Must-Visit Places During Qinghai Birding
The largest lake in China is called Qinghai Lake, and it is around two hours by car from Xining. It has some unique qualities, including a high elevation of 3200 meters, salt concentration, and alkalinity.
Only a tiny number of bird species can live in the highlands, setting this huge and sparsely populated plateau apart from tropical regions in terms of bird diversity. We may anticipate seeing birds like Hume's Ground Jay, Tibetan Rosefinch, Tibetan Snowcock, Buff-throated Partridge, Tibetan Lark, Tibetan Bunting, etc. This trip will focus on true endemics and plateau specialties rather than variations.
Despite the challenging birding conditions in high-elevation and inaccessible locations, you will be rewarded with excellent views of several rare endemic species that are only found here, in addition to the breathtaking vistas, lovely wildflowers, real Tibetan culture, and many wild animal congregations. Some summer breeders, including Black-necked Crane, Ibisbill, Ruddy Shelduck, and Pallas' Gull, etc can be seen in the alpine lakes.
If you are planning a Qinghai birding trip, you can connect with Alpine Birding guides.
Mount Huzhu Beishan (Alt.: up to 4,000m)
The entire day can be spent birding in the alpine region. The magnificent and endemic Blue Eared Pheasant, which typically feeds in the openings near the forest border in the early morning, should be the first target in this area. You can concentrate on some other magnificent birds in the lower woodland area, such as the Spotted Bush Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Goldcrest, Rufous-breasted Accentor, and Crested Tit Warbler, among others.
If you're lucky, you might see Wallcreepers and Eurasian Eagle Owls in rock crags and on cliffs. The White-throated Dipper, White-capped Water Redstart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, and other relatively frequent species can also be seen close to the stream at the base of the mountain.
Mountain Ela (Alt.: up to 4,500m)
Spent the morning in the area of Ela Mountain Pass, which is at a height of around 4,500 meters, especially on the alpine screes, looking for endemic and alpine species. The uncommon and severely range-restricted Tibetan Rosefinch is your first target.
Another challenging target, the Tibetan Sandgrouse, can be tried while carefully ascending the mountain in quest of this bird, albeit you will need some luck to spot it. You can also anticipate seeing Güldenstädt's Redstart, White-rumped Snowfinch, Henri's Snowfinch, Black-headed Mountain Finch, Himalayan Vulture, and Tibetan Snowcock, among other species, in and near this area.
You can also connect with Alpine Birding experts to better plan your Sichuan birding tours.
Qinghai is a paradise for birding enthusiasts. You can start your trip from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province. You can go through the sample tour itinerary on alpinebirding.com.