Since certain events caused my travel plans to be drastically altered, I opted
to join my roommate Angela and our Australian friend Leonie on an off the beaten
path tour to far western China. Xinjiaong Province is officially Chinese, but it
has a predominately Muslim population. The majority ethnic group
is Uygher(closely related to Turkish) who are culturally and religiously much
more compatible with the neighboring countries of Pakistan,
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc.

Although this wasn't a birding trip, I was certainly going to look for and at
any avian form that I could find. AsXinjiaong is in the heartland of central
Asia (and the farthest point on Earth from any ocean), it has an interesting mix
of European birds reaching their eastern range limit, Central Asian birds, as
well as some eastern Asian species.

Upon our arrival in the provincial capital city of Umumuchi (on April 1st), we
found an EURASIAN BLACKBIRD singing along a tree lined street. The Euro
Blackbird is actually a Turdus thrush and is certainly a more proficient singer
than our true blackbirds.

Unfortunately, our hotel choice left a lot to be desired (i.e. view of of
adjacent tennants tossing garbage out their windows onto a mini-landfill of a
parking lot, dodgey plumbing, etc.). After surviving the first night, we visited
a wonderful museum that housed a couple of the famous Tocharian mummies.
The Tocharianswere Indo-Europeans with red and/or blond hair who made a
significant cultural impact on the region in 1800 BC. The Tocharians were some
of the earliest known people who traded along the famous Silk Road.

In the afternoon, we took a long drive to Turpan. Even though, we did see a lake
with swans and other waterfowl in route, the highway did not allow any access
points. Turpan turned out to be a much more attractive and cleaner city
than Urumuchi. Our guide Omar took us to restaurant that was hosting
a Uygherwedding reception. All three of us women ended up dancing with
the Uyghers, and we had a marvelous time!

Within the desert of the Turpan Depression, we visited a national historic site
known as the TuyugouThousand Budda Caves. Along the rim of the Flaming Cliffs, I
spied a raptor on a rock. It turned out to be a handsome BOOTED EAGLE. Around
the grounds of the caves, we saw MASKED WAGTAILs and our first of many,
ISABELLINE SHRIKE. The caves themselves were lined with Buddist murals. In the
past, there were more murals and statures, but many of these had been carted
away to museums in Europe over a hundred years ago or they had been defaced by
locals. Apparently, there were some very early Christian murals there too, but
access to see them was restricted.

On the way back to Turpan, Omar stopped at a reservoir that held some birds for
me to view. Some of the birds there included a flock of PIED AVOCETs ,
BLACK-EARED KITE , TUFTED DUCK, LITTLE GREBE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, GREY HERON,
GREAT EGRET, MALLARD, STEPPE EAGLE , and distant but probable TAIGA BEAN GOOSE
(didn't count it though).

After touring the underground aqueducts of Karzi, we visited the ancient city
of Jiaohe. Situated on a high island/plateau above the river, the old city
was sunbaked and we were feeling the heat. However, raptors such
as SAKER FALCON, EURASIAN KESTREL, and LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD made things more
even more interesting.

On April 4th, we arrived in Kashgar and were met by our Uygher guide, Rapket. At
this point, our tour with the Lonely Planet fave, Abdul Wahab Tours, officially
commenced. As we shopped around the Opal City market, a dust storm was kicking
up. Fortunately, the winds decreased as our elevation increased. We now found
ourselves over 4000 meters high, and the treeless alpine scenery was simply
breathtaking. Below us, was a braided river and above us loomed numerous alpine
glaciers, hanging valleys, cirques, and moraines.

Stopping in the small village of Bulongkul, we observed a colorful mixed flock
of CHAFFINCHES and BRAMBLINGs. Meanwhile, a few PLAIN MOUNTAIN FINCHES came
down to join the party. Around an iron mine, we saw a stunning
male GULDENSTADT'S REDSTART (lifer)and his mate. Seeing two impressive raptors
rapidly crossing the valley, I cried out "LAMMERGEIRERS !". We enjoyed watching
this impressive looking pair of these Bearded Vultures for about five minutes,
and I was thrilled to have seen one my most wanted to birds on the trip.

On a small lake and wetland on the north end of Karakul Lake, we saw a flock of
striking BAR-HEADED GEESE (a Central Asian high altitude species), HILL PIGEONs,
N. PINTAIL & SHOVELERS, HORNEDLARKs, WHITE WAGTAIL, and
alternate plumaged COMMON REDSHANK. Running out of time and daylight, I run
across the snow covered alpine tundra, to obtain better views of a small snipe
that I had seen. Along the way, I saw a pink throated WATER PIPIT. While almost
stepping on my quarry, I flushed a JACK SNIPE that flew away silently and in
much straighter trajectory than our Wilson's Snipes.

After dawn on a bright morning of April 5th I walked around the Tajik village
of Tashkorgan. It wasn't long before my binoculars were trained on a pair of
AZURE TITs. This is an elegant looking species of tit that has a rather narrow
latitudinal range.

Later, I beheld my first sighting of RED-BILLED CHOUGH. As this was early
spring, I did run into a littlepasserine migration. There were about a
dozen GULDENSTADT'S REDSTARTs near a canal of running water. In fact, three
males were sitting together in a small thorn tree in full sun.

The only other thing of note were some HOUSE SPARROWs (or possibly INDIAN
SPARROWS) that were the first that I had seen in China.

Rapket took us to an ancient stone fort was an outpost on the Silk Road. We saw
a TURKESTAN SHRIKE there and I flushed a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON out of a
tree. In addition, I saw my only STEPPE GREY SHRIKE here.

