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1 Birdquest Tour Report: Tibet including Xinjiang 2013 www.birdquest-tours.com

Just one of the many magnificent Tibetan Eared Pheasants we encountered on the tour (Mark Beaman)

TIBET & XINJIANG18/22 JULY – 10 AUGUST 2013

LEADER: MARK BEAMAN

This was our latest Tibet tour ever in the summer period and also the first one to include a side trip to Xinjiang in far northwestern China. Going late in the season meant it was surprisingly warm and the wildflowers were simply awesome. Breeding activity was already well advanced and numerous juveniles were already on the wing, but in spite of less birdsong than usual we had a very successful trip with a fantastic range of Tibetan Plateau specialities, including every plateau endemic apart from the effectively inaccessible Sillem’s Mountain Finch, even including Lord Derby’s Parakeet (not a Birdquest lifer but a species we have not seen for some years), not to mention the likes of Tibetan Eared Pheasant, Szechenyi’s Monal Partridge (or Buff-throated Partridge), Giant and Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Babaxes, Prince Henri’s (or Brown-cheeked) Laughingthrush, Groundpecker (or Ground Tit), Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Bunting, Roborovski’s (or Tibetan) Rosefinch and the strange Przevalski’s (or Pink-tailed) Finch, the sole member of its family. Our pre-tour foray into Xinjiang included two totally contrasting environments: the harsh Taklimakan Desert and the elm-lined Tarim River on the one hand and the spruce forests, alpine shrubbery and high mountain peaks of the Tian Shan (or Tien Shan) mountains on the other. As well as the endemic Biddulph’s (or Xinjiang) Ground Jay, we encountered such


good birds as Barbary Falcon, White-winged Woodpecker, Altai and Black-throated Accentors, Eversmann’s Redstart, Paddyfield Warbler, Azure Tit and Red-fronted (or Fire-fronted) Serin.

Our Xinjiang extension started in the modern capital of this far northwestern province of China, a city that holds the record for being further from the ocean than any other. From here we had a long but fascinating drive to Luntai in the Tarim Basin, first driving through increasingly arid plains and mountains until we came to the Turpan Depression, the lowest land on the planet (far below sea level). To the south even wilder and starker mountain ranges in shades of grey, buff and ochre had to be crossed before we finally came to the vast Tarim lowlands, in the centre of which is the Taklimakan (or Taklamakan) Desert. As we travelled along the northern

The arid mountain landscapes around the edge of the Tarim Basin had a decidely Central Asian feel (Mark Beaman)

The endemic Biddulph’s or Xinjiang Ground Jays liked perching in the many dead trees (Mark Beaman)


rim of the basin the snow-capped peaks of the Tian Shan could be seen to the north, walling off Xinjiang from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The feeling here was very much of Central Asia rather than China, something reflected in the faces of the many Uighur people who live in Xinjiang, a Central Asian, turkic-speaking Muslim ethnic group that has been as unhappy with Chinese rule as the Tibetans to the south. Few birds were seen today, but they included Long-legged Buzzard and Xinjiang Shrike.

We were pretty excited by the time we headed out of Luntai before dawn, our first goal the broad Tarim River that is fed by the glaciers of the Tian Shan, only to flow out into the edge of the Taklimakan and gradually drain away into the endless sands. As we wandered through the elm groves along the river we came across White-winged Woodpecker, Masked Wagtail, Desert Whitethroat, Azure Tit, Saxaul Sparrow, a Barbary Falcon

Before settling down for a good forage for invertebrates hiding in the sandy soil (Mark Beaman)

Deeper into the Taklimakan Desert there is nothing but a sea of sand as far as the eye can see (Mark Beaman)


perched on a pylon and best of all the very distinctive Xinjiang form of the Chinese Bush-dweller (or Chinese Hill Warbler), a species that was long thought to be a warbler but which has surely correctly been reclassified as a babbler. Both the plumage and the song were very different from those of the eastern forms, so this surely looks like a good split.

Further into the desert, the elms gradually thinned until we were travelling through a strange landscape of dead trees and gnarled roots. All of a sudden, there they were, our major target for the day: Biddulph’s (or Xinjiang) Ground Jays! A family party proceeded to amuse us as they perched in dead trees, calling loudly and then pursued a ‘follow-my-leader’ strategy as they hunted for invertebrates in the sandy soil. I love the way ground jays display those huge white wing flashes every time they fly!

The broad Tarim river flows from the Tian Shan out into the desert and vanishes into the sands... (Mark Beaman)

The wetlands at Bosten Nur held Paddyfield Warblers as well as many other interesting species (Mark Beaman)


Further still into the desert wastes we came to the sea of dunes that occupy the centre of the Taklimakan and give good cause to the local meaning of the name: ‘if you go in you won’t come out’! After some enjoyable walking on the dunes and photographing the ‘sand sea’ we headed back to more vegetated areas, seeing yet more ground jays along the way, plus Booted Eagle, Crested Lark and Spanish Sparrow.

We broke the journey back to Urumqi with a stop at Bosten Nur, a large lake with partly marsh surrounds. Many shorebirds were present here and we came across such species as Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Terek and Green Sandpipers, Common Greenshank and Common Snipe. Other waterbirds included Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Western Great Egret, Mallard, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Black-headed and Caspian Gulls, and Little, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, while additional species included Common

The spruce forests and luysh alpine pastures came as a total contrast after the desert (Mark Beaman)

Two splendid specialities here were Eversmann’s Redstart and Black-throated Accentor (Mark Beaman)


House Martin, Citrine Wagtail, Paddyfield and Great Reed Warblers, Bearded Reedling (very common here) and Common Reed Buntings of the distinctive parrot-billed race pyrrhuloides.

Our last day in Xinjiang was spent exploring the beautiful Tian Shan range. Here the north-facing slopes were clothed in spruce forests while grassland covered the warmer south-facing slopes, leading to a beautiful patchwork of habitats. The higher, rocky peaks loomed over the area and the displays of alpine wildflowers were quite astonishing (and mercifully large areas were fenced off to protect them from the many grazing

Altai Accentor was another star find in the Tian Shan (Mark Beaman)

Wherever the land was fenced from grazing, there was a sea of spectacular wildflowers (Mark Beaman)


animals). Star attractions we found today included both Altai and Black-throated Accentors, Eversmann’s (or Rufous-backed) Redstart and Red-fronted (or Fire-fronted) Serin, while other additions included Eurasian Black (or Cinereous) Vulture, Water Pipit, Northern Wheatear, Common Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Barred Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Coal Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Turkestan (or Rufous-tailed) Shrike, Common Linnet and Grey Marmot.

Now it was time for the main event, our exploration of the Tibetan Plateau from north to south, as we all assembled in Xining, the once-small, now-huge capital city of Qinghai. (I remember when the tallest building in the city had five floors, now there must be hundreds of towers of over 25 floors!)

We made a number of stops during the winding journey to Huzhu BeiShan, the first being at Laoye Shan a small mountain that towers above Datong. Here the best finds were the ever-popular Siberian Rubythroat, Daurian Redstart, the smart Kessler’s Thrush, the range-restricted Gansu Leaf Warbler, Père David’s (or Plain) and Elliot’s Laughingthrushes, and Meadow Bunting, with a supporting cast of Common (or Ring-necked) Pheasant, Hill Pigeon, Salim Ali’s Swift, Eurasian Crag Martin, Olive-backed Pipit, Yellow-streaked Warbler, Japanese Tit, Grey-backed Shrike, Eurasian Magpie, Red-billed Chough, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, White-winged Grosbeak and Godlewski’s Bunting.

