Afternoon Birding Tour in Sorong

I often run morning and afternoon birding and sightseeing tours from Sorong. Some tourists request the afternoon part only. Here is the typical program:

Birding tours in Sorong

Time and Activities

• 14:30 We will meet tour participants in the hotel and then organize their trip to birding site outside Sorong city. Usually, we will go to mangrove forest located further to the south. It takes around 30 to 45 minutes to reach it depending in the traffic condition.
• 15:00 Before birding, tour participants need to apply anti insect spray on their skin. We will start birding by walking along a roadside. We will play the recorded sounds of the birds to lure them to come closer to us. 
• 17:30 We will move to Sorong hill to watch more birds. 
• 18:30 We will return to Sorong city. 

Olive-crowned Flowerpecker

Birds that tour participants can see include Brown-backed Honeyeater, Helmeted Friarbird, Sahul Sunbird, Metallic Starling, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Collared Imperial Pigeon, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Willie Wagtail, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Pacific Swallow, Emperor Fairywren, Torresian Crow, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Common Sandpiper, Striated Heron, Whimbrel, and a lot more. 

In Sorong hill forest, we could watch Papuan Eclectus, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Black Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Trumpet Manucode, and etc. 

Yellow-faced Myna

What to wear and what to bring

Vistors need to wear darker colour clothing and walking shoes or sport shoes. The birding walk is easy. It will be carried out along the road side that is flat. 

Tour participants who are birdwatchers know what they need to bring. Most of them will bring 8 × 42, 10×42, or even the 10×50 binoculars. Serious birdwatchers have got spotting scope. Bird/ wildlife photographers bring camera with telephoto lens. Visitors who are not serious photographers can buy point and shoot bridge camera such as the Sony RX 10 V, Nikon Coolpix P1100, Nikon Coolpix P950, Panasonic Lumix FZ80D, or Canon Powershot SX70 HS. 

A female Shining Flycatcher

To enhance the birding experience of our tour participants, we will bring a spotting scope that mounted on a tripod. This device will allow participants to see birds that sit on distant branches of trees and even take pictures of them using their cell phone. 

Sahul Sunbird

This general birding tour can also be done in the mornings from 05:00 to 10:00. As a matter of fact, birds are more active in the mornings. 

If you are interested in taking a birding tour from Sorong city and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link. 

Also read:

• Birds in the Suburb of Sorong city
• What to do in Sorong city
• Explore Sorong city and its surroundings
• Morning general birding tour from Sorong city

• Early morning birding on the outskirts of Manado city
• Birdwatching tour in Sonder of North Sulawesi

Wildlife Tour in Kasulala Forest of Sorong Regency

Kasulala is the name of a forest area in the east of Sorong regency that is the natural habitat of various species of plants and animals. It can be reached by a 4WD car for around 1 hour 40 minutes. 

There are cuscus, dorcopsis, fruit bats, wild pigs, bandicoot, and etc. For reptiles, there are monitor lizard, and snakes. Kasulala is also the habitat of hundreds of species insects and birds. 

Bird of Prey in Kasulala Forest

Visitors who are interested in exploring the biodiversity of Kasulala forest need to bring binoculars, flash light, rain poncho, wellington boots, insect repellent, binoculars and camera. Birdwatching is a very popular tourism activity in Kasulala. So, bringing a spotting scope is also highly recommended.

Ground Orchid in Kasulala forest of Sorong regency

Birds that can be watched in Kasulala forest include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Blue-Black Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Papuan Eclectus, Red-cheeked Parrot, Large Fig Parrot, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Shining Flycatcher, Frilled Monarch, Mimic Honeyeater, Brahminy Kite, Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Gray-headed Goshawk, Pacific Baza, Western-crowned Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc.

Papuan Eclectus

King Bird of Paradise

Birding activity is usually conducted very early in the mornings, in late afternoons and at nights. Tour participants need to bring their own binoculars to enhance their birding experience.

Most often, sound player is used to call certain species of bird for tour participants to see. Some birds such as the Black-sided Robin, Blue Jewel Babbler, Papuan Pitta and Hooded Pitta can be called using their recorded sounds. 

Wompoo Fruit-dove

For mammal watching, this is usually carried out at nights using flash lights and thermal scope. Night birding is often carried out after dinner to find nocturnal birds such as Papuan Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook, Papuan Hawk Owl, and other birds that sleep on the lower branches of trees. 

Usually, visitors spend around 3 days/ 2 nights in Kasulala to explore the plants and animals of the forest.

Accommodation

There are simple guesthouses in Kasulala forest for visitors who want to stay for several days. It is not luxurious but it is good enough as accommodation for visitors who want to stay near the forest during their wildlife watching tour. 

Basic Accommodation in Kasulala Forest of Sorong regency

Birding in the Suburb of Sorong City

For visitors who do not have much time, they could still enjoy nature/ birding tour in the suburb of Sorong city. Usually the duration of the tour is half or full day. 

Forest areas that can be visited include mangrove, ridge forest, hill forest, and coastal area of Sorong city. 

Birds that can be watched include: Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Olive-backed Sunbird, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Glossy-mantled Manucode and etc. 

