Labahe (again)

I left the rather tricky decision of whether to venture back up to the top of the mountain or head lower down until breakfast this morning. As we gathered at Tang’s cabin just before 6am it did seem that the cloud was higher than yesterday so took the gamble to head up to the top boardwalk and our decision was vindicated by the great view across to the surrounding mountain tops which were clearly visible. 

Labahe

Labahe

Labahe

We wasted no time in heading along the boardwalk and spent the whole morning in rather patient manner scouring the surrounding area. A slow start began with all of the usual warblers being seen including Sichuan Leaf-warbler, but a Buff-barred Warbler was new for us as it sang from a close pine tree, whilst a pair of Chestnut-bellied Rock-thrushes were present in the valley below us. A few Brown Parrotbills were present in the dense stand of bamboo that borders the whole boardwalk, but we were more intent on finding the apparently elusive fulvous variety which remained inconsiderately absent throughout the morning. However, when a Firethroat began singing nearby all of our attentions diverted to searching for this much-wanted cracker! In fact it took just a few seconds to find it perched on a low branch in a pine tree where it remained for ages. We set the scope up and enjoyed prolonged views of the whole bird and were able to appreciate the stunning plumage of this usually shy and skulking species that can be a very tricky bird to get a decent look at under normal circumstances. 

Firethroat

Shortly afterwards a White-bellied Redstart began singing and knowing it would remain invisible in its bamboo home we took a narrow, muddy trail made by the Takins towards the bird. It was definitely a stubborn one but after some time it kindly hopped up onto some tree roots and began to sing for a little while before melting away. 

White-bellied Redstart

White-bellied Redstart

The last bird of the morning was a mega, when a pair of Rufous-tailed Babblers were found skulking around a fallen tree but eventually showed reasonably well, even copulating at one stage right in front of us! 

Rufous-tailed Babbler - record shot!

After a picnic lunch we walked back up to the top and as fortune would have it, came across a small group of Fulvous Parrotbills feeding beside the boardwalk. After several minutes of great views we left, seeing a brief Grey-hooded Fulvetta along the way before walking down the mountain road, getting decent looks at Bianchi’s Warbler and several more Spotted Nutcrackers before reaching the area where we had the liocichlas yesterday. There was no sign of them today, but a Fujian Niltava was a surprise and as we tried to relocate it following a Houdini act we came across a male Lady Amhert’s Pheasant to add to the nice views from earlier today. Several Elliot’s Laughingthrushes were seen, followed by a fine male Blue-fronted Redstart before we took a side trail. This proved to be a good move as we saw a pair of Chinese White-browed Rosefinches, another White-bellied Redstart showed well, as did a fabulous Chestnut-headed Tesia that sang its little heart out beside the track. I managed to get a few shots of it, but there was always a branch or leaf in front of it!!

Chestnut-headed Tesia

Chestnut-headed Tesia

But with dark clouds looming and a few spots of rain it seemed our day was over, but how wrong can you be? Very as it turned out when a Brown Bush-warbler responded pretty well to the ipod, and then a sprightly Fire-capped Tit was scoped as it visited its nesting hole. But the major surprise was a White-shouldered Startling found in a nearby tree which is apparently a late migrant and possibly the first record for this site. 

White-shouldered Starling

With a very brief view of Black-faced Laughingthrush to add to our earlier sighting and another Grey-headed Bullfinch perched on top of a pine tree we then headed back down to the hotel in the jeeps. A spur of the moment decision to walk the final couple of kilometres turned out to be of almost divine intervention as within a couple of minutes we were face-to-face with an extremely territorial male Temminck’s Tragopan that came down the hill to get a closer look at us. He then proceeded to display aggressively by rapidly flapping his wings before moving from one prominent position to another above us before finally flying up into a tree. A female was also present but barely warranted a second glance, so mesmerised were we by this beautiful orange and blue apparition and found it hard to drag ourselves away, but we left them in peace and headed down for an early dinner. 

Temminck's Tragopan (female)

Temminck's Tragopan

Labahe

We headed up the mountain early this morning in two jeeps, and unbelievably after just driving a couple of kilometres a male Temminck’s Tragopan crossed the track in front of us! YES!!  It fed briefly beside the road before walking up the slope and out of sight, only to be refound a little later perched about 20 metres above us on a small ridge. It remained for around twenty minutes, ample time to study it through the scope, despite the mist which frustrated us for most of the day. So what a great start and we continued with a few sightings of Lady Amherst’s Pheasant as well as we drove ever higher along the bumpy dirt road. A herd of Golden Takins below the road caused out next stop, and we also had a Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, first of two Brown Parrotbills to be seen today, before reaching the end of the road and the start of the boardwalk. 