The main tour kicked off well with specialities like Gansu Leaf Warbler (left) and Przevalski’s Nuthatch (Mark Beaman)

The strange Groundpecker or Ground Tit (left) and the cracking White-throated Redstart (Mark Beaman)


Dongxia Forest turned up three more great specialities, Crested Tit-warbler (although some in the group had already seen one at Laoye), and Chinese and Przevalski’s Nuthatches, as well as Black-eared Kite, a superb adult male Northern Red-flanked Bluetail, Goldcrest, Songar and Rufous-vented Tits, and Common Crossbill. Even our road journey today produced Eurasian Collared and Oriental Turtle Doves, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Oriental Skylark, Richard’s Pipit, Siberian Stonechat, the marvellously weird Groundpecker (or Ground Tit), Azure-winged Magpie, Oriental Rook, Oriental Crow and Grey-capped (or Oriental) Greenfinch.

Huzhu Beishan lies close to the border with Gansu province and is one of the most forested areas in northeastern Qinghai. Our main target here was the striking Blue Eared Pheasant, and we were not to be disappointed, seeing no fewer than 18 of these magnificent creatures during our visit. The scenery was spectacular, as it would be throughout the tour, and we saw a marvellous selection of good birds including Himalayan Buzzard, the stunning White-throated Redstart, Hodgson’s Redstart, Chestnut Thrush, Spotted Bush Warbler, Aberrant Bush Warbler (an unexpected find in this area), Chinese and Alpine Leaf Warblers, Slaty-backed Flycatcher, Chinese Beautiful and Chinese White-browed Rosefinches, and Grey-headed Bullfinch. Severtzov’s (or Chinese) Grouse gave us more of a runaround, however, and only some of us saw this cryptic species, the rest of us having to be content with hearing birds whirr away into the forest, while only I saw the Chinese Thrush.

More widespread additions included Asian House Martin, Amur Wagtail, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Black, Blue-fronted, White-capped and Plumbeous Redstarts, Greenish Warbler, Large-billed, Buff-barred and Hume’s Leaf Warblers, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay, Large-billed Crow and Common Rosefinch. Mammals were few, but we found some sweet little Tsing-Ling Pikas and an Eastern Roe Deer that we all heard barking and which Richard saw bounding away.

My birthday got off to a damp start next morning with continuous rain and low cloud, very atypical for dry Xining. The road was so muddy our bus could not make it the last kilometre to the start of the birding area, so there was no alternative for the hardier souls among us but to squelch uphill, our boots getting steadily more covered in glutinous mud! Nonetheless it was judged well worthwhile as we soon saw the much-wanted Sinai (or Pale) Rosefinch as well as Black-faced Bunting. We also saw two Tolai Hares. The weather improved as we travelled up the new expressway onto the Tibetan Plateau itself, the woodlands and fields of lower altitudes giving way to the grasslands and scattered agriculture of the high plains that surround the Koko Nor or Qinghai Hu, one of the largest and certainly one of the bluest lakes in Asia. Taking pictures of their friends surrounded by yellow oilseed rape, with the blue waters of the lake and the distant mountains in the background, was clearly popular with the many Chinese tourists now wealthy enough to explore the wilder parts of their own country.

Part of a family of Tibetan Grey Shrikes and Kessler’s Thrush (Mark Beaman)


We made a series of stops along the lakeside and indeed it was a very productive day, with large numbers of waterbirds of a wide variety of species. Most notable were the seven superb Black-necked Cranes that we watched striding through the marshlands, while other good birds included Bar-headed Goose, Eastern Black-tailed Godwit, and Pallas’s (or Great Black-headed) and Brown-headed Gulls. Amongst more widespread species were Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Great Cormorant, Eastern Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Ruddy and Common Shelducks, Red-crested and Common Pochards, Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Red Knot (a surprise find), Temminck’s Stint, Mongolian Gull, Little Gull (a first-summer straggler) and Common Tern.

The surroundings of the wetlands were also productive and we were delighted to find our first Tibetan and Mongolian Larks, and Rufous-necked, Père David’s (or Small) and White-rumped Snowfinches, as well as Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Hume’s Short-toed and Horned Larks, Pale Martin, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears, Bearded Reedling and Twite. Before we reached our destination, the small town of Chaka, a stop at ‘Rubber Mountain’ turned up both Tibetan (or Adams’s) and Prince Henri’s Snowfinches, making it five snowfinches for the day. We even capped off a great day with a lurid but very edible birthday cake provided courtesy of our local agents!

Next morning we were out amongst the rugged, juniper-dotted mountains that surround the Chaka basin. We soon had great views of Tibetan Grey Shrike (sometimes split from Chinese Grey) and Przevalski’s (or Rusty-necklaced) Partridge and I even spotted a Himalayan Snowcock far above us, but a lot of searching of the junipers on the slopes failed to turn up more than a couple of juvenile Przevalski’s (or Alashan) Redstarts. We did come across an immature male Amur Falcon (a bird lingering on the Tibetan Plateau rather than moving on to its breeding grounds further east), some Himalayan Griffon Vultures, Brown Accentor, Pine Bunting, some groups of Blue Sheep, Himalayan Marmot, the aptly-named Woolly Hare and Mountain Weasel. We would just have to try somewhere else for the adult redstarts. As we headed back to the bus we put up a number of

The juniper-clad mountains of the Chaka Basin, home to Przevalki’s Partridge and Przevalski’s Redstart (Mark Beaman)


Daurian Partridges between us. A great start to our Chaka experiences.

In the afternoon we explored the saline flats and sandy ridges of the Chaka basin that surround a large salt flat. Frustratingly only Richard managed to spot a Henderson’s Ground Jay flying off and it must have run like hell on landing, as they are wont to do, because we were unable to relocate it. We had to make do with some more Black-necked Cranes, Asian Short-toed Lark and Desert Wheatear.

Our back-up Przevalski’s Redstart area turned up trumps, and in contrast to yesterday we found no fewer than 10 individuals, including some superb adult males. A Eurasian Hobby, three White-browed Tits and some very pretty Chinese Red Pikas added to our delight, while the return journey to Chaka turned up the first of many Upland Buzzards. That afternoon we explored ‘Rubber Mountain’ more fully. Our prime target here, probably THE most important bird on this tour, was the unusual Przevalski’s or Pink-tailed Finch, a bird that has

The lovely little Chinese Red Pika was almost as fancy as the Przevalski’s Redstarts! (Mark Beaman)

Red-breasted or Red-0fronted Rosefinch. It is amazing what finding the key bird of the tour can do for animal spirits (Mark Beaman)


oscillated between placing with the finches or the buntings before becoming the sole member of its own family. A small valley eventually turned up three of these much-wanted critters, a pair and a further male, and we enjoyed stunning views of the males hover-flighting and perched on the tops of low shrubs. Another highlight was a great performance by some Red-breasted (or Red-fronted) Rosefinches, while other additions included Rosy Pipit, Robin Accentor, Smoky Warbler and Streaked Rosefinch. A Thorold’s (or White-lipped Deer) was an unexpected bonus.

Before leaving Chaka we had to keep on working away at the semidesert, but this time with far more success

And here is that most-wanted critter, the monotypic-family Przevalski’s or Pink-tailed Finch (Mark Beaman)

The dry plains of the Chaka region, home to Henderson’s Ground Jay (Mark Beaman)


as we turned up Xinjiang Shrikes, Henderson’s Ground Jays (weren’t those amazing views once they became curious about us?!) and some superb Pallas’s Sandgrouse. A return visit to the hills produced Daurian Partridge for those who had missed it earlier.

