In Search of Brown Eared Pheasants at Xuan Zhong Monastery
29th & 30th August 2013
Day 1 : Brown Eared Pheasants
It seems so long ago already, though in fact just 8 days ago, I was on a plane to Tai Yuan to go and find the Brown Eared Pheasant, not a difficult task I was led to believe, as they frequent the monastery 20 mins from Jiao Cheng, itself about an hour's drive from Tai Yuan.
As usual there is an hour's delay leaving Hong Qiao Airport, Shanghai, this is the norm though and to be expected since the military control 80% of air space in China and frequently deny commercial traffic access, causing delays until permission is given, due to manoeuvres (we can assume). The standard excuse given by the airlines is 'we are awaiting passengers on incoming traffic' . Yeah right
Tai Yuan has a very nice new airport, though the price of coffee in their cafes is ridiculous ! Are all their passengers absolutely minted members of the new Middle Class or government cadres ? 78RMB (ca. US$13) for a cappuccino - no wonder 90% of the tables were empty. I can not fathom how these 'business-men' stay in business ! Have they never heard of Starbucks as a business model ? Still, as I found out on the way home, there is a KFC that, when you are desperate, does an OK substitute for less than 1/10 of that price !
Next up was to find a taxi to Jiao Cheng. There is a public bus but as I was trying to make this a 1.5 day trip instead of a 2.5 day trip (to assuage the missus) I had settled on taking a taxi. Hmmm no meters, the first guy sees an foreigner and tries for 400rmb, no compromise so exit said foreigner telling him he is joking. Finally the second driver settles on 300rmb and off we go.
The trip is uneventful, it's a lovely warm and sunny day and the young driver is pleasant enough. One very large slow flapping bird (not a heron), seen from the rear, was unidentifiable. There were also many, now deserted, huge nests on pylons along the way. Otherwise it was quiet.
The Guashan Hotel in Jiao Cheng was found easily and at 280RMB per night was more than adequate. The hot water needed to be run for 10 minutes before performing it's duty though ! Breakfast was included but was never an option There is a supermarket just 5 mins walk down the street (turn right after exiting the hotel car park) but the restaurant next door is expensive and lacking in simple meals, the menu full of exotic dishes.
So I arrived a little later than expected but after quickly unpacking and setting up my gear and change of clothes I excitedly went down to the hotel lobby to order a taxi. I waited 15 mins, then as the clock ticked past 30 mins (the reception had called the taxi company 3 times by now) my frustration was rising and then kicking my heels at the kerbside it was now 45 mins.
Luckily I entered into conversation with the security guard and when, a couple of minutes later, a few guys rolled out of the restaurant next door and one started to wander over, he pointed out this was the owner of the hotel.
The owner, slightly inebriated, started up conversation, it seems he was off to the UK the following week and eager to talk about my homeland. However, upon hearing of my taxi dilemma, he immediately got on the phone and called his driver .. 10 mins later I was in the back of his limo with orders having been given to take me to the monastery (20 mins) and wait for me (on arrival I knew I would be several hours so thanked the driver and let him depart). This kindness & eagerness to help was to be encountered a number of times in Jiao Cheng / Tai Yuan and is in quite some contrast to China's larger metropolises.
Upon arriving at the lower, larger & free, car park I started the walk up to the monastery on the mountain ahead. It's not far up this road, maybe 600m, but it gave me a chance to check out the valley on the right, with a stream flowing through it but, being well below me and there not being any paths down, no access. I was to look down and see a Nutcracker chasing off a Red Billed Magpie drinking from this stream the next day and would have loved to have wandered upstream from that point.
So straight up the winding road, past the 3 stalls selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs and the Tourist Centre, to the gate to the monastery. A few people, including monks, were milling around but of the Brown Eared Pheasants there was no sign and the monks said they had not seen them for 2 days.
Never mind, I loved being there, even with a few people around it seemed calm, peaceful and a delightful juxtaposition to Shanghai !
I watched a party of Japanese Buddhists & monks take photos with their Chinese counterparts and then wandered back down the path I came on to access the area below the monastery. Of the BEPs there was no sign or sound though a Plain Laughing Thrush skulled and then came into few for a few shots before disappearing again.
