For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

Lesser White-fronted Goose – only the second Sichuan record – and the first live record (there’s a 50′s a record of a dead bird on sale in a Chengdu market). Amazingly we spotted the bird from a hotel bedroom that overlooked a river – it hung around for 2 days before flying off.

Now were into 2011 I’ve totted up our Sichuan 2010 year list – although we included three cheat ticks (Grey Nightjar only heard,Yellow Bittern from a dead example on the Litang Grasslands and still a little uncertainty over getting a definite Hodgson’s from Eurasian Treecreeper) it comes to well over the 400.

For those who like lists – here it goes (more photos after the list) -

1. Snow Partridge
2. Tibetan Partridge
3. Chinese Bamboo-Partridge
4. Japanese Quail
5. Tibetan Snowcock
6. Buff-throated Partridge
7. Chestnut–throated Partridge
8. Blood Pheasant
9. Temminck’s Tragopan
10. Koklass Pheasant
11. Chinese Monal Pheasant
12. Common Pheasant
13. Golden Pheasant
14. Chinese Grouse
15. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
16. Blue Eared Pheasant
17. White Eared-Pheasant
18. Greylag Goose
19. Lesser White-fronted Goose – 2nd Sichuan record
20. Bar-headed Goose
21. Ruddy Shelduck
22. Mandarin Duck
23. Gadwall
24. Mallard
25. Shoveller
26. Pintail
27. Eurasian Widgeon
28. Spot-billed Duck
29. Common Teal
30. Baikal Teal
31. Garganey
32. Falcated Duck
33. Red-crested Pochard
34. Common Pochard
35. White-eyed Pochard
36. Tufted Duck
37. Smew
38. Common Merganser
39. Eurasian Wryneck
40. Speckled Piculet
41. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker
42. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
43. Darjeeling Woodpecker
44. White-backed Woodpecker
45. Great Spotted Woodpecker
46. Three-toed Woodpecker
47. Grey-headed Woodpecker
48. Bay Woodpecker
49. Black Woodpecker
50. Great Barbet
51. Eurasian Hoopoe
52. Common Kingfisher
53. Crested Kingfisher
54. Black-capped Kingfisher
55. Large Hawk-Cuckoo
56. Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo
57. Eurasian Cuckoo
58. Indian Cuckoo
59. Himalayan Cuckoo
60. Lesser Cuckoo
61. Asian Koel
62. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
63. Lesser Coucal
64. Himalayan Swiftlet
65. Pacific Swift
66. White-throated Needletail
67. HouseSwift
68. Eurasian Eagle Owl
69. Collared Scops Owl
70. Pere David’s Owl
71. Chinese Tawny Owl
72. Northern Boobook
73. Little Owl
74. Collared Owlet
75. Asian Barred Owlet
76. Grey Nightjar – heard
77. Hill Pigeon
78. Snow Pigeon
79. Speckled Wood Pigeon
80. Spotted Dove
81. Oriental Turtle Dove
82. Red Collared Dove
83. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon
84. Black-necked Crane
85. White-breasted Waterhen
86. Common Coot
87. Common Moorhen
88. Greater Painted Snipe
89. Eurasian Woodcock
90. Common Snipe
91. Swinhoes Snipe
92. Solitary Snipe
93. Northern Lapwing
94. Grey-headed Lapwing
95. Pacific Golden Plover
96. Grey Plover
97. Lesser Sand Plover
98. Little Ringed Plover
99. Long-billed Plover
100. Black-winged Stilt
101. Curlew Sandpiper
102. Temminck’s Stint
103. Green Sandpiper
104. Wood Sandpiper
105. Common Sandpiper
106. Common Redshank
107. Black-tailed Godwit
108. Ibisbill
109. Pallas’s Gull
110. Brown-headed Gull
111. Black-headed Gull
112. Common Gull
113. Common Tern
114. Whiskered Tern
115. Black Baza
116. Black-eared Kite
117. Oriental Honey-buzzard
118. Crested Serpent Eagle
119. White-tailed Sea Eagle
120. Cinereous Vulture
121. Himalayan Griffon
122. Bearded Vulture
123. Hen Harrier
124. Pied Harrier
125. Crested Goshawk
126. Chinese Sparrowhawk
127. Besra
128. Eurasian Sparrowhawk
129. Northern Goshawk
130. Grey-faced Buzzard
131. Eastern Buzzard
132. Upland Buzzard
133. Golden Eagle
134. Steppe Eagle
135. Bonelli’s Eagle
136. Mountain Hawk-Eagle
137. Common Kestrel
138. Eurasian Hobby
139. Peregrine Falcon
140. Saker Falcon
141. Amur Falcon
142. Great Cormorant
143. Little Grebe
144. Great Crested
145. Little Egret
146. Intermediate Egret
147. Great Egret
148. Eastern Cattle Egret
149. Grey Heron
150. Chinese Pond-Heron
151. Black-crowned Night-Heron
152. Cinnamon Bittern
153. Yellow Bittern – one dead example at Litang
154. Black Stork
155. Tiger Shrike
156. Brown Shrike
157. Long-tailed Shrike
158. Grey-backed Shrike
159. Chinese Grey Shrike
160. Eurasian Jay
161. Sichuan Jay
162. Red-billed Blue Magpie
163. Azure-winged Magpie
164. Black-billed Magpie
165. Spotted Nutcracker
166. Grey Treepie
167. Red-billed Chough
168. Yellow-billed Chough
169. Daurian Jackdaw
170. Carrion Crow
171. Large-billed Crow
172. Collared Crow
173. Common Raven
174. Hume’s Groundpecker
175. Black-naped Oriole
176. Black-winged Cuckooshrike
177. Swinhoe’s Minivet
178. Long-tailed Minivet
179. Short-billed Minivet
180. Ashy Drongo
181. Black Drongo
182. Spangled Drongo
183. Brown Dipper
184. White-throated Dipper
185. Blue Whistling-Thrush
186. Chestnut-bellied RockThrush
187. Blue Rock-Thrush
188. Long-tailed Thrush
189. Scaly Thrush
190. Chinese Blackbird
191. Grey-winged Blackbird
192. Japanese Thrush
193. Kessler’s Thrush
194. Chestnut Thrush
195. Eyebrowed Thrush
196. Naumann’s Thrush
197. Dusky Thrush
198. Chinese Thrush
199. Dark-sided Flycatcher
200. Asian Brown Flycatcher
201. Brown-breasted Flycatcher
202. Ferruginous Flycatcher
203. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
204. Slaty-backed Flycatcher
205. Taiga Flycatcher
206. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
207. Slaty-blue Flycatcher
208. Verditer Flycatcher
209. Fujian Niltava
210. Vivid Niltava
211. Blue-throated Flycatcher
212. Indian Blue Robin
213. Orange-flanked Bush-Robin
214. Golden Bush-Robin
215. White-browed Bush-Robin
216. Rufous-headed Robin
217. Himalayan Rubythroat
218. Firethroat
219. Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
220. Oriental Magpie-Robin
221. Hodgson’s Redstart
222. Black Redstart
223. Daurian Redstart
224. White-throated Redstart
225. Blue-fronted Redstart
226. White-capped Water-Redstart
227. White-winged Redstart
228. Plumbeous Water-Redstart
229. White-bellied Redstart (Chinese Shortwing)
230. White-tailed Robin
231. Grandala
232. Little Forktail
233. Slaty-backed Forktail
234. White-crowned Forktail
235. Spotted Forktail
236. Siberian Stonechat
237. Grey Bushchat
238. White-cheeked Starling
239. Silky Starling
240. Crested Myna
241. Eurasian Nuthatch
242. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch
243. Przewalski’s Nuthatch
244. Yunnan Nuthatch
245. Chinese Nuthatch
246. Wallcreeper
247. Bar-tailed Tree-Creeper
248. Sichuan Treecreeper
249. Hodgson’s/ Eurasian Treecreeper – still a little uncertain on separating these
250. Fire-capped Tit
251. Songar Tit
252. Pere David’s Tit
253. White-browed Tit
254. Rufous-vented Tit
255. Coal Tit
256. Yellow-bellied Tit
257. Grey-crested Tit
258. Eastern Great Tit
259. Green-backed Tit
260. Yellow-browed Tit
261. Black-throated Tit
262. Black-browed Tit
263. Sooty Tit
264. Sand Martin
265. Eurasian Crag-Martin
266. Barn Swallow
267. Red-rumped Swallow
268. Asian House-Martin
269. Collared Finchbill
270. Brown-breasted Bulbul
271. Light-vented Bulbul
272. Black Bulbul
273. Mountain Bulbul
274. Plain Prinia
275. Striated Prinia
276. Chestnut-flanked White-eye
277. Japanese White-eye
278. Brownish-flanked Bush-War
279. Aberrant Bush-Warbler
280. Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler
281. Spotted Bush-Warbler
282. Brown Bush-Warbler
283. Russet Bush-Warbler
284. Chestnut-headed Tesia
285. Dusky Warbler
286. Alpine Leaf Warbler
287. Buff-throated Warbler
288. Yellow-streaked Warbler
289. Buff-barred Warbler
290. Ashy-throated Warbler
291. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler
292. Lemon-rumped Warbler
293. Chinese Leaf-Warbler
294. Sichuan Leaf Warbler
295. Yellow-browed Warbler
296. Hume’s Warbler
297. Claudia’s Leaf Warbler
298. Greenish Warbler
299. Large-billed Leaf Warbler
300. Eastern Crowned Warbler
301. Emei Leaf Warbler
302. Kloss’s Leaf-Warbler
303. Sulphur-breasted Warbler
304. Bianchi’s Warbler
305. Plain-tailed Warbler
306. Chestnut-crowned Warbler
307. Rufous-faced Warbler
308. Goldcrest
309. Crested Tit Warbler
310. White-browed Tit-Warbler
311. Moustached Laughingthrush
312. Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush
313. Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush
314. Barred Laughingthrush
315. Giant Laughingthrush
316. Spotted Laughingthrush
317. Plain Laughingthrush
318. Buffy Laughingthrush
319. Hwamei
320. White-browed Laughingthrush
321. Elliot’s Laughingthrush
322. Black-faced Laughingthrush
323. Red-winged Laughingthrush
324. Emei Shan Liocichla
325. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler
326. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler
327. Winter Wren
328. Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler
329. Pygmy Wren-Babbler
330. Rufous-capped Babbler
331. Rufous-tailed Babbler
332. Chinese Babax
333. Red-billed Leiothrix
334. White-browed Shrike-Babbler
335. Green Shrike-Babbler
336. Streaked Barwing
337. Blue-winged Minla
338. Red-tailed Minla
339. Golden-breasted Fulvetta
340. Gold-fronted Fulvetta – pair of birds on Old Erlang Road
341. Spectacled Fulvetta
342. Chinese Fulvetta
343. White-browed Fulvetta
344. Grey-hooded Fulvetta
345. Dusky Fulvetta
346. Grey-cheeked Fulvetta
347. Black-capped Sibia
348. Stripe-throated Yuhina
349. White-collared Yuhina
350. Black-chinned Yuhina
351. Great Parrotbill
352. Three-toed Parrotbill
353. Brown Parrotbill
354. Grey-headed Parrotbill
355. Spectacled Parrotbill
356. Vinous-throated Parrotbill
357. Ashy-throated Parrotbill
358. Grey-hooded Parrotbill
359. Fulvous Parrotbill
360. Golden Parrotbill
361. Tibetan Lark
362. Greater Short-toed Lark
363. Oriental Skylark
364. Horned Lark
365. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
366. Fork-tailed Sunbird
367. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird
368. House Sparrow
369. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
370. Russet Sparrow
371. Rock Sparrow
372. Tibetan Snowfinch
373. White-rumped Snowfinch
374. Rufous-necked Snowfinch
375. Forest Wagtail
376. White Wagtail
377. Yellow Wagtail
378. Citrine Wagtail
379. Grey Wagtail
380. Oriental Tree Pipit
381. Water Pipit
382. Rosy Pipit
383. Red-throated Pipit
384. Richard’s Pipit
385. Alpine Accentor
386. Rufous-breasted Accentor
387. Maroon-backed Accentor
388. Robin Accentor
389. Brown Accentor
390. White-rumped Munia
391. Brambling
392. Grey-capped Greenfinch
393. Black-headed Greenfinch
394. Tibetan Siskin
395. Twite
396. Plain Mountain-Finch
397. Brandt’s Mountain Finch
398. Dark-breasted Rosefinch
399. Common Rosefinch
400. Beautiful Rosefinch
401. Pink-rumped Rosefinch
402. Spot-winged Rosefinch
403. Three-banded Rosefinch
404. Vinaceous Rosefinch
405. White-browed Rosefinch
406. Streaked Rosefinch
407. Red-faced Rosefinch
408. Pink-tailed Bunting – one seen Ruoergai
409. Crimson-browed Finch
410. Grey-headed Bullfinch
411. Chinese Grosbeak
412. Collared Grosbeak
413. White-winged Grosbeak
414. Slaty Bunting
415. Godlewski’s Bunting
416. Little Bunting
417. Black-faced Bunting
418. Yellow-throated Bunting
419. Pine Bunting

