Sichuan and Shanxi Birding Tour Report 28 May to 24 June 2016
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Summer Wong Bird Tour Sichuan & Shanxi, China 28 May - 24 June, 2016 Local bird guide, reported and photographed by: Summer Wong Participants: Ken Cross, Steve Andrew, John Laurence, Glenis Pearl, Karyll Patricia, Robert Clyde, Vincent Ricky Lee, Raymond Dennis, Janet Mary, Barbara Sally L to R - John, Janet, Kenneth, Barbara, Glenis, Summer, Karyll, Steve, Vince, Ray This is a 24 days long trip including Sichuan and Shanxi, combine birdwatching and culture tour, visited : Chengdu, Longcanggou, Erlang Shan, Balang Shan, Maerkang, Ruoergai, Jiuzhaigou, Tangjiahe, Yangxian, Foping, Xi’an. Highlights of the tour: Temminck’s Tragopan, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, Blue-eared Pheasant, Golden Pheasant, Chinese Monal, White-eared Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Crested Ibis, Firethroat, Rufous-tailed Babbler, Golden Parrotbill, White-browed Tit Warbler, Wallcreeper, Przevalski’s Nuthatch, Slaty Bunting, Three-banded Rosefinch, Slaty Bunting, Takin, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey. Day 1-2 ( 28-29 May ) Arrived at Chengdu, half day birding half day sightseeing in Chengdu. In the morning went to Chengdu Giant Panda Base, visited the cute and naughty baby Giant Pandas and Red Pandas. Summer Wong Bird Tour Panda base is also a good place for birding, we got Rufous-faced Warbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Chinese Grosbeak, Red-billed Leiothrix, Plain Prinia, Chinese Bulbul, Streak- breasted Scimitar Babbler, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Japanese White-eye, Chinese Blackbird, White-rumped Munia, Grey-capped Greenfinch etc. In the afternoon, we visited Wenshu Buddhism Monastery, Qingyang Taoist Temple, Sichuan Museum, then had dinner in one of the best Hotpot restaurant in Chengdu, after hotpot dinner we went to a famous teahouse watching Sichuan Opera & Folk Arts Show, before the show everybody had a full body massage in there. Giant Panda Red Panda Wenshu Buddhism Monastery Qingyang Taoist Temple Summer Wong Bird Tour Sichuan Opera Show in a Teahouse & Massage before show Sichuan Cuisine Lunch Hotpot Dinner Day 3-5 ( 30-31 May, 1 June ) In Longcanggou, because of the road construction, the road was too muddy, we hired 2 local vans. Heavy fog in the first day and sometimes raining in the 2 days there. Got 1 adult male and 1 juvenile male Temminck’s Tragopan on the roadside together in the morning, the highlight of that day, we stopped behind them, and went out of the van, they are still there for at least 10 minutes, everybody got very good view of them even in the fog. 1 male Lady Amherst’s Pheasant was spotted by me in far distance on the roadside in the afternoon on the way back, as we stopped in far distance, so the pheasant not scared by us, still there, and the second van managed to get a good angle, so everybody can see it through the van, these two sightings are the most excited moment in Longcanggou in that day. The other great moment was the sighting of Golden Parrotbill feeding in the bamboo alone with a Golden-breasted Fulvetta, great view of them. Spotted Forktail was spotted on the river band alone with a Brown Dipper. Chestnut-headed Tesia gave us a very open and long time view on the base of bushes in heavy fog, a surprise, usually it’s always hiding. Spotted Bush Warbler, Brown Parrotbill and a Little Bunting were spotted on the top area where workers were building a panda research base. 3 Spectacled Wood Pigeon were flew in and sitting on the same tree, nice view. Brown Bullfinch, Fire-capped Tit, Red-tailed Minla, Blue-winged Minla, Yellow-browed Tit and Ultramarine Flycatcher were Summer Wong Bird Tour spotted on a dead tree on a bird wave. Emei Shan Liocichala and Great Parrotbill were spotted, but no chance to take any photo of them. Sichuan Bush Warbler was spotted in the early morning, too dark to take photo. Yellow-throated Bunting and Ashy-throated Parrotbill were spotted near the hostel. Warblers been seen there : Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler, Brown Bush Warbler, Aberrant Bush Warbler, Bianchi’s Warbler, Marten’s Warbler, Kloss’s Leaf Warbler, Claudia’s Warbler, Emei Leaf Warbler, Sichuan Leaf Warbler, Buff-barred Warbler, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Buff-throated Warbler, Ashy-throated Warbler, Chestnut- crowned Warbler. Temminck’s Tragopan ( male ) & Lady Amherst’s Pheasant ( male ) at Longconggou Frying eggs in the morning for breakfast Toilet seat provided by Summer Wong Day 6-7 ( 2-3 June ) Drove from Longcanggou to Erlangshan, spent 1 full day birding in Erlangshan. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant both male and female were spotted there, but the highlight there is the Firethroat, 3 adult male and 1 juvenile male were spotted in 2 places, one adult was very hiding and less moving, the others are very active, keep moving all the way, the good thing is we got them in the Summer Wong Bird Tour pine tree area, kind of open view, easier for us to find them moving across the trees. Rufous-tailed Babbler was spotted, but hiding, good thing is everybody got good view, and possible to get some photos. Barred Laughingthrush there is so hiding, 2 of them together, but moving in the bushes are so hard to spot them, finally a few clients missed it. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler was spotted in the middle area, singing a lot in the morning. White-tailed Robin was singing and very hiding, only one of us spotted it. A pair of Long-tailed Rosefinch and White-winged Grosbeak were spotted in the morning. White-browed Fulvetta singing loudly and been seen well, Godlewski’s Bunting sitting on wire. Rufous-tailed Babbler and Firethroat ( male ) at Erlang Shan Dinner in Luding Hotel Day 8-10 ( 4-6 June ) In Balangshan we got amazing view of Chinese Monal, 5 male and 1 female were spotted in one time after in the first morning we spotted a female flew down the valley, and a male did the same thing too, the 5 male were scared when they were walking up to cross the road, as some Chinese bird photographers went too close to them, then they flew down to the valley and landed on the Summer Wong Bird Tour rocky slope feeding there for long time, got the great view of them in the telescope, but too far for our camera. 2 Tibetan Snowcock, 1 Snow Partridge, 7 White-eared Pheasant, 2 Chestnut- throated Partridge were spotted in long distance high up near to the top of the mountain, good to have telescope with us. Granada gave great view, Red-fronted Rosefinch as well, Sharpe’s Rosefinch somehow more female were spotted than male, White-tailed Rubythroat singing in the flowers, but hard to get close to it. 2 male Slaty Bunting and Indian Blue Robin showed in the same place. Got our first view of Sichuan Tit there on this tour. Chinese Goral and Tufted Deer had been seen there too. Snowcock Partridge & Tibetan Snowcock at Balang Shan White-eared Pheasant & Chestnut-throated Partridge at Balang Shan Summer Wong Bird Tour Grandala ( male ) at Balang Shan Day 11-12 ( 7-8 June ) On the way to Maerkang, we got Wallcreeper, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker and Black-capped Kingfisher. In Mengbishan, the highlight is watching Blood Pheasant crossing the road in front of us while we were hiding beside our coach, we were standing still, so it didn’t pay much attention to us, even feeding on the concrete road, lucky that no other vehicle drove through at that time. White-browed Tit Warbler, Chinese Fulvetta, Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch, Pink-rumped Rosefinch were seen well on the top area. Three-banded Rosefinch gave a surprise in the morning, just flew in with a male White-browed Rosefinch perched on a pine tree top. Maroon- backed Accentor, Grey-crested Tit, Goldcrest, Yellow-streaked Warbler, Rufous-bellied Accentor and Winter Wren were showing well too. Wallcreeper at Xiaojin Chinese Fulvetta © Vincent Lee Summer Wong Bird Tour Blood Pheasant ( male ) & White-browed Tit Warbler ( male ) © Vincent Lee at Mengbishan Birding in the beautiful Rhododendron at Mengbishan Summer Wong Bird Tour L. Three-banded Rosefinch ( male ) R. White-browed Rosefinch ( male ) at Mengbishan Day 13 ( 9 June ) On the way to Maerkang is the day for high plateau birds, great view of a White-browed Tit with prey and saw it’s nest on the slope. White-browed Tit Warbler been seen again with Dusky Warbler, Pink-rumped Rosefinch, Common Rosefinch, Sichuan Tit. Near to Hongyuan, got Black- necked Crane, Przevalski’s Rosefinch 2 adult male and 2 juvenile male, Citrine Wagtail, 3 Tibetan Larks flew across the road, took us a while to find where they landed, good view in the telescope, Found nest of Tibetan Snowfinch, Saker Falcon was seen perched on a power tower. juvenile and adult Przevalski’s Rosefinch ( male ) Day 14 ( 10 June ) In Ruoergai we got a pair of Blue-eared Pheasant, good view in scope, but too far for my camera, 2 pairs of Tibetan Siskin feeding flowers on the high bushes, Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush took us some time to spot it, very hiding, Hume’s Leaf Warbler and Chinese Leaf Warbler were Summer Wong Bird Tour singing everywhere there, Przevalski’s Nuthatch singing on top of pine trees, Black Woodpecker also singing that’s how it’s been spotted, Chinese Grouse were flashed out when we went through the bushes, but just a glimpse of it when it flew into the forest. Hodgson’s Treecreeper was feeding on the pine tree trunk. Near to the flower lake, lots of White-rumped Snowfinch, Rufous- necked Snowfinch, Horned Lark. Tibetan Siskin male on left & female on right at Ruoergai Przevalski’s Nuthatch & Black Woodpecker at Ruoergai Day 15-17 ( 11-13 June ) On the way to Chuanzhusi, we got Azure-winged Magpie, Daurian Jackdaw, Siberian Rubythroat and numerous high plateau flowers, in Gonggangling forest we got great view of Sichuan Tit, White-throated Redstart, and a pair of Three-banded Rosefinch again, Chinese Song Summer Wong Bird Tour Thrush was singing on top of pine tree in the early morning.