Wildlife Watercolours

This page features watercolours of wildlife (mostly from Beijing, Sanjiangyuan on the Tibetan Plateau and Norfolk, England) and will be updated as and when new paintings are completed.

Rook (Corvus frugilegus 秃鼻乌鸦 Tū bí wū yā). Growing up in the UK, I was familiar with the Rook as a common resident breeding bird, with several breeding colonies, known as rookeries, in woodland close to my home. However, in Beijing, the eastern subspecies (pastinator) is primarily a passage migrant. Early October is the prime time to see loose flocks drifting south, with many pausing occasionally to rise on thermals before continuing their journey south. Often they are mixed with migrating Daurian Jackdaws (Coloeus dauuricus 达乌里寒鸦 Dá wū lǐ hán yā). This watercolour was inspired by a sighting of one such flock close to my apartment yesterday morning (30 September 2025).

Spoon-billed Sandpipers (Eurynorhynchus pygmaeus 勺嘴鹬 Sháo zuǐ yù). This charismatic shorebird, with its unmistakeable spoon-shaped bill, is classified as ‘critically endangered’, just one step away from extinction. Almost the entire global population (thought to be around 443 mature individuals) is dependent on the intertidal mudflats of the Yellow Sea as a stopover site and moulting ground on its way to/from breeding grounds on the remote tundra of NE Siberia and non-breeding grounds in S China and SE Asia. Thanks to a terrific international effort involving scientists, conservationists and volunteers from Russia, China, UK and many other countries, the population decline has been slowed considerably but we are still a long way from securing the future of ‘Spoony’, the posterchild of the “East Asian-Australasian Flyway”. You can read more about the work to save Spoony here: https://eaaflyway.net/spoon-billed-sandpiper-task-force/

Migrating Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus 斑头雁 Bān tóuyàn) over the Himalayas. Inspired by last weekend’s visit to the Tibetan Plateau with Welsh explorer, AshDykes, during which we encountered pre-migration gatherings of this beautiful goose. Within the next few weeks the geese we saw will migrate to India over the Himalayas, reaching elevations of 6000m or higher, one of the most spectacular and high elevation migrations of any bird.

Two Snow Leopards (Panthera uncia 雪豹 Xuěbào). In August 2016 I was incredibly fortunate to see Snow Leopard for the first time in Qinghai Province while participating in a Nature Watch festival organised by Shanshui Conservation Center. We watched a head looking over a rock for at least 45 minutes before we realised there were two! The second, although in plain sight all along, was noticed by us only when it moved to join the first, such was the incredible camouflage. After a little grooming, together they rather lazily surveyed the grassy slopes below, probably checking out the local marmots. It was a moment that I will never forget and that sparked the idea for a community-based wildlife tourism project that, by the end of 2024, had raised several million Chinese Yuan for the local community. Sadly the project – known as the Valley of the Cats – has been suspended as the new rules governing national parks forbid any tourism in the core area of a National Park. Of course, this is probably a good thing for the wildlife but I can’t help feeling that for conservation to be truly sustainable, the local people who live alongside these apex predators ought to be rewarded for taking care of them and the environment they share.

A Peregrine (Falco peregrinus 游隼 Yóu sǔn). The Peregrine is one of the most widespread birds in the world, found on all continents except Antarctica. In Beijing it is thought to be increasing, probably at least partially due to the huge population of domestic pigeons, a favourite prey.

A male Amur Stonechat (Saxicola stejnegeri 东亚石䳭 Dōng yà shí jí). September is the peak time for these charismatic birds to pass through Beijing, often perching prominently as they hunt for insects. They love scrub and grassland.

A group of WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL Hirundapus caudacutus 白喉针尾雨燕 Bái hóu zhēn wěi yǔ yàn over Baiwangshan in Beijing. Late August and early September is the best time to see these ‘fighter-bombers’ on autumn migration.

Every summer, Beijing is inundated with lots of red and yellow dragonflies, known locally as 黄蜻 Huáng qīng, literally translated as “yellow dragonfly”. The English name is Wandering Glider or Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens) and it is a remarkable insect, although not for its size, which is actually quite normal . It is found on every continent except Antarctica, and is a migrant. It makes an annual multi-generational journey of c18,000 km, with individuals flying more than 6,000 km, making it one of the farthest known migrations of all insect species. It is this insect’s migration from India to East Africa in autumn that fuels the migration of the Amur Falcon during its crossing of the Indian Ocean, on its way to SE Africa from breeding grounds in NE China and SE Russia. As far as I know, nobody knows from where the Wandering Gliders in Beijing originate (any insights on that, please shout!) but they are a feature of late summer in Beijing and can be common even in the city centre, hence the backdrop on this watercolour.

