An early Summer Splash in Wuyuan, Jiangxi

My previous visit to Wuyuan was couple of years ago but that was almost a total wash out due to constant downpour and wet camera(Thanks to the rain again). My first trip in 2012 was fantastic, despite being sick for the most part of the tour and have to put up with the “American Company” and his nanny. So, this trip is to relive the 2012 trip planned by Mark Maddock with few extra stuff by visiting the border of Zhejiang province and some cultural visits.

We spent lot of time butterfly-watching but the goal is to get the big three for Kevin Pickering.

Wuyuan – General info :

Wuyuan has a brand new high speed train station and it takes about 2 hours from Shanghai but we opted to take the long route of reaching by road for the convenience of our luggage. It took slightly more than 4 hours with couple of pit stops. We stayed in the Wuyuan Town(Tianyou Business Hotel), moderate accommodation, nothing to complain for 100RMB/day price. There are couple of B&B’s in the falconet (XiaoQi) village, moe info on them later but they go on a standard price of 150RMB/day. Key birding spots are in the below map.

Long-billed Plover

Silver Pheasant Stake out

Watercock and Greater Painted Snipe site

Short-tailed Parrotbill and Scaly-sided Merganser(winter) site

Courtois Laughingthrush

Russet Sparrow common along with some mountain birds

Wuyuan Birding Itinerary :

May 25 :

Quickly checked into our “Business Hotel” and headed straight to the Laughingthrush island. Picked up “White-browed Laughingthrush” enroute and to our surprise there were sign boards along the way for the laughingthrush island. I know the place have been kept discreet over the years and it was not supposed to be publicly announed anywhere on the internet but things have changed drastically(on a positive note) since  my last visit. The laugher island is now a national wetland park. The village elder-lies stand guard most of the time to keep a vigil on this critically endangered birds. Photographers are strictly banned to enter the island during the month of June(their prime nesting period). No need for any permit.

“Courtois Laughingthrushes” were immediately seen before entering the island and so the “Swinhoe’s Minivet”. The big surprise for me was the “Rufous Woodpecker”.

A pair of Mandarin Ducks were flushed out of the stream when an elderly went to tend his nature call. Later, Masked Laughingthrushes joined the laugher party, a distant Asian Koel and a male Chinese Sparrowhawk remained the only sighting of the trip. We completed the day 1 with Pied Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Brown-breasted Bulbul and a well camouflaged Brown Crake.

May 26 :

Today’s for Falconet, we arrived at the XiaoQi village around 7AM and found a comfy place at the rooftop of “Meihua Restaurant”. The Falconets were busy in their nest and the restaurant owner said they might have fledglings. The Falconets dint come to their “usual” perch untill 9AM as a “Crested Goshawk” was scouting the area.

Falconets made their presence known once the Goshawk disappeared with its morning catch. Once again, the surprise came in the form of a pair of “Crested Serpent Eagles” doing their display flight.

The B&B’s at the XiaoQi village runs the “Falconet watching”. The rooms are ok for 150rmb/day which also comes with a free seat for Falconet photography, if you are not staying, then it’s 50RMB/person. They actively update the news on the Chinese Social media (WeChat etc) and sometimes try to poach the customer to stay in their place. MeiHua B&B is running by Mr.Zhang and generous with the general information in the area. The other B&B is the “Jin Peng Shan Zhuang”, they have a massive hide erected over their rooftop and they have been pretty busy in the recent years as the Falconets have been nesting right above their rooftop.

We spent the rest of the morning in the XiaoQi village for butterfly watching. We also came across a couple of HK photographers, who saw a “Crested Kingfisher” in the stream but we had no chance to score it, which still remains the toughest kingfisher to score in Wuyuan. In the afternoon, we tried the Shijing Reservoir and Wengong Mountain trail. Grey-headed Lapwings and Greater Painter Snipe were immediately seen at the reservoir, very similar to the 2012 trip but the Watercock is still missing.

The Wengong Village Hospital still stands tall but not functional. The hospital which i took treatment during 2012, the doctor was so excited as i was the only foreigner to receive the treatment at the establishment. We finished the day with Greater necklaced Laughingthrush, Chestnut and Black Bulbuls, Chinese Hwamei, White-crowned Forktail.

