Yokoshima Kantaku

A great, sunny Sunday with fellow-birders in Kumamoto.
We waited, but didn't see the yamasemi. Then drove down-river to the Yokoshima Kantaku.
Again, not what we had hoped to find, but you can't have it all. Still some pix.

Flock of Bramblings,  アトリ

Peregrine Falcon,  ハヤブサ

Earasian Kestrel,  チョウゲンボウ

Russet Sparrow,  ニュウナイスズメ

female                                                                     male

 

Common Starling,  ホシムクドリ

White-naped Crane,  マナヅル

Northern Lapwing,  タゲリ

今日の勉強 　干拓  ,  kantaku  land reclamation

Kagoshima 2

In the park where we camped for 2 nights, downtown Ibusuki

Olive-backed Pipit,  ビンズイ

Blue Rock Thrush,  イソヒヨドリ

 

Daurian Redstart, male  ジョウビタキ, 

After a very wet, windy and cold marathon, but a warm party we packed up to drive back via Kasasa, where we searched for hours and finally found, thanks to old friend Yoshie-san, the ooievaar

Oriental Stork,  コウノトリ

Feathers dancing in the wind; under-exposed 2 stops, but still washed out

Confrontation with a Grey Heron

Who is the boss?

Oops, another intruder

"'Playing"' with a wagtail

Time to move on

For us too. Except for one last stop near Sendai, to see the ever so shy and distant Mandarin Ducks.

Mandarin Ducks,  オシドリ

all swimming to the right

and to the left; but never coming any closer

Oh, one got side-tracked

Kagoshima 1, Visitors from China

Every year in January we drive south to Kagoshima pref. Jaap runs the Nanohana marathon and I come along to cheer the runners and watch the wings. We took the opportunity in nearby Makurasaki and Kasasa to see some uncommon visitors, like the Chinese Grey Shrike. It took some time and many u-turns to find the right field, but once there we didn't have to search.

Chinese Grey Shrike, オオカラモズ

 

There were many other birds around, I would have loved to stay there a whole day.

A flock of Oriental Greenfinches

We moved on to Makurazaki, where quite a number of photographers were waiting to see a Red Wing, a kind of Thrush that is similar to the Dusky Thrush and Song Thrush and prefers cold climates. 

Redwing, ワキアカツグミ

   

The Redwing didn't seem much disturbed by all the attention it got from weekend-birders who surrounded it's feeding spot. Other thrushes were not so happy with its presence and a Dusky Thrush was known to fight it. However, we didn't get to see that show. Thanks to the crowd? 

Also in Makurasaki: Pacific Reef Egret,  クロサギ

 Chased by a Black-eared Kite, トビ

Rook, ミヤマカラス

Uso, it's not a lie

Last week I finally got  a chance to photograph the Bullfinches. Their name in Japanese is uso, which is also the word for lie. But these birds don't lie, they are very real.

Grey-bellied Bullfinch, fem  ウソ 

                                                      Red-flanked Bluetail, female type  ルリビタキ雌タイプ   

         Yellow-throated Bunting, male  ミヤマホオジロ

Long-tailed Rosefinch, male  ベニマシコ

A day later: Grey-bellied Bullfinch, male  ウソ 

male and female

They love the young flower buds of the Japanese Sakura. With a flock of 20 birds hanging around I wonder if we will we get any blossom this spring...

one last female

今日の勉強 　嘘 = うそ,  a lie