Here are pictures of birds that are sometimes absent from the usual Sichuan lists -

Baikal teal – always difficult to find in Sichuan – we got this lone female in the NE. Interesting to see the plumage differences with the female Common Teal

Japanese Quail – at least were assuming it’s this species and not Common. A surprising find in the Alpine forest that’s at the base of Balang Pass.

White-backed Woodpecker – got this bird during early 2010. This bird was at the Beisehe Reserve – we saw others at Wolong

Cinereous Vulture – not so difficult to find in the Balang area

Bonelli’s Eagle – several birds were recorded in NE Sichuan

Steppe Eagle – a young bird soaring over the Ruoergai Grasslands

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo – also a young bird. We saw Buffy Laughingthrush – a host species – hanging about in the same area.

Yunnan Nuthatch – in SW Sichuan – very close to the Yunnan border.

Japanese Thrush – a spring passage bird

Spectacled Fulvetta – a lot of birders miss this species. You can find it in the Jiuzhaigou area.

Brown Bullfinch – we got a flock of these this winter

Pine bunting – another winter bird. On the Ruoergai Grasslands.

Rufous-necked Snowfinch – on the Ruoergai Grasslands. Sometimes you have to look at an awful lot of White-rumped Snowfinch before you find this bird.

And a 2011 bird – which set the year off with a bang!!!!! Sichuan’s first Red-breasted Goose

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

A great birding and mammal watching site – Wawu Mountain, normally a 4 hour drive from Chengdu, is one of the best locations to get views of Red Panda, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant and Temminck’s Tragopan.
The mountain has a lower, mid and top set of birds. lower level specialties include Ashy-throated Parrotbill, Slaty Bunting and Russet Bush Warbler – the middle gives us – Emei Leaf Warbler, Emei Shan Liocichla, Buffy Laughingthrush, Golden Parrotbill, Lady Amherst’s and Temminck’s Tragopan – while the top. With it’s prime-evil conifer forest, includes Fulvous, Three-toed, Great, Brown and Grey-hooded Parrotbills, Sichuan Treecreeper, Vinaceous Rosefinch , Darjeeling Woodpecker, Golden Bush Robin, Black-faced Laughingthrush and White-bellied Redstart. This is also one of the best places in Sichuan for Red Panda.