A Short-tailed Mamushi (Gloydius brevicauda 短尾蝮 Duǎn wěi fù) at the Great Wall. The Wall is a great place to see snakes and, in the right conditions, they are regularly encountered basking. The Short-tailed Mamushi is one of three pitvipers found in Beijing, alongside Siberian Pitviper and Gobi Pitviper. This painting inspired by a photograph taken by Kevin Messenger.

A European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) over a choppy sea. One of my most magical experiences was spending a night with the huge colony on Nólsoy, Faroe Islands, as these birds returned to their burrows after dark, uttering their weird and eerie calls and song. Listen to an example here: xeno-canto.org/957958

A Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix 冠小嘴乌鸦 Guān xiǎo zuǐ wū yā). Incredibly, there is one record from Beijing of this predominantly European species, on 29 October 2016 (Jesper Hornskov). This watercolour based on a painting by one of my favourite bird artists, Hans Larsson.

A Rosy Pipit (Anthus roseatus 粉红胸鹨 Fěnhóng xiōng liù) on the breeding grounds. A scarce and local breeder in the mountains of Beijing. Also a scarce passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn (primarily September) in lowland Beijing.

A Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus 大杜鹃 Dà dù juān). A summer breeder in Beijing, arriving in mid- to late May until late September. A tracking project, in pasrtnership with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in 2016 included one bird named by Beijing schoolchildren as “Flappy McFlapperson” who became an global celebrity as fans followed her migration to Mozambique and back, proving for the first time that Common Cuckoos from East Asia wintered in Africa.

A Red-throated Thrush (Turdus ruficollis 赤颈鸫 Chì jǐng dōng) feeding on sea buckthorn berries. A common winter visitor to Beijing.

A lone Wolf (Canis lupus 狼 Láng) surveys its territory from a rocky outcrop. My first wild wolf encounter was in Qinghai province on the Tibetan Plateau in 2015. Since then I have seen over fifty spread over many encounters, most frequently in the Valley of the Cats, where they thrive alongside other apex predators including Snow Leopard, Common Leopard, Brown Bear and Lynx.

A breaching Orca.

An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica 北极海鹦 Běijí hǎi yīng) on a grassy headland. Certainly one of the birds from the UK that I miss – and not surprisingly, it’s never been recorded in China!

A wetland in early Spring, featuring Siberian Pipit, Great Bittern, Pied Avocet, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Oriental Stork, Bewick’s Swan and Swan Goose.

Common Terns Sterna hirundo longipennis 普通燕鸥 Pǔ tōng yàn ōu migrating in April, from an encounter at ShaCheng Wetlands on 27 April 2025 when more than 60 of these elegant birds passed through heading NW.

Relict Gulls (Ichthyaetus relictus 遗鸥 Yí ōu) in spring. Inspired by an encounter of at least 70 of these beautiful gulls in early April at Guanting Reservoir.

Some loose Eastern Marsh Harriers (Circus spilonotus 白腹鹞 Bái fù yào).

White Wagtails (Motacilla alba 白鹡鸰 Bái jí líng). The six races of White Wagtail (in order of abundance – leucopsis, ocularis, baicalensis, lugens, alba and personata) that have been recorded in Beijing.

Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus 东方鸻 Dōng fāng héng. A spring migrant in Beijing, late March to May, on its way to breeding grounds in north China and Mongolia from non-breeding grounds in Australia.

A Chinese Tawny Owl (curently classified as Himalayan Owl Strix nivicolum subspecies ma 灰林鸮 Huī lín xiāo) with prey. In Beijing in winter the sky often takes on a beautiful pinkish-purple glow, especially in the late afternoon, something I have attempted to capture in this painting.

Pere Davidʼs Rock Squirrel Sciurotamias davidianus 岩松鼠 Yán sōng shǔ

An Amur Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura 豹猫 Bàomāo) patrolling a birch forest in Beijing’s mountains.

A Barn Owl (Tyto alba 仓鸮 Cāng xiāo) and a barn in winter.

A majestic White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla 白尾海雕 Bái wěi hǎi diāo). Painted in the style of one of my favourite artists – Morten Solberg.

Beijing’s magpies. Clockwise from top: Red-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa erythrorhyncha 红嘴蓝鹊 Hóng zuǐ lán què), Oriental Magpie (Pica serica 喜鹊 Xǐ què) and Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus 灰喜鹊 Huī xǐ què).

A Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Ketupa blakistoni 毛腿鱼鸮 Máo tuǐ yú xiāo). A few weeks ago I met Jonathan Slaght in Beijing and he kindly gave me a copy of his brilliant 2020 best-seller, “Owls of the Eastern Ice”. It’s a terrific story of Jonathan’s quest to study and help conserve the world’s largest owl, whose home is deep in the Far Eastern forests of SE Russia, Japan and (probably) North East China. A riveting account of frozen rivers, snowy forests, radioactive hot springs, leeches, hungry tigers and even lone hermits living in the forest to escape their dubious past. Most of all it provides an intimate account of getting to know and understand this most secretive and wondrous owl. If you haven’t already read it, I urge you to go out and buy it! It was The Times Nature Book of the Year in 2020 and winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.

Latest watercolour. A Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus 短耳鸮 Duǎn ěr xiāo) at dusk. A passage migrant and winter visitor to Beijing, preferring open grassland and scrub, where it hunts for small rodents.

A splash of colour with a Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea 普通䴓 Pǔ tōng shī) on a birch. A locally common resident in the mountains and sometimes recorded in the larger parks of lowland Beijing, such as the Botanical Gardens, particularly in winter.

A Pallas’s Bunting (Emberiza pallasi 苇鹀 Wěi wú) of the lydiae subspecies on the patch in Shunyi District. A very common migrant and winter visitor in Beijing to rough grassland, reedbed and scrub.

A male Merlin (Falco columbarius 灰背隼 Huī bèi sǔn). Inspired by an encounter at Ma Chang last Saturday 19 October 2024 in the company of Christoph Zockler, Spike Millington and Sayam Chowdhury.

A male Eurasian Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis 苍鹰 Cāng yīng)

A study of Chinese Grey Shrike Lanius s. sphenocercus 楔尾伯劳 Xiē wěi bó láo. Inspired by an encounter during the Royal Asiatic Society Beijing birding trip to Guanting Reservoir on 28 September 2024.

A juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga 乌雕 Wū diāo) migrating over the Great Wall in autumn.

An Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus 牛背鹭 Niú bèi lù) in typical pose.

A male Scaly-sided Merganser (Mergus squamatus 中华秋沙鸭 Zhōng huá qiū shā yā) displaying to a female. A rare passage migrant and winter visitor to Beijing from breeding grounds in far NE China and SE Russia.

The seven species of shrike (Lanius sp.) to have been recorded in Beijing. Still waiting for Isabelline and Red-backed.

Gloydius rubromaculatus 紅斑高山紅 on the Tibetan Plateau. This high elevation pit-viper was first described to science in 2017 by Dr Shi Jingsong. Incredibly, it feeds mostly on moths!

A Little Egret (Egretta garzetta 白鹭 Bái lù) hunting along the shore in the evening light.

A Glover’s or Chinese Red Pika (Ochotona erythrotis 红耳鼠兔 Hóng ěr shǔ tù). Common on the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits rocky areas, usually close to trees.

A late summer Dunlin Calidris alpina 黑腹滨鹬 Hēi fù bīn yù. A passage migrant in Beijing, mostly April and August to October.

A Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus 翘嘴鹬 Qiào zuǐ yù in the low evening sun. This species breeds across Eurasia’s taiga and forest-tundra zones from Finland to the northern Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Asia. It spends the northern winter across a wide band of the southern hemisphere from Africa to Australasia, and is a scarce passage migrant in Beijing.

A Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata 尖尾滨鹬 Jiān wěi bīn yù at Ma Chang, Yanqing District. A scarce migrant in Beijing, with records in every month from April to September.

A juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 三趾鸥 Sān zhǐ ōu over a stormy headland. This species is quite rare in Beijing, with about 20 records up to the end of 2023, most of which have been juveniles in late autumn. However, it is more common in my home country of UK, where it breeds around the coast.

Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis 大杓鹬 Dà biāo yù. Of the eight curlew species in the world, two are presumed extinct and the other six are in various levels of decline. The Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis 大杓鹬 Dà biāo yù) is classified as Endangered, having thought to have experienced a population of decline of c80% in 30 years.

A Sichuan Takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana). Listed as vulnerable to extinction, the Sichuan Takin is native to Tibet, Sichuan, Gansu and Xinjiang. Not to be messed with! I remember my first encounter with this species in Tangjiahe when one burst from the bamboo just a few metres away while hiking on a trail. It gave me the fright of my life and, fortunately, ran uphill rather than charging me. A lucky escape!

Parnassius bremeri, one of the high elevation Apollo butterflies that, in Beijing, is found only around the rocky peaks of the highest mountains. This one from Lingshan in Mentougou District in June 2024.

Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane 蓝歌鸲 Lán gē qú. A summer breeder to the high elevation wooded mountain slopes of Beijing. Sometimes referred to as the “Blue Nightingale” given its explosive song resembles that species.

Grey-sided Thrush Turdus feae 褐头鸫 Hè tóu dōng. A scarce and local summer breeder to the high elevation wooded mountains of Beijing.

Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus 东方鸻 Dōng fāng héng is a scarce passage migrant in spring (late March and April) and rare in autumn, on its way from non-breeding grounds in Australia to breeding grounds in N China, Mongolia and Russia. Adults in breeding plumage have almost snow-white heads with a beautiful deep orange breastband. It is one of Beijing’s most eagerly awaited birds in spring, with Ma Chang in Yanqing District by far the most reliable site.

Little Auks (Alle alle 短翅小海雀 Duǎn chì xiǎohǎi què) passing a lighthouse in a storm.

Beijing Swifts (Apus apus pekinensis 北京雨燕 Běijīng yǔyàn) at the Temple of Heaven. In April, these birds will return from their non-breeding grounds in southern Africa, a phenomenal 9-month journey that they almost certainly complete without landing.

A Great Bustard (Otis tarda 大鸨 Dà bǎo) migrating over the Summer Palace in Beijing. Great Bustard is considered to be the world’s heaviest flying bird. Many spend the winter south of Beijing and, in spring (March and April), they can sometimes be seen migrating over city on their way to breeding grounds in N China, Mongolia and Russia, occasionally being spotted at major landmarks.

A 2cy male Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis 长尾鸭 Cháng wěi yā) has spent the winter along the Wenyu River in Beijing, providing a great opportunity to see this rare visitor to the capital. It was still present on 10 March during the monthly biodiversity survey with Beijing Forestry University.

Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus, 灰背鸥 Huī bèi ōu). From a trip to the gull Mecca of Choshi in Japan, a major fishing port – especially for tuna – in February 2024.

“Crow Conference”. Large-billed Crows (Corvus macrorhynchos 大嘴乌鸦 Dà zuǐ wūyā) plotting their next mischief.

A White-crowned Penduline Tit (Remiz coronatus 白冠攀雀 Báiguānpān què). This watercolour to celebrate the first record of this species in Beijing, found on 12 February 2024 at the ChaoBai River by 王若凡 and still present the next day, allowing many birders to catch up with this rarity.

Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris 领岩鹨 Lǐng yán liù. A scarce winter visitor to Beijing, October to April, primarily to mountainous areas, sometimes in large flocks. Very rare in September and May.

Without getting drawn into the controversy around birds being named after people, this is a Père David’s Laughingthrush, sometimes known as the much blander “Plain Laughingthrush” (Pterorhinus davidi 山噪鹛 Shān zào méi). It is a fairly common resident in the mountains and hills around Beijing and, less often, in the lowlands. A wonderful vocalist and expert mimic. Père Armand David, to give him his full name, was a French missionary who spent the later part of the 19th century in China and first described many species to western science, including the Giant Panda and Père David’s Deer (known as the Milu in China).

A Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos kizuki 小星头啄木鸟 Xiǎo xīng tóu zhuómùniǎo). On average even smaller than the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor 小斑啄木鸟 Xiǎo bān zhuómùniǎo). A rare and local resident in NE Beijing, despite being fairly common at Wulingshan, just over the border in Hebei Province.

Asian Rosy Finches (Leucosticte arctoa 粉红腹岭雀 Fěnhóng fù lǐng què). A scarce and irruptive winter visitor (late October to April) to the high mountain slopes of Beijing, sometimes in large numbers. Seemingly nomadic. Lingshan is the most reliable site.

A Beijing Babbler (Rhopophilus pekinensis 山鹛 Shān méi). A common, but often elusive, resident in the scrubby hills around Beijing and a talented vocalist.

White-winged Redstarts Phoenicurus erythrogastrus 红腹红尾鸲 Hóng fù hóng wěi qú. This high elevation specialist breeds up to 5,000m asl on the Tibetan Plateau in China and is a regular winter visitor to Beijing’s highest mountains, where it can often be found feeding on the berries of sea buckthorn.

A male Pallas’s Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus 北朱雀 Běi zhūquè. A winter visitor to Beijing, in varying numbers, from breeding grounds in the northern boreal forests. Most frequently seen in the wooded mountains from late October to the end of March.

A Japanese Waxwing Bombycilla japonica 小太平鸟 Xiǎo tàipíngniǎo. A regular winter visitor to Beijing in varying numbers. Often in mixed flocks with Bohemian Waxwing. Beijing’s parks – such as the Botanical Gardens – are the best places to look for them between November and April.

A Red Kite (Milvus milvus) over a Norfolk woodland.

A Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbill Loxia leucoptera 白翅交嘴雀 Bái chì jiāo zuǐ què. For the last few days this male has been delighting birders and photographers in Xinglong Park, Beijing. It is a very rare visitor to the capital from the northern boreal forests; this is the first record in Beijing since 2007. It specialises in extracting seeds from cones using its specially adapted bill. This species is unusual in that it can breed at any time of year depending on the availability of food. It is nomadic, seeking out crops of cones (especially larch), and may never return to its birthplace. For more, check out this article by Kenn Kaufmann. January 2024.

