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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Sichuan Birding (2 Viewers)

The way this baby is growing it won't be so long before he stakes his claim on my bins through sheer muscle power!!!!!!
And John - you wanting someone to haul you about while birding - sounds like you're getting carried away??????

On the subject of Babies - got a couple this morning - two very young Chinese Bamboo Partridge. The parent bird flew up onto an embankment - the rest of the family waited, bellow, until I walked past.

At the moment we're out in NE Sichuan - and yesterday I got a Sichuan lifer - an Osprey.
My only other China record of this bird comes from Hainan.

pictures -

1 Chinese Bamboo Partridge - the rugrat version

2 That Osprey - in Sichuan they're recorded at Ruoergai on passage

3 Siberian Stonchat (female) - lots of these passage birds today

4 at the moment I'm taking a lot of Butterfly photos for the site - this is Papilio protenor or Spangle Butterfly
 

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We had a large fallout of stonechats in Wuhu yesterday, too, so they were apparently moving along a broad front. Interesting

Hi Jeff - an interesting thing with the Stonechats we have in China is the question of where they're from. The birds that you saw the other day and my birds could come from different races and breeding populations. - which leads us onto the question of splits.

Wuhu, in the east, must be on the route south for S. maurus stejnegri - a race that breeds NE China. This species has been nominated as full split - Stejneger's Sonechat. According to this wiki article the evidence is in the form of genetic work -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stejneger%27s_Stonechat
Which leads us to this abstract -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19464380
the all important quote from this goes -
We found that two widespread neighboring Eurasian subspecies of Siberian stonechat, Saxicola maura maura and S. m. stejnegeri, although very similar in appearance, are not each other's closest relatives. Eastern Asian S. m. stejnegeri appears to have split from other Palearctic, African, and island stonechats well before differentiation occurred among the latter taxa. Our data indicate that European (S. t. rubicola), central Palearctic (S. m. maura) and eastern Palearctic (S. m. stejnegeri) are independently evolving, and could each warrant separate species status, as assumed earlier for S. rubicola, S. maura and S. torquata.

Great stuff - now all we need is a DNA kit to differentiate between our Siberian and Stejneger's ticks - or extremely tame birds that will sit still so we can measure bills -
differing in only small details, notably having a slightly broader-based bill 4.7–5.7 mm wide (4.0–4.9 mm wide in Siberian Stonechat) and slightly less white on the rump

The race have around here - the breeding Stonechat in Central and Western China - is supposed to be przewalkskii - but is that a race of Siberian or Stejneger's????????

Home yesterday from our trip to NE Sichuan - some pics

1 with no rump, that broad wingstripe with the dark edgings and those nice black and white tertials a Yellow-browed Warbler. That dull crown suggests it must be going into its first winter. Lots of Yellow-browed about. They can be easier to draw out than some of the other leaf warblers.

2 Rufous-faced Warbler - common but sometimes a little allusive. I managed to coax this bird out of thick cover.

3 Mandarin Ratsnake - what a beauty. I had to put this one up on the reptile thread for an ID - luckily Rockfowk gave me an almost instant response. This snake is supposed to be a shy species that spends most of its time in burrows hunting rodents. Although non-poisonous they can be aggressive when cornered - this guy made a lunge at me.

4 Here's another beauty - but I don't know what it's going to turn into. Somewhere I've seen a picture of this larva - or at least a very similar one - but looking through my books today I couldn't find it!!!!!!!
 

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That YBW would certainly provoke thoughts of Hume's down here, Sid

What a superb snake!

Was it my pic of a caterpillar here that this one reminded you of?

Mine has the extra funk factor of having candyfloss-pink hair, but they must be the same family

Cheers
Mike
 
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Hi Mike it must be your caterpillar pic - unsuccessfully just tried to find it - where is it?

That leaf warbler does look Humey - but the pic here better shows those "showy" tertials and gives a feint coronal stripe stretching over the full crown, that should be seen on a 1st winter YBW.

