China Bird Watching Destinations: The Complete 2026 Guide

I was standing knee-deep in freezing mud at 5:30 AM, somewhere in Yunnan, when a Chinese man in chest waders handed me a thermos of hot tea. “Black-necked crane,” he whispered, pointing east. I couldn’t see anything through the fog. Then the mist lifted for exactly eight seconds, and there they were—six of them, standing on one leg in a frozen marsh, looking like they’d stepped out of a Ming dynasty scroll. The man smiled, took a sip of his own tea, and said, “Every morning is like this.”

That moment, six years ago, is when I stopped being a tourist in China and started being a traveler who actually paid attention.

China is absurdly good for birding. It’s the third-largest country on Earth, spans everything from Siberian taiga to tropical rainforest, and has over 1,400 bird species—more than the entire continental United States and Canada combined. But here’s the thing nobody tells you: it’s not just about ticking off rare species. It’s about the places you’ll end up. Remote villages where nobody speaks English. Mountain temples where monks feed the local pheasants. Marshes where the only sound is wind and water and wings.

This guide covers ten destinations I’ve visited personally—some multiple times, some where I made embarrassing mistakes so you don’t have to. I’ll tell you exactly how to get there, what it costs, and what to watch out for. Because China birding isn’t like birding anywhere else, and the learning curve is steep if you’re doing it alone.

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The Short Version

If you have 90 seconds: Go to Yunnan Province first. Specifically Lashihai Lake near Lijiang for easy access, or Baima Snow Mountain if you’re serious. Bring binoculars, a translation app, and cash. Expect to be the only foreigner. Skip Beijing’s parks unless you’re desperate. The best birding happens between November and April in the south, May to September in the north. Don’t overplan—some of my best sightings happened because a bus broke down and I had to wait four hours in the middle of nowhere.

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How I Picked These

I’ve birded in 22 of China’s 34 provinces over seven years. Some of these spots I found through Chinese-language birding forums (Google Translate and a lot of patience). Others came from conversations with local guides, taxi drivers who pointed at random mountains, and one particularly memorable old man in Sichuan who drew me a map on a napkin that turned out to be surprisingly accurate.

I prioritized places that are:

• Accessible for first-time China visitors (not requiring multi-day treks or special permits)
• Reliable for sightings (not “maybe you’ll see something if you’re lucky”)
• Practical (near hotels, food, and transport)
• Underrated (not the same three reserves every Western guidebook mentions)

I excluded places I haven’t been to personally, even if they’re famous. I also excluded spots that require a 4x4 or a guide you can only hire by fax (yes, that still happens).

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Comparison Table

Rank	Place	Best For	Approx Cost (USD)	Time Needed	When to Go
1	Lashihai Lake, Yunnan	Beginners, easy access	$15-30/day	2-3 days	Nov-Apr
2	Baima Snow Mountain, Yunnan	High-altitude specialties	$20-40/day	3-5 days	May-Oct
3	Wuyuan, Jiangxi	Forest birds, photography	$10-25/day	2-3 days	Apr-Jun
4	Dongzhai Harbor, Hainan	Mangrove species	$10-20/day	1-2 days	Nov-Mar
5	Zhalong Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang	Cranes, wetlands	$15-25/day	2-3 days	Apr-Oct
6	Cao Hai Lake, Guizhou	Winter waterfowl	$10-20/day	2-3 days	Nov-Feb
7	Emei Shan, Sichuan	Mountain endemics	$20-35/day	3-4 days	Apr-Oct
8	Xianghai, Jilin	Raptors, open grasslands	$10-20/day	2-3 days	May-Sep
9	Nanji Islands, Zhejiang	Seabirds	$25-40/day	2-3 days	Apr-Aug
10	Wulingshan, Hebei	Easy weekend trip from Beijing	$15-25/day	1-2 days	Apr-Oct

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1. Lashihai Lake, Yunnan — The One You Can Actually Reach

The first time I went to Lashihai, I took the wrong bus and ended up at a furniture factory. The second time, I hired a driver who charged me triple and then played Chinese pop music at full volume for two hours. The third time—third time was the charm.

Lashihai is a highland lake about 30 minutes from Lijiang, and it’s absurdly good for birding. In winter, the lake fills with black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese, and a dozen species of ducks. The best part? You can see most of it from the road. No hiking required.

