14 Days Classic Sichuan Endemic Birding Tour

Sichuan lies at the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and this superb province has the richest concentration of Chinese specialties, holding around two-thirds of the country’s endemic birds! Not only does Sichuan offer the best opportunities for seeing China’s prime specialties, but due to the great diversity of its habitats, ranging from the subtropical lowlands of the Red Basin and rich evergreen foothill forests to cool temperate zone forests, alpine meadows and dramatic snow-capped mountain peaks, the province has a remarkable wealth of birds in general. Even then there is more to Sichuan, for beyond these rocky ramparts lie the vast grasslands of the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Without a doubt Sichuan is the very best of China

Best Season: from April to June.

Highlights:  Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Lady Amherst's, Golden, Blood, Koklass & White Eared-Pheasant, Chinese Grouse, Chinese Monal; Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Emei Shan Liocichla, Rusty, Elliott's, Black-faced, White-browed, Giant, Spotted, Moustached, Red-winged & White-throated Laughingthrush, Chinese Babax and Hwamei; 8 species of parrotbills, Firethroat, 14 species of Phylloscopus warblers, Crested Tit-warbler, 8 species of rosefinches (include stunners like Vinaceous and Three-banded) and Crimson-browed Finch.

Schedule:

Day 1_Your arrive in Chengdu then transfer to Pingshan (250km 3.5hrs).  It depends on your arrival time, we may arrange birding in the afternoon.   

Overnight in Deshengyuan Hotel in Pinshan

Day 2_Full birding from the hide.

Birding for Lady Armherst’s pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Temminck’s Tragopan, Sichuan Partridge, Emeishan Liocichla.(from blind)

Other possible species: Elliot’s, Rusty Laughingthrush, Golden Parrotbill, Golden Fulvetta, Streaked-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Himalayan Blue-tail, etc.

Overnight in Deshengyuan Hotel

Day 3__After Morning Birding, drive from Pingshan to Mt. Wawushan   (277km  4.5hrs)  

2-night at Wawushanju Inn or similar.

Day 4__Full day birding in Mt. Wawushan.

Mt. WawuShan, is an over 3000m peak, which situated about 70 km to the west of the more famous Mt.EmeiShan. Mt.Wawushan is the largest National Primeval Forest Park in China. The elevation goes from 2830m. According to the investigations, there are more than 3500 species of plants and about 300 species of birds in M.t Wawushan areas. At lower levels, areas of evergreen broadleaf woodland are interspersed with cultivation, but higher up this gives way to deciduous woodland and ultimately large open, grassy or bamboo-covered areas and stands of mixed coniferous-rhododendron forest. As we walk here among the gnarled, moss-encrusted trees we may enjoy some superb vistas across a seemingly endless series of mountain ridges to the great snow-capped peaks of western Sichuan beyond. 

The prime endemic birds you may see here are:

Three-toed, Great, Brown, Grey-Headed, Vinous-throated, Ashy-throated, Fulvous, Golden, Grey-hooded Parrotbills, Emei Shan Liocichla,Sichuan Treecreeper, Spotted-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Three-toed woodpecker,  Grey-hooded Fulvetta, Brown-capped (or Dusky) Fulvetta and White-collared Yuhina, Elliott's Laughingthrush, Red-winged Laughingthrush. 

Day 5_ Wawushan to Wolong(280km 5hrs),

After morning birding session, we’ll then drive to Wolong

Day 6 to 8__Full day Birding in Balangshan for the endemics.

Siyou Hotel, Wolong

Balangshan has an impressive avifauna. It's in the region of alpine meadows and jagged, snow-covered peaks.  We will be able to explore areas from the valley at about 2700m right up to the pass of snow mountain at about 4500m. We will do birding among the surrounding peaks rising to over 5500m and could even see the magnificent peak of Mt.Siguniang. The Wolong Giant Panda reserve is located at the foot of Balangshan in northwest of Sichuan. It is known as the headquarters of the World Wildlife Fund, to save the species from extinction, especially pandas.