The second pic is of the adult version - which were also about.
 

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The "here" is hyperlinked Sid, but not very visibly, otherwise just go to post No 568 on the Ng Tung Chai thread.

Cheers
Mike
 
I will have to digest the stonechat info - thanks for all the details. I was just looking at one the other day which didn't look quite as I expected...

Nice pic of the rufous-faced - quite a handsome guy! Interesting to hear discussion of YBW vs. Humes too (though I won't be weighing in on additional features at this point!)

Looking at your very hairy caterpillar here and seeing this entry at BESG blog here on how birds eat these caterpillars was quite interesting. Have you ever watched birds eating this kind of caterpillar? It seems unlikely to me that they could really rub off the hair, put this writer seems to think that's what's going on, and it makes sense that the hair is a kind of defense mechanism (hadn't quite thought of that before).
 
According to Clements, stejnegeri is a monotypic group, while the maurus group includes variegatus, armenicus, maurus, indicus and przewalskii. Mind you, they still haven't split stonechat into European, African and Siberian, yet, so anything can still happen.

The good news for the twitcher in me is saying I've seen "Siberian Stonechat" in both Central Asia (S. m. maurus) and Hong Kong (S. m. Stejnegeri) as well as here in Wuhu, so I don't really have to figure out which supspecies is here. Though like you I suspect stejnegeri.

The inquisitive birder in me wishes there were a way to distinguish.
 
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Jeff - one site, which gets mentioned as a good picture resource - Netfugl.dk - has pictures of China East coast Stonechats, which it labels as Stejneger's Stonechat.
http://www.netfugl.dk/species.php?id=factsheet&birdid=21445
This can be compared with their page on Siberian Stonechat
http://www.netfugl.dk/species.php?id=factsheet&birdid=21440

I suspect they've made they've made their ID on geographic rather than strong plumage or vocalization evidence.
With S. m. przewalskii as a ssp. of Siberian, if a birder accepted these splits, then two Stonechat ticks for China - both of which should turn up in Sichuan.

Hi Mike - yes our caterpillars are family. I found another example, of a very similar specimen, on a Singapore blog where the author also can't give it a name. I think the pictures that reminded me of the caterpillar were of one of the Orgyia caterpillars -
http://bugguide.net/node/view/130908
with that crazy hairstyle it looks like it may have a chance of being related to ours

Gretchen - it isn't just Cuckoos that give their prey a quick rubbing down - several species do the same when they rub off bee-stings - I've seen Long-tailed Shrike doing that, but unfortunately never a Cuckoo working down a hairy caterpillar.
 
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Below I put the images of two juvenile birds.

The first is a White-throated Redstart kiddy taken in August this year in Northern Sichuan. The fast changing colours of the plumage sometimes make it a puzzle to get a certain ID of the birds. Only if you see the adults around you can be sure.
The next picture shows a young Northern Goshawk who was the one to be puzzled. This fellow didn't know what to do with me stalking around the tree taking pictures - it seemed quite inexperienced. He also showed no interest in a playback from a German Northern Goshawk. Probably never had the chance to hear one so far ;)
 

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Just home yesterday night after a 15 day trip - and now with a one day turn-around before the next one starts tomorrow.
This last journey took us to Wawu, Wolong/Balang, Mengbishan, Ruoergai and Baxi - and although October and a bit of early snow - lots of birds with an interesting mix of migrants. Still a few warblers - although mainly, Eastern Lemon-rumped (Sichuan), Chinese and Buff-barred, we could still find an Emei Leaf Warbler on Wawu. Chicken highlights included a view of male Temminck's Tragopan and Golden Pheasant together, in the the scrub just off the track, at Wuyipeng. Still a lot of Black-necked Cranes at Ruoergai and winter visitors here included many Guldenstadt's Redstart and Chinese Grey Shrike. We counted the latter to out number Tibetan Grey Shrike (giganteus) at a 12:1 ratio. I'll be writing up a full report and list from this trip when I get time.

