Sichuan Birding (2 Viewers)

Around Wolong

Thanks very much for the info Roland, I see there wasn’t really any low hanging fruit I was missing out on last year. I haven’t tried the valley north of Shawan, and given I haven’t seen a Temminck's Tragopan or a Golden Pheasant yet, then that’s definitely somewhere I’d like to try. When I was trying to figure out where to go in Yinchang Gou, I also did a bit of clambering around, trying to make my way up some landslides that had cut paths down the mountain sides. They were easy at first to climb at first, as the big stable debris had collected at the bottom. But before long the going became very treacherous; just clay, and very loose scree and gravel on very steep bedrock, and not wanting broken bones I gave up. One nice moment though was when I was sprawled out fully concentrated on finding firm foot and handholds, and I looked up to see a Tibetan macaque 10 meters or so on the landslide above me, on its hind legs peering curiously down at me.

The valley at Dengsheng sounds particularly appealing. That is some hike into Baoxing County; over a 4500m pass! I’m going to have to look into whether that is logistically possible for me, but it looks great. Are there roads at the bottom of the Baoxing valley? I can see a reservoir/hydrodam at the bottom on Google Earth. Do you happen to know what the valley is called?

Ed

Hi David, what you say sounds logical to me. And in my limited experience out and about I have noticed abandoned agricultural fields and orchards on mountains, and the big towns all seem to have huge blocks of flats being built on their outskirts to accommodate the people arriving from the countryside. I don’t know how immediately beneficial the secondary regrowth would be for birds, but you would think it bodes well for the future in the long term. But I worry how much the benefits are offset by the loads of new roads cut into the mountains, the rapid and excessive development of tourist facilities and infrastructure, the proliferation of river impoundments and channel modification, and the mineral extraction and other industrial activity that you see in ecologically sensitive areas. What do you think?

Congratulations on the birth of your son!

Ed

Just back yesterday evening from the spring trip - 22 days, 314 species.

Highlights - also got the Gold-fronted Fulvetta from the same place as Roland - looks to be pretty regular on the West of Wawu
And despite the closure of tourist Wawu we got our Grey-hooded Parrotbill - on the upper paths at Longchangou.
We had 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.
I'll put up a trip list in my next posts

Marmot - managed to get a better recording of Emei Leaf Warbler on the West of Wawu. One of my guests took some photos which he will post here when he gets back home, The other bird on the recording seems to be a Plain-tailed Warbler - lack of trill and low altitude - the site was just on the line where Plain-tailed were ending and Marten's beginning.

And from the same site - a mystery song (the second bird song in the recording is Large-billed Leaf Warbler) - too lazy to trawl through recordings to find this one - anybody got any idea?????

Hey David congratulations with Leonard - we'll have to get him together with my Saker. Your observations from NE Sichuan mirror mine - it seems that more and more marginal farming land is being given up, but flat valley bottoms are ever more intensively cultivated or developed as building areas.

wot, no pix?

Sounds like another one of the sort of trips that gives Sichuan its status as a top birding site. Look forward to hearing more Sid.

Cheers
Mike

Thanks for the forthcoming photo.

Glad you had another good trip

Here's the list - going through the tick sheets I could find 6 more species which takes us up to 320 birds.
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 May, the date we were in the vicinity, a tad early for singing RH Robin - all the other birds, 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 May1st 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. The latter I hear in JZ and Wolong areas but for this trip was totally stum!!!!!
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.

As for pictures - we have to wait for one of my guests, Augusto Faustinio, to upload some of his pics here. During the trip he got the nickname Alphamale - for the feat of scoping a White-eared Pheasant at around a kilometers range. If ladies selected their beaus on their Chicken spotting abilities then Augusto would have been swamped with female admirers - but unfortunately powerful sportscars and wads of money still seem to be the main currency of mainstream alphamales - but we can live in hope.

Its interesting that after 15 downloads that nobody has come with a suggestion for that mystery song in my last post - very intriguing
I'd like to put more calls on today - but this evening after a very heavy rain storm the internet has ground down to very slow crawl - so it'll have to be another day!!!!

and that 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

A kilometre? - luxury! We had White-eared Pheasants at over 3km on the backside of Balang Shan in December, Sid. (just measured it on Google Earth!)

