Paradise Bird Watching and Wildlife Tour in Indonesia

Morning General Birding from Sorong City

2026-10-17T04:56:11.379-07:00

The forest and farmland on the outskirts of Sorong city is the natural habitat of various species of tropical birds such as Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Papuan Eclectus, Blue-fronted Fig Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Sahul Sunbird, Black Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Yellow-faced Myna and a lot more.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

I often receive requests from tourists who only have little time in Sorong city but still want to enjoy birdwatching and see nature. Usually, I will pick them up at the hotel early in the morning at 05:00. After that I will bring them to birding site in mangrove forest. It takes around 45 minutes to reach it. Birds such as Emperor Fairywren, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Helmeted Friarbird, Brown Oriole and etc. could be found in Mangrove area. Sometimes, if we are lucky enough, we could see Blue Black Kingfisher and Collared Imperial Pigeon. Visitors who have got binoculars can bring the equipment to watch birds.

Sahul Sunbird

At around 09:00, we could continue our trip to a hill just outside Sorong city to look for such birds as Spangled Drongo, Eclectus Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Dollarbird, Pacific Bazza, and etc.

The surrounding view of the hill is beautiful. We could see the landscape of Sorong city from a distant.

At around 10:00, we will bring tour participants back to their hotel.

If you are interested in taking a short birdwatching tour from Sorong city to the outskirt areas of 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.

Night Birding in Raja Ampat

2026-08-28T09:26:07.996-07:00

In my previous post, I mentioned that I guided 2 French tourists (Emilie and Jordan) in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat from 23 to 26 August 2026. We did birdwatching in the forest, along the roadside and at the beach.

We also did night birding every time after dinner from 20:00 to 21:30. Our targets were Papuan Boobook, Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth and Hook-billed Kingfisher. In the first and second night walks, we saw Papuan Frogmouth and Papuan Boobook. In the third night, we saw Hook-billed Kingfisher after we did hiking deeper into the forest. Unfortunately, I could not take picture of the bird because he flew away before I was able to activate my digiscoping system.

During the morning and afternoon birding, we saw a lot of unique birds such as Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Moustached Treeswift, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Papuan Eclectus, Great-billed Parrot, Blyth's Hornbill, Hooded Butcherbird, Mimic Honeyeater, and etc. We saw our main targets too, i.e.: Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise.

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Raja Ampat and Sorong regency, please, contact me by whatsapp through this contact link or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

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Birding in Raja Ampat's Waigeo island

2026-08-26T17:51:07.416-07:00

From 23 to 26 August 2026, I guided Jordan and Emilie on a birding tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. Our targets were Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise. We could watch them during the trip. We also did general birding walks both along the road side and inside the forest. To increase our chance to see more birds, we did night walks after dinner.

Although it was quite exhausting, we were able to see various species of tropical birds of Raja Ampat including Moustached Treeswift, White-breasted Woodswallow, Pacific Swallow, Oriental Hobbit, Papuan Eclectus, Great-billed Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Raja Ampat Pitohui, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Beach Kingfisher, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Helmeted Friarbird, Blyth's Hornbill, Papuan Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook, Lesser Frigatebird, Greater Bird of Paradise Common Tern, Whimbrel, Woodsandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Willie Wagtail, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, and etc.

Birds of paradise that we saw in Waigeo were Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Glossy-mantled Manucode.

Birding in Klaimis Forest of Klasow valley, Sorong Regency

Before the birding tour in Waigeo, we spent 3 days/ 2 nights in Klaimis forest. We saw a lot of interesting birds such as Black Lory, Black-capped Lory, Western-crowned Pigeon, Blue Black Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Thick-billed Ground Pigeon, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, and several species of birds of paradise and etc.

We also saw mammals such as bandicoot, deer, possum, and cuscus. For reptiles, we saw snake and monitor lizard.

If you are interested in taking a wildlife tour in Waigeo or Batanta of Raja Ampat regency and Klaimis forest of Sorong regency, please, send your message to my email: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

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Papuan Boobook in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

2026-08-23T21:53:33.410-07:00

Yesterday I did night birding with Jordan - a wildlife photographer from France. We walked along the roadside of Saporkren in search of Papuan Frogmouth. We saw one sitting on the branch of a tree around 40 meters away from us. So, we left it. We continued our walk again. I played the call of Papuan Boobook (Ninox theomacha). After waiting for a few minutes, we saw one flying in front of us and landing on the branch of a tree. We walked slowly to get closer to the bird. I used my binoculars and aimed them at the bird. After locking my binocs at the bird, I attached my cell phone behind them.

The Papuan Boobook was sitting on the branch for about 5 minutes. I was able to record some videos and photos of the bird.

This morning we went into the forest by a 4wd pick-up truck. We were able to see the Wilson's Bird of Paradise. It was a successful morning trip. We saw the paradise bird. Unfortunately, I did not make any picture or video of the bird.

