Sichuan birds

Sep 29, 2011

New Website

We've recently opened a new Sichuan birding website at -
http://sichuanbirding.cloudaccess.net/

info on birding sites and a collection of our Sichuan bird-call recordings

Mar 3, 2011

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) -

Snow Partridge
Tibetan Partridge
Chinese Bamboo-Partridge
Japanese Quail
Tibetan Snowcock
Buff-throated Partridge
Chestnut–throated Partridge
Blood Pheasant
Temminck's Tragopan
Koklass Pheasant
Chinese Monal Pheasant
Common Pheasant
Golden Pheasant
Chinese Grouse
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Blue Eared Pheasant
White Eared-Pheasant
Greylag Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose – 2nd Sichuan record
Bar-headed Goose
Ruddy Shelduck
Mandarin Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveller
Pintail
Eurasian Widgeon
Spot-billed Duck
Common Teal
Baikal Teal
Garganey
Falcated Duck
Red-crested Pochard
Common Pochard
White-eyed Pochard
Tufted Duck
Smew
Common Merganser
Eurasian Wryneck
Speckled Piculet
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker
Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
Darjeeling Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Bay Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Great Barbet
Eurasian Hoopoe
Common Kingfisher
Crested Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
Large Hawk-Cuckoo
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo
Eurasian Cuckoo
Indian Cuckoo
Himalayan Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo
Asian Koel
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
Lesser Coucal
Himalayan Swiftlet
Pacific Swift
White-throated Needletail
HouseSwift
Eurasian Eagle Owl
Collared Scops Owl
Pere David’s Owl
Chinese Tawny Owl
Northern Boobook
Little Owl
Collared Owlet
Asian Barred Owlet
Grey Nightjar - heard
Hill Pigeon
Snow Pigeon
Speckled Wood Pigeon
Spotted Dove
Oriental Turtle Dove
Red Collared Dove
Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon
Black-necked Crane
White-breasted Waterhen
Common Coot
Common Moorhen
Greater Painted Snipe
Eurasian Woodcock
Common Snipe
Swinhoes Snipe
Solitary Snipe
Northern Lapwing
Grey-headed Lapwing
Pacific Golden Plover
Grey Plover
Lesser Sand Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Long-billed Plover
Black-winged Stilt
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Ibisbill
Pallas's Gull
Brown-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Common Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black Baza
Black-eared Kite
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Crested Serpent Eagle
White-tailed Sea Eagle
Cinereous Vulture
Himalayan Griffon
Bearded Vulture
Hen Harrier
Pied Harrier
Crested Goshawk
Chinese Sparrowhawk
Besra
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Northern Goshawk
Grey-faced Buzzard
Eastern Buzzard
Upland Buzzard
Golden Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Bonelli’s Eagle
Mountain Hawk-Eagle
Common Kestrel
Eurasian Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Saker Falcon
Amur Falcon
Great Cormorant
Little Grebe
Great Crested
Little Egret
Intermediate Egret
Great Egret
Eastern Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Chinese Pond-Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Cinnamon Bittern
Yellow Bittern – one dead example at Litang
Black Stork
Tiger Shrike
Brown Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Grey-backed Shrike
Chinese Grey Shrike
Eurasian Jay
Sichuan Jay
Red-billed Blue Magpie
Azure-winged Magpie
Black-billed Magpie
Spotted Nutcracker
Grey Treepie
Red-billed Chough
Yellow-billed Chough
Daurian Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Large-billed Crow
Collared Crow
Common Raven
Hume’s Groundpecker
Black-naped Oriole
Black-winged Cuckooshrike
Swinhoe's Minivet
Long-tailed Minivet
Short-billed Minivet
Ashy Drongo
Black Drongo
Spangled Drongo
Brown Dipper
White-throated Dipper
Blue Whistling-Thrush
Chestnut-bellied RockThrush
Blue Rock-Thrush
Long-tailed Thrush
Scaly Thrush
Chinese Blackbird
Grey-winged Blackbird
Japanese Thrush
Kessler's Thrush
Chestnut Thrush
Eyebrowed Thrush
Naumann's Thrush
Dusky Thrush
Chinese Thrush
Dark-sided Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Brown-breasted Flycatcher
Ferruginous Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Slaty-backed Flycatcher
Taiga Flycatcher
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
Slaty-blue Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher
Fujian Niltava
Vivid Niltava
Blue-throated Flycatcher
Indian Blue Robin
Orange-flanked Bush-Robin
