October birds 1

The migration of waders coincides with the raptors and one usually gets left out: the raptors. Every year I tell myself to go to the mountains and see them off, but somehow it doesn't happen. I prefer the soft fluffiness of smaller birds I guess. However, the very day I did take that step and went to Kagamiyama there was not much wind and there were no birds to speak of. I was just a little disappointed. And more for my fellow birder then myself. On the way back we took a mountain route and T spotted a Grey-faced Buzzard, サシバ in a tree. よかった!

 Grey-faced Buzzard, サシバ

We stopped briefly at the usual locations and payed our respect to our Long-tailed Shrike, タカサゴモズ who looked pretty good that day

A few days later the weather got bad. It rained days on end and I couldn't go out in the weekend That always makes me kind of restless, so during a short break I went for a short visit. The fields that had been near dry had filled up again and some Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ were taking advantage of it.

Common Greenshank, アオアシシギ

Despite the strong wind Siberian Stonechats, ノビタキ were quite active, but the sweeping movement of the grasses made it hard to take photos.