A Barn Owl (Tyto alba 仓鸮 Cāng xiāo). Common back home in Norfolk, England, but in China restricted to the far southwest (Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan Provinces). January 2024.

A party of Eurasian Bullfinches Pyrrhula pyrrhula 红腹灰雀 Hóng fù huī què. A very rare winter visitor to Beijing. This painting based on an encounter in snowy Inner Mongolia in winter a few years ago. January 2024.

An (Amur) Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis, 豹猫, Bàomāo). This small cat (around 50% bigger than the average house cat) is native to Beijing and can be found in the mountains and in some wetlands where there is lots of cover. As an ambush hunter it needs scrub and grassland, both habitats that have decreased significantly in lowland Beijing due to development and tree-planting. Primarily nocturnal, sightings during daylight hours are rare. January 2024.

A Northern Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus 北长尾山雀 Běi cháng wěi shān què) to commemorate the influx of these beautiful birds into Beijing in autumn 2023. Since the first birds were seen on 10 October 2023 at the ChaoBai River, they have been sighted at most birding sites, urban parks and even in residential compounds. The true number of birds involved must run into the hundreds. December 2023.

A Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris 东北虎 Dōngběi hǔ) on an old logging track in NE China. December 2023.

A White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) 河乌 Hé wū on a woodland stream in winter. December 2023.

A Red Knot (Calidris canutus 红腹滨鹬 Hóng fù bīn yù) on an intertidal mudflat in the Yellow Sea. November 2023.

A Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia 雪豹 Xuěbào) in the glow of sunset on the Tibetan Plateau. October 2023.

To mark the occurrence of a Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 长嘴半蹼鹬 Cháng zuǐ bàn pǔ yù at the ChaoBai River in Shunyi District, only the second record for Beijing, a sketch and watercolour. October 2023.

Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus 红嘴鸥 Hóng zuǐ ōu) heading to roost at the Yellow Sea coast.

An Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus) 白眉鸫 Báiméi dōng in shaded woodland. A regular migrant through Beijing, peaking in mid-May and again in mid-September.

Pomarine Skuas Stercorarius pomarinus 中贼鸥 Zhōng zéi-ōu passing a headland in northern Europe.

Another painting inspired by a recent trip to Sanjiangyuan. Blue Sheep (Pseudois nayaur 岩羊 Yán yáng) on a mountainside.

After visiting its spectacular mountain habitat and encountering this magnificent cat in the wild, it’s hard not to be inspired to paint. A Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia 雪豹 Xuěbào) in a blizzard.

A Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula 猛鸮 Měng xiāo in a snowstorm. Never recorded in Beijing but fairly easy to see in northern Inner Mongolia in winter.

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia 白琵鹭 Bái pí lù take-off. A passage migrant through Beijing with most records in spring (mid-March to May); less common in autumn (October) and occasional summer records, usually relating to immatures. Rare in winter.

An albatross 信天翁 over a stormy ocean.

A Saker (Falco cherrug 猎隼 Liè sǔn) over the Great Wall. An uncommon but regular passage migrant and winter visitor to Beijing. Most are immatures, similar to this bird. A fierce predator and will cause panic amongst groups of smaller birds.

A Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus 凤头䴙䴘 Fèng tóu pì tī) taking off to see off a competitor. Now is the time when these birds pair up and stake out territories on freshwater bodies in the capital. March 2023.

A few years ago I was in the Valley of the Cats with a group of friends when a local herder alerted us to a Snow Leopard on a kill. Climbing a ridge, we were able to see it – just – at a distance of several hundred metres. The camouflage was incredible… And then, just to add to the challenge, it started snowing! Even though our telescopes were trained onto the spot, the snow leopard’s head – just visible above some rocks – would melt away then reappear briefly as the snow fell.. If we hadn’t known it was there, it would have been impossible to find, such was the effectiveness of the camouflage. March 2023.

An Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo 雕鸮 Diāo xiāo). Inspired by an encounter close to my apartment in Beijing when a huge silhouette emerged at dusk on an area of open ground in Shunyi District. March 2023.

A lone Wolf (Canis lupus 狼 Láng) surveys its territory in the Himalayas. February 2023.

A Little Owl (Athene noctua 纵纹腹小鸮 Zòng wén fù xiǎo xiāo) on a stone pile in Sanjiangyuan. This owl makes up for its small size with big charisma. It’s quite common on the Tibetan Plateau and often uses stone piles as lookouts. February 2023.

A Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia 雪豹 Xuěbào) patrolling its territory on the Tibetan Plateau. January 2023.