At the end of this article – you can find a birdlist for Wawu

Getting onto Wawu Mountain – this picture shows the route of the 25km access road that winds its way up to the cable-car station. It’s on this road that we can find Temminck’s Tragopan and lady Amherst’s Pheasant.

The cable-car – it takes 40 minutes to get from the bottom to the top – a long ride.

The top of Wawu Shan – which is a table top mountain and gives around 15km of fairly level stone pathways.

The forest on the top is dominated by virgin Pine that grows in a dense understorey of Bamboo. It is very difficult to enter the areas of bamboo and scrub – which means that birding and mammal watching take place from the paths.

Habitat in the mid-levels that are found bellow the bottom cable-car station – here we have sub-tropical mixed forest.

A bedroom in one of the mid level cabins – the standard is comfortable, with hot showers, electric blankets and AC units that also can heat – but some details ( we never know what’s brocken and what works before each visit), as is usual with many Chinese hotels, can leave a ‘little’ to be desired.

The living room – this particular cabin is designed for 4 people.

Red panda are of course the main animal on most visitor’s tick lists, but other interesting mammals have been seen. Among them Red and White and Complex Toothed Flying Squirrel and Leopard Cat.

One of the Most striking birds of the mountain is Lady Amherst’s Pheasant.

How we usually see this bird – legging it into the scrub after we’ve disturbed it on the access road.

Another road bird is Temminck’s Tragopan – here’s a male.

We see far more females.

Chinese Bamboo Partridge – another Wawu gamebird, seen at the lower elevations.

Perhaps the most striking woodpecker on Wawu is the Darjeeling. Often spotted at the top – but can also be seen at mid levels. Crimson-breasted, Three-toed and Bay are other woodies found in the area.

Sichuan Treecreeper – a listers favorite. The call of this bird is quite distinctive – which is a good job since plumage makes separation from the the very similar Hodgson’s Treecreeper a little difficult.

Golden-breasted Bush Robin – often seen of the top, hunting for food on the stone paths. This is a female.

Chinese Shortwing (White-bellied Redstart) – not too difficult to find on the top. this bird was photographed from the top hotel.

Little Forktail – seen on mossy stones around the streams and waterfalls found in the park.

Rufous Vented Tit – a common bird in pine forest at the top. During winter it sometimes snows at Wawu.

Emei Leaf warbler – a terrible picture of this bird – which is found at the mid levels. Song is the easiest way to recognize this species.

Buff-barred Warbler – one of the Phyllo warblers found on the top level.

Spotted Bush Warbler – Wawu also has a good collection of Bush warblers, Spotted, Yellowish-bellied, Abberant and Brown are found at the top – while lower down you can find Russet.

Great Parrotbill – biggest of the wonderful selection of Wawu Parrotbill

Three-toed Parrotbill – perching so we can count those toes.

Brown Parrotbill – very similar to bird above – but a toe count here gives us 4 toes.

Grey-hooded Parrotbill – about the easiest location for this difficult to find bird.

Fulvous Parrotbill – usually not too difficult to find at the top level.

Golden Parrotbill – found on the mid section.

Buffy Laughingthrush – another mid section bird.

Emei Liocichla – this very range restricted species is a bit of a skulker, but its distinctive call is often a big give away. Usually found on the mid sections – but during winter moves right down to the bottom of the mountain.

Golden-breasted Fulvetta – a bird of the bamboo at mid levels.

Black-chinned Yuhina – a mid level bird

Stripe-throated Yuhina – during the summer found on the top

Species list – Wawu Shan
This list is compiled through our own recordings and the published online recordings given by other birders. Birds that are marked with a + symbol – are those that could be expected to found during a April to August period when most birders are visiting the site.

1. Temminck’s Tragopan Tragopan temminckii +
2. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae +
3. Chinese Bamboo Partridge Bambusicola thoracicus +
   
4. Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus +
5. Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
6. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius +
7. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis +
8. White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos
9. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
10. Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus +
11. Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus +
12. Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis +
13. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
14. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
15. Large Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides +
16. Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus fugax +
17. Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus +
18. Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus
19. Himalayan Cuckoo Cuculus saturates +
20. Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus +
21. Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
22. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea +
23. Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris +
24. White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus +
25. HouseSwift Apus affinis
26. Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia
27. Chinese Tawny Owl Strix aluco +
28. Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei +
29. Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides
30. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii +
31. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis +
32. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenura +
33. Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes +
34. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus +
35. Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus
36. Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus +
37. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis +
38. Besra Accipiter virgatus
39. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
40. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
41. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
42. Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
43. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
44. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach +
45. Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus
46. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius +
47. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha +
48. Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae +
49. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
50. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos +
51. Grey-throated Winivet Pericrocotus solaris
52. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus +
53. Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris +
54. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus +
55. Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus +
56. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii +
57. Chestnut-bellied RockThrush Monticola rufiventris +
58. Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
59. Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus +
60. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
61. Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus +
62. Naumann’s Thrush Turdus naumanni
63. Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus
64. Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica +
65. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica +
66. Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui
67. Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea +
68. Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii
69. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata +
70. Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicillia
71. Slaty-blueFlycatcher Ficedula tricolor +
72. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina +
73. Rufous-bellied Niltava Niltava sundara
74. Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida
75. Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides +
76. Grey-headed Canary-Flycather Culicicapa ceylonensis +
77. Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea
78. Golden Bush-Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus +
79. White-browed Bush-Robin Tarsiger indicus
80. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
81. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus +
82. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis
83. White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus +
84. Plumbeous Water-Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus +
85. White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides +
86. White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucurum +
87. Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri +
88. Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus
89. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaultia +
90. Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculatus
91. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus
92. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea
93. Silky Starling Sturnus sericeus
94. Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus
95. Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea
96. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis +
97. Sichuan Treecreeper Certhia tianquanensis +
98. Hodgson’s Tree-Creeper Certhia hodgsoni +
99. Bar-tailed Tree-Creeper Certhia himalayana
100. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
101. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii +
102. Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps
103. Rufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris +
104. Coal Tit Parus ater +
105. Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus +
106. Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous +
107. Eastern Great Tit Parus minor
108. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus +
109. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus +
110. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica +
111. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica +
112. Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus
113. Goldcrest Regulus regulus
114. Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques +
115. Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous +
116. Chinese Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis +
117. Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus +
118. Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus
119. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicas +
120. Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler Cettia fortipes +
121. Chestnut-crowned Bush-Warbler Cettia major + never recorded this bird at Wawu, but should be present.
122. Aberrant Bush-Warbler Cettia flavolivaceus +
123. Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler Cettia acanthizoides +
124. Grey-sided Bush-Warbler Cettia brunnifrons
125. Spotted Bush-Warbler Bradypterus thoracicus +
126. Brown Bush-Warbler Bradypterus luteoventris +
127. Russet Bush-Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi +
128. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
129. Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensis.
130. Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis
131. Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii
132. Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi
133. Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher +
134. Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis
135. Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus +
136. Sichuan Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus sichuanensis
137. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides +
138. Two-barredWarbler Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus
139. Large-billed Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris +
140. Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
141. Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis +
142. Blyth’s Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides +
143. White-tailed Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus davisoni +
144. Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti +
145. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentine +
146. Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus soror +
147. Martens’s Warbler Seicercus omeiensis +
148. Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps +
149. Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis +
150. Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps
151. Moustached Laughingthrush Garrulax cineraceus +
152. Barred Laughingthrush Garrulax lunulatus
153. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus
154. Spotted Laughingthrush Garrulax ocellatus +
155. Buffy Laughingthrush Garrulax berthemyi +
156. Hwamei Garrulax canorus +
157. White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio +
158. Elliot’s Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii +
159. Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis +
160. Red-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax formosus +
161. Emei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis +
162. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis +
163. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox +
164. Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla +
165. Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis albiventer +
166. Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps +
167. Rufous-tailed Babbler Chrysomma poecilotis
168. Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus +
169. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea +
170. White-browed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis +
171. Green Shrike Babbler Pteruthius xanthochlorus +
172. Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera +
173. Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta +
174. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis +
175. Gold-fronted Fulvetta Alcippe variegaticeps + very rare breading species
176. Grey-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps +
177. Dusky Fulvetta Alcippe brunnea +
178. Grey-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia +
179. Black-headed Sibia Heterophasia melanoleuca +
180. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis +
181. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata +
182. Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta +
183. Great Parrotbill Conostoma aemodium +
184. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus +
185. Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor +
186. Grey-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis +
187. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus
188. Ashy-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis alphonsianus +
189. Grey-hooded Parrotbill Paradoxornis zappeyi +
190. Fulvous Parrotbill Paradoxornis fulvifrons +
191. Golden Parrotbill Paradoxornis verreauxi +
192. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae +
193. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
194. Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
195. White Wagtail Motacilla alba +
196. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea +
197. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni +
198. Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata
199. Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculata
200. White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata
201. Grey-capped Greenfinch Carduelis sinica +
202. Blanford’s Rosefinch Carpodacus rubescens + should be present although we haven’t recorded this species
203. Dark-breasted Rosefinch Carpodacus nipalensis
204. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus +
205. Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus +
206. White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus thura
207. Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca +
208. Collared Grosbeak Mycerobas affinis
209. Slaty Bunting Latoucheornis siemsseni +
210. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla
211. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala +

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

A large Owl gulp that was found just before a sighting of Pere David’s Owl in the Baxi area of NW Sichuan. This was our first clue to the presence of a big Owl. looks like there are a set of false teeth mixed up in that mess.

We’ve just come back from a 10 day trip that took us to Tangjiahe, Wanglang and the Baxi/Ruoergai area. By far the best bird sighted during this trip was the rare Pere David’s Owl.
We got our Owl during a late afternoon search for Chinese Grouse. We were birding in the Baxi area, at a site that had given us Grouse last February. However, during this visit, the meadow/forest location turned out to be deadly silent – no Grouse, none of the usual Hares – and then we noticed the mother of all Owl gulps – a ball of hair and bones that obvious came from something big – Eagle or Pere David’s Owl. On Cue a couple of Kessler’s Thrush started to kick up a racket and Meggie went to take a look. As she investigated a large shape came hurtling between the trees and landed half way up one of the big pines – simply stunning – it was Pere David’s!!!!!!!
We managed to follow the bird to three different locations – and although the setting sun didn’t make for easy photographic conditions – Meggie was able to get a decent shot of this monster owl.
That wasn’t the first contact with this species during the trip – we also got to hear it at Wanglang – but couldn’t find the bird. This day we lucked in.

Our best shot of Pere David’s Owl – there is debate over whether it’s a separate species or an isolated subspecies of Ural Owl. The status of full species would make it China’s only endemic Owl.

Another great Owl we managed to find on this last trip – Chinese Tawny Owl. We got this bird at Wanglang Panda Reserve – which is also in N Sichuan. We had been after this bird since our last trip to Wawu – where we twice ran into it, but were unable to get photos. This time we had a new high powered Torch and were able to get the Owl during our first night at Wanglang.

The morning after getting the Per David’s owl we got to the task of looking for Chinese Grouse. These birds inhabit Alpine Forest around the 3000m level – and as can be expected, in Grouse country, winter mornings are often pretty chilly. We found the birds most active when the sun – at around 10am – started to reach into their feeding areas. These birds eat the buds of willow scrub that grows in the forest valleys – its easy to see where they’ve been at work – and you can actually hear them nipping away at the twigs.
Chinese Grouse is an endangered species – much of its habitat has been destroyed by forestry and farming – but in Sichaun they can still be found in areas such as Baxi and Mengbishan

These nipped-off buds are tell tale signs of Grouse at work. Can’t be much fun being a willow tree in this place!!!!

A Grouse photographer dying of hypothermia. Luckily she was able to see a bird or two through those misted specs.

We saw many more interesting species during our trip – but were especially pleased to get a decent shot of one of those that has been rather camera shy in the past – Sooty Tit – seen at one of best sites to find this often elusive bird – Wanglang.

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

One of our Barwings – a truly handsome bird

Just back from a quick trip to the Old Erlang Road, where we got ‘his and hers’ Streaked Barwing. The Barwing day started with a little discussion on where to bird – which resulted in a split up where me and Meggie did different sections. On my part of the trail I ran into a group of three, very showy, Streaked Barwing – and cursed our luck that Meggie wasn’t present with her camera. But when I later met up with her she was beaming over having found another pair of Barwing lower down. The birds were feeding off what I presume were insects or grubs in the moss that covers tree trunks and branches. Meggie followed her birds for about 5 minutes.

One my Streaked Barwings – showing how ridiculously easy they were. The picture was taken using 17-85mm zoom – hardly a mainstream birder’s lens!!!!!!!!!!

During this trip we also ran into another good bird – a male White-browed Bush Robin but in some very misty conditions. The bird made a show when we called in a Tit/Goldcrest flock. This was close to the very top of the pass – from where we could hear Koklass Pheasant calling in the distance.

On the way home we got an unexpected bird – a Juv. White-tailed Eagle sitting in a riverside tree that could be seen on the busy Chengdu to Kangding G318 road.

And that cloud and mist, that you often find in these mountains, it make birding a bit difficult – but boy can you find some great photo opportunities when this stuff is rolling in while the sun is breaking through the clouds. This is magical Sichuan at its best.

Whose eaten my porridge – is this Mummy or Daddy bear???? Certainly wouldn’t like to be Goldilocks when this guy gets back home for dinner – those claws look a little sharp.

Erlang mountain used belong to the bottom of the sea. There are lots of Fossils to be found on this track – here’s a huge chunk of coral. At this point point, that’s close to the top of the track, you can also find sea shells.

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

A nice study of the first Red Panda we saw on day two – up on a tree sunning itself in the early morning sun.

We’re just back from the second part of our trip with Duncan and Pieter from Wildsounds – this time together with Nigel Goodgame (this guy goes into a gyrating dance every time he gets a lifer),
Anyways they had just come back from a Giant Panda trip – where after crawling and clamoring up the steep sided bamboo mountains of Foping, Shaanxi, they’d all seen their Bear – so now we were after the main target in Sichuan – Red Panda.

Wawu Mountain is about the easiest site for Red Pandas around here – its already shown for us with three earlier groups. – but the weather, namely the infamous Wawu mists, can make this a difficult location.
Our project got under way with a clear morning and on day one a Red Panda was spotted – but frustratingly only by Meggie!!!!!!!
We now had an area where we knew where a Panda was present – but there was a touch of nervous tension in the air – since staking out the area after the initial sighting gave nothing and by mid-afternoon a mist had fallen making further watching impossible.
Next morning – we woke, after a night that had seen some very heavy rain, highly relieved by the sight of clear skies. We watched the area of Meggie’s sighting, and around 9 am the Panda politely came into view to give, for around 10 minutes, an uninterrupted look at this stunning animal. It was seen in a small tree, into which it had probably climbed with the intention of warming up. When first viewed the Panda had ice on one of its ears – but that soon melted away as it thawed out in the rising morning sun.

Soon after Nigel found two more Pandas – which seemed to include a juv. Needless to say this brought on yet another dance!!!!!!

The Red Panda pair – this is the first time we’ve seen two Pandas together.

Other good stuff for our visitors were the Lady A’s and the Temminck’s Tragopan seen during “chicken-run” on the park access road. But here we also had a few nervous tinges – since Lady A, surprisingly almost all male, were numerous, while after about 6 runs there wasn’t a Tragopan in sight. Luckily this changed on the very last run. Done in a light mist and drizzly rain – weather conditions that often induce chickens to abandon the wet forest floor for the firmer feel of a road and roadside blocks – we suddenly bumped into 6 Tragopan, including one fine male which gave us some prolonged views. 10 minutes later the mist closed in – we were very lucky!!!!!

