: Cranes 2025
Bird-Photo-Tours Asia has selected three of the most important wintering grounds in China for cranes namely Yancheng Prefecture in Jiangsu Province, Jiujiang Prefecture in Jiangxi Province and Diqing Prefecture in Yunnan Province. These areas are home to six crane species including Red-crowned Crane, Hooded Crane, Common Crane, Siberian Crane, White-naped Crane and Black-necked Crane. This bird photography tour will focus on these three locations and our main target will be to obtain portraits of all six crane species. The supporting cast of birds is also fabulous including, amongst many others, the critically endangered Baer’s Pochard, the near endemic Reed Parrotbill and a chance of a close photographic encounter with the rarely seen Tawny Fish Owl.
Cranes: Common Crane / White-naped Crane / Hooded Crane / Siberian Crane / Red-crowned Crane / Black-necked Crane
Geese: Tundra Bean Goose / Greylag Goose / Swan Goose / Tundra Swan / Brown Crake
Others: Marsh Grassbird / Chinese Penduline Tit / Oriental Stork / Eurasian Bittern / Baer’s Pochard / Mandarin Duck / Eastern Spot-billed Duck / Reed Parrotbill / Vinous-throated Parrotbill / Tawny Fish Owl
Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.
International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature
Days 1-5, Yancheng Prefecture [4N / 3D / 7S]. Arrive Pudong, Drive 4-hours, 350km, to Yancheng Prefecture. Photographic Targets: Common Crane / White-naped Crane / Red-crowned Crane / Vinous-throated Parrotbill / Reed Parrotbill.
Day 5-11, Poyang Lake [6N / 5D / 10S]. High-speed train, 4-hours, to Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. Photographic Targets: Common Crane / White-naped Crane / Hooded Crane / Siberian Crane / Baer’s Pochard / Mandarin Duck / Eastern Spot-billed Duck / Tundra Bean Goose / Greylag Goose / Swan Goose / Tundra Swan / Brown Crake / Tawny Fish Owl / Marsh Grassbird / Chinese Penduline Tit / Oriental Stork / Eurasian Bittern.
Days 11-15, Napahai Nature Reserve [4N / 3D / 6S]. Domestic Flight to Diqing Prefecture. Photographic Targets: Black-necked Crane.
Days 15-16, Shanghai [1N / 0D / 0S]. Domestic flight to Shanghai for International Home Departures.
[Key: N=Night, D=Full Day, S = Session / Half-Day]
Steven was born in Gansu Province in northwest China before moving to Jiangxi Province on China’s east coast where he graduated as an International Tour Guide. Commencing trading as a guide, Steven initially focused on cultural tours before moving to bird guiding in 2008. This move into ecotourism was influenced by China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, which in winter is home to 98% of the global population of the critically endangered Siberian Crane. It was a 2008 encounter with that species that proved pivotal and sparked Steven’s passion for birds. Fast forwarding 15-years, Steven is now one of China’s top bird guides, leading tours throughout most of China’s important bird photography locations. Steven’s kind and gentle personality, fluent English language skills, sound field identification abilities, care and thoughtfulness for others, and in particular his strong knowledge of how to support the needs of the bird photographer, have all combined to produce Steven’s strong guiding reputation especially so within the bird photography community.
(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is no requirement to hike nor climb. (iv) None of the locations are at altitude (v) There is no camping. Summary: for these five reasons this trip has been graded as 'Easy'.
