Looking for Some of the Rarest Endemic Species of Southeast China
This trip covers the most important birding sites of China's east coast and southeastern forests. The plentiful wetlands and mudflats of east coast are vital stopover sites for numerous migratory birds moving between East Asia and Australia, some of them are extremely rare, such as the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the scarce Nordmann's Greenshank.
Additionally, we will penetrate into the heart of southeastern forests where is home to many endemic and range-restricted species including White-necklaced Partridge, Cabot's Tragopan, Elliott's Pheasant, Reeves's Pheasant, Spotted Elachura, etc.
Tour Info Sheet
| Highlight Birds | Reeves's Pheasant, White-necklaced Partridge, Cabot's Tragopan, Elliott's Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Blue-crowned Laughingthrush, Chinese Crested Tern, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Nordmann's Greenshank, Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Terek Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Great Crested Tern, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Saunders's Gull, Black-tailed Gull, Black-faced Spoonbill, Fairy Pitta, Black Baza, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Spotted Elachura, Reed Parrotbill, Marsh Grassbird, Pied Falconet, Peregrine Falcon, Chinese Penduline Tit, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Robin, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Short-tailed Parrotbill, Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, etc. |
|---|---|
| Numbers of Species to Expect | 180-220 |
| Ease of Birding | mostly easy birding with a few tricky species |
| Other Attractions | Hui style architecture, Fujian cuisine |
| Photography Opportunities | birding focused but with very good photography chances |
| Habitats Covered | subtropical forests, woodlands, wetlands, coasts |
| Expected Climate | comfortable, cool in the morning, windy on the coast, rain is possible |
| Physical Requirements | mostly easy, moderate but optional in certain parts |
| Accommodation | very comfortable |
| Transportation | 19-seat van |
What makes this trip irreplaceable?
1. The combination of our experienced western guides and local guides ensures your needs are well met.
2. We run the trip in the best season when we have good chances to see many migratory birds.
3. A small group size of no more than 8 birders.
4. Years of working as a local partner for some prestigious western companies specialized in birds and wildlife.
5. A strong logistic team in the office to ensure our trip goes smoothly and every participant has a comfortable and memorable journey.
Dates & Prices
| Dates | Booking Status | Price | Single Supplement | Group Size | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21- May 6, 2026 | Space Available | 4,999USD/pax | 460USD/pax | 8 | Alan Curry & Local Guide |
Slide the sheet to the left to see the full sheet if you are viewing it on your phone or tablet.
The cost includes the following:
1. Private transportation throughout the trip, including airport pick-up at airports of Shanghai and drop-off at Fuzhou Changle International Airport; Bullet train tickets as listed in the itinerary.
2. All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 16.
3. All the entrance tickets for places listed in the itinerary including cable cars and shuttle buses.
4. Hotel stays from first day to the last day, two clients occupy one twin-bed room on a sharing basis at nice 3 or 4 star hotels in big cities and local best guesthouses in remote areas.
5. Bottled water and snacks throughout the trip.
6. Simple western breakfast whenever possible.
7. Service charges of a professional western bird guide and an experienced local bird guide throughout the whole trip.
8. China domestic travel insurance.
9. Service of all logistic supports.
The cost does not include the following:
a. Drinks during meals.
b. Extra charges due to change of itinerary from the client's side or factors beyond the control of AlpineBirding such as natural disasters or governmental policy changes.
c. Discretionary tips to guides and drivers.
d. All personal expenses such as laundry service.
e. ANY AIRFARE except those stated in the itinerary.
f. Any program not listed in the itinerary.
Itinerary
Tour Map
Day 1: Arrival in Shanghai, China.
Upon arrival at the airports of Shanghai, you will be met by your AlpineBirding guide or driver who will transfer you to the hotel accommodation. For early arrivals, we will visit a birding site nearby to search for some urban birds including Long-tailed Shrike, Azure-winged Magpie, Oriental Magpie, Coal Tit, Yellow-bellied Tit, Rock Pigeon, Light-vented Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Leaf Warbler, Red-billed Starling, White-cheeked Starling, White's Thrush, Chinese Blackbird, Grey-backed Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Pale Thrush, Red-flanked Bluetail, Yellow-billed Grosbeak, and we can also expect a big variety of waterfowl.