Lots of animals as well, but the most intriguing is this cat - be warned a bit of a gruesome road-kill picture - found on the road between Rouergai town and Flower Lake - on the high grassland plateau, at around 3,500m, far off from any scrub or forest cover. Note the short tail - a lot of spotting on the pelt - and a strong facial pattern. Size is around normal domestic cat size - but I have a feeling that this is a young animal. Otherwise I'm a little stumped - it seems too marked for Pallas's and Chinese Mountain. Wrong habitat and I think too short a tail for Leopard Cat. Wildcat is another option - but the book only records them coming up to 2,500m. Anybody any ideas??????????????????????
 

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Hi Sid,

Just been catching up with a month's worth of your thread - one of my very favourites - (can't believe I've left it so long!)

Up thread you mention coaxing out warblers - are you "pishing" or using a tape? Can't say I've had much luck coaxing any warbler!

As to your cat - don't know. Not very much like (European) Wildcat - especially the short tail (assuming it hasn't been shortened in the kill) which are long and full with good rings around them.

H
 
Hi Sid

your roadkill looks a) too fluffy and b) too short-legged for Leopard Cat to me.

Temminck's Tragopan and Golden Pheasant together should have given you some happy punters! what a combination!

Cheers
Mike
 
Interesting!

Some of the Asian ssp of Wildcat are actually quite spotted, but I'm fairly certain this isn't one of them. This looks like a young animal to me and the strength of the facial markings especially the cheek stripe together with the spotted, not barred limbs would indicate Leopard Cat over the other contenders. The north Asian ssp within your region can appear relatively short tailed, was it black-tipped or is that just the impression from the image? It has also got quite small feet, a good pointer for Leopard Cat which generally restricts them from areas with consistent snow. Although the habitat would seem wrong, it has been recorded in cold steppe grasslands up to 3000m in the Himalayas.

Any more images, you could always email them if there are really gruesome.
 
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Hi, I also think it is a leopard cat. Few, large, contrasting black spots leave little doubt. Its fluffiness may come from the fur coming out. I checked photos of cubs of lynx and leopard, and asian golden, chinese and wildcat, but not come remotely similar.
 
Thanks for the input on the cat - I must admit that Leopard Cat looks the most convincing of the candidates - we'd already seen a live example of this animal, just outside Sawan, on a predawn drive out to the Monal site at Balang. I suppose with the abundance of Pika at Ruoergai, even at over 3000m, that this harsh habitat could also provide a suitable living area for this species.
At the moment I'm out again - but when home I can look at the other photos I took.

H - coaxing warblers involves using the mp3 - and playing their calls in hope of a response. However sometimes the most successful way of bringing them nearer is to attract a lead species - Green-backed Tits or Collared Yuhina are good examples - which start to make a racket and attract in other birds, hopefully including your warbler.
Today - on the west side of Wawu - we had a funny playback experience - I got a presumed Bush Warbler, impossible to see, that seemed to be calling the first couple of notes of Grey-sided Bush Warbler song. We tried all sorts of calls to bring it out - including the full Grey-sided song - but with total zero response. In a last attempt to find out what the bird was I played the song of another likely suspect - Chesnut-headed Tesia. Sure enough a bird began to emerge - which I was now sure was a Tesia - only to be totally confounded when our bird turned out to be the Grey-sided Bush Warbler!!!!!!!!!!!! So attracted was this bird to the Tesia song that it gave some great views. Coaxing out with calls isn't always a straight forward job.
 
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http://www.hudong.com/wiki/豹猫
http://tupian.hudong.com/a0_84_93_0..._jpg.html?prd=zhengwenye_left_neirong_tupian#

here are two links to a Chinese site with images of the Leopard Cat. Doesn't have to have a long tail in all cases.
And: About 10km east of the Flower Lake / County Town - Road, over a ridge, you already have good conifer forest and shrubs. Since it seems to be a young one, maybe it got lost and couldn't find back over the ridge.