For what was to be the only time on the trip I decided to playback the BEP call … and instantly, to my amazement, BEPs responded immediately from deep in the undergrowth from both in front and behind me !
No need for playback now I moved closer to the small, now disused, bridge of the small copse below and sat down as low as I could get, the BEPs were now making their way past me (at about 5-10m) to the mountain side beyond. I soaked in their beauty and took maybe a hundred shots, alternating between the 50mm on one camera and 300mm on the other.
My main target already in the bag I would now explore the mountain paths (there are only two) and hope to encounter the BEPs again tomorrow in better light.
After failed attempts to find Long Tailed Rosefinches I walked the path back past the 3 shops and fortune teller, to the main car park. Oops, no taxis, no buses and in fact just no-one at all !
Nothing for it, it was 5 kms down to the main road (and I had, I over-estimated, an hour of light remaining) and would be a pleasant walk. Hopefully I could pick up a taxi on the main road rather than have to walk the remaining 5 kms to the hotel. However just 10 mins down the road I heard a car approaching, it must have come from inside the monastery, so I attempted to hitch a ride by holding my hand out – ignoring the plea it roared past …. only to screech to a halt 150m down the road and wait for me to catch up. I guess he noticed I was a foreigner and was trusting enough to believe I was not a foreign-devil intent on mass-murder or a cunning robbery ! 20 mins later he very kindly dropped me off right at the entrance to my hotel.
Food that evening consisted of snacks and drinks from the supermarket as I was not going to walk the 20-30 mins down the 6 lane (8 if you count the cycle lanes) main road to the town centre which is where the receptionists said there were more restaurants. That wasn’t a problem though, after a hot shower and preparing my gear for the morrow I was into bed (the room temperature was cool, in comparison to hot & humid Shanghai) and alarm clock set for 04.30 (I had made arrangements for a taxi, 40RMB, to pick me up at 05.00).
Photos of :
#1 Brown Eared Pheasant
#2 Chinese Hill Warbler
more to follow ....
29th & 30th August 2013
Day 1 : Brown Eared Pheasants
It seems so long ago already, though in fact just 8 days ago, I was on a plane to Tai Yuan to go and find the Brown Eared Pheasant, not a difficult task I was led to believe, as they frequent the monastery 20 mins from Jiao Cheng, itself about an hour's drive from Tai Yuan.
As usual there is an hour's delay leaving Hong Qiao Airport, Shanghai, this is the norm though and to be expected since the military control 80% of air space in China and frequently deny commercial traffic access, causing delays until permission is given, due to manoeuvres (we can assume). The standard excuse given by the airlines is 'we are awaiting passengers on incoming traffic' . Yeah right
Tai Yuan has a very nice new airport, though the price of coffee in their cafes is ridiculous ! Are all their passengers absolutely minted members of the new Middle Class or government cadres ? 78RMB (ca. US$13) for a cappuccino - no wonder 90% of the tables were empty. I can not fathom how these 'business-men' stay in business ! Have they never heard of Starbucks as a business model ? Still, as I found out on the way home, there is a KFC that, when you are desperate, does an OK substitute for less than 1/10 of that price !
Next up was to find a taxi to Jiao Cheng. There is a public bus but as I was trying to make this a 1.5 day trip instead of a 2.5 day trip (to assuage the missus) I had settled on taking a taxi. Hmmm no meters, the first guy sees an foreigner and tries for 400rmb, no compromise so exit said foreigner telling him he is joking. Finally the second driver settles on 300rmb and off we go.
The trip is uneventful, it's a lovely warm and sunny day and the young driver is pleasant enough. One very large slow flapping bird (not a heron), seen from the rear, was unidentifiable. There were also many, now deserted, huge nests on pylons along the way. Otherwise it was quiet.
