by Jesper Hornskov
The Hebei coast by now needs little introduction: back on the birding world map since 1985 it is the best place to enjoy spring (and autumn!) migration in eastern Asia. Nowhere is it easier to catch up with all those vagrants to the Western Palearctic, and into the bargain you get a number of local endemics, endangered species, and several long-distance migrants which are considered potential vagrants to Europe.
Drawing on unequalled local birding experience the following itinerary has been carefully planned on a strict birds-first basis to ensure that we're in the right place at the right time.
Itinerary
DAY 01: Morning arrival at Beijing, China's capital. Afternoon birding/sightseeing, or if feasible transfer to Beidaihe.
DAY 02: Start birdwatching at Beidaihe.
DAY 03: Half-day visit to the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan, an hour's drive north of Beidaihe. Apart from seeing the Wall where it ascends the mountains on its way west away from the coastal plain, we shall search for Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Pere David's Laughingthrush, Godlewski's Rock and Meadow Buntings, Chinese Hill Warbler, Common Pheasant, and Daurian Redstart. All these are birds we're unlikely to encounter elsewhere on our trip, and if winds are favourable we may in addition see some raptors.
Scenically Shanhaiguan is on par with Badaling, the "usual" Wall site near Beijing, but it is far less crowded and a much better place to see the endemic species.
DAY 04: We'll start early for Happy Island, stopping a couple of times en route for birding. Having moved into our simple but adequate, dormitory-style accomodation we shall set out after lunch to explore the island .
Happy Island, now widely recognized as by far the most birder-friendly place on the E Asia flyway, is sized 1x2.5 kms. A range of habitat exist there: grassy-reedy marshy flats, thickets of scrub, rolling dunes, shrimp ponds, and a central wood adjacent to a derelict temple. The surrounding sea is shallow, with tidal mudflats that make up an important staging area for shorebirds and gulls. Great Knot and Asian Dowitcher are regularly present in their 1,000's, while the endangered Nordmann's Greenshank is annual. There are also at least three records of the enigmatic Spoon-billed Sandpiper, which we shall certainly attempt finding.
Relict Gull, another sought-after species, is seen most days (max 20-30 birds at this season) while the highly endangered Saunders's Gull breeds nearby and is seen daily (usually 5-20 birds per day, occasionally up to a hundred).
Each day will see a new set of birds as one wave of migrants follow another - during our two weeks on the island we shall expect two or three major falls involving large numbers of passerines. May 1997, for example, yielded day counts of c100 Brown Shrike, c50 Rufous-tailed Robin, c100 Siberian Stonechat, 25 Siberian Thrush, c500 Eyebrowed Thrush, c1,000 Dusky & c1,000 Radde's Warblers, c100 Little Bunting...
In addition, vagrants get caught up in the roving weather systems and turn up on the island, sometimes staying for several days: we regularly add species to Hebei's provincial list. Given the size of China's provinces this is the equivalent of finding national firsts in W Europe!... How about Japanese Night Heron, Fairy Pitta, Grey Bushchat, Blue Whistling Thrush, Orange-headed Ground Thrush, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, Golden-spectacled Warbler, or a flycatcher as exotic as Slaty Blue, Hainan Blue, Chinese Blue, Orange-gorgetted or Verditer, or a Russet Sparrow?
As the island is relatively small it is also the perfect place for anyone wishing to pursue special interests such as bird photography or regular wader counting.
DAY 05-18: Birdwatching at Happy Island.
DAY 19: After a final morning in the field we shall leave Happy Island and return to Beidaihe. Here we shall again stay at a comfortable hotel.
DAY 20: Birdwatching at Beidaihe. We'll concentrate on marshes and reed beds, a habitat type better represented here than on Happy Island and only now, late in the season, at its best. An early start is called for but we can expect some great birding: Yellow and Schrenck's Bitterns, Baillon's and Ruddy-breasted Crakes, Watercock, Lanceolated, Black-browed Reed, Oriental Great Reed and Thick-billed Warblers are frequently seen in good numbers. Scarcer species include the endangered Chinese Egret, Asian Yellow Rail, and Pallas's Grasshopper, Manchurian Reed and Blunt-winged Warblers. In the woods flycatchers of many species now dominate, along with Arctic and Two-barred Greenish Warblers, and we'll make a special effort to catch up with anything we may have missed earlier.