Blue-black Kingfisher

2026-08-22T03:31:29.233-07:00

This is a short video of Blue-black Kingfisher (Todiramphus nigrocyaneus) that I made in Klaimis forest, a lowland rainforest outside Sorong city. I recorded the kingfisher on 22 August 2026 at around 17:00 local time. We usually find Blue-black Kingfisher near a stream or in the mangrove area.

Klaimis is the habitat of Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher and Yellow-billed Kingfisher.

A lot of other birds could be seen there too such as Black Lory, Black-capped Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot and etc.

Klaimis forest is the natural habitat of Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise.

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Thick-billed Ground Pigeon

2026-08-21T06:04:00.002-07:00

Here is a short video of Thick-billed Ground Pigeon (Trugon terrestris) that I made when I and some villagers were guiding a French wildlife photographer in Klaimis, a lowland rainforest outside of Sorong city.

The bird was sleeping on a branch of a tree around 2.5 meters above the ground. This bird, during the day, spends most of its time on the ground feeding on fallen fruits, seeds and insects. At night it sleeps on the branch of a tree.

Deforestation that continues to happen in New Guinea is becoming a serious problem for the survival of endemic plants and animals of this tropical island.

A lot of species of birds could be seen in this forest. There are Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Trumpet Manucode, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Superb Bird of Paradise, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Western-crowned Pigeon, and etc.

Visitors who take wildlife watching trip in Klaimis need to bring their own binoculars, camera with telephoto-lens and spotting scope (optional). For night walk in the forest, visitors need to bring flashlight.

The average duration of stay for visitors who take wildlife tour in Klaimis forest is 3 to 4 days. There is a simple wooden house with 3 bedrooms that was built by villagers as accommodation for visitors.

This wildlife tour in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency can be combined with wildlife trip in Raja Ampat such as in Waigeo or Batanta islands for tour participants to watch Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise as well as other animals such as cuscus, and monitor lizard.

If you are interested in taking a wildlife watching and photography tour in Sorong regency or Raja Ampat of Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

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Morning General Birdwatching Trip from Sorong City

2026-08-09T05:05:01.307-07:00

Half day morning birding tour - Sorong city is an important transit point for visitors who travel to Raja Ampat. The suburban areas of Sorong city are surrounded by farmland and forest. In recent years, these natural places have attracted birdwatchers from all corners of the world. They take birdwatching tours before or after their trip in Raja Ampat.

Some of the birds and butterflies which tour participants could see in Sorong

Some of the many birds that can be watched in the outskirt areas of Sorong city are listed below:

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise
Glossy-mantled Manucode
Trumpet Manucode
Coconut Lorikeet
Black-capped Lory
Black Lory
Red-cheeked Parrot
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Palm Cockatoo
Sahul Sunbird
Black Sunbird
Olive-crowned Flowerpecker
Willie Wagtail
Pacific Baza
Brahminy Kite
Dollarbird
Helmeted Friarbird
Emperor Fairywren
Willie Wagtail
Blyth's Hornbill
Sacred Kingfisher
Blue Black Kingfisher
Beach Kingfisher
Pinon Imperial Pigeon
Orange-fronted Fruit-dove
Collared Imperial Pigeon
Spotted Dove
Black-browed Triller
White-bellied Cuckooshrike
Torresian Crow
And etc.

To enjoy birdwatching, tour participant needs to bring their own binoculars such as the 10×42 mm from Nikon Monarch or other brands. Birding experience for tour participants will be enhanced when they bring spotting scope that is mounted on a tripod.

This morning birdwatching tour starts at 05:00 and finishes at around 10:00 and can be extended with visits to traditional market of Sorong city or Buddhist Temple View Point.

To help identify or learn more about birds that occur in Sorong city and its surroundings, visitors could install Merlin App in their cell phone.

Tour participants need to bring rain poncho, anti insect spray. This short birdwatching tour at the outskirts of Sorong city is suitable for everybody from solo traveling tourists to a group of travelers.

In addition to birds, other natural attraction that tour participants can see while walking inside or along the forest edge is butterfly. There are New Guinea Clipper, Common Green Birdwing, Great Eggfly Butterfly, Blue Tiger Butterfly, Mangrove Tiger Butterfly, Ulysses Butterfly and a lot more.

Booking

To book your bird and butterfly watching tour, please, contact me by email to peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

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Birding Tour in Klaimis forest of Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua Province, Indonesia

2026-07-22T06:54:59.337-07:00

Sorong regency has been famous as the main transportation and logistical hub for visitors who want to spend their holiday in Raja Ampat. There is a rainforest area outside Sorong city which is the natural habitat of a lot of species of plants and animals. Its name is Klaimis forest. It is one of the best birding destinations in Sorong regency for visitors who want to watch paradise birds and other tropical birds, as well as wild animals.

