Birding Beijing
TRIP REPORT: Wuerqihan and XiQi, Inner Mongolia, China
20-26 December 2014
Terry Townshend, Marie Louise and Jamin Tse
Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)
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1.
Introduction and Summary
Three of us – Terry Townshend, Marie Louise and Jamin Tse - decided to spend Christmas 2014 in snowy (and cold)
northern Inner Mongolia. Our targets were some of the northern specialities, with an emphasis on owls. We divided
our time between two sites – Wuerqihan (2-2.5 hours east of Hailar) and XiQi (c4 hrs west of Hailar). The two sites,
although relatively close (c6 hours by car), are very different. The habitat around Wuerqihan consists of both thick and
open forest (predominantly birch and spruce), hosting the large owls such as Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa), Ural
Owl (Strix uralensis) and Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula), as well as sought after species such as Siberian Jay (Perisoreus
infaustus) and Black-billed Capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris). At this site, we spent most of our time birding along the
minor road (Z001) that runs northeast of the town, and exploring the numerous tracks that run southeast and
northwest of the road. There is some great habitat to the south of Wuerqihan, too, where we encountered Hawk Owl
(Surnia ulula), Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) and Black (Dryocopus martius) and White-backed Woodpeckers
(Dendrocopos leucotos).
XiQi is very different. The habitat to the south of the town is rolling grassland with very few trees. This area is the
prime (known) site in China for wintering Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) and we saw at least 6 of these beautiful birds
during our trip, including one adult male. Within a couple of hours of the prime Snowy Owl site (south of XiQi) there
are sites for Pere David’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda davidiana) and Asian Rosy Finch (Leucosticte arctoa), both
southwest of XiQi.
With different habitat and birds, these two sites make for a rewarding trip, particularly during winter. With longer
days and, perhaps, less cold, it may be more productive, and more comfortable, to visit in early winter (e.g. November)
or early Spring (e.g. late March). The latter must be a better time for Black-billed Capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris)
and other grouse as they should be lekking at this time, and consequently easier to locate.
In XiQi, our guide told us that around 1,000 people visit every winter to see the Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus). The
vast majority of these are photographers. The main guide here – Zhao Shuanglong - runs an efficient operation
including several drivers (some are his brothers) and a network of hotels and restaurants. As expected, there are times
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when the drivers deliberately flush the owls to enable their clients to secure images of the owls in flight. However, by
controlling the driver, it is possible to refrain from getting too close and to observe these wonderful owls at a
reasonable distance without disturbing them. The Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) are said to be present in XiQi from
November to mid-April.
Bird density is low in northern Inner Mongolia in winter but the quality is high. In total we recorded 49 species plus
one that remains cautiously unidentified to species level (either Japanese [Parus minor] or Great Tit [Parus major]–
seen poorly in Wuerqihan town).
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), female, XiQi, Inner Mongolia
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2.
Highlights
The following are our personal highlights from the trip:
 Six species of owl: Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo); Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa); Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula), Little Owl
(Athene noctua), Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus); and Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)
 Six species of woodpecker: Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius); Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos
major); Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus); Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor); Three-toed
Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus); and White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos)
 57 Pere David’s Snowfinches (Pyrgilauda davidiana)
 5 Asian Rosy Finches (Leucosticte arctoa)
 A single Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus)
 2 Pine Grosbeaks (Pinicola enucleator)
 At least 5 Arctic Redpolls (Carduelis hornemanni)
 Pallas’s (Carpodacus roseus) and Long-tailed Rosefinches (Uragus sibiricus)
 Eurasian Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), including the grey-bellied subspecies cineracea
Note that we did not see or hear Black-billed Capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris) or Boreal (Tengmalm’s) Owl
(Aegolius funereus), both of which are present but in small numbers and hard to find. Eurasian Pygmy Owl
(Glaucidium passerinum) is another species that should be possible here, although our guide at Wuerqihan, Zhang Wu,
told us that it is rare and, perhaps surprisingly, he has only seen it in summer.
