Wilson's Bird of Paradise

Male Wilson's Bird of Paradise

Here is the picture of Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica) that I saw when I went organized birdwatching tour for 2 Australian and 1 Chinese visitors in the southern region of Waigeo island - Raja Ampat archipelago. We had to wake up early in the morning at 04.00 to make preparations before leaving our guesthouse for the birding site by a small motorized boat. When we arrived at the beach, we still had to hike for one hour to reach the birding hut where visitors usually watched the bird. Unfortunately the weather was not so good. It was six o'clock morning time and it started to rain heavily.
We had to wait for 12 hours just to see Wilson. Finally, we could hear his calls again and soon after that he landed on his playing ground at approximately 16.00. He cleaned the ground picking up dry leaves and twigs. He was there for approximately 30 minutes, long enough for us to take pictures of this beautiful bird. The female bird did not come but we were satisfied with the sighting of the male one. The next morning, we were able to watch the Red Bird of Paradise. It was a tiring but very successful trip.

A Guesthouse in Raja Ampat

Abundant Marine Life
The guesthouse where we stayed during our birding tour in Raja Ampat stood above sea water with beautiful coral reef and marine life. So, it was not only birding that we enjoyed but also swimming and snorkeling. I wish I could take pictures of the tropical fish. Unfortunately, my underwater camera was broken and could not be used anymore. We only spent nearly 3 days/ 2 nights here but it was an unforgetable experience. I hope that I will be able to return to this place again in the near future. by Charles Roring
Also read:

• Birding in Raja Ampat
• Birding Tour to Raja Ampat
• Coconut Lorikeet from Waigeo island of Raja Ampat
• Beach Kingfisher

Wisata Petualangan di Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat adalah salah satu destinasi wisata bahari yang terkenal di seluruh dunia. Puluhan ribu wisatawan ke sana untuk berenang dan menyelam serta melihat keindahan panorama pulau-pulau tropis yang mencuat dari lautan biru.

Petualangan di Raja Ampat

Sebagai pemandu turis, saya sudah mengatur perjalanan wisata bagi banyak pelancong yang datang dari dalam dan luar negeri. Meskipun sebagian besar dari mereka mengambil paket wisata biasa seperti snorkeling dan kunjungan ke pasir timbul, Kri, Mansuar, Arborek, Teluk Kabui dan Pianemo, ada juga pengunjung yang meminta paket wisata yang berbeda.

Naik Perahu Keliling Raja Ampat

Untuk memenuhi permintaan yang seperti itu, saya menyediakan tur khusus ke lokasi-lokasi yang terpencil atau yang tidak berada di jalur kunjungan yang umum. Contohnya: Wisata Petualangan ke Hutan dan Pulau-pulau Kosong di bagian timur Raja Ampat. Selama mengikuti tur petualangan ini para pelancong bisa menikmati berenang di pulau-pulau kosong, berkemah di dalam hutan, menonton burung, serta melihat kampung-kampung pesisir masyarakat Papua yang ada di kawasan itu. Jadi peserta tidak tidur di resort - resort mewah melainkan di dalam tenda di tepi sungai atau di tepi pantai.

Laguna Ikan di Raja Ampat

Bahkan di perairan tertentu, wisatawan bisa menikmati kegiatan mancing dan piknik di pantai sambil memanggang ikan hasil tangkapan. Pemandangan alam pegunungan yang berpadu dengan lautan seperti pada foto di atas ini sungguh memukau di mata para pelancong dan tidak kalah dibandingkan situs lainnya seperti Wayag, Pianemo dan Teluk Kabui.
Kebanyakan peserta wisata petualangan ini berasal dari luar negeri seperti India, Jerman dan bahkan dari Ceko.

