Beijing & Yunnan, China, with OBC. An at-a-glance list of 440 species of birds & six species of mammals recorded. By Jesper Hornskov ***this draft 21 Aug 2009*** ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Please note that the following list is best considered a work in progress. It should not be quoted without consulting the author. Based mostly on my own field notes, this brief write-up covers the birds & mammals noted by F Crome, J Law, G Leach, R Leighton, B Short, D Showler, A Smith, S Smith & myself during the 30 March – 20 April 2009 OBC Fundraiser trip to Beijing’s Wild Duck Lake, and Lijiang, Tengchong, Gaoligongshan, Ruili, the Yingjiang area & Kunming’s Xishan. Thank you all for making this trip so enjoyable, and thank you for, by joining, contributing to OBC’s Conservation Fund. Special thanks are due to Michael Edgecombe for volunteering to coordinate. For want of what else to do with them (and to make it easier for future participants to decide if it might be worth their while to arrive a day – or even two? - early), a further 22 species noted pre-tour around Beijing – mostly on a visit to the Ibisbill site on 29th - are mentioned in the list but are not included in the total species tally. Anyone considering China as a birding destination is welcome to contact the author at: Tel/fax +86 10 8490 9562 / mobile +86 135 1335 9831 E-mail goodbirdmail(at)gmail.com or goodbirdmail(at)126.com Enquiries concerning Oriental Bird Club’s 2010 Fundraiser trip to Yunnan, following the itinerary used on the trip dealt with here, can be made to Michael Edgecombe, OBC’s Promotion Officer, at mail(at)orientalbirdclub.org or directly to this author. In the species list the concept "bird-days" is used - it is the avian equivalent of man-hours: for example, separate flocks of ten and 15 Henri’s Snowfinches moving through score 25 bird-days, as would the same single individual seen daily for 25 days. The sum of day totals - a handy measure of relative abundance, nothing more. The sequence of the bird list follows The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World – 3rd Edition (Dickinson 2003), in my opinion by far the most useful one-volume checklist to date. Initials in brackets after a few single-observer sightings does not imply that I have doubts as to the correctness of the ID.

Species list: Common Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola 50 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates – as expected, most were heard-onlies… Rufous-throated Hill Partridge Arborophila rufogularis Three bird-days. Noted on three dates. Mountain Bamboo Partridge Bambusicola fytchii 12 bird-days. Noted on five dates – three ‘scoped on 2nd! Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus Seven bird-days. Noted on three dates. Silver Pheasant Lophura nychtemera Seven bird-days. Noted on five dates – most memorably a male was seen feeding in the open on 14th. Common Pheasant Phasanius colchicus Seven bird-days. Noted on three dates, incl around Beijing on both 29+30th. Lady Amherst’s Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstiae 9-10 bird-days. Males were noted on five dates – mostly heard-onlies, but patience paid off when one was seen in the Gaoligongshan in response to playback. What a bird! Grey Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron bicalcaratum 2+ bird-days. Heard on two dates. Swan Goose Anser cygnoides 33 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th… as luck would have it, our visit was not in sync w/ weather patterns: at this time of the year it would have been no surprise to find hundreds of geese of 3-4 species present. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus Three at Lijiang on 31st. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Two at Wild Duck lake on 30th. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Three at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea 135+ bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event 100+ at Wild Duck Lake. Gadwall Anas strepera 50+ bird-days. Main event 40+ at Lijiang on 31st. Falcated Duck Anas falcata 40+ at Wild Duck Lake on 30th.

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Six bird-days. Noted on two dates. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 113+ bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event 100+ at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Indian Spotbill Anas poecilorhyncha 53 at Ruili on 5th. Chinese Spotbill Anas zonorhyncha Five bird-days. Noted on two dates - just two could be found at Wild Duck Lake on 30th… Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ten at Lijiang on 31st. Common Teal Anas crecca c128 bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event 75 at Lijiang on 31st. Common Pochard Aythya ferina Five at Lijiang on 31st. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca 26 at Lijiang on 31st. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 260 at Lijiang on 31st. Greater Scaup Aythya marila One female at Lijiang on 31st. ***Cheng (1987) did not list the species for Yunnan & recorded from adjacent SE Asia only as a vagrant to N Burma & E Tonkin (Robson 2000) – there are, however, at least two previous records for the province (JH et al pers obs). Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula 38 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Smew Mergellus albellus 50+ at Wild Duck Lake on 30th – many showed well at close range. Goosander Mergus merganser 24 bird-days. Noted on two dates in the Beijing area. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 49+ bird-days. Noted on five dates. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 30+ at Lijiang on 31st. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Eight bird-days. Noted on two dates at Lijiang & Ruili.

Striated Heron Butorides striata Three bird-days. Noted W of Yingjiang on two dates. Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus 131 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 12 bird-days. Noted on three dates near Beijing & at Ruili. Great Egret Ardea alba 53 at Ruili on 5th. Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia Six birds were noted en route on 3rd. Little Egret Egretta garzetta 47 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger 110 at Ruili on 5th was close to double the old record count! Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 25 bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event 20 at Ruili on 5th. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Seven bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Peregrine Falco peregrinus One circling high over the Gaoligongshan on 17th. Jerdon’s Baza Avecida jerdoni Two seen well on 13th. ***Cheng (1987) listed the species only for SW Yunnan & Hainan; Robson (2000) did not list it for adjacent parts of Burma. Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus 32 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. ***The migratory orientalis is treated as a full species by Ferguson-Lees & Christie (2008): P French pers com. – quite likely we saw both as on 6th one was seen carrying sticks as others appeared to be heading off on migration? Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Nine bird-days. Noted on five dates. Black Kite Milvus migrans lineatus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event two migr at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. ***Cheng (1987) considered Black Kite to be the commonest Falconiformes in China.