At Gonghe a short stop produced our first Tibetan Wagtail and Rock Sparrow, and after that it was time to head south through increasingly wild and utterly spectacular plains and mountain scenery as we crossed first the Heka pass and then the even higher Er La pass at 4,499m (14,761ft) on our way to the little town of Wenquan.

Wenquan is now one of the last places with basic accommodation on the Tibet tour, where many years ago it was the norm. I have been guiding on the Tibetan Plateau for almost 30 years now, but it still came as a

They love their prayer flags on the Tibetan Plateau, but this display at Wenquan was by far the largest I have ever seen (Mark Beaman)

The breathtaking (quite literally!) scenery as we climbed above the Er La pass at dawn (Mark Beaman)


surprise to me to see such reactions to a pit toilet and no piped water. I remember my first visit to Wenquan where the ‘innkeeper’, when asked where the toilet was, gestured to the bleak steppe nearby and said ‘Whole World Toilet…’! How things have changed.

Next morning we headed back up to the Er La pass bright and early for the physically most testing day of the tour. Starting off at almost 4500m, we trudged up to the mountain ridge some 300m above the pass, being compelled to make frequent rest stops by the very thin air. The panoramic 360-degree views from the top were awesome, with high mountains marching off into the far distance in all directions. We soon found three of our targets, the stunning Güldenstädt’s (or White-winged) Redstart, Plain and Brandt’s Mountain Finches, but two others gave us a hard time. Large numbers of sheep and goats, complete with their swarthy Tibetan shepherds (now on motorbikes rather than the traditional ponies, such is the pace of change in China!) were swarming over the summit plateau and disturbance now seemed much to great to allow for Tibetan Sandgrouse to stay on here into high summer, once the nomads arrive. We did hear one calling in flight, but sadly it was hidden behind a mountain ridge. As for Roborovski’s (or Tibetan) Rosefinch, some of the group did manage to locate this unusual species, but the rest of us were going to have to wait. The tiny Large-eared Pikas and some Stolizcka’s Mountain Voles were more to be expected at Er La than three Tibetan Gazelles right on the mountain top.

Güldenstädt’s (or White-winged) Redstart and Prince Henri’s Snowfinch (Mark Beaman)

As we headed further south Stolizcka’s Mountain Voles gave way to frisky Kiangs (Tibetan Wild Asses) (Mark Beaman)


As we headed south from Wenquan it became apparent that the roadworks that had first started at Gonghe were going to go on, and on, and on. It turned out the Qinghai government had decided to build an expressway from Gonghe to Yushu in southeast of the province and extend it on to Nangqian near the border with Tibet proper, not over many years as would happen in ‘developed’ countries but around 1,000km (roughly 600 miles) all at once! And the route would be almost exactly the same as the existing tarred two-lane highway. So we had to endure the dust and the hold-ups as we crossed the under-construction carriageways time after time on our way south. Our journey times were greatly increased, but I consoled myself with the thought that in ‘the good old days’ of Tibetan Plateau birding tours the entire route was dirt and sometimes we made as little as 7-10km (4-6 miles) in a whole hour! Even with the road works, what had once taken three days could nowadays be covered in a single day!

We stopped at a couple of large wetland areas, and at two more mountain passes, to break the long journey to Yushu, adding Common Merganser (or Goosander), Saker Falcon, Lesser Sand Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Himalayan Wagtail, White-tailed (or Himalayan) Rubythroat, the sweet little Severtzov’s (or White-browed) Tit-warbler and Common Raven to our growing list. A number of Kiangs or Tibetan Wild Asses were seen during the journey, as well as Tibetan Fox and numerous Black-lipped (or Plateau) Pikas.

As well as Upland Buzzards (left) and Saker Falcons (Mark Beaman)

The high plains of central Qinghai were one of the flattest and marshiest areas we encountered (Mark Beaman)


More road works had to be endured as we moved on from Yushu to Nangqian, through even more amazing scenery (the sheer quantity of extraordinary vistas on this tour is hard to take in), but our main birding stop was splendid, producing wonderful views of Ibisbills and then superb close looks at Spotted Great Rosefinches. We also came across our first Common Kestrels, rather a sparsely distributed bird on the plateau, and a couple of Glover’s Pikas. We reached the Mekong River near Nangqian earlier than expected and so had time to drive into the juniper-clad mountains. Here, amidst yet more stunning scenery, we had brilliant close and prolonged views of Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Buntings as well as Lammergeier (or Bearded Vulture), Golden Eagle and, more importantly, Tibetan Partridge, Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Babax, Sichuan Tit, Daurian Jackdaw and the superb little Pink-rumped (or Stresemann’s) Rosefinch. Richard and Di also found the first of several Eurasian Three-toed Woodpeckers.

Beyond Yushu, the splendid Ibisbill and handsome Great Spotted Rosefinch were two specialities we did not want to miss (Mark Beaman)

The rugged mountains of the Mekong watershed in southeast Qinghai, home of Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Bunting (Mark Beaman)


Next day we continued our exploration of the Nangqian area, returning to a high pass to find Tibetan Snowcock, Snow Pigeon, two superb Wallcreepers, Alpine Chough and (for Mark and Steve) Alpine Accentor, while stops at lower levels produced White-throated Dipper, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, White-throated Dipper and Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler.

We set out early for our exploration of Beizha Forest, where our first stop produced two White Eared Pheasant (but not for everyone) and a Chinese Serow. We had to climb higher to find the incredibly noisy and rather

It is a pleasure to watch Kozlov’s Buntings foraging amongst the alpine flowers for seed heads (Mark Beaman)

Snow Pigeon and Pink-rumped Rosefinch (Mark Beaman)


aggressive Szechenyi’s Monal Partridge (or Buff-throated Partridge) and the beautiful Blood Pheasant, but eventually good views were secured. Other additions included Grey-headed Woodpecker, Sichuan Leaf Warbler and Grey-crested Tit. We finished off our day walking in a different area of forest where we found Dark-sided Flycatcher, Giant Laughingthrush and, thanks to Richard’s sharp eyes, a superb male Three-banded Rosefinch. Accommodation in this remote area is a bit lacking so we stayed the night at a pretty basic village house, sleeping on mattresses and linen courtesy of our Nangqian hotel owner.

Careful scanning next morning produced a flock of nine White Eared Pheasants, much to the relief of those who had missed them the previous day. After that we explored the nearby forest, where Himalayan Red-flanked Bluetail and Chinese Fulvetta were welcome finds. A stop on the way back to Nangqian produced more Three-banded Rosefinches and Hodgson’s Treecreeper. On-going trouble in Chamdo district in southeastern Tibet meant that all overland routes through southeast Tibet were closed to foreigners, so we had no choice

Kozlov’s (or Tibetan) Babax is anothger speciality of southeast Qinghai (Mark Beaman)

Elliot’s Laughingthrush and a Blue Sheep up to its usual death-defying tricks (Mark Beaman)


but to head back north and find an alternative way of reaching Lhasa. Our good birds for the day were not to stop there, however, as upon reaching Yushu we were really surprised to come across a Tibetan Blackbird right in the town centre!

It was a long haul back to northern Qinghai next day, but a stop in the highlands en route turned up fantastic views of Roborovski’s (or Tibetan) Rosefinch and, in one of those all-too-familiar ironic quirks of birding, a pair of Tibetan Sandgrouse flighting over for Frank and John who had remained behind at the bus!

We tried again for the sandgrouse at Er La but a snowstorm followed by hail ‘stopped play’ and forced a retreat to the road. Stops further north at Heka produced better views of Mongolian Lark and at Gonghe a flock of 15 Mongolian Finches were found, our only sighting apart from two earlier at Wenquan. Xining city that evening seemed like another planet after two weeks away from ‘civilization’ but we loved the luxurious bathrooms!

