Just back from two days and one night on the live-aboard dive boat Reef Encounter moored at various locations along Norman and Saxon reefs which make up a small portion of the enormous Great Barrier Reef of northeastern Australia.

I might not vote any member of the Bird of Paradise family the most beautiful bird in the world, but they are certainly the most ornate and some of their courtship behaviors are absolutely ridiculous.  Human males would have to spend some $100K on their attire to match the cost to these birds of wearing such outfits.  

My first bowerbird in PNG was McGregor’s, a more handsome one.  Anne spotted a less elegant species, the Yellow-breasted, a day earlier.  She almost missed the McGregoprs by going on a “cultural tour” for one morning.  Good news was that a McGregor’s showed up again in the afternoon.  These often pigeon-sized birds are noted for the peculiar structures the males make to interest females.  We have seen a few of these bowers and I find them amazing.  

Many birds inhabit New Britain and New Guinea, but the islands are also well peopled, and there is no public land; therefore one birds among people.  More, the most curious birds are the white people who come wearing field cloths and binoculars and calling birds with little speakers.  And so, one must great the resident to obtain permission to bird and will be watched.  One becomes used to that, but from time to time each of us needs leve the group to step behind a bush away from the group.