Birding tour from Sorong city

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Kasulala forest or the suburb of Sorong city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read: 

• What to do in Sorong city
• Short Birding Tour in Sorong City
• Birding near Sorong City
• Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City for Non Birders
• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong Regency

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• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia
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• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

Birding in the forest near Sorong city of Indonesia

Sorong city is the entrance gate for visitors who travel to Raja Ampat. Usually after long flights from home, visitors who have just arrived in Sorong feel tired. They want to take a rest for at least one night in a hotel of the city. They are also interested in exploring interesting places such as its restaurants, traditional markets, the nearby village or island. Visitors who have just completed their holiday in Raja Ampat may also want to explore tourist attractions in Sorong city.

This bird picture was taken using Fujifilm HS50EXR

Bird or animal watching is an interesting activity that visitors can do. As a tourist guide, I have organized tours for solo or group travelers to watch birds in a forest not far from Sorong. 

Olive-backed Sunbird

We usually start early in the morning at 06:00. I bring 2 pairs of binoculars 10×50 binoculars. One pair is mounted on a tripod to function as spotting scope. I use the other pair to find birds. I also bring laser pointer and a small loudspeaker to call birds. However, in order not to disturb the bird, I don't play the bird very often. 

The lowland mangrove forest of Sorong is the habitat of tens of species of beautiful birds and butterflies. Based on my previous trips, the species that I have seen include White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Olive-backed Sunbird (now also called Sahul Sunbird), Brown-backed Honeyeater, Australian White Ibis, Nankeen Night Heron, Sacred Kingfisher, Orange-breasted Fig Parrot, Hooded Butcherbird, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Blue Black Kingfisher, Emperor Fairy Wren, Oriental Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, White-breasted Woodswallow, Yellow-faced Myna and a lot more. 

For butterflies, there are Priamus butterfly, Silky Owl Butterfly and etc. 

Flight route to Sorong city

I bring a bridge camera Fujifilm HS50EXR. It is an old photographic device with 42× optical zoom that is quite powerful in shooting flora and fauna in distant or tall trees. The birdwatching or animal watching tour lasts until 09:00 morning time. 

Birds in the lowland forest near Sorong city

After the tour in the forest of Sorong, I can extend the trip to the nearby traditional market or to a nearby island. Some visitors even request 4 to 6 days animal watching trip both in the forest of mainland West Papua and in Waigeo island of Sorong city.

If you are interested in taking the birding trip and want me (Charles Roring) to guide you, please, contact me by email to peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Related Posts:

• Birding Near Sorong City
• Short Birding Tour in Sorong City
• Birding Tour Outside Sorong City
• Birding at the Outskirts of Sorong City
• Sorong City Sightseeing and Birding Tour
• Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City
• Tourist Attractions in Sorong City
• Birding in Mangrove Forest of Sorong City

Also read:

• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia
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• Birding in the Paddy Fields of Subdistrict Sonder
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder Town
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in the Farmland and Forest of Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Tour: Birdwatching and Sightseeing
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• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Collared Kingfisher
• Birding in Minahasa of North Sulawesi
• Birding in Higher Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com

West Papua Birding Tours in Waigeo and Sorong City

I have just completed a 4-day-3-night birding and wildlife watching tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat and mangrove forest of Sorong city. I guided Mike who is an American visitor from Florida of the United States. 

Birds in West Papua

We spent 3 days 2 nights watching birds along the roadside of Saporkren as well as the hill forest of the island to look for such birds as Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Dwarf Fruit Dove, Western-crowned Pigeon, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hooded Butcherbird, Helmetted Friarbird, Shining Flycatcher, Yellow-faced Myna, Pacific Swallow, Common Sandpiper, Willie Wagtail, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, Papuan Boobok, Lesser Frigatebird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Black Sunbird, Papuan Black Myzomela, Raja Ampat Pitohui, Blyth's Hornbill and a lot more. 

We enjoyed the magnificent view of the beach of Saporkren and also the hill areas in the north-east of Waisai's airport. It was a nice trip because we could also see cuscus, and flying fox. 

After completing the tour in Waigeo, we continued our birding trip to Mangrove forest the next morning. Birds that we saw there were not many because our time window was so little. We saw nice birds including White-bellied Cuckooshrike, White-breasted Woodswallow, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Orange-breasted Figparrot, Common Sandpiper, Emperor Fairywren, Sacred Kingfisher, Metallic Starling, Australian Ibis, Rainbow Bee-eater. 

It was a good trip because we could see a lot of birds that can be seen in West Papua's forest. 

I used a pair of 10×50 binoculars that I installed on a tripod. I gave us beautiful view of the birds that we saw in high branches of trees. Some of the birds that I mention in this blog post were shot Fujifilm HS50EXR. 

