Day 3 Monday 30 May

the view from the park at the end of the street... the bridge secretes a night heron.

Day 3

Today we left the crazy crowds and traffic of Chengdu and headed for the hills packed tightly in our minibus. Specifically to spend two full days in the Longcanggou area. This area features upland natural primary forest with areas of bamboo and secondary forest, the latter regrown since logging. The area also holds some plantation timbers and secondary scrub. Some of the native forest is coniferous.

Earlier in the day we awoke and went for a brief stroll in a nearby park. We got good views of Black crowned Night Herons and all of the common species. Highlight was the Vinous breasted Parrotbill.

Back to the hotel and soon we were back on board our bus battling through the early morning traffic of Chengdu. After a mere hour we had cleared the city and were freeway bound. The quality of road was excellent. Hills and mountains were little obstacle; a two lane freeway sped up hills or through them in a way that would not be seen back home. Btw Chengdu seemed, in many ways, an ultra modern city with huge high rise, express ways with multi over passes, huge neon signs and video screens etc etc – all in all a huge modern city. 

Not so long after leaving the city we stopped at a large service centre where we managed to tick a couple of good species; Rufous-crowned Babbler, Brown chested Bulbul and Ashy throated Parrotbill. Also got the Crested Finchbill again. Here we also began negotiating the complex and confusing world of Chinese snacks.

Soon we arrived at our Hotel where we would be based for three nights.

our hotel in the hills

Steve admiring the interior of our hotel room

hotel room bathroom - note toilet provides opportunities for simple [and not so simple] exercise.

After an excellent lunch [Chinese] we headed up into the hills.

In an Olympic Year many people run marathons. Today, this afternoon in fact, we walked one. A long and for all of us quite an arduous one down off a mountain.

Walkers! Glenis and Karyl front and Vince and Bob behind [as usual]

Forest scene

First taped birds – Owlet call – mobbing passerines – yb tit, lt minivets, green backed tit, emei leaf warbler, large billed leaf warbler, claudia’s leaf – wing flicking, lady gould’s sunbird, rufous capped warbler,

 

Yellow - bellied Tit

Bird of the Day - Long-tailed Minivet!