Beizha Forest is hardly what we tend to think of when we think ‘Tibetan Plateau’ (Mark Beaman)

Giant Laughingthrush and Chinese Fulvetta are at the two ends of the scale... (Mark Beaman)


A spectacular flight west across the Zaidam Depression and then south along the line of the military highway from Golmud brought us eventually to Lhasa and the start of a new adventure. With the closure of Chamdo district to foreign travellers, the only option for getting down to the land of Lord Derby’s Parakeet was a side trip from Lhasa, but there was little time to fit in this forced ‘Plan B’. It was going to be a true ‘twitch’, with a long journey straight to the area on the first day. Richard and Di opted to stay behind in Lhasa, but the rest of us elected to ‘do what it took’. There was a hiccup at Lhasa while we sorted out new original copies of our travel permits, the originals having been sent by courier to Xining, only to be forgotten about by our agent’s local representative! After several hours delay however we were on our way to Nyingchi in southeastern Tibet, and it was a long haul indeed what with the crazily low speed limits in Tibet, so it was after midnight before we were able to ‘crash out’ in our amazingly plush hotel.

The unusual Roborovski’s or Tibetan Rosefinch is deservedly in its own genus (Mark Beaman)

The luxuriant forests of SE Tibet are fed by the monsoon rains making their way up the Brahmaputra/Tsang Po valley (Mark Beaman)


After a few hours in bed we were off again to explore the mountains and forests of Nyingchi region. Our various stops produced plenty of new birds, including Speckled Woodpigeon, Grey Nightjar, White-throated Needletail, Himalayan Swiftlet, Long-tailed Minivet, White-collared Blackbird, Lemon-rumped and Whistler’s Warblers, Ferruginous Flycatcher, Prince Henri’s (or Brown-cheeked) Laughingthrush (a southeastern Tibet endemic), Red-billed Leiothrix, Black-browed and Green-backed Tits, Gold-billed (or Yellow-billed Blue) Magpie and Spotted Nutcracker. In addition, John and I saw Ludlow’s Fulvetta and I also had a brief view of a Long-tailed Thrush. The biggest surprise today was three Chestnut-flanked White-eyes, which we saw very well so there

Lord Derby’s Parakjeet and its spectacular habitat (Mark Beaman)

The scenery, such as here at Ba La, never failed to disappoint for over three weeks! (Mark Beaman)


was no doubt about the identification. I can only presume that they were early migrants heading for wintering areas in Burma, as their nearest breeding area is far, far to the northeast.

We had to wait some time, however, before striking lucky with Lord Derby’s (or Derbyan) Parakeets. We were driving slowly along a forest road when suddenly I saw two rather streamlined shapes sweep across the conifers. “Stop” I yelled, “parakeets”, and out we piled. Luckily they were soon relocated and all of us felt triumphant that we had scored after travelling so far for this ‘grailbird’ that has been seen by

The stunning Tibetan Eared Pheasant and Prince Henri’s Laughingthrush (Mark Beaman)

Giant Babax lives up to its name, and is bloody noisy to boot (Mark Beaman)


so few birders. It soon became apparent, from the volume of calls, that others were around and we soon located a flock of birds perched in the spruces and pines on the other side of the valley. Great scope views

Shuksep nunnery and the chicken-snowcocks that have taken up residence! (Mark Beaman)

Getting this close to Tibetan Snowcocks is a magical experience (Mark Beaman)


followed of the birds allo-preening, squabbling and feeding on cones, or flying around squawking noisily. In the end we estimated about 25 were present.

All to soon our southeastern Tibetan adventure was over and we had to head back to Lhasa, picking up our first Giant Babaxes along the way and enjoying the dramatic mountain scenery with wide, stony rivers carving their way through deep mountain valleys and yet another high mountain pass at Ba La (4,845m or 15,896ft).

Our last birding excursion was out of Lhasa to Shuksep Nunnery or Xiong Si as it is called in Chinese. There were lots more Tibetan Blackbirds here and a good selection of other Tibetan specialities, including Prince Henri’s Laughingthrushes and Giant Babaxes, but it was the Tibetan Eared Pheasants and Tibetan Snowcocks that totally stole the show. We had to walk up the pack trail to the nunnery, but as soon as we approached the buildings we came across a big band of pheasants that were so tame (they have become used to being fed by the nuns) that we could get close enough for ‘head shots’ with the cameras. They had obviously had a successful breeding season as there were many well-grown young birds in the band. At the nunnery itself we had a wander round the precinct where fresh juniper branches were being burned in a courtyard and the

The extraordinary Potala Palace still dominates Lhasa (Mark Beaman)

The red palace built on top of the white at the Potala (left) and the golden roof of the Jokhang Temple (Mark Beaman)


nuns were chanting their prayers in the dim interior of a temple. To my surprise, as I had not seen this before, a flock of Tibetan Snowcocks flew downslope to the nunnery and not long afterwards started to strut around on the house roofs like so many chickens. They were so unafraid we could get to within a couple of metres of them ands even take pictures with mobile phones! One never tires of seeing normally shy birds become so approachable, so it was sad to leave this magical place. Our last new birds of the tour were Pallas’s Fish Eagles along the Lhasa River and then, after sorting out our recalcitrant driver (what a contrast he was to Mr Lin, our Qinghai hero), it was back to the city for some cultural ‘musts’.

After a good lunch we visited the vast and amazing Potala Palace, the centrepiece of Lhasa. Even though it has a museum-like quality now that its chief resident is no longer present, it is still an extraordinary and very special place. At the end of the afternoon we continued to the Jokhang Temple, the most important religious site in the city and the focus for pilgrims from all over Tibet. At the temple entrance Tibetan pilgrims prostrated themselves in worship, just as many would have done throughout the long journey here. It was moving to see such devotion. Inside the gloomy interior, lit in places by flickering butter candles, we could admire the many wall paintings and side chapels filled with statues of the many incarnations of Buddha and some terrifying monsters that await the wicked. Red-robed monks were debating in the courtyard and it was fascinating to watch how animated the debate became, with finger-wagging and hand-slapping to emphasise points. Once we finally got up on the roof terrace we could admire the golden roofing, bells and other ornaments and stare

Many of the pilgrims who come to pray at the Jokhang have walked hundreds of kilometres or more (Mark Beaman)

The dim and mysterious interior of the Jokhang is still lit by butter candles, just as it has been for hundreds of years (Mark Beaman)


out over the city to the Potala on its hill, dominating all. What an extraordinary place…

Next morning it was time to head for the comforts of home after our long and remarkable journey across ‘The Roof of the World’. As we flew out to Chengdu we could see the Himalayas to the south and eventually the easternmost outpost of that mighty range, the pyramidal peak of Minya Konka in western Sichuan.

‘BIRDS OF THE TRIP’ WINNERS:

Main Tour1st: Przevalski’s (or Pink-tailed) Finch2nd: Lord Derby’s Parakeet3rd: Tibetan Eared Pheasant4th: Tibetan Snowcock5th =: Blue Eared Pheasant and Henderson’s Ground Jay

Xinjiang Extension1st: Biddulph’s (or Xinjiang) Ground Jay2nd: Barbary Falcon3rd: White-winged Woodpecker4th: Altai Accentor5th: Black-throated Accentor

Monks in a heated religous debate inside the Jokhang, where the golden roof decorations are quite extraordinary (Mark Beaman)


SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR

Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H).Species which were not personally recorded by the leaders are indicated by the symbol (NL).Species which were only recorded by the leaders are indicated by the symbol (LO).

