Photo Gallery
Babblers, such as this Red-billed Scimitar, feature prominently on our Yunnan tour.
Red-headed Trogon also occurs at several sites we will visit.
We expect the localised Black-breasted to be the commonest thrush on the tour.
Flavescent Bulbul is one of the province’s more demure species…
The same certainly can’t be said of Grey Peacock-pheasant. This one photographed from one of several bird blinds we’ll visit…
Some years Blue-naped Pitta is easy to see, but again only from a bird blind…
We’ll explore some gorgeous forest at Baihualing.
Rufous-bellied (aka Beautiful) Niltava, here a male.
With the advent of the bird blinds many local farmers have diversified, finding alternative sources of income.
The widespread White-throated Fantail can also be found at several sites we’ll visit.
Red-tailed is one of a remarkable 17 species of laughingthrush that we’ve seen on this tour…
Black-faced,
Grey-sided,
Blue-winged,
and Scaly being four more laughingthrushes that we’d hope to see.
Almost a laughingthrush, the frequently showy Scarlet-faced Liocichla is often highly gregarious.
Ever secretive, Rufous-throated Partridge is heard more often than seen.
Scaly-breasted is one of the two diminutive cupwings that we’d hope to see.
With luck we’ll also encounter Mrs Hume’s Pheasant.
Golden is one of the region’s most attractive Bush Robins.
The tiny Chestnut-headed Tesia is one of the more regular visitors to the Baihualing bird blinds.
Aptly named, Beautiful, is one of five species of Sibia we’d expect to encounter.
The Gaoligongshan Forests harbour many of Yunnan’s most sought-after species…
…including Black-headed Sibia…
…and, with luck, the rare Gould’s Shortwing.
Himalayan Bluetails are common…
…while Himalayan Shortwing is far less so.
The scenery here…
…here…
…and here near Tengchong is spectacular.
One of the regions’ more restricted specialities is the aptly named Yunnan Nuthatch.
The skyline at Lijiang in northern Yunnan is dominated by the majestic Yuelong Snow Mountain.
The mixed deciduous-conifer forests near Lijiang…
…hold healthy populations of White-collared Yuhinas.
…but White-speckled, or Biet’s, Laughingthrush is now vanishingly rare.
Fortunately though Black-browed Bushtit isn’t.
Nor is Black-bibbed Tit…
…or Rufous-tailed Babbler.
Foreigners are still somewhat of a novelty here.
Much of our birding will be in the forests…
…some of it close to hamlets…
…some of it searching through waterfowl (here predominantly Red-crested Pochard and Eurasian Coot with a few Gadwall).
Decent numbers of Bar-headed Geese, a Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau breeder, winter here…
and early mornings at this site can be chilly!