After finishing up in the highlands around Kumul with a Garnet Robin and Wattled Ploughbill the day before, we returned to Port Moresby, ready to explore Varirata NP, in the foothills of the Owen Stanley Range in PNG's southeast. We had a remarkable day there, with exceptional birds like the national bird, Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise, an incredible the literally glowed within the dark understorey Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher, a Yellow-billed Kingfisher that posed for an endless time by the roadside, and a day-roosting Barred Owlet-Nightjar to add to the Mountain Owlet-Nightjar we had enjoyed so much in the highlands.
On our way out of the park we stopped off for a White-bellied Whistler, before returning to Port Moresby which was in a state of excitement with the impending crucial third game in the State of Origin Rugby League series. After a one-sided first half surrounded by ecstatic New Guineans I retired to bed with Queensland dominating and my head buzzing from a classic day out at Varirata NP. For good reason this is my favorite site on tour.... More from Varirata and Papua New Guinea to come...
2 comments:
Barred Owl...a fav...Nighjar, a fav, add them together...Barred Owl Nightjar, pretty amazing bird, and so glad that you got the capture. Stop by my blog some time and tell me what you think~
Great shots!
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