WHAT: Autumn Birdwatching guided by Terry Townshend (in-person)

WHEN: November 23, Sunday. Bus leaves at 6.30AM, returning by 5PM latest, including two hours travel each way.

WHERE: The trip will begin and end at the Liangmahe Hilton. 北京希尔顿酒店 （亮马河店）东方路1号. The birding venue is two hours' drive, west of Guanting reservoir.

MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: Beijing is located at the heart of one of the world's biggest migratory bird routes - the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Every year millions of birds pass through the capital to and from breeding grounds in Siberia. Large, relatively undisturbed wetlands are like magnets for these avian travellers. The birding site we will visit is just across the border in Hebei province. It is an area of wetlands and grassland and, in late November, we can expect to see wild swans, geese, cranes, storks, ducks, birds of prey and more. A day total of more than 50 species is likely.

Walking is easy - mostly on gravel tracks - and we will never be far from the minibus. Dress for the weather, and bring your own refreshments. Please bring binoculars if you have them, but Terry will bring his telescope so that everyone can secure close up views of the birds we see. Terry will also tell us about the birds we see - where they have come from, where they are going and how they connect Beijing with other parts of China, Asia and even, in some cases, across continents.

"Swan Geese" photo credit to Ma Chang, and thanks to Terry Townshend

HOW MUCH: Cost is RMB 250 for members (priority booking) and RMB 350 for non-members. Children are welcome, at full price if they take a seat on the coach. Payment by Alipay may be easier than by WeChat. Credit cards are also accepted. Interested in becoming an RASBJ member? Please sign up at https://rasbj.glueup.cn/org/rasbeijing/memberships/

Instead of charging a fee for guiding us on this tour, Terry invites participants to support Shan Shui Conservation Center, a local NGO that focuses on community-based conservation on the Tibetan Plateau and runs urban biodiversity programmes in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou (please see http://en.shanshui.org​/ for more information). RASBJ will donate half of any surplus from this event to Shan Shui Conservation Center, as we did during RASBJ's previous birding excursions; therefore adult registrants who travel to the reservoir using their own transport are asked to pay full price.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT: Please click "Register" or "I Will Attend" and follow the instructions, which will include providing your WeChat so that we can reach you with any last-minute information and updates – very important! After successful registration, you will receive a confirmation email. If you seem not to have received it, please check your spam folder.

Places are limited to 15. RASBJ members have priority until Monday Nov 17. Places will be limited to one per person and will be allocated in order of receipt of payment, so early booking is advised.

REFUND POLICY: If the event is cancelled or postponed by RASBJ, all registrants will receive refunds in full. Registrants wishing to cancel for their own reasons will be refunded if cancellation is received via email to communications@rasbj.org by November 20, so that your place can be offered to those on the waiting list.