On 22 January 2023 we will celebrate the Chinese New Year and, this year, it’s the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture, thus 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. Ironically, rabbits do not naturally occur in China, so in celebration of Leporidae (the scientific family of rabbits and hares), here is a Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus 高原兔 Gāoyuán tù), native to western China, northern India and Nepal, where it inhabits montane grassland. January 2023.

A Blue Sheep (岩羊 Yán yáng). A common ungulate on the Tibetan Plateau, incredibly agile in the rocky terrain of the Himalayas, and a favourite prey of the Snow Leopard. December 2022.

A stalking Snow Leopard (雪豹 Xuěbào). December 2022.

A Snow Leopard (雪豹 Xuěbào) watches a flock of Blue Sheep (岩羊 Yán yáng) on a distant mountainside in Sanjiangyuan National Park. December 2022.

A Common Leopard (金钱豹 Jīnqiánbào) on the Tibetan Plateau. Sanjiangyuan is one of the few (known) places where the territories of Common Leopard and Snow Leopard overlap. December 2022.

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos 棕熊 Zōngxióng) on the Tibetan Plateau. The one animal that would spook me if I encountered it alone. December 2022.

Wolves (Canis lupus 狼 Láng) surveying their territory in Sanjiangyuan National Park. A much-maligned species the world over, they are now a protected species in China and there is a healthy population on the Tibetan Plateau. December 2022.

One of the most impressive migrants of all, a Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica 斑尾塍鹬 Bānwěi chéng yù), the ‘baueri‘ subspecies of which migrates non-stop from Alaskan breeding grounds to New Zealand each autumn, stopping at the Yellow Sea on its way north in spring.

A Pallas’s Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus 毛腿沙鸡 Máo tuǐ shā jī) banking before landing in Shunyi District. Part of the irruption of this species into Beijing on 12 November 2022.

Pallas’s Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus 毛腿沙鸡 Máo tuǐ shā jī) at dusk over Beijing. Inspired by last weekend’s irruption of this enigmatic species into Beijing, with more than 7,000 counted in just three and a half hours on Saturday afternoon, many of which passed over the city centre. November 2022.

A Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo 雕鸮 Diāo xiāo). Early November is when these fierce predators are sometimes spotted in the city as they leave their mountain breeding grounds looking for suitable wintering quarters. This one was on a patch of wild ground close to my apartment in Shunyi on 5 November 2022.

A EURASIAN WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola 丘鹬 Qiū yù explodes from scrub. A scarce passage migrant and winter visitor in Beijing, with most records in April and October.

HEN HARRIER (Circus cyaneus 白尾鹞 Bái wěi yào) hunting over a marsh.

WHOOPER SWANS (Cygnus cygnus 大天鹅 Dà tiān’é) over a winter landscape.

LARGE-BILLED CROWS (Corvus macrorhynchos 大嘴乌鸦 Dà zuǐ wūyā) on a snowy mountain hillside.

A SNOW LEOPARD (Uncia uncia, 雪豹 Xuěbào) patrolling its territory.

A CHINESE TAWNY OWL Strix aluco 灰林鸮 Huī lín xiāo patiently waiting for dinner.

Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris 角百灵 Jiǎo bǎilíng) on a snowy grassland. A passage migrant and scarce winter visitor to Beijing in but in some years it can irrupt in spectacular numbers; the highest day count is 8,824 (all flying south) on 15 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt).

A single heron stands patiently on the end of a jetty as the sun sets.

An immature Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos 金雕 Jīn diāo) soars over a misty mountainside.

A Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola 丘鹬 Qiū yù) roding over a woodland at dusk.

A Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus 秃鹫 Tū jiù) cruising a hillside in winter. This is the only regular vulture species seen in Beijing and is present from late October to early April, primarily to the mountains around the capital, especially Mentougou District.

A Green-backed Flycatcher (Ficedula elisae 绿背姬鹟 Lǜ bèi jī wēng) in a woodland glade. This flycatcher breeds only in Beijing and the nearby provinces of Hebei and Shanxi, wintering in SE Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore). One of Beijing’s signature birds, the wooded mountains in the north and west of the capital are the best place to look for it between May and August.

Black-headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus 红嘴鸥 Hóng zuǐ ōu) accompany a fisherman against a brooding sky at Guanting Reservoir in Yanqing District.

A Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta blakistoni 水鹨 Shuǐ liù) flushed by a male Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus 白尾鹞 Bái wěi yào) on an icy winter day.

Common Crane (Grus grus 灰鹤 Huīhè) at Ma Chang at dusk. Beijing birders will recognise the hills and wind turbines, the iconic backdrop to many wonderful Beijing birding experiences, not least the flocks of Common Crane that can be seen from October until March.

