GAOLIGONSHAN YUNNAN BOTANY EXPEDITION 2018 PART 2 I began my own exploration of southern Gaoligong from Baoshan reached by an hour flight east from Kunming, Yunnan China. I spent four days at the base village of Baihualing before the expedition at the southern extension of the Gaoligongshan Reserve located several hours north east of Baoshan. From here I spent time hiking and birding with an amazing Lisu bird guide Jeremy Yip who worked for Steven An, a very affable bird expert who owns Chinadreamtours found at www.chinadreamstour.com. I was amazed at the bird diversity here even though it was off season, and through the skill of Jeremy saw over 45 species of the 525 species recorded in Gaoligong, a bird diversity that equals nearly one-half of all bird species known in china. My bird list included four species of laughing thrushes, two woodpeckers, niltava, sunbirds, flycatchers, robins, warblers, fulvettas, minlas and bulbuls and several of the almost 20 species of pheasants, 18 species heavily consumed by locals.

Jeremy Yip, professional birder for Stephan An owner of Chinadreamtours. Hide 9 Baihualing, Gaoligong Yunnan Gaoligongshan is rich biogeographic cross-roads of four areas, a mixture of avifauna from the Himalayas, central China highlands, southeast Asia, and the Palearctic, including a large presence of endemic birds. Gaoligongshan is near the center of diversity for pheasants in the family Phasianidae with twenty species including the rufous-throated partridge, green peafowl, Lady Amherst’s, tragophans and grouse; and the babbler family Timaliidae which is mostly an Asian radiation. The reserve has 60 species of babblers, a very diverse group ecologically that range across an entire array of shapes, sizes, and bill morphologies. Large genera numbers here also include the laughing-thrushes of which Jeremy helped me find 5 species, fulvettas (Alcippe, 7 species), and yuhinas (Yuhina, 7 species). The private land at the edge of the Gaoligong Reserve is maintained by many owners of hides that they maintain during the birding season, catering with feeding stations for bird photographers. I came during the off season, but was fortunate to see so many species here during the rainy season, including a hooded woodpecker,

blue-winged, red-faced, black-faced, and red-tailed laughing thrushes. I was continually amazed at how Jeremy could identify birds learned through the years, and knew both calls and with an ability to identify so many species even from a distance from our numerous walks in the forest. My eyes were opened to birding, as it had always been difficult to see avifauna in the rainforests wherever I have explored, from the Peruvian Amazon and African Congo to the SE Asian forests.

The primary forest at Baihualing below 1500 meters is rapidly disappearing over the past two decades by slash and burn agriculture and continual clearing of lower elevation tropical forest. The population is expanding between Tenchong Reserve on the Myanmar border, and the eastern slope of Gaoligong. But above Baihualing the forest was protected from logging within the preserve and intersected with several trails, one which followed the stone paved section of the old silk road that crossed the mountains over to the east side. Jeremy guided me on two of the local trails that ascended into the mountains through the few days I had there. On the third day from the road at 1400 meters (4638 feet) we ascended a ridge within a beautiful forest of oak, ash, fig trees, wild banana, and epiphytic philodendrons. Understory did have a species of rhododendron with pink, partially flattened flowers. We ascended through a primary forest interspersed with waterfalls to the staging area of the ancient Silk Road, then followed a trail that steeply ascended from about to 2400 meters (7951 feet) to 3200 meters (10,270 feet).

Great views of the surrounding steep peaks covered with primary forest trees of maple, oak,

Primary lowland forest southern Gaoligong, hiked from Baihualing. Note wild banana and fig Ficus sp trees

Wild cherry, new leaves on maple, Rhododendron, unknow flower on forest floor

cherry in flower, hickory, dogwood, magnolia and ash. Many trees in flower during spring rains, and others growing new leaves colored red and yellow at the top of the canopy. I truly love this place, reminding me of Nepalese forests near Kanchenjunga, and the ridge I walked down in Kaeng Krachan in Thailand. We came to the top of a large waterfall we had seen from a distance at about 3000 meters (9940 feet). The ridge leading to a peak with several vertical rock sections with rich primary forest was peaceful. Cicadas were loud, and one species sounded like the Buddhist monks blowing on the small brass trumpets, then at the end as if the cicada was strangled as it choked on its call. Large trees with huge horizontal limbs, flowers on the forest floor I couldn’t identify, one large 5 pedaled white one and small yellow flowers.

