Morning Birding at the Outskirts of Sorong City

Today, I guided Anders, a visitor from Europe on a half day birding tour at the outskirts of Sorong. We started our tour at 05:00. It was still dark outside when we left Vega Prime Hotel by car. Because the birding site is approximately 1 hour car ride from Sorong city, I asked him to sleep. 

A European birdwatcher at the beach of Sorong

When we arrived at the birding side located on a mountain ridge, birds began to sing welcoming the morning light. We had some light breakfast at the back of our chartered car. I had a cup of hot sweet tea, and a cake. 

Blyth's Hornbill flew over the hill. We could see some of them over the canopy of the forest. There are also Yellow-faced Myna that landed briefly on the branches of a tree near the roadside. When we had finished our breakfast and started to walk, we heard the call of Rufous-bellied Kookaburra. I turned on my portable loudspeaker and played it's sounds from my cell phone. After a few minutes of waiting, we continued walking. The Kookaburra did not want to fly out of his hiding places. 

One of the birding sites at the outskirts of Sorong city

More birds fly in the sky when the sky was fully bright. We saw Papuan Eclectus, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flying. There was Gray-headed Goshawk sitting in the branch of a tree around 30 meters away from us. I adjusted the angle of my spotting-scope. When it was ready, we could watch the bird well. 

Yellow-faced Myna

We also saw Yellow-billed Kingfisher, and Gray-headed Cicadabird, and Black-browed Triller. There were some Red-cheeked Parrots flying over the road when we were looking for Yellow-billed Kingfisher. Streak-headed Munia was hopping on the tall grass that was on the left of the roadside. 

Rufous-bellied Kookaburra

Unfortunately, Anders could not find it using his binoculars. The air temperature was getting hotter after 08:00. We continued our trip by car to the beach. We planned to find Beach Kingfisher. We walked along the boardwalk to look for it. I played its recorded calls several times. Unfortunately, we could not find the bird. There were Brahminy Kite, Torresian Crow, Willie Wagtail and Lesser Frigatebird. 

Beach Kingfisher

At around 10:00, we returned to Sorong city again. We could not see all the birds that we had wanted to watch. However, it was a nice tour in very good weather. 

Terrestrial Orchid

To watch birds, I used old binoculars SVBONY 10×50. To take picture of birds, flowers, and any wildlife, I used Fujifilm HS50EXR. It was an old photographic device but still functioning well. I love older things. 

This is written by Charles Roring

Email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Whatsapp: +6281332245180. 

Tropical Birds in Sorong and Raja Ampat

A lot of visitors fly to Sorong city as the main gate to Raja Ampat. Most of them go to Raja Ampat to enjoy swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving or even take a trip by liveaboard boat to explore remote islands. 

However, there are some of them who are interested in combining their marine tour with land tour. The most popular tour which they can enjoy is birdwatching. They can do it in Sorong city and in Waigeo island. There are a lot of tropical birds which they could watch some of them are mentioned here.

Puff-backed Honeyeater in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

Birds in and at the outskirts of Sorong city

Mangrove Forest - A long the coastal area of Sorong city, visitors could watch such birds as Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Blue Fronted Fig Parrot, Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Sahul Sunbird, Willie Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Striated Heron and etc.

Hill Forest - More birds could be seen when we go to a hill of Sorong city. There, we could find birds such as Yellow-faced Myna, Black Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Pacific Baza, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Black Butcher bird, Glossy Swiftlet, Uniform Swiftlet, Red-cheeked Parrot, and a lot more. 

Sorong's Ridge Forest - This birding site is located outside of Sorong city around 1 hour trip by car. Birds that we could watch include Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Mimic Honeyeater, Black-browed Triller, Helmeted Friarbird, Zoe's Imperial Pigeon, Brahminy Kite.

Nortern Coast of Sorong city - This is the site for finding Beach Kingfisher, Lesser Frigatebird, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Sahul Sunbird, Whimbrel, Pacific Reef Heron, and etc.

The duration of birding tour at the outskirts of Sorong city can be as short as half day to 1 day to as long as 2 days depending on the time which participants have. 

Birds in Waigeo and Batanta of Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is an important destination for birdwatching tourism. It is the place for watching Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, Yellow-faced Myna, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Papuan Eclectus, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Shining Flycatcher, Mimic Honeyeater, Moustached Treeswift, Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, Pacific Golden Plover, and etc. 

The average duration of birding tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat is as short as 3 days 2 nights to as long as 4 days/ 3 nights. It can be longer if the itinerary includes trip to remote islands such as Batanta, Merpati and Urai. 

What to bring

Most birdwatchera bring a pair of binoculars. Some of them bring D-SLR or mirrorless camera with 600 mm telephoto lens. Rain poncho will also be needed. 

