Wild – Sichuan’s &

Naturetrek Tour Report 16 November - 1 December 2019

Chinese Mountain Cat Red-billed Blue

Chinese Monal Pheasant

Report & Images compiled by Tim Melling

Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

Tour Report Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals

Tour participants: Tim Melling (Leader), Roland Zeidler (Local Guide) with six Naturetrek clients

Day 1 Saturday 16th November

Three of the tour party left London’s Heathrow late morning, bound for .

Day 2 Sunday 17th November

The flights from Heathrow ran to time and we arrived in Hong Kong early morning. From the windows of the airport during our wait in Hong Kong we managed to see Black-eared Kites, Osprey, Great Egrets, White Wagtails, Richards Pipits and several Crested Mynas. We then met two more of the group and boarded our next flight onto Chengdu arriving about 12:30. Immigration was relatively swift as there were so few passengers on the flight and we were all through in about 15 minutes.

Roland was waiting for us by the exit and we were soon driving down to Dujiangyan. En route we spotted a few flocks of White-cheeked Starlings but not much else in misty conditions. We arrived at our hotel and met up with the rest of the party then had a short rest before going for our first spot of local birding. Around the hotel we found Black-bibbed Tits, Oriental Greenfinches, Chinese Bulbul and White-browed Laughingthrushes. We then visited some river shingles where we saw Spot-billed Duck plus Mallards and numerous White Wagtails and Plumbeous Water . We also saw our first two Brown Dippers. Up the nearby hill, we managed reasonable views of a Scaly-breasted (Chinese) Wren Babbler but not a great deal else.

After an excellent traditional meal in a local restaurant, we were then really ready for our beds.

Day 3 Monday 18th November

Straight after breakfast at 8am, we visited the local hillside where there was a bit of wild habitat and straight away we saw Blue Whistling- and Grey Wagtail by the river. Collared Finchbills seemed to be everywhere but we also saw some more elusive such as Great Barbets, Dusky and Rufous-capped Babbler. A male Fire-breasted Flowerpecker was very popular, as were an inquisitive flock of Black-chinned Yuhinas. A Pallas’s was seen by a few but it promptly disappeared.

We then set off for Labahe at about 9.15. At our first rest stop, we saw a flock of Black-throated Tits, Green- backed Tits, David’s , Red-billed Leothrix and Himalayan Bluetail. We stopped again to try birding from another rest area and here we had a showy Daurian , Rufous-faced Warbler, Chinese Blackbird, Pallas’s Warbler, Brown-breasted Bulbuls, White-browed Laughingthrushes, Common Rosefinch, Yellow-browed Tits, Rufous-faced Warblers and a Grey-headed . We then continued on to Labahe where we had a lunch of Noodles then straight on to the reserve.

We decided to head straight up the mountain to look for Red Pandas as it was only 2:30pm and we had time before dusk at 6pm. We saw our first Tibetan Macacques by the roadside and a young Golden soared overhead as we stopped to buy our bus tickets up the hill as they no longer allow car access. From the bus, surprisingly we spotted a Red Panda so we all disembarked and were treated to clear, close views as it fed in a berry tree. We watched this for twenty minutes then it descended the tree and vanished into the bamboo. Nearby

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

we found Grey-hooded Fulvettas, Brown and Elliott’s Laughingthrush, plus a couple of Nutcrackers. We carried on up the road and five minutes later we found a second Red Panda. We approached this one and managed to get quite close and it too fed in a berry tree for ten minutes before descending and disappearing into the bamboo. But bizarrely we found it again, five minutes later about 200 metres away, identifiable by its threadbare tail. It fed in full view for so long that we left it and wandered back down the road as the mists descended and it was just starting to rain.

We caught a bus down and had an early dinner before our first spotlighting trip. By this time it was raining quite heavily but we still gave it a go. The session started with about 20 Sambar Deer coming to the salt lick at the back of the hotel. Then spotlighting from the cars produced One Muntjac, one Goral and three Red-and-white Flying , one of which posed beautifully on an open branch. As the rain became very heavy we cut the session short.