The first waterfall we passed was small and flowed over moss where Jeremy found a black and white forktail foraging on the vertical walls for insects. The second falls further up the trail was the main course of the river, which had a hot spring that flowed into the stream at its base full of butterflies, Laecanids with metallic blue wings and green/black and yellow swallowtails. There was the chestnut water start by the edge of the boulders foraging at the edge of the raging falls as we followed the trailed that worked up the edge of the cascading river. The mid falls section was carved through vertical rock that then dispersed into a series of cascades. Continuing to follow the river, we ascended to the largest falls called ‘beauty woman’ named for its impression of cascading silver hair. So refreshing to walk alongside the rushing sound of the river most of the day, and felt such peace from the Lord. It was a long hike, but amazingly beautiful trail with views of the mountain and waterfalls from the backside of the ridge. Heard the beautiful call of the scarlet faced liochichla, a laughing thrush, and the melodic notes of small niltava, a metallic blue colored flycatcher. Many philodendrons, and epiphytes on the trees with a variety of mosses. Rt Krishna Swallowtail,laecanid

Tree frog, Yunnan flying frog, Mandarin newt

Silver eared mesia, blue throated barbet, flavescent bulbul, great niltava, golden throated barbet, nuthatch

Green tailed sunbird,red-tailed laughing thrush, red faced liocichla, red-headed trogan, blue winged laughing thrush, chestnut breasted laughing thrush : all photos from Hide 9, Baihualing Gaoligong

Amazing textures in the forest, including all kinds of leaf shapes, crowns and twisting limbs, clouds moving in and out of the ridges, more bird song including Blythe warblers, laughing thrushes, and the croak of the Great barbet. Learned about the huge slender billed scimitar that

Red-tailed laughing thrush, blue winged leafbird, Sichuan wood owl, Chinese Tawny owl, Chinese bamboo partridge, rufous-throated partridge

lives in bamboo with a specially adapted curved beak. Such an incredible variety of bird life and plant species here. The mammals are almost completely gone except squirrels, tree shrew, and the shy leopard cat. Musk deer, muntjac, wild pigs, sambar have been hunted out, tiger and leopard disappeared decades in the past and there are only a few bear left in the forest. I was blessed and refreshed, but tired climbing most of the day, then descending the steep stone lined trail a remnant of the 2000-year-old Silk Road. The evening was rewarded with wonderful soup and Tibetan greens and yak meat prepared by his mother-in-law, and shared with her, Jeremy and his wife and family. I have really grown to appreciate his gift as a naturalist, and passionate about his faith journey as a university student since he became a Christian.

Jeremy drove me back to Baoshan the following day where I was to meet our botany expedition leader and team. I had first met Adrian in 2015 in Nepal, as his group followed ours crossing 5200 m (17227 ft) Lumba Sumba pass in Kangchenjunga area. I had seen his website Whistling Arrow, and contacted him about his Gaoligongshan expedition. I finally recognized him, encourage to sign up and here I was reacquainting our friendship. Our team consisted of myself, a German couple who were passionate about Rhododendrons, and Edward, a Chinese guide from Kunming who knew the mountains well. Adrian lives in Hong Kong, and had put together an amazing group of trips that explore Sichuan, Yunnan, Nepal, and Qinghai Tibet Autonomous Region of China. We loaded our waterproof packs and expedition gear on a small bus, and began the journey from Baoshan 431 kilometers (268 miles) north ascending the Nu Jiang (Angry River) along the highway that was undergoing extensive construction. It took us 11 tortuous hours the first day to make it to Fugong at the half-way point, having one two-hour delay of blocked traffic because of a lory that had broken its axle. A narrow corridor was finally