Well, if you are interested in birding and wildlife watching in Sorong, Raja Ampat and Tambrauw regencies and want me to organize and guide you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Sorong City Tours

Reforestation of Arfai coastal area

One of the fishermen in Manokwari who works with me in developing the eco-tourism program is Kosal Welerubun. He lives in Arfai area which has been a tourist destination since early 2010. I have been promoting Arfai as the place for snorkeling for tourists. Here, coral reef extends for 2 kilometers from north to south across the Raimuti islet. On the northern part of Arfai beach, there is a small mangrove forest whose size is getting smaller day by day due to the expansion of human settlement along the shore line. As a fisherman, Mr. Welerubun knows that the mangrove forest and the coral reef are an integrated marine ecosystem. If the mangrove forest is healthy, more fish can be found living among the coral reef. In addition, the existence of the mangrove forest will protect the shore line of Arfai from erosion caused by big waves or even tsunami. So, Mr. Welerubun made a personal initiative to plant seedlings of mangrove trees at the beach near his house. When I saw where he planted the seedlings, I felt that it would be very difficult for the mangrove seedlings to grow because they have to grow on in thick layers of dead hard corals. But Mr. Welerubun knows that beneath the layers of the hard coral is soft soil. So, the planted the seedling between the cracks of the coral layer. Cracks in the coral layers are created when there are big earthquakes.

One year after he planted the seedlings, I see that they are now growing. They give us some hope that the reforestation of the coastal area of Arfai with mangrove trees is possible to be done. I hope that these mangrove seedlings will one day become a tropical rainforest that protects the marine ecosystem of the Manokwari. Without the mangrove forest, the number of fish in Dorey bay will decrease. If this happens, fishermen will have to spend more fuel to go out to the sea for catching fish. As a result, the price of fish will be more expensive than now.
Coral reef is the tropical rainforest of the sea. Coral reef absorbs CO2 gases during photosynthesis and releases Oxygen. According to Bert Harris (a biologist from the USA who conducted a snorkeling trip in 2010) the coral reef in Arfai area of Manokwari is home to around two hundred species of fish. This is considered very high for the coral reef that is located near a coastal city.
Both coral reef and rainforest are needed to absorb CO2 gas emissions that have been the major cause of global warming. The effort of Mr. Kosal Welerubun in reforesting the coastal area of Arfai with mangrove trees should be considered as a positive step from the fisherman in fighting global warming. The climate change has caused the melting of glaciers in the Alps. The melting of the ice is a very big problem for ski resorts that operate there. The lack of ice forces them to close their businesses. In tropical region, global warming also causes coral bleaching. The phenomenon could easily be seen during the el-nino, the long dry season. As a result the number of fish in bleached corals decreased significantly. Every body should participate in reducing the CO2 emissions through his or her own ways. The simplest thing that we can do to protect our environment is by treating our plastic, chemical and metal wastes responsibly.
Manokwari city has a population of around 200 thousand people. The Arfai hill is now being filled with big buildings that will become the administration center of the provincial government of West Papua. by Charles Roring
Related article: Mangrove forest of Numfor island

Mangrove forest of Numfor island

Mangrove forest in Numfor plays is important both for the people and the environment of the tropical island. It protects small fish, prevents erosion can reduce the power of Tsunami. Numfor island is a beautiful travel destination that I recommend to tourists. When I first landed on the ship harbor of Numfor island, I saw a lot of fresh fish was being sold by fishermen on the pier in cheap price. I have visited this tropical island for three times. And this time, I just returned to Manokwari city from Numfor after flying for around twenty minutes by Susi Air. I am very surprised to find out that fish is abundant in Numfor's waters. Located close to Manokwari city, the capital of West Papua province, Numfor is an important supplier of fresh and salted fish.

As a tourist guide, I have several opportunities of traveling around the shores of Numfor to see the coastal environment and the daily life of the villagers who live along island. Much of the shores of Numfor island is covered with such trees as coconuts, catapa and barringtonia. Swampy areas are dominated by mangrove forest. When I visited the mangrove forest, I saw large amount of fish in various species living in the waters among the roots of the mangrove trees. This small fish makes the mangrove forest as safe shelter to protect them from predators which are usually bigger fish and birds that can hunt them easily in an open waters.
In areas where vast areas of mangrove forest exists, fish stock is abundant. I now understand that mangrove forests are really important for us because of their function in providing safe nursing ground for fish before they become big enough to live in the open sea. Besides its vital function as home for small fish, mangrove trees protects islands from big waves that cause erosion.

When I was in Yemburwo village located at the northern part of the island, I saw that the people there had planted the tidal areas of the northern shores with endless rows of mangrove seedlings. They did this to protect their homes or villages from possible Tsunami attacks that could hit the island anytime in the future. Numfor and Biak frequently experince tectonic earthquakes. Numfor island is quite flat compared to the maind New Guinea or Papua island whose northern areas are mountainous. The islanders know that mangrove forest is not only important in protecting small fish and preventing erosion, but also reducing the destructive force of Tsunami that could hit this beautiful tropical island in the future.

If you are interested in visiting Numfor island, and are looking for a tourist guide to accompany you and arrange your travel, please contact me (Charles Roring) via my email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read: 

• Birding in Minahasa
• Birding in High Elevation Forest of Minahasa
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in District Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland
• Manado City Birdwatching and Sightseeing Tour
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in Sulawesi
• Birdwatching and butterflywatching in Sonder
• https://wildlifeminahasa.blogspot.com