Sep 26, 2014

2014 list from 3 Qinghai trips


One of the big Qinghai prizes - a Tibetan Bunting photographed on Kanda Pass


It was a tough climb to get this bird - Tibetan Rosefinch on Erla pass


 Rubber Mountain close to Qinghai Lake gives Przewalski's Finch (otherwise known as Pink-tailed, Bunting/Rosefinch/Finch)


Tibetan Babax in the Nangqian area


Qinghai is also superb for mammals - a Pallas's cat with one of it's two kittens just visible

 This year I was lucky enough to make three trips into Qinghai, two of which were road-tours that also provided birding in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu..
We used three routes between Chengdu and the Qinghai border -
1 - a western route via Kangding, Ganzi,and Serxu to SW Qinghai around Yushu. Around 2 and half days drive to the border where the sichuan birding takes you through areas where it's possible for Lady Amherst's Pheasant and good opportunities for Ibisbill.
2 - a northern route up to Xining, which, because its mostly motorway, can be done in one very long day's drive - but makes for a comfortable two day trip. This journey passes close to two prime bird birding sites - Sichuan's Tangjiahe, and Lianhua in Gansu a reserve that gives Blue-eared Pheasant, Chinese Grouse and Pere David's Owl
3 - one of this year's groups wanted to combine a Sichuan/Qinghai trip with Crested Ibis in Shanxi and a visit to the Terracotta Warriors in Xian. A Chengdu, Xian, Xining trip can be done entirely using motorway.

The combined list for the Qinghai sections of these trips comes to 183 species. Prime species, Tibetan Bunting, Tibetan Babax, Tibetan Rosefinch, Przewalski's Redstart, Pink-tailed Bunting, Gansu Leaf Warbler were all fairly easy ticks - the only big dip being Tibetan Sandgrouse, which did't turn up on the Kekexili was made difficult by poor weather conditions on the Erla Pass.

Interesting observations was a young Pallas's Fish Eagle around Madoi and Demoiselle Crane on a wetland to the north of Chaka.

We also managed  24 species of mammal - highlights including Pallas's cat, Wolf, Tibetan Fox, Tibetan Antelope, White-lipped Deer, Alpine Musk Deer and Przewalski's Gazelle.

Combined 2014 Qinghai list

Yushu area - Yu
Nangqian area - Na
Kanda Pass - KP
Baizha  - Bh
Zhidoi area - Zh
Soujia area - Su
Qumarleh area - Qu
Budongquan area - Bq
Wild Yak Valley - WY
Golmud area - Go
Dulan area - Du
Chaka area - Ch
Rubber Mountain - Ru
Qinghai Lake - QL
Xinghai area - Xh
Erla Pass - Er
Madoi area - Ma
Huzhu, Beishan - Hu
Xinghai area - Xh

1.       Daurian Partridge Perdix dauurica - Xh
2.       Tibetan Partridge Perdix hodgsoniae - Yu, Na, Ru, QL
3.       Przewalski's Partridge Alectoris magna - Ch, Xh
4.       Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus - Er, Su
5.       White Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon crossoptilon - Bh
6.       Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus - Hu
7.       Blue-eared Pheasant Crossoptilon auritum - Hu

8.       Greylag Goose Anser anser - QL
9.       Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus - Su, QL, Ma
10.    Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - common grassland species
11.    Mallard Anas platyrhynchos - QL
12.    Red-crested Pochard Rhodonessa rufina - QL
13.    Common Pochard Aythya ferina - QL
14.    White-eyed Pochard Aythya nyroca - QL
15.    Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula - QL
16.    Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula - QL
17.    Common Merganser Mergus merganser - Su

18.    Wryneck Jynx torquil - Go
19.    Great-spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major - Hu, Xh
20.    Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius - Bh
21.    Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus - Go

22.    Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops - widespread

23.    Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - widespread

24.    Salim Ali's Swift Apis salinalii - widespread
25.    Common Swift Apus apus - widespread in N Qinghai

26.    Little Owl Athene noctua - Su, Zh, Go
27.    Eagle owl Bubo bubo - Su - heard only


28.    Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris - widespread
29.    Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota - KP
30.    Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis - Hu, Go
31.    Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto - Ch, Hu, Xi, Xh

