Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Nice, Sid. My mouth is watering for next month!
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Sichuan Birding (27 Viewers)
- Thread starter china guy
- Start date
McMadd
You should see the other bloke...
Hey Sid!
How many cops (apart from those two special friends) did you get though?!
We managed three in the horror that is Barkam (roads are for losers, right?) and seven while trying to sneak West of Wawu...the three chicas were nice enough mind ;0)
Cheers
MM
How many cops (apart from those two special friends) did you get though?!
We managed three in the horror that is Barkam (roads are for losers, right?) and seven while trying to sneak West of Wawu...the three chicas were nice enough mind ;0)
Cheers
MM
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
A thoroughly enjoyable trip... big, big thanks to Sid for his expertise, local knowledge, company and not least for doing all the driving.
I should add that we also saw Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Fox, Goral, Takin, Marmot, Pikas (not sure which) and Giant Panda poo.
Mike - Tawny Fish Owl was seen by Sid and Rob only (spot-lit at Tangjiahe)
Mark - we were followed "for our protection" throughout our sojourn to the Tibetan Plateau until we got to Jiuzhaigou.
Terry
I should add that we also saw Tibetan Wolf, Tibetan Fox, Goral, Takin, Marmot, Pikas (not sure which) and Giant Panda poo.
Mike - Tawny Fish Owl was seen by Sid and Rob only (spot-lit at Tangjiahe)
Mark - we were followed "for our protection" throughout our sojourn to the Tibetan Plateau until we got to Jiuzhaigou.
Terry
James Eaton
Trent Valley Crew
Sounded a great trip, Terry - Tang Jia He is one of my favourite sites, and not just in China - I'm back there in a couple of weeks time.
Good to know the owls are still around - they were breeding right next to the main road last year...
James
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
Thanks James.. yes, Sichuan blew me away.. what a place! Tang Jia He is full of super habitat - I am sure there are lots of discoveries to be made there..
Hope you have a successful trip.
Terry
Hope you have a successful trip.
Terry
china guy
A taff living in Sichuan
At Tangjiahe right now - and this time a daylight Fish Owl. So far has been a good trip for big Owls - Eurasian Eagle and Pere David's also in the bag
Picture of the Tawny Fish Owl by Jay Pruett - he also got some nice shots of a male Temminck's Tragopan that we called it on Ballang Pass. A couple of hundred meters lower down we had a Male Golden Pheasant displaying to a group of 7 females.
Today Roland and his group got both Lady A and Streaked Barwing - which, since Labahe is still closed because of earthquake damage, becomes a more complicated accomplishment.
Picture of the Tawny Fish Owl by Jay Pruett - he also got some nice shots of a male Temminck's Tragopan that we called it on Ballang Pass. A couple of hundred meters lower down we had a Male Golden Pheasant displaying to a group of 7 females.
Today Roland and his group got both Lady A and Streaked Barwing - which, since Labahe is still closed because of earthquake damage, becomes a more complicated accomplishment.
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lewis20126
Well-known member
Many thanks to Roland for taking three of us (AL, PAJM, BR) around the key sites of Shaanxi and Sichuan over three weeks. We then finished our trip with 2 days in North Yunnan where Biet's laughingthrush was the main prize.
The trip was hugely enjoyable and we saw almost all the key birds including both Streaked Barwing and Gold-fronted Fulvetta at sites west of Wawu which Sid and Roland know better that most. The main miss was Temminck's Tragopan which failed to show at the remaining open sites (Labahe is still closed) but provides a good reason to go back. Mammals were excellent at Tangjiahe including great views of Chinese Goral, White-maned Serow and 30+ Sichuan Takin!
Roland deserves great credit for his forbearance with a particularly demanding and obsessive group of "world birders"! We will hopefully all be back in the near future when (and if) the Tragopans are back on tap at Labahe.
A few photos hopefull later (although also see PAJM's great recent shots on S*rfbirds - World Rarities)
cheers, alan
The trip was hugely enjoyable and we saw almost all the key birds including both Streaked Barwing and Gold-fronted Fulvetta at sites west of Wawu which Sid and Roland know better that most. The main miss was Temminck's Tragopan which failed to show at the remaining open sites (Labahe is still closed) but provides a good reason to go back. Mammals were excellent at Tangjiahe including great views of Chinese Goral, White-maned Serow and 30+ Sichuan Takin!
