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  1. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Hi Roland, Correct, Blanford's Rosefinch. With such non-descript plumage you whittle down the possibilities to just this and Common Rosefinch really, and the darker, less scarlet plumage, very pointed bill and scaly undertail-coverts are all diagnostic. The flycatcher, yes, Rufous-gorgetted -...
  2. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    I would say on plumage alone they are unidentifiable unfortunately. Telling apart Claudia's, Kloss's and Emei without vocalising and in the field is something that is not very possible. However, photo three shows the bird flicking both wings at the same time - a trait shown by Kloss's and Emei...
  3. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Don't need Chinese Jumping Mouse, Sid! I've trapped that, and plenty of niviventers (primarily Confucius) in Shaanxi and northern Sichuan - it was a real ache measuring the hindclaws, ears etc to confirm ID's.
  4. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Gripped. Always wanted to see a Zokor - thanks for the tip, Sid, I'll try it next year!
  5. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Great report Summer, as John and and Jemi say though, it's a real pity to see how it's looking now - hotel and restaurant in ruin and dismantled, road crumbling away etc. From a birding perspective it might be great birding areas with few tourists. However, tourism offers a level of protection...
  6. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    White ear tufts and black muzzle = Tufted Deer. Beautiful creature. It's the most numerous, and most likely to encounter deer in central and south-east China. See attached, taken last month at Wolong. James
  7. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Yer, unfortunately that's news I got - Labahe is scheduled for October 2015, and now, after a lot of enquiries, Wawu will definitely not be open next year and when it does, in 2016, it's unlikely that incredible hotel will be also - problems with a missing person and missing money - I'll leave...
  8. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Hi Andy, It's too early to recommend any itinerary really - I only really decide ours by late March/early April as you nver quite know what the latest situation will be. Next May should see the whole suite of sites available (Wawu, Labahe, Longcanggou), giving you a bit of a headache but who...
  9. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Hi Sid, Definitely worth reporting the construction workers if they are hunting here - 3 years ago I reported some tragopan hunters that were inside Wolong and the authorities actually removed them that week - very impressive! Well done Jocko - still 163 to go for me! James
  10. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    The tesia is interesting occurring so far north - I find it amazing that it has gone unnoticed all this time given how conspicuous they are when singing, perfect habitat though so perhaps they've come up from the deep gorges away from the trail for some reason. I've had them previously further...
  11. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    I agree with CAU on the ID's with all of Michael's birds. Re Gansu Leaf Warbler at Baxi - this species should not occur (well, breed) where Sichuan Leaf Warbler breeds as they should, in theory, be allopatric except on migration. I've never come across any singing Gansu's in Sichuan despite...
  12. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    It's an interesting question, Jon. In China, you really never know which sites will close and for how long (Wuyishan, Giant Panda watching at Foping, Changqing, Wawu Shan, even Wolong has been tricky to enter at times), so you have to gen up well and be ready with alternative sites. No year for...
  13. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Capture for the international bird-trade is massive, and I cant emphasize enough just how big it is across Asia - trappers are far more aware of where rare birds are found than birders themselves - Biet's is a classic example, though it still persists in Sichuan, the largest population found was...
  14. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    If you find old-growth deciduous then Streaked Barwing would be likely. On top of the birds Sid and I have already mentioned, I wouldn't expect too many other stand-out species really, as it's not an area filled with a unique habitat or of high elevation. If you got to areas above 2500m (I don't...
  15. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Craig, Worth getting in touch with Rob Hutchinson as he birded the Muli area a few years ago, specifically to see Biet's (which is still found in northern Yunnan though largely in cages). Any old-growth forests would be worth checking for such specialities as Silver Oriole as that is not far...
  16. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Flipping things slightly - I would say there is so little information about Daocheng simply because Sichuan has so much good habitat left that it's too big a job to give detailed info on every site... As I sure Sid would confirm, there is so much habitat in Sichuan (particularly in the west and...
  17. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    I think it's best to say 'ah well. It's the modern world'! Not many other countries are different unfortunately - most of the countries I have visited are much worse off in terms of current habitat destruction. The area of habitat there is massive, so a few metres along the roadside will...
  18. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    I believe it's now part of a 'Military Zone' Mike, as is Foping. No great surprise as the permit situation was very different last year to 2012 as access was greatly restricted so foreigners were kept away from prying eyes and public areas of the park (ie, Snub-nosed feeding area and main...
  19. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Worth getting yourself down to the university gardens again it seems - thanks to Mark for the heads up, as what appears to be a 1st winter male Blackthroat was there yesterday... http://www.birdnet.cn/thread-689173-1-1.html
  20. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Jocko, In recent years I've never missed the cochoa at Emei, around Xianfeng Monastery (4 attempts, 4 successes!). Not much old growth left for the barwing there, as Sid says, but I reckon it would still be around the beautiful forest along the road going up the mountain just beyond the...
  21. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Sounded a great trip, Terry - Tang Jia He is one of my favourite sites, and not just in China - I'm back there in a couple of weeks time. Good to know the owls are still around - they were breeding right next to the main road last year... James
  22. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Looks like a Rosy to me too. I always found Grey-winged Blackbird regular at one or two spots at Emei Shan but surprisingly didn't see it last year - a species that really looks good quality sub-tropical forest, worth looking out for where Vivid Niltava, White-spectacled Warbler and Purple...
  23. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Indeed, I've never found any evidence around Wuyipeng despite them being there - given the closure for the foreseeable future of Foping in Shaanxi for panda tours, Labahe could really profit, if done correctly - but it would make the park very expensive to visit. Well done on the fast action...
  24. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Kloss's is Jiangxi and Fujian, so I presume it would be at Babaoshan for example? Kloss's/Blyth's-type winter in small numbers in northern Vietnam - no idea which ones these are, would be fascinating to know as I assume Hartert's would reach here... Still plenty to learn, and I wouldn't be...
  25. James Eaton

    Sichuan Birding

    Hi Mike, Claudia's alternates wing-flicking, flicking one at a time, that is diagnostic to the 'Blyth's' complex (Hartert's, Claudia's and Blyth's), no other phyllosc does it in such a way... Kloss's-types (Kloss's, Davison's, Grey-hooded and presumably Hainan also) and Emei flick both wings...
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