Cheers
Mike

Hey Mike - we have our ladies watching our backs - we scoped tiny, skulking Gold-fronted Fulvettas at 5K and our better halves still wouldn't allow us the pleasure of alphamale status.

Afraid your snail mail reports never arrived - I guess the post office thought they were some kind of unlawful documentation!!!! I'll send you a mail some time - but tomorrow I'm starting another trip
Sid

china guy said:

Hey Mike - we have our ladies watching our backs - we scoped tiny, skulking Gold-fronted Fulvettas at 5K and our better halves still wouldn't allow us the pleasure of alphamale status.

Afraid your snail mail reports never arrived - I guess the post office thought they were some kind of unlawful documentation!!!! I'll send you a mail some time - but tomorrow I'm starting another trip
Sid

Click to expand...

Sid,

I've sent a PM about Sichuan, cheers, alan

It's a David's Fulvetta, Sid. The last notes are unmistakable...

Out of interest, the earliest I've recorded Rufous-headed Robin at Jiuzhaigou is 16th May, in 2005, when several birds had already returned and in full voice (still remains my best ever views, and photographs!).

Looking forward to returning to Sichuan in 10 days...

Cheers,

James

Sid

Humble apologies, the notes are copied and somewhere in my office - I'll scan and email on Monday.

Cheers
Mike

ps totally agree . . . somehow alpha status has no defence against my better half's "requests" to fold the laundry or take the garbage out!

320 species!

What an amazing trip.

Firethroat on May 1st is super-gripping (Tried for them at Wuyipeng 3 times in May, and failed 3 times).

Might try again in June this year

Thanks again for the great reporting from the best birding area in China.

Cheers.


Shi Jin

Sid,

Impressive list, looks like you had a great trip

just back from second trip of the season - but first I have to include three very important birds which I've erroneously omitted from that last list

Both Tit Warblers - White-browed that showed up at many sites
- Crested - outside JZ and Mengbi

And Pere David's Tit - a single bird lured in on an Owlet call at Labahe
these two birds take the grand total for that twitch to - 323

This last trip also got both Tit Warblers - the high conifer forest, on the road that leads from JZ to Chaun Zhu Si about a 1km from the treeline is a good place to get the Crested.

A shorter trip of 14 days - which included 4 days of bad weather - got 262 species.
Highlights were - 3 Gansu Leaf Warbler on the Rouergai grassland. 2 of the birds came easily into call - a third had a deformed leg and far more sedate. Although found in riverside scrub - the birds were also perching on telegraph wires - not a habit i see much from small Phylo Warblers.

Another pleasing bird was Chestnut-winged Cuckoo - one bird was seen on the Xiaojin side of Mengbi - at the base of the mountain.

Firethroat were again seen at Wuyipeng - but this time we also heard birds on the roadside on the way up to the Balang Monal takeout and also many at Labahe

For those intersted in taking Robin pics - Siberian Rubythroat is an easy target on the so-called Plateau area between JZ and Chaun Zhu Si.

As far as the star Robin - Rufous-headed - is concerned, this was another group who decided against going into the park at JZ, so nothing to report. Spectacled Parrotbill, Chinese Nuthatch, and Chinese Thrush were all easily found in the area outside the park - while other JZ goodies, Blood Pheasant and Sukatschev's Laughingthrush were Baxi birds.
Baxi gave us a scare with Sichuan Jay - the bird, the first time for me at this site, didn't turn up!!!! But thankfully we made up for that glitch with some stunning views at Mengbi.

Labahe watching was made difficult by a persistent drizzle - which however gave dividends for the Chicken watching. The chucks seem to come out more readily in rain and we got 10 Temminck's Tragopan including 8 brilliant males. Ron got some great photos - looking forward to seeing them. Lady A males were also strutting their stuff - but they always look a little bedraggled in wet conditions.
I'm glad we got the Tragopan at Labahe - the top of Wuyipeng now has a lot of disturbance due to noisy building work of the new research building.

I'm afraid we missed our Balang Monal by minutes - the morning other birders had seen it at the stake out we had driven from the Rilong side and spent time watching roadside Snowcock and Snow Partridge. We turned up too late : ( The next two mornings gave mist and patchy viewing - all the other Chickens but no Monal!!!!!!

