Our China winter birding tour to the south-east of this great Asian nation offers a rich kaleidoscope of impressive and localised bird specialities, including several of the world’s most spectacular cranes. Foremost among these cranes, poetically referred to as ‘the birds of heaven’, will be the elegant Siberian Crane, one of the rarest cranes on earth. During this tour we will also be looking for an impressive supporting cast of exciting birds that could include the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, which has recently been found to winter in this area, the rare Scaly-sided Merganser, thousands of Swan Geese, Falcated Duck, Baikal Teal, Oriental Stork, Saunders's Gull, Reed Parrotbill, Pied Falconet, Elliot’s Pheasant and possibly even the rare Swinhoe’s Crake!
Cabot's Tragopan, Siberian Crane, Oriental Stork, Elliot’s & Koklass Pheasants, Black-faced Spoonbill, Swinhoe’s Crake, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Scaly-sided Merganser, Taiga Bean Goose, Swan Goose, Falcated Duck, Baikal Teal, Smew, Saunders's Gull, Pied Falconet, Reed Parrotbill, Marsh Grassbird, Yellow-bellied Tit, Pygmy and Spotted Elachura, Japanese Waxwing, Tristram’s Bunting
Yangtze Finless Porpoise, Chinese Water Deer, Tufted Deer
rivers, marshes, lakes, forests
temperate to very cold conditions
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
moderate pace and moderate walking, with some tougher walking at high altitudes
comfortable
mostly unchallenging with some tricky species
excellent food, brilliant scenery, great people and cultural attractions
excellent
Glen Valentine is an incredible guide and has real talent. We very much appreciate him and always find his tours fun and so rewarding with great birds, great views even in freezing conditions. Any tour with Glen is a guaranteed success and a good time. Daniel Danckwerts will be a great asset to RBT and contributed to the success of the tour. He is also personable and has a great sense of humour. He wasn't all that slow with his scope either and we all saw some fine birds through his scope. We are never surprised at the excellence of RBT guides.
Glen Valentine is an incredible guide and has real talent. We very much appreciate him and always find his tours fun and so rewarding with great birds, great views even in freezing conditions. Any tour with Glen is a guaranteed success and a good time. Daniel Danckwerts will be a great asset to RBT and contributed to the success of the tour. He is also personable and has a great sense of humour. He wasn't all that slow with his scope either and we all saw some fine birds through his scope. We are never surprised at the excellence of RBT guides.
As usual, Glen Valentine was fantastic. I have travelled with him before and it never ceases to amaze me how he can hear and spot birds so effectively. And his enthusiasm is contagious. You know that he has seen any given bird on previous trips but it's as though he is seeing it for the first time with you! Daniel Danckwerts was also on the tour "learning the ropes". Very knowledgeable and a good asset to have on the tour. A superb spotter! All in all, this was a fantastic trip. I would recommend it to anyone.
David Hoddinott is an outstanding leader. Always conscious of the need to ensure that everyone sees each bird, he does, rightly, expect concentration and a positive approach throughout. This is the second time that I have travelled with David and I hope that I have the opportunity again in the future. Thank you.
David Hoddinott was an excellent bird guide, finding and identifying birds at amazing speed and ease. He had researched the field well, and knew where to find the birds. He also had researched the literature and was versed in all the newest taxonomic changes. He was very patient in assuring that all the participants got on the bird.
Tour Leader: Robert Williams
China - Sichuan Birding 2019 - May 2019
China - Highlights: Qinghai Extension 2019 - May 2019
China - Highlights 2019 - May 2019
China - Sichuan Birding II 2018 - May 2018
China - Sichuan Birding I 2018 - May 2018
China - Southeast in Spring 2018 - April 2018
China - Reeves's Pheasant & Crested Ibis Extension 2018 - April 2018
China - Sichuan Birding 2017 - May 2017
China - Yunnan Extension 2017 - May 2017
China - Tibetan Plateau & Beidaihe 2016 - September 2016
China - Lhasa Birding & Cultural Extension 2016 - September 2016
China - Menart Przevalski's Finch Ext 2016 - May 2016
China - Sichuan Birding 2016 - May 2016
China - Yunnan Extension 2016 - May 2016
China - Southeast in Winter 2012 - November 2012
China - Tibetan Plateau & Beidaihe 2009 - August 2009
China - Panda Extension 2008 - September 2008
China - Tibetan Plateau & Beidaihe 2007 - October 2007
China - Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Extension 2007 - September 2007