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela 13 bird-days. Noted on seven dates – display-flighting birds were seen on several occasions. Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus An adult male migr at Wild Duck Lake on 31st. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus An adult male at Lijiang on 31st. Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos Singles migr W of Yingjiang on 9th (a female) &12th (a male: BS). Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus 12 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Besra Accipiter virgatus Three bird-days. Singles were noted on three dates. ***In addition a Crested Goshwak / Besra was seen over forest on 8th. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Five bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event two migr together at 09h40 on 5th at Ruili. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo japonicus 13 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. ***In addition, a Buzzard sp. W of Yingjiang on 9th – ‘perched: trace of rofous on ‘trousers’, faint moustachial line, no ‘mask’’. Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus One hovering at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis 16 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. ***Cheng (1987) considered the species "very rare, being confined to Fujian & Taiwan Provinces". ***Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos One in mts N of Beijing on 29th. Mountain Hawk Eagle Spizaetus nipalensis Single immatures were noted on four dates. Eastern Water Rail Rallus indicus One heard at Lijiang on 31st. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus Ten bird-days. Noted on three dates. Black-tailed Crake Porzana bicolor Two seen well on 2nd – patience paid off! Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Eight bird-days. Noted on three dates.

Common Coot Fulica atra 1,000+ at Lijiang on 31st. ***Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii Four birds put on a great show N of Beijing on 29th. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus One at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus c100 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii 7+ bird-days. Noted on three dates – WOW! views were had by all… Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus Two at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus One W of Yingjiang on 9th. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 21+ bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event ten at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus 80 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. ***Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus It seems worth recording that this species – which we’d have had a very good chance of encountering on 30th had the weather not been out of sync – was indeed seen by FC & JH on a pre-tour outing to Wild Duck Lake on 28th. Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Best-ever views of one ‘scoped at close range when feeding completely in the open on 3rd. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago One at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. ***In addition, 2-3 Snipe sp. were seen on 9th (DS, BS et al) Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata Three at Wild Duck lake on 30th. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Nine bird-days. Noted on five dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Nine bird-days. Noted on three dates. Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii Three on 3rd.

Small Pratincole Glareola lacteal We had a long, satisfying session w/ 70+ on 3rd… Common Gull Larus canus One adult (RL, BS) at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. ‘Mongolian’ Gull Larus ‘mongolicus’ Ten at Wild Duck lake on 30th. Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus 9+ bird-days. Noted on two dates. Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 66+ bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event 60+ at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. River Tern Sterna aurantia c11 on 3rd – a real treat! ***Blue Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris 12 N of Beijing on 29th. Speckled Wood Pigeon Columba hodgsonii One (AS, SS) in the Gaoligongshan on 17th. Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis 32 bird-days. Noted in Yunnan on seven dates. ***Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto One N of Beijing on 29th. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 29 bird-days. Noted on eight dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th. Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall Singles were noted on two dates. Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica 17+ bird-days. Noted on six dates. Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra 14 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Pin-tailed Green Pigeon Treron apicauda 16 bird-days. Noted on five dates. Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon Treron sphenurus Three bird-days. Noted on two dates – a female sitting out on 12th was seen exceedingly well through the ‘scope (White-bellied Green Pigeon Treron sieboldii, a rare but not ‘impossible’ species in the general area, shows similar undertail covert pattern but should have some white on the belly…).

Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia 14 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria One in flight, heading into Burma, on 9th… ***Apparently only the 4th record for China: one of uncertain origin (with nine Rose-ringed Parakeets P. krameri considered to be possibly ‘free-flying escaped birds’) was recorded near Ruili on 12 Jan 2004 (P I Holt 2005); subsequently undoubtedly wild birds have been seen W of Yingjiang on a couple of occasions (JH et al pers obs). Large Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus sparverioides 52 bird-days. Noted on 17 dates. Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo Cuculus nisicolor Singletons at Gaoligongshan on 15th (heard-only) & 17th (FC, DS). Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus Ten bird-days. Noted on six dates. Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 13 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus Nine bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii Six bird-days. Noted on four dates. Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculates 11 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus One haerd W of Yingjiang on 11th. Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris 20 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. ***“Multiple species are clearly involved in S. lugubris (sensu lato) but the number and consitution are not yet fully resolved […] (matter under study by R . B. Payne).”: Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Zheng et al. (2005), Collar & Pilgrim (2007), and Mann (in prep) - the latter provisionally following Payne (2005) – are in error in asserting that the Chinese taxon is dicruroides, Fork- tailed Drongo Cuckoo, whose song differs (vide Rasmussen & Anderton (2005), but pending confirmation: Mann in prep) in having the first two notes on the same pitch – in Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo S. lugubris (of lowland Assam, Thailand, the Sundaic Region & Sri Lanka) the song is a mellower, uniformly rising series of six notes: Collar & Pilgrim (2007); Rasmussen & Anderton (2005), on the other hand, gave the range of S. lugubris as ‘SE Tibet to Indonesia’ (with a song similar to Fork-tailed’s but ‘much higher-pitched, shriller, faster and with choppier delivery, the second note lower than the first’) while considering dicruroides endemic to India and Sri Lanka.

Common Koel Eudynamis scolopaceus Four bird-days. Singletons were heard on four dates. Green-billed Malkoha Rhopodytes tristis Eight bird-days. Noted on five dates. Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis Seven bird-days. Noted on four dates. Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus Singles heard on two dates W of Yingjiang. Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia Singles heard on two dates. Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl Bubo nipalensis One [DS] W of Yingjiang on 11th. Chinese Tawny Owl Strix nivicola One heard on 15th. ***“The Indian taxa biddulphi and nivicola are usually considered races of Tawny, but differ markedly from each other in morphology and song, despite their close geographic approach in the W Himalayas; nivicola is thus afforded species status […]”:Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodiei 17 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates. Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jokata Eight bird-days. Noted on six dates – seen on a couple of occasions… ***“The S Indian [/] Sri Lanka taxa (indicus, kelaarti) and Himalayan jokata are traditionally treated as conspecific, but they show consistent morphological and vocal differences, different juvenile plumages, and the eggs of the two groups are markedly dissimilar; those of indicus and kelaarti are buff to rich salmon with dense pale chestnut to olive blotches, while those of jokata are bluish-white to creamy-white with heavy dark brown blotches”: Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus 12+ bird-days. Noted on two dates. ***In addition, 20+ Needletail sp. were seen corkscrewing down shortly after dawn on 12th. White-vented Needletail Hirundapus cochinchinensis 33+ bird-days. Noted W of Yingjiang on three dates. ***Cheng (1987) recorded the species only for Hainan, where considered rare and "only seen locally during the cooler hours of the day". It appears to be regular in small numbers in SW-most Yunnan (JH pers obs), and Lewthwaite (1996) reported sightings from Guangxi & Guangdong. Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 42 bird-days. Noted on seven dates.

Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus c180 bird-days. Noted on ten dates, incl at the Ibisbill site on 29th – main eveny 120 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. House Swift Apus nipalensis 105 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata Five bird-days. Noted on three dates W of Yingjiang. Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus Three bird-days. Noted on two dates. Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis Two showed well en route on 13th… White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 15 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Nine bird-days. Noted on six dates. Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris Two bird-days. Singles N of Beijing on 29th & W of Yingjiang [RL] on 9th. ***Cheng (1987) listed the species for NW + S Yunnan, and did not map it for W of the Salween. It is considered a scarce to uncommon resident in adjacent Burma (Robson 2000). Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Four showing well at Ruili on 5th. Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctiornis athertoni Four bird-days. Noted on three dates… nice views of what can be a difficult bird! Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Five at Ruili on 5th. Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus 36+ bird-days. Noted on two dates – finding a colony of c30 was a trip highlight. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti 49 bird-days. Noted on five dates W of Yingjiang. Hoopoe Upupa epops Singletons were noted on six dates, incl near Beijing on 29+30th. Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris One male was seen well W of Yingjiang on 12th. ***Cheng (1987) listed the species for S & W Yunnan and S Guangxi, considering it “uncommon”, while Robson (2000) considered it an uncommon to locally common resident up to 1,400m in adjacent SE Asia.

Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis One was seen well W of Yingjiang on 11th. Wreathed Hornbill Rhyticeros undulates Three bird-days – one male on 10th & a pair on 12th. ***A heard-only hornbill sp on 12th was with two Wreathed… Great Barbet Megalaima virens 63 bird-days. Noted on 14 dates. Golden-throated Barbet Megalaima franklinii 57+ bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Blue-throated Barbet Megalaima asiatica 11 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala Six bird-days. Noted on two dates at Ruili. Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. White-browed Piculet Sasia ochracea Singles were seen on two dates at Ruili. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos canicapillus 20 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates (incl on 20th in the grounds of our Beijing hotel!). Stripe-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos atratus Three bird-days – noted W of Yingjiang on two dates. Crimson-breasted Woodpecker Dendrocopos cathpharius One male on 4th. Darjeeling Woodpecker Dendrocopos darjellensis One [DS et al.] in the Gaoligongshan on 16th. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Four bird-days. Noted on three dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th. Rufous Woodpecker Celeus brachyurus One eventually showed well W of Yingjiang on 9th. Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha One [DS, FC] on 17th. Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus Four bird-days. Noted on four dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th.

Greater Goldenback Chrysocolaptes lucidus Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Pale-headed Woodpecker Gecinulus grantia One [DS] W of Yingjiang on 11th. Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis 13 bird-days. Heard on seven dates: vocal but exceptionally hard to see. Long-tailed Broadbill Psarisomus dalhousiae 26+ bird-days. Noted on seven dates – we even saw a pair at work building their nest! Pitta sp. One heard W of Yingjiang on 12th. Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis virgatus 22 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus Three bird-days. Noted on two dates. Common Iora Aegithina tiphia One at Ruili on 6th. Large Cuckoo-shrike Coracina macei Eight bird-days. Noted on six dates. Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina melaschistos 45 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates. Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus 14 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus One on the Burma border on 9th was a good find – the bird cooperated well, sitting out & calling, allowing itself to be ‘scoped… ***Robson (2008) excluded N & E Burma from the species’ range. Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris 11+ bird-days. Noted at Gaoligongshan on three dates. ***An additional Minivet sp there on 15th was not this species. Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus 17 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Short-billed Minivet Pericrocotus brevirostris 31 bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event 25 migr at Ruili on 5th. ***In addition, 34 Minivet sp. migr at Ruili also on 5th.

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus speciosus 74 bird-days. Noted on eight dates – main event 18 females (of which 16 in a flock, migr) at Ruili on 5th. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus Eight bird-days. Noted on five dates. Burmese Shrike Lanius collurioides Singles noted on five dates. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach 41 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Grey-backed Shrike Lanius tephronotus 12 bird-days. Noted on six dates. ***In addition, six Long-tailed / Grey-backed Shrikes were noted. Slender-billed Oriole Oriolus tenuirostris Nine bird-days. Noted on four dates – main event six near Tengchong on 3rd. Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii 36 bird-days. Noted on nine dates – including, remarkably, a male nigellicauda within a hundred meters of where one was seen in Mar 2008 (JH et al. pers obs). ***Considered uncommon by Cheng (1987), who listed ssp nigellicauda only for SE-most Yunnan & Hainan. Dickinson (2003) likewise restricts the range of nigellicauda to N Vietnam, adjacent SE Yunnan & Hainan. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus 177 bird-days. Noted on seven dates – main event 136 en route on 13th. Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus 71 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates. Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus 61 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer 16 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus Five bird-days. Noted on four dates. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus Singles were noted on two dates. Yellow-bellied Fantail Chelidorhynx hypoxantha 63 bird-days. Noted on nine dates – seen actively migrating on several occasions. White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis 56 bird-days. Noted on 16 dates.

Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea 19 bird-days. This retiring species was noted on seven dates. Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi Six bird-days. Noted on four dates. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Two seen at Ruili on 7th. Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus Quite common around Beijing – records incl 5+ in the grounds of our hotel on 20th. Yellow-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa flavirostris 1+ heard at Gaoligongshan on 15th. Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha Ten bird-days. Noted on four dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th – one was heard mimicking the territorial call of Lady Amherst’s Pheasant. Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis 11 bird-days. Noted on six dates – this retiring species was seen well (if briefly) on a couple of occasions. Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae 39+ bird-days. Noted on 11 bird-days. Collared Treepie Dendrocitta frontalis Ten bird-days. Noted on three dates. Common Magpie Pica pica Quite common around Beijing – not systematically recorded. ***Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Two N of Beijing on 29th. Carrion Crow Corvus corone Four bird-days. Noted on two dates N of Beijing. Large-billed Crow Corvus ‘macrorhynchos’ ssp Presumed ssp mandshuricus birds scored 16 bird-days around Beijing while birds which may have been ssp tibetosinensis (rather than levaillantii) scored seven bird-days in the Gaoligongshan / Tengchong area, and birds which were probably levaillantii scored 4+ bird-days (being noted on three dates). ***It only gradually dawned on us that it would be justified to pay fuller attention to these birds… ***Robson (2008) elevates one of these taxa to full species status as Eastern Jungle Crow Corvus levaillantii but without including SW-most Yunnan in its range. ‘Eastern’ Great Tit Parus minor 41 bird-days. Noted on nine dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th. ***Cheng (1987) listed only subtibetanus – part of the minor group - for Yunnan.

Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus 21 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Yellow-cheeked Tit Parus spilonotus 36 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. ***Marsh Tit Parus palustris Two were seen N of Beijing on 29th. ***Given that ‘each male [Marsh Tit] may have a repertoire of up to 19 song variants’ (Harrap & Quinn 1996), differences in vocalizations between this taxon, the SE-most, and others will need to be shored up by DNA & behavioral studies before skeptics will even begin to consider elevating the morphologically only subtly different hellmayri to full species status… Songar Tit Parus songarus Three were seen N of Beijing on 29th. Yellow-browed Tit Sylviparus modestus Four bird-days. Noted on just two dates… Grey-throated Sand Martin Riparia chinensis 26 bird-days. Noted on five dates. ***Split from Plain Martin R. paludicola following Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 688+ bird-days. Noted on 12 dates, incl at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Two found nesting ‘under a culvert’ [BS] W of Yingjiang on 12th. Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris 15 N of Beijing on 29th & five [DS] at the Mekong on 1st. Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus c107 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica 21+ bird-days. Noted on three dates. Striated Swallow Cecropis striolata 26 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. ***Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus vinaceus Two heard N of Beijing on 29th. Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus 173+ bird-days. This extremely pretty species was noted on no less than 11 dates. Pere Bonvalot’s Tit Aegithalos bonvaloti 12 at Lijiang on 31st.

Mongolian Lark Melanocorypha mongolica Six seen well at Wild Duck Lake on 31st. ‘Asian’ Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella ‘cheleensis’ 15 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis 85 at Wild Duck Lake on 31st. Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula 20 bird-days. Noted in Yunnan on two dates – main event a flock of 15 en route on 1st. Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis One at Lijiang on 31st. ***Chinese Hill Warbler Rhopophilus pekinensis Three N of Beijing on 29th. Striated Prinia Prinia crinigera Singles on 1st [DS] & 18th. Hill Prinia Prinia superciliaris 22 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens Four at Ruili on 7th. Grey-breasted Prinia Prinia hodgsonii 43 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Plain Prinia Prinia inornata One on 18th [JL, DS]. Mountain Tailorbird Orthomus cucullatus 57 bird-days. Noted on 12 dates. Common Tailorbird Orthomus sutorius 41 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Crested Finchbill Spizixos canifrons 37 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Striated Bulbul Pycnonotus striatus 51 bird-days. This vocal species was noted on seven dates. Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris Eight bird-days. Noted on three dates. Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus 40 bird-days. Noted on five dates.

Brown-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthorrhous 36 bird-days. Noted on five dates. Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer 128+ bird-days. Noted on ten dates. ***Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster Two tatty-tailed individuals at Kunming – very likely released birds! Flavescent Bulbul Pycnonotus flavescens 57 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. White-throated Bulbul Criniger flaveolus 77 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Grey-eyed Bulbul Iole propinqua 12 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii 108+ bird-days. Noted on 13 dates. Ashy Bulbul Hemixos flavala 14 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Chestnut Bulbul Hemixos castanonotus Two at Kunming on 19th. ***1st record for Yunnan apparently six also at Xishan on 2 January 2002 (S. Bale pers. com.) – Cheng (1987) considered this form conspecific with H. flavala and listed ssp. canipennis for Guizhou, Guangxi, S Hunan, Guangdong & Fujian (nominate castanonotus is resident on Hainan (Cheng 1987) and has been recorded in E Tonkin (Robson 2000)). Lewthwaite (1996) confirmed its occurrence in Jiangxi & considered the species to be a partial migrant. Black Bulbul Hypsisetes leucocephalus 493 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates – main event 260 on 4th. ***What with three morphs – in addition to all-black(ish) birds, white-breasted ssp leucothorax and white-headed birds (sspp leucocephalus & stresemanni) were seen – this attractive species is a strong ‘presence’ almost throughout the region covered by our trip. Striated Warbler Megalurus palustris 11 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Chestnut-headed Tesia Oligura castaneocoronata 20 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Slaty-bellied Tesia Tesia olivea 13 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Grey-bellied Tesia Tesia cyaniventer 36 bird-days. Noted on seven bird-days – we had to resort to taping to get good views!

Pale-footed Bush Warbler Cettia pallidipes Ten bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event six (w/ at least two showing well in response to the tape) at Ruili on 5th. Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler Cettia fortipes Seven bird-days. Noted on six dates – more often heard than seen… Aberrant Bush Warbler Cettia flavolivacea 13 bird-days. Singing birds were noted on four dates – two seen on 19th wound eachother up singing and popped into view: no need to resort to taping! Grey-sided Bush Warbler Cettia brunnifrons One heard on 19th. Spotted Bush Warbler Bradypterus thoracicus Singletons were heard singing on two occasions. Russet Bush Warbler Bradypterus mandelli One heard singing in Gaoligongshan on 16th. Indian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus (stentoreus) brunnescens Five singing – of which 1-2 seen well – at Lijiang on 31st. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Seven bird-days. Noted on five dates. Tickell’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis Three bird-days. Noted on two dates. ***Martens (2008) elevates part of this species to full species status as P. occisinensis http://globiz.sachsen.de/snsd/publikationen/vertebrate-zoology/vz58-2/06_Martens.pdf Buff-throated Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus subaffinis ‘Several’ [DS] at Lijiang on 1st. Yellow-streaked Warbler Phylloscopus armandii Seven bird-days. Noted on five dates. Buff-barred Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus pulcher 77 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Ashy-throated Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus maculipennis 22 bird-days. Noted on five dates. Chinese Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus yunnanensis Singles noted on three dates. ***The “newly described” “Phylloscopus sichuanensis” in fact dates back to 1922: Dickinson (2003). It remains to be seen if the German name should be changed from Alstromlaubsanger to Latouche-laubsanger? Cheng (1987) listed P. yunnanensis as a synonym of chloronotus. Martens et al. 2004 (vide Rheindt 2006) apparently proposed to change the now well-established English name for this species to ‘La Touche’s Leaf Warbler”…

Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus 69+ bird-days. Noted on seven dates (incl in our Beijing hotel grounds on 20th) – main event 51 at Kunming on 19th: seen well, and plenty of singing going on! ‘Eastern’ Lemon-rumped Warbler Phylloscopus ‘forresti’ 64 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. ***Martens et al. 2004 (vide Rheindt 2006) elevated forresti, considered a synomym of chloronotus by Cheng (1987), to full species status, splitting it from chloronotus (of Nepal) which, with simlaensis, becomes Western Lemon-rumped Warbler. The two differ “dramatically in song and mitochondrial DNA (4.2% cytochrome-b divergence)”: Rheindt (2006). Given that the type locality for forresti is Lijiang, in Yunnan (Cheng 1987) it is not obvious that “Sichuan Leaf Warbler’ is preferable to ‘Eastern Lemon-rumped Warbler’. “Presumably the hitherto unknown border between both species lies somewhere in Yunnan, Burma or north-eastern India.”: Rheindt (2006). Ahem? Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus 70 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates (incl in our Beijing hotel grounds on 20th). Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei 80 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates – main event 15 at Kunming on 19th. ***No reason to think that any were not ssp mandellii, a taxon tentatively given full species status by Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides One at Ruili on 7th. Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris 2-3 bird-days. The 1st of the season were noted on two dates at Gaoligongshan. Blyth’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus reguloides 122 bird-days. Noted W of Salween on 15 dates. Claudia’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus claudiae 14 bird-days. Identified at Lijiang & Kunming. White-tailed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus davisoni 82 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Yellow-vented Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus cantator Singletons were noted on three dates – main event a prolonged encounter at <10m with a singing bird near Ruili on 6th… Tingaling! Grey-crowned Warbler Seicercus tephrocephalus 40 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Bianchi’s Warbler Seicercus valentini 91 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Emei Flycatcher-warbler Seicercus omeiensis One heard on 12th.

Grey-cheeked Warbler Seicercus poliogenys 15 bird-days. This striking species was noted on no less than four dates. Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps 17 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Broad-billed Warbler Tickellia hodgsoni 14 bird-days. Noted on four dates – one ‘pished’ in on 2nd was seen particularly well… Rufous-faced Warbler Abroscopus albogularis Eight bird-days. Noted on four dates. Black-faced Warbler Abroscopus schisticeps 6+ bird-days. Noted on three dates. Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris 19 bird-days. Noted on five dates. Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps 43 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis 48+ bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis 91 bird-days. A widespread species - noted on 17 dates. Red-billed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps 12 bird-days. Noted on five dates. ***In addition, a bird which was either this species or Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ferruginosus was noted on 11th. Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler Xiphirhynchus superciliaris Singles noted high in the Gaoligongshan on two dates. Streaked Wren-Babbler Napothera brevicaudata Eight bird-days. Noted on two dates W of Yingjiang. Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga albiventer Presumably the same individual seen on both 15+17th. Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla 13 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Spotted Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis formosus Seven bird-days. Heard singing on five dates – taping made little impression on this unusual songster.

Long-tailed Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis reptatus Nine bird-days. Noted on five dates – one was taped into view and photographed on 4th… ***“Marked morphological differences between oatesi, chocolatinus and reptatus, all usually treated as races of Spelaeornis chocolatinus, suggest that species status is warranted for each. The songs of oatesi and reptatus differ significantly, but that of chocolatinus is undocumented; further study needed.”: Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) – “Grey-bellied Wren-Babbler” is the English name used by Rasmussen & Anderton (2005), for reasons unknown. Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler Sphenocichla roberti Four bird-days. Noted on two dates – three birds treated us to a long encounter on 17th. ***“Usually considered wren-babblers, these enigmatic babblers are larger, with strange, deep-based, chisel-like bills and broad rounded tails. Little known in life, they are normally encountered in groups in trees, and perform musical whistled duets. [… roberti is] strikingly different from S. humei in many aspects of plumage, without any evidence of intergradation despite close geographic approach. Doubtless better considered a separate species on basis of morphology; comparative study of vocalisations desirable when recordings of roberti become available.”: Rasmussen & Anderton 2005. Rufous-capped Babbler Stachyris ruficeps 65 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates. Golden Babbler Stachyris chrysaea 28 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps 26 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis Nine bird-days. Noted on three dates. Chestnut-capped Babbler Timalia pileata Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense Four at the Mekong on 1st… Rufous-tailed Moupinia Moupinia poecilotis Ten bird-days. Noted at Lijiang on two dates - one pair proved very responsive to tape luring! Chinese Babax Babax lanceolatus 18 bird-days. Noted on four dates. White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus 59+ bird-days. Noted on five dates. Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax monileger 27+ bird-days. Noted on five dates. Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush Garrulax pectoralis 7+ on 12th – a group of at least four birds were seen…

Black-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax chinensis 15 bird-days. Noted on six dates. ***Pere David’s Laughingthrush Garrulax davidi Eight were recorded N of Beijing on 29th… a N China endemic! Grey-sided Laughingthrush Garrulax caerulatus 22 bird-days. Noted on five dates. Rufous-necked Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficollis 14+ bird-days. This localised species was noted at Ruili on two dates. ***Hwamei Garrulax canorus Two escaped / released birds were seen at Lijiang on 31st. White-browed Laughingthrush Garrulax sannio 65+ bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Blue-winged Laughingthrush Garrulax squamatus 12+ bird-days. Noted on three dates – excellent views… Scaly Laughingthrush Garrulax subunicolor 9+ bird-days. Noted at Gaoligongshan on three dates. Elliot’s Laughingthrush Garrulax elliotii Five at Lijiang on 31st. Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus 32 bird-days. Noted on four dates… one or two eventually showed well! Red-tailed Laughingthrush Garrulax milnei 24 bird-days. Noted on no less than five dates – Tingaling! Red-faced Liocichla Liocichla phoenicea 24 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. ***HBW vol 12 (p265) treats ripponi (with wellsi, of SE Yunnan to NE Guangxi, N Laos & N Tonkin) as Scarlet- faced Liocichla. It differs from Crimson-faced Liocichla L. phoenicea (with which bakeri is placed – this taxon’s range is stated to include W & S parts of N Burma and adjacent W Yunnan; birds from Gongshan are presumed to be nominate phoenicea) in ‘having crimson of faced replaced by much brighter scarlet extending clearly over eye, onto lores and over malar area to chin, [having] black lateral crown stripe vestigial, crown grayer, underparts paler, [and] undertail browner’. As Ruili, Nabang & S Gaoligongshan birds are ripponi (contra HBW) L. phoenicea may be a Chinese bird species only if the Gongshan birds are indeed that taxon… Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris 100 bird-days. Noted on 13 dates. Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea 31+ bird-days. Noted on eight dates – main event 16 at Kunming on 19th, incl ‘some seen well’.