The birding trip in Raja Ampat could be combined with snorkeling and sightseeing trip to see marine life, tropical islandd, and karst.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Sorong city and Raja Ampat, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Festival Roon 2025

The local government and the peoples of Wondama regency is going to celebrate Festival Roon and the celebration of 100 years of Papua Civilization in Aitumieri hill of Wasior town. This cultural and art event will be conducted on 22 to 25 October 2025 in Yende village of Roon island from 22 to 24 October 2025 and in Miei village of Wasior town on 25 October 2025. 

Festival Roon Promotional Photo 2025

Festival Roon 22-25 October 2025 in Yende village of Roon island and Wasior town  of Wondama Regency

How to get there?

Roon island is located in Wondama regency. To reach Yende village:

• Visitors need to fly from their countries to Manokwari city.
• After that the trip can be continued by fast passenger ferry from Anggrem harbor of Manokwari city to Yende village in Roon island of Wondama regency.

Fast Ferry Route from Manokwari to Yende village and then to Wasior town on Wondama regency

Natural Attractions

Wondama regency is an important destination for visitors who love marine life. Coral reef could be seen in along its coastal areas. There are hundreds of tropical islands that form karsts in this part of the National Park of Cendrawasih Bay. It is one of the Marine Protected Areas in West Papua with the highest marine biodiversity in the World. 

A beach in Purup Karst of Cendrawasih Bay National Park

Coral reef in Wondama regency

Birding

Wondama peninsula has got interesting places for visitors who like birdwatching. Its tropical rainforest is the habitat of a lot of species birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals. Paradise birds that can be watched in Wondiboy mountains include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Superb Bird of Paradise, Black Sicklebill, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Western Parotia, and etc.

Accommodation

• There are a lot of homestays in Yende village during the Festival Roon 2025. 
• There are also hotels and lodges in Wasior town that are offered to visitors during the 22-25 October 2025.

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa Highland

Birding in Klasow Valley

Klasow valley is a huge lowland rainforest area in the east of Sorong regency. It is a favorite destination for tourists who love birdwatching and wildlife watching. 

New Guinea Harpy Eagle

A lot of species of birds could be found in Klasow valley. Here are some of them: Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Trumpet Manucode, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Papuan Eclectus, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Black Lory, Rainbow Bee-eater, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Ornate Fruit-dove, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Great Cuckoo-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Western-crowned Pigeon, Hooded Monarch, Frilled Monarch, Spot-winged Monarch, Mimic Honeyeater, Glossy Swiftlet, Uniform Swiftlet, Spine-tailed Swift, Moustached Treeswift, Papuan Boobook, Rufous Owl, Papuan Hawk Owl, Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Nightjar, New Guinea Harpy Eagle, and a lot more. 

Some birds in Klasow valley

There are some forest sites in Klasow valley that are good for birdwatching. Some of them include: Klabili village, Kasulala forest, Klatomok village and Malagufuk village. 

Klabili is famous for watching Hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta and New Guinea Vulturine Parrot. 

Kasulala is a highly recommended site for watching and photographing birds of prey. There are Pacific Baza, Variable Goshawk, Gray-headed Goshawk, Brahminy Kite, Gurney's Eagle. 

In general, visitors spend between 3 to 5 days in Klasow valley to see most of the birds in the area. If the tour in Klasow valley is combined with another birding tour in Raja Ampat, the total number of days could reach 12 to 14 days.

Birding in Klasow valley

Visitors usually bring binoculars, camera with telephoto lens, and spotting scope to watch and photograph birds in Klasow valley. 

Other animals that could be watched in Klasow valley include wallaby, cuscus, possum, monitor lizard, bandicoot, snakes, fruit bats,  and etc. 

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in Klasow valley and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Bird Photography Tour in Klabili and Waigeo
• Watching and Photographing Tropical Birds in Raja Ampat
• Birds in the Suburb of Sorong City
• Sorong City Birding Tour
• Birding in Sonder
• Tangkoko National Park

Bird Photography Tour in Klabili and Waigeo

I have just completed a birding tour with an Australian photographer in Klabili village of Tambrauw regency and Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. We spent nearly a week to do the tour. Birds of paradise were our main target but we also saw a lot of species of birds including Hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Moluccan King Parrot, Papuan Eclectus, Mimic Honeyeater, Raja Ampat Pitohui, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Great Cuckoo-dove, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Black Butcherbird, and etc.

Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher

The tour participant also enjoyed snorkeling at the house reef of the beach resort where we stayed. In the resort area, we watched and photographed a lot of birds too. There were Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Papuan Frogmouth, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red Bird of Paradise, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Striated Heron, Willie Wagtail, White-breasted Woodswallow, Pacific Swallow, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Osprey, and etc. 

Raja Ampat in July, actually, is in wave season. However, I see that the wave is not so big. Tourists could still enjoy swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Perhaps, in August, the wind will be stronger. I hope that the weather in Waigeo will be just fine so that more visitors could still enjoy their holiday there.  

Also read:

• Birding in Sausapor, Klabili and Sorong City
• Birding Tour in Sorong and Tambrauw
• Birds in the Suburb of Sorong City