Magnificent Riflebird, King Bird of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Blue Black Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Lesser Bird of Paradise

Birds that can be watched in this rainforest area include Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Trumpet Manucode, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Ornate Fruit-dove, Superb Fruit-dove, Great Cuckoo-dove, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Black Butcherbird, Hooded Butcherbird, Gray-headed Goshawk, Variable Goshawk, Pacific Bazza, Brahminy Kite, Forest Bittern, Red-billed Brush Turkey, Eastern-hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta, Northern Fantail, Sooty-thicket Fantail, Emperor Fairywren, Lowland Peltop, Northern Cassowary, and a lot more.

Black-sided Robin

During the tour, birdwatching activities are conducted early in the mornings, in the afternoons and at nights.

Forest Bittern in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency

Visitors need to bring binoculars, usually the 8×42, 10×42 and 10×50 mm. Bringing a spotting scope that is mounted on a tripod will greatly enhance the birding experience.

In addition to birds, visitors could also see butterflies such as New Guinea Clipper, Great Eggfly, Blue Mountain Swallowtail, Common Green Birdwing, Sacred Tabby, Silky Owl, Cruiser Blue Tiger, Chetosia, and etc.

Mammals are mostly marsupial. After dinner, we could watch them during night walks in the forest. Tour participants need to bring their own torch or flaashlight. There are dorcopsis, brown tree mouse, long-fingered trike, cuscus. There are also echina, fruit bat, deer, and wild pigs.

The duration of birding tour in this Klaimis forest of Sorong regency is usually between 3 to 4 days.

Where is Sorong city and how to get there?

Sorong city is the capital of Southwest Papua Province in the Republic of Indonesia. It is the main gate for visitors who want to travel to Raja Ampat islands.

Visitors who want to take their wildlife tour in Klaimis forest before or after their trip in Raja Ampat need to fly to Sorong city. There are daily direct flights between Sorong and cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Manado, Ambon, Fakfak, Manokwari.

Flight routes from cities in Indonesia to Sorong city in Southwest Papua

These flights are served by Garuda, Lion Air, Super Air Jet, Batik Air, TransNusa and Wings Air.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in this Klaimis forest of Sorong regency of Indonesia and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

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Wildlife Tour to Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency, Indonesia

2026-07-05T07:54:27.876-07:00

Klaimis is a rainforest area in Sorong regency of Southwest Papua Province, Indonesia. The rainforest is the natural habitat of a lot of species of tropical birds, mammals, reptiles, insects.

Wildlife watching tour in Sorong regency

Birds of paradise that could be watched in Klaimis forest include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, and Trumpet Manucode.

There are also Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Common Paradise Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher.

In general wildlife watching activity is usually conducted early in the morning from 05:00 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 18:15. Night walk is carried out after dinner from 20:30 to 22:00.

There also mammals. Some of them include fruit bats, dorcopsis, brown tree mouse, wild boar, bandicoot, long-fingered trike and cuscus.

Eastern-hooded Pitta

For insects, visitors could see various species of butterflies such as the Silky Owl Butterfly, Ulysses Butterfly, Common Green Birdwing and Cruiser butterfly.

The duration of the tour in Klaimis forest is usually 3 to 4 days. It can be extended to other areas in Raja Ampat such as Waigeo or Batanta.

Accommodation: There is a small wooden house in Klaimis forest. There are seat toilets with water supplied by a pump from a nearby river.

What to bring

Visitors who take multiple day wildlife tour in rainforest need to bring camera with telephoto lens, binoculars, extra batteries, rain poncho or raincoat, anti insect lotion, and torch/ flashlight.

Lesser Bird of Paradise

How to get there?

To take this wildlife tour, visitors need to fly from their country to Sorong city which is the capital of Southwest Papua Province in the Republic of Indonesia.

There are daily flights from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Manado city to Sorong city. They are served by

Visitors can fly from Singapore to Manado and then to Sorong city.

If you are interested in taking a wildlife tour to Klaimis forest and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

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Tour at the Outskirts of Sorong city, Indonesia

2026-06-08T02:57:08.106-07:00

Sorong is the capital of Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia. A lot of visitors fly to Sorong of Indonesia to spend their holiday in Raja Ampat. Many of them look for tourism activities which they can enjoy while staying in this city.

Sahul Sunbird

As a tourist guide, I offer a short half day or 1 day sightseeing and nature tour to the outskirt areas of Sorong city. We usually starts very early in the morning at 05:00. Our destination is forest areas around 40 minutes drive from the city. We will go by a chartered car. When we arrive, we still have time for coffee or tea and some biscuits. When the sun is about to rise in the east, we can start walking into the nearby forest to watch it.

Sightseeing and wildlife watching tour at the outskirts of Sorong city

Usually a male Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise will land on the top of a tree trunk and begin to call his female mating partner. If the weather is good, the female bird will come at around 06:15. We could watch how the male Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise performs his courtship dance. After watching the paradise bird, we could continue walking to an open area to watch various species of tropical birds and butterfies in the area. For birds, there are Papuan Eclectus, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-faced Myna, Sahul Sunbird, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and etc.