Species marked with the diamond symbol (◊) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered ‘special’ birds for some other reason (e.g.: it is only seen on very few Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species).

BIRDS

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (NL) Steve saw one at Koko NorGreat Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Common at the Qinghai wetlandsBlack-necked Grebe (Eared G) Podiceps nigricollis 50 at Koko Nor and three for some south of MaduoGreat Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and Koko Nor, and a few south of MaduoLittle Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 5 at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax A 2nd-year at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus Not uncommon at wetlands in Qinghai; also 10 at NyingchiWestern Great Egret Egretta alba Fairly common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Small numbers at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and Koko NorWhooper Swan Cygnus cygnus One at Koko Nor

Long-legged Buzzards were quite common in Xinjiang (Mark Beaman)


Greylag Goose Anser anser Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and Koko Nor, plus three south of MaduoBar-headed Goose ◊ Anser indicus Common in the Qinghai wetlands and four in Lhasa regionRuddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Common at the Qinghai wetlands and two at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Six at Koko Nor and two for some south of MaduoGadwall Anas strepera Small numbers at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and Koko NorMallard Anas platyrhynchos Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Garganey Anas querquedula Two at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Six at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Common at Koko Nor; also two at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Common Pochard Aythya ferina Common at Koko NorFerruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and small numbers at Koko NorTufted Duck Aythya fuligula Common at Koko NorCommon Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Two at Koko NorGoosander (Common Merganser) Mergus merganser One on a river near QingshuiheBlack-eared Kite Milvus lineatus Common in Xinjiang and scattered records of small numbers from QinghaiPallas’s Fish Eagle ◊ Haliaeetus leucoryphus Two along the Lhasa RiverLammergeier (Bearded Vulture) Gypaetus barbatus Not uncommon in SE QinghaiHimalayan Griffon Vulture (H Vulture) Gyps himalayensis Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and Qinghai; few in TibetEurasian Black Vulture (Cinereous V, Monk V) Aegypius monachus: One in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis (NL) One for Richard at Huzhu Beishan and two (with Di) at BeizhaEurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus One in Nyingchi regionHimalayan Buzzard ◊ Buteo burmanicus A few at Huzhu Beishan and BeizhaLong-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus Fairly common in arid areas of XinjiangUpland Buzzard ◊ Buteo hemilasius Common in both Qinghai and TibetGolden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Scattered singles in QinghaiBooted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus Three singles in XinjiangCommon Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A few in Qinghai. Surprisingly scarce.Amur Falcon Falco amurensis An immature male in Chaka region was lingering short of the breeding areaEurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo One in Chaka region and one for some at Huzhu BeishanSaker Falcon Falco cherrug Regularly observed in Qinghai, with up to three in a dayBarbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides One at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)Severtzov’s Grouse ◊ (Chinese G) Bonasa sewerzowi (H + NL) Two males seen by some at Huzhu Beishan, heard by othersSzéchenyi’s Monal Partridge ◊ (Buff-throated P) Tetraophasis szechenyii Close views of 8 and others heard at BeizhaVerreaux’s Monal Partridge ◊ (Chestnut-throated P) Tetraophasis obscurus (H) One heard at Huzhu BeishanHimalayan Snowcock ◊ Tetraogallus himalayensis (LO + H) One seen by Mark, heard by all, in Chaka regionTibetan Snowcock ◊ Tetraogallus tibetanus 4 in Nangqian region, 19 at Shuksep and 2 for Nick en route to YushuPrzevalski’s Partridge ◊ (Rusty-necklaced P) Alectoris magna No fewer than 30 in Chaka regionDaurian Partridge ◊ Perdix dauurica Up to 10 each time we explored the Chaka mountainsTibetan Partridge ◊ Perdix hodgsoniae Scattered records of small numbers in Qinghai and TibetBlood Pheasant ◊ Ithaginis cruentus Up to six each day at BeizhaWhite Eared Pheasant ◊ Crossoptilon crossoptilon 11 in total at Beizha and a few (mainly heard) in Nangqian areaTibetan Eared Pheasant ◊ (Elwes’s E P) Crossoptilon harmani No fewer than 30 at Shuksep where stunning viewsBlue Eared Pheasant ◊ Crossoptilon auritum A total of 18 at Huzhu BeishanCommon Pheasant (Ring-necked P) Phasianus colchicus Fairly common in northernmost QinghaiCommon Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Five at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Eurasian Coot (Common C) Fulica atra Common at Koko NorBlack-necked Crane ◊ Grus nigricollis A total of 13 of these wonderful birds at the Qinghai wetlandsIbisbill ◊ Ibidorhyncha struthersii A few along the rivers between Yushu and NangqianBlack-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Four at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Four at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and one at Koko NorKentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Common at Koko Nor


Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons Four at the wetlands south of Maduo. See noteNorthern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Fairly common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and Koko NorRed Knot Calidris canutus Two at Koko NorTemminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii 10 at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and small numbers at the Qinghai wetlandsRuff Philomachus pugnax (NL) Two for Richard at the wetlands south of MaduoCommon Snipe Gallinago gallinago Two at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Eastern Black-tailed Godwit Limosa melanuroides Three at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and 21 at Koko NorEurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Small numbers at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and the Qinghai wetlandsCommon Redshank Tringa totanus Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and the Qinghai wetlandsMarsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (NL) Frank and Steve saw one at the wetlands south of MaduoCommon Greenshank Tringa nebularia Four at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Two at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and one for some at Huzhu BeishanWood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Fairly common at the Qingfhai wetlands; in addition Frank saw one at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Four at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos One at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and three at Koko NorPallas’s Gull (Great Black-headed G) Larus ichthyaetus Very common at Qinghai wetlands and also 4 at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Little Gull Larus minutus A first-summer at Koko Nor was a surprise stragglerBlack-headed Gull (Common B-h G) Larus ridibundus Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Brown-headed Gull ◊ Larus brunnicephalus Common at the Qinghai wetlandsCaspian Gull Larus cachinnans Fairly common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Mongolian Gull Larus [cachinnans] mongolicus Two immatures at Koko Nor were considered to be this form. See noteCommon Tern Sterna hirundo Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and wetlands in Qinghai and TibetLittle Tern Sterna albifrons Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Numerous at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)

Wildflowers, like these Tibetan Poppies, put on a stunning display throughout our journey (Mark Beaman)


