So the day started very wet and miserable as we
staked out our site for Blue
Eared-Pheasant and unsurprisingly we only heard it. We drove lower but the
weather continued in the same vain and despite hanging around for a while there
was no sign in letting up and all we had to show for our efforts was a Przevalski’s Nuthatch.
We made the bold decision to drive to Flower Lake at 10am and upon arrival it was still raining so we ate our second breakfast like good little Hobbits when all of a sudden the weather began to clear. A White-rumped Snowfinch appeared nearby, a Horned Lark flew in and landed right in front of our coach in the car park and a Tiger Shrike was spotted. Amazingly the rain stopped and whilst waiting for the park bus to leave a trio of Rufous-necked Snowfinches flew towards us and landed giving perfect views. Our luck was definitely changing. The short drive to the end of the road was productive with 3 Sakers perched on roadside posts and at least 4 Tibetan Larks flying past. Down at the lake we enjoyed some nice birding with some notable finds and really scarce birds – Purple Heron, 6 Oriental Pratincoles, redhead Smew, and 4 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes. Other birds seen included Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Northern Pintail, Great Crested Grebe on a nest, Little Grebe, Ferruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard, White-winged and Whiskered Terns, Tibetan Wagtails, Wood Sandpiper and others.
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| Dawn looked promising this morning |
We made the bold decision to drive to Flower Lake at 10am and upon arrival it was still raining so we ate our second breakfast like good little Hobbits when all of a sudden the weather began to clear. A White-rumped Snowfinch appeared nearby, a Horned Lark flew in and landed right in front of our coach in the car park and a Tiger Shrike was spotted. Amazingly the rain stopped and whilst waiting for the park bus to leave a trio of Rufous-necked Snowfinches flew towards us and landed giving perfect views. Our luck was definitely changing. The short drive to the end of the road was productive with 3 Sakers perched on roadside posts and at least 4 Tibetan Larks flying past. Down at the lake we enjoyed some nice birding with some notable finds and really scarce birds – Purple Heron, 6 Oriental Pratincoles, redhead Smew, and 4 Black-necked and 2 Slavonian Grebes. Other birds seen included Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Northern Pintail, Great Crested Grebe on a nest, Little Grebe, Ferruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard, White-winged and Whiskered Terns, Tibetan Wagtails, Wood Sandpiper and others.
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| These Black-necked Cranes flew over |
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| Chinese Pond Heron in breeding plumage |
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| Common Tern |
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| Great Crested Grebe on a nest |
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| Slavonian Grebe |
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| Whiskered Tern |
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| White-winged Tern |
It took a while but eventually we had decent scope
vies of a Tibetan Lark as well before driving back along the plateau where we had amazing close-ups of a Saker mobbing an Upland Buzzard.
Back at Baxi Forest where shortly after our arrival Jules did the business again and spotted a Blue Eared-Pheasant feeding quietly in a small meadow and we also found a pair of Spectacled Parrotbills and a Serow.
Also seen this evening were Yellow-streaked and Alpine Leaf Warblers, Plain Laughingthrush, Chinese Grouse, and 15 Oriental Honey Buzzards migrating north. So quite a day.
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| Great views of Saker this afternoon |
Back at Baxi Forest where shortly after our arrival Jules did the business again and spotted a Blue Eared-Pheasant feeding quietly in a small meadow and we also found a pair of Spectacled Parrotbills and a Serow.
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| Spectacled Parrotbill |
Also seen this evening were Yellow-streaked and Alpine Leaf Warblers, Plain Laughingthrush, Chinese Grouse, and 15 Oriental Honey Buzzards migrating north. So quite a day.
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