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The Birds of China's Yellow Sea Coast
Tour Code: CHN09A 13-day birdwatching tour exploring China's Yellow Sea coast in search of Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Nordmann's Greenshank and a variety of other charismatic East Asian migrants.
£4,695 (Inc flights)
£3,895
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Summary
China’s Yellow Sea coast sits beneath one of the world’s great migration flyways. The mudflats and wetlands that edge the coastline here are of vital importance for the survival of 17 globally-threatened migratory waders, including the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. This exciting tour will include a visit to the key site for this charismatic and sought-after little shorebird, guided by the very person responsible for identifying the area’s importance for this species! ‘Spoonies’ aside, the mudflats of the Yellow Sea also provide food and rest for nearly 40 species of wader, including Great Knot, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank! It is not just the waders that will feature, however, for the region’s varied habitats often shelter large numbers of migrant passerines too in October, including Siberian and White’s Thrushes, Siberian Rubythroat, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Rufous-tailed Robin and Pallas’s Reed Bunting.
- Look for the critically-endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper
- Waders including Great Knot, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint & Nordmann’s Greenshank
- East Asian migrants such as Siberian Rubythroat, Meadow Bunting & Rufous-tailed Robin
- Siberian, White’s, Grey-backed, Eye-browed and Dusky & Naumann’s Thrushes
- Look for White-throated Needletail & migrating Grey-faced Buzzards in Jiulongshan National Forest Park
- Chinese Crested Tern, Black-faced Spoonbill & Yellow-breasted Bunting all possible
- Led by expert Naturetrek naturalist & local guides
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Throughout the tour we will be staying in simple, but comfortable, tourist hotels. All rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
All meals are included in the cost of the tour from dinner on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 13.
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Barrie Cooper
Barrie has a lifelong interest in nature and remains grateful for having fond childhood memories of Skylarks, Yellow Wagtails, Lapwings, Great Crested Newts and Water Voles, species with significant declines during his lifetime. His passion for nature inevitably led him into conservation and a successful career with the RSPB. The latter half of his career was on the international stage where he developed conservation projects and advised and trained conservationists from five continents on how to develop education and communication programmes. Several of his written outputs have been translated into various languages. Some of his training workshops were in China as part of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper programme. Barrie has studied wildlife in over sixty countries across the world and loves sharing his passion for nature with others. Astronomy is another interest from his childhood and he occasionally provides informal stargazing sessions on his tours. He’s now returned to his native Lancashire and lives next to the Lune Estuary on the edge of Morecambe Bay. A little known fact is that he’s a qualified football coach!
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
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Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
EnquireWhy Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!