Shorebirds (Red Knot) at dusk. The Bohai Bay, with some of China’s best remaining intertidal mudflats, is a world-class site for shorebirds and any visit in spring or autumn will be rewarded with stunning views of flocks of shorebirds, including the Red Knot. This area is one of the Red Knot’s most important stopover sites between non-breeding grounds in Australia and breeding grounds in the Arctic.

A Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis 云雀 Yúnquè) singing over a meadow in early spring. The skylark is predominantly a passage migrant in Beijing with large numbers coming through in March/April and again in September/October. A few spend the winter and 1-2 pairs breed on the alpine meadows at Lingshan, Beijing’s highest mountain.

A screaming party of Beijing Swifts (Apus apus pekinensis 北京雨燕 Běi jīng yǔ yàn) at dusk. These incredible birds leave Beijing at the end of July and travel all the way to southern Africa for the northern winter before returning the following April. We are almost certain that the majority make this journey without landing – they eat, drink and sleep in the air.

Urban Black-crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax 夜鹭 Yè lù) heading out to feeding grounds at dusk.

Another stormy scene – this time of White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi stejnegeri 斑脸海番鸭 Bān liǎn hǎi fān yā).

Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) over a stormy sea. Inspired by many hours enjoying the rough seas and watching seabirds pass by during my youth at Winterton-on-Sea in Norfolk, England. These majestic seabirds can navigate the strong winds with ease, banking and shearing over the waves, often without a flap.

A Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis 黄苇鳽 Huáng wěi jiān) straddles lotus flowers. A few pairs of this small bittern are breeding at my local lake and, with their long legs and big feet, it’s comical to watch them hunting from the lotus stems.

Missing the UK! An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica, 北极海鹦 Běijí hǎi yīng)

A Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis 小鸊鷉 Xiǎo pì tī) chasing a stickleback.

A Great Grey Owl in the birch forests of Wuerqihan, Inner Mongolia, December 2016.

A Grey Nightjar (Caprimulgus jotaka 普通夜鹰 Pǔtōng yè yīng) hawking insects at dusk at Lingshan, Beijing’s highest mountain. 27 May 2022.

A Tiger Keelback (Rhabdophis tigrinus 虎斑颈槽蛇 Hǔbān jǐng cáo shé). This is the snake I see most frequently in Beijing, often along the Wenyu River. One of the few snakes that is both poisonous and venomous (it has two rows of glands in its neck that provide protection from predators by releasing steroidal toxins that are sequestered from ingested poisonous toads and its bite is venomous). 25 May 2022.

This is Libellula angelina or “Bekko Tombo” as it’s known, a critically endangered dragonfly species. It has an early flight season – April and early May – and is known from just a handful of closely guarded sites in Beijing. In early May 2022 I was lucky to find two males at a new site just a few minutes walk from my apartment.

CHINESE NUTHATCH (Sitta villosa 黑头䴓 Hēitóu shī). The most common nuthatch in the capital. The best place to see it is in Botanical Gardens. 16 May 2022.

A spring male YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING (Emberiza aureola 黄胸鹀 Huáng xiōng wú). This critically endangered species has suffered a calamitous decline in the last few decades but remains a regular, if scarce, passage migrant in Beijing. May is the best month to see them in full breeding plumage on their way to breeding grounds in N China, Mongolia and Russia.

Migrating ORIENTAL HONEY BUZZARDS (Pernis ptilorhynchus 凤头蜂鹰 Fèng tóu fēng yīng) over the Jade Peak pagoda from Baiwangshan. Over 400 counted from this spot on 4 May 2022.

WALLCREEPER Tichodroma muraria 红翅旋壁雀 Hóng chì xuán bì què. A rare and local winter visitor to Beijing, primarily to the mountainous districts of Fangshan and Mentougou. This one backlit against the sky as it flitted from one rock face to another. 3 May 2022.

PIED HARRIER Circus melanoleucos 鹊鹞 Què yào. A passage migrant in Spring (mid-April to May) and autumn (late August to early October). This male passed the raptor watchpoint of Baiwangshan on 1 May 2022.

BLACK-WINGED KITE Elanus caeruleus 黑翅鸢 Hēi chì yuān. Formerly rare, now scarce and increasing passage migrant and rare breeder. Most records in spring (late March to May) and autumn (late August to mid-November). A pair has recently taken up residence along the Wenyu River, with one or both regularly encountered. 25 April 2022.

SHORT-EARED OWL (Asio flammeus 短耳鸮 Duǎn ěr xiāo). A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant in Beijing (October to April). This one stopped off at the Wenyu River last week on its way north. 25 April 2022.

CHINESE GREY SHRIKE (Lanius s. sphenocercus 楔尾伯劳 Xiē wěi bóláo). A fairly common passage migrant and winter visitor and a scarce breeder. This one was along the Wenyu River last week. 24 April 2022.

