchaff heard, 6 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 15 Common Whitethroats, 2 Linnets and 6 Goldfinches.

Friday 31 July 2026. Wealden woodland with David Buckingham and Richard Phillips: 3 distant Honey Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Swallow, 2 Marsh Tits, Willow Warbler and Nuthatch heard and Spotted Flycatcher. Coombes 4 Dogs with Megan and Otis: 2 Stock Doves, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker heard and 16 Linnets.

Saturday 01 August 2026. Brooklands with Megan and Otis: juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron and Cetti's Warbler and Blackcap heard.

Sunday 02 August 2026. Mill Hill with Megan and Otis: male Sparrowhawk, 2 Red Kites, Buzzard, 5 Swallows, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard and 3 Linnets.