32.    Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus - Ch

33.    Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis - Yu, Su, Ch, QL, Ma
34.    Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo - Ch (wetland to the N of Chaka)

35.    Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta - Ch
36.    Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago - Ch
37.    Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus - Ch, QL
38.    Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus - Ma, QL
39.    Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea - WY
40.    Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - QL
41.    Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola - QL
42.    Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos - WY
43.    Common Redshank Tringa erythropus - common species wetlands
44.    Greenshank Tringa nebularia - Zh

45.    Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii - Yu, KP, Xh

46.    Common Tern Sterna hirundo - QL, Ma, Na, Zh, Su, Qu
47.    Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida - QL
48.    Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus - QL, Ma
49.    Pallas's Gull Chlidonias hybrida - QL, Ch, Ma, Su
50.    Little Gull Larus minutus - QL

51.    Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus - Er, Ma, KP, Yu, Zh Du, Ch
52.    Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis - widespread
53.    Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus - widespread
54. Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus - Na
55.    Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius - widespread and common on grassland
56.    Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus - Du
57.    Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus - Hu
58.    Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus - Bh
59.    Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis - Hu
60.    Northern Hobby Falco subbuteo - Ch, Xh
61.    Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus - QL, Yu
62.    Saker Falcon Falco cherrug - widespread grassland species
63.    Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos - Hu, Ru, Ma, KP
64.   Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca - WY
65.    Pallas's Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus - Ma

66.    Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo - QL
67.    Great-crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus - QL, Ma
68.    Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis - QL

69.    Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus - Ma, Na

70.    Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus - Go
71.    Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus - Ch, Du, Xh
72.    Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus - widespread
73.    Tibetan Grey Shrike Lanius giganteus - Yu, Ch


74.    Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius - Hu
75.    Black-billed Magpie Pica pica - widespread seen on 11 days
76.    Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyana - Hu, Ch, Xh
77.    Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax - widespread
78.    Henderson's Ground Jay Podoces hendersoni - Du, Ch
79.    Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauurica - Na
80.    Carrion Crow  Corvus corone - Hu
81.    Common Raven Corvus corax - Er, Ma

82.    White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus - Hu, KP
83.    Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii - Yu, Hu

84.    Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis - Ch
85.   Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus - Hu
86.    Kessler's Thrush Turdus kessleri - widespread
87.    Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis - Hu

88.    Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii - Hu

89.    Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus - Hu
90.    Himalayan Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis - Yu, KP
91.    Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia caliope - Hu

92.  White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps - Hu, KP
93.  Przewalski's Redstart Phoenicurus alashanicus - Ch
94.  Hodgson's Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni - widespread
95.  Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus - Xi
96.  Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis - Hu, Ru, Ch
97.  Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - widespread
98.  White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogaster - Su, Er
99.  White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephal - Gz, Yu,  Hu

100.          White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides - Hu

101.Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka - Xh
102.Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina - Ch, Xh
103.Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti - Ch, Du, WY, Go

104.Rosy Starling Pastor roseus - Bq - single juv

105.Chinese Nuthatch Sitta villosa - Hu

106.Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria - Hu, KP, Du, Xh

107.Hodgson's Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni - Bh

108.Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes - Bh, Hu

109.Sichuan Tit Poecile weigoldicus - Bh
110.Songar Tit Poecile montanus songarus - Hu
111.Rufous-vented Tit Periparus rubidiventris - Bh
112.White-browed Tit Poecile superciliosus - Ru, KP, Ch
113.Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous - Bh
114.Eastern Great Tit Lophophanes minor - Hu, Go, Bh
115.Silver-throated Tit Aegithalos glaucogularis - Go


116.Hume's Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis - widespread on grassland

117.Pale Martin Riparia diluta- widespread wetlands
118.Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus - Yu, Na, Xh, Hu
119.Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica - QL, Ma, Yu, Xh
120.Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica - Xh widespread during passage
121.Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris - KP, Yu, WY

122.White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile elegans - Hu, Ru, Bh, Ch
123.Crested Tit-warbler Leptopoecile elegans - Bh

