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Blue-eared Pheasant - Crossoptilon auritum
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Wanglang National Nature Reserve is in Pingwu County, north Sichuan, and has a contiguous border with the much more-visited Jiuzhaigou to the west.
Wanglang lacks the picturesque lakes of Jiuzhaigou, but from a birding point-of-view it has a lot of similar habitat at similar elevations.
Access
We travelled with Carrie Ma and Yann Musika, and Carrie had arranged a car and driver from Chengdu. Thanks to Carrie too, for her bookings and other pre-planning !
We travelled with Carrie Ma and Yann Musika, and Carrie had arranged a car and driver from Chengdu. Thanks to Carrie too, for her bookings and other pre-planning !
There are buses to Pingwu town (Road no:205) from Chengdu and Mianyang, and a local bus terminates at the reserve entrance but the reserve itself is not served by public transport.
Most visitors arrive in their own cars, or by Tour Coach.
Most visitors arrive in their own cars, or by Tour Coach.
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Chestnut Thrush - Turdus rubrocanus
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White-throated Dipper - Cinclus cinclus
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Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler - Pnoepyga albiventer
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Chestnut-headed Tesia - Tesia castaneocoronata
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Blanford’s Rosefinch - Carpodacus rubescens
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Accommodation
We last visited in 2009. Some of the old blocks have been renovated, and there is a grand new “Bai Ma Wanglang Eco-Hotel” phone 0816-5113359, which appears to be bookable online. Electricity (local hydropower) appears reliable.
Cost was RMB 588, which included reserve admission for two persons (RMB 120 each), breakfast, dinner and use of the shuttle buses to the scenic areas.
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| Along the road to Baixionggou |
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| Along the road to Baixionggou |
Getting about
From Reserve HQs, a shuttle bus system operates to take visitors to the scenic sites and boardwalks at the end of the paved roads. These are at around 3,000m elevation - HQs is about 2,500m.
Right at the road fork (7km) was Baixionggou, where we saw Blue Eared Pheasant. There is a boardwalk there.
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| Blue-eared Pheasant - Crossoptilon auritum |
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| Blue-eared Pheasant - Crossoptilon auritum |
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| Blue-eared Pheasant - Crossoptilon auritum |
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| Baixionggou boardwalk |
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Grey-crested Tit - Lophophanes dichrous
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Bianchi’s Warbler - Seicercus valentini
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Greenhouse-like pavilions are being provided for the less-actively inclined.
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Elliot’s Laughingthrush - Garrulax elliotii
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Goldcrest - Regulus regulus
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Vinaceous Rosefinch - Carpodacus vinaceus
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Left at the fork, at 6-7 km was Dachoping (Grand Meadow)...
...and 4km beyond that, Zhugengcha, - an area with Golden Eagle, White-winged Grosbeaks and rhododendrons beneath the pines.
...and 4km beyond that, Zhugengcha, - an area with Golden Eagle, White-winged Grosbeaks and rhododendrons beneath the pines.
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| Zhugengcha, Wanglang NNR - about 3,100m |
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Chinese White-browed Rosefinch - Carpodacus dubius (f)
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Chinese White-browed Rosefinch - Carpodacus dubius (m)
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White-winged Grosbeak - Mycerobas carneipes
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Purple daisy
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Golden Eagle - Aquila chrysaetos
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| Slipper Orchid - Cypredium sp. |
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| Rhododendron |
The road between the reserve entrance and park HQs was quite birdy, with “phylloscs” and flycatchers - among others- singing and nest building in the misty conditions.
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Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher - Ficedula strophiata
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Claudia’s Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus claudiae
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Claudia’s Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus claudiae
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White-collared Yuhina - Yuhina diademata
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Rosy Pipit - Anthus roseatus
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Rusty-breasted Tit - Poecile davidi
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Slaty-backed Flycatcher - Ficedula hodgsonii
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Long-tailed Minivet - Pericrocotus ethologus
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Sooty Tit - Aegithalos fuliginosus
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Sooty Tit - Aegithalos fuliginosus
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Sooty Tit - Aegithalos fuliginosus
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Yellow-bellied Tit - Parus venustulus
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Slaty-backed Flycatcher - Ficedula hodgsonii
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Ferruginous Flycatcher - Muscicapa ferruginea
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Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major
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Bar-tailed Treecreeper - Certhia himalayana
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Bar-tailed Treecreeper - Certhia himalayana
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Bar-tailed Treecreeper - Certhia himalayana
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Temperatures were around 20c, much more comfortable than at sea-level in China in late May…. The woods were very active with breeding birds, and all these shots were taken during four-and-a-half days of birding.
Thanks again to Carrie Ma (whose idea the whole trip was) and to Yann Musika for the pleasure of their company.
Thanks again to Carrie Ma (whose idea the whole trip was) and to Yann Musika for the pleasure of their company.
