Sichuan Province, Western China 23rd October to 20th November 2006 John & Jemi Holmes
 
 
 
Bifengxia
Ya’an
 
Getting there
 
It was a longish taxi ride out to the South-west Bus Station. We paid RMB 44 each for the ninety-minute ride down the dual carriageway to Ya’an.  We paid RMB 35 for the taxi the 18km or so up to Bifengxia. Admission tickets were RMB 80 each. Good views of the captive pandas for this.  
 
 
We asked about staying at Xiaoxitian, the place we stayed in June, when we bought the admission tickets at the main hotel, but we were told that it was closed due to the off season. Another place inside was recommended.
 
 
Birding
 
So, on a misty, damp afternoon we waited at the entrance barrier.  After decent views of a party of Moustached Laughingthrushes, we got a lift around to a privately-run guesthouse called the “Sound of Water Guest Lodge” which, surprisingly enough, was next to a stream.  From the balcony we could see White-capped Water Redstart, Plumbeous Water Redstart, Slaty-backed Forktail and caught a glimpse of Spotted Forktail.
 
 
Hwamei  (Garrulax canorus)
 
 
We wandered up the road in the mist.  Mixed flocks had a lot of Red-billed Leiothrixes and Grey-cheeked Fulvettas.  Seen with the flocks we had Speckled Piculets on a couple of occasions, and also White-browed Shrike Babblers.  Rufous-faced Warblers and Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker gave decent views.
 
A kilometre up the road, we found Xiaoxitian was open for business.  So we moved up there for two nights (5th and 6th Nov.).   It was nice place to hang out for a couple of days at the off-season rate of RMB40 per person per night.  A pleasant restaurant is only a few yards away.  Bifengxia was the only place on the trip that we saw Dusky Fulvetta and Black-chinned Yuhinas.
 
We were displeased to see one of the “security” staff in the gorge one evening with an air-rifle.  I think he was looking for partridges, but if they’re in the habit of shooting, they’ll probably be shooting anything.