Brown Parrotbill

Labahe

Labahe

Labahe

With a persistent drizzle and accompanying mist and low cloud continuing for the whole day it was a particularly frustrating affair but we soldiered on admirably and were suitably rewarded for our efforts with some quality birds. We began with our first attempt at White-browed Shortwing which would ultimately prove fruitful later in the day. The forest was ringing to the sound of warblers and we notched up the common Claudia’s Warbler, followed by Large-billed and Sichuan Leaf-warblers, and eventually Bianchi’s Warbler. We followed the boardwalk for quite a way and then went quite steeply downhill where a Himalayan Cuckoo, flock of Speckled Woodpigeons, Elliot’s Laughingthrush, Aberrant Bush-warbler, Long-tailed Minivet and White-collared Yuhina were the highlights. 

White-collared Yuhina

Returning a couple of hours later we added Yellow-browed Tit to our list before eating our picnic lunch in the rain! With the weather looking to continue in the same horrible manner for the rest of the day we decided to head lower down and the next couple of kilometres produced Large Hawk-cuckoo, Grey-backed Shrike, Ferruginous and Rufous-gorgeted Flycatchers, Gould’s Sunbird, Grey-headed Bullfinch, and best of all an Emei Shan Liocichla was lured in for great views. This latter species was one I was afraid of missing, as we normally see it on Wawu Shan - which is closed for the next few years for 'redevelopment'........

We eventually reached our cabins around 4pm and after a much needed hot coffee checked out the immediate vicinity culminating in a grandstand performance by a pair of Golden-breasted Fulvettas who were accompanied by a confiding Rufous-capped Babbler. Not a bad day at all!

Golden-breasted Fulvetta

Golden-breasted Fulvetta

Sichuan & Tibetan Plateau Tour

Sichuan lies in the very heart of China and is situated on the eastern edge of the vast Tibetan Plateau.  It is a huge province, the size of France and hosts the richest concentration of Chinese specialities and endemics in this vast country. There is a remarkable wealth of birdlife waiting in its rich evergreen and temperate forests, alpine meadows, mighty snow-capped mountains and grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau which form some of the most spectacular scenery of any bird tour! Our unique and special  two-week tour visited the mountains of Labahe,  Balang Shan, Mengbi Shan, the Tibetan Plateau, and finished with a post-tour extension to Shaanxi Province for the amazing Crested Ibis. In all we recorded 275 species which included 54 endemic, near endemic and breeding-endemics. Amongst a very special selection of spectacular species the bird of the trip was Temminck’s Tragopan and families very well represented including 14 ‘galliformes’, 25 species of warbler, 28 species of babbler and 9 species of Rosefinch. 

READ ON FOR THE FULL STORY........

Following an overnight flight from London via Hong Kong we eventually arrived at Chengdu in the early afternoon. After meeting Tang Jun we drove to a restaurant for lunch before paying a visit to Yuantan Park where despite the number of people and noise managed to notch up a few birds. First up was Chinese Blackbird, looking and sounding different to the blackbirds back in the UK. A few Vinous-throated Parrotbills showed very well, as did a cracking Yellow-billed (Chinese) Grosbeak, Collared Finchbill and several White-browed Laughingthrushes. With plenty of Chinese Bulbuls, a few Black-throated Tits, Himalayan Swiftlet, and a few other common species we had made a decent start and with most of the target species seen headed to our nearby hotel for a much needed rest before dinner.

We left Chengdu early the next morning and headed out across the Red Basin, a huge area of lowland cultivation, stopping to check out a small wooded area beside a river. What a great move this turned out to be as a displaying Forest Wagtail was seen, quickly followed by a pair of Swinhoe’s Minivets and a very fine Tiger Shrike. A small flock of Ashy-throated Parrotbills also came into view along the narrow stream, and as we watched them a very bright male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher flew in. With a couple of Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers and Asian Paradise-flycatcher, Oriental Greenfinch and a pair of Chinese Grosbeaks seen as well, along with some commoner species things were going well. Moving on, we checked out some sites for Hwamei but only succeeded in getting an Asian Drongo-cuckoo and Brownish-flanked Bush-warbler. So by now it was late morning and we headed to a great little restaurant in Ya’an for another great meal before driving further west to Labahe. 

The road went for miles through a spectacularly scenic river valley with huge, forest-clad mountains on either side and we then stopped to watch a Brown Dipper feeding in the tumbling river. Also here was a Spangled Drongo and a very tape-responsive Alstrom’s Warbler. Once inside the reserve we walked a few kilometres along the road and despite the misty & drizzly conditions managed decent views of Dark-sided Flycatcher, the endemic Yellow-bellied and several Green-backed Tits, a wing-flicking Claudia’s Warbler and a heard only Bianchi’s Warbler. A large flock of Asian House-martins and Himalayan Swiftlets held one or two Pacific Swifts, and a few White-throated Needletails also put in an appearance. Other birds seen included Blue Whistling-thrush, White-capped and Plumbeous Water-Redstarts, Japanese Tit and Red-billed Blue Magpie before reaching our accommodation for the next four nights, set amidst superb forest at 1950m.