1 July to 20 July 2010

Participant: Albert and Thomas  Guide & Driver: Tang Jun

This is the first time to set a scheduled tour, mainly because some birders can not meet the right time of other birding companies’ scheduled tour. Actually have some inquiries after I post the information onto my website and got 3 bookings but one cancel the trip because of personal reason. But as promised, still guarantee the departure even only 2 bookings.

The tour ends by a fruitful trip and in 20 days we saw about 260 species and include 13 game birds. If myself can learn more about warblers, I think can add at least about 10 more species.

Our itinerary as follow:

1 July participants arrived at Chengdu by different flight thus two airport pick up and we all meet for dinner, stay at Wenjun Hotel

2 July we drive to Wawu and after Ya’an city we stop for birding, got the Forest Wagtail and Swinhoe’s Minivet, then easy got the Ash Throated Parrotbill we get to Wa Wu mountain check in Gong Tong Villa Hotel and we three stay at one villa and we had a setting room to have time to do the check list.

3-4 July summit we saw all Parrotbill except the Brown, but good view of the Red Panda again. And in July the Lady Am is funny looking as without the beautiful tail.

5 July we drove to Wolong after the last birding at Wawu and check in the new small but clean hotel

6-7 July we spent two full days at Balang Shan but unfortunately we did not see the Chinese Monal but all other important birds. Especially we saw the Firethroat and Bared LH at Balang Shan.

8 July we spent a one day trip by walking up and down to Wuyipeng. Weather is bad and raining and a hard day.

9 July we drove to Maerkang, include a last looking of Balang Shan. At Rilong a short stop bring us some good birds include the White Cheeked Nuthatch, Wall Creeper, Sichuan Tit(Willow Tit) and we almost forget the lunch.

10-11 July Two full days at Mengbi Shan forest and got the target birds. On 11th July, we sleep quite late as the final of the 2010 World Cup.

12 July we start early and we drove to Zegu Mountain 70km outside Maerkang towards Hong Yuan. We pick up couple of other birds at the mountain then drive back to the main roads and en route looking for the Ibisbill but due to dirty of the river caused by road workings and ends by fail.Before Hong Yuan, we stop at a herdsman tent, we had very fresh yak yogurt.

13 July drive to Roige and birding en route, Spotted Deer in wild.we using Dazang Sunshine Hotel

14 July we spent the morning at Baxi and got the Blue Eared Pheasant and other birds.

15 July we drove to Gong Gang Lin for some birding then carry onto Jiuzhaigou and overnight at Jiuzhaigou Grand Hotel

16-17 July two days inside the park and got the Robin and Snowy-cheeked LH, plus some other good birds.

18 July we spent a full day at Gong Gang Lin where is so good for the Chinese Grouse and Blue Eared Pheasant.

19 July almost a full day drive back to Chengdu by the eastern road. We counted the number of birds we saw by happy drinking at Travellers’ Bar.

20 July after drop Thomas at airport, Albert stay one more night at Chengdu for good food and some lightly birding around the city.

21 July Albert fly off in the afternoon and we plan to have a winter birding at Poyang Lake in southeast of China and a short birding at Gaoligong Mountain at Yunan early of 2011.