Gulls.

Whenever I watch gulls in the harbor or at the rivers, I feel a pang of gilt that I don't pay more attention and learn about them. Distuinguishing adult birds is ok, as long as they are among the common species. Now I look at younger birds and look out for a different type. It's hard...

Mew Gulls, カモメ at Muromi River

Adult Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ

From left: Vega, Vega, セグロカモメ -  Black-tailed, ウミネコ - Black-headed, ユリカモメ - Mew Gull, カモメ

Recent birds in the West

Mid September held a few surprises. Number 1:

Male Brown Shrike, シマアカモズ　　2nd time this year

Chestnut-cheeked Starling, コムクドリ

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ among Black-browed Reed Warbler, コヨシキリ and Middendorff's Grasshopper Warblers, シマセンユウ the only bird I managed to capture 😆

Young Common Kingfisher, カワセミ

After 100s of Black-tailed Gulls, ウミネコ a flock of 60 noisy young Black Kites, トビ, lots of Great Egrets, ダイサギ and Cormorants, カワウ -  FINALLY the Black-headed Gulls, ユリカモメ came to our harbor.

2 Black-headed Gulls, ユリカモメ and 1 Black-tailed Gull, ウミネコ 1st winter

Looking forward to see you more often!

The kindergarten of Black Kites, トビ

End of an era

Last days of March, Stejneger's Stonechat, ノビタノビタキ

Whenever I'm not sure where to go I turn to Kanatake. Not that I expected much, but I like to see the seasonal changes. Guess my surprise to find these Stonechats!

Stejneger's Stonechat, ノビタノビタキ

2 Males that had just arrived were looking for insects beside the road. This won't last long, I realized. And indeed, after an hour I could not find them anymore.

Mr. Pheasant, キジ who had been calling a lot came running out of the bushes.

Looking for his ladies?

In the park on the hill a Grey-backed Thrush, カラアカハラ would not show itself... Too Bad!

Then I realized I had not taken any photos of White-eyes in the Cherry trees yet...

Was I too late?

Warbling White-eye, メジロ on Japanese Cherry blossom, さくら

Back at the harbor, Black-headed Gull, ユリカモメ

In the city park

I occasionally go to this park to look at ducks, get a close-up and just see what's there. The usual Black-headed Gulls, ユリカモメ were at their usual spot, flying along the bank and joining the ducks and pigeons that people like to feed. Suddenly they headed for the trees, all of them, and picked at some berries. I never thought gulls would do that, but why not? They probably taste good. One of the gulls had a band and a ring. The band number is clear, but the ring isn't. Would the people at Yamashina still be interested?

The Gadwall, オカヨシガモ is one of my favorite ducks. Look at the intricate pattern of feathers!

Coming so close I thought he would sit on my lap. Common Pochard, ホシハジロ

Just so y'all know which park we are at 😁

Close to home

 In the harbor the Sanderlings started to come in. They like to feed on the ramp of the boat yard at low tide. But only when there are no yard workers around

Sanderlings, ミユビシギ

Gulls come and go, but Mew Gulls, カモメ mostly stay around the big Muromi river

Black-headed Gulls, ユリカモメ still without their black heads. 

Blue Rock Trush, イソヒヨドリ on its favorite concrete wall.

Really prefers bricks, rocks, concrete etc. as a resting place. I wonder why