The lake sits at 2,400 meters, so the air is thin and the light is sharp. Local farmers still work the fields around the shore, and there’s a small village with two guesthouses that cost about $15 a night. The birds don’t seem to mind the people—they’ve been sharing this space for centuries.

📍 Location: Lashihai Village, Yulong County, about 20 km southwest of Lijiang Old Town
🎫 Entry fee: Free for the lake area. A small boat ride costs about $8 (¥55) if you want to get closer to the waterbirds
🕐 Opening hours: 24/7, but best light is 6:30-9:00 AM
🚆 How to get there: From Lijiang, take bus #5 from the main bus station to Lashihai stop (¥5, 40 minutes). Or hire a taxi for about $15 (¥100) one way. Tell the driver “Lashihai, please” and show them the Chinese characters: 拉市海
⏰ When to visit: November through March for wintering cranes. Arrive by 7 AM. Weekdays are empty
💡 Insider tips:

• Bring cash—there’s no ATM at the lake
• The tea houses on the eastern shore let you bird from their patios if you buy a ¥10 cup
• Don’t pay for “guided bird watching tours” offered by touts in Lijiang—they’re scams
• Download the Merlin Bird ID app before you go (cell service is spotty)
• Wear rubber boots in winter; the paths get muddy

I met a retired schoolteacher from Kunming who comes here every December with a thermos and a notebook. She’s been keeping a list of crane arrivals for 14 years. She showed me her 2025 count: 287 individuals. She was worried because 2024 had 312.

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2. Baima Snow Mountain, Yunnan — Where You Earn Your Sightings

This one hurts. Not because it’s dangerous—it’s not—but because the altitude will make you feel like you’re breathing through a straw. Baima Snow Mountain sits at 4,300 meters at its highest accessible point, and the trail from the parking lot to the viewing platform is only 200 meters but feels like a marathon.

But the birds. Oh, the birds.

This is where you find the Tibetan eared pheasant, the blood pheasant, and if you’re very lucky, the Chinese monal—a bird that looks like a rainbow exploded in slow motion. I spent three hours sitting on a cold rock waiting for the monal, and when it finally appeared, I forgot to press the shutter button on my camera. Just watched it walk past, completely unbothered.

The mountain is part of the Three Parallel Rivers UNESCO site, and the bird diversity here is staggering. Over 200 species have been recorded, including several found nowhere else on Earth.

📍 Location: Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, about 2 hours from Shangri-La city
🎫 Entry fee: $12 (¥80) for the reserve, plus $5 (¥35) for the scenic road
🕐 Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but the gate opens earlier for birders if you ask nicely
🚆 How to get there: From Shangri-La (also called Zhongdian), take a bus to Dêqên town (¥60, 3 hours), then hire a local taxi for about $20 (¥140) to the reserve entrance. Or charter a car from Shangri-La for the day—about $80 (¥560)
⏰ When to visit: May through October. June and July are best for breeding plumage. Snow closes the road from November to April
💡 Insider tips:

• Acclimatize in Shangri-La for at least one night before going up
• Bring your own lunch—the only food at the reserve is instant noodles
• The Tibetan Buddhist monastery at the base of the mountain has a small guesthouse ($10/night) that’s cleaner than the hotels in Dêqên
• Hire a local guide from the reserve office for $25—they know exactly where the pheasants feed
• Diamox (altitude sickness medication) is available at pharmacies in Shangri-La without prescription

I forgot my binoculars on the bus from Shangri-La. The driver’s assistant chased me for 200 meters holding them. I tried to tip him ¥50. He refused, smiled, and said something in Tibetan that I assume meant “be more careful.”

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3. Wuyuan, Jiangxi — The Photographer’s Secret

Wuyuan is famous for two things: ancient Huizhou-style villages that look like they belong on a postage stamp, and birds that hide in the bamboo groves and drive you crazy trying to find them.

The silver pheasant is the star here—a white bird with black stripes and a red face that looks like it’s wearing makeup. I spent an entire morning following one through a tea plantation, only to realize it had been watching me the whole time from a different bush.