The prime endemic birds you may see here are: 

Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Partridge, Chinese Monal. Grandalas,  Wood Snipe, White Eared Pheasant, Firethroat, Chestnut-headed Tesias, Koklass Pheasants, Temminck's Tragopan, Golden Pheasant, Kessler's and Chestnut Thrushes, Chinese Leaf Warbler, Spectacled Parrotbill, Barred Laughingthrush, White-browed and Crested Tit Wabler, Slaty Bunting, Black-browed and White-browedTit,. 

Other birds such as: Alpine Accentors, Lammergeier, Red-breasted Rosefinches, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Plain and Brandt's Mountain Finches, Plumbeous Redstarts, River Chat (or White-capped Redstart), Spotted Bush Warbler, Tickell's Leaf Warbler, Rufous-bellied Niltava, the splendidly, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Chestnut-flanked White-eye, Spotted Nutcracker, Red-billed and Alpine Choughs, Dark-breast, Pink-rumped, Vinaceous, White-browed, Chinese Beautiful, Spot-winged, Red fronted and Streaked Rosefinches,  Common Buzzard, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, White-browed Fulvetta, the Yellow-browed and Fire-capped Tits, Grey-crested Tit, Common (or Ring-necked) Pheasant, Snow Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, White-throated Needle-tail, Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Asian House Martin, Olive-backed and Rosy Pipits, White-throated Dipper, White-tailed Rubythroat, Indian Blue Robin, White-browed Bush Robin, Blue-fronted, Daurian Redstart, little Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler.

Day 9  Wolong to Maerkang via Mengbi Forest      

After morning birding in Mt. Balangshan, we will then drive to Maerkang via Mengbi Forest. Maerkang is the capital of Kham district. Birding along the way. We shall make several stops to look for such birds as:  Sichuan Jay, Chinese Grouse, Blood Pheasant, White-eared pheasant, Chestnut-throated Monal Partridge,  Black Woodpecker, Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, White-winged Grosbeak, Collared Grosbeak, Hill Pigeon, Eurasian Crag Martin, Hodgson's Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush and Wallcreeper, Crested Tit-Warbler, Sichuan Jay, Winter Wren, Maroon-backed Accentor, Himalayan Red-flanked Bluetail,  White-throated Redstart,  Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker,  Greenish, Hume's Leaf and Yellow-streaked Warblers, Goldcrest,  Chinese Babax, Giant Laughingthrush, Chinese Fulvetta, Eurasian Treecreeper, Oriental Crow, Pink-rumped (or Stresemann's) Rosefinch. 

1-night at Maerkang JiaRong Hotel or similar.

Day 10 Maerkang to Ruo'ergai        

Today we will drive from Maerkang to Ruo'ergai. This area is on the edge of Tibetan plateau, including grass land swamp and hills, Target birds: Pink-tailed Bunting, Black-necked Crane, Little Owl, Chinese Grey Shrike, Hume’s Gound Tit, White-rumped snowfinch, Larks, Common & Upland Buzzards, Himalayan Griffon, Waders and Redstarts. And there are many mammals such as Himalayan Marmot, Pica, Tibetan Fox, Wolf, etc. 

2-nights at Ruo'ergai Sunshine Hotel or similar. 

Day 11-12  Birding in Ruoergai Area    

We will birding around Ruo’ergai area to the Baxi Forest and Flower Lake, try to looking for the Sichuan wood Owl, Blue-eared Pheasant, Common Pheasant, Plain and Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush, Chinese Grouse, Three-banded Rosefinch, Przevalski’s and Chinese Nuthatch, Gansu Leaf Warbler, Sichuan Tit, White-spectacled Parrotbill, Black Woodpecker, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Kessler's and Chestnut Thrush. Etc. After that we'll then head to the Chuanzhusi Town. 

2 nights at Chuanzhusi Hotel or similar

Day 13 Gonggangling Forest near Chuanzhusi Town.    

Birding in Gonggangling Forest for the Sichuan Wood Owl, Chinese Grouse, Blue-eared Pheasant. White-bellied redstar, White-browed Tit, etc.

Day 14  After morning birding, head to Chengdu airport hotel for overnight. Departure, Tour ended.