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An entry to our 2019 Writing Competition, Simon Pugsley travelled on our 'Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals' tour.
We set off in our two vehicles at 6:30am, it’s dark and it’s cold. The crackle of the walkie talkie precedes the request for a quick temperature check. “It’s -15C.” “OK thank you” comes the reply. It’s our coldest morning so far and will be our longest day out on the Tibetan Plateau. Arriving at our first location in the blue hour, we leave the warmth of the car, grab our scopes and camera equipment, and set off across the cold open plain to get into position. The huff, puff and crunch sounds of our walk reflect the 3500m altitude, temperature and the frosted snow underfoot. Locating ourselves on a hillside, we set down our tripods and await the sun.
The silhouette of a group of Tibetan Gazelles on the hilltop opposite is our first sighting, and as the sun lights up the plain, the ground appears to move before us as Pika and Snowfinch battle for ground territory. The Snowfinch duel is absorbing. Carefully selecting their opponent, the pair face off, head lowered, back raised, sparring back and forth within their imaginary ring, until they both rise inches off the ground to mount an aerial attack. These duels all appear to end in a draw, and they part to find another sparring partner.
“Fox” Roland, our guide, whispers. Having the Tibetan Fox in the scope, we take it in turns to gain our first sight of this curious looking animal as Roland attempts to describe its location on a hillside with no redeeming features. We wait for movement, and as the sun side-lights its fur we all see the fox running up to the brow of the hill, before rolling onto its back and giving itself a good scratch. Transfixed on the fox, not wishing to lose sight, we follow its movement back down the hill until it stops, and then pounces. Pika in its mouth, it trots off across the hill and appears to bury its bounty. The Pika are the staple diet for predators on the Plateau, always on the alert, heads popping up and down, and scurrying between holes.
Still buzzing from the excitement of the Tibetan Fox sighting, another call for one even closer. Binos, scopes and cameras instantly search the vicinity, “No, it’s a wolf, a Tibetan Wolf!”. No more than 100 metres away the wolf crosses between us and the Tibetan Fox on the opposite hill. Wary of our presence it stops momentarily to look back at us before trotting away toward the quarry. A truly wonderful sighting, and so close.
Fingers and toes numb, but the warmth of the sun on our backs, we walk back to the cars to have some breakfast of banana, cake and coffee, whilst we chat excitedly about our early morning wildlife experience.
The day is filled with wonderful sightings of Bearded Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Upland Buzzard, Himalayan Buzzard and Golden Eagle, amongst many others, as we drive between locations in search of the Pallas's Cat. A sky battle ensues later in the afternoon as a Large Billed Crow chases a Saker Falcon. The agile Saker swooping and turning to avoid the snapping large bill, as the crow gains closer and closer. Colliding with bills, talons and wings the Saker reacts quicker to the aerial tumble and flies off to safety.
We take a final recce to a location where the Pallas’s Cat was seen the previous month. This is what most of the group have come in the hope of seeing, and our patience and humour throughout the day is rewarded. “Roland, Pallas’s Cat!” calls Zizi, our driver. For the next hour we are privileged to be in the company of this extraordinary cat, as it first moves to the shelter of a rock on the hill. As the sun lowers, its fur glows in the back light. Its large eyes constantly observing its surroundings, only briefly closing as it squints toward the sun. After a while the Pallas’s Cat moves slowly up the hill in stealth mode on its belly, occasionally stopping to look back toward us. Once on top of the hill it stands proud whilst deciding which way to go. It quickly turns and disappears over the hill. A fantastic sighting.
Returning to the quarry just after dusk in the hope of a mountain cat sighting, we are not so fortunate this time. Our consolation is a view of Venus and Saturn as the International Space Station flies overhead. A fitting close to the day spent with the wildlife stars of the Tibetan Plateau.
Read more about our 'Wild China – Sichuan’s Birds & Mammals' holiday.