DAY 21: After some final hours in the field we'll return to Beijing for an overnight stay.
Depending on train schedules (not available at the time of writing) we may have time in Beijing for a bit of sight-seeing, or for a visit to the Friendship Store, the dollar shop of bygone days, for souvenirs. We'll seek out a good restaurant this evening and sample the famous Beijing Roast Duck (here in its native habitat!), and as we think back on some outstanding birdwatching in the course of three unrepeatable weeks knock back a shot or two of the local firewater
DAY 22: Departure.
*****
Tour price: approximately US$1,450.- (from Beijing).
The price is inclusive, covering land transport, all meals w/ tea, all accomodation, necessary paperwork, services of tour leader and drivers.
Not included are international flights, travel insurance, drinks, and anything strictly personal (eg visa fees, laundry, phone calls, any excess luggage charges, snacks).
Group size: 5-8.
Tour Start: Day 01 is expected to be Sunday 29 April 2001.
Accomodation: in Beijing and Beidaihe we'll stay in comfortable hotels with private bath/ toilet facilities. On Happy Island accomodation is perfectly comfortable if fairly primitive, with communal toilets & a somewhat erratic, solar powered shower set-up.
Food: At Beijing and Beidaihe a variety of delicious Chinese food is available. On Happy Island there is less culinary variety, but the food is both tasty and nourishing. It is recommended to bring some snacks (bisquits, chocolate etc) and perhaps Nescafe, obtainable in Beidaihe, for our stay on Happy Island.
Weather: Often changeable, with blue skies alternating with overcast conditions. It may rain in connection with fronts, but very rarely for more than a few hours at a time. Expect temperatures in the 10-25C range - a windchill factor must be taken into account.
Photography: We'll spend our time trying to see birds, but the keen photographer will find plenty of opportunity to make use of the often excellent light. Many birds are remarkably approachable - quiet stalks or wait-and-see tactics applied at a drinking place can be very rewarding.
Health: Anyone in general good health should find that acclimatization is achieved within a day or two of arrival, ensuring full enjoyment of the trip.
Essential equipment: Rainproof jacket; fleece jacket/ woolen sweater; longjohns; light hiking boots or sturdy sport shoes; wellingtons; woolen hat; gloves; sun hat; sun glasses; sunscreen lotion & ditto lip balm (protection factor 15-30 is recommended); some chocolate & other favourite snacks/ energy food; lozenges; water bottle (100C resistant); drinking mug; small torch; lighter; ear plugs (in case your room mate snores!); spoon & pocket knife.
General note: Though all possible efforts will be made to stick to the itinerary this may not always be possible due to circumstances beyond our control: a degree of flexibility is thus required, and participants must be a bit adventurous and willing to put up with the occasional discomfort associated with travel in somewhat remote & culturally alien areas.
Booking: for details on how to join, or for further information, please contact
Jesper Hornskov
Bei Ling Lu 4 Duan no. 1
Apartment 3-402
Beidaihe 066100
Hebei Province
Phone/fax +86 335 403 4587 E-mail: goodbird@public.qhptt.he.cn
Species list
P* = possible, for scarce/ vagrant species noted on at least one of my previous May trips. We are bound to see a number of these.