The other rain affected site was the West of Wawu - we climbed up to the Grey-hooded Spectacled area, but it was a damp birdless experience. However the areas below gave easy Red-winged Laugher, Liocichla, Emei Leaf and Kloss's Warbler. The day after was far brighter - which gave many Spotted Forktail at Bifeng

Here's the list - and a pic of one of our Gansu Leaf

Bird List Sichuan Summer Trip 2012 – 14 days, 12th May – 25th May
Ron and Sue McIntyre, Sid Francis

Locations visited –
Duijangyan – D
Outside Jiuzhaiggou - JZ
Ruoergai Grasslands - RG
Baxi Forest - BX
Mengbishan - MG
Balang - B
Wolong – W
Jiajin Mountain - J
Labahe – LB
West of Wawu Longchangou – L
Bifengxia - BF
Ya’an area - Y


1. Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa - B
2. Chinese Bamboo-Partridge Bambusicola thoracica - L
3. Tibetan Snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus - B
4. Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus - BX
5. Koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha - B Sid only
6. Chestnut-throated Partridge Tetraophasis obscures - B
7. Temminck's Tragopan Tragopan temminckii – LB 10 birds which included 8 males
8. White Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon crossoptilon – MG, B
9. Blue Eared Pheasant Crossoptilon auritum - BX
10. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – JZ, RG, BX
11. Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae – LB, L mostly males
12. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus - WL female walking road outside park, W 2 males
13. Chinese Grouse Tetrastes sewerzowi – BX many three locations

14. Greylag Goose Anser anser - RG
15. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea - RG
16. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – JZ,, RG

17. Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus – JZ, Y

18. Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops - JZ, RG

19. Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata - L

20. Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioide
21. Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus fugax – Y
22. Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus – D, R, Y
23. Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturates – heard only JZ, MG, W, Y
24. Forktailed Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus dicruroides – heard only BF
25. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea – heard many locations seen once
26. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo – single bird at base of MG

27. Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris – LB, L
28. Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus
29. White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus - LB

30. Little Owl Athene noctua - RG
31. Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo – RG 2 young in nest
32. Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei- Y

33. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii – LB
34. Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris – JZ
35. Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota – JZ, B
36. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis
37. Red Collared Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica - RG

38. Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis – RG

39. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus – JZ, BX, B
40. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus - JZ

41. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos –before Rilong
42. Common Redshank Tringa tetanus – RG

43. Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus – RG
44. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus - EG

45. Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus – RG, MG, B
46. Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis – JZ, RG, BX, MG, B, W
47. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus – RG,
48. Black-eared Kite. Milvus linaetus – JZ, RG, BX
49. Eastern Buzzard Buteo japonicas – MG passage bird
50. Himalayan Buzzard Buteo burmanicus – JZ, BX, B
51. Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius – RG
52. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos – BX, B
53. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis – RG 1 imm
54. Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis – BX, MG
55. Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus - JZ
56. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus –,B passage
57. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis – BF
58. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – RG, MG, B, Y
59. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug – RG 1 bird

60. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - JZ

61. Little Egret Egretta garzetta
62. Great Egret Casmerodius albus – RG 1st bend Yellow river
63. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus
64. Chinese Pond-Heron Ardeola bacchus
65. Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
66. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

67. Black Stork Ciconia nigra – RG around 15 birds

68. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach
69. Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus
70. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus – JZ, RG

71. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
72. Sichuan Jay Perisoreus internigrans – MG flock of 5 birds
73. Black-billed Magpie Pica pica
74. Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyana - RG
75. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
76. Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes – MG, LB
77. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
78. Yellow-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus - B
79. Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauurica – RG, BX
80. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
81. Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
82. Common Raven Corvus corax - RG

83. Black-winged Cuckooshrike Coracina melaschistos - MG single passage bird

84. Swinhoe's Minivet Pericrocotus cantonensis – D bird carrying food back to mest
85. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus - common
86. Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris – J, L

87. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

88. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii - BF
89. White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus – JZ, B

90. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
91. Spangled Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus
92. Ashy Drongo – RG passage bird

93. Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitaries
94. Chestnut-bellied RockThrush Monticola rufiventris – JZ
95. Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus
96. Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni - B single roadside bird
97. Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus
98. ChestnutThrush Turdus rubrocanus
99. Kessler's Thrush Turdus kessleri – JZ, BX, MG, B
100. Chinese Thrush Turdus mupinensis – JZ

