Ainoshima is a small island in the Genkai Sea, just north of Hakata Bay.
A small ferry from Shingu takes pedestrians only, just 5 or 6 times a day. The people in the small fishing village are very friendly and welcoming to visitors, mostly sports fishermen and some birders.
Its a good place to see migrators.
Friends asked me to go with them on a late March Tuesday afternoon after receiving a message about a European Hoopoe. These birds make short stop-overs to eat and rest on their journey north. They sport a set of tall headfeathers that they raise in an impressive comb when getting angry or excited. I had never seen that and was eager to come along.
However, the bird didn't reveil itself. There were lots of Kites, Redstarts and Yellow-throated Buntings frequenting the vege gardens and blossom trees around, but not much else. Too bad.
The next day Jaap had a job nearby and gave me a ride, so I returned to the island early in the morning. I waited and criss-crossed the west part of the island in the heat of the sun (in March!) for many hours. Finally the Hoopoe got hungry and went out for a feed and I got lucky.
八つガシラ、Eurasian Hoopoe
intruders! ホオジロはくセキレイ，Amur White Wagtail
no problem, nothing to get excited about and no reason to raise any headfeathers...
keeping an eye out, but generally feeding peacefully. 優しい
おいしいよ！
ミヤマホジロ，Yellow-throated Bunting
ジョオビタキ，Daurian Redstart (fem) in a peach tree
今日の勉強 優しい = yasashii
You can plan to go fishing, but you cannot plan to catch a fish