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Black-necked Grebe P. nigricollis P*
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris P*
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
Schrenck's Bittern I. eurhytmus
Cinnamon Bittern I. cinnamomeus P*
Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis P*
Japanese Night Heron Gorsachius goisagi P*
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Little Green Heron Butorides striatus
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes P*
Little Egret E. garzetta
Intermediate Egret E. intermedia P*
Great Egret E. alba
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron A. purpurea
Black Stork Ciconia nigra P*
Oriental White Stork C. boyciana P*
Greylag Goose A. anser P*
Brent Goose Branta bernicla orientalis P*
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea P*
Common Shelduck T. tadorna
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata P*
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope P*
Falcated Duck A. falcata P*
Gadwall A. strepera P*
Common Teal A. crecca crecca
Mallard A. platyrhynchos
Spot-billed Duck A. poecilorhyncha zonorhyncha
Northern Pintail A. acuta P*
Garganey A. querquedula
Northern Shoveler A. clypeata P*
Tufted Duck A. fuligula P
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca stejnegeri P*
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus
Black Baza Avecida leuphotes P*
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus P*
Black Kite Milvus migrans lineatus
Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus (aeruginosus) spilonotus
Pied Harrier C. melanoleucos
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis schvedowi
Japanese Sparrowhawk A. gularis
Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. nisus
Chinese Goshawk A. soloensis
Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus P*
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo japonicus
Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga P*
Osprey Pandion haliaetus P*
Eurasian Kestrel F. tinnunculus
Amur Falcon F. amurensis
Hobby F. subbuteo
Peregrine F. peregrinus P*
Japanese Quail Coturnix japonica
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Yellow-legged Button-quail Turnix tanki P*
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus P*
Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
Ruddy-breasted Crake P. fusca
Asian Yellow Rail Coturnicops exquisitus P*
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus P*
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Watercock Gallicrex cinerea
Coot Fulica atra P*
Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis P*
Common Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus
Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus
Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
Grey Plover P. squatarola
Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Red Knot C. canutus
Sanderling C. alba
Red-necked Stint C. ruficollis
Temminck's Stint C. temminckii
Long-toed Stint C. subminuta
Pectoral Sandpiper C. melanotos P*
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper C. acuminata
Curlew Sandpiper C. ferruginea
Dunlin C. alpina
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus P*
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Pintail Snipe G. stenura
Swinhoe's Snipe G. megala P*
Asian Dowitcher L. semipalmatus
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola P*
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed Godwit L. lapponica
Little Whimbrel Numenius minutus P*
Whimbrel N. phaeopus phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew N. arquata
Far Eastern Curlew N. madagascariensis
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Redshank T. totanus
Marsh Sandpiper T. stagnatilis
Common Greenshank T. nebularia
Nordmann's Greenshank T. guttifer P*
Green Sandpiper T. ochropus
Wood Sandpiper T. glareola
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes P*
Turnstone Areneria interpres
Relict Gull L. relictus
Saunders's Gull L. saundersi
Black-headed Gull L. ridibundus
Brown-headed Gull L. brunnicephalus P*
Black-tailed Gull L. crassirostris
Common Gull L. canus P*
Vega Gull L. vegae
Yellow-legged Gull L. cachinnans P*
"barabensis" Gull L. #. barabensis [taxonomic placement in doubt] P*
Heuglin's Gull L. heuglini taimyrensis
Glaucous Gull L. hyperboreus P*
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern S. caspia
Common Tern S. hirundo
Little Tern S. albifrons
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
White-winged Black Tern C. leucopterus
*Rock Dove Columba livia [feral]
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Red Turtle Dove S. tranquebarica P*
Oriental Turtle Dove S. orientalis
Spotted Dove S. chinensis P*
Large Hawk Cuckoo H. sparverioides P*
Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus P*
Common Cuckoo C. canorus
Oriental Cuckoo C. saturatus
Lesser Cuckoo C. poliocephalus P*
Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia
Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata P*
Little Owl Athene noctua
Long-eared Owl Asio otus P*
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus P*
Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus
White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus
Common Swift Apus apus pekinensis
Fork-tailed Swift A. pacificus
Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis P*
Hoopoe Upupa epops
Wryneck Jynx torquilla
Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major
Rufous-bellied Woodpecker D. hyperythrus