Day 4 Tuesday 19th November

We had an early hotel breakfast so we could get the first 8am bus as we were heading up to the misty mountain tops again (c2,800 metres above sea level). It had snowed quite heavily during the night but it had all thawed at our hotel’s elevation, but at the top there was at least five inches of standing . It was like a winter wonderland with every tree laden with snow. It was really quiet to start with but gradually birds began to appear; Little Buntings, Grey-hooded Fulvettas, Brown Parrotbills, Elliott’s and Black-throated Laughingthrushes, Red- breasted Accentors, Nutcrackers, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Grey-hooded Bullfinches, Black-browed Bushtits, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk and Red-billed Blue . It seemed to take ages to find a Red Panda, but we found one, then another in snow laden trees. Unfortunately these snowy ones were a little distant for good photographs. But during the rest of the morning, after the snow had largely melted, we found three more Red Pandas which were much more obliging. One fed for ages in a Crab-apple tree (Malus prattii) at close range, then climbed down the trunk and walked across the snow for us.

After a picnic lunch, we headed down and enjoyed the Tibetan Macaques around the car park. One Chinese lady let out a great shriek as a big male macaque ran up and grabbed a bag of biscuits from her hand. We then had an hour’s rest before setting out again. We looked on the river by the hotel and saw Little Forktail, Brown Dipper, White-capped Redstart and Plumeous Water Redstart. Then we walked up the trail behind the hotel and saw two Perny’s Long-nosed Squirrels and a Crimson-breasted Woodpecker. Blue Magpies were typically elusive giving frequent but brief views. We also had a adult and a Grey-faced .

After dinner we went spotlighting again and managed to see five Masked Palm Civets including some really close views. We also saw several Gorals really well, plus Red and White Giant Flying Squirrels and best of all, a Chinese Leopard Cat.

Day 5 Wednesday 20th November

After breakfast, we headed up the mountain once again but not before we had all seen a Wallcreeper and a Hodgson’s Redstart at the hotel. The bus dropped us by a side trail and at the entrance we had a flock of Grey Crested Tits, Coal Tits with a crest, Chestnut-vented Nuthatches and Goldcrests. Nearby we saw more Elliot’s Laughingthrushes. The temperature was still well below freezing and we saw very little for nearly an hour when

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

Roland picked up a shape with his thermal image scope. We carefully approached and saw it was a rare and elusive Musk Deer that was sleeping on top of a large tree stump. We crept quite close and it still sat motionless, until eventually it stood up and sloped off into the bamboo, never to be seen again. Further on, we saw a Hodgson’s Treecreeper and many Grey-hooded Fulvettas. We reached the road and were accosted by some Tibetan Macaques who are used to tourists feeding them. We wandered higher and added Chestnut Thrushes and a Dusky Thrush, plus several Nutcrackers. We also found a final Red Panda, a particularly handsome individual with a thick, bushy tail and huge ears. We then walked down until a bus took us to the deer lake trail, where we had brilliant views of Sichuan Treecreepers, more Nuthatches and Black-browed Tits. We then returned to the hotel where a Golden Eagle was again flying over.

After lunch we took the trail behind the hotel and saw four Chinese Thrushes, Chestnut Thrush, Grey-crested Tits, Stripe-throated Yuhinas and Himalayan Bluetail. At the lake there were three Gadwall and a daytime Goral on the cliffs. Back at the hotel the Wallcreeper was still performing. We then took a trail behind the ranger station where we saw Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, and brief views of a Wild Boar.

After dinner we headed out on yet another night drive and managed to add two new mammals; a White-maned Serow and a Complex-toothed Flying-squirrel. Both showed extremely well for a long time. In addition were six more Civets plus several Gorals and Red and White Giant Flying Squirrels.

Day 6 Thursday 21st November

After breakfast, we left our hotel and drove the long way back to Duijingyan, then onto Wolong. We stopped at a few spots near Labahe and saw Dippers and a Bay Woodpecker but things were pretty quiet. We made a stop at the lake at Tien Quan and saw a large variety of waterbirds; Ferruginous Ducks, Tufted Ducks, Pochards, Red- crested Pochards, Teal, Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Coot, Moorhen and Goosander. In the nearby park we saw Robin, Rufous-faced and Pallas’s Warblers, Red-billed Leothrixes and brief views of Brown-sided Bush-warbler. We did a little pre-lunch birdwatching at Duijingyan where we saw White-rumped Munias, Vinaceous Rosefinches and an Oriental Honey Buzzard.

