22 days Birding - 323 species - April 16th to May 7th, 2012

Emei Shan Leif Warbler - West of Wawu

Among the highlights of this trip were Gold-fronted Fulvetta and Grey-hooded Parrotbill at Longcanggou.
A pretty focused trip - one of my guests had already birded Sichuan - but we had 15 gamebird species, 11 Parrotbills and 11 Rosefinches. Passage was interesting - including large flocks of Red-throated Thrush on Ruoergai.
Only during the last half of the trip did we get full song from skulky songsters such as Chesnut-headed Tesia, the Seicercus Warblers and White-bellied Redstart. My guests chose not to enter Jiuzhaigou - we judged a grey 25th April, the date we were in the vicinity, too early for RH Robin. Other JZ specialities, especially Spectacled Parrotbill and Chinese Nuthatch, we easily got outside the park. However two other songsters - Firethroat and Himalayan Rubythroat - were in prime voice by May 1st in the Wolong/Balang area.
With the closure of Wawu Geo Park a combination of Labahe, Lower Wawu outside the park and the area on the west of Wawu brought nearly all our birds - including 3-toed Parrotbill, Grey-hooded Parrotbill and Buffy Laugher. The only big misses were Chestnut-crowned Bush warbler and the usually easy to find Spotted Bush Warbler.
Our Monal was not a very satisfactory sighting - one guest spotting a bird gliding down a distant slope to disappear in usual gamebird style. However lots of other great Chicken sightings including two nice Male Golden Pheasants on the Wuyipeng trail, a pair of stunning male Temminck's Tragopan at Longchangou and the funny sight of a road parked Tibetan Partridge holding up traffic on the Ruoergai grasslands - cars were beeping to to get that guy to move to the side. Unfortunately we weren't so lucky with Grey Shrikes - it was too late for the last of the wintering Chinese Grey Shrike and after watching about 2 million miles of wires no Tibetan Grey!!!!!!

Craziest sightings of the trip - not one but two Chengdu city Woodcock sightings - on the park in the river habitat by the New Exhibition Center.
And a Rufous-vented Yuhina in with a flock of White-collared at Moxi - a bird I've seen in Yunnan, that was a Sichuan lifer for me.

Most pleasing finds included once again getting an often asked for bird, Swinhoes Minivets, at a site close to Dujiangyan. This was the site where i found the bird last June - looks like they breed in the area. Watching at other seeming suitable sites brought none of this minivet. Other breeding bird found for a second time were the Daurian Starlings in Ruoergai town and the Oriental Pratincoles at Hongya - 10 birds were seen flying.

Our highlight must be the Gold-fronted Fulvetta - so far the last 3 visits to Gezihua have given this bird.

the list -

Bird List Sichuan Spring Trip 2012 – 22days, April 16 – May 7
Louis Boon, Augusto Faustino, Sid Francis

Locations visited –
Sichuan University Chengdu - SU
River New Exhibition Center Chengdu EC
Labahe – LB
Sichuan University - SU
Moxi - M
Old Erlang Road – OER
Wanglang - WL
Pingwu - P
Outside Jiuzhaiggou - JZ
Ruoergai Grasslands - RG
Baxi Forest - BX
Mengbishan - MG
Balang - B
Wolong - W
Duijangyan – D
Hongya - H
Lower Wawu - WA
West of Wawu Gezihua - WG
West of Wawu Longchangou – L
Ya’an area - Y


1. Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa - flock 7 birds B
2. Chinese Bamboo-Partridge Bambusicola thoracica - WA, G
3. Tibetan Partridge Perdix hodgsoniae – Single and pair RG
4. Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus - s ingle with Snow Parts B
5. Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus - BX, B
6. Koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha - B
7. Chestnut-throated Partridge Tetraophasis obscures - B
8. Temminck's Tragopan Tragopan temminckii – W, L
9. Chinese Monal Pheasant Lophophorus lhuysii – Augusto one brief view of bird flying B
10. White Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon crossoptilon – MG, B
11. Blue Eared Pheasant Crossoptilon auritum - WL, BX
12. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – JZ, RG, BX
13. Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae – LB, L mostly males
14. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus - WL female walking road outside park, W 2 males
15. Chinese Grouse Tetrastes sewerzowi – BX many three locations

16. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus - RG
17. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - RG
18. Gadwall Anas strepera - EC, RG
19. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – EC, RG
20. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha - EC
21. Common Teal Anas crecca - RG
22. Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata - P reservoir before Pingwu pair displaying
23. Common Merganser Mergus merganser – BX, RG

24. Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus - D
25. Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus - LB
26. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius - L
27. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis – LB, B
28. Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus – heard several locations

29. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

30. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

31. Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioide – heard everywhere seen twice
32. Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus - D
33. Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturates – heard L
34. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea – heard many locations

35. Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris - LB
36. Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus
37. HouseSwift Apus affinis

38. ChineseTawny Owl Strix nivicolum – WL single bird in headlights, Sid only
39. Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo – RG nest one young
40. Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei- heard WA

41. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii – M, G, L
42. Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris – RG, MG
43. Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota – B
44. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
45. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis

46. Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis – RG many birds had returned

47. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus - JZ
48. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus - JZ
49. Common Coot Fulica atra – P reservoir Pingwu

50. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola – EC seen twice on two separate days
51. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago – EC
52. Solitary Snipe, Gallinago solitaria – JZ single bird on a dammed part of river that flows past park
53. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum - H 10 birds seen displaying
54. Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus - RG single bird
55. Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus – RG
56. Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultia – RG single bird in Lesser flock
57. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius – EC, H
58. Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus – EC, H young seen at H
59. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus - EC
60. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - EC
61. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola - EC
62. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos – EC, H
63. Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis - H
64. Common Redshank Tringa tetanus – RG
65. Greenshank Tringa nebularia - EC
66. Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata - RG

67. Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus - RG
68. Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus - RG

69. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus – RG, B
70. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis – RG, B
71. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus – RG, B 2 birds
72. Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes - WG, Y
73. Black-eared Kite. Milvus linaetus – RG, BX
74. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus - M, L, Y passage flocks 50+ birds at Y
75. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus – RG ringtail
76. Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicas – JZ passage birds
77. Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus – M, BX, MG, B
78. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius – JZ, RG
79. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – RG, BX, B
80. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – RG 2 birds
81. Mountain Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus nipalense – L
82. Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis – JZ, MG
83. Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus - LB, M, WL, BX
84. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus –, WL, BX, RG passage
85. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis – M, Y
86. Besra Accipiter virgatu - WA
87. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – RG, MG, B
88. Amur Falcon Falco amurebsis – RG single
89. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – RG 3 birds

90. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
91. Great Egret Casmerodius albus - EC
92. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus - RG
93. Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus - EC
94. Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax - EC
95. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - EC
96. Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus - EC

97. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
98. Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus

99. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
100. Sichuan Jay Perisoreus internigrans – BX around 15 birds in a roadside flock
101. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
102. Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyana - RG
103. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
104. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
105. Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus - B
106. Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauurica – RG, BX
107. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
108. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
109. Collared Crow Corvus torquatus – P single bird on river leading to Pingwu
110. Common Raven Corvus corax

111. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis - D

112. Swinhoe's Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis – D around 5 birds at our usual location
113. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus - common
114. Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris – BX single pair

115. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

116. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii
117. White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus

118. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
119. Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus

120. Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitaries
121. Chestnut-bellied RockThrush Monticola rufiventris – LB single male
122. Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
123. Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima – M many passage birds over two days
124. Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni - M, WL passage Moxi in fewer numbers than plain-backed – heard Wanglang
125. Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus
126. ChestnutThrush Turdus rubrocanus
127. Kessler's Thrush Turdus kessleri – JZ, BX, B
128. Dusky Thrush Turdus euonmus - M
129. Naumann's Thrush Turdus naumanni - M
130. Red-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis – RG loose flocks passage
131. Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis – M, WL, B