Grey-capped Woodpecker D. canicapillus P*
Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha P*
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla P*
Asian Short-toed Lark C. (rufescens) cheleensis
Crested Lark Galerida cristata P*
Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis P*
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow H. rustica
Red-rumped Swallow H. daurica
Common House Martin D. urbica P*
Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
Blyth's Pipit A. godlewskii
Olive-backed Pipit A. hodgsoni
Pechora Pipit A. gustavi
Red-throated Pipit A. cervinus
Water Pipit A. spinoletta
Buff-bellied Pipit A. rubescens
Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Citrine Wagtail M. citreola
Grey Wagtail M. cinerea
White Wagtail M. alba
Ashy Minivet P. divaricatus
Chinese Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis
Japanese Waxwing Bombycilla japonica P*
Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella P*
Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans
Siberian Rubythroat L. calliope
Bluethroat L. svecica
Siberian Blue Robin L. cyane
Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus
Daurian Redstart P. auroreus
Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus P*
Stonechat Saxicola torquata stejnegeri
Grey Bushchat S. ferrea P*
Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina P*
Northern Wheatear O. oenanthe P*
White-throated Rock Thrush Monticola gularis
Blue Rock Thrush M. solitarius philippensis
Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus P*
White's Thrush Z. dauma
Siberian Thrush Z. sibirica
Chinese Blackbird Turdus (merula) mandarinus P*
Brown-headed Thrush T. chrysolaus P*
Grey-sided Thrush T. feae P*
Grey-backed Thrush T. hortulorum
Pale Thrush T. pallidus P*
Eyebrowed Thrush T. obscurus
Naumann's Thrush T. naumanni
Chinese Song Thrush T. mupinensis P*
Short-tailed Bush Warbler Urosphena squameiceps
Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone P*
Pere David's Bush Warbler Bradypterus davidi P*
Chinese Bush Warbler B. tacsanowskius P*
Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis
Chinese Hill Warbler Rhopophilus pekinensis
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola P*
Lanceolated Warbler L. lanceolata
Black-browed Reed Warbler A. bistrigiceps
Blunt-winged Warbler A. concinens P*
Manchurian Reed Warbler A. tangorum P*
Oriental Great Reed Warbler A. orientalis
Thick-billed Warbler A. aedon
Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca P*
"Golden-spectacled" Warbler Seicercus "burkii" [taxonomy under revision] P*
Blyth's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides
Eastern Crowned Warbler P. coronatus
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler P. tenellipes
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler P. borealoides P*
Greenish Warbler P. trochiloides plumbeitarsus
Arctic Warbler P. borealis
Pallas's Leaf Warbler P. proregulus
Chinese Leaf Warbler P. sichuanensis P*
Yellow-browed Warbler P. inornatus
Hume's Leaf Warbler P. humei mandellii P*
Radde's Warbler P. schwarzi
Yellow-streaked Warbler P. armandii P*
Dusky Warbler P. fuscatus
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
Chinese Blue Flycatcher Cyornis glaucicomans P*
Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana P*
Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina P*
Sooty Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
Grey-streaked Flycatcher M. griseisticta
Asian Brown Flycatcher M. dauurica
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher F. strophiata P*
Red-throated Flycatcher F. (parva) albicilla
Mugimaki Flycatcher F. mugimaki
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher F. zanthopygia
Elisae's Flycatcher F. elisae [formerly treated as a race of F. narcissina] P*
Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi P*
Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus
Pere David's Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus vinaceus
Marsh Tit Parus palustris
Yellow-bellied Tit P. venustulus P*
Coal Tit P. ater P*
Great Tit P. major minor
Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus consobrinus
Chestnut-flanked Whiteeye Zosterops erythropleurus
Japanese Whiteeye Z. japonicus
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus P*
Bull-headed Shrike L. bucephalus P*
Brown Shrike L. cristatus
Chinese Grey Shrike L. sphenocercus P*
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
Hair-crested Drongo D. hottentottus P*
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius P*
Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha
Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus
Common Magpie Pica pica
Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax P*
Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauuricus P*
Large-billed Crow C. macrorhynchos P*
Daurian Starling Sturnus sturninus
White-cheeked Starling S. cineraceus
Tree Sparrow P. montanus
Brambling F. montifringilla P*
Oriental Greenfinch Carduelis sinica
Eurasian Siskin C. spinus P*
Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Chinese Grosbeak Eophona migratoria
Japanese Grosbeak E. personata P*
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala
Godlewski's Bunting E. godlewskii
Meadow Bunting E. cioides
Chestnut-eared Bunting E. fucata
Yellow-throated Bunting E. elegans
Yellow-browed Bunting E. chrysophrys
Tristram's Bunting E. tristrami
Little Bunting E. pusilla
Chestnut Bunting E. rutila
Yellow-breasted Bunting E. aureola
Pallas's Reed Bunting E. pallasi
Japanese Reed Bunting E. yessoensis