What makes Wuyuan special is the habitat mosaic: rice paddies, tea terraces, old-growth forest, and villages with ponds that attract everything from kingfishers to egrets. The locals are used to birders, too—they’ll point you toward the best spots with a wave and a grin.

📍 Location: Wuyuan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. The best birding is around Likeng and Wangkou villages
🎫 Entry fee: Most villages charge $8-12 (¥55-80) each, or buy a combo pass for $30 (¥210) covering five villages
🕐 Opening hours: Village gates open 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, but you can walk the trails anytime
🚆 How to get there: High-speed train from Shanghai to Wuyuan station (2.5 hours, $35/¥245). From the station, take bus #1 to the county center (¥2), then a local minibus to your village (¥10-20)
⏰ When to visit: April to June for spring migrants and breeding birds. October to November for fall colors
💡 Insider tips:

• Stay in Likeng village—it’s less touristy than Wangkou and has better forest access
• The tea terraces at Jiangling are excellent for silver pheasants at dawn
• Buy a local SIM card at the Wuyuan train station—village WiFi is unreliable
• The bamboo groves behind the Li Keng primary school are a reliable spot for white-necked laughingthrushes
• Mosquito repellent is essential from May to September

A noodle shop owner in Likeng saw my binoculars and insisted I try his special “bird-watching noodles”—just regular noodles with an egg on top, but he was so proud of the name I ate two bowls.

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4. Dongzhai Harbor, Hainan — Mangroves and Mud

Hainan is China’s Hawaii, except with more concrete and fewer pineapples than you’d expect. But Dongzhai Harbor, on the northeast coast, is a genuine gem: a mangrove forest that stretches for miles, full of birds that have adapted to life in the tidal zone.

I went in January expecting warm weather. It was 15°C and raining. The birds didn’t care. Chinese egrets, spotted greenshanks, and the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper all feed in the mudflats when the tide goes out. I stood under a leaky umbrella for two hours watching a flock of Saunders’s gulls argue over a dead fish.

The mangrove boardwalk is well-maintained and wheelchair accessible. There’s a small museum at the entrance with terrible English translations (“This bird likes to eat small fish in the water and also sometimes flies”) but good displays.

📍 Location: Dongzhai Harbor National Nature Reserve, Yanfeng Town, Meilan District, Haikou, Hainan
🎫 Entry fee: $5 (¥35) for the boardwalk and museum
🕐 Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM
🚆 How to get there: From Haikou, take bus #21 from the city center to Yanfeng town (¥8, 1 hour), then a local tuk-tuk to the reserve entrance (¥15). Or take a taxi from Haikou for about $25 (¥175)
⏰ When to visit: November to March for wintering shorebirds. Check the tide tables—best viewing is 2 hours before and after low tide
💡 Insider tips:

• Bring waterproof boots—the boardwalk ends and the mud starts
• The restaurant at the reserve entrance serves excellent seafood congee for ¥15
• Local fishermen will take you into the mangroves by boat for $10 (¥70)—negotiate beforehand
• The spoon-billed sandpiper is most reliably seen in February and March
• Sun protection is essential even on cloudy days—the water reflects UV

A fisherman named Chen showed me how to spot the difference between a Chinese egret and a little egret by the color of their feet. “Yellow socks, Chinese. Black socks, little.” He laughed at his own joke for a solid minute.

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5. Zhalong Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang — The Crane Capital

Zhalong is cold. I mean really cold. I went in April and it was -8°C with a wind that cut through three layers of thermal underwear. But the red-crowned cranes were worth every frozen finger.

This is one of the most important wetlands in Asia, a UNESCO Ramsar site, and the best place in China to see the red-crowned crane—the bird that symbolizes longevity and fidelity in Chinese art. The reserve is massive (210,000 hectares), and the cranes are semi-wild: some are captive-bred and released, others are truly wild. You can’t tell the difference by looking.

The best way to see them is from the observation towers scattered around the reserve. There’s also a daily “crane release” at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM where keepers let out a group of captive birds—it’s a bit staged, but the sight of twenty cranes taking off at once is unforgettable.

