shymollymawk
Well-known member
We stayed in Guangzhou for a couple of nights in early December at the China Hotel (Marriott) in the centre. It was a short walking distance to Yue Xiu Park. There was also a small busy park nearby which we investigated early our first morning. We were taken to the University (morning) and the Botanic Gardens (afternoon) by a graduate student we had arranged with to show us some birds. At the University there are some well-wooded areas at the rear of the campus, and there were a lot of interesting birds around. We had apparently missed the main migration period by a week or two, but Grey-backed Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rufous-tailed Robin, Grey Treepie, Hwamei, Red-flanked Bluetail and Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler were all present. At the Botanic Gardens it was quieter, as it was then the afternoon, but there was lots of good habitat. Long-tailed Shrike, Olive-backed Pipit, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Red-rumped Swallow and Orange-bellied Leafbird were all seen. Chinese Bulbul and Red-whiskered Bulbul were ubiquitous. Yue Xiu Park had lots of wooded areas, but the sheer number of people present made it difficult to find any quiet spots. Red-billed Blue Magpie was spectacular. The metro system was easy to get around on, very efficient and quick, and all information was also in English. Shop prices were the same as England, which surprised me, so no bargains there. A nice little stopover even so.