White-winged Tern (W-w Black T) Chlidonias leucopterus Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Pallas’s Sandgrouse ◊ Syrrhaptes paradoxus Great views of five in the Chaka regionTibetan Sandgrouse ◊ Syrrhaptes tibetanus (H + NL) One heard at Er La and two overhead for Frank and John NE of YushuRock Dove (R Pigeon) Columba livia Widespread and common. There is a wild population in Xinjiang.Hill Pigeon ◊ Columba rupestris Common and widespread in Qinghai and Tibet; also 2 in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Snow Pigeon ◊ Columba leuconota Fairly common in SE Qinghai, and Frank saw two in the Chaka mountainsSpeckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii Three in Nyingchi regionEurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Fairly common in Xinjiang and northern QinghaiOriental Turtle Dove (Rufous T D) Streptopelia orientalis Common in Tibet, with small numbers in Qinghai and XinjiangLord Derby’s Parakeet ◊ (Derbyan P) Psittacula derbyana 25 in the Nyingchi region. What great (and noisy) birds!Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Widespread and not uncommonGrey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka Three before dawn in the Nyingchi regionHimalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris Six in the Nyingchi regionWhite-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus Eight in the Nyingchi regionCommon Swift Apus apus Common in N Qinghai; also one at Turpan (Xinjiang) and 10 seen at Lhasa by RichardSalim Ali’s Swift ◊ Apus salimalii Locally common in Qinghai and Tibet. See noteEurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops Widespread and fairly commonGrey-headed Woodpecker (Grey-faced W) Picus canus Two at Beizha and one heard in Nyingchi regionBlack Woodpecker Dryocopus martius 1 in Nyingchi region, 1 heard at Huzhu Beishan and 1 for Frank at BeizhaGreat Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major Two en route to Huzhu BeishanWhite-winged Woodpecker Dendrocopus leucopterus Four at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus (NL) A total of five for Richard and Di in SE QinghaiTibetan Lark ◊ (Long-billed Calandra L) Melanocorypha maxima Widespread and fairly common in N and C QinghaiMongolian Lark ◊ Melanocorypha mongolica Small numbers at Koko Nor and at HekaHume’s Short-toed Lark ◊ Calandrella acutirostris Fairly common in N and C QinghaiAsian Short-toed Lark ◊ Calandrella cheleensis Fairly common at Chaka; also two in the Tarim (Xinjiang)Crested Lark Galerida cristata Small numbers in the Tarim Basin (Xinjiang)Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula Common and widespread in Qinghai; also one near ShuksepHorned Lark (Shore L) Eremophila alpestris Common and widespread in QinghaiPale Martin ◊ Riparia diluta Scattered records of small to moderate numbers from wetlands across Qinghai and TibetEurasian Crag Martin Hirundo rupestris Common in SE Qinghai, a few elsewhere in the provinceBarn Swallow Hirundo rustica Common in Xinjiang, a few in QinghaiRed-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Not uncommon in SE QinghaiAsian House Martin Delichon dasypus Not uncommon in N and SE Qinghai; also three at ShuksepCommon House Martin (Northern H M) Delichon urbica Common at Bosten Nur and one in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi Small numbers in N QinghaiOlive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Fairly common in N Qinghai and a few in SE QinghaiRosy Pipit ◊ Anthus roseatus Small numbers in QinghaiWater Pipit Anthus spinoletta Four in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Manchurian Wagtail (Eastern Grey-headed W) Motacilla [tschutschensis] macronyx One at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Citrine Wagtail Motacilla [citreola] citreola Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Tibetan Wagtail ◊ Motacilla [citreola] calcarata Small numbers in QinghaiGrey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Himalayan Wagtail Motacilla [alba] alboides Common in SE Qinghai and TibetAmur Wagtail Motacilla [alba] leucopsis Common in N QinghaiMasked Wagtail Motacilla [alba] personata Fairly common in XinjiangLong-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Fairly common in Nyingchi regionWhite-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus Two in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and one in Nangqian regionWinter Wren (Northern W) Troglodytes troglodytes (NL) Steve saw one at Huzhu BeishanRufous-breasted Accentor ◊ Prunella strophiata Scattered records of ones and twos from QinghaiBrown Accentor ◊ Prunella fulvescens Widespread and fairly common in Qinghai and Tibet, and 1 in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Black-throated Accentor ◊ Prunella atrogularis Three in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) were greatly appreciated


Robin Accentor ◊ Prunella rubeculoides Fairly widespread and not uncommon in QinghaiAltai Accentor ◊ Prunella himalayana Four in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris One for Mark and two more for Steve in the Nangqian areaSiberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope Small numbers at Laoye Shan and Huzhu BeishanWhite-tailed Rubythroat ◊ (Himalayan R) Luscinia pectoralis Three en route to YushuHimalayan Red-flanked Bluetail (H Bluetail) Tarsiger rufilatus One at Beizha and two heard in Nyingchi regionNorthern Red-flanked Bluetail (Northern B, Siberian B) Tarsiger cyanurus Common in northernmost QinghaiEversmann’s Redstart ◊ (Rufous-backed R) Phoenicurus erythronota Eight of these beauties in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Przevalski’s Redstart ◊ (Ala Shan R) Phoenicurus alaschanicus A total of 12 in the Chaka mountainsBlack Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Common and widespread in Qinghai and TibetHodgson’s Redstart ◊ Phoenicurus hodgsoni Common in N and SE Qinghai and in TibetBlue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis Small numbers in N and SE QinghaiWhite-throated Redstart ◊ Phoenicurus schisticeps Fairly common in N and SE Qinghai and in TibetDaurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus Three at Laoye ShanGüldenstädt’s Redstart ◊ (White-winged R) Phoenicurus erythrogaster Rather common at Er La and the pass NE of YushuWhite-capped Redstart (W-c Water R, River Chat) Chaimarrornis leucocephalus Common in N and SE Qinghai and in TibetPlumbeous Redstart (P Water R) Rhyacornis fuliginosus A few at Huzhu Beishan, 1 at Beizha and 2 in Nyingchi regionWhite-bellied Redstart ◊ Hodgsonius phaenicuroides A female in Nyingchi region and one heard at Huzhu BeishanSiberian Stonechat Saxicola maura Two en route to Huzhu BeishanIsabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Small numbers in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and in N QinghaiNorthern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe A single in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Three at Bei ShanDesert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Small numbers in the arid zones of Xinjiang and N QinghaiLong-tailed Thrush ◊ Zoothera dixoni (LO) One seen by Mark in Nyingchi regionWhite-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus Three in Nyingchi regionCommon Blackbird (Eurasian B) Turdus merula Two in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)

A young male Tibetan Blackbird (Mark Beaman)


