Sichuan Continues.....

With rain battering the windscreen we leave the ‘gorge country’ and head up towards the Tibetan Plateau and I don’t feel overly optimistic about what today would bring. With solid, low grey skies it did look like we were in for a foul day and eating our picnic breakfast in the last shelter before the plateau (a newly build and as yet not opened fuel station) we saw our first Azure-winged Magpie and Common Pheasant. Just up the road we drive alongside a grassy area where Oriental Skylarks and Daurian Jackdaw are seen, but by the time we reach the edge of the plateau the skies are clearing a little and we venture out to check a bush-covered hillside. A Plain Laughingthrush is noted, along with a Godlewski’s Bunting before continuing our drive. With clearing skies the scenery changes to a more open vista and high on our agenda is the plateau endemic White-browed Tit, although our first few attempts are in vain. Yet there is now some blue sky and birds are singing and driving along through more open, grassy habitat a hulking Tibetan Lark flies up from the roadside and out we jump to find several pairs are present and treat us to super views. There is also an adult feeding an almost fully grown juvenile nearby, and we’ve already seen our first Tibetan Citrine Wagtails, Crested Lark and more… Moving on and a great find of a Tibetan Grey Shrike perched on telegraph wires but our viewing is cut short by a peremptory policeman telling us to move on! But what a great bird!

The Tibetan Plateau

We have lunch at a nice little restaurant in Hongyuan that serves delicious dumplings before continuing our journey. More stops are made before the much-wanted White-browed Tit is found, and we also see Little Owl, Rock Sparrow, Horned Lark (or Elwes’s Horned Lark once the promised ‘splits’ are made), Upland Buzzard, lots of Black-eared Kites, Ruddy Shelduck, Ferruginous Ducks, Northern Raven, Oriental Crow, Pale Martin, Black Redstart, and plenty of pretty Twite. Special mention must be made of the Black-necked Cranes and our first pair are feeding in a flower covered open grassy area – superb. We also see a couple of nests with one adult tending two huge eggs.

The major finale of the day is a pair Tibetan Partridges we scope as they feed on a steep slope opposite us – a scarce bird in Sichuan and much appreciated. And we finally reach Ruoergai at 7.45pm – phew what a day!

Mengbishan Clean-Up

Driving up into the wonderful old pine forest of Mengbishan at 5am I am wondering what the day will bring – well I shouldn’t have worried. At my usual spot for Koklass Pheasant I cannot remember getting better views of this sometimes tricky-to-see-well species and in fact this was probably my best views ever. First of all we saw a male bird fly out from the forest across the road and into the treeline above us. From here he called repeatedly for some time before flying back out and onto the slope below us. Waiting patiently, we watch the road ahead feeling confident that the bird will have to cross it to get back to his original song-post. Sure enough there he is, walking sedately across in front of us, hopping up onto the bank and giving prolonged views right out in the open. Wow! What a way to start the day. And it gets even better when a Long-tailed Thrush flies right past us at close range revealing that typical ‘zoothera’ underwing. From here we drive up above the treeline and check out the Rosefinches, with Common, Chinese Beautiful and Pink-rumped all present and feeding on the ground. After a little walk, during which we are surrounded by inquisitive Yaks, we see several Blood Pheasants feeding out in the open, when all of a sudden Jay spots the bird we want – Verreaux’s Monal-Partridge. In fact there are a pair just feeding between some bushes and there’s plenty of time to scope them. Following this we are all elated and are treated to further crippling views of both pheasant and partridge, with a calling monal-partridge teed up in the scope looking fantastic. This bird really threw his head right back and called vehemently and to watch this through the scope as he called from directly upslope to us was a real treat. There’s also some nice views of Alpine Leaf-Warbler and Chinese Fulvetta here as well. As if this wasn’t enough we came across a pair of White-browed (Severtzov’s) Tit-Warblers bringing food into a small bush that must have had a nest in it. Initially it was the female feeding on the ground in front of us before the incredibly beautiful male appears – surely that combination of suffused pink and blue can’t be right….?

