These pictures were taken on the 1998 Kingbird Tour to the Tibetan Plateau,
led by Ben King and Jesper Hornskov. Jesper, a resident of China, has led
several trips to the area and knows where to find the avian specialties.
We travelled from Xining, north of the Tibetan Plateau, south to Lhasa
with a side trip to Yushu for some very special birds. Our group of 10,
plus drivers and guides, travelled in two Toyota land cruisers. Despite
crossing passes up to 16,000 ft and staying above 12,000 feet on the plateau
for over two weeks, our trip was surprisingly comfortable. The food was
basic but tasty and accomodations were spartan. Highlights included a stay
in a Tibetan monastery, snowstorms in July and meeting the wonderful herders
of the plateu. The birds were fantastic and we saw all our sought after
endemics, including several species of snowfinch, rosefinch and buntings.
Finding a pair of Tibetan sandgrouse with their chick and seeing in the
distance a possible snow leopard were experiences without parallel. Best
of all was the continuous views of a magnificant, spacious and largely
undamaged land where people and wildlife coexist. New and improving roads
into the area and an increasing population mean that chances to see such
things as wild asses, Tibetan gazelles, wolves, and possibly even a snow
leopard will not last. This is place that must be experienced soon and
that you will never forget.
Infact we enjoyed it so much that we will take the Western China and
expanded Tibet tours again in 2001. ------- Dr.
Daniel A Guthrie - email:
dguthrie@jsd.claremont.edu