May 27: 

Today is bit of a casual birding as we decided to hit the touristy Huangling village. We picked up an “Asian Barred Owlet” enroute perched on a pole. Huangling is a very commercial tourist area which is very famous for the terrace cultivation which will be plastered with rape seed flowers during spring. We were late for that show and it wasn’t too much of an elevation as expected. Nevertheless, i picked my “Wuyuan first”, Russet Sparrow.

In the afternoon, we visited the Kengkou village, notorious for the Scaly-sided Merganser but we were there to give a shot at the Short-tailed Parrotbills. Took a while to find the trail and looked like it wasn’t used in a very long time. We didn’t see any Parrotbills but couple of birds responded to the tape. We managed to get good views of a “Black Eagle” which was soaring above the forest canopy.

May 28 : 

Today’s bit more travelling as we drove around 100kms to reach the Zhejiang border to reach GutianShan, a well known stake out for the Silver Pheasant. The pheasant made its presence known in the late afternoon with its brilliant bright white costume. Russet Sparrows were present in good no’s here as well, the other notable birds we saw here were Grey Treepie and Little Forktail.

May 29 :

Our final morning at Wuyuan, we still had one crack at some of the birds we have missed so far. We tried the Shacheng village(refer to map), this trail was introduced to me by my good friend Roger. We failed once again to find the Crested Kingfisher or the Black Baza in this area but we were lucky enough to find the Long-billed Plover and Black Bitterns before saying good bye to Wuyuan.

Wuyuan Scenic Gallery below :

Wuyuan Species List :