Roland deserves great credit for his forbearance with a particularly demanding and obsessive group of "world birders"! We will hopefully all be back in the near future when (and if) the Tragopans are back on tap at Labahe.
A few photos hopefull later (although also see PAJM's great recent shots on S*rfbirds - World Rarities)
cheers, alan
sichuan jiujiu
A Birder for Sichuan
Alan, thanks too, for the credits! Was indeed a great trip.
Have you had enough time in Yunnan, eventually, to go to the Lashi Lake site and look for Moustached Laugher?
I'd be interested in how's the habitat there in late spring?
Just came back from another trip. We again were successful with Blackthroat, even if the easier accessible birds lower down seem to be almost taped out. The park guys said that they have had bird groups every single day...
The trick with the bird was the sun: They came out much easier for the first warming sun rays about noon time - after a rainy and misty morning.
Attached is a picture of a male which showed up for about 5 minutes. The photographer was our mandatory park Guide Xiang Dingqian.
Good Luck
Roland
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Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
Just finished the Birdfinders Sichuan tour with Sid. A great trip.
I would up with 113 lifers, 164 new ticks for Mainland China and 247 species seen. Adding in heard onlys and species seen by others, the "official" trip list was somewhere in the 270's.
Personal Highlights:
11 species of "chickens" including a male Temminck's tragopan which let us get out of the vehicle and watch it from only a few meters away,
Pere David's and Eurasian Eagle owl,
Long-billed plover (they DO exist!)
8 species of parrotbills including grey-hooded and spot-breasted,
8 species of rosefinches,
3 species of snowfinches plus crimson-browed finch,
13 species of tits,
13 species of phylloscs,
a fleeting glimpse of rufous-headed robin,
plus great views of a low flying lammergeier and several wallcreepers.
Personal Lowlights: Dipped on golden pheasant and Chinese monal (one was seen for only 30 seconds or so then disappeared). Only 3 new/6 total species of laughingthrush seen - barred, red-winged, spotted, and Sukatchev's were heard but wouldn't show themselves no matter how hard Sid tried to coax them out (and did he try!).
Mammal highlights: Sika deer and serow at Baxi.
Mammal lowlights: No pandas. And after I was asked to change vehicles on the way to Wolong, the vehicle I formerly was in saw a giant Panda. Yes, a live wild one. Grrrr.
A great trip with great birds. Thanks again to Sid (and his support team, Kevin, Belinda and Mr. Dai). Also to Roland for his updates from the field which kept us on top of possible sightings. If you're ever in Sichuan, they're the people to go with.
JH
I would up with 113 lifers, 164 new ticks for Mainland China and 247 species seen. Adding in heard onlys and species seen by others, the "official" trip list was somewhere in the 270's.
Personal Highlights:
11 species of "chickens" including a male Temminck's tragopan which let us get out of the vehicle and watch it from only a few meters away,
Pere David's and Eurasian Eagle owl,
Long-billed plover (they DO exist!)
8 species of parrotbills including grey-hooded and spot-breasted,
8 species of rosefinches,
3 species of snowfinches plus crimson-browed finch,
13 species of tits,
13 species of phylloscs,
a fleeting glimpse of rufous-headed robin,
plus great views of a low flying lammergeier and several wallcreepers.
Personal Lowlights: Dipped on golden pheasant and Chinese monal (one was seen for only 30 seconds or so then disappeared). Only 3 new/6 total species of laughingthrush seen - barred, red-winged, spotted, and Sukatchev's were heard but wouldn't show themselves no matter how hard Sid tried to coax them out (and did he try!).
Mammal highlights: Sika deer and serow at Baxi.
Mammal lowlights: No pandas. And after I was asked to change vehicles on the way to Wolong, the vehicle I formerly was in saw a giant Panda. Yes, a live wild one. Grrrr.
A great trip with great birds. Thanks again to Sid (and his support team, Kevin, Belinda and Mr. Dai). Also to Roland for his updates from the field which kept us on top of possible sightings. If you're ever in Sichuan, they're the people to go with.
JH
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sichuan jiujiu
A Birder for Sichuan
I have finished the birding season in Sichuan, too, however with a decent amount of rain during our last two birding days. In Dujiang Yan we even couldn't leave our hotel rooms, since the road in front of the hotel was completely flooded. At 4pm rain slowed down for 15 minutes. During this break we still could manage to get out and see Forest Wagtail, Grey-winged Blackbird, a Tiger Shrike family and a big bunch of Swinhoe's Minivets.