A singing ARCTIC WARBLER (Phylloscopus borealis 极北柳莺 Jí běi liǔ yīng). These birds pass through Beijing in late April and May, and again from late August to September, on their way to and from breeding grounds in the far north of Siberia. In spring, especially on warm, sunny mornings, many sing as they pass across the city. 21 April 2022.

LITTLE GULL Hydrocoloeus minutus 小鸥 Xiǎo ōu (adult and first-summer). A rare passage migrant, with only around ten records to the end of 2019. Most records in autumn (late August to early November) and only two in spring (late March to mid-May). Most relate to first-winter birds but very rarely adults are seen.

EASTERN MARSH HARRIER Circus spilonotus 白腹鹞 Bái fù yào. A summer breeder in Beijing from late March to October. This male was at one of the species’ traditional breeding grounds in the capital, Yeyahu Wetland Reserve.

KENTISH PLOVER Charadrius alexandrinus 环颈鸻 Huán jǐng héng. A passage migrant in Beijing. This one was at Ma Chang, a reliable stopover site, on 15 April 2022.

COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula 鹊鸭 Què yā. A common passage migrant and winter visitor (October to May) in Beijing.

A ‘moody’ GREAT EGRET Ardea modesta 大白鹭 Dà bái lù. A common summer breeder and passage migrant. Uncommon but increasing in winter.

Last week I found this second calendar-year BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla 三趾鸥 Sān zhǐ ōu) in Yanqing. It’s a rare vagrant to Beijing with around 15 records in total, most of which have occurred in late autumn. As far as I am aware, this is only the third spring record.

BLACK-WINGED STILT Himantopus himantopus 黑翅长脚鹬 Hēi chì cháng jiǎo yù. A common passage migrant and breeder (from late March to October) with most records in Spring (late March to May). On arrival in Beijing, these birds waste no time and pairs can be seen in courtship at suitable wetland sites.

EASTERN BUZZARDS Buteo japonicus 普通鵟 Pǔ tōng kuáng ‘kettling’ over Beijing city centre. Spring passage of Eastern Buzzards peaks in late March and early April and, when conditions are right, it’s not unusual to see small groups circling on thermals over the city centre. This painting inspired by seeing a group over the city yesterday late afternoon (4 April 2022).

A male HEN HARRIER Circus cyaneus 白尾鹞 Bái wěi yào. A winter visitor and passage migrant in Beijing. As one would expect, ‘ringtails’ (adult females or immatures) outnumber adult males, so any encounter with the ‘skydancer’ is memorable. 3 April 2022.

Begging juvenile BARN SWALLOWS Hirundo rustica 家燕 Jiāyàn. Seeing the first swallow of the year is always a highlight. This year I saw my first in Beijing on the unusually early date of 3 January but it’s not until mid- to late March that they arrive in any numbers and, before we know it, the next generation will be on the wing. 30 March 2022.

MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor 疣鼻天鹅 Yóu bí tiān’é. On Sunday afternoon, during a walk by the ChaoBai River, I found a Mute Swan. A familiar bird back home in the UK but something of a rarity in Beijing. What better inspiration for the first painting of the week. 28 March 2022.

COMMON COOT Fulica atra 骨顶鸡 Gǔ dǐng jī. A common breeder, passage migrant and, to a lesser extent, winter visitor to Beijing. A group of 60+ arrived on my local lake a few weeks ago and, yesterday, the number has built to 96. Hopefully some will stay to breed but I suspect most will continue to north to breed in N China, Mongolia or Russia. 26 March 2022.

TUNDRA BEAN GEESE Anser serrirostris 短嘴豆雁 Duǎn zuǐ dòu yàn heading north, March 2022. Inspired by recording their calls at night last week.

PALLAS’S REED BUNTING (Emberiza pallasi 苇鹀 Wěi wú). A common passage migrant and winter visitor to Beijing (much more common than Common Reed Bunting). By late March some males are in breeding plumage.

EURASIAN CURLEW Numenius arquata 白腰杓鹬 Bái yāo biāo yù. A scarce passage migrant in Beijing. One was at the marsh opposite LuomaHu on 20 March 2022.

Displaying GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus 凤头䴙䴘 Fèng tóu pì tī, inspired by a courting pair watched at Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace) on 19 March 2022.

NORTHERN LAPWING Vanellus vanellus 凤头麦鸡 Fèng tóu mài jī. A relatively early migrant in Beijing, from mid-March.

‘EASTERN’ ROOK Corvus frugilegus pastinator 秃鼻乌鸦 Tū bí wūyā. This group stopped off in Shunyi, not far from my apartment, on their way north to N China, Mongolia or Russia, 17 March 2022.