Common name	Scientific name	Location	Date
Ducks, Geese and Swans (Anatidae) – 3 / 173
Mandarin Duck	Aix galericulata	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Eastern Spot-billed Duck	Anas zonorhyncha	Wuyuan Town	5/26/17
Pheasants and allies (Phasianidae) – 3 / 182
Chinese Bamboo Partridge	Bambusicola thoracicus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Silver Pheasant	Lophura nycthemera	Gutianshan, Zhejiang	5/28/17
Common Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	Xiarenhong	5/28/17
Grebes (Podicipedidae) – 1 / 23
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae) – 5 / 72
Black Bittern	Dupetor flavicollis	Shacheng Lia	5/29/17
Black-crowned Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Chinese Pond Heron	Ardeola bacchus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Eastern Cattle Egret	Bubulcus coromandus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Kites, Hawks and Eagles (Accipitridae) – 5 / 256
Crested Serpent Eagle	Spilornis cheela	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Black Eagle	Ictinaetus malaiensis	Kengkou	5/27/17
Crested Goshawk	Accipiter trivirgatus	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Chinese Sparrowhawk	Accipiter soloensis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Black Kite	Milvus migrans	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Rails, Crakes and Coots (Rallidae) – 3 / 151
Brown Crake	Amaurornis akool	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
White-breasted Waterhen	Amaurornis phoenicurus	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Shacheng Li	5/29/17
Plovers (Charadriidae) – 2 / 67
Grey-headed Lapwing	Vanellus cinereus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Long-billed Plover	Charadrius placidus	Shacheng Li	5/29/17
Painted-snipes (Rostratulidae) – 1 / 3
Greater Painted-snipe	Rostratula benghalensis	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae) – 3 / 335
Rock Dove	Columba livia	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Oriental Turtle Dove	Streptopelia orientalis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Spotted Dove	Spilopelia chinensis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Cuckoos (Cuculidae) – 1 / 149
Asian/Pacific Koel	Eudynamys scolopaceus/orientalis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	Wuyuan Town	5/26/17
Owls (Strigidae) – 1 / 222
Asian Barred Owlet	Glaucidium cuculoides	Huangling	5/27/17
Swifts (Apodidae) – 1 / 106
House Swift	Apus nipalensis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Rollers (Coraciidae) – 1 / 12
Oriental Dollarbird	Eurystomus orientalis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) – 4 / 93
White-throated Kingfisher	Halcyon smyrnensis	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Black-capped Kingfisher	Halcyon pileata	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Common Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Pied Kingfisher	Ceryle rudis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Woodpeckers (Picidae) – 2 / 234
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker	Dendrocopos canicapillus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Rufous Woodpecker	Micropternus brachyurus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae) – 1 / 67
Pied Falconet	Microhierax melanoleucos	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae) – 2 / 92
Swinhoe’s Minivet	Pericrocotus cantonensis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Grey-chinned Minivet	Pericrocotus solaris	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Shrikes (Laniidae) – 2 / 33
Brown Shrike	Lanius cristatus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Long-tailed Shrike	Lanius schach	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Drongos (Dicruridae) – 2 / 25
Black Drongo	Dicrurus macrocercus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Ashy Drongo	Dicrurus leucophaeus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Crows, Jays (Corvidae) – 3 / 131
Eurasian Jay	Garrulus glandarius	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Red-billed Blue Magpie	Urocissa erythroryncha	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Grey Treepie	Dendrocitta formosae	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Tits, Chickadees (Paridae) – 1 / 61
Japanese Tit	Parus minor	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) – 6 / 151
Collared Finchbill	Spizixos semitorques	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Brown-breasted Bulbul	Pycnonotus xanthorrhous	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Light-vented Bulbul	Pycnonotus sinensis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Himalayan Bulbul	Pycnonotus leucogenys	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Mountain Bulbul	Ixos mcclellandii	Huangling	5/27/17
Chestnut Bulbul	Hemixos castanonotus	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae) – 2 / 88
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Red-rumped Swallow	Cecropis daurica	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Cettia Bush Warblers and allies (Cettiidae) – 1 / 32
Rufous-faced Warbler	Abroscopus albogularis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Bushtits (Aegithalidae) – 1 / 13
Black-throated Bushtit	Aegithalos concinnus	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Cisticolas and allies (Cisticolidae) – 2 / 158
Yellow-bellied Prinia	Prinia flaviventris	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Plain Prinia	Prinia inornata	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Babblers (Timaliidae) – 2 / 55
Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler	Pomatorhinus swinhoei	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler	Pomatorhinus ruficollis	Kengkou	5/27/17
Laughingthrushes (Leiothrichidae) – 5 / 133
Chinese Hwamei	Garrulax canorus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Masked Laughingthrush	Garrulax perspicillatus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush	Garrulax pectoralis	Xiarenhong	5/28/17
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush – CR	Garrulax courtoisi	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
White-browed Laughingthrush	Garrulax sannio	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Sylviid Babblers (Sylviidae) – 2 / 70
Vinous-throated Parrotbill	Sinosuthora webbiana	Gutianshan, Zhejiang	5/28/17
Short-tailed Parrotbill	Neosuthora davidiana	Kengkou	5/27/17
Starlings, Rhabdornis (Sturnidae) – 4 / 123
Crested Myna	Acridotheres cristatellus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Red-billed Starling	Spodiopsar sericeus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
White-cheeked Starling	Spodiopsar cineraceus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Black-collared Starling	Gracupica nigricollis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Thrushes (Turdidae) – 1 / 166
Chinese Blackbird	Turdus mandarinus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Chats, Old World Flycatchers (320) (Muscicapidae) – 4 / 320
Oriental Magpie-Robin	Copsychus saularis	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Little Forktail	Enicurus scouleri	Gutianshan, Zhejiang	5/28/17
Slaty-backed Forktail	Enicurus schistaceus	Shijing Reservoir	5/26/17
Plumbeous Water Redstart	Phoenicurus fuliginosus	Xiaoqi	5/26/17
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae) – 2 / 51
Russet Sparrow	Passer rutilans	Huangling	5/27/17
Eurasian Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Waxbills, Munias and allies (Estrildidae) – 2 / 141
White-rumped Munia	Lonchura striata	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Scaly-breasted Munia	Lonchura punctulata	Kengkou	5/27/17
Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae) – 1 / 65
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba	Raoheyuan National Wetland Park	5/25/17
Finches (Fringillidae) – 1 / 219
Grey-capped Greenfinch	Chloris sinica	Gutianshan, Zhejiang	5/28/17
Species: 82

Butterfly List :

This is just a tentative list, more definite list and photos will follow up in the next post.

1. Lesser Purple Emperor
2. Shan Nawab
3. China Nawab
4. Tawny Rajah
5. Indian Fritillary
6. Sagana Fritillary
7. Old World Swallowtail
8. Peacock Pansy
9. Asian Comma
10. Blue Admiral
11. Common Beak
12. Lilacine Bushbrown
13. Small Copper
14. Dark-banded White
15. Small White
16. Chinese Bushbrown
17. Punchinello
18. Yellow Coster
19. Red Ring Skirt
20. Common Grass Yellow
21. Pale Grass Blue
22. Black-spotted Labyrinth
23. Small Staff Sergeant