Sichuan, China

18th May - 6th June 2025

Leader: Mike Nelson

Our Sichuan tour includes birding among some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and takes in the area's fascinating culture and famed Sichuan cuisine.
We start south in the sub-tropical forests south of Chengdu. Despite its remoteness and lack of visitors, it is a superb area, and one of the best in Sichuan for laughingthrushes; Emei Liocichla, Buffy, Spotted and Red-winged Laughingthrush are all possible. A couple of rare species are also possible in the area - Grey-hooded Parrotbill and Sichuan Treecreeper.
Labahe NNR is next up, primarily for Temminck's Tragopan and Lady Amherst's Pheasant but also a range of parrotbill, warblers, laughingthrushes and Slaty Bunting.
Heading north, our next destination is Wolong, famous for its population of Giant Pandas, and the mossy forest with thick bamboo understorey which is their home provides an atmospheric setting for some truly special birds. These include the stunning Temminck's Tragopan and the striking Firethroat. The scenery along the upper reaches of the park, where the highest peaks rise to over 4,500m, is spectacular. It provides a perfect back drop against which to search for Wood Snipe, Chinese Monal, Tibetan Snowcock, Grandala, White-browed Tit Warbler and Himalayan Rubythroat.
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From Wolong we head northeast along the rim of the Tibetan Plateau hoping to encounter species typical of the high plateau grasslands. Black-necked Crane, Ground Tit and Upland Buzzard are all likely. We complete our exploration at Jiuzhaigou National Park where we have two full days exploring the picturesque forests, lakes and alpine meadows. The rare Rufous-headed Robin is one of our main targets although the likes of Severtzov's Grouse, Przevalski's Nuthatch, Sukatschev's Laughingthrush and Three-banded RoseÞnch will all vie for our attention.

Day 1:
Arrivals into Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) or Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport(CTU), followed by transfer to hotel. For those arriving during the daytime, a walk to the nearby park is great for Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Chinese Grosbeak, Black-throated Bushtit, White-browed Laughingthrush and Chinese Blackbird. Night in Chengdu.

Day 2:
After an early morning walk at Baihutan Park, we drive south to Tanshi mountain for afternoon birding. Tanshi mountain is covered in lush bamboo where the Endangered Sichuan Partridge remains, in tiny pockets. On the edge of the forest, we have a chance of Black-streaked Scimitar-Babbler, Grey-capped Greenfinch, Chinese Hwamei, Ashy-throated Parrotbill and White-browed Laughingthrush. Night at Tanshi Vilage.

Days 3-4:
Tanshi has photographic hides where they feed various species of pheasants, babblers and laughingthrushes, including Temminck’s Tragopan, Sichuan Partridge, Silver and Lady Amherst’s Pheasants. Laughingthrushes should include Buffy though Red-winged is very difficult to see, while Golden and Ashy-throated Parrotbills are also possible. In addition, we’ll get our first views of commoner central Chinese species, including a variety of babblers, fulvettas, sunbirds, and warblers. The general area is heavily degraded, making birding not as easy as one would expect. Two hours away is a forested area where Silver Oriole is even possible, and we intend to visit this area on our second morning here, if the orioles have returned, and the partridges already under the belt. Nights at Tanshi Village.

Day 5:
After morning here, what time we depart depends on the birding, we head to Longcanggou. Night at Longcanggou.

Days 6:
Days birding at Longcanggou. Main targets are Streaked Barwing and Gold-fronted Fulvetta, while in addition, a whole raft of laughingthrushes, fulvettas, babblers, parrotbills, woodpeckers and finches are possible. Night at Longcanggou.

Day 7:
After morning birding once again around Longcanggou, we head to Wawu Shan, a table-top mountain that will have been viewable while at Longcanggou ready for afternoon birding. Night at Wawu Shan.

Days 8-9:
Wawu Shan National Nature Reserve is one of China’s premier birding destinations, and only recently reopened as since 2012 the park has been closed, so this will be our first visit for 12 years to this wonderful area. The lower slopes of Wawu Shan will provide us with yet another suite of new species as we explore the forest that surrounds our hotel in search of the various warblers, babblers and laughingthrushes, while the spectacular Lady Amherst’s Pheasant is one of the most sought-after species on the mountain. Marten’s, Alstrom’s, Emei Leaf, Kloss’s, Claudia’s and Sulphur-breasted Warblers, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Golden and Grey-headed Parrotbills, four species of forktail, Buffy, Red-winged and Spotted Laughingthrushes, Emei Liocichla, Red-billed Leiothrix, Fujian, Vivid and Rufous-bellied Niltava, Chinese Blue Flycatcher (surely the finest songster of the region), Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo and Sichuan Grasshopper Warbler are just some of the species we’ll be looking for from the roadside. On one day we will board a cable car that takes us up into a surreal landscape, with a lush bamboo understorey dominating the mixed evergreen and pine forest on this table-top mountain. An extensive well-maintained trail system allows us an easy walk through this bird-rich area. The understorey holds an incredible variety of bush warblers, including Brown, Spotted, Aberrant, Chestnut-crowned and Grey-sided, while the occasional flash of golden yellow reveals the presence of delightful Golden Bush Robins. Fulvous Parrotbills are present, and other possibilities include Three-toed, Great and Brown Parrotbills, and Three-toed Woodpecker, which we can hope to find whilst in pursuit of the two main attractions of this mountain - Sichuan Treecreeper and the rare Grey-hooded Parrotbill. In addition, Red Panda can be found here, usually found sleeping on a low bough – keep scanning! Nights at Wawu Shan.

