Western Sandpiper, ヒメハマシギ

I had hoped for an Asian Dowitcher, but got a Westerling instead. The distance was actually too big for my small lens, but I tried anyway. A LIFER, that's why

Western Sandpiper, ヒメハマシギ to the left of the Red-necked Stints

Equally far, Broad-billed Sandpiper, キリアイ

Flying by, Spotted Redshank, ツルシギ

The rest of the time I spent watching the pretty/ugly Turnstones that were running up and down in groups. 10 or 20 birds!

Ruddy Turnstone, キョジウジョウシギ

The tide is rolling in. Time to move in with the Sandpipers and Whimbrels

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, ウズラシギ

Saga part 2: Godwits and some more

 Continued from previous post, a super high tide day at the Ariake Sea in Saga

Grey Plovers, ダイセン at Higashiyoka

Half mesmerized by the Spotted Greenshank, I stole some glimpses of the nearby Godwits, as they were arguing constantly. Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ

Black-tailed Godwit, オグロシギ flew by as well. Just a few.

Also just a few: Long-billed Dowitcher, オオハシシギ

Broad-billed Sandpiper, キリアイ

More is comimg! To be continued

Autumn visit to Saga 1

On September 7 I got up early and left home around 4am. When I arrived at the mudflats of the Ariake Sea the sun was up, but the birds were still far. The tide was rolling in slowly. Big birds came in my field of vision. Starting with the Spoonbills. 

Black-faced Spoonbill, クロツラヘラサギ

One of the rarest bird species in the world, yet often over-looked by photographers in Kyushu

Curlews, mostly Far Eastern, and Bar-tailed Godwits, ホオロクシギ、オオソリハシシギ

Ready to fly?

Go!

 The シジメンソウ, Suaeda Japonica has extended all along the shoreline and has become rather tall. I could not see any of the small birds behind. When the water is at its highest level, small birds leave the mudflat and come to rest on the shore. Time to have a better look.

Dunlins, ハマシギ

Among them a number of Ruddy Turnstones, キョウジョシギ

Stints and Plovers. トウネン、メダイチドリ、オオメダイチドリ

Several Broadbilled Sandpipers, キリアイ

Among the many Red-necked Stints, トウネン, somebody discovered one Little Stint, ヨーロッパトオネン

When the waterline withdraws, most birds leave. 

That's when we saw the 1 Nordmann's Greenshank, カラフトアオアシシギ -  far away

Thank you for finding it, and your general support, Mr. H!

It was a pleasure meeting you, Dr. Mark Brazil!

In the meantime in the rice fields 2

The following day many stints were still there and among them a different bird

Red-necked Stint, トウネン

Broad-billed Sandpiper, キリアイ in the back

There were 5 or 6 Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ in a nearby field. Very popular with birders who are not too familiar with shorebirds in general

The Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ had moved on. All but 1 bird. Looking anxiously where to go.

Finally some birds

This month was cut in half by the typhoon. It was good. The weather became much nicer. Finally the humid hot days are over. The cool autumn breeze prevails. Skin problems are getting better. However today... it seems so hot again 💦 The migrating waders and shorebirds are coming and going. Locations are changing, when water-locked fields dry up or flow over with wild plants. Weeding is important. An abandoned place was cleaned up, so it's possible to walk there again. All right, but I'm missing out on some birds it seems...

A Eurasian Skylark, ヒバリ acting like a wader in a mostly dried up field. There was nobody else..

Around the corner just some resident birds.  

Great Egret, ダイサギ  Green Sandpiper, クサシギ

 and Common Sandpiper, イソシギ -  The latter being the smallest.

A few Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ chasing each other, looking for small snails?

Ahh! One is different. A Broad-billed Sandpiper, キリアイ

In the woods where the caterpillars live: Oriental Cuckoo, ツツドリ

A flock of Minivets stopped by.リュウキュウサンショクイ  Sanshokui

Japanese Pepper, サンショウ  Sansho. I ate it. It's spicy! I could still taste it after an hour.. My throat went piririii

The Red Spider Lilies started coming out, ヒガンバナ

The spectacular Ageha butterflies as well. カラスアゲハ, Chinese peacock butterfly (Karasu Ageha)

In the usual moth corner:  ユウマダラエダシャク, Yumadara Edashaku,

A warbler, but which one?

And that was before the typhoon