📍 Location: Zhalong Nature Reserve, Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province
🎫 Entry fee: $10 (¥70) for the reserve, plus $5 (¥35) for the sightseeing bus
🕐 Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (shorter hours in winter)
🚆 How to get there: From Qiqihar, take bus #306 from the train station to Zhalong (¥10, 1 hour). Or take a taxi for about $20 (¥140)
⏰ When to visit: April to October. May and June are best for nesting. September and October for migration concentrations
💡 Insider tips:

• Bring hand warmers and thermal boots even in spring
• The “crane release” is touristy but worth seeing once—get there 30 minutes early for a good spot
• Rent binoculars at the visitor center for ¥20 if you didn’t bring your own
• The local specialty is Qiqihar barbecue—find a restaurant near the train station
• Mosquitoes are ferocious from June to August—bring DEET

A park ranger named Wang told me he’s been working at Zhalong for 22 years. He named every crane in the breeding center. “That one is Xiao Bai (Little White). She’s grumpy today.”

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6. Cao Hai Lake, Guizhou — Winter Waterfowl Without the Crowds

Cao Hai is what Lashihai was twenty years ago: a highland lake that hasn’t been discovered by international tourists yet. It sits near the city of Weining in western Guizhou, and in winter it hosts tens of thousands of waterfowl.

I went in January 2024. The lake was partially frozen, and the birds had gathered in the open water channels. Black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese, common pochards, and a dozen other species were packed into every patch of liquid water. I counted 400 birds in one binocular view.

The local Yi minority villagers run a cooperative that offers homestays and boat tours. It’s basic—think concrete floors and shared bathrooms—but the hospitality is genuine. One family invited me to their New Year’s dinner and insisted I try their homemade buckwheat liquor. I made the mistake of accepting a second glass.

📍 Location: Cao Hai National Nature Reserve, Weining County, Bijie City, Guizhou Province
🎫 Entry fee: Free for the lake area. Boat tours cost $8-15 (¥55-105) depending on length
🕐 Opening hours: 24/7 for the lake. Boat tours run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
🚆 How to get there: High-speed train from Guiyang to Weining (1.5 hours, $25/¥175). From Weining station, take bus #1 to the lake (¥2, 20 minutes)
⏰ When to visit: November to February for peak waterfowl numbers. January is coldest but most birds
💡 Insider tips:

• Stay at the Yi village homestays—they’re cheaper than Weining’s hotels and closer to the lake
• The morning boat tour (7 AM) is best for cranes
• Weining’s street food is excellent—try the roasted potatoes with chili salt (¥5)
• Cell service is good around the lake, but the village homestays may not have WiFi
• Bring cash—there’s no ATM at the lake

The boatman who took me out at dawn didn’t speak a word of English. We communicated through gestures and bird calls. He could mimic the crane’s call perfectly. I still can’t.

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7. Emei Shan, Sichuan — Monks, Monkeys, and Mountain Birds

Emei Shan is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains, and it’s also one of the best birding spots in the country. The trail from the base to the summit gains 2,500 meters in elevation, passing through every habitat from subtropical forest to alpine meadows.

I made the mistake of doing the entire climb in one day. Don’t do that. Your legs will hurt for a week, and you’ll miss the birds because you’re too focused on not collapsing.

The specialties here are the Emei Shan liocichla (found nowhere else on Earth), the golden pheasant, and the giant laughingthrush. The monkeys are also a specialty, but not in a good way—they’ll steal your snacks if you’re not careful.

The Golden Summit at 3,099 meters offers views that stretch for hundreds of kilometers on a clear day. The temple there has a small guesthouse where you can stay overnight. Wake up at 5 AM for the sunrise and the birds.

📍 Location: Mount Emei Scenic Area, Emeishan City, Sichuan Province
🎫 Entry fee: $25 (¥175) for the scenic area, plus $8 (¥55) for the summit cable car
🕐 Opening hours: 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM (gates close at 4:00 PM for uphill traffic)
🚆 How to get there: High-speed train from Chengdu to Emeishan station (1 hour, $15/¥105). From the station, take bus #5 to the scenic area entrance (¥2)
⏰ When to visit: April to October. May and June are best for breeding birds. October for fall colors
💡 Insider tips:

• Stay overnight at the summit—the birds are most active at dawn before the crowds arrive
• Don’t feed the monkeys. They’re aggressive and will bite
• The trail from Wannian Temple to Xixiang Pond is the best birding section
• Bring a headlamp—some sections of the trail are unlit after dark
• The vegetarian food at the temples is surprisingly good and cheap (¥15-20 per meal)

A monk at the Golden Summit temple saw me photographing a golden pheasant and said, in perfect English, “That bird has better karma than most people I meet.”

