Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Birdwatching in Fef Valley of Tambrauw Regency (5 Days/ 4 Nights)

Fef is the capital of Tambrauw regency in West Papua province of Indonesia. The small town is surrounded by tropical rainforest that is the habitat of Lesser Birds of Paradise, Blyth's Hornbill, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Papua Mountain Pigeon, Shining Flycatcher, Black Thicket-Fantail, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Moustached Treeswift, Sacred Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Long-billed Cuckoo, Little-bronze Cuckoo, Frilled Monarch, Black Cicadabird, Great Cuckoo Dove, and etc.

Birdwatching in Fef valley of Tambrauw regency of West Papua
Birdwatching in Tambrauw regency of West Papua

I guided 4 tourists from the United States of America from 6 to 10 October 2022. We stayed in Eden Inn near the Conservation Monument of Tambrauw regency. There was a restaurant next to the inn so we did not have to bring a lot of food materials from Sorong.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

To watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, we went to the forest of Iwin village by 4wd pick-up truck. It took around 20 minutes to reach the destination. We still had to walk into the forest to reach the birding site. 

In the last day of our birding walk in Fef valley, we saw Emperor Fairywren, Grey-headed Goshawk, Variable Goshawk, and Black Thicket-Fantail as well as Long-tailed Buzzard and a large group of Blyth's Hornbill flying in the air. 

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)
Palm Cockatoo

In general, itinerary of birding in Fef valley of Tambrauw regency was organized as follows:

BIRDING IN TAMBRAUW MOUNTAINS

Day 1 

Going to Fef by 4WD pick-up truck from Sorong. The duration of the trip is approximately 4 hours. Arrive in Fef, take a rest, general birding to find Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher and etc.

Blyth's Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus)
Blyth's Hornbill
Day 2

Go by car to birding site in Iwin village. Watch Lesser Birds of Paradise. Continue with general birding. Back to Fef. General birding in the forest along the road near the waterfall to find Frilled Monarch, Long-billed Cuckoo, and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker.

Day 3

General birding in the forest to find Hooded Pitta and Papuan Pitta (formerly called Red-bellied Pitta) as well as Magnificent Bird of Paradise and etc.

Day 4

General birding to find Emperor Fairywren, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hooded Butcherbird, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc. In the afternoon, after lunch, we will return to Sorong city. End of Tour.

The birding tour in Tambrauw mountains can be extended to other places such as Arfak mountains and Raja Ampat. 

If you are interested in taking rainforest sightseeing and wildlife watching tour in Tambrauw and wants me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

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