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3.
Weather
At Wuqierhan it was very cold with a lot of snow on the ground. The temperature when we landed in Hailar was -31
degrees Celsius and it didn’t rise much above -25 for the duration of our stay in Wuerqihan, sometimes dipping to -35
or below. Snow was perhaps over 40-50cm deep in the forest and along some of the less-used trails. With the
exception of a light snow shower on day two, it was mostly sunny and clear with, thankfully, little wind.
At XiQi there was much less snow (around 10 cm) and the temperatures were much less cold (in the range of -5 to -19),
although this was somewhat offset by wind that blew uninhibited across the grassland. At XiQi, again, we were blessed
with sunny, clear days.
Arrival at Hailar Airport in a bone-chilling -31 degrees Celsius
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The site, south of Wuerqihan, where we found two Hawk Owls plus
Black and White-backed Woodpeckers.
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Terry at XiQi – very different habitat of open grassland
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4.
Itinerary
On Saturday 20 December we flew from Beijing Capital International Airport to Hailar on the 0730 flight, arriving at
0945 after a short delay. At the airport in Hailar we met our pre-arranged taxi and travelled from Hailar to Wuerqihan
(2.5-3 hrs), where we spent 3.5 days in the company of our local guide, Mr Zhang Wu. Here we saw two of our “big 3”
owl targets – Hawk (Surnia ulula) and Great Grey (Strix nebulosa)- as well as Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus), 6
species of Woodpecker, Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni), Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) etc. After our
final full day’s birding in Wuerqihan on 23rd, we made an evening transfer to XiQi (just under 6 hours from Wuerqihan),
where we spent 3 days. Here we saw at least 6 Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) plus Asian Rosy Finch (Leucosticte
arctoa), Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia), Pere David’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda davidiana) etc. After enjoying our
last afternoon with Snowy Owls on 26th, we left the Snowy Owl site at 4pm to take a private taxi to Manzhouli Airport
(2.5 hrs). We returned to Beijing Nanyuan
Airport on the 2130 flight, arriving at 2315.
All arrangements were made with local guides
at each site. Please contact
birdingbeijing@gmail.com for guide details.
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa). Wuerqihan.
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5.
Detailed Daily Diary
Saturday 20 December 2014
Took the 0730 flight from Beijing Capital International Airport to Hailar, arriving at 0945. It was -31 degrees C on
arrival. We met our pre-arranged taxi (arranged by Mr Zhang Wu) and set off for Wuerqihan, a journey that, ordinarily,
should take 2-2.5 hours. The road from Hailar Airport to Yakeshi is Expressway (G10) with a rougher (but easily
driveable) road from Yakeshi to Wuerqihan. We opted to take the side road from Hailar to Yakeshi so that we could
bird along the way. Consequently, we arrived at Wuerqihan later than we could have. But we saw lots of birds. Species
seen:
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – 2
Hill Pigeon (Columba rupestris) - 51
Feral Pigeon - 7
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)- 7
Common Magpie (Pica pica) - 18
Raven (Corvus corax)- 6
Corvid sp, Carrion or Large-billed (Corvus corone or Corvus
macrorhynchos) – 6
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) – 3
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)– 7
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) – 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)– 68
Redpoll sp (Carduelis flammea or Carduelis hornemanni)- 91
Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni) - at least 5
Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus) - 25
Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus) – 5
Pallas’s Rosefinch, Wuerqihan
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Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) – 2
Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) – 17
Snow Bunting (Calcarius nivalis)- 25
We arrived Wuerqihan at 1315. After dropping our bags at the hotel, we went straight out along the track NE of
Wuerqihan (with the same taxi driver). We spent the afternoon looking for owls and visiting a “feeding station”, about
15-16 km along this road on the left hand side.