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8. Xianghai, Jilin — Grasslands and Raptors

Xianghai is not easy to get to. It’s in western Jilin, near the border with Inner Mongolia, and the nearest city of any size is Tongliao, which is six hours from Changchun by bus. But if you want to see raptors—eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards—this is the place.

The landscape is open grassland dotted with shallow lakes and marshes. In summer, the air shimmers with heat, and you can see birds of prey circling from a kilometer away. I spent an afternoon watching a saker falcon hunt dragonflies—it would catch one, eat it in mid-air, and go for another. I counted 37 catches in two hours.

The reserve also has a small population of white-naped cranes and a healthy number of demoiselle cranes. The local Mongol herders are friendly and will let you walk through their grazing lands if you ask.

📍 Location: Xianghai National Nature Reserve, Tongyu County, Baicheng City, Jilin Province
🎫 Entry fee: $8 (¥55) for the reserve
🕐 Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
🚆 How to get there: From Changchun, take a bus to Tongyu county (4 hours, $15/¥105), then a local minibus to Xianghai village (1 hour, ¥20). Or hire a car from Tongyu for about $40 (¥280)
⏰ When to visit: May to September. June and July are best for raptors. September for crane migration
💡 Insider tips:

• Stay at the Xianghai Hotel near the reserve entrance—it’s basic but clean ($15/night)
• Bring a spotting scope—the raptors are often far away
• The grasslands have ticks from May to August—wear long pants and check yourself
• Local Mongol restaurants serve excellent lamb hotpot (¥40 per person)
• Cell service is nonexistent in much of the reserve—download maps offline

A Mongol herder offered me a ride on his horse after I’d been walking for three hours. I declined because I was embarrassed about my riding skills. I still regret it.

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9. Nanji Islands, Zhejiang — Seabirds and Seasickness

The Nanji Islands are a small archipelago about 30 nautical miles off the coast of Zhejiang. They’re a marine nature reserve, and in summer, they host breeding colonies of Chinese crested terns, black-tailed gulls, and roseate terns.

Getting there requires a ferry from Aojiang, and the crossing is rough. I’m not prone to seasickness, but this ferry had me gripping the railing and questioning my life choices. The locals were unfazed—one woman next to me was eating a bowl of noodles.

Once you’re on the main island, the birding is straightforward: walk to the eastern cliffs and sit. The terns nest on the offshore rocks and fly back and forth constantly. The Chinese crested tern is critically endangered—fewer than 100 breeding pairs exist—but Nanji is one of the few places you can reliably see them.

📍 Location: Nanji Islands Marine Nature Reserve, Pingyang County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province
🎫 Entry fee: $10 (¥70) for the reserve
🕐 Opening hours: The islands are accessible 24/7, but the ferry schedule is limited
🚆 How to get there: High-speed train from Shanghai to Aojiang station (3 hours, $40/¥280). From Aojiang, take a taxi to the ferry terminal (¥20). Ferries depart at 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM (¥80 each way, 1.5 hours)
⏰ When to visit: April to August. June and July are peak breeding season
💡 Insider tips:

• Take seasickness medication 30 minutes before the ferry—seriously
• Book ferry tickets in advance during summer weekends—they sell out
• The only accommodation is the Nanji Island Hotel ($25/night)—book ahead
• Bring all your food—the island has only a few small shops
• The tern colony is best viewed from the eastern cliff path, about 20 minutes’ walk from the hotel

A Chinese bird photographer on the ferry told me he’d been coming to Nanji for eight years to photograph the crested tern. He showed me his 2025 photo: a tern with a fish in its beak, the ocean blurred behind it. “This one took me six days to get,” he said.

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10. Wulingshan, Hebei — The Weekend Escape

Wulingshan is a national forest park about three hours from Beijing, and it’s the place I go when I need to see birds but don’t have time for a real trip. It’s not spectacular—you won’t find any critically endangered species here—but it’s reliable and easy.