Attached I put an image of an Red-fronted Rosefinch, taken at a 5000m Pass near Kangding a few weeks ago. Was surprised to see it there between all the rocks and ice puddles. An hour before I saw this lively White-throated Dipper at dawn. Amazingly short wings, almost reminded me of a penguine.:-O
 

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Here's the report on my first October trip - 218 species isn't a bad haul for this time of year considering some dodgy, snowy/misty weather.

but first picture descriptions -

1- afraid only 1 bird pic, but at least it's of one of our Sichuan specialties - White-browed Tit. These birds, at Rouergai, are starting to go down to their wintering areas - the scrub that's found in valley bottoms.

2- one of my Blue-eared Pheasant Stakeouts in the Baxi area. We'd had a zero at my usual scanning site - so we tried an evening watch where we hid in the scrub at the top of the pasture. In theory we would find the birds, but in practice they found us!!!! The birds literally, to find out what the two big green lumps were, stalked us to a 5m distance - we only got a view because we heard a strange low grunting from the lead bird - but on turning round our Chickens scarpered. Luckily at such short range bins - which were impossible to use in such a short time-frame - weren't necessary.

3 - a mystery caterpillar from my second October trip - many of these monsters at Bifeng near Ya'an. Anybody got any idea on these??? This last trip gave us a great view of Red Panda on the West side of Wawu - also both Grey-sided and Chestnut-crowned Bush Warblers. Grey-hooded Parrotbill are also regular on this part of the mountain.

Sichuan 13th - 28th October 2011 – 15 day trip list
Bob East and Sid Francis


Day 1 – Sichuan university, river Chengdu then drive to Wawu
Day 2 – Wawu top – slept at top
Day 3 – Morning top rest of day middle – slept middle
Day 4 – Wawu middle/bottom – slept Chengdu
Day 5 – drive to Wolong – afternoon Den shen Valley – slept Wolong
Day 6 – Balang to Rilong – slept Wolong
Day 7 – Wuyipeng – slept Wolong
Day 8 – Balang – drive to and sleep at Xiaojin
Day 9 – Mengbi Mountain – slept Maerkang
Day 10 – Mengbi Mountain – slept Maerkang
Day 11 – drive to Rouergai – slept Rouergai Town
Day 12 – Baxi – due to landslide had to sleep in a village at Baozhong
Day 13 – Rouergai/Flower Lake area – slept Rouergai Town
Day 14 – Morning Flower Lake area then drive to Songpang – slept Songpan
Day 15 – Drive to Chengdu – morning birding Songpan, afternoon Qingcheng Mountain

1. Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa – Heard only – days 6, 8
2. Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus - day 6 – 3 birds
3. Chestnut-throated Partridge Tetraophasis obscures - Heard only –day 6
4. Temminck's Tragopan Tragopan temminckii – 7 – 1male, 3 females
5. Koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha – 6 – single roadside bird giving great scope views
6. White Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon crossoptilon – 10 – scanned Mengbi
7. Blue Eared Pheasant – 12 – evening pasture stake-out at Baozhong
8. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – 12
9. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus – 7 - 1 male, 2 females
10. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae – 3 – single male on Wawu road
11. Chinese Grouse Bonasa sewerzowi – 12 – male and female feeding in Willow at Baxi

12. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus - 9
13. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea – 11,12, 13
14. Gadwall Anas strepera - 11
15. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – 11, 13
16. Eurasian Widgeon Anas Penelope - 11
17. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha - 11
18. Common Teal Anas crecca – 1, 11, 13
19. Common Pochard Aythya ferina - 11
20. Common Merganser Mergus merganser – 11

21. Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus - 4
22. Grey-capped Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus - 4
23. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius – 3, 4
24. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis – 4, 7
25. White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos – 4 – single male Wawu middle, very close views
26. Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis - 3
27. Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius - 12

28. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis – 1, 4

29. Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris - 4

30. Himalayan Owl Strix nivicola – 5,6 – spotlighted Den Shen Valley, night and early morning
31. Eagle Owl Bubo bubo – 15 – spotlighted morning just outside Songpan
32. Little Owl Athene noctua – 10, 14
33. Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei - Heard only –4,7
34. Asian Barred Owlet Glaucidium cuculoides - Heard only - 6

35. Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris - 9
36. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii – 2, 4, 6, 7
37. Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica - 14
38. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis - 1

39. Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis – 11, 13, 14 – around 25 birds seen

40. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus - 1
41. Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus - 1 – found from motorway river bridge on the Qionglia route to Wawu
42. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus - 1
43. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola - 1
44. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos - 1
45. Common Redshank Tringa totanus – 13
46. Greenshank Tringa nebularia - 1
47. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa – 1 – my first Chengdu record
48. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus - 13

49. Pallas's Gull Larus ichthyaetus - 11, 13, 14
50. Common Tern Sterna hirundo - 13

51. Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus – 3, 4
52. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus – 8, 9, 10, 11, 14
53. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis – 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
54. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus - 11
55. Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos – 13 – male and female
56. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus – 6, 11 – all ringtails
57. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis - 6
58. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus – 7, 9, 10, 11
59. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis – 3, 9, 12
60. Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicas – 1, 6 – Many in the Sichuan basin this autumn
61. Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus – 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13
62. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius – 12, 13, 14
63. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – 13, 14 – single bird 13th, a pair on the 14th
64. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – 10, 12, 13
65. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – 3, 6, 11, 13, 14
66. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – 11, 13, 14 – total of 9 sightings

67. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo - 11
68. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - 1
69. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus - 13

70. Little Egret Egretta garzetta – 1, 6, 11
71. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus – 1, 11, 14
72. Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus – 1, 11, 14
73. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - 1

74. Black Stork Ciconia nigra - 11 – single bird

75. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach - 1
76. Chinese Grey Shrike Lanius sphenocercus – 11, 13 – outnumbered Tibetan by 12:1
77. Tibetan Grey Shrike Lanius giganteus – 11 – just a single bird

78. Sichuan Jay Perisoreus internigrans – 9 – group of 3 birds feeding on roadside berries treeline Mengbi
79. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha – 2, 4
80. Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyana – 11, 13, 14
81. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica – 9, 10, 11, 14
82. Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes - 7
83. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax – 9, 12, 13
84. Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus - 6
85. Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauurica – 11, 12, 13
86. Carrion Crow Corvus corone – 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
87. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos – 2, 3, 6, 15
88. Collared Crow Corvus torquatus – 15 – single seen with Carrion and Large-billed just outside Songpan
89. Common Raven Corvus corax – 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

90. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus - 9

91. Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis - 4

92. Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus - 3

93. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii – 2, 15

94. Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus - 1
95. Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus - 1
96. Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus – 6, 7
97. Kessler's Thrush Turdus kessleri – 9, 10

98. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata - 7
99. Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla – 2, 4
100. Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida - 5 – 2 females at Den Shen Valley
101. Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus – 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15
102. Golden Bush-Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus - 3

103. Hodgson's Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni - 9
104. White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps – 6, 8, 12, 13
105. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus – 2, 3, 7
106. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis – 6, 10, 13
107. White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus – 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15
108. Plumbeous Water-Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus – 1, 4, 6, 15
109. White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus – 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 – Common Rouergai area

110. White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides - 2

111. Grandala Grandala coelicolor – 6 – very distant views of high flying flocks

112. Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri – 2, 3, 4

113. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus - 1

114. White-cheeked Starling Sturnus cineraceus – 1, 11, 13 – many passage birds at Rouergai town – one flock in hundreds
115. Silky Starling Sturnus sericeus – Sid Only - 1
116. Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus - 1