Black-headed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius rufiventer Six at Gaoligongshan on 16th. White-browed Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius flaviscapis 67 bird-days. Noted on no less than 14 dates. Black-eared Shrike-Babbler Pteruthius melanotis Eight bird-days. Noted on five dates. White-hooded Babbler Gampsorhynchus rufulus Singletons were noted on two dates. ***HBW vol 12 (p212) splits torquatus (with luciae & saturatior) as Collared Babbler G. torquatus, leaving rufulus as as a monotypic species ranging into W Yunnan. Zheng et al. (2005) listed torquatus for S & SW Yunnan - ‘torquatus […] has very different vocalizations and several morphological distinctions. At Namdapha (SE Arunachal), G. rufulus did not respond to playback of torquatus tapes (CR)’. Apparently (C Robson verbally: Collar (2006)) ‘the vocalizations are constant within these two groupings and entirely different from eachother’. Rusty-fronted Barwing Actinodura egertoni 58 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera 73+ bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Chestnut-tailed Minla Minla strigula 66 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Red-tailed Minla Minla ignotinta 36 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Golden-breasted Fulvetta Alcippe chrysotis 5+ bird-days. This pretty bamboo specialist was noted on three dates. Yellow-throated Fulvetta Alcippe cinerea 12+ bird-days. This hard-to-find gem was noted on three dates. Rufous-winged Fulvetta Alcippe castaneceps 25 bird-days. Noted on six dates. White-browed Fulvetta Alcippe vinipectus Five bird-days. Noted on two dates. Spectacled Fulvetta Alcippe ruficapilla 47 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Manipur Fulvetta Alcippe manipurensis 39+ bird-days. Noted on six dates. ***Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) splits manipurensis and tonkinensis as Manipur Fulvetta A. manipurensis. The dimished A. cinereiceps is a Mainland China endemic with a range encompassing Fujian & N Guangdong (ssp guttaticollis), C Hubei to Hunan (ssp fucata), W Hubei to SW Sichuan & Guizhou (ssp cinereiceps), and Gansu, S Shaanxi & NE Qinghai [?] (ssp fessa)

(Dickinson 2003). ***Collar (2006) asserts that ‘A. manipurensis [which he upholds by “[taking] on trust” from Rasmussen and Anderton (2005) vocal evidence to shore up morphological differences] takes with it the English name Streak-throated Fulvetta, with Grey-hooded Fulvetta for the diminished Alcippe cinereiceps’. That’s very helpful, Nigel… Rusty-capped Fulvetta Alcippe dubia 52 bird-days. Noted on ten dates – main event 19 (incl some seen very well) at Kunming on 19th. Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poiocephala Three W of Yingjiang on 10th. ‘Western’ Grey-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe fratercula ***Zou et al. (2007) discovered that sspp schaefferi (of northern Vietnam, SE Yunnan, Guizhou & Guangxi) & davidi (of ‘Gansu, Shannxi [sic], Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Fujian [error?: if correct this is an isolated population; Fujian is listed also for hueti] & NE Yunnan), probably, based on range, with yunnanensis (which was excluded from the study as no DNA sample was handy; this taxon was listed for Dali by Cheng (1987) and is probably the one occurring at Kunming – from where no taxa was listed by Cheng (1987)) are better considered one species (morphologically they differ in having a brown, not grey, head, and they lack the prominent black superciliary line found in ‘the peripheral taxa’), fratercula (E & SE Burma, N & C Laos, N Thailand & SW Yunnan) another, annamensis (previously considered to belong with Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe paracensis) a third, and morrisonia (Taiwan), hueti (of SE China, ‘incl Guangxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian & Guangdong’) & rufescentior (of Hainan) a fourth. The authors concede that a case can be made to consider morrisonia a full species: it is c5% diverged from both hueti & rufescentior. Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis Singletons were noted W of Yingjiang on two dates. *** The species shares a white eyering with ‘Grey-cheeked Fulvetta’ (see above) but has an ‘olive gray’ iris (Zou et al. 2007). Rufous-backed Sibia Heterophasia annectans Four on 4th. Grey Sibia Heterophasia gracilis 46 bird-days. This sought-after species was seen (and heard!) on six dates. Black-headed Sibia Heterophasia desgodinsi 13 bird-days. Noted on no less than six dates. Beautiful Sibia Heterophasia pulchella 27+ bird-days. Noted on three dates. Seen well on a number of occasions – ‘for once, a well-named species’! Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides 41 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Striated Yuhina Yuhina castaniceps 205 bird-days. Noted on eight dates.