So after pigging out on breakfast we head down into the forest and begin our hunt for Sichuan Jay. After walking a while, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, we had a jay teed up in our scopes perched at the very pinnacle of a pine tree above us. As easy as that, and following horror stories of other groups dipping here we are very happy indeed. High five!! But just then the distinctive call of Collared Grosbeak is heard and we scope a superb male and more demure female as well. We are on a roll and cleaning up our hit-list for this site, but still no sign of the expected tit-warbler. So we walk some more, seeing Himalayan Buzzard, Hume’s Warbler, White-throated Redstart and enjoy some fantastic looks at a group of White Eared Pheasants feeding on the slope above us - but by now it is late morning. A short drive downhill to what I have dubbed ‘Magic Corner’ and as soon as we step out of the bus a Yellow-streaked Warbler is seen, but it’s a shame our attention is diverted momentarily from two other shapes deeper inside the conifer as it’s a pair of Three-banded Rosefinch. They promptly fly such a long way over the forest and out of sight…. Never to be seen again… However, a stunning Przevalski’s Nuthatch gives point-blank views here from about 5 metres away at head height (no camera… Grrrr) for maybe a minute before flying off. And then just around the corner a pair of the much-wanted Crested Tit-Warblers are feeding in the closest conifer beside the road and also give stunning views – the male really is a beauty! Oh and another Long-tailed Thrush puts in an appearance for Ron, there’s a few White-winged Grosbeaks and a Dark-sided Flycatcher is also scoped.

To be honest, that’s our day pretty much done right there and it’s only 1.15pm. We drive lower for lunch, make a walk and mess around in the Tibetan village with only Black-eared Kite, Red Turtle and Oriental Turtle Doves, White-throated Dipper (much to Dexter’s delight), another Chinese Fulvetta and a pair of Daurian Redstarts to show for our efforts.

Moving on to Mengbishan

Leaving at 6.15am felt like decadence this morning but we only went a few kilometres uphill and spend a pleasant couple of hours birding along the road. There are some notable sightings such as Golden Eagle, Snow Pigeon, Speckled Woodpigeon perched up for a change, White-bellied Redstart, Sichuan Tit, Giant Laughingthrush, and other common species. Just as we are leaving, the distinctive call of a Przevalski’s Nuthatch is heard and there it is at the top of a fir tree, but only a few people get tickable views before it disappears despite much effort to relocate it. So we return to the hotel for breakfast and then set off towards Mengbishan, stopping along the way for lunch in a small restaurant.

We arrive at the Mengbi Pass at around 3pm, having just seen a Himalayan Griffon feeding on a carcass right beside the winding road – boy they are really big! The view from here is superb with forested hills and snow-capped mountains dominating the horizon and after some obligatory photos of the view and prayer flags we drive down the road. 

There's a nice view from Mengbi Pass

Tibetan Prayer Flags at Mengbi Pass

A short stop results in Chris finding a Streaked Rosefinch, and there’s also a few Common Rosefinches but not a lot else. So we head into the forest that here is dominated by conifers and begin our Sichuan Jay hunt. There are Goldcrests, both Hume’s and Sichuan Leaf Warblers, Rufous-vented and Grey-crested Tits, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, and a flyover Himalayan Buzzard. Meanwhile a group of Blood Pheasants are called in and watched scuttling across the road before calling back at us from the moss-covered forest floor above us. Nice! A Tufted Deer is also spotted on a far slope, and a little later a White Eared Pheasant is scoped on a distant slope – and that is our day.

Balangshan - The Return

As it’s China then we had some random rule imposed that our driver could not start driving until 5am (instead of the 4am I wanted) so we arrive at the monal site at 6.30am and so miss the first crucial ‘pheasant-hour’ of the day. So we stake out the tunnel area but there aren’t any Koklass Pheasants calling, although a pair of flyover Chinese Monals was quite spectacular as they took off right across the valley and over the trees and into the distant grassland. I remember this walk for the crippling close pair of Wallcreepers, literally 5 metres away, in perfect light and just above head height…. Mmmm. This small section of the old road that skirts the tunnel always turns up interesting sightings and our walk was no different, with many Common and Dark-breasted Rosefinches calling all around, Asian House Martins nesting in the walls right next to us, a perched Northern Goshawk in the scope, and our first Alpine Leaf-Warbler coming in close to check us out. 

We leave here and drive lower and walk off the road and into the ‘forest’ where a Maroon-backed Accentor is something of a surprise, but we don’t see much else and only I get to see a male Golden Pheasant scuttling along the forest floor. With rumbling stomachs we walk back to the bus, but just then a Chestnut-crowned Bush-Warbler starts to sing and after a short wait we all eyeball this under-rated little beauty singing from the nearby bushes. We follow this with much better views than we have had before of Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler and can now finally tuck into our breakfast that includes cold fries and Yak meat…… So with the sun beating down we make a bold decision to return to the trail and get better views of Blood Pheasant, as a pair walk sedately along the forest floor above us. There’s also a young Plain-backed Thrush perched nearby, some Vinaceous Rosefinches, Himalayan Bluetail, but it’s not until we decide to walk back that we find a pair of Stripe-throated Yuhinas and a few other common species. 