For butterflies, there are New Guinea Clipper, Mangrove Tiger Butterfly and Priamus Birdwing.

Sightseeing and Nature Tour in Sorong city

We usually bring spotting scope and binoculars to watch them. Some tour participants bring their own telephoto camera.

Sightseeing tour in Sorong city

This tour is suitable for anyone who has got a free morning or a free afternoon in Sorong city without knowing what to do and where to go.

Solo traveling visitor, a couple or a group of tourists can book this sightseeing and nature tour program from Sorong city.

Birdwatching tour from Sorong city to forest areas in its surroundings

Flights to Sorong city - There are regular flights between Sorong and Jakarta as well as between Denpasar Bali and Sorong city. Flights from other major cities Indonesia such as Manado, Makassar, Surabaya, Ambon and Manokwari to Sorong city are also available. They are served by Garuda, Lion Air, Batik Air and Super Airjet.

Accommodation - We could pick up tour participants from Swissbel hotel, Aston Hotel, Vega Hotel, Rylich Panorama or any hotels in the city and organize the trip by a chartered car to natural places outside Sorong city.

To book your tour in Sorong city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

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Wildlife Watching Trip in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency

2026-05-30T23:42:55.165-07:00

Sorong city is the capital of the newly formed Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia. It is the main destination for visitors who plan to enjoy their holiday in Raja Ampat.

Visitors who have arrived in Sorong city could take wildlife watching tour in the forest of Klasow valley to watch paradise birds and other tropical birds as well as insects, mammals and reptiles.

Lesser Bird of Paradise

Some of the birds that visitors could watch include: Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Western-crowned Pigeon, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Rufuous-bellied Kookaburra, Papuan Pitta, Eastern Hooded Pitta, Blue Jewel Babbler, Pheasant Pigeon, Thick-billed Ground Pigeon, Northern Cassowary, and etc.

Magnificent Riflebird

Birding activity is usually carried very early in the morning at 05:00. Tour participant will be guided to walk for around 1 hour to the site of Lesser Bird of Paradise. At 06:00, male paradise birds start to call their female mating partners. The courtship dance usually lasts for 2 to 3 hours depending on the weather. After watching the paradise birds, rainforest tour will be continued to the site of Magnificent Riflebird.

Western-crowned Pigeon

Night birding is usually conducted after dinner for tour participants to watch Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook, Papuan Hawk Owl and Hook-billed Kingfisher.

In addition to birds, visitors could also find cuscus, Long-fingered Triok, dorcopsis, and etc. For reptile, the famous attraction is Green Tree Python. However, there are also monitor lizard that can be found when visitors explore the forest.

Accommodation

There is a jungle homestay that visitors could use. On the average, visitors spend around 3 days/ 2 nights in the forest. They are served by local villagers.

If you are interested in taking wildlife watching trip in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through the following button:

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Day Birding Tour in Sorong Regency

2026-05-16T10:34:49.047-07:00

I have just completed a 2-day-trip birding tour for 2 visitors in several birding sites outside Sorong city.

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise in the suburb of Sorong city

In Day 1, we started our trip at 05:00. We went to the outskirts of Aimas by car to watch Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. The weather was cloudy. There was a little rain but it stopped when the sun began to rise in the east. We watched the paradise bird for around one and a half hour. Both the male and female Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise came to their usual mating site which were two vertical branch of a tree. After that we continued the tour by walking around an open area to watch Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Sahul Brush Cuckoo, Yellow-faced Myna, Helmeted Friarbird, Variable Goshawk, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird and etc.

Blyth's Hornbill

At 08:00, we returned to Sorong city for the tour participants to have breakfast in their hotelm We continued again at 09:00. We went to a hill outside Sorong city. There, we saw Pacific Baza, Dollardbird, Sahul Sunbird, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Coconut Lorikeet, Yellow-faced Myna, Glossy Swiftlet and etc. We returned to Sorong city at around 11:00.

In the afternoon at 15:00, we continued our day trip birding tour to the north coast. We watched Beach Kingfisher, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Torresian Crow, and Pacific Swallow.

The next morning which was the Day 2 of our birding trip, we went to a forest outside Sorong city. It was quite far. It took around 1 hour to reach it. Ther we watched Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise and Papuan Pitta. We saw other birds as well such as Blyth's Hornbill, Papuan Eclectus, Black-capped Lory and Pinon Imperial Pigeon.

In the afternoon at 15:00, we went by car to Mangrove forest at the outskirts of Sorong city. We saw Glossy-mantled Manucode, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Blue-fronted Fig Parrot (also called Orange-breasted Fig Parrot), Collared Imperial Pigeon, Willie Wagtail, Spotted Dove, Glossy Starling, and Brown Oriole. We also saw Sacred Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher and Emperor Fairywren.

Papuan Eclectus

It was a great birding tour. The participants enjoyed the beautiful landscape of Sorong regency. We returned to Sorong at 18:00 and arrived in the hotel at around 19:00.