101. White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx Montana – heard only LB, L

102. Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica – D
103. Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui - BF
104. Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea - LB
105. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata – JZ, LB, L
106. Taiga Flycatcher Fidecula albicilla - JZ
107. Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii - JZ, BX, MG
108. Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor – JZ, LB
109. Chinese Blue Flycatcher Cyornis glaucicomans – BF, Y

110. Indian Blue Robin Luscinia brunnea – JZ, W, LB
111. Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus
112. Himalayan Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis – B
113. Siberian Rubythroat - JZ
114. Firethroat Luscinia pectardens – W (seen), B, LB (last 2 sites heard only)

115. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis

116. White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
117. Hodgson's Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni - JZ, BX
118. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus
119. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis – B
120. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros – RG, B
121. White-capped Water-Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
122. Plumbeous Water-Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus

123. White-bellied Redstart Hodgsonius phoenicuroides – BX, W, B, LB, L

124. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaultia - Y
125. Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculatus - BF
126. Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri - BF

127. White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucurum – heard only LB


128. Grandala Grandala coelicolor - B

129. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus
130. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferrea - Y

131. Daurian Starling Sturnus sturninus – RG Ruoergai town, Ca.40 birds
132. Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus


133. Przewalski's Nuthatch Sitta przewalskii – BX
134. Chinese Nuthatch Sitta villosa – JZ
135. Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria - BX, B

136. Hodgson's Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni – JZ, BX, MG

137. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

138. Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps - L
139. Sichuan Tit Parus weigoldicus – JZ, RG, BX, B
140. White-browed Tit Parus superciliosus – RG
141. Rufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris
142. Coal Tit Parus ater
143. Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus
144. Grey-crested Tit Parus dichrous
145. Great Tit Parus major
146. Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus
147. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus
148. Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus
149. Black-browed Tit Aegithalos bonvalotis - MG
150. Sooty Tit Aegithalos fuliginosus – JZ

151. Hume’s Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis - RG

152. Eurasian Crag-Martin Hirundo rupestris
153. Sand Martin Riparia riparia
154. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
155. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
156. Asian House-Martin Delichon dasypus

157. Collared Finchbill Spizixos semitorques
158. Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis
159. Himalayan Black Bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus


160. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus
161. Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus – JZ

162. Brownish-flanked Bush-War Cettia fortipes
163. Yellowish-bellied Bush Warbler Cettia acanthizoides
164. Aberrant Bush-Warbler Cettia flavolivaceus – LB, L
165. Brown Bush-Warbler Bradypterus luteoventris – W, LB

166. Chestnut-headed Tesia Tesia castaneocoronata – LB, L

167. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus - RG
168. Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensis
169. Ashy-throated Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis - LB
170. Buff-throated Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis - B
171. Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii – JZ, BX, B, LB
172. Buff-barred Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher
173. Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forresti
174. Chinese Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis
175. Gansu Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus kansuensis – RG 3 birds
176. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
177. Large-billed Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris
178. Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis – L
179. Claudia's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus Claudia
180. Kloss's Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus ogilivie-grantii - L
181. Sulphur-breasted Warbler Phylloscopus ricketti – D, BF, Y

182. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentine - JZ, L, B, LB, L
183. Plain-tailed Warbler Seicercus soror - BF
184. Marten’s warbler Seicercus omeiensis – W, L
185. Grey-crowned Warbler Seicercus tephrocephalus – W scrub behind Lama Monastery

186. Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis - D

187. Goldcrest Regulus regulus

188. White-browed Tit Warbler – RG
189. Crested Tit Warbler - JZ

190. Sukatschev's Laughing thrush Garrulax sukatschewi - BX
191. Barred Laughingthrush Garrulax lunulatus – W
192. Giant Laughingthrush Garrulax maximus – BX, MG, W
193. Hwamei Garrulax canorus - BF
194. Plain Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi – RG, BX
195. White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio
196. Elliot's Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii
197. Red-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax formosus - L
198. Omei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis - L

199. Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox - JZ heard many other sites
200. Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla – heard only
201. Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps
202. Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus – JZ, W
203. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea
204. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes


205. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis - LB
206. Spectacled Fulvetta Alcippe ruficapilla – JZ
207. Chinese Fulvetta Alcippe striaticollis – MG, B
208. Grey-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps
209. Dusky Fulvetta Alcippe brunnea - LB
210. David's Fulvetta Alcippe davidi – D, BF, Y

211. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis – LB, L
212. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata

213. Great Parrotbill Conostoma aemodium - B
214. Three-toed Parrotbill Paradoxornis paradoxus – LB
215. Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor - L
216. Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus - D
217. Ashy-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis alphonsianus – D, BF, Y
218. Fulvous Parrotbill Suthora fulvifrons - LB
219. Golden Parrotbill Paradoxornis verreauxi – LB
220. Spectacled Parrotbill Paradoxornis conspicillat – JZ

221. Tibetan Lark Melanocorypha maxima - RG
222. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula - RG
223. Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris - RG

224. Mrs Gould's Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae

225. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans
226. House Sparrow Passer domesticus - RG
227. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
228. Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia - RG

229. White-rumped Snowfinch Pyrgilauda taczanowskii - RG
230. Rufous-necked Snowfinch Pyrgilauda ruficollis - RG

231. Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus – Heard only Y
232. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
233. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
234. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola – RG, Water treatment area Rilong
235. Yellow Wagtail - Water treatment area Rilong

236. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni
237. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta-
238. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus
239. Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi – RG, MG

240. Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris - B
241. Rufous-breasted Accentor Prunella strophiata - widespread
242. Maroon-backed Accentor Prunella immaculate - BX, MG

243. Grey-capped Greenfinch Carduelis sinica
244. Twite Carduelis flavirost - RG
245. Tibetan Siskin Carduelis thibetana - J
246. Plain Mountain-Finch Leucosticte nemoricola - B
247. Brandt's Mountain Finch Leucosticte brandti – B
248. Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra - L

249. Dark-breasted Rosefinch Carpodacus nipalensis - B
250. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus – MG, B
251. Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus
252. Pink-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus eos – JZ, BX, MG
253. Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus - JZ, MG
254. Chinese White-browed Rosefinch Carpodacus dubius
255. Sharpe's Rosefinch Carpodacus verreauxii – B
256. Streaked Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilloides – MG, B
257. Red-fronted Rosefinch Carpodacus puniceus - B

258. Collared Grosbeak Mycerobas affinis – B Sid only
259. White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes – JZ, MG

260. Godlewski's Bunting Emberiza godlewskii
261. Elegant bunting Emberiza elegans - Y
262. Crested Bunting Emberiza lathami – a pair seen close to Tianquan

Hi Sid,
Many thanks for the quick turnaround on the list I shall try and put together some photo highlights of our trip and have attached one of the tragopan pics (using flash) taken in early morning darkness, more to follow, cheers, Ron.

Nice, Sid. Those lists are just incredible. I'm definitely going to have to get myself to Sichian next year.

And Ron, that photo is gorgeous. That blue color looks unreal. Beautiful shot!

JH

Pheasant

Hi, I am hoping that somebody might be able to identify a pheasant based mainly on its location and habitat. I saw the pheasant when I climbed the tourist trail on Jiufeng Shan, Pengzhou County last week. The path ends on a ridge about 3300masl. Here I startled a pheasant, which skulked away into the shrub. Despite being absolutely determined to memorise exactly what it looked like so I could identify it when I got back, of course to my utter frustration I can't exactly recall its appearance. It is either a silver or a white eared pheasant, as I remember its body was generally white, it had a red facial wattle, had some kind of crest or 'ears' (can't remember the colour), and had black on the top of its head (which could have been the colour of the crest). Currently I am more inclined towards the white eared pheasant as I don't remember the facial wattle being as big as that on a silver pheasant, but I could easily be mistaken.

Thanks for your help

Ed

(Ed, not the helpful answer you want, but I recommend a voice recorder or using your phone as such if possible, if you're not into pencil and paper.... This is the only way I find I can recall the salient id points after seeing a bird - that is my conclusion after many disappointing "losses" of detail. Of course, I still don't always take the time to do it that I should )

Good point, I even had a phone with me with voice recording capabilities! In the circumstances I would have favoured that over the traditional method as given the rain, the latter would have ended up like papier mache by the time I got back...

The altitude sounds better for White-eared than Silver Pheasant, but the Sichuan residents who know where you were my have more informed input.

Also white-eared has sort feathers and is a thickset, shaggy-looking bird,while Silver is more sleek and slender.

Cheers
Mike