Lady A scuttles into the safety of scrub – the usual view of this stunning bird

The male Temminck’s Tragopan who decided to pose – falling mist, rain and shooting through the windscreen didn’t help this shot taken by Pieter.

Parrotbills also showed nicely on this trip – and Grey-hooded, sometimes a hard to find bird, was very easy at the correct locations.

Grey-hooded Parrotbill – people watching from the top of a bamboo stem.

Golden Parrotbill were also not that difficult in the bamboo at the middle sections of the access road. These hyperactive creatures are a great looking bird.

And one of the Parrotbills the wildsounds guys needed for their list – Brown. They already had the very similar Three-toed from Foping – and after a toe count of were happy that 3 front toes + 1 back toe meant a 101% positive ID for this lifer.

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

With all the road problems caused by the combination of residual earthquake damage and the heavy rains of the summer – it’s good to report that our drier autumn weather has once again made Wolong and Balang Pass fairly easy destinations to reach via the quick route from Chengdu – the road that passes through Dujiangyan. In fact, if you’re lucky, then its possible to get to Wolong Town with a 3 hour drive. Give 5 hours and you could be looking down on the clouds, while basking in the alpine sun on top of the 4,600m Balang pass.

Of course under that cloud cover things can be a little less bright. This was the situation just a couple of day’s ago when we were guiding Duncan Macdonald and Pieter Wessels of Wildsounds. But after an initial morning of being frustrated by mist, on the second, we were lucky enough to get a couple of male roadside Chinese Monal. The chill of the snow was certainly effectively countered by the thrill of getting so close to these stunning birds. That pic was taken by Pieter.
Other gamebirds encountered included The usual Koklass Pheasant, Rufous-throated Partridge, Snow Partridge and Tibetan Snowcock (I’m afraid mostly heard rather than seen). However this autumn there were no signs of White-eared Pheasant up at Balang or Golden Pheasant or Temminck’s Tragopan at Wolong – these birds were much easier to find during the summer.

Lots of other birds about – here’s a great shot of White-browed Tit Warbler. Meggie managed to capture that red eye – which gives this bird a bit of a sinister look!!!!

As ever lots of Alpine Accentor up on high rocky areas of the pass.

Down in the valleys closer to Wolong we got close to this Black-faced Laughingthrush.

Late October also saw a few passage migrants still hanging about in the warmer valley bottoms – here’s a female Golden Bush Robin.

And it wasn’t only birds – here’s a Chinese Goral that was found close to the entrance of Denghsheng Valley. Other mammals included Blue Sheep, Short-tailed Macaques and Mountain Weasel.

And here’s Meggie – while the clouds roll past at over 4,500m – displaying an alarming new fashion trend. High altitude Wellington

For current news on Sichuan birding visit here
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

For current news on Sichuan Birding go to  – Sichuan birding thread
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

Lots of these Chickens seen this year – Blue-eared Pheasant. Pictured during late winter in the Baxi area of NW Sichuan.

2010 has seen us making a lot of trips through Sichuan and a couple of sorties into neighboring Yunnan. Birding has been very good – even though during the last couple of months things have been made difficult with heavy rains, resultant landslides and other road blocking developments. However where there’s a will there’s a way – and our birding has gone on non-stop despite the annoying combined interventions of weather gods and road-building clowns. Luckily Sichuan holds a lot of wild country – so when things, with construction and heavy traffic, look bad from the roads–it often helps to be mobile, energetic and imaginative. Getting off the usual beaten birding- track can often pay good dividends!!!!!
A good example of this was this year’s quest after two of our more wanted Sichuan species – Sichuan Jay and Tibetan Snowcock. When on trips we were not able to find these birds at their usual haunts of Mengbi (Jay) and Balang (Snowcock) – due to weather and road factors – we were able to make them up, just past Rou Er Gai, on the Baxi to Jiuzhaigou road.

Sichuan Jay – pictured in Baxi. Just a 100 meters or so up the road and you hit the cloud line with near zero visibility. luckily our birds seemingly were avoiding that fog!!!!

One of our highest birds of the year was Red-faced Rosefinch – this guy is around 4,600m – on the very top of the Balang Pass.

This year we got Rufous-headed Robin on our two trips to the tourist ghetto of Jiuzhaigou – at two different park locations. Song-wise – if in the right area – and the bird is calling, then you can pick it up very close to the main walking track. However converting heard calls into good visual observations can be a wee bit tricky – with this prime skulker being the master of not being seen while merrily singing in front of your nose.
An annoying change at JZ has been the rise in admission ticket price. Formerly deemed very expensive, that 2 day ticket has now- during the period from April onto December – been changed to a one day ticket with only a very small price reduction!!!!! This of course near doubles admission price – so save your pennies to afford the JZ experience and make sure you don’t have to spend too many days chasing that darned Robin.

Not as pretty or melodic as the Rufous-headed Robin – but just as difficult to find – Solitary Snipe. seen at about 3,200m, during early spring, on the high pass between Moxi and Kangding.

During August – often considered a bad birding, wet and difficult to travel month (although we never expected how wet it would be this year) – we took off on an alternative Sichuan birding route that enabled us to combine Sichuan with Yunnan. A route that took us onto the high Tibetan grasslands at Litang – carrying on over the plateau to Yunnan and the Zhongdian area – through the tourist fleshpots of Lijiang and Dali – and to the useful birding location of Zixi Mountain before heading back on the motorway to Sichuan via Kunming.
The route home took us very close to the Sichuan Hill partridge area on the Sichuan/Yunnan Border – and with the motorway Yunnan is now just a day’s drive away from Chengdu.
Lots of good birds were had on this tour – it was nice to blend exciting high grassland species such as Ibisbill and Chinese Grey shrike with the likes of Yunnan goodies such as Giant Nuthatch and Black Eagle.

Giant Nuthatch – certainly a whopper – especially when seen in company of other Nuthatch species.

Seen in Both Sichuan and Yunnan – Lady A. This fine male was pictured on the stone road that leads up Tangsang Mountain, Dali, Yunnan.

For current news on Sichuan Birding go to  – Sichuan birding thread
For help and advice with a Sichuan birding trip – contact local birders – Sid and Meggie Francis at – chengduuk@hotmail.com

Chengdu Bird guiding, with Sid and Meggie Francis – chengduuk@hotmail.com
For More Sichuan bird info go to our Sichaun Birding thread at birdforum (we go under the name china guy) – http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=149725

Yellow-bellied Tit – Immature with adult in the inset. This is a China endemic that can be commonly found in the parks of Chengdu.

For a variety of reasons, Sichuan is a fantastic birding destination. Within easy reach, of the provincial capital Chengdu, are diverse habitats, ranging from sub-tropical mountain forest to the high grasslands of the Tibetan plateau. These areas home a great diversity of species, which include the countries richest list of endemics and breeding endemics.

Through ongoing taxonomical studies – new distinct species are constantly being recognized among birds that were formerly recognized as sub-species – and Chinese checklists are quickly outdated. However if we were to take the Avibase China checklist as an example – then we are told that China contains 53 endemics and 18 breeding endemics – a total of  71.

From the checklist Avibase provides, we can then discover that 36 of these species are found within Sichuan – making it the major endemic hotspot of China.

Slaty Bunting – another sought after endemic that’s found in Sichuan. This is a female we photographed on Wawu.

Another reference, from The Institute of Zoology, Beijing, found at – http://www.springerlink.com/content/r41645v6u5272v20/fulltext.pdf – gives us tables and charts to further emphasize how important Sichuan is as an ornithological region.