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

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1 Day Birding Tour in Sorong Regency Lowland Forest and Coastal Area

2026-03-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

A few days ago (March 13th, 2026), I guided a couple (Marcus and Jo) from Australia on a birding tour in the lowland and coastal forest of Sorong regency. We started early in the morning at 05:30. I met them at Aston hotel and then by car we went to a forest area outside Sorong city. It took around 40 minutes to reach the entrance site of the forest. At that time, we could hear the calls of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus).

1 Day Birding Tour in the forest of Sorong Regency

The bird was sitting on the vertical pole of a tree waiting for his female mating partner to come. I set up my 2 tripods, one with a pair of binoculars mounted on it and the other with a spottiny scope, and aimed them at the paradise bird. We waited for the female bird to come. The male Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise did some rehearsal by hopping down and up the pole. He hopped down to the top of lower pole and sit on it for awhile.

Marcus and Jo used their camera to take pictures of the paradise bird. They also made some video using their cell phone through the spotting scope.

After waiting for around one and a half hour, unfortunately the female paradise bird did not come, the male one flew away leaving the dancing lek.

We left the watching site and continued our activity by doing general birding. We saw a lot of species of interesting birds including Papuan Eclectus, Spangled Drongo, Yellow-faced Myna, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Willie Wagtail, Helmeted Friarbird, Black Butcherbird, Sahul Sunbird, Palm Cockatoo, Black-capped Lory, Shining Flycatcher, Blyth's Hornbill and Gray-headed Goshawk.

A female Papuan Eclectus

If you are interested in taking this 1 day birding tour at the outskirts of Sorong city and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by gmail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

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Water Lily from A Swamp in Merauke

In addition to guiding tourists, my daily avtivity now is drawing and painting. I have just completed an old sketch of Water Lily of Merauke in watercolour. This is a small painting on paper size A5 (14.5 cm×21 cm) Winsor & Newton Wire-O sketch book. I saw this water lily flower in a swamp at the outskirts of Merauke. I visited the town years ago. There was only one flower at that time. Usually in a swamp, there are various kinds of water plants and including tens of waterlily flowers. However, I only saw one flower. So, the only one water lily flower that was still standing in the dark water of the swamp, when I arrived, deserved my attention. The swamp was at the roadside. I even asked the driver to stop his car so that I could walk closer to it.

Water Lily from Merauke

The watercolour painting is now inside a simple frame that I hang on the wall of the front room of my house.

I still have other watercolour paintings that I will discuss in my later posts.

4 Days/3 Nights Birding in Sorong Regency

2026-03-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

Today is 3 March 2026. I have just started a birding tour with 2 participants from Germany. We are now in Klasow valley. We left Sorong city at 08:30 by a 4wd car and started to do birding through tropical rainforest at around 10:00 a.m. We saw Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Eastern Hooded Pitta. It was a good start. When we were having lunch, a female Blyth's hornbill landed on a wooden beam of our dining hall.

Large Fig Parrot

At 15:15, we went birding again to the southern forest of the village. We saw Black-capped Lory, Black Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Golden Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Papuan Eclectus, Red-cheeked Parrot, Helmeted Friarbird, and Lowland Peltop.

Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher

At dusk, we were waiting for Papuan Nightjar. Unfortunately, he did not show up. There were flying fox flying over the village. Unfortunately, the Papuan nightjar did not fly that evening. So, we returned to the guesthouse.

Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot

In the morning of 4 March 2026, we went to the lek of Lesser Bird of Paradise. We left Malagufuk village at 05:00. It took around 30 minutes of walking to reach the place. We still had to wait for around 30 minutes for the sunlight to appear in the sky. After waiting for quite long and walking around the forest area for two hours to chase the birds, finally, we could watch the courtship dance of the Lesser Bird of Paradise. There were 4 male and 3 female Lesser Birds of Paradise.

Lesser Bird of Paradise

We also went to the site of King Bird of Paradise. I could also take picture of the bird using my Vivo V40 Lite that is mounted on my SVbony SV410 spotting scope.

King Bird of Paradise

In the afternoon, we saw a lot of birds around the edge of the village. There were Glossy-mantled Manucode, Blyth's Hornbill, Black Lory, Golden Myna, Yellow-faced Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Gray-streaked Flycatcher, Golden Cuckooshrike, Sahul Sunbird, Red-cheeked Parrot, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Glossy Swiftlet.

Sultan's Cuckoo-dove

We did night walk. We saw Yellow-bellied Gerygone, a Brown Tree Mouse. We tried to attract Papuan Boobook by playing its recorded calls. Unfortunately, when this nocturnal bird came, he landed a tall tree whose branches were blocked by other branches from a nearby tree. So, we could not see the bird.

In the morning of 5 March was a great birding experience for us. We saw Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Papuan Pitta, Northern Cassowary, Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Black-sided Robin.