In the evening, we will enjoy a group dinner that will provide an opportunity for us to get to know one another and know more about the upcoming trip from the trip briefing by our guide.
Day 2: Shanghai to Rudong via Nanhui Dongtan.
After a 6,300km journey from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yangtze River runs into the estuary of the East China Sea near Shanghai. The abundant water resources from this river have nurtured vast wetlands and lush forest ecosystems while transforming the seacoast area into a breadbasket for many creatures. As a result of this, Shanghai is a vital stopover site for many migratory bird species on the long journey between East Asia and Australia. However, the mudflat is gradually receding under the pressure of urban expansion. Among the mudflat habitats left, Nanhui Dongtan is an ideal place for us to look for some residents and migratory shorebirds.
We will spend the whole morning in Nanhui Dongtan and mainly focus on the mudflats and wetlands in search of Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-faced Spoonbill, Baikal Teal, Northern Shoveler, Falcated Duck, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, Velvet Scoter, Black Scoter, Black-necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin, Herring Gul, etc. In addition, we can spend some time in the nearby forest where we have a good chance of encountering birds such as Reed Parrotbill, Marsh Grassbird, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey, Chinese Penduline Tit, Plain Prinia, Zitting Cisticola, Light-vented Bulbul, Brown-eared Bulbul, Dusky Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Pale Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Chestnut-eared Bunting, Pallas's Reed Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, etc.
In the afternoon, we will complete a 4-hour drive to Rudong, another important birding site on the east coast.
Day 3: Rudong & surrounds.
We will spend a whole day in Rudong searching for birds either in the mudflats or in nearby forests. One of our most top targets here is the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Rudong is so far the most reliable site to try the sandpiper, but we do need patience as it mixes with millions of other wading birds. We will also look for other coast specials including Nordmann's Greenshank, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Grey-headed Lapwing, Kentish Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Terek Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper, Saunders's Gull, Black-tailed Gull, Chinese Pond Heron, etc.
Besides wading birds and waterfowls, we will also have time to explore the nearby "Magic Forest" in search of Reed Parrotbill, White-cheeked Starling, Japanese Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Azure-winged Magpie, Chinese Penduline Tit, Zitting Cisticola, Yellow-browed Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Two-barred Warbler, Manchurian Bush Warbler, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Robin, Red-flanked Bluetail, Yellow-billed Grosbeak, Tristram's Bunting, Meadow Bunting, etc.
Day 4: Rudong to Shanghai and bullet train to Dongzhai.
Today's schedule will be comprised mostly of travel. We will have some time to try our targets in Rudong before we drive back to Shanghai. In the afternoon, we will take a 6-hour bullet train ride to our next destination, Dongzhai, and check in at our lovely guesthouse in the reserve.
Day 5-6: Dongzhai National Nature Reserve.
Dongzhai is located on the north side of Dabie Mountain and is in the transition zone between the middle and low mountains to the east plain. The rich and various forest resources here are home to many endemic and unique species found in the central region of China. We will spend two full days here enjoying the gorgeous endemic Reeves's Pheasant and the endangered Crested Ibis. During our exploration, we can also encounter other specials including Fairy Pitta, Black Baza, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Crested Goshawk, Oriental Scops Owl, Rufous Turtle Dove, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Large Hawk Cuckoo, Indian Cuckoo, Grey Nightjar, Black-capped Kingfisher, Crested Kingfisher, Speckled Piculet, Grey-capped Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Brown-rumped Minivet, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Black Drongo, Ashy Drongo, Eurasian Jay, Collared Crow, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Rufous-faced Warbler, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, Silver-throated Tit, Black-throated Tit, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Masked Laughingthrush, Blue Whistling Thrush, White-crowned Forktail, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Russet Sparrow, Forest Wagtail, etc.
Day 7: Dongzhai to Wuyuan.
We will have a short birding excursion near our guesthouse before catching a 4.5-hour bullet train to Wuyuan. Wuyuan is a small peaceful county being known as one of China's most beautiful villages. We will start birding upon arrival.
Day 8-9: Wuyuan & surrounds.