We then headed towards Wolong, stopping at a few sites but Rufous-breasted Accentors were the only birds of note. A Mountain Hawk-Eagle was an unexpected bonus though. We arrived at the hotel at 6pm and after a coffee, headed out for our evening meal.

Day 7 Friday 22nd November

We set off at 6:30am in the dark on the 90km journey to Balang Mountain. It was a clear night, and quite warm too so we were hopeful that the area would not be shrouded in fog, so we might stand a chance of seeing the rare and elusive Chinese Monal Pheasant. Conditions remained clear and almost as soon as we arrived at the site a male Monal flew across the valley towards us and landed on the side of the road, calling, and he was soon joined by a female. Then more males arrived, and more females and they were calling loudly and displaying to each other on a bank right next to the road where we were standing just a few metres away. Our final count was six males and three females, and the most memorable moment was when a male displayed to a female on the road really close to us. He spread his wings and tail like a Sunbittern, then started pumping his fanned tail up and down. We had to stop a speeding car so he didn’t run them over but he didn’t seem to appreciate being told to

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

drive slowly by foreigners! Eventually after about 20 minutes, they gradually disappeared into the scrub and we left them to it. A little further up we added , Himalayan Griffon Vulture and Red-billed to the list.

We continued our ascent to about 3,500 metres above sea level, where the road was blocked. Thankfully, our four wheel drive could get over this road block so we shuttled everyone as high as we could, until eventually we reached an impassable roadblock. The second carload waiting for the shuttle were entertained by a group of Alpine Choughs very close to the roadblock. At the furthest point we could drive, we could hear snowcocks calling higher up so we walked further up the road and eventually had great views of four Tibetan Snowcocks. We watched them for about 20 minutes then drove back down the mountain and through the 8km tunnel and headed down the north side of Balang Mountain, stopping to enjoy a huge flock of Grandalas, which were unfortunately a little distant. We also picked up a couple of Lammergeiers overhead.

We had a picnic lunch by some ancient which was great for birdwatching. Here we saw Eurasian and Tibetan Siskins, Crossbills, Sichuan Tits, Rufous-vented Tits, Przewalski’s Nuthatch, Maroon-backed Accentors, Pink-rumped Rosefinches, White-throated Redstats and even an elusive Crested Tit-Warbler. We then decided to try to drive up the north side of Balang Mountain where there was no roadblock, stopping briefly to look at Chinese Fulvettas. We drove to about 4,500 metres and amazingly managed to find an elusive Snow Partridge calling from a prominent rock, and we had distant views of Snow Pigeons. It was then time to head back but we stopped for a scan on the way back and found a beautiful male Tufted Deer plus two Gorals.

After dinner we went out looking for Himalayan Owl and two people managed to see one before it flew off.

Day 8 Saturday 23rd November

Today was a long travelling day as we had to drive from Wolong to Ruoeregai, but before setting off we visited the woodland around Lama Monastery. There were lots of birds in this area including Nutcrackers, Grey-headed Bullfinches, Grey-hooded Fulvettas, Elliot’s Laughingthrushes, but best of all were two obliging Barred Laughingthrushes and two flocks of . En route we saw very little except the occasional Griffon Vulture or Golden Eagle, although we did see Crag Martins as we passed through one town.

We stopped for lunch in a small village then stopped again at the ancient town of Songpan, to shop at the markets and to look at the old city walls. We then headed up to the and stopped near the summit where we saw our first White-browed (Severtzov’s) Tit-warblers, plus Chinese White-browed Rosefinches, White-throated Redstarts, Sichuan Tits and Hill Pigeons. The weather was snowy on the tops so we tried to make as much progress as possible in case there was snow on the plateau road but fortunately it was snow-free. On the plateau itself, a few saw Azure-winged Magpie as we drove, and we stopped to enjoy three Siberian Roe Deer.