Pasir Timbul di Raja Ampat

Untuk memudahkan wisatawan mengikuti petualangan tersebut, saya menyediakan tenda dome, lampu penerangan bertenaga surya serta peralatan masak dan makan.
Peserta diminta untuk membawa sendiri perlengkapan pribadi seperti baju renang, senter, dan alat snorkeling.
Wisata petualangan di Raja Ampat ini akan meninggalkan kesan tersendiri di hati setiap peserta tur tentang betapa indahnya alam ini dan betapa pentingnya upaya kita untuk melestarikannya. - Ditulis oleh Charles Roring

Baca juga:

• Jalan-jalan ke Kampung Tincep, sentra penjualan bunga di Minahasa
• Melihat Daerah Pertanian di Minahasa
• Dodol Penganan Lezat dari Minahasa
• Pedati di Minahasa

Wisata Pengamatan Burung di Hutan Papua

Sebagai pemandu turis, saya telah mengatur banyak sekali perjalanan wisata ke hutan - hutan Papua Barat bagi para pelancong dalam dan luar negeri. Kami menjelajah hutan untuk melihat berbagai macam tumbuhan dan hewan. Daya tarik utama hutan Papua baik di dataran rendah maupun dataran tinggi adalah adanya beberapa spesies burung surga yang indah warnanya. Burung-burung ini biasanya aktif di pagi dan sore hari.

Burung Cendrawasih Kuning

Wisatawan dari manca negara umumnya menghabiskan waktu selama 3 sampai 4 hari untuk melihat Cendrawasih Kuning (Lesser Birds of Paradise), Cendrawasih Raja (King Bird of Paradise) serta Magnificent Riflebird.
Di samping itu pula, ada juga burung-burung lain yang indah warnanya seperti Mina Emas (Golden Myna), Kakaktua Raja (Palm Cockatoo) serta burung Raja Udang Paruh Kuning.
Wisatawan suka memotret burung dan satwa liar lainnya. Kamera yang sesuai untuk keperluan tersebut adalah kamera bridge dengan zoom sebesar 50 hingga 60 kali seperti Nikon P900, Canon SX60HS. Kamera D-SLR dengan lensa telefoto hingga 800 mm cocok untuk memotret burung yang sedang bertengger di cabang pohon yang tinggi.
Di samping kamera, ada pula peralatan lain yang diperlukan untuk menonton burung-burung tersebut. Peralatan seperti binokular, spotting scope dan pena laser digunakan untuk mengamati burung serta satwa liar lainnya di hutan.

Kegiatan wisata pengamatan burung dapat membuka wawasan kita tentang alam sekaligus membuat kita semakin peduli untuk melestarikannya.

Common Paradise Kingfisher

Common Paradise Kingfisher

Here is the photograph of Common Paradise Kingfisher that I saw in Susnguakti forest of Arfak range when I guided a Filipino lady for 3 days/ 2 nights on a hiking and birding tour in the area. Actually, we were not waiting for the Kingfisher. What we were waiting for was Lesser Birds of Paradise. We sat silently on the ground under some trees while listening to the calls of the paradise birds on the canopy of the forest. Suddenly, the Common Paradise Kingfisher landed on the branch of a tree just a few meters from me. I quickly aimed my Fujifilm HS50EXR at the bird and pressed the shutter button of my camera several times. Seconds later, the bird flew away again. Actually, I used to see the same bird several months earlier in the same place where I made good photographs of the Paradise Kingfisher. During the tour, we also saw Dwarf Cassowary, Hooded Butcherbird and the Lesser Birds of Paradise that we were waiting for.
This Common Paradise Kingfisher can also be seen in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat and even in Halmahera island. Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher looks similar to the Common Paradise Kingfisher but its tails are thicker.

Also read:

• Yellow-billed Kingfisher
• Beach Kingfisher
• Azure Kingfisher in Halmahera
• Great-billed Kingfisher

Kingfishers

There are a lot of species of Kingfishers in tropical rainforest of West Papua. I personally have seen many of them in lowland, lower montane forest and in the islands of Raja Ampat, Klasow valley of Sorong, Arfak mountains, Tambrauw mountains and Wondama regency. 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 Hook-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.