Species Seen:
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)– 1
Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) - 2
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor)- 1 male
Raven (Corvus corax) - 2
Corvid sp, Large-billed or Carrion Crow (Corvus corone
or Corvus macrorhynchos) - 2
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)- 3
Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) - 15
Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni) - 4
Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus) - 3
Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) – 9, including 3 of
the grey-bellied subspecies cineracea
Snow Bunting (Calcarius nivalis) - 1
Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni), Wuerqihan
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Sunday 21 December
Spent the day along the same road and various tracks off it from 0745-1630. Weather was mostly overcast, a light
snow shower around midday and very cold (well below -30 in the early morning). A relatively slow day.
Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonania) - 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) – 2
Small Woodpecker sp - 1
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius brandtii)- 5
Raven (Corvus corax) – 2
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) - 2
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) – 2
Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) - 45
Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrula pyrrhula) - 6
Mammals:
Siberian Roe Deer (Capreolus pygargus) - 4
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Monday 22 December
Headed south of Wuerqihan
0745-1630
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) - 1
Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) – 2
Hill Pigeon (Columba rupestris) - 32
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) - 1
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor) - 1 m
White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) - 1
Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) - 1 (female)
Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus) – 1
Northern Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) - 1
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius brandtii ) - 12
Raven (Corvus corax) – 3
Corvid sp, Carrion or Large-billed (Corvus corone or Corvus macrorhynchos) – 14
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) - 22
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) – 4
White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos
Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) - 40+
leucotos), Wuerqihan
Redpoll sp (Carduelis sp) - 14
Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus) – 4
Pallas's Rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus) - 2
Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) – 26 (including one of the grey-bellied subspecies cineracea)
Mammals:
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)- 1
Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica) – 1
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Tuesday 23 December
Headed NE of Wuerqihan again to look for Siberian Jay and Spotted Capercaillie. Visited a private site (through one
locked barrier and a locked gate) about 2 hours north of Wuerqihan.
Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) – 1
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) - 1 female
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor) - 1 male
Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) - 1
Northern Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) – 1
Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus) - 1
Raven (Corvus corax) – 1
Japanese/Great Tit (Parus major/Parus minor) – 1 seen badly early
morning
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus)- 4
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus ) – 8
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) - 2
Redpoll sp (Carduelis sp) - 7
Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus) - 3
@1700 drove to Hailar (2 hours) where we changed car and drove to
Xiqi (3hrs 50 minutes)
Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus),
Wuerqihan
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Wednesday 24 December
0745 breakfast; left restaurant at 0850
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – 3
Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) - 1
Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) – 7
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) - 2
Little Owl (Athene noctua) - 2
Chinese Grey Shrike (Lanius sphenocercus) – 1
Common Magpie (Pica pica) - 3
Mongolian Lark (Melanocorypha mongolica) - 85
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) – 125
Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni) - 2
Snow Bunting (Calcarius nivalis) - 2
Mammals:
Fox sp with grey face - 2
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) at XiQi
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Thursday 25 December
Morning spent looking for Snowy Owls; afternoon at two other sites for Snowfinch and Asian Rosy Finch, Rock
Sparrow, Daurian Partridge
Daurian Partridge (Perdix dauurica) - 6
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – 6
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) - 2
Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) - 15
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) - at least 6, including 1 adult male
Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)- 1
Little Owl (Athene noctua) - 3
Magpie (Pica pica) - 6
Chinese Grey Shrike (Lanius sphenocercus) - 1
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) - 100s
Mongolian Lark (Melanocorypha mongolica) - 100s
Pere David’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda davidiana) - 16
Asian Rosy Finch (Leucosticte arctoa) - 5
Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) – 35
Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus) - 180
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Friday 26 December
Visited snowfinch site again and then to the Snowy Owl site for late afternoon
Daurian Partridge (Perdix dauurica) – 12
Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) – 8
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) - 1
Chinese Grey Shrike (Lanius sphenocercus) – 1
Magpie (Pica pica) - 4
Mongolian Lark (Melanocorypha mongolica) - 300
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) – 350
Long-tailed Rosefinch (Uragus sibiricus) - 1
Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) – 1
Pere David’s Snowfinch (Pyrgilauda davidiana) – 57
Meadow Bunting (Emberiza cioides) - 3
Asian Rosy Finch (Leucosticte arctoa), near XiQi
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6.