In one of their charts, in the form of a color coded China map that relates to the density and distribution of endemic species, we can see how Sichuan (outlined in red) rates as a major species diversity hotspot when compared with the rest of the country – and according to this chart Sichuan is shown to contain China’s major endemic hotspot – the  Hengduanshan Mountain range.

This range that encompasses Eastern Tibet, Western Sichuan and North West Yunnan  – the mountains that mark the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau can include the following species in the list of endemics found there -

1. Chinese Grouse Bonasa sewerzow
2. Chestnut-throated Partridge Tetraophasis obscurus
3. Chinese Monal Lophophorus lhuysii
4. Blue Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon auritum
5. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus
6. Père David’s Owl Strix davidi
7. Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis
8. Crested Tit-Warbler Leptopoecile elegans
9. Hodgson’s Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni (breeding endemic)
10. Rufous-headed Robin Luscinia ruficeps (breeding endemic)
11. Yunnan Nuthatch Sitta yunnanensis
12. Rufous-tailed babbler Chyrsomma poecilotis
    
13. Père David’s (Plain) Laughingthrush Garrulax  davidi
14. Sukatschev’s (Snowy-cheeked) Laughingthrush Garrulax sukatschewi
15. Barred Laughingthrush Garrulax lunulatus
16. Biet’s Laughingthrush Garrulax bieti
17. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus
18. Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis
19. 
    

    Grey-hooded Fulvetta Fulvetta cinereiceps

20. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus
21. Rusty-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis przewalskii
22. Spectacled Parrotbill Paradoxornis conspicillatus
    
23. Sooty Tit Aegithalos fuliginosus
24. White-browed Tit Poecile superciliosa
25. Père David’s (Rusty-breasted) Tit Poecile davidi
26. Sichuan Treecreeper Certhia tianquanensis
27. Sichuan Jay Perisoreus internigrans
28. Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus eos
29. Three-banded Rosefinch Carpodacus trifasciatus (breeding endemic)
30. Slaty Bunting latoucheornis siemsseni

Sichuan Treecreeper – distinguished by shorter bill, white chin and brown belly. This is not just a China endemic but at the moment a Sichuan endemic- although earlier this year we spotted them very near the Yunnan border so I should think these birds are not just restricted to our province.

Slightly to the east of the Hengduanshan range – the mountains of Emei and Wawu also house an impressive list of endemics that include some notable species-

1. Emei Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis
2. Martens’s Warbler Seicercus omeiensis
3. Sichuan Treecreeper Certhia tianquanensis
4. Rusty (Buffy) Laughingthrush Garrulax poecilorhynchusi
5. Emeishan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis
6. Gray-hooded Parrotbill Paradoxornis zappeyi
7. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus
8. Grey-hooded Fulvetta Fulvetta cinereiceps
9. Slaty Bunting latoucheornis siemsseni
   

while close by on Laojunshan is the last known strong hold of endemic Sichuan Partridge Arborophila rufipectus – and has a population of Gold-fronted Fulvetta Alicippe variegaticeps

Even in Chengdu we get our endemics – Yellow-bellied Tits Parus venustulus being common in certain parks, and Slaty Bunting latoucheornis siemsseni a winter visitor

And as time goes on – as more sub-species are split off to be classified as specific species in their own rite – the number of endemics in Sichuan will increase. Above is a picture Meggie took, in the Moxi area, of a Rosefinch we had great trouble in identifying. Only through Birdforum – and the expert help of James Eaton – did we get to discover that this is a form of Spot-winged Rosefinch that has already been recognised and named by some authorities as a seperate species called – Sharpe’s Rosefinch.

Sichuan almost twice the size of the UK – lies in the west of Central China , and the western regions of the province meet the Tibet Plateau  and the Himalayas. Chengdu itself lies within the densely populated and intensively cultivated Sichuan basin (located within Eastern Sichuan) – but within close driving distance, to the West and North,  one can already access a Sub-tropical habitat – that can be described as the Panda Zone. Further West and we are already heading up onto the Mountain Grasslands and Alpine Forest of the Tibetan Plateau.

Alpine Sichuan – a location on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau – close to Danba

Climate

Taken as a whole, Sichuan experiences a great variety of climates – with the big climatic devide occuring between the East parts of the province that lie within the Sichuan Basin and the west that lies up on the Tibetan Plateau

In basin expect a monsoon type climate with long hot sticky summers and Short cool/cold winters – always expect a high chance of foggy hazy conditions, with little real sun or blue skies (China’s lowest sunshine hours are found in Eastern Sichuan). These type of weather conditions can be a be a problem for birders who are visiting the lower  mountain sites such as Emei and Wawu – since fog/low cloud  is often present around the summits.

Up on the plateau expect a n Alpine climate, where winters are long and cold and summers are short and mild. When the sun does shine up here it can be very strong – so bring your sunblock.

A favored birding season for visitors – especially in the sub-tropical locations – is during April/May and Early June – during the height of the breeding season, but before the summer gets too hot. During this period the temperatures have not reached their uncomfortable summer peaks, the humidity is not at its stickiest (clearer days – less risk of foggy/cloudy conditions on the sub-tropical mountains) and the type of heavy rain that’s often experienced during August and September is less common. During this period the birds are active – and calling – which make playback an effective method of luring birds out of dense undergrowth.

Damp misty birding at Wolong during late June 2009 – it can get wet and steamy – a rain cape is good bit of gear.

During July, August – activity dies down and birds seem to be less active and more difficult to spot at temperature and humidity levels soar.

However, in the mountainous west if you go travel to those altitudes around 4,000m it’s not unusual to find snow still lying on the high passes even during May and nights can be quite chilly up here until we get into June. The summer months of June, July and August are good months for visiting these higher regions, since they can be pleasantly warm, while the birds that live at high-altitude are still very active during these summer months.

This picture really did happen – a Himalayan Griffon taken with the moon on a very bright day just outside Kangding. Remember that sun-screen if you’re going up on the plateau.

During the spring and autumn months– all areas becoming interesting birding locations. But during these times unusual species can turn up in locations well way from the usual birding hotspots. During these months many species on passage pass through Chengdu. Sichuan also has areas where bird of prey passage can be observed.

Winter is also an exciting time, since many high altitude species flock and come down to lower heights – making them much easier to spot. Some of the best places to watch during this period are in the valleys bellow the high mountain ranges – the valley bottoms at Moxi, around 5/6 hours outside Chengdu are great winter flock locations. Winter also brings ducks – which includes species like Baer’s Pochard, Baikal Teal and Falcated Duck – but the number and quality of suitable wintering sites is being seriously affected by population pressures and industrial development. Northern migrants also over-winter in Sichuan

During May 2008 Sichuan was badly affected by a huge earthquake – and a few well known birding sites suffered great damage due to landslides. Wolong and the Balang pass have only became accessible again during summer 2009 – but are now fully birdable. Other famous sites like Emei and Wawu were almost totally unaffected by the quakes – so we can happily report that it’s back to birding business as usual for Sichuan

Chengdu Bird guiding, with Sid and Meggie Francis – chengduuk@hotmail.com
For More Sichuan bird info go to our Sichaun Birding thread at birdforum (we go under the name china guy) – http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=149725

Rufous-vented Tit – this is a nice little bird – it’s a common Tit at higher elevations. These birds were seen at around the 4000m mark – noisily flying around in scrub that forms around the tree-line. Nosy and inquisitive the pictured bird is showing a hint of rufous around the vent area and the slightest of touches under the wing covert. However those dabs of color, which give this bird its name can be difficult to see in the field – but with that crown, black bib that stops at the throat area and the smart blue-gray breast/belly – this bird is pretty easy to recognise.