Tibetan Blackbird ◊ Turdus maximus Common in Tibet and a surprise male in Yushu. See noteChestnut Thrush ◊ Turdus rubrocanus Common in northernmost QinghaiChinese Thrush ◊ (C Song T) Turdus mupinensis (LO) One seen by Mark at Huzhu BeishanMistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Aberrant Bush Warbler Cettia flavolivacea Two adults feeding a juvenile at Huzhu Bei Shan, a minor range extensionSpotted Bush Warbler ◊ Bradypterus thoracicus Fairly common at Huzhu BeishanXinjiang Bush-dweller ◊ Rhopophilus [pekinensis] albosuperciliaris Fairly common at the Tarim River (Xinjiang). See notePaddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Fairly common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria Three in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula Common at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)Margelanic Lesser Whitethroat ◊ Sylvia [curruca] margelanica Four at Gonghe. See noteCommon Whitethroat Sylvia communis Three in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Whistler’s Warbler Seicercus whistleri Fairly common in Nyingchi regionGreenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides Common in N and SE Qinghai, in Tibet and in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris Common in Nyingchi region and fairly common at Huzhu BeishanBuff-barred Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher Small numbers at Huzhu BeishanSichuan Leaf Warbler (Pale-rumped W) Phylloscopus forresti Fairly common at Beizha. See noteLemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus chloronotus Common in Nyingchi regionGansu Leaf Warbler ◊ Phylloscopus kansuensis Common in northernmost QinghaiChinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis One at Huzhu BeishanHume’s Leaf Warbler (Buff-browed W) Phylloscopus humei Common in N and SE Qinghai and in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Yellow-streaked Warbler ◊ Phylloscopus armandii Fairly common in northernmost and SE QinghaiSmoky Warbler ◊ Phylloscopus fuligiventer Five at Rubber Mountain and one northeast of Yushu. See noteAlpine Leaf Warbler ◊ Phylloscopus occisinensis Widespread and locally fairly common in Qinghai. See noteGoldcrest Regulus regulus Three at Dongxia and one heard in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Severtzov’s Tit-warbler ◊ (White-browed T-w) Leptopoecile sophiae 4 in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang), 2 in SE Qinghai and 1 at ShuksepCrested Tit-warbler ◊ Leptopoecile elegans A few in northernmost Qinghai and at BeizhaFerruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea Common in the Nyingchi regionDark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica One at BeizhaSlaty-backed Flycatcher ◊ Ficedula hodgsonii Small numbers in N and SE Qinghai and in TibetBlack-streaked Scimitar Babbler ◊ Pomatorhinus gravivox One in the Nangqian areaBearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus Very common at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang) and four at Koko NorGiant Babax ◊ Babax waddelli Fairly common in TibetKozlov’s Babax ◊ (Tibetan B) Babax koslowi Rather common in Nangqian region; in addition Richard had four at BeizhaPère David’s Laughingthrush ◊ (Plain L) Garrulax davidi Small numbers at Laoye Shan and Huzhu BeishanGiant Laughingthrush ◊ Garrulax maximus Rather common at BeizhaElliot’s Laughingthrush ◊ Garrulax elliotii Common in northernmost and SE QinghaiPrince Henri’s Laughingthrush ◊ (Brown-cheeked L) Garrulax henrici Common in TibetRed-billed Leiothrix Leoiothrix lutea Four in Nyingchi regionChinese Fulvetta ◊ Alcippe striaticollis Five at BeizhaLudlow’s Fulvetta ◊ (Brown-headed F) Alcippe ludlowi Mark and John saw a total of 5 between them in Nyingchi regionWhite-browed Tit ◊ Parus superciliosus Small numbers in the Chaka regionSongar Tit ◊ Parus songarus Common in northernmost Qinghai and two in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Sichuan Tit ◊ Parus weigoldicus Not uncommon in SE Qinghai. See noteGrey-crested Tit Parus dichrous A total of five at BeizhaRufous-vented Tit Parus rubidiventris Common at Dongxia and small numbers at BeizhaCoal Tit Parus ater Fairly common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Azure Tit ◊ Parus cyanus A single at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)Japanese Tit ◊ Parus [major] minor Scattered records of a few from Qinghai and TibetGreen-backed Tit Parus monticolus Fairly common in Nyingchi regionGroundpecker (Hume’s G, Ground Tit) Parus humilis Common and widespread in Qinghai and Tibet. See note


Chinese Nuthatch ◊ (Snowy-browed N) Sitta villosa Six at Dongxia and one heard at Huzhu BeishanPrzevalski’s Nuthatch ◊ Sitta przewalskii Two at Dongxia and one at BeizhaEurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea One in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) belonged to the arctica (Siberian Nuthatch) complexWallcreeper Tichodroma muraria Up to two daily in the Nangqian region; in addition Di saw one in the Chaka mountainsEurasian Treecreeper (Common T) Certhia familiaris One in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and one at Huzhu BeishanHodgson’s Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni One at BeizhaChestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus Three, presumably on migration, in the Nyingchi regionTurkestan Shrike (Rufous-tailed S) Lanius [isabellinus] phoenicuroides One in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Xinjiang Shrike ◊ (Chinese S) Lanius [isabellinus] arenarius Common in the Tarim (Xinjiang) and small numbers around ChakaGrey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus Common and widespread in N and SE Qinghai and in TibetTibetan Grey Shrike ◊ Lanius [sphenocercus] giganteus A total of seven in the Chaka mountains and two in SE Qinghai. See noteEurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Five at Huzhu Beishan and four in Nyingchi regionGold-billed Magpie (Yellow-billed Blue M) Urocissa flavirostris A family party of 6 in Nyingchi regionAzure-winged Magpie ◊ (Asian A-w M) Cyanopica cyanus Small numbers in N QinghaiEurasian Magpie Pica pica Common and widespread in Qinghai and TibetHenderson’s Ground Jay ◊ (Mongolian G J) Podoces hendersoni A total of 3 near ChakaBiddulph’s Ground Jay ◊ (Xinjiang G J) Podoces biddulphi A total of seven in the Taklimakan Desert (Xinjiang)Spotted Nutcracker (Eurasian N) Nucifraga caryocatactes Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and in Nyingchi regionRed-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Common and widespread in Qinghai and TibetAlpine Chough (Yellow-billed C) Pyrrhocorax graculus Numerous in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and some in the Nangqian regionDaurian Jackdaw ◊ Corvus dauuricus Fairly common in SE QinghaiOriental Rook ◊ (Eastern R) Corvus pastinator Six en route to Huzhu BeishanOriental Crow ◊ Corvus corone Six in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and one en route to Huzhu BeishanLarge-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos Fairly common in northernmost and SE Qinghai and in TibetCommon Raven (Northern R) Corvus corax Not uncommon in Xinjiang and Qinghai; one only in TibetCommon Starling (European S) Sturnus vulgaris A flock of 50 at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Saxaul Sparrow ◊ Passer ammodendri Four at the Tarim River (Xinjiang)

A Biddulph’s Ground Jay shows off its awesome acceleration. No wonder they can ‘vanish’ whenever they want to! (Mark Beaman)


House Sparrow Passer domesticus Common in XinjiangSpanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis Four in the Taklimakan desert (Xinjiang)Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Widespread and commonRock Sparrow Petronia petronia Small to moderate numbers around Gonghe, Heka and YushuBlanford’s Snowfinch ◊ (Plain-backed S) Montifringilla blanfordi Not uncommon around ChakaRufous-necked Snowfinch ◊ Montifringilla ruficollis Common and widespread in Qinghai and TibetPère David’s Snowfinch ◊ (Small S) Montifringilla davidiana Common at Koko Nor and around Heka; also one near ChakaWhite-rumped Snowfinch ◊ Montifringilla taczanowskii Widespread and locally common in QinghaiAdams’s Snowfinch ◊ (Tibetan S, Black-winged S) Montifringilla adamsi Widespread and locally common in QinghaiPrince Henri’s Snowfinch ◊ Montifringilla henrici Common at high passes in Qinghai and Frank saw 6 at Ba La. See noteRed-fronted Serin ◊ (Fire-fronted S) Serinus pusillus Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Grey-capped Greenfinch (Oriental G) Carduelis sinica Four en route to Huzhu BeishanCommon Linnet Carduelis cannabina Three in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Twite Carduelis flavirostris Fairly common in Qinghai as far south as the Yushu regionCommon Crossbill (Red C) Loxia curvirostra Three at DongxiaPlain Mountain Finch ◊ Leucosticte nemoricola Widespread and locally common in mountain areasBrandt’s Mountain Finch ◊ (Black-headed M F) Leucosticte brandti Fairly common at Er La and the pass northeast of YushuMongolian Finch ◊ (M Trumpeter F) Bucanetes mongolicus Two at Wenquan and 15 at GongheCommon Rosefinch (Scarlet R) Carpodacus erythrinus Fairly common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and N and SE QinghaiChinese Beautiful Rosefinch ◊ Carpodacus davidianus Common in N Qinghai and at ShuksepPink-rumped Rosefinch ◊ (Stresemann’s R) Carpodacus eos Common in SE QinghaiSinai Rosefinch ◊ (Pale R) Carpodacus synoicus Eight at Bei ShanThree-banded Rosefinch ◊ Carpodacus trifasciatus A total of three at BeizhaChinese White-browed Rosefinch ◊ Carpodacus dubius Common in N and SE QinghaiStreaked Rosefinch ◊ (Eastern Great R) Carpodacus rubicilloides Common at Shuksep; also a few in N and SE Qinghai

Brandt’s Mountain Finch, a high altitude denizen (Mark Beaman)


