2008 Philippines Tour

Sichuan is the ideal setting for a China tour with its 33 (of 45) of Mainland China's endemic species (a whopping 73%). Over 600 species of birds have been found in Sichuan, about half of China's total. With an area the size of France, Sichuan is one of China's richest and most heavily populated provinces. And yet, the mountains of the Tibetan Plateau are so rugged that there are still significant wild areas left. With our over one year of birding experience in Sichuan, operating 3 expeditions and 10 tours, plus extensive scouting, we're in a position to offer you the best China birding tour possible. Your leader, Ben King, has seen all of the species known to be found in Sichuan.

There are 5 species of partridges and 9 species of pheasants present in the areas we visit and we have a good chance to see all of them (mostly good views!) -- Snow Partridge, Tibetan Snowcock, Chestnut-throated Partridge, Tibetan Partridge, Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Blood Pheasant, Temminck's Tragopan, Koklas Pheasant, Chinese Monal, Blue Eared and White Eared Pheasants, Common Pheasant, Golden Pheasant, and Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. We may also see the Chinese Grouse. Other birds we should see are: Black-necked Crane, Lammergeier, Upland and Himalayan Buzzards, Saker Falcon, Wood Snipe, Snow Pigeon, Rufous-headed Robin, Firethroat, Grandala, 8-11 laughingthrushes, Grey-faced Liocichla, Red-billed Leiothrix, 7-9 parrotbills, White-browed and Crested Tit-Warblers, Tibetan Ground-Tit (Hume's Groundpecker or Ground-Jay), Wallcreeper, Sichuan Treecreeper, Slaty Bunting, 7-10 rosefinches, Black-winged (Tibetan) Snowfinch, Sichuan Jay, etc. etc. We'll see 20-23 of China's endemic birds. Join us for an unforgettable birding adventure!

Our birding centers on 2 Giant Panda reserves on the spectacular eastern slopes of the Tibetan Plateau in a grand setting. We'll also be spending several days right up on the Plateau in an extensive grassland, amidst Tibetan horsemen and their yak herds and yak-hide tents. We’ll have several days on Wawu Shan for some of the southern Sichuan specialties. The high altitude (up to 4,200 m. [14,000 ft.]) will slow us down, but the tour is not particularly physically demanding. Anyone in fair physical shape and good health will take this trip in stride. Leader: Ben King.