Beidaihe has earned an enviable reputation among western birders for its consistently exciting spring migration.   WildWings have led fifteen tours to this eastern mecca and each one has been outstandingly successful. We have been taking birders there for longer than anyone else, we have the best local contacts and know all the best sites including some we have exclusive access to only.

 

Despite pressures from development, which are beginning to seriously affect some of the habitats, the volume and variety of migration continues unabated each spring, with dramatic falls of regular Siberian migrants and rare and unseasonal species, most of which will be in full summer plumage!   

 

The main attraction of Beidaihe is the opportunity to see much-sought-after Siberian and other far eastern species in a country where the people, culture and way of life are so different from our own. Add a reasonable price, the sure knowledge that the group will include some top birders from around the UK to help to find the good birds, and it becomes irresistible.  Whether you measure it in terms of new species, total number of species, or per mile travelled, the cost represents exceptional value for money - a two and a half week trip to the other side of the world, a round trip of some 10,000 miles, and about 240 species of birds.

 

And those species include Siberian Rubythroats, Siberian Blue Robins, Siberian Thrushes, White's Thrushes, Lanceolated Warblers, Yellow-browed and Meadow Buntings, Asian Brown and Mugimaki Flycatchers, Needletail Swifts, Red-necked and Long-toed Stints, Great Knots, Asian Dowitchers, Little Whimbrels and Relict and Saunders' Gulls.

 

Although every spring is different, the pattern and timing of migration and the variety of species is consistent, and birds just pour through, day after day.   If we have rain and strong winds, then dramatic falls occur.   The numbers of birds involved can be huge, and the spectacle extraordinary.

 

Each year we turn up something exceptional, from Spoonbilled Sandpiper to Oriental Plover, Fairy Pitta to Grey Bushchat, Blue Whistling Thrush to Blue-fronted Redstart .We've also seen Oriental White Stork, Red-crowned Cranes, Lagger Falcon, Black Baza, Japanese Waxwings, Chestnut-crowned Warblers, Mongolian Larks and Japanese Yellow Bunting, Fujian Niltava, Asian House Martins, Grey-crowned Warbler (a split from Golden Spectacled Warbler), Rufous-faced Warbler, Long-tailed Minivets and Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler.  2007 was no exception with 246 species seen including Ibisbill with chicks, nesting Amur Falcon and a superb selection of scarce waders. 2008 set a new record with 267 species recorded, with Ibisbill being voted favourite bird for the second year running. Add Relict Gulls, Chinese Egrets, Siberian Accentor, Brown Hawk Owl,

Mongolian Larks  and you realize this area has lost none of it’s avian magic. 2009 added Oriental Stork and Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher whilst Ibisbills and their young plus Brown Hawk Owl were yet again voted ‘best birds of the trip’ by our participants.

 

The included birding excursions will feature one for Ibisbill and Long-billed Plover from Beijing, plus the Summer Palace and some orientation trips on arrival in Beidaihe. Optional excursions by coach are offered to the Great Wall; into forested mountains; and down the coast to the south of Beidaihe to visit several estuaries, isolated woods and the legendary Happy Island. On the mountain trip we will be looking for such local breeding species as Chinese Leaf Warbler, Chinese Nuthatch, Claudia’s (Blyth’s) Leaf Warbler, Manchurian Bush Warbler, Eastern Rock Bunting, Grey-sided Thrush, Bull-headed Shrike, Yellow-streaked Warbler and if we are fortunate, Koklass Pheasant and White-bellied Redstart.

 

We stay throughout the trip in comfortable hotels with en suite facilities; we eat really good Chinese food as you have never tasted before; we have first-class ground agents and local guides; and we really enjoy ourselves.   Join us for this unrivalled birding bonanza.   Come now, while the woods, estuaries, wetlands, islands and headlands are still pulling in the birds.

 

Please note: This is an intensive birding trip with long days in the field, and a lot of travelling. It is not recommended for anyone with any mobility problems, or for beginners, we recommend that you are familiar with the commoner eastern vagrants. The trip requires a reasonable amount of stamina. and offers little to non-birding partners - its just birds, birds, birds!

 

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Itinerary

Day 1: Afternoon non-stop flight from London Heathrow to Beijing departing 1640.

Day 2: Arrive Beijing 0935, transfer to hotel. Afternoon birding at the Summer Palace.

Day 3: Beijing – morning birding excursion for Ibisbill and Long-billed Plovers.

Day 4: Early doors bus to Beidaihe; birding in the afternoon.

Days 5-8: At Beidaihe, including optional trip to the Great Wall.

Days 9-13: Optional visit to the south to visit estuaries, woods and Happy Island.

Day 14-15: At Beidaihe.

Days 16-17: Optional visit to a mountain reserve.

Day 18: Birding mountains (a.m), return to Beidaihe (p.m) for overnight stay.

Day 19: Very early bus back to Beijing for non-stop morning flight to London Heathrow arriving 1505.

 

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Holiday Information

Dates: 5th – 23rd May 2010

Leaders: Mark Andrews and Russell Boland.

Cost: £1649 per person sharing a twin

Single supp:  £249 per person.   

Deposit: £200 per person

Group Size:  The maximum number of participants will be 28 plus the leaders. The group invariably breaks up into smaller parties and couples/ or singles, so rarely are you birding all together. We encourage this independence as we can cover more ground and hopefully find and see more species.

 

Dates: 4^th – 22nd May 2011

Advance register for £50 per person (refundable)

 

No of bird species:  approx. 250+ species.

 

Optional birding excursions

Great Wall  - c. £15

Happy Island and coast (5 days) - c £130

Mountain reserve (2+ days) - c £90

 

The flights are subject to a special group fare, later bookers may have to pay a flight supplement which will be advised at the time of booking

 

Price includes: Economy class air travel with BA to Beijing, prepaid airport taxes and current fuel surcharges, group transfers in Beijing and Beidaihe, hotel accommodation in Beijing and Beidaihe on a room only basis in twin rooms with private facilities, birding excursions in Beijing and an introduction to Beidaihe sites, services of WildWings leaders, local guides and interpreters, WildWings pre-tour information pack and daily checklist of birds.

 

Price excludes: All meals and drinks (allow ca. £175 for meals), laundry, souvenirs, gratuities and other items of a personal nature, travel insurance, Visa fees (c£65 for UK passport holders), optional excursions.

 

Previous trip reports and the 2009 species list are available.