Spotted Great Rosefinch ◊ Carpodacus severtzovi Three in the Yushu regionRed-breasted Rosefinch ◊ (Red-fronted R) Carpodacus puniceus Two at Rubber MountainRoborovski’s Rosefinch ◊ (Tibetan R) Kozlowia roborowskii Fairly common at Er La and the pass NE of YushuPrzevalski’s Finch ◊ (Pink-tailed F) Urocynchramus pylzowi Three at Rubber Mountain. See noteGrey-headed Bullfinch ◊ Pyrrhula erythaca Common in northernmost Qinghai and six at BeizhaWhite-winged Grosbeak ◊ Mycerobas carnipes Widely scattered records of small numbers in Xinjiang, Qinghai and TibetBlack-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala A male at Bei Shan and one heard at Laoye ShanKozlov’s Bunting ◊ (Tibetan B) Emberiza koslowi Up to seven each day in the Nangqian areaPine Bunting ◊ Emberiza leucocephalos Small numbers in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang) and N QinghaiGodlewski’s Bunting ◊ Emberiza godlewskii Widespread and locally common in Qinghai and TibetMeadow Bunting ◊ Emberiza cioides Small numbers at Laoye Shan, Bei Shan and GongheCommon Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Three parrot-billed types, ssp pyrrhuloides, at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)

MAMMALS

Black-lipped Pika (Plateau P) Ochotona curzoniae Common and widespread in Qinghai and TibetChinese Red Pika Ochotona erythrotis Two in the Chaka MountainsGlover’s Pika Ochotona gloveri Two in the Yushu regionLarge-eared Pika Ochotona macrotis Two at Er La and 10 at the pass NE of Yushu. See noteTsing-Ling Pika Ochotona huangensis A few at Huzhu Beishan. See noteTolai Hare Lepus tolai Two at Bei ShanWoolly Hare Lepus oiostolus Widespread and fairly common in Qinghai and TibetGrey Marmot Marmota baibacina Common in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang)Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana Widespread and common in QinghaiStoliczka’s Mountain Vole Alticola stoliczkanus Fairly common at Er La and at the pass northeast of YushuTibetan Fox Vulpes ferrilata One south of MaduoRed Fox Vulpes vulpes Scattered singles in Qinghai and at Bosten Nur (Xinjiang)Mountain Weasel (Pale W) Mustela altaica Scattered singles from Qinghai and TibetThorold’s Deer (White-lipped D) Cervus albirostris One at Rubber MountainEastern Roe Deer Capreolus pygargus (H + NL) One seen by Richard at Huzhu Beishan, heard barking by allTibetan Gazelle Gazella picticaudata Widespread in small to moderate numbers in N and C Qinghai

Those Tibetan Gazelles were really cute... (Mark Beaman)


Bharal (Blue Sheep) Pseudois nayaur Common in the Chaka mountains and in SE TibetChinese Serow Capricornis milneedwardsii One in a deep wooded valley with cliffs at BeizhaKiang (Tibetan Wild Ass) Equus kiang Up to 11 each day in the plains south of Maduo

NOTES TO THE SYSTEMATIC LIST

Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius atrifronsIt has recently been suggested that Lesser Sand Plover (or Mongolian Plover) C. mongolus should be treated as two species: Lesser Sand Plover C. atrifrons (including pamirensis) and Mongolian (Sand) Plover C. mongolus, and we have followed this treatment here.

Mongolian Gull Larus [cachinnans] mongolicusThis form was formerly lumped in Herring Gull L. argentatus, but recently the trend has been to subdivide the argentatus complex into several species. This form is often included in Caspian Gull L. cachinnans, which was called Yellow-legged Gull (as in Beaman 1994), until it was renamed following the further splitting off of L. michahellis under the name Yellow-legged Gull. Alternatively, some authors treat this form as a distinct species while others lump it in Vega (or East Siberian) Gull L. vegae. The taxonomy of the large white-headed gulls is still somewhat controversial and identification of the various forms is far from straightforward!

Salim Ali’s Swift Apus salimaliiThis form is usually treated as conspecific with Pacific (or Fork-tailed) Swift A. pacificus, but it has recently been recognized as a distinct species.

Tibetan Blackbird Turdus maximusMany authors lump this form in Eurasian (or Common) Blackbird T. merula, but it is increasingly regarded as deserving specific status due to markedly different morphology and vocalizations.

Xinjiang Bush-dweller Rhopophilus [pekinensis] albosuperciliarisThis form is currently lumped in Chinese Bush-dweller R. pekinensis (with the names Chinese Hill Warbler or White-browed Chinese Warbler often used for the enlarged species), but we believe the form in Xinjiang is so distinctive both morphologically and vocally that it deserves recognition as a full species. Long flagged as a babbler rather than warbler by discerning observers in China, the IOC World List now treats Rhopophilus pekinensis as a sylviid babbler, but retains the name Chinese Hill Warbler. Chinese Bush-dweller is a better name.

Margelanic Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia [minula] margelanicaThe status of this little known eastern form is controversial. It has recently been treated as an allospecies within the Lesser Whitethroat superspecies or alternatively as a part of the ‘Desert Whitethroat’ S. minula complex.

Sichuan Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus forrestiThis form was lumped in Lemon-rumped Warbler P. chloronotus, but it has recently been split into two separate species, with the monotypic eastern taxon becoming Sichuan Leaf Warbler P. forresti. In addition, formerly, the enlarged Lemon-rumped Warbler (also known as Pale-rumped Warbler) was often lumped in Pallas’s Leaf Warbler P. proregulus.

Smoky Warbler Phylloscopus fuligiventer The form concerned, weigoldi, is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Dusky Warbler P. fuscatus.

Alpine Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus occisinensisMost authors lump this form in Tickell’s Leaf Warbler P. offinis, but it has recently been recognized as specifically distinct.

Sichuan Tit Parus weigoldicusThis form was previously lumped in Songar Tit P. songarus or in Willow Tit P. montanus. Interestingly, recent genetic


studies suggest that Songar Tit sensu strictorum may not in fact merit specific status whereas the weigoldicus/affinis (Sichuan Tit) complex on the Tibetan Plateau and its edge is highly distinct. We have retained both as separate species.

Groundpecker (or Hume’s Groundpecker or Ground Tit) Parus humilis This species used to be called Hume’s Ground Jay Pseudopodoces humilis, but it has now been re-classified as an aberrant species of tit and re-named accordingly. There must be good reason to think that this unusual species deserves recognition as a monotypic family.

Tibetan Grey Shrike Lanius [sphenocercus] giganteusThis form is usually lumped in Chinese Grey Shrike L. sphenocercus but it may merit specific status.

Prince Henri’s Snowfinch Montifringilla henriciThis form is often lumped in White-winged (or Eurasian) Snowfinch M. nivalis.

Przevalski’s (or Pink-tailed) Finch Urocynchramus pylzowiThis species used to be called Przevalski’s Rosefinch, but now that it is recognized as the sole member of its own monotypic family, Urocynchramidae, this name is no longer appropriate. Some authors have suggested that this species may actually be a bunting, and it was placed amongst the buntings by Sibley & Monroe under the name Pink-tailed Bunting, but its characters are intermediate between finches and buntings and a monotypic family seems a better solution.

Large-eared Pika Ochotona macrotisThis form was formerly lumped in Royle’s Pika O. roylei.

Tsing-Ling Pika Ochotona huangensisThis form was formerly lumped in Moupin Pika O. thibetana.

Blue Sheep were quite common in some of the high mountain areas in Qinghai (Mark Beaman)

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