117. Chestnut-vented Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis - 3
118. Przewalski’s Nuthatch Sitta przewalskii – 5, 7, 11 – common Mengbi on conifers with cones
119. Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria – 3, 4

120. Hodgson’s Tree-Creeper Certhia hodgsoni – 2. 3
121. Sichuan Tree-Creerper Certhia tianquanensis – 2, 7, 13

122. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes - 2

123. Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps - 3 – top of Wawu
124. Sichuan Tit Poecile weigoldicus – 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
125. Per David’s Tit Poecile davidi - 7
126. White-browed Tit Poecile superciliosus – 12, 14
127. Rufous-vented Tit Periparus rubidiventris – 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14
128. Coal Tit Periparus ater – 2, 3
129. Yellow-bellied Tit Slyviparus venustulus – 2, 3, 4
130. Grey-crested Tit Lophophanes dichrous – 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13
131. Eastern Great Tit Parus minor – 8, 10, 11, 12, 13
132. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus – 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
133. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus – 3, 4
134. Black-browed Tit Aegithalos bonvalotis – 6, 8
135. Sooty Tit Aegithalos fuliginosus – 7 – flock

136. Hume’s Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis - 11, 13, 14

137. Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris - 6

138. Goldcrest Regulus regulus – 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

139. Chinese Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis - 1
140. Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus – 2, 4
141. Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii - 3

142. Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler Cettia acanthizoides - 3

143. Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensis – 4, 8, 9 – still in Blang area
144. Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis - 3, 4 – passage Wawu
145. Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher – 2, 3 - few
146. Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis – 2, 3 – single birds
147. Eastern Lemmon-rumped (Sichuan ) Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti – 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 – by far commonest phyllo
148. Chinese Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis – 2, 6, 8 – together with forresti
149. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides – 2 – just a couple of birds
150. Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis – 3 – single sitting nicely for plumage ID, Wawu middle

151. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentine – 2, 3 – no call verification, making assumption that Seicercus Warblers on the top of Wawu were this species
152. White-spectacled Warbler Seicercus affinis - 7 – a Seicercus with large white eyering Wuyipeng – no call verification.

153. White-browed Tit Warbler Leptopoecile sophiae – 6, 8, 9 10, 11, 13, 14 – common in Alpine areas
154. Crested Tit Warbler Leptopoecile elegans – 10, 11, 12, 14 – common Mengbi

155. Sukatchev’s Laughingthrush Garrulax sukatschewi – 14, 15 – many heard only 1 seen
156. Buffy Laughingthrush Garrulax berthemyi – Sid Only – 3, 4 – heard but only one seen
157. Barred Laughingthrush Garrulax lunulatus – 7 – easy to find Wuyipeng
158. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus - 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14
159. Spotted Laughingthrush Garrulax ocellatus - 3, 4 – easy at Wawu middle
160. White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio - 1
161. Elliot's Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii – 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
162. Red-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax formosus – 2, 4, - many calling, but difficult Wawu middle
163. Emei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis - 3, 4 – common roadside

164. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox - Heard only - 3
165. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis - 3, 4, 7
166. Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps - 3
167. Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer – calling and one very brief view top of Wawu
168. Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla – 4, 5 – far more heard than the couple seen
169. Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus - 3
170. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea - 3, 4
171. Green Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius xanthochlorus – 4 – couple of birds in a mixed flock

172. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis - 3, 7
173. White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus – 5, 7, 8,
174. Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis – 6, 10, 11, 12, 12, 14
175. Grey-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps – 2, 3, 4, 10, 11
176. Dusky Fulvetta Alcippe brunnea – 4 – outside Wawu gates
177. David’s Fulvetta Alcippe davidi - 4

178. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis - 3
179. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata – 2, 3, 7