Another very auspicious announcement I have to make refers to the Saker Falcon population in Zoige/Ruo'erGai. I was happy to follow the growing up of four chicks throughout the past three months. They are all brought up well by now. On the last trip we even found two maybe three more families with a decent number of young birds. Some of them already took hunting lessons. A flying Pica - an in-flight-pass to one of the chicks was the highlight.
Attached two long distance images of the chicks. One at the beginning and one at the end of June.
A less joyful discovery was a just fledged Tibetan Grey Shrike lying dead on the road side, just next to the bush which the whole family usually roosts in. It must have been hit by a car during its first flight attempts. Attached is also a pic of one of its siblings.
Best,
Roland
Another very auspicious announcement I have to make refers to the Saker Falcon population in Zoige/Ruo'erGai. I was happy to follow the growing up of four chicks throughout the past three months. They are all brought up well by now. On the last trip we even found two maybe three more families with a decent number of young birds. Some of them already took hunting lessons. A flying Pica - an in-flight-pass to one of the chicks was the highlight.
Attached two long distance images of the chicks. One at the beginning and one at the end of June.
A less joyful discovery was a just fledged Tibetan Grey Shrike lying dead on the road side, just next to the bush which the whole family usually roosts in. It must have been hit by a car during its first flight attempts. Attached is also a pic of one of its siblings.
Best,
Roland
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china guy
A taff living in Sichuan
That recent flood was big - but hopefully one of the lessons learned from the disaster is that it's not just enough to protect forest, but also to try and protect natural river courses. Unfortunately many Sichuan rivers have been extensively dug for gravel, with natural banks/vegetation badly damaged or obliterated - while long stretches have been altered for hydro power plants. Looks like nature was out on a course of revenge - man damaged rivers seem to allow the rain generated torrents to easily catapult loose, exposed boulders, stones and gravel into anything that lies in their way - which includes bridges, man made river banks and dam structures. Long before this flood I attended a WWF conference on water source protection where a Chinese delegation, involved in hydroelectric power production, gave evidence on how high silt and erosion levels sharply cut into productivity and the profitability of these new hydro plants. They were concerned, these problems were so severe, that they barely had 20 years lifetime of profitable energy production. I'm pretty sure the affect of this last flood - the worst for 50 years - hadn't been calculated into their figures!!!!!
As far as birding is concerned - the obvious affect from all the gravel digging and hydro projects is the loss of habitat to river development. One of my recent projects has taken me down to a massive hydro project (three gorges scale) - on the the Sichuan/Yunnan border - the Jinsha River Dams.
A summary of the work I've been associated with (our survey work is associated with prior botanical study), written by the project leader Prof. Tang Ya of Sichuan University, can be found here - http://www.rufford.org/rsg/projects/tang_ya
This work has brought us some interesting species - and my June trip to the area gave us more records and pictures (all by Dr. Wendy Wright and Dr. Steb Fisher) of birds that are not often seen on Sichuan lists
1 Chinese Francolin - commonly heard at our survey sites
2 Hill-blue Flycatcher - both Chinese Blue-throated and the Hill-blue are found in the area. Songs and habitat are rather different.
3 Upland Pipit - only found one of these but a June record is interesting. Another breeding pipit in the area is Richard's
4 just 20km over the Yunnan Border - Savannah Nightjar. When this bird flew, the huge white tail flashes gave no doubt to the ID. We couldn't pick up any more evidence - as in calls - of more birds being present, but if this is a breeding bird of the area, then the distribution maps of this species need to be changed
5 Rosy Minivet - a very uncommon bird for Sichuan - this was the male of a pair that were giving a lot of indication that they were tending a nest
On the subject of Minivets - during the trip that Jeff reported on we got, the morning after a violent night-time thunder storm, a pair of female Grey-chinned Minivets at Moxi!!!
Thanks for those positive comments Jeff, and glad you enjoyed the trip - hope to see you again some time.
Sid
As far as birding is concerned - the obvious affect from all the gravel digging and hydro projects is the loss of habitat to river development. One of my recent projects has taken me down to a massive hydro project (three gorges scale) - on the the Sichuan/Yunnan border - the Jinsha River Dams.
A summary of the work I've been associated with (our survey work is associated with prior botanical study), written by the project leader Prof. Tang Ya of Sichuan University, can be found here - http://www.rufford.org/rsg/projects/tang_ya
This work has brought us some interesting species - and my June trip to the area gave us more records and pictures (all by Dr. Wendy Wright and Dr. Steb Fisher) of birds that are not often seen on Sichuan lists
1 Chinese Francolin - commonly heard at our survey sites
2 Hill-blue Flycatcher - both Chinese Blue-throated and the Hill-blue are found in the area. Songs and habitat are rather different.