Golden Bush-Robin
White-browed Bush-Robin
Rufous-headed Robin
Himalayan Rubythroat
Firethroat
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Hodgson's Redstart
Black Redstart
Daurian Redstart
White-throated Redstart
Blue-fronted Redstart
White-capped Water-Redstart
White-winged Redstart
Plumbeous Water-Redstart
White-bellied Redstart (Chinese Shortwing)
White-tailed Robin
Grandala
Little Forktail
Slaty-backed Forktail
White-crowned Forktail
Spotted Forktail
Siberian Stonechat
Grey Bushchat
White-cheeked Starling
Silky Starling
Crested Myna
Eurasian Nuthatch
Chestnut-vented Nuthatch
Przewalski's Nuthatch
Yunnan Nuthatch
Chinese Nuthatch
Wallcreeper
Bar-tailed Tree-Creeper
Sichuan Treecreeper
Hodgson’s/ Eurasian Treecreeper – still a little uncertain on separating these
Fire-capped Tit
Songar Tit
Pere David’s Tit
White-browed Tit
Rufous-vented Tit
Coal Tit
Yellow-bellied Tit
Grey-crested Tit
Eastern Great Tit
Green-backed Tit
Yellow-browed Tit
Black-throated Tit
Black-browed Tit
Sooty Tit
Sand Martin
Eurasian Crag-Martin
Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Asian House-Martin
Collared Finchbill
Brown-breasted Bulbul
Light-vented Bulbul
Black Bulbul
Mountain Bulbul
Plain Prinia
Striated Prinia
Chestnut-flanked White-eye
Japanese White-eye
Brownish-flanked Bush-War
Aberrant Bush-Warbler
Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler
Spotted Bush-Warbler
Brown Bush-Warbler
Russet Bush-Warbler
Chestnut-headed Tesia
Dusky Warbler
Alpine Leaf Warbler
Buff-throated Warbler
Yellow-streaked Warbler
Buff-barred Warbler
Ashy-throated Warbler
Pallas’s Leaf Warbler
Lemon-rumped Warbler
Chinese Leaf-Warbler
Sichuan Leaf Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Hume's Warbler
Claudia’s Leaf Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Large-billed Leaf Warbler
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Emei Leaf Warbler
Kloss’s Leaf-Warbler
Sulphur-breasted Warbler
Bianchi’s Warbler
Plain-tailed Warbler
Chestnut-crowned Warbler
Rufous-faced Warbler
Goldcrest
Crested Tit Warbler
White-browed Tit-Warbler
Moustached Laughingthrush
Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush
Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush
Barred Laughingthrush
Giant Laughingthrush
Spotted Laughingthrush
Plain Laughingthrush
Buffy Laughingthrush
Hwamei
White-browed Laughingthrush
Elliot's Laughingthrush
Black-faced Laughingthrush
Red-winged Laughingthrush
Emei Shan Liocichla
Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler
Winter Wren
Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler
Pygmy Wren-Babbler
Rufous-capped Babbler
Rufous-tailed Babbler
Chinese Babax
Red-billed Leiothrix
White-browed Shrike-Babbler
Green Shrike-Babbler
Streaked Barwing
Blue-winged Minla
Red-tailed Minla
Golden-breasted Fulvetta
Gold-fronted Fulvetta - pair of birds on Old Erlang Road
Spectacled Fulvetta
Chinese Fulvetta
White-browed Fulvetta
Grey-hooded Fulvetta
Dusky Fulvetta
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta
Black-capped Sibia
Stripe-throated Yuhina
White-collared Yuhina
Black-chinned Yuhina
Great Parrotbill
Three-toed Parrotbill
Brown Parrotbill
Grey-headed Parrotbill
Spectacled Parrotbill
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Ashy-throated Parrotbill
Grey-hooded Parrotbill
Fulvous Parrotbill
Golden Parrotbill
Tibetan Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Oriental Skylark
Horned Lark
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Fork-tailed Sunbird
Mrs Gould's Sunbird
House Sparrow
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Russet Sparrow
Rock Sparrow
Tibetan Snowfinch
White-rumped Snowfinch
Rufous-necked Snowfinch
Forest Wagtail
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Oriental Tree Pipit
Water Pipit
Rosy Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Richard’s Pipit
Alpine Accentor
Rufous-breasted Accentor
Maroon-backed Accentor
Robin Accentor
Brown Accentor
White-rumped Munia
Brambling
Grey-capped Greenfinch
Black-headed Greenfinch
Tibetan Siskin
Twite
Plain Mountain-Finch
Brandt's Mountain Finch
Dark-breasted Rosefinch
Common Rosefinch
Beautiful Rosefinch
Pink-rumped Rosefinch
Spot-winged Rosefinch
Three-banded Rosefinch
Vinaceous Rosefinch
White-browed Rosefinch
Streaked Rosefinch
Red-faced Rosefinch
Pink-tailed Bunting – one seen Ruoergai
Crimson-browed Finch
Grey-headed Bullfinch
Chinese Grosbeak
Collared Grosbeak
White-winged Grosbeak
Slaty Bunting
Godlewski's Bunting
Little Bunting
Black-faced Bunting
Yellow-throated Bunting
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