124.Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula margelanica - Go

125.Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensis - widespread in shrubby growth
126.Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus - Ru
127.Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii - Yu, KP, Xi
128.Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti - Bh
129.Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis - Hu
130.Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei - Hu
131.Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides - Hu, Bh
132.Large-billed Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris - Hu

133.Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus - Bh
134.Plain Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi - Hu, Xh, Xi
135.Elliot's Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii - Hu, KP, Bh

136.Tibetan Babax Babax koslowi - KP, Bh

137.Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula - widespread seen on 7 days
138.Crested Lark Galerida cristata - Go
139.Hume's Short-toed Lark Calandrella acutirostris - QL
140.Asian Short-toed Lark Calandrella cheleensis - Ma
141.Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla  - Go
142.Tibetan Lark Melanocorypha maxima - Er, Ma
143.Mongolian Lark Melanocorypha mongolica - QL, Go
144.Elwe’s Horned Lark Eremophila elwesi - widespread seen on 7 days

145.Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus - common and widespread, seen all days

146.Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - QL, Xh

147.Black-winged Snowfinch Montifringilla adamsi - widespread
148.Henri's Snowfinch Montifringilla henrici - Er, Yu, Su
149.White-rumped Snowfinch Pyrgilauda taczanowskii - widespread
150.Rufous-necked Snowfinch Pyrgilauda ruficollis - widespread
151.Blanford's Snowfinch Pyrgilauda blanfordi - Ch, WY
152.Pere David's Snowfinch Pyrgilauda davidania - QL, Go,

153.White Wagtail Motacilla alba - widespread
154.Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava - Yu
155.Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea - Yu, Hu
156.Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola - Ch, Ma, WY, Xh  

157.Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni - Hu, Bh
158.Rosy Pipit  Anthus roseatus - Hu

159.Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris - KP
160.Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides - Ru, Ma, Bh
161.Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens - Ru, Du
162.Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata - Hu, KP, Bh, Xh
163.Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculata - Bh

164.Grey-capped Greenfinch Carduelis sinica - Hu, Go
165.Twite Carduelis flavirost - Hu, Ru, Yu, Na
166.Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta - Xh
167.Plain Mountain-Finch Leucosticte nemoricola - Er, Ma
168.Brandt’s Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti - Er, Yu, Su

169.Przewalski's Finch Urocynchramus pylzowi - Ru

170.Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus - Na
171.Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus eos - Bh
172.Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus - Hu, Ru
173.Chinese White-browed Carpodacus dubius - Hu, Yu, KP
174.Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides - Yu
175.Great Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla - Er, Qu
176.Tibetan Rosefinch Kozlowia roborowskii - Er

177.Crimson-browed Finch Propyrrhula subhimachala - Ru
178.Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca - Hu
179.White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes - Hu, Ru, KP, Bh, Du

180.Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii - Ru, KP, Xh, Yu
181.Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides - Xh
182.Tibetan Bunting Emberiza koslowi - KP
183.Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos - Go, Xh

Mammal list
1-Long-eared Pika - Ganzi area of Sichuan
2-Plateau Pika
3-Chinese Red Pika - one dead example at Huzhu Beishan, Qinghai
4-Glover's Pika - Kanda Shan, Nangqian, Qinghai
5-Himalayan Marmot
6-Woolly Hare
7-Hog Badger - one at Chaka
8-Mountain Weasel
9-Tibetan Fox
10-Red Fox
11-Tibetan Wolf - a group of 2 adults and 2 juv animals seen hunting,foraging close to Qumarleh,  - a single animal seen in the Zhidoi area
12-Pallas's Cat - adult with two kittens - Zhidoi area
13-Kiang
14-Wild Yak - common Wild Yak Valley
15-Blue Sheep
16-Agrali - Wild Yak Valley
17-Tibetan Gazelle - also seen in Sichuan in Shiqu area
18-Przewalski's Gazelle - 50+ in the gazelle reserve area at Qinghai Lake
19-Tibetan Antelope - west of Zhidoi
20-Alpine Musk Deer - flushed up by the Wolves close to Qumarleh
21-Siberian Roe - heard only at Huzhu Beishan
22-White-lipped Deer - Zhidoi and Qumarleh areas
23-McNeil's Red Deer - Between Yushu and Nangqian
24-Gansu Red Deer - 2 animals on Rubber Mountain