Lijiang

This was a tough day as we searched unsuccessfully for Biet’s Laughingthrush in a remote corner of Yunnan. Bird activity at 2800m was general extremely quiet and it took a great deal of determination to track down a few quality species. We began the day with a nice western-style buffet breakfast at the hotel followed by a 7am departure and a short hour’s drive to the site. It was much colder than we had experienced so far and there was nothing moving at all for a while after our arrival. Some ‘scratching’ sounds in the leaf litter led us to the first of several brief glimpses of Black-streaked Scimitar-Babbler, although some Red-billed Blue Magpies were a little more obvious. As the day progressed we walked along the quiet road with the sun shining and clear blue skies once again. Just around the corner a Red-throated Thrush was found by Kristian but was a bit distant and only a couple of us managed to see it. However, a pair of Elliot’s Laughingthrushes were much more obliging as they fed along the roadside in front of us.  Our best flock of the day was next up with Rusty-capped Fulvettas being joined by a pair of superb Black-bibbed Tits, with the usual Black-browed Bushtits in attendance. 

Then we drove to another spot for our main target and despite some extensive searching we still drew a blank, although Spotted Nutcracker, Blue-fronted Redstart, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch,Godlewski’s Bunting and several groups of Grey-headed Bullfinches were appreciated. Then we returned to the first site but it was very, very quiet apart from Himalayan Bluetail, Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush and a group of 3 Maroon-backed Accentors. So after a picnic lunch we drove a few kilometres further and enjoyed our  most productive session of the day with an outstandingly confiding pair of Rufous-tailed Babblers performing a mere 10 feet away from us. The same area held White-browed Fulvetta, as well as a gang of Chinese Babax feeding quietly on the slope above us. 

Rufous-tailed Babbler

One last throw of the dice saw us return to the first site in search of the enigmatic Biet’s, but they just weren’t around. Instead we enjoyed a mixed group of Spectacled and White-browed Fulvettas feeding I a conifer at eye-level to end the day.