Nu Jiang (Angry River), one of the three parallel rivers of a UNESCO HERITAGE SITE near the upper watershed above the village of Bingzhailuo, northern Gaoligong

cleared where traffic could barely pass and inch by. It took six hours (via Liuku) to our first nights’ accommodation, a small hotel in the riverside town of Fugong. We were exhausted from enduring all the pot holes, mud, and jostling in the small bus. But this is nothing compared to what the early explorers Forrest, Ward, and Rock endured in the early 1900’s. The next day we endured another 12 long hours through continuous road construction and delays as we ascended the Nujiang River through many canyons and sections of rapids, driving through Gongshan to Bingzhongluo at 1800m (5963 feet). En-route we passed through several

small towns with bustling markets full of Lisu and Yi who descend from nearby mountain villages to shop and trade. The road follows the Nu River as it flows, often violently, in the opposite direction. The scenery became increasingly beautiful with lush tropical vegetation as the valley narrowed and we saw the first of the regions famous cable-wire bridges. Hill tribe farmers would cross with their produce using these ‘zip lines’ to bring their produce to market. In a downpour we stopped to observe the 'Stone Moon', a 50-meter diameter hole or perfect circle eroded into the sheer rock face of the Gaoligong Mountains that form the west ridge of the valley.

Bingzhangluo, the village in the upper watershed of the Nu River near where our expedition will begin at the northern Gaoligong mountains (shan)

Canyon of the Nu Jiang near where the expeditions descent route ended

Now immersed in the upper reach of the Nu River near the Myanmar Tibet Autonomous Region border we arrived at Bingzhongluo at nightfall. Located adjacent to the magnificent Nujiang Canyon Adrian shared this was one of the last areas of contemporary China to be brought under the administration of the central government. Small garrisons of Han Chinese troops had begun moving up the river in the early 20th century, mainly in response to the British Empire’s efforts to increase control over northeast Burma which neighbors the Nu Canyon. The river remains fundamentally unchanged and unique among China’s great rivers as it has not been dammed along its main course. The Nujiang forms an off-center horseshoe bend just a kilometer or so south of Bingzhongluo, and upriver it narrows into thundering rapids, some of which are almost the equal of those in Tiger Leaping Gorge. The Tibetan border is about than 30 kilometers north of here.

We stayed in a newly constructed but basic hotel, and had to carry our packs, duffel bags and gear up three flights of stairs: the staff wouldn’t use the elevator because of potential and frequent power shutoffs. And that happened our first night with no power after 7 pm, forcing us to unpack by flashlight. The next morning was spent buying supplies in the Bingzhongluo local market, a regular Tuesday event, which brings hill tribe people from villages along the river and mountain slopes on either side of the canyon to sell their produce and pigs. We purchased vegetables that would last for over a week: eggplant and herbs along with fresh pork ribs packed with fat.

The locals are predominantly Nu ethnicity, with Tibetan, Lisu and a small population of Dulong people from the Dulong River across the Gaoligonshan bordering Myanmar to the west. Roman Catholicism and Lamaist Buddhism are the main religions here, but there are also Protestant Christians among the Nu and Lisu, whose cultures are also said to preserve elements of pre-missionary animist traditions. The Nu and the Dulong are thought to be the earliest inhabitants of the canyon and both are closely related in language and some traditional culture. A Dulong origin myth tells of two brothers being separated by a raging river: one goes west and fathers the Dulong, while the other remains by the Nu River and fathers the Nu. Both speak Tibeto-Burman languages, but this also makes them related to the Lisu, who migrated in large numbers into the canyon at a much later stage (Nujiang Prefecture is now a Lisu Autonomous Prefecture; Gongshan County, where Bingzhongluo is located). The Tibetans began immigration in 1766 with a monk from Dege who was tasked by his superiors with extending the influence of Tibetan Buddhism south along the Nu River. Tibetan families from Deqin, one valley to the east over the Biluo mountain range, came in the monk’s wake to take up farmland and work on temple construction. We had electricity our second night and finished packing food and.

equipment for our expedition