Lowland rainforest with giant fig tree - Laagland regenwoud met reuzenvijgenboom - Ficus
This picture was made in the swamp forest, close to Jamil's house in Nimokrang. When I took the picture it started to rain very heavily, which is usually a daily phenomenon in the tropical lowlands. The Swamp forest is a very good birding area in the close vicinity of Nimbokrang. Just within the walking disctance of about half an hour, one reaches the forest, after walking through some cleared areas with small gardens, grazed places and degraded forest. Although in the first forest parts, some trees have been cleared, this forest patch still holds quite intact forest, with a lot of old fig trees and other forest giants, as well as a lot of fruiting trees. Several small rivers cross the forest and as the name suggests, most of the forest is very wet and muddy. It is particularly rich in parrots and pigeons, and it still holds several of the lowland specialities and restricted range species such as the Pale-billed Sicklebill, Brown Lory, Blue-Black Kingfisher and Shovel-billed Kingfisher. Big cavity breeders, demanding big trees, such as the Papuan Hornbill and Palm Cockatoo are still relatively common up there. It is definetely a very good place to start your birding around Nimbokrang and become accustomed with the amazing diversity of the papuan lowland birds and their calls.