The Gaoligongshan is one of my favourite places in China (when it's not raining that is... don't go in April as I did three years ago).

It's the place to see many amazing species that are on the edge of their ranges (and don't occur elsewhere in China).

The focus of this trip was one of my dream birds - Ward's Trogon. A friend had found a female less than two weeks before and so, with the exact coordinates in hand, how could I resist?

The area it had been seen was, alas, quite cool, dark and birdless, and so after one hour of seeing very little (and knowing that I had three more days here), I headed down to lower altitudes and wave after wave of birds.

Some of which I actually managed to get photos of ;-)

14 species photographed today, all "new" for 2010:

Franklin's Barbet (nom. ssp franklinii), sev
Rusty-fronted Barwing (ssp ripponi), c40
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (ssp yunnanensis), c100
Black Bulbul (ssp ??), c150
Stripe-throated Yuhina (ssp gularis), 2
Nepal Sunbird (ssp koelzi), 2
Black-faced Laughingthrush (ssp oustaleti), few
Spotted Forktail (ssp guttatus), 1
White-throated Laughingthrush (ssp eous), c60
Oriental White-eye (mon. ssp palpebrosus), c20
Rufous-vented Yuhina (ssp obscurior), c50
Buff-barred Warbler (nom. ssp pulcher), sev
Mrs Gould's Sunbird (ssp dabryii), 2
Maroon-backed Accentor (monotypic), 3

btw I'm reverting to the "old" name of Nepal Sunbird, because the name that's now in vogue, "Green-tailed" makes no sense whatsoever. Either that, or I'm colour blind.  And I prefer Franklin's to Golden-throated (Barbet).

Other birds seen:

Hill Partridge, 6
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, 1
Red-billed Blue Magpie, 2
Grey-chinned Minivet, 2 fem
Bronzed Drongo, few
Ashy Drongo, few
Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush, 1 fem
Beautiful Sibia, c20
White-collared Yuhina, 1
Whiskered Yuhina, sev
White-bellied Yuhina, c20
Black-throated Parrotbill, c10
Grey-hooded Parroybill, c40
White Wagtail, 1
Rufous-capped Babbler, 1
Large Cuckooshrike, 1
Grey Bushchat, few
Daurian Redstart, 1
Blue-fronted Redstart, few
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, 1
White-tailed Nuthatch, 1
Rusty-flanked Treecreeper, 1
"Great" Tit (ssp subtibetanus), c10
Yellow-cheeked Tit, c10
Mountain Bulbul, 3
Brown-breasted Bulbul, c10
Ashy-throated Warbler, few
Black-faced Warbler, 2
"Golden Spectacled" Warbler sp, 1
Red-tailed Laughingthrush, sev
Red-faced Liocichla, few
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, 3