Great to hear the cochoa is also at Labahe. I'm nearing the end to my Sichuan tour now. Never had so much rain on a Sichuan tour - rained everyday bar one, making life a bit more difficult than usual.
The closing of Wawu Shan has proven frustrating for the parrotbill, but not for much else as we included Emei Shan again - we to had a fantastic Purple Cochoa (I've never missed it here), pair of Vivid Niltava, Chinese Tawny Owl, White-spectacled Warbler, Golden Parrotbill and Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler, 3sp forktail etc etc - I really don't understand why so few birders visit Emei - it was as superb as always!
Labahe was just plain wet for us, though all the usual bits showed up there, and of most interest for me, 29 Takin!
Wolong was good fun, monals on three consectutive days at both of my sites, Wood Snipe displaying well after dawn, Sharpe's Rosefinch and some highly territorial Snowcocks chasing each other, tails wagging. Wuyipeng was as excellent as usual - Barred and Red-winged Laughers, Great and Three-toed Parrotbills.
Mengi Shan proved frustrating as we missed the jay,but got it later on at Baxi, along with Blue Eared Pheasant, Amur Falcon, Three-banded Rosefinch and all the usuall goodies. The highlight on the plains was a couple of Wolves strolling around at dawn - fantastic!
Just finishing up at Jiuzhaigou now (my favourite site in Sichuan, no idea how anyone could give it a miss!), Rufous-headed Robin appeared before we had even started to look for it, Pere David's Tits were common, a flock of at least 30 Spectacled Parrotbill (our 8th on the tour), and today we got a pair of Sichuan Treecreeper - a species I thought we were going to miss out on until I went to my 2004 site, thankfully they were still present!
Photos to follow, once our final day is out of the way...
James
ps - Sid, those Gansu Leaf Warblers - were they actually vocalising back? Just appear to have very plain ear-coverts on that one photo you posted - could you post a side-on shot?