Key Tips
 I strongly recommend using the local guides and not attempting to visit these areas independently. Up to date local
knowledge is needed to find the key species – owls are at very low density in vast forests. Also, Mr Zhang at
Wuerqihan has access to several private areas that produce good birds (our only Siberian Jay was in one such
area). Attempting to do the trip independently will significantly increase the risk of missing key birds. In addition,
there is no mobile phone signal once you are a few kilometres north of Wuerqihan – if you run into difficulties,
there is no way to call for assistance and, if you are on one of the side tracks, you could be many kilometres from
the road in sub -30 temperatures. This is dangerous. The local guide has high-powered walkie-talkies to contact
the town in event of any difficulty.
 As of December 2014 Mr Zhang’s car in Wuerqihan does not have an effective heater, so it is well below freezing
inside the car as well as outside. Many layers of clothing are needed and special attention should be given to
vulnerable toes and fingers.
 The driving conditions are treacherous, even for experienced 4x4 drivers familiar with snow – our experienced
local guide at Wuerqihan came off the road once and we also experienced two minor bumps with trees due to
sliding on the snow.
 If you are taking a camera, consider taking “heat pads”. It appears that Nikon cameras are particularly vulnerable
to the cold. Wrapping your camera in a heat pad at the beginning of each day will ensure you don’t have problems
with your equipment.
7.
Map of Wuerqihan area
See: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zarj9XHXHpjE.kzuyw215jYW
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8.
Full Species List
English Name
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Hazel Grouse
Daurian Partridge
Common Pheasant
Common Kestrel
Northern Harrier/Hen
Harrier
Upland Buzzard
Rough-legged Buzzard
Golden Eagle
Hill Pigeon
Eurasian Collared
Dove
Snowy Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
Ural Owl
Great Grey Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Little Owl
Lesser Spotted
Woodpecker
Scientific Name
Chinese
Name
Tetrastes bonasia
花尾榛鸡
Perdix dauurica
斑翅山鹑
Phasianus colchicus 环颈雉
Falco tinnunculus
红隼
Circus cyaneus
白尾鹞
Comments
Buteo hemilasius
Buteo lagopus
Aquila chrysaetos
Columba rupestris
Streptopelia
decaocto
Nyctea scandiaca
Bubo bubo
大鵟
毛脚鵟
金雕
岩鸽
灰斑鸠
Strix uralensis
Strix nebulosa
Surnia ulula
Athene noctua
Dendrocopos minor
长尾林鸮
乌林鸮
猛鸮
纵纹腹小鸮
小斑啄木鸟
Common at XiQi
One seen at XiQi
One at Wuerqihan
A flock at Wuerqihan
A single bird loosely mixing with Hill Pigeons
11at Wuerqihan
At least 6 seen at XiQi, including one adult male
One southwest of XiQi (on way to Asian Rosy
Finch site)
2 at Wuerqihan on 20th
1 at Wuerqihan on 22nd
2 at Wuerqihan on 22nd
All at XiQi; not seen at Wuerqihan
Regularly encountered at Wuerqihan
雪鸮
雕鸮
3 seen but none well
Seen very well at XiQi
1 female seen at Wuerqihan
Seen at both sites
2 (an adult male and a ‘ringtail’ at XiQi)
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18
23
White-backed
Woodpecker
Great Spotted
Woodpecker
Three-toed
Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Great Grey
Shrike/Northern
Shrike
Chinese Grey Shrike
24
Siberian Jay
25
Eurasian Jay
26
27
28
Common Magpie
Carrion Crow
Corvid sp (Carrion
Crow or Large-billed
Crow)
Common Raven
Great Tit or Japanese
Tit
Marsh Tit
Willow Tit
Long-tailed Tit
19
20
21
22
29
30
31
32
33
Dendrocopos
白背啄木鸟
leucotos
Dendrocopos major 大斑啄木鸟
One at the Hawk Owl site at Wuerqihan
Picoides tridactylus 三趾啄木鸟
One at Wuerqihan
Dryocopus martius
Lanius excubitor
黑啄木鸟
灰伯劳
One at Wuerqihan
At Wuerqihan
Lanius
sphenocercus
Perisoreus
infaustus
Garrulus
glandarius
Pica pica
Corvus corone
Corvus sp
楔尾伯劳
At XiQi
北噪鸦
One at Wuerqihan
松鸦
Common at Wuerqihan (ssp brandti)
喜鹊
小嘴乌鸦
Common at XiQi
Common at Wuerqihan but not seen at XiQi
Several seen poorly and unidentified.