3 Upland Pipit - only found one of these but a June record is interesting. Another breeding pipit in the area is Richard's
4 just 20km over the Yunnan Border - Savannah Nightjar. When this bird flew, the huge white tail flashes gave no doubt to the ID. We couldn't pick up any more evidence - as in calls - of more birds being present, but if this is a breeding bird of the area, then the distribution maps of this species need to be changed
5 Rosy Minivet - a very uncommon bird for Sichuan - this was the male of a pair that were giving a lot of indication that they were tending a nest
On the subject of Minivets - during the trip that Jeff reported on we got, the morning after a violent night-time thunder storm, a pair of female Grey-chinned Minivets at Moxi!!!
Thanks for those positive comments Jeff, and glad you enjoyed the trip - hope to see you again some time.
Sid
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Emei off season
Dear all,
despite several attempts at various sites, I am still on the hunt for Purple Cochoa, Streaked Barwing and Blanfords rosefinch.
I know they have all been seen at Emei. Does anyone know how productive a sept/oct/nov visit would be? Could cochoas be calling? Where on Emei has Str Bw been seen?
Thanks,
jocko
Dear all,
despite several attempts at various sites, I am still on the hunt for Purple Cochoa, Streaked Barwing and Blanfords rosefinch.
I know they have all been seen at Emei. Does anyone know how productive a sept/oct/nov visit would be? Could cochoas be calling? Where on Emei has Str Bw been seen?
Thanks,
jocko
china guy
A taff living in Sichuan
Hi Jocko - alas the days when Streaked Barwing and Purple Cochoa were readily findable feature of Emei seem to have passed with all the tourist development in the area. I've read reports from the 90's where Streaked Barwing have been seen at the base of the mountain during the winter - I'm afraid this habitat has now been greatly degraded. There are however still areas where these birds could be found - but, since they've escaped development, they're difficult to access and explore. One area would be the nice forest that can be seen from a track that comes just 5km or so on the road leading up the mountain - the track that has a big 'no through road' sign and leads to a small hydro plant. Here - especially in the area in the gorge on the opposite side to the track - seems to lie some exciting habitat. But how to get into it?????? The same can be said of all that dense secondary scrub that is found on the climb to the summit (passed the ticket barrier) - but with only two tracks leading in, it, especially without dedicated transport, can be a challenge to enter.
This year Roland, during May, got, together with group - http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2742337&postcount=788 - Streaked Barwing on Erlang Mountain. This is our usual site for this bird - but of course recent developments with quake and storm damage make this place difficult to reach.
We also get the Barwing in the lower areas of Labahe - and last year I got a female Cochoa there at that small lake on the lower road - the one you access by a long flight of stairs. But Labahe also seems to be still closed!!!!
Cochoa has also been, many years ago, recorded at Wuyipeng - but I haven't seen any recent records.
That leaves a couple of possible areas for these species -
1 Longchangou - some interesting habitat in both lower and upper areas that have never been fully explored. The lower park - Gezi Hua - now seems to be locked to foreigners (in theory permits could be available) - but that holds the kind of exciting habitat that could hide a surprise or two.
2 Bai Sha He - this is a Panda reserve area just past Tianquan (the large town before Labahe). Its not really open to general tourists - there is huge metal gate at the park entrance - but a few years back we got in , and stayed there a couple of nights, by banging on said gate. Lots of great birding habitat here - the mountain connects Balang and Labahe - and I reckon, if this place was more accessible, it would be a main Red Panda location. However in best local style they were developing Hydro Power plants inside the reserve - which of course gives more incentive, for the less enlightened, to keep prying eyes out.
Sorry I cant be more definite with more info on these species.
As for Blanford's Rosefinch - Frank Lambert made recording of the bird, last year at Tangjiahe - Roland and Mark Maddock (McMadd) apparently had an "interesting" Rosefinch during an early spring trip to Emei - but its still a species that I've yet to fully get to grips with.