Located in East China, Wuyuan is a well-forested area surrounded by rolling hills. So far, about 300 bird species have been recorded here including some of eastern China's rarest endemic species. During our two days of exploration, we will get to see the critically endangered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush, with a population of around 200, they can only be found in the low-elevation forest of Wuyuan now. Additionally, we should also encounter some other sought-after species including Pied Falconet, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Crested Goshawks, Dollarbird, Great Barbet, Grey Treepie, Collared Finchbill, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Short-tailed Parrotbill, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler, Huet's Fulvetta, Masked Laughingthrush, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Black-collared Starling, White-rumped Munia, etc. We will also spend some time in stream areas looking for Long-billed Plover, Mandarin Duck, Grey-headed Lapwing, Chinese Pond Heron, Crested Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, White-crowned Forktail, Plumbeous Redstart, Brown Dipper, etc.
Day 10: Wuyuan to Emeifeng.
We can spend more time in Wuyuan to search for our target species before we depart for the Emeifeng region.
Day 11-12: Emeifeng National Nature Reserve.
Belonging to Wuyi Mountain Range, Emeifeng features a notable vertical zonality of different flora species. The well-protected ecosystem provides an excellent habitat for a great variety of birds. It is renowned for being the best place to look for game birds, including some rare and endemic pheasants in Southeast China. To make the best use of our time, we will cover ground in our vehicle transport in the morning to look for Cabot's Tragopan, Elliot's Pheasant, White-necklaced Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge.
When not patrolling the area for game birds, we will focus on the search for some other forest species including Large Hawk Cuckoo, Black Eagle, Serpent Eagle, Collared Owlet, Great Barbet, Speckled Piculet, Bay Woodpecker, Grey-chinned Minivet, Blyth's Shrike Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Grey Treepie, Sultan Tit, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Brown Bush Warbler, Pygmy Cupwing, Chestnut Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Buff-throated Warbler, White-spectacled Warbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Hartert's Leaf Warbler, Rufous-faced Warbler, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Indochinese Yuhina, Black-chinned Yuhina, Rufous-capped Babbler, Grey-sided Scimitar Babbler, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Spotted Elachura, Spotted Forktail, Slaty-backed Forktail, and the Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush.
Day 13: Emeifeng to Fuzhou.
We will have an extra morning in Emeifeng before boarding a 2-hour bullet train to Fuzhou.
Day 14: Fuzhou Forest Park to Minjiang River Estuary.
Built in 1960, Fuzhou Forest Park covers 860 hectares and is rated as one of the top ten forest parks in China. This extensive natural area features more than 2,500 kinds of rare and precious trees from 36 countries that have been introduced and planted inside the park. Inside the park, there are many gardens for certain groups of precious trees species.
We will spend most of the day birding in this nice park in search of birds such as White-necklaced Partridge, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Spotted Elachura, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Greater Coucal, Red-headed Trogon, Rufous Woodpecker, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Scarlet Minivet, Large Woodshrike, Common Tailorbird, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Chestnut Bulbul, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Tristram's Bunting, etc.
In the late afternoon, we will drive to the Minjiang River Estuary area to stay the night.
Day 15: Minjiang River Estuary Wetland Reserve & surrounds.
We will spend the whole day birding in the estuary area. Covering 3,129 hectares, the Minjiang River Estuary Wetland Reserve was founded in 2001. At the estuary, the extensive mudflats provide abundant food resources for many residents and migratory birds, including the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern. In the past, we could go to the core area of the reserve by boat to look for these lovely birds. But now birders are not allowed to get into the core areas as a result of the recently enforced strict control measures from the reserve. However, it is possible to spot this species outside the reserve as we did see this bird on our past trips. As a registered travel company in China, we are very cautious about our behaviors and dedicated to practicing responsible eco-tourism and will follow the rules and guidelines set by the reserve.
Along the way, we can expect some other exciting species including Great Crested Tern, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Black Tern, Caspian Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Black-tailed Gull, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Sanderling, Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red Knot, Far Eastern Curlew, Grey Plover, Black-faced Spoonbill, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Plain Prinia, and the Oriental Reed Warbler.
Day 16: Departure from Fuzhou.
Following a lovely breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport to depart from Fuzhou. This will conclude the services for this scheduled itinerary from AlpineBirding.