132. White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx Montana – L common

133. Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica – JZ, heard singing L
134. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica – D
135. Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui - Y
136. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia – M
137. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata – LB, MX, W, L
138. Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla – EC, P, B
139. Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra - SU
140. Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina – OER, L
141. Fujian Niltava Niltava davidi - SU
142. Chinese Blue Flycatcher Cyornis glaucicomans – WA, WG, L, Y

143. Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea – W
144. Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus – common in all suitable habitat
145. Golden Bush-Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus – LB, M, L
146. Himalayan Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis – B singing
147. Firethroat Luscinia pectardens – W singing 1st May

148. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis

149. White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus – common in north
150. Hodgson's Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni - M, WG, BX, W
151. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
152. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis – common all upland areas
153. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros - RG
154. White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
155. Plumbeous Water-Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus

156. White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides – L first heard singing 6th May

157. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaultia

158. White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucurum – L heard only


159. Grandala Grandala coelicolor - B

160. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus
161. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea

162. White-cheeked Starling Sturnus cineraceus – WL, RG
163. Daurian Starling Sturnus sturninus – RG Ruoergai town, 4 birds in with a flock of white cheeked
164. Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus

165. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis
166. Przewalski's Nuthatch Sitta przewalskii – BX single bird
167. Chinese Nuthatch Sitta villosa – JZ a pair on bend 7 direction RG
168. Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria - M, WL, BX

169. Hodgson's Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni – WL, BX
170. Bar-tailed Tree-Creeper Certhia himalayana - M
171. Sichuan Tree-Creerper Certhia tianquanensis – WL. L

172. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

173. Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps - LB, W, WG
174. Sichuan Tit Parus weigoldicus – RG, BX, B
175. White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus – RG, BX
176. Rufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris
177. Coal Tit Parus ater
178. Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus
179. Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous
180. Great Tit Parus major
181. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
182. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
183. Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus
184. Black-browed Tit Aegithalos bonvalotis
185. Sooty Tit Aegithalos fuliginosus – WL, W

186. Hume’s Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis - RG

187. Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris
188. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
189. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
190. Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus

191. Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques
192. Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous
193. Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis
194. Himalayan Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus

195. Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
196. Striated Prinia Prinia criniger - heard

197. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis

198. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus
199. Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus – P

200. Brownish-flanked Bush-War Cettia fortipes
201. Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler Cettia acanthizoides
202. Aberrant Bush-Warbler Cettia flavolivaceus – D, L
203. Brown Bush-Warbler Bradypterus luteoventris – LB, L
204. Russet Bush-Warbler Bradypterus seebohmi – WA, WG

205. Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata – L common at this location

206. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus - RG
207. Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensis
208. Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis
209. Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii
210. Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher
211. Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti
212. Chinese Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis
213. Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei
214. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
215. Large-billed Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
216. Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus - P
217. Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis – OER and Wawu area
218. Claudia's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus Claudia
219. Kloss's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus ogilivie-grantii - lower areas around Yaan/ Wawu
220. Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti – D, and lower areas around Yaan/ Wawu

221. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentine - W, L
222. Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus soror - WG
223. Marten’s warbler Seicercus omeiensis – W, WG, L
224. Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps - WG

225. Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis

226. Goldcrest Regulus regulus

227. Moustached Laughingthrush Garrulax cineraceus – WA single responding to playback
228. Sukatschev's Laughing thrush Garrulax sukatschewi - WL
229. Barred Laughingthrush Garrulax lunulatus – MX, OER
230. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus – WL, MG, B
231. Spotted Laughingthrush Garrulax ocellatus – MX, L
232. Buffy Laughingthrush Garrulax berthemyi – L
233. Hwamei Garrulax canorus - WA
234. Plain Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi – BX, RG
235. White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio
236. Elliot's Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii
237. Black-faced Laughingthrush Garrulax affinis – MX, L
238. Red-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax formosus - WG
239. Omei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis - L

240. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox
241. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis
242. Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer - MX
243. Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla
244. Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps
245. Rufous-tailed Babbler Chrysomma poecilotis – MX pair on boardwalk
246. Green Shrike Babbler Pteruthius xanthochlorus – WL, WA
247. Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus - OER, WL
248. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea


249. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis - LB
250. Gold-fronted Fulvetta Alcippe variegaticeps – WG single bird to Owlet call
251. Spectacled Fulvetta Alcippe ruficapilla – WL
252. White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus – M, MG
253. Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis – JZ, BX, MG
254. Grey-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps
255. Dusky Fulvetta Alcippe brunnea - WA
256. David's Fulvetta Alcippe davidi – D, WG, L

257. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis - MX
258. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata
259. Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina occipitalis – MX Sichuan lifer for Sid

260. Great Parrotbill Conostoma aemodium - LB, WL, W
261. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus – L carrying nesting material
262. Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor - L
263. Grey-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis – WG flock
264. Spot-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis guttaticollis - MX
265. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus - EC
266. Ashy-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis alphonsianus – L. MX, WA, Y
267. Grey-hooded Parrotbill Sinosuthora zappeyi – L single bird seen twice
268. Fulvous Parrotbill Suthora fulvifrons - L
269. Golden Parrotbill Paradoxornis verreauxi – L, WG
270. Spectacled Parrotbill Paradoxornis conspicillat – JZ two separate locations

271. Tibetan Lark Melanocorypha maxima - RG
272. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula - RG
273. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris - RG

274. Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae

275. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans
276. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
277. Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - RG

278. Tibetan Snowfinch Montifringilla adamsi - RG
279. White-rumped Snowfinch Pyrgilauda taczanowskii - RG
280. Rufous-necked Snowfinch Pyrgilauda ruficollis - RG

281. Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus – D, Y
282. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
283. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
284. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola – EC, RG

285. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
286. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta- widespread
287. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus - widespread
288. Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi – RG a couple of passage birds
289. Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii – RG passage flock

290. Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris - B
291. Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides – RG
292. Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata - widespread
293. Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculate - MX

294. White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata

295. Grey-capped Greenfinch Carduelis sinica
296. Black-headed Greenfinch Carduelis ambigua – M parking place site feeding around nut vendor stalls
297. Twite Carduelis flavirost
298. Plain Mountain-Finch Leucosticte nemoricola
299. Brandt's Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti – RG two birds in a flock of Twite
300. Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra - L

301. Dark-breasted Rosefinch Carpodacus nipalensis - B
302. Dark-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus edwardsii – LB, OER, MG
303. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus - B
304. Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus – widespread at altitude
305. Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus eos – JZ, BX
306. Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus - WG
307. Chinese White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus dubius – common at altitude
308. Sharpe's Rosefinch Carpodacus verreauxii – LB, OER
309. Three-banded Rosefinch Carpodacus trifasciatus - MG
310. Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides – MG, B
311. Red-fronted Rosefinch Carpodacus puniceus - B

312. Yellow-billed Grosbeak Eophona migratoria - EC
313. Collared Grosbeak Mycerobas affinis – B single female in white-winged flock
314. White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes – WL,,BX, B

315. Slaty Bunting Latoucheornis siemsseni - WG

316. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla
317. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala – JZ, D
318. Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii
319. Elegant bunting Emberiza elegans
320. Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides - P

321. White-browed Tit Warbler Leptopoecile sophiae - B, RG
322. Crested Tit Warler Leptopoecile elegans - JZ, MG

323. Pere David's Tit Poecile davidi - LB

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

Our 2010 Sichuan list

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

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.

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.

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.