We arrived at Ruoeregai at 6:30 and headed straight out for an excellent meal. After this we went lamping on a nearby sideroad and managed to see three Chinese Mountain Cats, including one that sat and stared at us right by the roadside. Roland said he had never seen one as close as that before and there are few decent photographs that exist of this species, until now! The only other things we saw were three Red and a .

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

Day 9 Sunday 24th November

After breakfast, we set off to the vast Tibetan plateau about 60km to the north. Unfortunately it started snowing and that stayed with us for much of the morning. Wildlife watching was really difficult while it snowed but we still managed to see Robin Accentors, White-rumped and Rufous-necked Snowfinches, Hume’s Ground Tits, Twite, Horned , Oriental Skylark and Guldenstadt’s Redstart. We then walked to a small quarry where we saw Eagle Owl, Little Owl and a Red-throated Thrush. Raptors were aplenty, especially , Upland and Saker Falcons. We even managed to see two close Lammergeiers on the ground with Ravens. Several Hen Harriers were quartering the grasslands and we found a flock of White-cheeked Starlings with a single Red-billed. But throughout the morning we had struggled to see mammals, apart from the numerous Plateau and a couple of Red .

The weather improved in the afternoon and we had seven sightings of Tibetan Fox and two Wolf sightings too. Tibetan Gazelles also were seen in reasonable numbers but the Pallas’s Cat had eluded us. We tried half a dozen sights without success, but just as the sun was setting, we returned to one quarry where we saw a Pallas’s Cat sitting on a rock and everyone managed to see it through the telescope. We then returned to Roueregai for a meal then bed.

Day 10 Monday 25th November

We had breakfast at 6:45 and set off to Baozuo Forest (pronounced Byeshee or Baxi) straight away. It was freezing, but clear when we arrived with the temperature at minus twelve but there was no wind. As the sun rose and warmed things up we started to see new birds; and White-winged Grosbeak. In addition we saw White-throated and Guldenstadt’s Redstarts, Chinese Fulvettas, Red-throated Thrush and Sichuan Tits. We moved further up the slope until we heard Blue Eared-Pheasants calling, so we crept forward and accidentally flushed about 25 of them back down the valley. We headed down and managed to spot four birds feeding in Sea Buckthorns. As the air warmed with the sunshine, more birds appeared, including stunning views of White-browed Tit-warblers and Godlewski’s Buntings. Overhead were two Golden Eagles plus many Griffon Vultures, and what looked like an Imperial Eagle but it never gave us a view of its upperside. We also had good views of both Grey-headed and Black , the latter which is very rare in Baozuo. We then headed through the forest on the dark, sunless side of the valley and we heard a Pere David’s Owl calling in broad daylight. After an hour it had shown in flight three times but unfortunately it never came really close. On the way down we all managed good views of Crested Tit-warbler and Przewalski’s Nuthatches plus two rare Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrushes, which is elusive and has a tiny world distribution. One or two also saw Thomas’s in the forest and by the roadside we all had close views of a male Tufted Deer. On the way down to the town for lunch we stopped to enjoy Giant Laughingthrushes and Spectacled Parrotbills.

After lunch, we headed back to the plateau at Roueregai but on the way out of the valley we stopped for another flock of Blue Eared-Pheasants feeding not far from the road. Also we saw a flock of about 500 Choughs on the plateau with a few Eastern Rooks among the flock. We then headed back to our Pallas’s Cat site but alas, nothing showed, but we did see half a dozen Pine Buntings and about thirty Rock Sparrows in the quarry. As the sun was setting we headed off up the side valley and had great views of five Wolves against a spectacular mountain backdrop. A little further we spotted two Asiatic while it was still light, giving prolonged, though distant

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

views. Tibetan Gazelles and Tibetan Foxes were numerous, and we saw both Little and Eagle Owls, but unfortunately, the cats did not put in an appearance.

After dinner, we headed out lamping close to the town again and had a distant Mountain Cat plus a couple of Red Foxes.