From here we check out some roadside stops, with only a pair of House Sparrows and another Maroon-backed Accentor to show for our efforts and then head back to the tunnel. The second lot of calling Verreaux’s Monal-Partridges defy our decent attempts to spot them, so we head up to the higher areas which by now are misty and we experience some rain. But at the obelisk area it is just low cloud and dry and we find a calling Snow Partridge relatively easily thanks to Derek’s sharp eyes. 

Watching Snow Partridge

It is way above us, perched on the skyline but the views in the scope are great, in between belts of mist rising from the valley below obscuring the bird. A Lammergeier hoves into view just over our heads but disappears into the gloom. Driving back to Rilong it rains quite a bit until we reach the lower section of valley where we walk along the road. There’s more Pink-rumped Rosefinches, flyover Golden Eagles, Black Woodpecker, Black-browed Bushtit, Streaked Rosefinch, Chinese Leaf-Warbler, an Olive-backed Pipit singing from the top of a conifer, and even an Eurasian Jay.  

Yet more fine scenery......

Balangshan Begins.....

Up and out at 3.30am (what..??!!) and driving up and over Balangshan, arriving at the Wood Snipe spot by 5.00am – a little early I thought. However the snipes are calling for a few minutes but suddenly go silent and that’s it. Great! But the clear, starlit skies bodes well for the day and sure enough we are treated to the best weather I’ve ever experienced here. 

Balangshan Sunrise....

Scanning the slope above and we find at least 4 White Eared-Pheasants feeding out in the open – our first ‘chicken’ of the day and a good one, plus we see our first Kessler’s Thrush. It’s just a short drive down to the tunnel and once on the other side we start scanning for Chinese Monals and I’m pleased to report we quickly find a male on the slope above us, followed a little later by 2 males and a female feeding on the grassy slope just below the skyline and the views in the scope are superb. What a bird – I feel like I keep saying that frequently on this tour! Anyway, there are calling Koklass Pheasants and Verreaux’s Monal-Partridges that just won’t show, although there are plenty of other birds around us and another close Wallcreeper is much appreciated. 

Dark-breasted Rosefinch

A male Dark-breasted Rosefinch flies in and lands close by as well, and more Rosy Pipits and Blue-fronted Redstarts appear. With a long horizon dominated by craggy, snow-covered peaks this must rank as one of the most scenic breakfast spots of any tour, and we follow our picnic with a short walk along the road where a male Crimson-browed Finch is seen by all, to add to the brief views of a female earlier – a new trip bird for me in Sichuan.

Not a bad spot for breakfast....

Male Crimson-browed Finch

With clear blue skies it seems like a good decision to drive to higher areas and try for Tibetan Snowcock & Snow Partridge and a short drive later sees us scanning huge open valleys and scree slopes. A cracking Tibetan Snowcock is scoped as it calls back at us from far above and also looks pretty good in the scope. But we just cannot find any partridges, and have to content ourselves with several stunning Grandalas, Brandt’s Mountain-Finches, and flyover Lammergeier, Golden Eagles and Himalayan Griffons. There are also some groups of Alpine and Red-billed Choughs around as well. 

Brandt's Mountain-Finch

Golden Eagle

Lammergeier

A few of us walk up a steep slope to try to get an angle on a calling Snow Partridge without success, but more incredible views and a few Rufous-breasted Accentors are some compensation. 

Great scenery...

Heading back down to Beimuping, it is hot and sunny and almost birdless although our first Chinese White-browed Rosefinch is appreciated. So its good to get under the shade of some trees and a nice quiet little area sees Ron catch a glimpse of a Golden Pheasant, there’s a shy Blood Pheasant scuttling across the trail and a Plain-backed Thrush is feeding a large fledgling. 

Ray's Alpine Accentor

So following lunch we head back up to the dizzy heights of 4000m and over in another vain search for Snow Partridge, but Ray is particularly delighted with an Alpine Accentor is found feeding beside our parked bus. To celebrate he finds us a Hog-nosed Badger feeding on a slope above the road and nearby we also find a couple of confiding male Red-fronted Rosefinches and they are totally oblivious to our presence. 

Alpine Accentor again

Plain Mountain-Finch

Red-fronted Rosefinch

The same area has closer Grandala, Plain Mountain-Finches and flyover Pacific Swifts. We check out the area over the pass but find nothing new so drop even lower and scope a singing Himalayan Rubythroat to end the day in fine style. Unfortunately it was at this point that my new camera strap came unscrewed, dumping my new Nikon camera onto the road and breaking the auto-focus mechanism – so no more bird photos from me. Great!