Guide(s)
Alan Curry
Alan has been afflicted by the birding and travel bug since an early age, and in an attempt to shake off this acute wanderlust embarked on a series of extended travels within Europe, Asia, North America, and the Antipodes for over a decade, developing a keen interest in seabirds and obscure asiatic warblers along the way. Alan, now in a much more settled mode is based in his native Northumberland where he runs an electrical contracting business. When an opportunity came along to get involved with tour leading, he discovered a welcome string to his bow and with a relaxed and easy-going manner it is something to which he is well suited and has escorted groups on a regular basis in Europe, Asia and Africa. Shetland and Central Asia are by far Alan's favourite destinations but stick him on a boat anywhere and he is happy!
Besides, one of AlpineBirding's local guides in Southeast China will participate in this trip to ensure a high-end birding experience.
Besides, one of AlpineBirding's local guides in Southeast China will participate in this trip to ensure a high-end birding experience.
Linked Tours
Currently, there is no extension available for this tour. If you want to spend more time before or after the main tour to look for certain species or enjoy other attractions, you are warmly welcome to share your ideas with us to tailor make a tour of your own style. Please send us an email to info@alpinebirding.com with your preferences, we will get back to you with a time manner.
Reports
We don't have a report available for this tour at this stage, please feel free to email us, we are more than happy to answer any of your questions and share the latest bird information with you.
Testimonials
Meet the "King of the Arctic!" Our flagship polar bear tour is an expertly guided small-group adventure to see the world's largest concentration of polar bears in their tundra habitat along Hudson Bay.
-
Great Birding and Bird Photography on the Sichuan part of the Tibetan Plateau with AlpineBirding
Shay and Philip took a friend and me on a 10-day birding trip on the Sichuan part of the Tibetan plateau, including places legendary among bird watchers, such as Balangshan, Mengibshan, and Ruoergai.
While I was initially a bit skeptical about the nature of the tour (I generally do not like guided tours), it proved absolutely worth it to have both Philip (to drive and to deal with the occasional oversuspicious police) and particularly Shay (for finding and identifying birds) around. While Shay has probably seen every bird on the trip multiple times, he is not content with just finding it and showing it to you but tries to make sure that you can also get a good photo of it, should you want to do so. This goes to the point where - if a bird was difficult to photograph - it sometimes was me giving up rather than Shay.
In conclusion, I think I would not have seen half of the birds on this trip had I taken it on my own. Highly recommended.
Kai P / Sichuan part of the Tibetan Plateau July 14, 2021
-
Excellent organisers for one-day targeted birding!
My friend and I do almost all of our birding independently on a budget, but sometimes it is necessary to hire a local guide for the trickier species with access issues, etc.
We recently contacted AlpineBirding hoping to hire a local guide in Wuyuan to drive us around for a day and find Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (amongst other local specialities), and were very happy with the professional service provided. We requested a non-English speaking guide to keep costs down, and AlpineBirding organised this for us, recommended a hotel, and we were picked up right on time and enjoyed an excellent day out finding all the birds we were looking for!
We also utilised an AlpineBirding guide to find Chinese Crested Tern in Fuzhou, which was of paramount importance due to the complex permit issues in China! I would use them again happily.
Joshua Bergmark / East China (Wuyuan) May 08, 2018
-
We had a nice birding and wildlife tour with Philip He from Alpine Birding.
The top attraction for my husband, an avid photographer, were the Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys at the Dapingyu scenic area. The top attraction for me were the Crested Ibis outside the town of Yangxian.
It was a bit incongruous to see these endangered birds feeding in a stream less than 100 yards from highway construction, however! We also saw a large number of wild Mandarin Ducks in a mountain stream on our way back to Xi'an -- gorgeous! I was a bit disappointed that we could not actually hike up to the higher elevations in the Foping Nature Reserve (closed to tourists, as mentioned by other reviewers on this site).
Philip He did a great job finding (safe) places for us to eat, including a visit to a Sichuan-style hot pot restaurant where we were the only Westerners. Everything was well-organized by Philip and his partner Lucy Guo at Alpine Birding, with pick up at our hotel in Xi'an and drop-off at the airport in time for our return flight to the US.Susan and Philip / Middle China (Shaanxi) December 26, 2016