Day 11 Tuesday 26th November

After breakfast we made a second dawn visit to Baozuo Forest where we went on a 7km trek through the forest in sub-zero temperatures. We managed a few new birds for the trip including great views of a Northern Goshawk. We also saw the dark, smoky form of Great Spotted Woodpecker which everyone agreed looked nothing like our Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Britain. Grey-headed Woodpecker also showed, as did both Crested and White-browed Tit-warblers, the former in an unusually large flock of about eight birds. About a dozen Blue-eared Pheasants were seen plus brief views of four Blood Pheasants. We saw more Przewalski’s Nuthatches, Giant and Plain Laughingthrushes but the that was most appreciated was a flock of four Sichuan Jays, which are both rare and elusive. For the mammals, we had good prolonged views of a Siberian Roe Deer, and great close views of a Thomas’s Pika. As we drove out of the valley we spotted another flock of about 20 Blue-eared Pheasants with about 15 Blood Pheasants. Also we stopped by a roadside pine which had four Pine Buntings posing for us.

Out of the valley on the plateau road, we saw Lammergeiers plus several Azure-winged Magpies and four Daurian Jackdaws, which were new for us. We then had the long drive to Pingwu through spectacular gorges and many road repairs due to landslides. We arrived at the hotel at 18:40. After dinner Roland took us out spotlighting on foot and we saw a Collared Scops Owl.

Day 12 Wednesday 27th November

We spent a few hours after breakfast at the mountain at Pingwu where we saw a number of birds; Vinaceous Rosefinches, David’s and Spectacled Fulvettas, White-collared Yuhina, White-throated Laughingthrush, and Yellow-throated (Elegant) , Buff-throated Warbler, Daurian Redstarts, Striated Prinia, Vinous-throated Parrotbills, Yellow-bellied Tits plus many others. We then set off to Tangjiahe, stopping to see Collared Crows en route. Just outside the reserve, we stopped to view an Asian Barred Owlet in full view over some arable fields. Within minutes of arriving at Tangjiahe we had found four Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys with a close Golden Eagle perched above us. It was amazing that this difficult species was our first in the reserve. We continued on in daylight stopping to see Serow, two Gorals, Muntjac and many Takins on the way. A Crested Kingfisher also proved popular. This was an amazing start to our visit to Tangjiahe.

Just before dinner, Roland managed to find two more Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys just behind the hotel, bringing the day’s total to six. After dinner we set off on a lamping session and saw Takins, Muntjacs, Gorals, Wild Boar plus Leopard Cat, Tufted Deer, two Hog Badgers, two Porcupines and a Confucian Niviventer. A fantastic lamping session on our first night in Tangjiahe.

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

Day 13 Thursday 28th November

We drove 12km down to the bridge to catch the first shuttle bus to the upper ranger station in the eastern valley at Tangjiahe. In the car park we saw two Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpeckers and en route we spotted Takins and a Little Forktail in the road. At the end of the road we headed up the 400 metre ascent, getting great views of a male Golden Pheasant on the way. Other interesting birds seen were several flocks of Sooty Tits, Yellow-browed Tits, Rufous-capped Babblers, Golden-breasted Fulvettas, Nutcrackers, Black-faced Laughingthrushes, Barred Laughingthrushes, Streak-throated Scimitar Babblers, Grey-headed Bullfinches and a very showy White-crowned Forktail. Two interesting mammals seen at the top were Swinhoe’s Striped Squirrel and a male Tufted Deer. We had lunch at the top then headed down but saw little of note apart from Golden Eagles and the usual river birds. At the bottom by the bridge we managed to find two Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys and a troupe of Tibetan Macaques, plus a troupe of Rhesus Macaques. We returned to the hotel at 5pm as everyone felt tired after the day’s long climb.

After dinner we had another spotlighting session and in addition to the usual Takins, Gorals, Wild Boar and Muntjacs, we had three great views of Hog Badgers.

Day 14 Friday 29th November

We started off the morning with a Chiffchaff outside our rooms, which is quite rare in Sichuan. We then took a walk north of the hotel but were sent back by rangers, but not before we had fantastic views of Black-faced Laughingthrushes. A few managed to see two Slaty Buntings too. We then drove down the road where we saw Speckled , Blue-fronted Redstarts, Red-flanked and Himalayan Bluetails (only separable in adult male plumage), Wren and Japanese Tit. Among some boulders by the river we managed to see a Pere David’s Rock Squirrel. The only other mammals seen were Takins, Goral and Wild Boar. After lunch we headed up the side valley and managed to see another White-crowned Forktail, Maroon-backed Accentors and an elusive Pygmy Wren-babbler.

