26 July to 1 August 2009
Pre-tour day
Saturday 25 July 2009
Arrive Nouvata Park Hotel
Day 1.
Sunday 26 July 2009 Visit Monts Koghi
This morning we'll venture up Monts Koghi in the foothills of Noumea. Good birds to watch for here are the gigantic Notou, the New Caledonian imperial-pigeon, reputedly the largest arboreal pigeon in the world and without question a goliath as its Latin name denotes, as well as New Caledonian goshawk, New Caledonian whistler, New Caledonian flycatcher, New Caledonian myzomela, southern shrikebill and horned parakeet.
We will also visit a small freshwater wetland and nearby mudflats.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Sunday 26 July 2009 Visit Monts Koghi
This morning we'll venture up Monts Koghi in the foothills of Noumea. Good birds to watch for here are the gigantic Notou, the New Caledonian imperial-pigeon, reputedly the largest arboreal pigeon in the world and without question a goliath as its Latin name denotes, as well as New Caledonian goshawk, New Caledonian whistler, New Caledonian flycatcher, New Caledonian myzomela, southern shrikebill and horned parakeet.
We will also visit a small freshwater wetland and nearby mudflats.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Day 2
Monday 27 July Depart Magenta Airport for Lifou Island
An early rise this morning for our flight to Lifou Island. Lifou, which retains much of its natural rainforest, has two endemics – the large and small Lifou white-eyes. The latter is quite common but the large Lifou white-eye presents more of a challenge. Other good birds on Lifou are blue-faced parrot-finch, fan-tailed gerygone, long-tailed triller, cardinal myzomela and red-bellied fruit-dove. There is also a good chance for Pacific imperial pigeon. We spend most of the day exploring the island, returning to Noumea in the evening. Flight departing Lifou late afternoon.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Day 3
Tuesday 28 July Parc Riviere Bleue
Riviere Bleue is our destination this morning where we should see the pièce de résistance of the New Caledonian birds - the enigmatic kagu, New Caledonia's powder-grey, avian national emblem. This reserve of 9000 hectares contains a good population of kagu as well as most of the other endemics or near-endemics to be found on New Caledonia. The rangers at Riviere Bleue have been instrumental in the much-improved status of kagu. We will meet Jean-Marc at 0700 hours.
Along with the kagu there are two other must-see species in the park. These are the very difficult crow honeyeater — one of the largest honeyeaters in the world, resembling a giant, black regent honeyeater; plus the unusual New Caledonian cuckoo-shrike. These two species are near impossible anywhere else in New Caledonia
We saw all three in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 and two of the three in 2004, dipping on crow honeyeater. The park is also the stronghold for the Notua, which, even today, is hunted elsewhere in New Caledonia. After a hard day in the field, we'll travel back to Noumea.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Wednesday 29 July,
Ouvéa Island, depart Magenta airport
We fly to Ouvéa Island, also in the Loyalty Group, to see the island's only endemic, the rare Ouvéa Parakeet. This species has been split from the horned parakeet of Grand Terre and is quite distinctive. Other species on the island include golden whistler (distinctive form) and red-bellied fruit-dove, fantail cuckoo, shining bronze-cuckoo and striated starling. We fly back to Grand Terre late afternoon.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Day 5
Thursday 30 July
We may visit Parc Riviere Bleue again should we need to or go directly to Farina.
Other species in Parc Riviere Bleue include horned parakeet, New Caledonian parakeet, New Caledonian friarbird, barred honeyeater, streaked fantail, yellow-bellied robin and the distinctive New Caledonian whistler.
Parc Riviere Bleue also contains much of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia, which includes ancient rainforest trees such as giant kauri and a couple of rare parasitic plants. The park also contains large areas of heathland where we'll see plants familiar to us, such as acacias and melaleucas. There is a spectacular pink-flowered grevillea, a favourite of barred honeyeaters, and a stunning red-flowered creeping mistletoe, among copious other botanical highlights.
