China in Winter (1 Viewer)

Can anyone recommend a good coastal site with a chance of eg. gull specialities, in December, preferably not too difficult to access from Beijing on trains ? One with some land bird specialities nearby preferred !

Also planning to visit Sichuan at this time for up to a couple of weeks. Which sites would be best ? Is Emei Shan still good (have only seen oldish trip report for winter).

Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks already to China Guy for Sichuan tips so far !

Cheers,

Larry

Emeishan - should be good in winter, since like other lower mountain habitats this mountain area should attract altitude migrants – and these, like the resident birds, should hopefully be relatively easy to observe since many move around in large mixed flocks. Another plus is that in the winter the foliage is less dense - which makes a great deal of difference. But perhaps the greatest plus is - not so many tourists and over enthusiastic "local business-folk" - who always get in the way of a good day's watching in the more popular tourist sites of China!!!
One word of warning, (just aproblem at the higher points on the mountan), is apart from missing the summer migrants - is dem (never ending) stone steps can get mighty slippy with a covering of snow or ice - bump ouch!!!!!

In winter,the best place near Beijing is the Yellow River Delta,I think.For details,u can contact the local birder in my short message.
land bird specialities...en,Great Bustard counts?

Bumping this up as we,re getting closer (and more excited !)

If all goes well we should reach Beijing on the trans-siberian express about Dec 6, and have about 4 weeks to explore China before heading south to Vietnam. We definitely want to take in Wolong and Emei Shan. Also hopefully the Poyang Hu area for cranes (or any other recommended area for speciality waterbirds) so presumably we'll need to arrange a guide for this ? Although we'll be travelling on a budget, we're up for hiring guides/drivers if this is the only way, but it's not how we usually do things. If there are any birders in China who are up for doing some birding with me and my girlfriend, or sharing fuel/driver costs while we are there, it would be fantasic ! Any extra advice welcome too.

All the best,

Larry

Just in case you don't have this report:

http://www.surfbirds.com/mb/trips/china-0102-sb.html

Thanks Ed, I hadn't seen that one.

Would you like have a seminar or birding together with chengdu birdwatchers ? our website is www.scbirds.org. www.scbirds.org.cn

For winter birding I strongly recommend birding in Yunnan - especially the Ruili - Dali - Lijiang area. Lots of places to bird without worrying about reserve fees, a great list of birds and things for non-birders to do. It also has a very nice climate and will be a pleasant escape from the cold further north.

Hainan is also good (lots of endemics and nice forest birding at Jianfengling and Bawaling) , as is Hong Kong (you get close to birds such a Saunders' Gull, Black-faced Spoonbill, Imperial Spotted and Boneli's Eagles, lots of wintering ducks, gulls and waders, and a good range of E Palearctic migrants) - see my patch, Ng Tung Chai on the local patch section - but not sure if you have plans for this.

Dongtan Reserve on Chongming Island in Shanghai holds the odd crane plus Chinese Parrotbill.

Guanshan in Jiangxi holds Elliot's Pheasant, Wuyuan in E Jiangxi hold Chinese Merganser, Pied Falconet, Short-tailed Parrotbill, real Mandarins, good numbers of thrushes and buntings, and Wuyi Shan holds the fabulous Cabot's Tragopan. These could be combined with a trip to Poyang for the cranes

Yangxian in Shaanxi Province is the only place in the world to see the stunning Crested Ibis but is tricky to get to.

Birders in Beijing know where to go to find wintering Ibisbill, and Bjorn Anderson has posted reports on how to see Brown Eared Pheasant. Pallas' and Long-tailed Rosefinches winter, as do a range of thrushes and buntings. David's Laughingthrush is resident in the Western Hills and around the wall, as are real Common Pheasant, Siberian Accentor and Chinese Nuthatch

Cheers

Mike

Wawu Shan in Sichuan is taking off as a popular site in Chengdu - many of the birds of the excellent Emei Shan, but without the crowds and commerce and many fewer steps!

I had a great time on Emei as a student in 1991, especially the lower elevations around the Hongzhushan hotel and at Wannian and Xianfeng (although the latter is icy cobblestone central!) Temminck's Tragopan, Lady A's Pheasant, Emei Shan Liocichla, 4 forktails, Streaked Barwing, Japanese Grosbeak and Japanese Waxwing, Spot-breasted, Great , Three-toed, Brown, Zappey's, Vinous-throated and Golden Parrotbills were all memorable. Lesser Panda has been seen here too!

There are also various good laughinthrushes, redstarts and a variety of Tits and redstarts to look for.

Cheers
Mike

r u coming now?check your email pls

Yikes ! I am definitely still coming to China on Dec 10, but no longer use the email address I had when registering with BF, so PMs only will get through should anyone want to contact me.

Thanks mcaribou, I'll PM you.

Worth going to the Brown-eared Pheasant site 2 hours or so from Beijing. Should be easier in winter too. But a lot colder. A few other good birds there too.

Cheers Tim, I hope we can fit that one in.

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but has anyone been to, or knows how to get to Rongcheng Swan Lake Reserve in Shandong ? It's near to Weihai which is where I will be going....thanks in advance.....

Ken

Kenbell,I sent u an email through birdforum about Rongcheng.