Well, we tried, again, to stay at home – this time succeeding for 4 days, before the strain got too much and off we set for one of our favourite spots – Moxi. This is a town that’s about 5/6 hours drive from Chengdu – most of the drive going along the G318 highway that eventually ends up in Lhassa.
We were pleased road workings – just past Ya’an – that have been causing hold-ups, are now near complete. However, further on, the state of the road seems to promise more repair delays in the near future.
Moxi town provides a whole load of hotels that service the Hailuogou Glacier park – a tourist site that gives views over the magnificent 7000m Gongga Mountain. But these intrepid blogsters always stay in a Lorry driver hotel – just on the edge of town. It’s a bit grotty – but under 3 quid/night its very cheap ($5) – and we’ve been staying at this place for years. For those who need more luxury there’s ample choice – please don’t follow our lead on the accommodation front!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for food, we just go the local farmers market and buy salad veggies, one of the many varieties of freshly cooked meat (you can get Yak up here), a bottle of Sesame oil, salt/dried red-peppers to make a salad sauce and some local flat-bread – and we can dish-up an extremely good-tasting, but cheap meal in our hotel room.
By the way we’ve been eating salad here for years – never any stomach problems – if we ever do get a gripe it’s invariably from a restaurant cooked meal!!!! But saying that – one of the great pleasures of exploring China is to sample the local cuisine – and Moxi has all sorts of restaurants – but the longer you’ve been here….. well we like making our own food!

Greenish Warbler – the lighting in this pic has given this bird a strong yellowish tinge to the breast (other pics have a plainer breast) – that solid cap (no hint of median crown stripe) – the orange under mandible – sparrow like cheep (you have to take my word on that one) – and a double wing-bar meet the identification points for ssp. plumbeitarsus – or Two-barred Greenish Warbler. This bird is supposed to be common in NE China – and migrant through the rest of China – but we have been picking up very similar birds all Summer.
Leaf Warblers can be a bit of a nightmare in Sichuan – so many species – often hard to identify – no wonder many of our guests get Leaf Warbler fatigue after 3 or 4 days hectic neck stretching.
This trip brought many Large-billed on the lower areas and a mass of Buff-barred and Tickell’s from around 3500m.

To bird around Moxi – you don’t need to the Hailuogou Glacier Park, since much of the time you’re not allowed to walk and are bussed in a party, often have to share your birding with a noisy tourist crowd and the whole experience will cost an entrance ticket. We bird the areas that are found outside town in the direction of the small road that leads over a 4000m mountain pass that winds its way to Kangding. This route will take you to various elevation Zones – in the spring and summer 3000 – 4000m generally gives the most interesting watching – but in the winter great birding is found in the lower scrub/marginal farmland around the 2000m when many of the high altitude species come down – and form big mixed flocks.
For those who aren’t with guide or driver, its not so difficult to find transport with which explore this areas – at the main-cross in Moxi there are plenty of motorbike taxis or minivans that can be cheaply hired. On the way home it’s a matter of flagging down passing transport. I think the best tactic is to get your driver to take you about 20km out of town – from here you can walk the road and the explore paths that take you into other interesting areas.
On this last trip we had Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, both Great and Brown Parrotbill and Darjeeling woodpecker as roadside birds – during past trips the road has given us goodies like Pere David’s Tit, Green-backed Shrike-babbler and Crimson-browed Finch. Searching – with bins – those meadows that make up the lower parts of the valleys can give a chance for Lady A Pheasant.
At the very top – which is just on 4000m – you’ve got the chance to walk into an area of high grassland – which has an interesting flora that includes a lot of Rhododendron scrub.
This is a good site to tick off some of the high altitude species like – Tickell’s Leaf Warbler, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Blue-fronted Redstart and White-browed Rosefinch – Blood Pheasant and Monal Pheasant are also around but it’s best to go a tad lower for these species.. During this last trip we were able to pick up Streaked Rosefich and a juv. Himalayan Rubythroat at this top area – and Chinese Fulvetta and White-browed Tit Warbler were briefly seen through the tangle of Rhody stems.

From left to right – Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker and Streaked Rosefinch – these are two of our latest Moxi lifers.
This is one of the areas that gets very little attention from visiting birders – but makes for a handy birding destination – because of a combination of varied habitat types that can be observed from a single road and its close proximity to Chengdu. It’s a location that can easily be fitted into a short Sichuan tour that also takes in sites like Emei and Wawu.
Like many great Chinese birding areas, Moxi is very vulnerable to development and change – at the top pass workers are quarrying sand which has caused a lot of habitat destruction – large numbers of domestic goat and sheep are causing damage to the scrub and forest areas – and there’s always the threat of poaching and illegal logging. So more foreign birdwatchers visiting – making important sightings – will hopefully help give this area a higher profile and encourage local authorities to put more effort into conservation and protection measures. We need more foreign birders out this way!!!!!!!!

And of course it isn’t just the birding that brings us to Moxi. Here’s a pic from several years ago – taken in one of the valleys that lead up to the 7000m Mt. Gongga. It was love at first sight – and me and Meggie – being very greedy – just can’t stop coming back for more!!!!!

A list for Moxi

Blood Pheasant – the only game bird we got to see on this trip – but as you can see from the list 6 species we’ve included on our list.

Here’s a list of species that you could expect within the Moxi area – in all 196 birds.
I’ve compilled this list by going through China Bird Report data – http://www.chinabirdnet.org/report.html – adding additional species from my own sightings – and taking the liberty to add a few commoner birds that are found in similar habitat in neighbouring areas, that must be found in this area, but have not been included in any lists. However this list is still incomplete regarding rarer birds – for example at the very top-elevations there must be a chance for more high-montane species. The denser areas of forest also hold great potential for recording further species.

1. Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus
2. Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus
3. Temminck’s Tragopan Tragopan temminckii
4. Chinese Monal Pheasant Lophophorus lhuysii
5. White Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon crossoptilon
6. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae
7. Yellow-legged Buttonquail Turnix tanki
8. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus
9. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis
10. Crimson –breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius
11. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
12. Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus
13. Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis
14. Greater Barbet Megalaima virens
15. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
16. Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
17. Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
18. Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus
19. Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus
20. Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus
21. White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
22. Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata
23. Collared owlet Glaucidium brodiei
24. Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris
25. Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota
26. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii
27. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
28. Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica
29. Wedge-tailedGreen-Pigeon Treron sphenura
30. Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes
31. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
32. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus
33. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis
34. Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus
35. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
36. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
37. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis
38. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
39. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius
40. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
41. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
42. Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
43. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
44. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
45. Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
46. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
47. Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus
48. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
49. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
50. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
51. Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes
52. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
53. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
54. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
55. Common Raven Corvus corax
56. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus
57. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
58. Yellow-bellied Fantail Rhipidura hypoxantha
59. White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus
60. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii
61. Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
62. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris
63. Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
64. Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
65. Kessler’s Thrush Turdus kessleri
66. Naumann’s Thrush Turdus naumanni
67. Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
68. Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii
69. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata
70. Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva
71. Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra
72. Grey-headed Canary-Flycather Culicicapa ceylonensis
73. Himalayan Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis
74. Orange-flanked Bush-Robin Tarsiger cyanurus
75. White-browed Bush Robin Tarsiger indicus
76. Golden Bush robin Tarsiger chrysaeus
77. Hodgson’s Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni
78. White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps
79. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
80. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis
81. White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
82. Plumbeous Water-Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus
83. White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides
84. Grandala Grandala coelicolor
85. Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri
86. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti
87. Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata
88. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea
89. Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea
90. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis
91. Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
92. Eurasian Tree-Creeper Certhia familiaris
93. Sichuan Tree-creeper Certhia tianquanensis
94. Bar-tailed Tree-Creeper Certhia himalayana
95. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
96. Songar Tit Parus songara
97. Pere David’s Tit Parus davidi
98. White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus
99. Rufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris
100. Coal Tit Parus ater
101. Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus
102. Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous
103. Great Tit Parus major
104. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
105. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
106. Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus
107. Black-browed Tit Aegithalos bonvalotis
108. Sand Martin Riparia riparia
109. Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris
110. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
111. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
112. Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus
113. Goldcrest Regulus regulus
114. Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques
115. Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous
116. Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis
117. Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii
118. Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus
119. Striated Prinia Prinia criniger
120. Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
121. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus
122. Brown Bush-Warbler Bradypterus luteoventris
123. White-browed Tit-Warbler Leptopoecile sophiae
124. Crested Tit Warbler Leptopoecile elegans
125. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus
126. Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis
127. Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis
128. Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher
129. Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus
130. Sichuan Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus sichuanensis
131. Hume’s Warbler Phylloscopus humei
132. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
133. Large-billed Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
134. Blyth’s Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides
135. Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti
136. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentini
137. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus
138. Hwamei Garrulax canorus
139. Elliot’s Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii
140. Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis
141. Red-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax formosus
142. Spot-breated Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis
143. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis
144. Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
145. Pygmy Wren Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla
146. Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer
147. Rufous-tailed Babbler Chrysomma poecilotis
148. Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus
149. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea
150. White-browed Shrike-Babbl Pteruthius flaviscapis
151. Streaked Barwing Actinodura souliei
152. Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotincta
153. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis
154. White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus
155. Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis
156. Rusty-capped Fulvetta Alcippe dubia
157. Grey- hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps
158. Grey-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia
159. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis
160. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata
161. Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta
162. Ashy-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis alphonsianus
163. Spot-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis guttaticollis
164. Great Parrotbill Paradoxornis oemodium
165. Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor
166. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula
167. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
168. Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum melanoxanthum
169. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus
170. Mrs Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae
171. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
172. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans
173. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
174. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
175. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
176. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
177. Orienfnl Tree Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
178. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus
179. Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides
180. Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata
181. Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculata
182. Grey-capped Greenfinch Carduelis sinica
183. Twite Carduelis flavirostris
184. Plain Mountain-Finch Leucosticte nemoricola
185. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
186. Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus pulcherrimus
187. Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus
188. White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus thura
189. Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides
190. Spot-winged Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodopeplus
191. Crimson-browed Finch Propyrrhula subhimachala
192. Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca
193. White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes
194. Slaty Bunting Latoucheornis siemsseni
195. Godlewski’s Bunting Emberiza godlewskii
196. Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans

Sichuan Bird guiding, with Sid and Meggie Francis – chengduuk@hotmail.com – Chengdu, Sichuan, the gateway to Tibet

Golden-breasted Fulvetta – a little stunner of a bird. They seem to spend most of their time skulking in bamboo at mid elevation heights – around 2,000m, in areas that match to broad-leaf forest zone – other good locations to find them are on the track up the ridge to Wuyipeng (Wolong), and around the level of bottom cable-car station at Wawu.
The trick with these – and so many other Sichuan skulkers – is to try and generate inquisitive behavior or indeed blatant aggression. It’s again a matter of phishing or calls. The whole process got his little chap to kick up a right old noise; it got rather riled – I think he was out looking for a fight! Glad these Fulvettas are just 10cm long – if they were any bigger we’d have to wear hard-helmets and ear-protectors.

Tangjiahe is another Panda reserve in N Sichuan – and a good choice of destination, together with Wanglang, if you’re thinking of doing the Jiuzhaigou circuit.
This place was also hit by the quake – and some of the cliff faces have sheared into landslide – but the majority of the habitat is unscathed.
With landslide and clearing work at the park and the general poor state of some access roads that leads into the area from outside – the park was closed – but, happily, this summer it’s been open again. With the post-quake work – the park has taken the chance to carry out major renovation to roads and hotel facilities, which has caused a little roadside mess and building work – but it really isn’t that bad. As compensation for possible disturbance – at the moment – they’re not charging an entrance ticket (the old ticket price was 55RMB – it’ll be interesting to see if this is changed at repair-completion re-opening).
I’m afraid that they’ve also taken the chance to knock down the hotel buildings that gave budget accommodation – now the cheapest room is around 300RMB a night (Meggie  bargained it down to 238RMB).
They have some Mongolian Tents (yurts – not the real thing – but a tourist type model) – that were donated to the park during the quake. These donations were offered at 150RMB/night – but I suppose its better than just letting them rot in a corner.
The food is more than okay – prices for this reasonable.
As for getting here – well driving direct to Tahgjiahe from Chengdu can be done in 5 hours, even though you have to drive on a lot of road that’s still undergoing quake repair. The construction gives potential for jam and landslide during wet-weather. Of course as the repair gets further along – and there are a lot of folk working on this stuff – the easier it will be to make a quick drive to the reserve. To get between Tangjiahe and Wanglang – that look pretty close on the map – you have to go on another road that is being re-built – it should take about 3 hours – but took us at least an hour longer – again time will improve this situation.

Great Spotted Woodpecker – on this trip we had a couple of mornings with rain, which, typically, at many summer humid Sichuan sites produces fog. In such circumstances a little birding around the Hotel can pay dividends – and we actually got this male bird in a tree just across from our hotel bedroom window. Our Great Spotted Woodies have a lot of grey on the white face patches.
You also see that the sun is starting the come out and it’s time for us to make a move.

The great bird for the park is Rusty-throated Parrotbill – a species that seemingly was lost at Jiuzhaigou – the one location where modern-day sightings had been made – due to Bamboo die-off. However in 2007 it was rediscovered at Tangjiahe. Here’s the bird forum thread that announced the birds were once again with us -
[URL="http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=92968"]http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=92968[/URL]

Apparently the best place to see these birds is to take the right hand driving track all the way to its end – and then climb the paths that lead to the top of mountain area called Da Cao Tang (which means big grass plateau) – as you go high, then those Parrots should be in the Bamboo. As for us – well we got over half way – but wasted the whole morning climbing up the wrong path which soon resulted in no path. Our false start was caused by the fact that the beginning of the proper path is no longer obvious  – and it took quite a bit of tramping about to get us on the right track. At least now, with all our explorations, we’ve got it all clued out for our next trip!!!!
We did get Barred Laugher, Chinese Babax, Temminck’s Tragapon and Koklass Pheasant during the accent – but every time we got to promising bamboo and tried to call in Parrotbills we were set upon by infuriated Golden-breasted Fulvetta!!!! I guess we just weren’t high enough.
By the way – at the top – which should only be a 3 hour trek if you’re going quickly, and not too loaded with bags/equipment – there are also Monal and the Rusty-throated Parrots keep company with Spectacled. You can overnight, free, in a hut – which has water but no food – take a good sleeping-bag.
Hopefully we’ll do this area sometime during – winter. Sometimes higher altitude birds are more obliging during colder periods.

Crested Kingfisher – the rivers of N Sichuan seem to be favored by this species – and this was another bird we could see from our Hotel.
As ever black and white birds are horrors to photograph – but this one didn’t come out too badly.

Takin – the park is famed for this species of Goat-Antelope. They’re pretty big – and they do match up a little to a description, I’ve read on another site, calling them a Moose with Bee-sting nose. However those odd horns aren’t very Moose-like – but they can be used in acts of aggression – so keeping a safe distance is important (local advice gives 7/8m as the safety zone – which also seems a tad close).
We had a river between us and this guy – hence Meggie’s steady hand with the picture taking.

The park roads run through all the lower areas – you have to climb by foot if you want higher. In the past people lived here (300 or so folk were moved out when they created the reserve) – so the forest doesn’t have quite that virgin primeval feel you get at Wanglang. But its a great place for birding – and it’s a good site for another Sichuan favorite – Golden Pheasant – although, as normal, hearing ‘em is far, far easier than seeing ‘em.

Meggie the great Parrotbill hunter is certainly looking forward to getting back – she has those Rutsy-throated Parrots to polish-off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!