After dinner we had our final lamping session where the most popular sighting was a Tawny Fish Owl seen really well. Apart from the usual four (Takins, Gorals, Muntjacs and Wild Boar), we saw one Hog , one Himalayan Palm Civet and a Serow.

Day 15 Saturday 30th November

After breakfast we did a little birding in Tanjiahe reserve and managed to add the Sichuan race of White-backed Woodpecker to the list. We also saw two Grey-capped Pygmy and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. An was also seen briefly by Tim but all everyone else saw were its footprints in the sand. We made several short stops en route back to Chengdu where we saw Mountain Bulbuls, David’s Fulvettas and Vinous-throated Parrotbills, Himalayan Bluetails and Hodgson’s Redstarts. From the cars, we saw two Collared Crows and a brief riverside stop gave us Long-billed Plovers, Spot-billed Ducks, Little Grebes, Common Sandpipers, Crested Mynahs, Daurian Redstarts and two Crested Kingfishers. We then we had a long drive back to Chengdu to an airport hotel where we bid farewell to Roland and ZZ, but not until we’d had another sumptuous hotpot meal in a local restaurant. We thanked Roland for organising such an excellent holiday, delivering almost everything that could be delivered, and catering for our different needs and tastes.

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

Day 16 Sunday 1st December

We were up at 5am to catch an 8:15 flight to Hong Kong then on to Heathrow with no hitches.

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Grey-hooded Fulvettas Sichuan Takin

Wild Wolf in the landscape White-crowned Forktail

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Tour Report Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals

Species Lists

Birds (✓= commonly recorded but not counted; H = heard only) E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea 4 2 2 Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha 1 20 3 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 5 ✓ 2 10 4 Gadwall Mareca strepera 3 5 Eurasian Teal Anas crecca 1 1 6 Common Pochard Aythya farina ✓ 7 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 5 8 Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca 30 9 Common Merganser Mergus merganser 1 10 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina 1 11 Tetraogallus tibetanus 4 12 Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa 1 13 Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 1 12 1 14 Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus 1 15 Blue Eared Pheasant Crossoptilon auritum 35 35 16 Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus 19 17 Chinese Monal Pheasant Lophophorus lhuysii 9 18 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 3 19 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 3 20 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 6 21 Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus 1 22 Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus 4 23 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 10 4 2 10 24 Great Egret Ardea alba 40 10 4 2 25 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 3 1 26 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2 27 Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus 2 2 1 2 28 Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis 30 20 2 20 20 29 Osprey Pandion haliaeetus 1

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 Mountain Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus nipalensis 1 1 31 Aquila nipalensis 20 10 32 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 1 1 1 2 2 1 5 2 33 Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus 1 34 Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 1 35 Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 36 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 5 4 37 Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus 5 38 Grey-faced Buzzard indicus 1 39 Upland Buzzard hemilasius 40 20 5 40 Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicus 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 41 Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus 3 2 2 2 2 42 Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus 1 43 Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 10 44 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 45 Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus 7 46 Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus 1 47 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 3 48 Brown-headed Gull Chroicocephalus brunneocephalus 5 49 Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris 30 30 20 10 50 Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota 3 51 Feral Pigeon Columba livia ✓ ✓ 52 Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis 10 10 2 53 Himalayan Owl Strix nivicola 1 54 Pere David’s Owl Strix davidi 1 55 Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides 1 1 56 Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena 1 57 Eagle Owl Bubo bubo 1 1 1 58 Tawny Fish Owl Ketupa flavipes 1 59 Little Owl Athene noctua 2 1 60 Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris 1 1 2 61 Bay Woodpecker pyrrhotis 1