Whiskered Yuhina Yuhina flavicollis 53 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Stripe-throated Yuhina Yuhina gularis 22+ bird-days. Noted on four dates. White-collared Yuhina Yuhina diademata 20 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Rufous-vented Yuhina Yuhina occipitalis 36 bird-days. Noted on Gaoligongshan on two dates – main event 31 migr opn 14th. White-bellied Yuhina Erpornis zantholeuca 31+ bird-days. This enigmatic species was noted on nine dates. Brown Parrotbill Paradoxornis unicolor Three bird-days. Noted only at Gaoligongshan – main event two putting on a wonderful show in response to playback on 2nd. ***Vinous-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis webbianus c100 N of Beijing on 29th… ***Includes Ashy-throated Parrotbill (which eluded us at Kunming). This arrangement “[which retains Brown-winged Parrotbill P. brunneus as a separate species] follows a large, careful study of Han (1991), and maps in earlier publications were corrected by Cheng (1993), who endorsed Han’s findings”: Dickinson (2003) Brown-winged Parrotbill Paradoxornis brunneus 47 bird-days. Noted on two dates – few birdwatchers get into the range of this species… Black-throated Parrotbill Paradoxornis nipalensis 78+ bird-days. Noted on three dates. Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis atrosuperciliaris Five bird-days. 1-2 birds were noted on three dates. Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis ruficeps One on 11th – Tingaling! Grey-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis Nine bird-days. Noted on four dates. Chestnut-flanked White-eye Zosterops erythropleurus 9+ (incl a flock of six migr) at Kunming on 19th. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus 28 bird-days. Noted on three dates. Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus 44+ bird-days. Noted on 11 dates.

Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella One [RL, DS et al.] at Ruili on 5th. ***Northern Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Two N of Beijing on 29th. Naga Nuthatch Sitta nagaensis 34 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. White-tailed Nuthatch Sitta himalayensis Two in the Gaoligongshan on 17th. Yunnan Nuthatch Sitta yunnanensis Five at Lijiang on 31st. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis 15 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria One in flight at Lijiang on 31st. Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana Three near Tengchong on 3rd. Hume’s Treecreeper Certhia (discolor^) manipurensis Ten bird-days. Noted on five dates – one was ‘scoped as it engaged in a song contest across the track we were on! ***^discolor & manipurensis highly divergent genetically and vocally (see Collar & Pilgrim 2007) – the former becomes a monotypic species whose range includes ‘S Xizang’ (Zheng et al. 2005) while the latter (whose range includes W Yunnan: Zheng et al. 2005) groups with extralimital shanensis & meridionalis. Great Myna Acridotheres grandis Ten seen en route on 3rd… Crested Myna Acridotheres cristellatus 12 bird-days. Noted on two dates. Collared Myna Acridotheres albocinctus A 2nd c-y bird was seen on 3rd. Black-collared Starling Sturnus nigricollis Six en route on 3rd. Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra Two pairs [BS] on 12th. Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnus malabaricus 74 bird-days. Noted on seven dates.

White-cheeked Starling Sturnus cineraceus Five bird-days. Noted at Beijing on two dates AND at Ruili (one 2nd c-y w/ Chestnut-taileds on 5th). ***Cheng (1987) mentions the species for Kunming; Robson (2008) states that it is only a vagrant to adjacent N Burma (as well as to NW + C Thailand & N Laos). Eurasian Starling Sturnus vulgaris c20 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus 16 bird-days. Noted on eight dates. Orange-headed Ground Thrush Zoothera citrina Ten bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event five on 12th, incl one in the same ‘scope-field-of-view as the male Siberian Thush! Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica A superb 2nd c-y male was scrutinized (see above) on 12th. ***Robson (2008) does not include adjacent N Burma in the species’ range. Black-breasted Thrush Turdus dissimilis 39 bird-days. This superb species was noted on no less than eight dates – main event 19 near Tengchong on 3rd. ***Chinese Blackbird Turdus mandarinus One [JL, BS] in the grounds of our Beijing hotel on 29th. Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus One on 2nd. Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus 30 bird-days. Noted on five dates. ***Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis One adult N of Beijing on 29th. ***Red-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis Four N of Beijing on 29th. Naumann’s Thrush Turdus naumanni Nine bird-days. Noted on four dates, incl at Beijing on both 29+30th. ***Two were intermediates & one a ‘pure-bred’ ssp naumanni. Chinese Song Thrush Turdus mupinensis Three at Kunming on 19th. Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophrys 29 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Two [BS] on 12th.

Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope One at Ruili on 5th. Himalayan Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus Four bird-days. Noted on two dates, with three adult males positively glowing… ***Single unidentified Bluetails on a further two dates in W Yunnan were presumably also this taxon. ***“Sino-Himalayan rufilatus and N Asian cyanurus are widely disjunct in breeding ranges. Consistent differences in morphology and song-types over wide areas indicate they are better treated as separate species.”: Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Northern Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus Three at close range N of Beijing on 29th – a real bonus! Golden Bush Robin Tarsiger chrysaea A pair was seen on 14th. Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis 51+ bird-days. Noted on 15 dates. Hodgson’s Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni One male at Lijiang on 1st. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus 19 bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event 18 N of Beijing on 29th. Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis Eight bird-days. Noted on four dates… Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosa 18 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. River Chat Chaimarrornis leucocephalus 8+ bird-days. Noted on five dates. White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura 33 bird-days. Noted on 12 dates – best views of this very retiring species concerned an injured / stunned but ‘intact looking’ male at Gaoligongshan: out on the track it nearly got itself run over but instead got itself photographed at point-blank range. Black-backed Forktail Enicurus immaculatus Five bird-days. Noted on two dates. Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus Four bird-days. Noted on two dates. White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti Two at Ruili on 6th close to where a nest containing three eggs was found on the 2008 trip… Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculates Four bird-days. Noted on two dates.

‘Siberian’ Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus 21+ bird-days. Noted on five dates. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata 31 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Grey Bushchat Saxicola ferreus 14 bird-days. Noted on four dates. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Seven bird-days. Noted on three dates. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris One [BS, DS] at Ruili on 5th. Sooty Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica Singles on two dates – DS’ photos prove that at least the bird seen on 12th was a rothschildi… ***Work on vocalizations may well lead to suggestions that the distinctive rothschildi be elevated to full species status… Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui Four bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event a nest-building pair at Ruili on 7th. Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula hodgsonii Three heard singing at Kunming on 19th. Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher Ficedula strophiata Singletons were noted on three dates. Red-throated Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla 26 bird-days. Noted on nine dates. White-gorgetted Flycatcher Ficedula monileger 19 bird-days. Noted on five dates – main event nine (of which just one was seen!) singing on 4th. ***Dickinson (2003) omitted W Yunnan from the range of this hard-to-find species which was listed as accidental in China by Cheng (1987), with the sole record (a male collected at Nankang River, SW Yunnan, in December) cited also by Yan et al. (1995). Snowy-browed Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra 14 bird-days. Noted on four dates – main event six (three pairs) on 15th. Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni 37 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor 15 bird-days. Noted on six dates. Sapphire Flycatcher Ficedula sapphira Nine bird-days. Noted on four dates – main event three on 8th, one adult male on its own & two non-calling female-types together at c2,000m.