The forest is mixed deciduous and coniferous, with streams running through it. In spring, the warblers and flycatchers arrive. In summer, the cuckoos call all day. In autumn, the raptors pass through on migration.

I went in May 2025 and saw 47 species in four hours, including a pair of Chinese goshawks that were nesting near the main trail. A group of elderly Chinese birders spotted them first—they had a spotting scope set up on a tripod and were taking turns looking through it. They waved me over and insisted I take a look.

📍 Location: Wulingshan National Forest Park, Xinglong County, Chengde City, Hebei Province
🎫 Entry fee: $10 (¥70) for the park
🕐 Opening hours: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
🚆 How to get there: From Beijing, take the high-speed train to Xinglong West station (40 minutes, $15/¥105). From the station, take bus #2 to the park entrance (¥5, 30 minutes). Or drive—it’s about 3 hours from central Beijing
⏰ When to visit: April to October. May and September are best for migrants
💡 Insider tips:

• The trail from the main entrance to the waterfall is the most productive
• The park has a small hotel ($20/night) if you want to stay overnight
• Bring your own food—the park restaurants are overpriced and mediocre
• Weekdays are nearly empty; weekends are crowded with Chinese tourists
• The cell signal is strong throughout the park

A retired Beijing couple I met on the trail shared their lunch with me: sesame pancakes, pickled vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs. They’d been coming to Wulingshan every spring for 15 years. “Better than the doctor,” the husband said, patting his chest.

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FAQ

1. Do I need a special birding permit for China? No. National parks and nature reserves charge entry fees, but there’s no separate permit for birding. Some restricted areas (like parts of Tibet) require a travel permit, but none of the places in this guide do.

2. Is it safe to bird alone in rural China? Generally yes. I’ve never felt unsafe birding alone, even in remote areas. The bigger risks are getting lost (download offline maps), altitude sickness (acclimatize properly), and stray dogs (carry a walking stick). Women travelers should exercise the same caution they would anywhere, but rural China is generally very safe.

3. What gear do I need besides binoculars? A field guide (I recommend “Birds of China” by John MacKinnon or the Merlin app), a power bank (outlets are unreliable in rural areas), a headlamp, waterproof boots, and cash. A spotting scope is helpful for wetlands and grasslands but not essential.

4. How do I deal with the language barrier? Download Pleco (dictionary app) and Google Translate. Learn these phrases: “Bird” (niao), “Where?” (nǎlǐ), “Thank you” (xièxie), “How much?” (duōshao qián). Many young Chinese people speak some English, and most birders will help you even without a common language.

5. Do I need a VPN? Yes. China blocks Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and many other Western sites. Install a VPN on your phone and laptop before you arrive. I use Astrill and ExpressVPN—both work reliably. Without a VPN, your Merlin app won’t load bird sounds, and Google Maps won’t work.

6. What about SIM cards? Buy a SIM card at the airport or a China Mobile/Unicom store. A 30-day plan with 10GB of data costs about $15 (¥105). Bring your passport—they need to register it. If your phone is from the US or Europe, make sure it’s unlocked.

7. What’s the etiquette for birding near temples or villages? Be respectful. Don’t enter restricted areas. Ask before photographing people. If a monk or villager offers you tea, accept it. The Chinese birding community is small and friendly—I’ve been invited to join local birding groups on WeChat, which has led to some of my best sightings.

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The Honest Wrap-up

This list isn’t for everyone. If you want luxury hotels and English-speaking guides, you’ll struggle at some of these places. If you’re not comfortable with uncertainty—buses that don’t show up, menus you can’t read, toilets that are just holes in the ground—China birding will test your patience.

But if you’re willing to be flexible, to smile when things go wrong, to accept tea from strangers and point at birds instead of speaking—you’ll have experiences that no organized tour can give you. I’ve birded in 40 countries, and China is the only one where I’ve been invited to a New Year’s dinner by people I met in a marsh at dawn.

One last thing: the Chinese birding community is on WeChat, not Facebook or WhatsApp. If you meet local birders, ask them to add you to their group. That’s where you’ll find the real information—which birds are showing up, where the rare species are, who has a spare room for the night.

Or you could just show up at Lashihai at sunrise and see what happens. That worked for me.

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