Watching and Photographing Paradise Birds in Raja Ampat and Malagufuk of Sorong Regency

I have organized several trips this month for some birdwatchers and photographers who want to see tropical birds in Raja Ampat and Sorong regency. During each of the trip, we explored the southern region of Waigeo to look for Glossy-mantled Manucode, Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise. On the second part of the trip, we did rainforest tour in Malagufuk village of Klasow valley to find Lesser Birds of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and King Bird of Paradise. The duration of this tour is 8 days/ 7 nights. 

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

We experienced heavy rain during most of this tour. The month of June is quite a challenging experience for me. The walking path in the forest became very muddy after the heavy rain. Fortunately, we could see and photographs most of the paradise birds that I mentioned above.

We saw and photographed other birds as well such as Wompoo Fruit-dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-cheeked Parrot, Papuan Eclectus, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Black-capped Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Black-sided Robin, Golden Myna, Yellow-faced Myna, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker,  and etc.

Magnificent Riflebird

Although most of our activities are about birdwatching and photography tour, we also spent time on swimming and snorkeling especially in the house reef areas of the resort. Reef fish such as striped-surgeonfish, diagonal sweetlips, parrotfish, butterflyfish, anemonefish could be seen and photographed at depths of 1.5 to 2 meters or more. 

To photograph birds in distant trees, tour participants bring D-SLR or mirrorless with (large CMOS censor) camera that is equipped with 150-600 mm lens. Some bring bridge camera such as Nikon P1000. 

Birdwatching in Sorong regency and Raja Ampat

Birdwatchers usually Swarovski, Leica, or Nikon 10×42 mm. As a birding guide, I usually carry a spottinh scope that is mounted on a tripod. 

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

If you are interested in taking a holiday in Indonesia by enjoying birdwatching and photography tour in Raja Ampat, Klasow valley of Sorong regency and other parts of Indonesia such as Minahasa highland and Tangkoko Nature Reserve, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read:

• Birding and Snorkeling in Waigeo Raja Ampat
• Sorong City Birding Tour
• Sorong Birding and Raja Ampat Snorkeling
• Nature Tour Around Sorong City and Raja Ampat
• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong
• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong Regency of Indonesia

• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• 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

Sightseeing, Wildlife Watching, Freediving, and Snorkeling in Raja Ampat with 2 British Visitors

I am now in Raja Ampat. I am guiding 2 British visitors, Gary and Esther, on one-week tour for sightseeing, birding and snorkeling around Waigeo island, Friwen island, Gam island, Mansuar islabd, Arborek, and Piaynemo, Yenbuna, Mioskon island and Five Rocks as well as Saporkren village and Warkesi forest. 

Red-bird of Paradise

In the past few days of our birding tour, until now we have seen more than 40s species of forest and coastal birds including Lesser Frigatebird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Pacific Swallow, Eastern Osprey, Gurney's Eagle, Helmetted Friarbird, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Papuan Frogmouth, Willie Wagtail, Beach Kingfisher, Pacific Reef Heron, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Common Sandpiper, Lesser crested Tern, Coconut Lorikeet, Mimic Honeyeater, Puff back Honeyeater, Hooded Butcherbird, Eclectus Parrot, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-faced Myna, Red-bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Island Leaf Warbler, Blyth's Hornbill, Mustached Treeswift. 

I used 10×50 binoculars that I mounted on a tripod using an adaptor. This kind of arrangement allows me to have a device that is similar to spotting scope but in more affordable price. This morning we watched Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. They were so beautiful.

I also have got an old camera the Fujifilm HS50EXR that allows me to take pictures of birds in distant tree. The ones that are showed in this article were shot using the device. 

Papuan Frogmouth

We stay at a beach resort that is surrounded by trees. This allow us to watch birds, butterflies, and other insects without having to walk long distances. 

Perhaps a Taenaris honrathi butterfly

There are still more days, more birds, fish and seascapes that we will see. I hope that I can make a lot of beautiful pictures and videos of them. 

Snorkeling photos from Raja Ampat

Anemonefish in Friwen Wall of Raja Ampat

We enjoyed swimming and snorkeling in the coral reef areas of Friwen Wall, Arborek, Yenbuba, Mioskon, Five Rocks, and Saporkren. We saw a lot of marine creatures including various anemonefish, surgeonfish, damselfish, trevally, sweetlips, moorish idol, butterflyfish, black tip sharks, and etc. 

a selfie picture with Gary and Esther in Piaynemo karst

If you are interested in sightseeing, birdwatching and wildlife watching as well as snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat archipelago of Indonesia, please, contact me Charles Roring by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Birding and Wildlife Watching Holiday in Raja Ampat Islands

I have just completed a birding and wildlife watching tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. It was a 3 day/ 2 night-trip. I guided Christine - a lady from the United States of America. In the first day when we walked along the roadside of southern Waigeo, we saw Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Palm Cockatoo, Pacific Swallow and Lesser-crested Tern. At dusk, we also saw cuscus possum, fruitbats and snake. 

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)

The next morning, we went to a forest by car and did hiking to watch Wilson's Bird of Paradise. After that we explored the coastal area to watch Radjah Shelduck, Olive-backed Sunbird, Willie Wagtail, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Beach Kingfisher as well as Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. There were Olive-backed Sunbird, Spice Imperial Pigeon and Brahminy Kite when we did a boat trip to islands at the entrance area of Kabui bay. I brought my spotting scope and put it on a white sandy beach of Urai island when we were watching the pigeons and kingfisher. At the nearby trees, Singing Starlings were eating some tiny fruits. High in the sky Blyth's Hornbill and Lesser Frigatebirds were flying over us. 

Female Red Bird of Paradise

While we were enjoying the natural beauty of Raja Ampat's blue sea and islands, we saw some dolphins swimming off the nearby reef. It was a magnificent trip. In the last day of the tour, we watched Red Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, Yellow-bellied Longbill and Helmetted Friarbird. 

After enjoying the tour, we returned to Sorong city. This trip in Raja Ampat was an extended trip of my previous tour with a group of British and American birdwatchers in Sorong, Tambrauw, Arfak mountains of Manokwari.

If you are interested, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.