Day 10:
Drive to Wolong National Nature Reserve, where we bird depends on our success. Night at Wolong.

Days 11-12:
We spend two days at high-altitude, birding amid the dramatic landscape at Balang Shan, at up to 4,500m. Birding just above the tree-line will give us a chance for another of our key target species, Chinese Monal, along with White Eared-Pheasant, and Kessler’s Thrush. We shall proceed to the pass to try for Grandala, Snow Pigeon, Tibetan Snowcock and Snow Partridge, an assortment of rosefinches and both Brandt’s and Plain Mountain Finches. A brief foray over the pass will give us the chance to search for such mouth-watering gems as Chinese Rubythroat, Severtzov’s Tit-warbler and Lammergeier. Birding lower down brings us in the range of Firethroat, and other goodies like Golden Pheasant, Sichuan Forest Thrush, Collared Grosbeak, Temminck’s Tragopan, Slaty Bunting, Sharpe’s Rosefinch and Chinese Leaf Warbler. Night at Wolong.

Day 13:
Depending on our previous days’ successes, we either spend the morning back at Balang Shan or just continue on and birding further along in search of Chinese Long-tailed Rosefinch, a Chinese endemic. In this ‘Gorge country’, Crag Martin is common, and we have chances of both Hill Pigeon and Wallcreeper. Night at Maerkang.

Day 14:
We spend all day in the wonderful coniferous forests on Mengbishan. The forest covered slopes are home to such specialties as Sichuan Jay, Giant Laughingthrush, Przewalski’s Nuthatch, Three-banded, Chinese White-browed, Common, Beautiful and Pink-rumped Rosefinches, Blood Pheasant. While the more open areas could provide us with views of family parties of White Eared-Pheasants and maybe even Verreaux’s Monal Partridge. Night in Maerkang.

Day 15:
After early morning driving north through a deep, forested gorge, we eventually rise up on to the Tibetan plateau. Our drive north along the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau gives us the opportunity to look for birds generally found further west into Tibet. Over the past three years we have found Przewalski’s Pinktail (Przewalski’s/Pink-tailed Bunting/Finch – whatever you fancy calling it!) nearby, and we will make a special effort to find it once again. In addition, Azure-winged Magpie, Dusky Warbler, Daurian Jackdaw, Common Pheasant, White-browed Tit and Japanese Tit favour the dense scrub, while checking the watercourses on the way should produce some waterbirds; Ferruginous Duck, Goosander and tibetana Common Terns, while dapper Tibetan Wagtails (a potential split from Citrine), rosy-rumped Twite, Oriental Skylark and Horned Lark feed along the muddy margins. It was in this area in 2014 we discovered Przewalski’s Pinktail, so we will be hoping to locate a parachuting male once again here, while Robin Accentor and Tibetan Partridge are also possible. The numerous colonies of Plateau Pika encourage large numbers of Upland Buzzard, along with the chance of Saker and SteppeEagle. White-rumped and Rufous-necked Snowfinches, Horned Lark and Ground Tit use the pika burrows as their nests. In the wetlands we can expect paired-up Black-necked Cranes, Tibetan Lark, and overhead Salim Ali’s Swift is possible. Night in Ruoergai.

Days 16-17:
On our first day we visit a nearby forest in search of some scarce species that are rarely seen at the more traditional sites. Possibilities include Blue Eared-Pheasant, Giant, Pere David’s and Sukatschev’s Laughingthrushes, Severtzov’s Grouse, Chinese and Przewalski’s Nuthatches, Godlewski’s Bunting and Sichuan Tit, with a chance of Sichuan Jay, and who knows, maybe even davidi Ural Owl - what was Pere David’s. In the late afternoon Tibetan Grey Shrike is also a possibility, and as we skirt the plateau Ground Tit, Horned Lark and Black-necked Cranes are possible. Depending on our success, we could spend the following day on the high plateau in search of Tibetan plateau specialities, Black-necked Crane, Brown-cheeked Rail, Saker, Steppe Eagle, and even Pallas’s Cat is a possibility. Nights in Ruoergai.

Day 18:
Today we drive to Chuanzusi, with birding stops. We shall be keeping an eye out for such specialities as Blue Eared-Pheasant, Pere David’s, Giant and Sukatschev’s Laughingthrushes, Severtzov’s Grouse, Three-banded, Chinese White-browed and Pink-rumped Rosefinches, Chinese and Przewalski’s Nuthatches, and Godlewski’s Bunting. Night in Chuanzusi.

Day 19:
Full morning around Gonggangling, a high coniferous-glad pass. Blue Eared-Pheasant, Pere David’s, Giant and Sukatschev’s Laughingthrushes, Severtzov’s Grouse, Three-banded, Chinese White-browed and Pink-rumped Rosefinches, Chinese and Przewalski’s Nuthatches, davidi Ural Owl, Hodgson’s Treecreeper, Crested Tit-warbler, Long-tailed and Chinese Thrushes and a whole swathe of Phylloscopus warblers are present in the area. Below the pass, the scrubby hillsides hold Spectacled Parrotbill, Barred Laughingthrush, Godlewski’s Bunting, Spectacled Fulvetta and Black-streaked Scimitar-Babbler. After lunch, we take the drive south, mostly along one of China’s super highways, back to Chengdu. Night in Chengdu.

Day 20:
International departures from Chengdu International Airport.