Hook-billed Kingfisher

On the way back to the village after watching the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, we saw Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Hook-billed Kingfisher. We also watched birds that were active in a tall merbau tree. There were Lowland Peltops, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Yellow-faced Myna, Coconut Lorikeet and Large Fig Parrot. There was a Palm Cockatoo that landed briefly on the tip of a dry branch. I was able to take some picture of the bird.

Palm Cockatoo

On 6 March 2026, we went to the hides of Papuan Pitta and Eastern Hooded Pitta. We were able to see them after attracting them with calls and worms. We also saw Little Shrikethrush, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Sahul Brush Cuckoo, Azure Kingfisher and Long-tailed Honeybuzzard. After lunch, we returned to Sorong city. It has been a great birding trip for our German guests.

Azure Kingfisher

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in Sorong regency of Indonesia and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp at +6281332245180. You could also press this contact link.

Also read:

Watching Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise Near Aimas Town

2026-02-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

Aimas town is the capital of Sorong regency. It is around 30 minutes drive from Sorong city. There is a forest area near the town that has been the natural habitat of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. I guided a visitor from France today (28 Feb. 2026) on a morning birdwatching tour from Sorong city.

We watched Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise for around 1 hour. After that we continued our activity by doing general birding. There were several species of interesting tropical birds that we saw including Spangled Drongo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Pacific Baza, Papuan Eclectus, Willie Wagtail, Blyth's Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Shining Flycatcher, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Yellow-faced Myna, Singing Starling, and etc.

Yellow-faced Myna

At 09:00, we continued our trip to Mangrove forest where we saw Brown-backed Honeyeater, Sahul Sunbird, and Emperor Fairywren.

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching and sightseeing tour to areas around Sorong city and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to +6281332245180 or through this contact link.

Also read:

1 Day Birding Tour At the Outskirts of Sorong City

2026-02-23T23:51:00.000-08:00

Morning Birding

I often receive requests from visitors who want to do sightseeing and birdwatching trip from Sorong city. There are several interesting sites to explore. The recommended one is the rainforest area at the outskirts of Aimas Town. We need to start early in the morning at around 05:00. I will meet tour participants at the hotel in Sorong city and then organize their transfer by car to birding site. It takes around 45 minutes to reach it. We will watch the first target which is the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. Usually we spend between 30 minutes to 1 hour to watch the paradise bird. After that we will continue our activity by doing general birding. We will look for any species of birds that sit on the branches of trees or fly in the air. They include Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Hooded Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-cheeked Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Willie Wagtail and etc. Usually, at 10:00 a.m. the air temperature is hotter and the activity of bird is little. We will return to Sorong city to take a rest.

Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong city

Afternoon Birding

We usually start at 14:00. Our destination is the mangrove forest. We will look for such birds as Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Spotted Dove, Collared Imperial Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Striated Heron, Pacific Golden Plover, Emperor Fairywren, and etc. At 18:00, the light starts to decrease. We will return to Sorong city before dark.

Beautiful Fruit-dove

As a tourist guide, I provide a spotting scope or a pair of binoculars that is mounted on a tripod. This will allow tour participants to watch birds that sit in distant branches of trees.

Birdwatching in Sorong

Participants need to bring insect repellent lotion or spray, rain poncho. They could also bring binoculars or camera if they have.

More tours to other interesting places

In addition to birdwatching, I also offer sightseeing tour to Doom island, the north coast of Sorong and traditional markets.

If you are interested in taking this birding tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to +6281332245180 or through this contact link.

Also read:

Sketch of Azure Kingfisher

Here is a sketch of Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus)that I made on a small pocket sketch-book using Faber-Castell watercolour pencil.

This Azure kingfisher usually can be found along the sides of creeks in lowland tropical rainforest of West Papua region.

A Sketch of Azure Kingfisher

Birding in Tambrauw and Sorong (5 Days/ 4 Nights)

2026-02-09T23:54:00.000-08:00

I have just completed a tour in Klabili village of Tambrauw regency and in the birding sites at the outskirts of Sorong city and Aimas town. I guided a couple from the Netherlands. We spent 3 days/ 2 nights in Klabili and 2 days/ 2 nights in Sorong to watch birds. During our stay in Klabili, we explored the rainforest of the village where we saw various species of rainforest birds including Papuan Pitta, Eastern Hooded Pitta, Blyth's Hornbill, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, King Bird of Paradise, Sahul Sunbird, Black-capped Lory, Red-cheeked Parrot, Frilled Monarch, Streaked-headed Honeyeater, Brahminy Kite, Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, and New Guinea Vulturine Parrot (Pesquet Parrot -ebird)etc.

Eastern-hooded Pitta

We also did some night walks in Klabili where we saw Papuan Frogmouth and Flying fox.

At the outskirts of Aimas town in Sorong regency, we saw Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Black Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, and Metallic Starling. We also explored coastal area in the north coast of Sorong. There, we saw Common Sandpiper, Pacific Reef Heron, Brahminy Kite, Torresian Crow, Beach Kingfisher. We also saw, perhaps, a Blue Rock Thrush, on top of a rocky islet. Well, it is not a common bird in this region.

