Beidaihe & Happy Island - Spring Migration on the north east coast of China

Beidaihe has earned an enviable reputation among western birders for its consistently exciting spring migration.   WildWings have led eleven tours to this eastern mecca and each one has been outstandingly successful.

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.   

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 very 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 Plumbeous Redstart, Blue Whistling Thrush to Blue-fronted Redstart .We've also seen Oriental White Stork, Red-crowned Cranes, Greater Spotted Eagle, 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.  2006 was no exception with several firsts for Hebei province noted and a probable first for China, in all a record 266 species seen. 

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, Blyth’s Leaf Warbler, Chinese Hill Warbler, Eastern Rock Bunting, Pere David’s Laughing Thrush and Yellow-streaked Warbler

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, and it requires a reasonable amount of stamina.  This trip offers little to non-birding partners - its just birds, birds, birds!

Itinerary

Day 1: Morning KLM flights from London Heathrow and regional airports via Amsterdam to Beijing.

Day 2: Arrive Beijing - city sightseeing and birding.

Day 3: Beijing - birding at the Summer Palace.

Day 4: Early coach to Beidaihe; birding in 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: At Beidaihe.

Days 15-16: Optional visit to a mountain reserve.

Day 17: Birding mountains (a.m) train return to Beijing (p.m) for overnight stay.

Day 18: Early flight to Amsterdam and then to London Heathrow and regional airports.

Holiday Information

Dates:              5th – 23rd May 2007

Leaders:            Tony Marr, Mark Andrews and Tim Cleeves.

Cost:                 £1279 per person sharing a twin

Single supp:       £199 per person.   

Deposit:            £200 per person

Group Size:         The maximum number of participants will be 28 plus the three leaders. The group invariably breaks up into smaller parties and couples/ or singles, so rarely are you birding all together.

Dates:                 3rd – 21st May 2008 (Mark Andrews and Tim Cleeves)

Advance register for £50 per person (refundable)

No of bird species:  approx. 240+ species.

Optional birding excursions

Great Wall  - ca. £10

Happy Island and coast (5 days) - ca £100

Mountain reserve (2+ days) - ca £75

Tour price includes:-

* Economy class air travel with KLM from London /Birmingham/Manchester or other regional  

   airports via Amsterdam to Beijing**

* All airport taxes

* Transfers in Beijing and Beidaihe

* Hotel accommodation in Beijing and Beidaihe on a room only basis

   (breakfast not included) in twin-bedded en suite rooms

* Excursions in Beijing

* Services of WildWings Leaders, local guides and interpreters

* WildWings pre-tour information pack and daily checklist of birds

** Other UK regional airport supplement £50

Tour price does not include:-

* All meals and drinks  (allow ca. £125 for meals)

* Laundry, souvenirs, gratuities and other items of a personal nature

* Travel insurance (available from £70.03)

* Visa fees (£60 for UK passport holders)

* Optional excursions (see above)