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 62 Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus 1 1 1 63 Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius 1 64 Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Yungipicus canicapillus 3 2 2 65 Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dryobates cathpharius 2 2 2 66 Chinese Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major mandarinus 1 2 67 White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos 1 68 Speckled Piculet innominatus 1 69 Great Barbet Megalaima virens 2 2 70 Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 3 2 4 2 2 71 Saker Falcon Falco cherrug 25 4 72 Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach 2 10 3 2 73 Sichuan internigrans 4 74 Azure-winged Magpie cyanus 1 15 75 Red-billed Blue Magpie erythroryncha 2 20 10 10 10 20 20 15 15 76 pica 2 1 1 4 20 4 77 Spotted Nucifraga caryocatactes 2 5 8 4 1 2 78 Red-billed Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 4 6 500 20 79 Pyrrhocorax graculus 20 80 dauuricus 4 81 torquatus 3 2 82 Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos 2 2 10 6 4 6 4 2 20 20 20 20 10 20 83 Eastern Corvus pastinator 10 84 Northern Raven Corvus corax 3 1 2 20 10 4 85 Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus 5 2 86 Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus 2 87 Rufous-vented Tit Periparus rubidiventris 2 2 88 Coal Tit Periparus ater 1 2 1 89 Grey Crested Tit Lophophanes dichrous 4 1 1 1 90 Sichuan Tit – E Poecile weigoldicus 2 2 10 4 3 91 Ground Tit (Hume’s Groundcreeper) Pseudopodoces humilis 20 20 92 Japanese Tit Parus minor 4 2 10 93 Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus 3 12 2 1 20 20

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Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 94 Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula 100 20 10 95 Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris elwesi 200 20 96 Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques 20 5 3 30 20 20 30 5 97 Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous 10 50 10 98 Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis 5 10 10 1 99 Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii 3 3 5 100 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 1 101 Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1 25 102 Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris 20 103 Chinese Wren-babbler - E Pnoepyga mutica 1 H 104 Pygmy Wren-babbler Pnoepyga pusilla H 1 105 Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis 3 2 1 106 Black-throated Bushtit Aegithalos concinnus 20 20 20 20 20 107 Black-browed Bushtit Aegithalos bonvaloti 10 20 108 Sooty Bushtit - E Aegithalos fuliginosus 30 10 2 109 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 1 1 110 Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus 1 1 1 111 Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis 1 112 White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile sophiae 4 6 2 113 Crested Tit-warbler Leptopoecile elegans 1 1 8 114 Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox H 115 Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis 1 4 116 Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyridopsis ruficeps 2 2 117 Dusky Fulvetta brunnea 1 118 David's Fulvetta Alcippe davidi 15 4 4 2 10 119 - E maximus 20 20 120 Plain Laughingthrush - E Garrulax davidi 10 10 121 White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio 3 10 2 122 Elliot's Laughingthrush - E elliotii 5 5 4 4 10 30 20 20 10 20 123 Black-faced Laughingthrush Trochalopteron affine 3 1 20 10 124 Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush Garrulax sukatschewi 2 125 Garrulax lunulatus 2 2

4 © Naturetrek December 19

Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 126 Red-billed Leiothrix lutea 4 30 10 20 10 127 - E Fulvetta ruficapilla 5 8 2 128 Grey-hooded Fulvetta - E Fulvetta cinereiceps 15 15 20 20 2 129 Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis 2 4 20 10 130 Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis 8 131 Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus 20 H 132 Vinous-throated Sinosuthora webbiana 20 20 134 Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor 15 15 135 Paradoxornis conspicillata 20 136 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus 2 137 White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata 10 138 White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata 1 8 30 2 4 139 Black-chinned Yuhina Yuhina nigrimenta 30 10 140 Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis 2 141 Goldcrest Regulus regulus 1 6 12 1 1 142 Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 1 1 2 143 Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis 2 10 1 6 2 2 144 Przevalski's Nuthatch - E Sitta przewalskii 2 10 2 145 Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria 1 146 Hodgson's Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni 1 1 1 2 1 147 Sichuan Treecreeper - E Certhia tianquanensis 2 148 Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus 5 2 5 149 White-cheeked Starling Spodiopsar cineraceus ✓ ✓ ✓ 25 20 ✓ 150 Red-billed Starling Sturnus sericeus 1 151 Grandala Grandala coelicolor ✓ 152 Blue-whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus 2 153 Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis 1 154 Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus 1 1 10 155 Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis 4 156 Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus 6 3 1 157 Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus 1 158 Red-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis 1 1