Asian Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus 44 bird-days. Noted on 17 dates. Pale Blue Flycatcher Cyornis unicolor 11 bird-days. Noted on three dates at Ruili – main event eight in a day, incl one ‘scoped! Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas 121 bird-days. Noted on ten dates – like most of its congeners a retiring species but (unlike some of it congeners) so common that sooner or later one’ll get superb views: males are real gems and the source of much accomplished singing. Rufous-bellied Niltava Niltava sundara Four bird-days. Noted on three dates. Large Niltava Niltava grandis 35 bird-days. Noted on ten dates. Small Niltava Niltava macgregoriae 16 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Grey-headed Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis 88 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates. Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii Singletons were noted on three dates. Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis Two W of Yingjiang on 10th. Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons One W of Yingjiang on 10th. Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii 37 bird-days. Noted on 11 dates. Buff-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectum 61 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates. ***In addition, an unidentified flowerpecker at Ruili on 7th was probably a Plain Flowerpecker D. concolor Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus Five bird-days. Noted on three dates – three seen by BS on 12th was a sore point until we all had ‘scope views of a male two days later… Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird Aethopyga gouldiae 44 bird-days. Noted on nine dates – main event 11 migr on 14th. Green-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga nipalensis 30 bird-days. Noted on six dates.

Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata 14 bird-days. Noted on seven dates. Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja Three superb males at Ruili on 6th. Fire-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda 127 bird-days. Noted on four dates – main event 119 migr on 14th. Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra Four bird-days. Noted on three dates W of Yingjiang. Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna 80 bird-days. This charismatic species was noted on 11 dates. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans 38+ bird-days. Noted on six dates. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Quite widespread – not systematically recorded. White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata 21 bird-days. Noted on two dates. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata 52 bird-days. Noted on two dates. ***Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella Three N of Beijing on 29th – quite common between mid-Oct and mid-Apr. Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis 100+ on 3rd. ***Alstrom & Mild (2003) conclude that “[…] the Yellow Wagtail complex is probably most appropriately classified as two species also under the BSC” (p34). Retained in M. flava are flavissima, flava, beema, thunbergi (incl. plexa), iberiae, cinereocapilla, pygmaea, feldegg, lutea & leucocephala. This treatment was adopted by Rasmussen & Anderton (2005). Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola 27 bird-days. Noted on three dates – all the 21 males seen were ssp citreola. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Nine bird-days. Noted on six dates. White Wagtail Motacilla alba 113+ bird-days. Noted on 13 dates, incl N of Beijing on 29+30th. ***Ssp recorded were leucopsis, ocularis (one ‘through the fence, on ice’ at Wild Duck Lake), baicalensis (one at Lijiang on 31st) & alboides. ***Dickinson (2003) evidently consider without merit the idea that lugens is a valid species. Alstrom & Mild (2003) also concludes that various factors “suggest that the White Wagtail is best treated as a single species under the BSC”.

Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi Six [BS] W of Yingjiang on 12th. Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus One at Lijiang on 31st was a surprise. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni 76 bird-days. Noted on 15 dates. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus One ‘scoped at Lijiang on 31st. Rosy Pipit Anthus roseus 27 bird-days. Noted on two dates – main event 25 at Lijiang on 31st. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens One at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta P Two at Wild Duck Lake on 30th. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla 62 bird-days. Noted on three dates, incl N of Beijing on 29th. Tibetan Siskin Serinus thibetanus 530+ bird-days – a flock of c30 migr on 14th, and 200-300+ feeding in a stand of flowering trees on both 15+17th. ***Oriental Greenfinch Carduelis sinica 25 birds N of Beijing on 29th. Black-headed Greenfinch Carduelis ambigua 27 bird-days. Noted on four dates – we finally got superb views at Kunming on 19th… Dark-breasted Rosefinch Carpodacus nipalensis 11 bird-days. Noted on three dates but, for most of us, BVD! Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus 60 bird-days. Noted on five dates – main event 48 (incl no less than 41 in one flock: GL) on 4th. ***Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch Carpodacus davidianus A pair N of Beijing on 29th. Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus 6+ on 14th. Dark-rumped Rosefinch Carpodacus edwardsii One at Lijiang on 1st. ***Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra One [JL, BS] in the grounds of our Beijing hotel on 29th.

Brown Bullfinch Pyrrhula nipalensis 6+ bird-days. Noted in Gaoligongshan on two dates. ***Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Four N of Beijing on 29th. ***Golden-naped Finch Pyrrhoplectes epauletta One ‘seen too briefly to make a difference’ on 14th… Crested Bunting Melophus lathami Seven bird-days. Noted on four dates. Eastern Rock Bunting Emberiza godlewskii 48+ bird-days. Noted on three dates – main event 34+ N of Beijing on 29th. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla 134+ bird-days. Noted on four dates – main event 108+ leaving roost at Lijiang on 1st. Yellow-throated Bunting Emberiza elegans Three bird-days. Noted at Lijiang on two dates. Pallas’s Reed Bunting Emberiza pallasi 25 at Wild Duck Lake on 30th – Tingaling! vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv Mammals: Northern Tree Shrew Tupaia belangeri Fairly common. ***Of the order Scadentia, which comprises ‘five genera and 20 species’ of which only one (of the 15 species in the genus Tupaia) occurs in China, Smith (2008) writes ’Few other taxa have proved to be as difficult to classify’ – ‘most recent treatments consider [‘these squirrel-like animals’] most closely allied with Primates, Dermoptera, and Chiroptera’. Phayre’s Leaf Monkey Semnopithecus phayrei One in Gaoligongshan on 16th. Pallas’ Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus Quite common. Anderson’s Squirrel Callosciurus quinquestriatus Three animal-days. This attractive creature was identified on at least two dates. Black Giant Squirrel Ratufa bicolor 8+ animal-days. Noted on at least three dates. Yunnan Hare Lepus comus Two en route 2nd.