I've just returned from a 20 day trip to Qinghai, where did a Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan circle. Got nearly all the special Qinghai bird species - Tibetan Bunting, Babax, Rosefinch, Henderson's Groundjay, Blanford's, Pere David's and Henry's Snowfinches, Pink-tailed Bunting, Ala Shan Redstart, Gansu Leaf Warbler and Pallas's Sandgrouse - only big miss was Tibetan Sandgrouse - weather was a little inclement for the trudge over a 5000m high barren tabletop mountain where this bird hangs out(Erla Mountain). Doing the circle works very nicely - and brought the best views of Tibetan Gazelle, and Foxes in the NW areas of Sichuan, rather than Qinghai - plus the added extras of, Pine Buntings in Gansu, a new spot for Sichuan Jay, Calling Pere David's Owl and Chinese Serow with young.
I'll be posting up pics in a couple of weeks time.
This year Roland, during May, got, together with group - http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2742337&postcount=788 - Streaked Barwing on Erlang Mountain. This is our usual site for this bird - but of course recent developments with quake and storm damage make this place difficult to reach.
We also get the Barwing in the lower areas of Labahe - and last year I got a female Cochoa there at that small lake on the lower road - the one you access by a long flight of stairs. But Labahe also seems to be still closed!!!!
Cochoa has also been, many years ago, recorded at Wuyipeng - but I haven't seen any recent records.
That leaves a couple of possible areas for these species -
1 Longchangou - some interesting habitat in both lower and upper areas that have never been fully explored. The lower park - Gezi Hua - now seems to be locked to foreigners (in theory permits could be available) - but that holds the kind of exciting habitat that could hide a surprise or two.
2 Bai Sha He - this is a Panda reserve area just past Tianquan (the large town before Labahe). Its not really open to general tourists - there is huge metal gate at the park entrance - but a few years back we got in , and stayed there a couple of nights, by banging on said gate. Lots of great birding habitat here - the mountain connects Balang and Labahe - and I reckon, if this place was more accessible, it would be a main Red Panda location. However in best local style they were developing Hydro Power plants inside the reserve - which of course gives more incentive, for the less enlightened, to keep prying eyes out.
Sorry I cant be more definite with more info on these species.
As for Blanford's Rosefinch - Frank Lambert made recording of the bird, last year at Tangjiahe - Roland and Mark Maddock (McMadd) apparently had an "interesting" Rosefinch during an early spring trip to Emei - but its still a species that I've yet to fully get to grips with.
I've just returned from a 20 day trip to Qinghai, where did a Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan circle. Got nearly all the special Qinghai bird species - Tibetan Bunting, Babax, Rosefinch, Henderson's Groundjay, Blanford's, Pere David's and Henry's Snowfinches, Pink-tailed Bunting, Ala Shan Redstart, Gansu Leaf Warbler and Pallas's Sandgrouse - only big miss was Tibetan Sandgrouse - weather was a little inclement for the trudge over a 5000m high barren tabletop mountain where this bird hangs out(Erla Mountain). Doing the circle works very nicely - and brought the best views of Tibetan Gazelle, and Foxes in the NW areas of Sichuan, rather than Qinghai - plus the added extras of, Pine Buntings in Gansu, a new spot for Sichuan Jay, Calling Pere David's Owl and Chinese Serow with young.
I'll be posting up pics in a couple of weeks time.
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James Eaton
Trent Valley Crew
Jocko,
In recent years I've never missed the cochoa at Emei, around Xianfeng Monastery (4 attempts, 4 successes!).
Not much old growth left for the barwing there, as Sid says, but I reckon it would still be around the beautiful forest along the road going up the mountain just beyond the entrance gate, as that is really nice forest, just quite a narrow road to walk along unfortunately with all the traffic - it's full of Sulphur-breasted Warblers.
I did see the barwing 3 times on Laojunshan in 2005, but didn't record it this year, but it was extremely quiet there compared to 2005.
Frank Lambert, Rob Hutchinson and myself had several Blanford's last year up at Tang Jia He camp, but none this year - it's quite a nomadic species that when found is usually found in numbers. I've seen a flock of 20+ just above Leidongping at Emei Shan in 2007, and before that (2004!), another good sized flock at Wawu Shan summit.
Good luck!
James
McMadd
You should see the other bloke...
Ta-dah! Comments welcome...
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McMadd
You should see the other bloke...
china guy
A taff living in Sichuan
Tried my best to string one - and I'm sure I can conjure one up in Photoshop!!!!
That Rosefinch of yours looks very convincing - you seen there's a brand new Blandford's pics from Sichuan on OBI - http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?p=1&Bird_ID=1965&Bird_Family_ID=&pagesize=1.
Well done mate!!!!