© Naturetrek December 19 5

Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 159 Himalayan Bluetail rufilatus 1 1 1 2 4 160 Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyaneus 1 161 Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri 1 2 2 162 White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti 2 1 163 Hodgson's Redstart hodgsoni 1 1 4 164 Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus 1 3 165 Güldenstädt's Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus 4 1 3 166 Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis 1 2 167 Plumbeous Water Redstart Phoenicurus fuliginosus 10 6 6 6 10 2 1 8 6 20 168 White-capped Redstart Phoenicurus leucocephalus 2 4 4 8 8 20 169 White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps 3 3 10 2 170 White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus 1 171 Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii 2 1 2 6 5 4 4 12 172 Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus ✓ 20 5 40 20 20 173 Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia 30 174 White-rumped Snowfinch Onychostruthus taczanowskii ✓ ✓ 175 Rufous-necked Snowfinch Pyrgilauda ruficollis ✓ 30 176 Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides 5 2 2 177 Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata 2 6 2 1 2 4 5 178 Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris 1 179 Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculata 4 3 180 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 1 1 181 White Wagtail Motacilla alba 50 50 2 2 20 10 2 2 20 10 10 20 182 Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi 5 183 Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni 1 3 184 Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus 50 185 Tibetan Siskin Carduelis thibetana 50 20 186 Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 10 H 187 Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca 10 2 4 6 188 White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes 2 1 189 Plain Mountain Leucosticte nemoricola ✓ 30 190 Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides 1

6 © Naturetrek December 19

Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 191 Common Rosefinch Carpodacus eryhtinus 1 192 Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus waltoni 10 10 10 193 Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus pulcherrimus 4 194 Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus 2 2 195 Chinese White-browed Rosefinch E Carpodacus dubius 2 1 4 10 196 Grey-capped Greenfinch Chloris sinica 2 1 197 Twite Linaria flavirostris 20 20 1 198 Slaty Bunting - E Emberiza siemsseni 2 199 Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos 6 5 200 Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii 20 10 201 Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla 2 202 Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans 1

Mammals 1 Milne-edwards' Macaque - E Macaca thibetana ✓ 30 40 20 2 Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta 20 3 Golden Snub-nosed Monkey Rhinopithecus roxellana 6 2 4 Woolly Hare Lepus oiostolus 1 1 5 Thomas’s Pika Ochotona thomasi 1 2 6 Plateau Pika Ochotona curzoniae ✓ 7 Confucian Niviventer Niviventer confucianus 1 1 8 Red And White Giant Petaurista alborufus 3 5 5 9 Complex-toothed Flying Squirrel Trogopterus xanthipes 1 10 Pallas’s Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus 1 11 Perny’s Long-nosed Squirrel Dremomis pernyi 2 12 Pére David's Rock Squirrel Sciurotamias davidianus 1 13 Swinhoe's Striped Squirrel Tamiops swinhoei 1 14 Malayan Porcupine Hystrix brachyura 2 15 Chinese Desert (Mountain) Cat - E bieti 3 1 16 Leopard Cat bengalensis 1 1 17 Pallas’s Cat Felis manul 1 18 Paguma larvata 5 6 1

© Naturetrek December 19 7

Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals Tour Report

E = Endemic; N = Near Endemic; I = Introduced November/December Common name Scientific name 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 19 Grey Wolf lupus 2 5 20 Tibetan Fox ferrilata 7 20 21 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes 3 3 22 Giant Panda – E melanoleuca 1 23 Red Panda Ailurus fulgens 2 5 1 24 Arctonyx collaris 2 3 1 25 Asiatic Badger leucurus 2 26 Wild Boar Sus scrofa 1 8 5 5 27 Siberian Roe Deer Capreolus pygargus 3 1 28 Tufted Deer – E Elaphodus cephalophus 1 1 1 1 1 29 Forest Musk Deer Moschus berezovskii 1 30 Reeves' Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi 1 20 20 20 2 31 Sambar Rusa unicolor 20 50 30 1 32 Takin Budorcas taxicolor 40 20 20 6 33 Chinese Serow Capricornis milneedwardsii 1 1 1 34 Chinese Goral Naemorhedus griseus 1 4 4 8 6 6 2 35 Tibetan Gazelle – N Procapra picticaudata 60

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Steppe Eagle Pine Bunting Asian Barred Owlet

8 © Naturetrek December 19