: Southern 2025
The southern Chinese provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan offers much to the bird photographer with eight (8) endemic species on offer including the vulnerable Cabot’s Tragopan and the endangered Hainan Peacock-Pheasant. We start our Bird-Photo-Tour in Guangxi Province, which borders Vietnam and where we will be looking for portraits of the Nonggang Babbler, an endemic bird that was only recently described to science. Guangxi Province also offers a great opportunity for close photographic encounters with Blue-rumped Pitta, the striking White-winged Magpie and the charismatic Indochinese Green Magpie. Moving eastwards and the adjacent Guangdong Province we will focus on photographing the stunning Cabot’s Tragopan, arguably the most attractive of the world’s five Tragopan species. We will also work on obtaining portraits of the endemic White-necklaced Partridge. We end our tour on the tropical island of Hainan with a fabulous supporting cast of special endemic birds to photograph including the extremely rare Hainan Peacock-Pheasant, the colourful Hainan Partridge and the lemon-yellow Hainan Leaf Warbler.
Tragopans / Pheasants : Cabot’s Tragopan / Hainan Peacock Pheasant / Silver Pheasant
Partridges: Bar-backed Partridge / White-necklaced Partridge / Hainan Partridge
Babblers: Nonggang Babbler / Buff-breasted Babbler / Chestnut-capped Babbler / Yellow-eyed Babbler / Spot-necked Babbler
Others: Blue-rumped Pitta / Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush / Red-headed Trogon / White-winged Magpie / Indochinese Green Magpie / Hainan Leaf Warbler / Limestone Leaf Warbler / 8 Endemics
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 1-8, Guangxi Province [7N / 5D / 11S]. Location 1: Chongzuo Prefecture [4N / 3D / 7S]. Photographic Targets: Nonggang Babbler / White-winged magpie / Indochinese Green Magpie / Streaked Wren-Babbler / Buff-breasted Babbler / Fork-tailed Sunbird / Blue-rumped Pitta / White-eared Night Heron / Chestnut Bunting / Rufescent Prinia / Black-naped Monarch / Limestone Leaf Warbler / Chestnut-capped Babbler / Yellow-bellied Warbler / Black-throated Laughingthrush / Yellow-eyed Babbler / Indochinese Yuhina / Rufous-capped Babbler / Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler. Location 2: Baise Prefecture [2N / 1D / 3S]. Photographic Targets: Spectacled Barwing / Bar-backed Partridge / Grey-bellied Tesia.
[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'.