Corvus corax
Parus major/Parus
minor
Parus palustris
Parus montanus
Aegithalos
渡鸦
大山雀
At Wuerqihan
One in the town at Wuerqihan (seen poorly)
沼泽山雀
褐头山雀
银喉长尾山雀
At Wuerqihan
Common at Wuerqihan
One small flock seen south of Wuerqihan
Seen at Wuerqihan
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34
Mongolian Lark
35
Horned
Lark/Shorelark
Eurasian Nuthatch
36
37
caudatus
Melanocorypha
mongolica
Eremophila
alpestris
Sitta europaea
蒙古百灵
Very common at XiQi
角百灵
Very common at XiQi
普通䴓
Seen in small numbers at Wuerqihan (very
white underparts, ssp arctica?)
Common at Wuerqihan and XiQi
Eurasian Tree
Sparrow
Rock Sparrow
Passer montanus
麻雀
Petronia petronia
石雀
41
42
Common Redpoll
Arctic Redpoll
43
44
Asian Rosy Finch
Long-tailed Rosefinch
Pyrgilauda
davidiana
Fringilla
montifringilla
Carduelis flammea
Carduelis
hornemanni
Leucosticte arctoa
Uragus sibiricus
黑喉雪雀
40
Père David's
Snowfinch
Brambling
45
Pallas's Rosefinch
Carpodacus roseus
北朱雀
46
Pine Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleator
松雀
47
Eurasian Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
红腹灰雀
38
39
燕雀
白腰朱顶雀
极北朱顶雀
粉红腹岭雀
长尾雀
Common at the Asian Rosy Finch site southwest
of XiQi
A flock of 57 seen southwest of XiQi (on way to
Asian Rosy Finch site)
A single at XiQi
Common at Wuerqihan
Not uncommon in flocks of Common Redpoll at
Wuerqihan
5 at the site southwest of XiQi
Common in Wuerqihan, especially along the
road from Hailar Airport to Wuerqihan and also
seen at the feeding station
Encountered regularly in small numbers at
Wuerqihan
Two on the journey from Hailar Airport to
Wuerqihan
Common at Wuerqihan, predominantly the
pyrrhula but also a few of the ‘grey-bellied’ ssp
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48
49
Meadow Bunting
Lapland Longspur
50
Snow Bunting
Emberiza cioides
Calcarius
lapponicus
Plectrophenax
nivalis
三道眉草鹀
铁爪鹀
雪鹀
cineracea
In the small wood just south of XiQi
Flocks encountered on the way to the Asian
Rosy Finch site southwest of XiQi
A few along the road from Hailar Airport to
Wuerqihan; one near the feeding station at
Wuerqihan
Mammals
Siberian Roe Deer (Capreolus pygargus)- 7
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) - 8
Fox sp with grey face - 2
Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) - 2
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