Birdwatching in the north coast of Sorong regency

We also visited Love Hill of Sorong where we saw Yellow-faced Myna, and Black Butcherbird. In mangrove area at the outskirts of Aimas town, we saw White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Collared Imperial Pigeon, Orange-fronted Imperial Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover and Little Heron. There were Scaly-breasted Munia and Spotted Dove which, probably, were escaped caged birds.

Rainforest at the suburb of Sorong city; Brahminy Kite, Beach Kingfisher

To watch birds, I use 2 pairs of 10×50 binoculars. I carried one and the other pair was mounted on the tripod. This allows everyone to watch birds that were sitting on distant branches of trees.

Wompoo Fruit-dove

Also read:

Birding Tour in North Sulawesi: Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Mount Mahawu & Sonder Forest

Some Birds in Sonder of Minahasa Highland

North Sulawesi is one of the best places in Indonesia for birdwatching. In a short distance, you can visit rainforest, lakes, farmland, and mountain forest. A birding tour that includes:

Tangkoko Nature Reserve
Lake Tondano
Mount Mahawu
Sonder Forest

This trip gives you the chance to see many special birds that only live in Sulawesi.

Birds in North Sulawesi

Tangkoko Nature Reserve

Tangkoko is a famous rainforest area in North Sulawesi. It is one of the best places to see Sulawesi’s unique birds. The forest is close to the coast and has many different habitats.

Some birds you may see here include:

* Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher

* Green-backed Kingfisher

* Sulawesi Hornbill

* Lilac Kingfisher

* Sulawesi Pitta

Gursky's Spectral Tarsier

The best time to watch birds in Tangkoko is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when birds are most active. In addition to birds tour participants could also see mammals, reptiles and insects. Attractive mammals include Celebes-crested Macaque, Spectral Tarsier, and Sulawesi Bear Cuscus.

Rusty-backed Thrush

Lake Tondano

Lake Tondano offers a different birding experience. It is a large lake surrounded by villages, rice fields, and open land. This area is good for seeing waterbirds and birds that live in open spaces.

You may see:

* Wandering Whistling Duck

* Purple Heron

* White-browed Crake

* Yellow Bittern

* Collared Kingfisher

The lake area is also a good place to see birds flying over the water and feeding in the fields.

Collared Kingfisher

Mount Mahawu

Mount Mahawu is a small volcano with cool mountain forest. There is a walking path around the crater, making it easy to explore. The higher elevation means you can see different birds than in the lowland forest.

Some possible birds include:

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
Sulawesi Scops Owl
Sulawesi Myzomela
Mountain White-eye
Sulawesi Cuckoo-Dove

On clear days, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the crater and surrounding landscape.

Crater of Mount Mahawu

Lake Linow

This is a volcanic lake that is always visited by tourists. We could see a lot of species of birds both along its shore and in the water. There are Sunda Teal, Javan Pond Heron, Whiskered Tern, Little Egret, Woodsandpiper, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Waterhen and etc.

Sonder Forest

Sonder Forest is a quieter and less crowded birding spot. It has mountain forest with tall trees and thick vegetation. This makes it a good place to find shy birds.

You may find:

Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker
Sulawesi Drongo
Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
Black-naped Fruit-dove
Black-crowned White-eye
Crimson Sunbird
Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
Mountain Tailorbird
Black Sunbird

Because fewer people visit Sonder, it is peaceful and great for slow birdwatching and photography.

Yellow-sided Flowerpecker

Why Visit All These Places?

Each location offers a different type of habitat:

* Rainforest

* Lake and rice-field wetlands

* Farmland

* Mountain forest

* Water-falls

By visiting all four places, you increase your chances of seeing many different bird species, especially those found only in Sulawesi.

Barred Rail

Best Time to Go

You can go birdwatching in North Sulawesi at any time of year. However, the dry season usually makes forest trails easier to walk. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to see birds.

A Great Birding Experience

A birding tour to Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Mount Mahawu, and Sonder Forest is a wonderful way to explore nature in North Sulawesi. With beautiful scenery and many special birds, this trip is perfect for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts.

Flight routes to Manado city

How to get there?

You need to fly to Manado city. It is the capital of North Sulawesi province in Indonesia. We could meet you at the airport and then organize your tour to birding sites mentioned in this blog post.

Accommodations

There are homestays, guesthouses and hotels that you could stay in during your birding/ wildlife watching tour in this part of North Sulawesi province. We could organize it for you.

If you are interested in taking day birding tour to the above places and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

Birds and Paddy Fields in Sonder

Also read:

Night Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest Outside Sorong City

2025-12-21T02:10:00.000-08:00

There is a rainforest area that is located around 1 hour 45 minutes drive from Sorong city. Yesterday night, I guided a couple from Europe, Mateo and Annika to that forest. Its name was Klaimis forest. They were the first foreign visitors to explore Klaimis forest. We had a wildlife watching tour inside the forest and along the roadside. We left Sorong city at around 16:00 and arrived at the outskirts of the forest just before sunset.

Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency

We explored the forest accompanied by the villagers, i.e. Neles, Dani, Daniel and Misael. Along the banks of a small stream, we saw Hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta, Papuan Frogmouth, Rusty Pitohui and Western-crowned Pigeon.

I brought a spotting scope that was mounted on a tripod. This enabled all of us who were on this trip to see birds, mammals and reptiles that were sitting on the branches of tall trees.

Night walking tour in Klamis rainforest of Sorong regency

In addition to birds, we saw mammals such as Brown Tree Mouse and Northern Common Cuscus. For reptiles, we saw monitor lizard, Papua Forest Dragon and a green tree phyton snakelet. There were various kinds of big and small frogs that we also saw.

Green Tree Phyton (Morelia viridis) in Klamis forest of Sorong regency

We saw butterflies and moths too. There were Silky Owl Butterfly, Euchenor Butterfly and some moths.

We came out of the forest at around 22:00. We had some coffee break, and snacks. We still had an easy birding walk along the roadside to find Marbled Frogmouth. After Daniel played its recorded sounds several times, we were able to see some Marbled Frogmouths. We also saw a couple of Pinon Imperial Pigeon on the branch of a tall tree at the roadside using the spotting scope.

Papua Forest Dragon in Klamis forest of Sorong regency

It was a nice rainforest tour. At around 23:15, we decided to return to Sorong and arrived in the city at around 01:00.

If you are interested in taking wildlife tour in this rainforest outside of Sorong city and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

Also read:

Birding in Klasow Valley of Sorong with a Swiss Lady and a French Girl

2025-10-09T02:57:00.000-07:00

From 5 to 7 Oct. 2025, I guided a Swiss lady on a birdwatching tour in Klasow valley of Sorong regency. We walked through the forest to find paradise birds and other tropical birds of West Papua. During the 3 day/ 2 night tour in the rainforest, we were able to see Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. We also saw Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Orange-footed Megapode, Papuan Pitta and a lot of other birds.

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Papuan Pitta

It rained in the afternoons and at nights during the tour. However, we managed to watch most of the target birds that we had planned to see.

During the tour, we also saw a lot of beautiful butterflies. Some of them were Silky Owl Butterfly, Ulysses Butterfly, and New Guinea Clipper, Eastern Red Lacewing (Chetosia cydippe). We completed our trip with the morning walk to the dancing site of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise.

Hibiscus in Klasow valley

I am now guiding a French girl on a rainforest wildlife watching tour in the same Klasow valley. We started yesterday (8 October 2025) and will finish the trip tomorrow (10 Oct. 2025).

So far, we have seen Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, and a lot of other tropical birds of West Papua.

If you are interested in taking a tour in West Papua or other parts of Indonesia such as Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Mount Mahawu in Minahasa highland, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

Late Afternoon and Night Birding in Sorong

2025-09-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sorong is the transit point for visitors who want to go to Raja Ampat. However, Sorong itself has got its own natural attractions such as wildlife. The outskirts of Sorong city is still covered by rainforest which is the habitat of various species of birds, mammals, insects and reptiles.

For visitors who arrive in the afternoon and want to have some tour to this forest, I want to offer a late afternoon and night birding tour.

Papuan Pitta

Here is the program:

Itinerary

15:00-17:45

We will meet you in Sorong city and then organize your trip by car to a beach at the outskirts of Sorong city. We will walk along the beach to look for coastal birds such as Beach Kingfisher, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Pacific Reef Heron, Common Sandpiper, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, and etc.

17:45

We will go to the hill area to have some coffee or tea with some cakes. Birds such as Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Papuan Eclectus, Palm Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Helmetted Friarbird can still be seen flying back to their nests or roosting trees.

Papuan Boobook, Papuan Frogmouth, White-lipped Frog

19:00 - 23:00

We will do night birding to look for such birds as Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth or even the Papuan Hawk Owl and any birds that sleep on lower branches of trees. Sometimes cuscus or possum can be seen at night too.

At around 23:00, we will return to Sorong city.

The above itinerary should be seen as a reference only. It could be modified based on the time which the tour participants have.

If you are interested in taking the tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by pressing this contact link or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

Morning Birding Tour from Sorong City

2025-09-12T03:40:00.000-07:00

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 or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

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Tropical Birds in Sorong and Raja Ampat

2025-08-23T03:38:00.000-07:00

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 email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by visiting this contact link.

Also read:

Festival Roon 2025

2025-08-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

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 through this contact link or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

Birding in Klasow Valley

2025-08-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

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 through whatsapp by visiting contact link.

Also read:

Bird Photography Tour in Klabili and Waigeo

2025-07-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

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.

Wildlife Tour in Klabili Village

Tour participants 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.

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