180. Great Parrotbill Conostoma aemodium – 2, 3
181. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus – 2, 8 – sighting, in snow + mist, of a flock feeding in the scrub on lower side of Monal stakeout at Balang – there are close by areas of bamboo
182. Grey-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis - 4
183. Ashy-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis alphonsianus - 4
184. Grey-hooded Parrotbill Paradoxornis zappeyi – 2 – easier to find than Fulvous
185. Fulvous Parrotbill Paradoxornis fulvifrons – 2 - just one flock crossing path
186. Golden Parrotbill Paradoxornis verreauxi - 3

187. Tibetan Lark Melanocorypha maxima – 11, 13 – Flower Lake closed, had to walk to suitable habitat to get decent sighting
188. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula – 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
189. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris – 11, 13, 14

190. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus – 1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
191. Rock Petronia Petronia petronia – 11, 15

192. White Wagtail Motacilla alba – 1, 8, 11
193. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea – 1, 7

194. Tibetan Snowfinch Montifringilla adamsi – 14 – one bird seen in the large flock of Rufous-necked Snowfinch
195. White-rumped Snowfinch Pyrgilauda taczanowskii – 11, 12, 14
196. Rufous-necked Snowfinch Pyrgilauda ruficollis – 13, 14 – a singleflock numbering hundreds

197. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni – 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11

198. Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris – 8 – difficult, scope
199. Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata – 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14
200. Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculate – 2, 3 – top of Wawu
201. Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides – 11, 12, 13, 14 – common Hongyuan, Rouergai/Baxi areas

202. Oriental Greenfinch Carduelis sinica – 11 – passage flocks Rouergai
203. Twite Carduelis flavirost – 11, 13, 14
204. Plain Mountain-Finch Leucosticte nemoricola – 7 - difficult, scope
205. Brandt's Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti – 8 - difficult, scope
206. Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra – 2, 3, 4 – winter flocks seen on Wawu middle

207. Dark-breasted Rosefinch Carpodacus nipalensis - 6 - female
208. Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus – 8, 11, 13
209. Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus eos - 6
210. Chinese White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus dubius - 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15
211. Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides - 10, 13 – females Mengbi, one Male Rouergai

212. Grey-headed Bullfinch Pyrrhula erythaca – 6, 12
213. Chinese Grosbeak Eophona migratoria - 1
214. White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes – 10, 13
215. Collared Grosbeak Mycerobas affinis - 10 – one stunning male Mengbi

216. Slaty Bunting Latoucheornis siemsseni – 4 – still present bottom of Wawu
217. Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii – 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
218. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla – 4, 5, 7

Mammals
Plateau Pika – Rouergai
Swinhoe’s Striped Squirrel – Wawu
Leopard Cat – Wolong and possible road kill Rouergai
Red Fox – 2 Rouergai
Tufted Deer – one spotlighted Den Shen Valley
Chinese Ghoral – 2 Balang
Blue Sheep – 100+ near top-point Balang – one animal with three legs that indicates snare poaching.
Pere David’s Macaque – Wawu, - seen rolling stones down valley sides onto road and towards other Macaques (fighting between rival groups???)
 

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Sounds like another top trip Sid - keep making us jealous!

Those are great numbers for Himalayan Owl! (I assume that's David's Owl?)

Cheers
Mike
 
Wish it was Pere David's Owl - but I'm afraid S. nivicola - is otherwise known as Chinese Tawny Owl - which has now seemingly taken on the title of Himalayan Owl.
We visited Pere David's Owl areas, and a landslide, which prevented us from returning to our main hotel, found us sleeping at the grocery store of a Tibetan village just a couple of km's from where we photographed this bird about a year back - but we chickened out on an very sub-zero pre-dawn search!!!!!!
The picture shows the location (the Owl habitat is of course in the forest) - and a scenery that helps elevate the task birding to something far exceeding a mere list ticking exercise!!!!!

Although those Himalayan Owls were great, the best owl moment of the trip came with an Eagle Owl just outside Songpan - it flew across the road, displaying its immense size, then obligingly landed on a cliff face allowing for a bit of spotlighting.
 

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