New Ireland


View to the west from Ral Island.

We went to old Ireland in 2005 so we took the opportunity to visit New Ireland recently. You might wonder why this tropical paradise is named after cold, sodden (but beautiful) Ireland. In this part of the world we have New Guinea, New Ireland, New Britain, New Hanover, New Zealand, New South Wales, New Caledonia, New Georgia, New Holland (now Australia) and it is hard to see what reminded people of the original places (except maybe Guinea).

A typical scene in New Ireland - a coastal village with banana boat.

Mitchell and Webb had a take on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfUInbMnHbI

Getting to New Ireland from Lae involves two flights going and three coming back as the Port Moresby flight stops at Manus on the way back. I must say that our recent experiences with Air New Guinea have been faultless. Great job team!

We stayed at the lovely Nusa Island Retreat, a quick banana boat ride across the channel from the capital - Kavieng, and can thoroughly recommend it. We had a great cabin built over the water and it was so relaxing sitting with a book and watching the small boat traffic, dolphins, reef herons and weather changes. When we weren't chilling on our deck we beach-combed, birded, snorkelled (Jenny at least), walked across the two Nusa islands (big and little), visited the town market and explored the rainforest on the mainland.We had some great chats with the other guests including one chap of Chinese descent whose parents lived here during WWII and had to jump into a banana boat and escape the Japanese.

A path through Nusa Island Retreat

Our view across to the mainland (with Sea Eagles)

I naturally had some birds I wanted to see. Apart from those on the two Nusas I had organised to go to an area of lowland rainforest south of Kavieng. There is good high mountain forest on the island but it is too far for a day trip. We managed to get away early and had a great local guide who didn't know the names of the birds but was very good at finding them in the dense vegetation. We spent about 4 hours in the forest and I saw several new species. Not many photos to show you however. New for me were Paradise Drongo, Bismarck Monarch and Bismarck Whistler.

Common Kingfisher

Melanesian Megapode

Pacific Reef Heron

Amboyna Cuckoo-Dove

Another morning we jumped into a boat and headed out to tiny Ral Island (-2.61050, 150.70950). We saw a small flock of Common Terns with some Black Noddies (lifer) on the way out. Once on the island Jenny went snorkeling and I circumnavigated it and then explored the interior. This didn't take long as the circumference is barely 200 m. Birds were not numerous on the island. I saw two species and three individuals - a pair of Ospreys on a nest and a Melanesian Kingfisher. Scanning the ocean resulted in a single Red-footed Booby. Interestingly there were several small lizards and at least one huge Orb-weaver spider. I guess they island hop on logs.

Black Noddies and a Common Tern on the way out to Ral Island.

A Tawny Hermit Crab eating a palm fruit.

Two of the three birds on Ral Island. A pair of Ospreys above their nest.

A Garden Orb-Weaver

Azure-tailed Skink

I don't know anyone who has visited New Ireland for a holiday but I can recommend it for anyone who likes snorkelling, surfing, diving or just relaxing with a good book and a cold drink. There are better places to go birding but if you have been to them all then New Ireland is worth a visit for birding as well.

We shared our deck with a dog or three most of the time.
These have a lot of New Guinea Singing Dog in their DNA.

A visit to the Kavieng market before heading to the airport.

Our plane landed on Manus Island on the way back to Port Moresby so I was keen to add a bird or two for a new province. We were not allowed off the plane and I saw absolutely nothing while we were parked at the terminal. We taxied out to the end of the runway, turned for takeoff and there was a single Whimbrel in the grass. Yay!

So many islands near Kavieng. Ral is the speck lower right.

Momote Airport on Manus Island.
Note the large amount of pumice accumulating on the shoreline to the right.

Recently a submarine volcano has been erupting near Manus and it has been spewing out large amounts of pumice. This is visible from the air as long strands across the ocean and it has been accumulating along the coastlines, making boat trips difficult and killing fish.

Drifts of pumice from the submarine volcano.

An unnamed atoll between Manus and New Guinea.

Back at work now. We have 5 full weeks left and in that time we have two weeks of training to run and a 3-day conference to attend. The time will fly. We are planning on flying back to Australia on 21st July but that might change depending on what we are required to do in Port Moresby.

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