Farina: After checking in to our quaint, circular, thatched-roof bungalows at nearby La Foa, we'll venture up to the forests near Farina for some of the best birding to be had in New Caledonia. The ancient forests in this area should also give us good sightings of many of the endemic or near endemics such as New Caledonian goshawk, New Caledonian parakeet, horned parakeet, New Caledonian whistler, long-tailed triller, Melanesian cuckoo-shrike, striated starling, barred honeyeater and New Caledonian myzomela. Non-endemics we should see in the area include buff-banded rail, emerald dove, white-breasted woodswallow (much darker on the back than ours), grey fantail, rufous whistler and swamp harrier. However, the raison d'être for visiting this area is the shy, and frustratingly difficult New Caledonian grassbird.
Less timid is the brilliant red-throated parrot-finch, the cloven-feathered dove and the massive metallic pigeon. New Caledonian crow is quite common here – this is one of the few species in the world that uses tools — in this case, a stick to extract grubs from wood.
Accommodation: La Foa
Thursday 30 July
We may visit Parc Riviere Bleue again should we need to or go directly to Farina.
Other species in Parc Riviere Bleue include horned parakeet, New Caledonian parakeet, New Caledonian friarbird, barred honeyeater, streaked fantail, yellow-bellied robin and the distinctive New Caledonian whistler.
Parc Riviere Bleue also contains much of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia, which includes ancient rainforest trees such as giant kauri and a couple of rare parasitic plants. The park also contains large areas of heathland where we'll see plants familiar to us, such as acacias and melaleucas. There is a spectacular pink-flowered grevillea, a favourite of barred honeyeaters, and a stunning red-flowered creeping mistletoe, among copious other botanical highlights.
Farina: After checking in to our quaint, circular, thatched-roof bungalows at nearby La Foa, we'll venture up to the forests near Farina for some of the best birding to be had in New Caledonia. The ancient forests in this area should also give us good sightings of many of the endemic or near endemics such as New Caledonian goshawk, New Caledonian parakeet, horned parakeet, New Caledonian whistler, long-tailed triller, Melanesian cuckoo-shrike, striated starling, barred honeyeater and New Caledonian myzomela. Non-endemics we should see in the area include buff-banded rail, emerald dove, white-breasted woodswallow (much darker on the back than ours), grey fantail, rufous whistler and swamp harrier. However, the raison d'être for visiting this area is the shy, and frustratingly difficult New Caledonian grassbird.
Less timid is the brilliant red-throated parrot-finch, the cloven-feathered dove and the massive metallic pigeon. New Caledonian crow is quite common here – this is one of the few species in the world that uses tools — in this case, a stick to extract grubs from wood.
Accommodation: La Foa
Day 6
Friday 31 July Farina
We'll spend most of today in the Farina area for another chance at, and better views of, the endemics including the troublesome New Caledonian grassbird.
We return to Noumea in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Day 7
Saturday 1 August depart after breakfast
The tour finishes after breakfast. Participants leaving New Caledonia will be transferred to Tontouta International Airport.
Information
Tour starts are 0630 hrs, Sunday 26 July and finishes after breakfast on 1 August. Participants should arrive prior to 26 July
Friday 31 July Farina
We'll spend most of today in the Farina area for another chance at, and better views of, the endemics including the troublesome New Caledonian grassbird.
We return to Noumea in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Nouvata Park
Day 7
Saturday 1 August depart after breakfast
The tour finishes after breakfast. Participants leaving New Caledonia will be transferred to Tontouta International Airport.
Information
Tour starts are 0630 hrs, Sunday 26 July and finishes after breakfast on 1 August. Participants should arrive prior to 26 July
Cost: $4,950 AUD twin share
Single supplement: $500 AUD
The cost includes accommodation from 25 July to 31 July (inclusive), meals from breakfast 26 July to breakfast 1 August; flights to Lifou and Ouvea Islands, park entrance fees, land transport while on tour and guiding. Transfers from and to Noumea International Airport are included.
Not included are international airfares, alcohol, mini bar charges, phone calls, laundry etc.
There is a 5% discount for people booking on any two 2009 organised tours. This offer does not include plains-wanderer weekends and personal tours.
Single supplement: $500 AUD
The cost includes accommodation from 25 July to 31 July (inclusive), meals from breakfast 26 July to breakfast 1 August; flights to Lifou and Ouvea Islands, park entrance fees, land transport while on tour and guiding. Transfers from and to Noumea International Airport are included.
Not included are international airfares, alcohol, mini bar charges, phone calls, laundry etc.
There is a 5% discount for people booking on any two 2009 organised tours. This offer does not include plains-wanderer weekends and personal tours.