Dec 8, 2010

Pere David's Owl and Chinese Grouse - Sichuan Birding

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 Pere 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 elusive bird - Wanglang.

Nov 22, 2010

Streaked Barwing and White-browed Bush Robin on the Old Erlang Road - Sichuan birds

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.

Nov 16, 2010

Red Pandas at Wawu - Sichuan birds

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.

Oct 30, 2010

Autumn trips to Wolong and Balang - Sichuan birds

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 boots!!!!!!!

Sep 3, 2010

Litang Grasslands - Sichuan birds

Juvenile Lammergeier - this awesome species was seen on several occasions during our last trip to Litang. The other common species of Vulture in the area, Himalayan Griffon, can be seen in great numbers during occasions when the Locals practice Tibetan style funerals - Known as sky-burial - where the birds are allowed to feed on the corpses of the dead.

If you take the highway west from Chengdu, which eventually leads to Lhasa, a drive of around 10 hours should bring you close to an area of plateau grassland that's situated close to the Tibetan town of Litang. This flat plain that nestles between the mountains, is high - the town being over 4000m in altitude. A combination of pasture, river, mountain and marsh provides the type of habitat where it's possible to see many of the interesting species that are associated with the eastern side of the Tibetan Plateau. With good road Connections - the town is a major junction on the overland route to both Yunnan and Tibet - making it a logical stop-off for anybody exploring this part of Sichuan.

Streaked Rosefinch - the common Rosefinch species on this grassland. You often see this bird around habitation.

Tibetan Snowfinch - another species that 'digs' around those dumps, ditches and manure heaps that are part of the smaller Tibetan villages and homesteads. This bird is far easier to find at Litang than the Ruo Er Gai grassland of NW Sichuan. Plain and Brandt's Mountain Finch were also seen.

Bar-headed Goose - the road that leads towards the Tibetan border at Batang follows the course of a river. Although duck and other wetland species are not found in the same type of numbers as Ruo Er Gai (no Black Necked Crane left at Litang) - we found Common Tern, Redshank, Bar-headed Geese, Common Merganser and Ruddy Shelduck.

Ibisbill - is also present on the river. The best place to find this species are on stony river banks - sometimes where gravel extraction has taken place.

Himalayan Marmot - an ever present sight, and sound, on the drier parts of the grassland.

During June, July and August the grassland pasture becomes a good habitat for flower hunters.

This small Gentian, in the Swertia family (Felworts), is part of the Litang flora.

And of course there are all the usual 'grasland suspects' - here's Hume's Groundpecker (or Ground Tit - depending on what you're calling it today). This little extrovert of a bird - with its cocky mannerisms - always gives excellent entertainment value.

Chinese Grey Shrike - another good location for this sought after tick. Tibetan lark were also seen.

Little Owl - as a kid, in South Wales, we had a birding site, a bracken covered valley, where we would often find this Owl. Strange to think I'd be finding the same bird - so many tears latter - up on the Tibetan Plateau.