Qinghai & Xinjiang Tour Report 2014

5th June - 28th June 2014

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Either for rarity value, excellent views or simply a group favourite. 

  • Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge

  • Tibetan Partridge

  • Tibetan Snowcock

  • Himalayan Snowcock

  • Przevalski’s Partridge

  • Daurian Partridge

  • Blue Eared Pheasant

  • Black-necked Crane

  • Ibisbill

  • Tibetan Sandgrouse

  • Pallas’s Sandgrouse

  • Salim Ali’s Swift

  • White-winged Woodpecker

  • Three-toed Woodpecker

  • Bearded Reedling

  • Mongolian Lark

  • Tibetan Lark

  • Robin Accentor

  • Black-throated Accentor

  • White-tailed Rubythroat

  • Siberian Rubythroat 

  • Siberian Bluetail

  • A La Shan Redstart

  • Guldenstadt’s Redstart

  • Eversmann’s Redstart

  • Grandala

  • Crested Tit-warbler

  • Kozlov’s Babax

  • Azure Tit

  • Wallcreeper

  • Przewalski’s Nuthatch

  • Henderson’s Ground-Jay

  • Biddulph’s Ground-Jay

  • Kozlov’s Bunting

  • Pink-tailed Finch

  • Pale Rosefinch

  • Spotted Great Rosefinch

  • Roborovski’s Rosefinch

  • Saxaul Sparrow

  • Pere David’s Snowfinch

  • Grey Wolf

  • Pallas’s Cat 

SUMMARY
Pink-tailed-Finch-Qinghai 2014
Our exciting adventure to some of the remotest regions of China resulted in a large number of endemic and extremely localised species. However, on this journey it is not about the number of birds you see, but more importantly it is the overall experience of birding in one of the most beautiful environments imaginable. We visited all of the best birding sites in Qinghai, including Koko Nor Lake, Rubber Mountain, Er La Pass, Kande Shan, Chaka and many places in between. Of course there are some wonderful birds such as Himalayan Snowcock, Tibetan Sandgrouse, A La Shan Redstart, Tibetan Rosefinch and plenty of other mouthYwatering, highYaltitude species. We were also fortunate to see a Pallas’s Cat at close quarters, a hunting Wolf, and several stunning Tibetan Fox. We also visited the far northYwest and a quest to the remote Taklamakan Desert where we found the rangeYrestricted Biddulph’s GroundYJay amidst a stark desert landscape that provided a total contrast to the snowYcapped mountains and beautiful valleys of the Tibetan Plateau. We enjoyed WhiteYwinged Woodpecker and Saxaul Sparrow here as well, before ending in the Tien Shan Mountains. Overall, a simply great experience and a privilege to be able to visit such a vast and remote region. 

 

Download Full Tour Report