Imazu again

Garganey, シマアジ revenge

Common Snipe, タシギ

Imazu's 2 Amur White Wagtails, ホオジロハクセキレイ

Back home in the harbor: a Vega Gull with yellow legs. Is it Mongolian?

Imazu on March 25th

I have been looking forward to this season so much! Full of anticipation I arrived in Imazu, but I hadn't expected this: A Raccoon dog wandering on the road. タヌキ (Tanuki)

Then there were the Common Starlings, ホシムクドリ 2 birds.

Further west we found this Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ all by himself in a dry field.

Together with T we were hoping to get a glance of the Meadow Pipit. I thought we had a fair chance, having some extra young eyes to assist in the search, but no luck.

Red-throated Pipit, ムネアカタヒバリ

Back at the pond there was 1 Garganey, シマアジ fast asleep.

In the bay, right in front of town: Great Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ about 100, all in summer plumage now.

3rd week of March, Imazu

Cruising the fields, I:m hoping to see some migrators. The place where I could expect some is quiet. A Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ is perched right in front of me. He hardly moves, but when I briefly turn my head he disappears...

A few minutes later another raptor flies in, a Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ I think it's the young female.

2 White wagtails, are they M.a. leucopsis, ホオジロ ハクセキレイ? They don't have the eye line, but everything else tells me they are just the common M.a. lugens, ハクセキレイ

A bit jealous of the wagtails getting all the attention? 

Perched in the onions is Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

And another one nearby

There were very few snipes this winter, I was happy to see these 2!

Common Snipe, タシギ

Mountain area

Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ

In the beginning of March the water level in the dam lake is so low, the shores are barren and the ducks huddle against the stones. Despite the bright color of the male they do blend in somehow.

I hoped for a closer look of the 2 Crested Kingfishers, ヤマセミ but got only 1 from afar.

A loud singing Varied Tit, ヤマガラ was not concerned about my presence and went busily about his business.

We really surprised each other, when after a bend in the trail I stood eye to eye with this majestic

Osprey, ミサゴ

スミレ (Sumire) Viola mandshurica - Japanese Violets, 

シャシャンボ, (Shashanbo), Vaccinium bracteatum - Sea bilberry

キブシ  (Kibushi), Stachyurus praecox 

ツクシ (Tsukushi), Equisetum arvense - Field horsetail - edible

フキ, (Fuki), Petasites japonicus - Giant butterbur  - edible

First waders of this year

After 2 weeks of changeable weather with lots of wind from the north and the south and several rainy days waders were bound to be on the move, so I went in search to the fields.

Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ and sleeping Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ , 1 of 2

  Far-Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ  with Mew Gull, カモメ

One more  Far-Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ  with Common Shelduck, ツクシガモ 

(Did not want to wake up)

Mew Gull, カモメ with Great Cormorant, カワウ

1 Spotted Redshank, ツルシギ

with about 20 Little Ringed Plovers, コチドリ

Here also a Little Ringed Plover, コチドリ. Just 1

1 Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ

Great Crested Grebe, カンムリカイツブリ in summer plumage 夏羽