The Guashan Hotel in Jiao Cheng was found easily and at 280RMB per night was more than adequate. The hot water needed to be run for 10 minutes before performing it's duty though ! Breakfast was included but was never an option
There is a supermarket just 5 mins walk down the street (turn right after exiting the hotel car park) but the restaurant next door is expensive and lacking in simple meals, the menu full of exotic dishes.So I arrived a little later than expected but after quickly unpacking and setting up my gear and change of clothes I excitedly went down to the hotel lobby to order a taxi. I waited 15 mins, then as the clock ticked past 30 mins (the reception had called the taxi company 3 times by now) my frustration was rising and then kicking my heels at the kerbside it was now 45 mins.
Luckily I entered into conversation with the security guard and when, a couple of minutes later, a few guys rolled out of the restaurant next door and one started to wander over, he pointed out this was the owner of the hotel.
The owner, slightly inebriated, started up conversation, it seems he was off to the UK the following week and eager to talk about my homeland. However, upon hearing of my taxi dilemma, he immediately got on the phone and called his driver .. 10 mins later I was in the back of his limo with orders having been given to take me to the monastery (20 mins) and wait for me (on arrival I knew I would be several hours so thanked the driver and let him depart). This kindness & eagerness to help was to be encountered a number of times in Jiao Cheng / Tai Yuan and is in quite some contrast to China's larger metropolises.
Upon arriving at the lower, larger & free, car park I started the walk up to the monastery on the mountain ahead. It's not far up this road, maybe 600m, but it gave me a chance to check out the valley on the right, with a stream flowing through it but, being well below me and there not being any paths down, no access. I was to look down and see a Nutcracker chasing off a Red Billed Magpie drinking from this stream the next day and would have loved to have wandered upstream from that point.
So straight up the winding road, past the 3 stalls selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs and the Tourist Centre, to the gate to the monastery. A few people, including monks, were milling around but of the Brown Eared Pheasants there was no sign and the monks said they had not seen them for 2 days.
Never mind, I loved being there, even with a few people around it seemed calm, peaceful and a delightful juxtaposition to Shanghai !
I watched a party of Japanese Buddhists & monks take photos with their Chinese counterparts and then wandered back down the path I came on to access the area below the monastery. Of the BEPs there was no sign or sound though a Plain Laughing Thrush skulled and then came into few for a few shots before disappearing again.
For what was to be the only time on the trip I decided to playback the BEP call … and instantly, to my amazement, BEPs responded immediately from deep in the undergrowth from both in front and behind me !
No need for playback now I moved closer to the small, now disused, bridge of the small copse below and sat down as low as I could get, the BEPs were now making their way past me (at about 5-10m) to the mountain side beyond. I soaked in their beauty and took maybe a hundred shots, alternating between the 50mm on one camera and 300mm on the other.
My main target already in the bag I would now explore the mountain paths (there are only two) and hope to encounter the BEPs again tomorrow in better light.
After failed attempts to find Long Tailed Rosefinches I walked the path back past the 3 shops and fortune teller, to the main car park. Oops, no taxis, no buses and in fact just no-one at all !
Nothing for it, it was 5 kms down to the main road (and I had, I over-estimated, an hour of light remaining) and would be a pleasant walk. Hopefully I could pick up a taxi on the main road rather than have to walk the remaining 5 kms to the hotel. However just 10 mins down the road I heard a car approaching, it must have come from inside the monastery, so I attempted to hitch a ride by holding my hand out – ignoring the plea it roared past …. only to screech to a halt 150m down the road and wait for me to catch up. I guess he noticed I was a foreigner and was trusting enough to believe I was not a foreign-devil intent on mass-murder or a cunning robbery ! 20 mins later he very kindly dropped me off right at the entrance to my hotel.
Food that evening consisted of snacks and drinks from the supermarket as I was not going to walk the 20-30 mins down the 6 lane (8 if you count the cycle lanes) main road to the town centre which is where the receptionists said there were more restaurants. That wasn’t a problem though, after a hot shower and preparing my gear for the morrow I was into bed (the room temperature was cool, in comparison to hot & humid Shanghai) and alarm clock set for 04.30 (I had made arrangements for a taxi, 40RMB, to pick me up at 05.00).
Photos of :
#1 Brown Eared Pheasant
#2 Chinese Hill Warbler
more to follow ....
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