The grassland below us was still winter brown, but there were a few birds
present long the streams. we flushed a COMMON SNIPE that sounded and behaved
much like our familiar WILSON'S SNIPE. A male HEN HARRIER flew over, and there
were a plethora of Masked Wagtails.

Departing from Tashkorgan, we retraced our route back to Lake Karakul. Along the
shores of the lake, we had lunch (Yak meat and Yak milk) in a Kyrgyz yurt. After
lunch we walked along the shoreline, and saw three interesting gulls overhead.
To my delight, one was an adult alternate plumaged GREAT BLACK-HEADED GULL
(PALLAS'S GULL) and the other two were SLENDER-BILLED GULLs.

Spying an Indian Jones type pedestrian bridge over a deep gorge, my friend Angie
insisted that we walk across it. Of course, there were many missing planks to
add to the suspense, but we did indeed cross the bridge. The view of the
rushing rocky river some seventy meters below us was quite exhilarating. After
we crossed the bridge, a Kyrgyz Shepard wanted to see my Swarovoski binoculars
and then offered me fiftykuai to purchase them. I had to politely decline that
offer!

On the lake itself were Eurasian Coots and Goosesanders (C. Mergs). Up the road,
we refound theLammergeirers and NORTHERN RAVENs. On the small lake that hosted
the Bar-headed Geese, we saw two WESTERN BLACK-TAILED GODWITs in basic plumage.

Noting an Indian Jones type pedestrian bridge over a deep gorge, my friend Angie
insisted that we walk across it. Of course, there were many missing planks to
add to the suspense, but we did indeed cross the bridge and view of the rushing
rocky river some seventy meters below us was quite exhilerating.

On April 6th, we spent the day in Kashgar. The old Uygher city had been largely
leveled by the Chinese and the fresh water spring had become polluted, but we
did see a LAUGHING DOVE on a nest there.

Within the courtyard of one dwelling, there were Bimaculated Larks in cages. The
owners informed us that these birds had been captured in Mongolia.

While visting a Middle Ages Muslim prophet's mausoleum, I found a pair of
DESERT FINCHes. This species is the color of sand, but they have pink colored
wings (like rosy finches). In People's Park, we saw EURASIAN COLLARED DOVEs,
CHAFFINCH, and an EUROPEAN GREENFINCH. The greenfinch was probably at the
extreme eastern end of it's range here.

On the next morning, we departed for Yarkand (five hours south of Kashgar). On
a lake in southernKashgar, we saw a GREAT CORMORANT and an ISABELLINE SHRIKE on
a powerline. In a row of poplar trees near Tazgun, we saw LONG-LEGGED BUZZARD,
MERLIN, EURO KESTREL, and a singing CRESTED LARK in a dry field.

Where things were really popping was at the Yapsan Wetland. Here we
found GARGANEY, RED-CRESTED POCHARD (gorgeous!), EURO TEAL, EURO COOT, LITTLE
GREBE, GREAT CRESTED GREBE, N. SHOVELER, and TUFTED DUCKs all decked out in
their breeding plumaged finery. While exquisite immature EASTERN IMPERIAL EAGLE
flew in low over the marsh, a wave of migrant flashyCITRINE WAGTAILs demanded
our attention too.

On the lagoon on the opposite side of the road, there were a flock of
BROWN-HEADED GULLs and an alternate plumaged COMMON REED BUNTING on the reedy
shoreline. Several hours later, we stopped along the Yengsar Reservoir. PALE
SAND MARTINs and a couple of NORTHERN HOUSE MARTINswere skimming the water.
CASPIAN GULLs, C. BLACK-HEADED GULLs, and an OSPREY were all present as well. A
few BLACK-WINGED STILTs were on the mudflats. On another lagoon, there was a
large raft of EURASIAN WIGEON, with GADWALL, EURO GREEN-WINGED
TEAL, FERRUGINOUSDUCK (only one pair), N. SHOVELER, COMMON POCHARD,and several
RED-CRESTED POCHARDs.

In the evening, we rode camels into the sand dunes of the TaklaMakan Desert.
While camping out in the desert was fun and exciting, it was quite cold a night.
I ended up putting on almost every stitch of clothes on that I had that night.
Not sleeping well, I crawled out the tent about an hour and a half before dawn.
The sky was crystal clear, and there was not wind. Although I saw some lights
on the horizon, I just assumed that they were from villages. However, the lights
began to move, and I quickly realized that I was witnessing a display of
aurora borealis. Since the latitude is much farther south than in Spokane, the
northern lights stayed mostly below 30 degrees above the horizon. There was much
motion and brightening, fading, and reforming from positions due north,
northwest, and even due west. Often times there would be beams like ghostly
searchlights sweeping the sky. The substorm in the north appeared greenish and
the activity in the northwest had a more of a pinkish hue to the lights. Of
course, I woke up both of my friends so that they could enjoy nature's wonder
too. In fact, my Australian friend had never seen the northern lights before.

While hoping for a Xinjiaong Ground Jay in the dunes the next morning (4/08/11),
I managed to settle for BROWN-NECKED RAVENs, DESERT FINCHes, and some singing
GREATER SHORT-TOED LARKs. On our return trip to Kashgar, we saw LITTLE
RINGED PLOVERs (with their golden eyerings) at the Reservoir and the flock of
BROWN-HEADED GULLs in flight at the wetland. An ISABELLING SHRIKE was singing as
the sun sank lower toward the horizon. We briefly saw some kind of aquatic
mammal (a water rat?) in the marsh, but I haven't been able to identify it yet.

For a cultural/historical tour that was too early in the season for most of the
birds in the province, I still managed to see forty life birds. Both of
our Uygher guides (Omar & Rapket) were most accommodating and helpful to me with
the birds and were wonderful guides and companions to all of us on the trip.

Gina Sheridan
Qingdao, China