My friend told me about the birds on the beach right in front of her house. I picked up another friend and we checked them out. My first friend played the song and my other friend knows the lyrics.
🎶 Hamachidori 🎶
But I'm not Japanese and I can only hum along. To me they are just Kentish Plovers, シロチドリ and Dunlins, ハマシギ. But I'm very happy to have friends.
Returning a few days later to see them with sufficient daylight. At their roosting site of a few days ago I found a lot of activity. 10+ Common Mergansers seemed to be having a party. It such a distance it was impossible to distinguish any of them. By the end of the morning they started leaving and this pair came to settle down in their corner.
A crowd of curious Little Grebes, カイツブリ came to watch them
Arriving at the location around midday there were no Mergansers to be seen. We had to wait a few hours for them to wake up. But then... they came flying! The light was low and settings had to be adjusted all the time. However, I got some results that I can show:
It's windy and cold. Very cold. I'm sitting on the beach, watching the wild waves. Nobody is here. No people, no dogs, not even crows. Just a wagtail. It:s good to be out here again after 4 days inside.
There are ducks behind the surf. Near and far. Greater Scaup, スズガモ; a few hundred I think.
And ホシハジロ, Common Pochard; also a few hundred, mostly asleep
Who is that there in the back?
Difficult, where are you?
In the far corner are some other ducks, braving the cold waves.
Northern Pintails, オナガガモ
Ah, there is one - in the harbor. Great Crested Grebe, カンムリカイツブリ Very few of these this year
Will I ever see your summer dress again?
