Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ

It's a funny place, this little pond far from the sea. I wonder what makes it so attractive to the birds. This winter's special guest: A single goose just a bit bigger than the resident ducks. When fast asleep they all look the same.

Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ

7 Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ enjoying the warm sunshine. Just like me.

A couple of Common Kingfishers カワセミ flew by. The female disappeared soon, but the male stayed and demonstrated his flying skills

Part of the wing feathers are missing, but it doesn't bother him.

5 kinds of Geese and some more

The weather was too good to go home. We did another D-tour, this time via Saga. A family of 4 Swans was floating in the middle of the lake - sleeping. We drove around and returned later to find the Geese there. 

Who is who?

From left: 3 Lesser White-fronted Geese, カリガニ 　and a juvenile Greater White-fronted Goose, マガン

From left: Tundra Bean Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose

左から: ヒシクイ、オオヒシクイ、マガン

From left: Swan Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Tundra Bean Goose

左から:  サカツラガン、オオヒシクイ、ヒシクイ

2 Oriental Storks, コウノトリ flew in from the west, resting briefly on the poles near their nesting site.

Siberian Weasel, チョウセンイタチ 

Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ overwintering in Kyushu, has learned to deal with the nets

Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ

I drove to the south and I finally got to see the Lesser White-fronted Geese,  カリガネ up close. 3 birds were resting among other geese on the side of the lake. It was early in the morning and the low sun was right in front of me, behind the birds

After a while I got more favorable light, but still...

Found a better point.

I could watch their cute faces all day long

Other geese around them included Tundra Bean Goose, ヒシクイ

and Greater White-fronted Goose, マガン

鹿児島県出水 part 6: At the pond, Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ and many more

Continued from part 5

There were 7 geese hanging out between the pond and the seawall. Their heads would pop out above the weeds, so I could see there whereabouts but not much else. Just once they flew up and landed in the pond. Still too far for details, but I could make out 5 Taiga Bean Geese, オオヒシクイ; 1 Greater White-fronted Goose, マガン and 1 Lesser White-fronted Goose. カリガネ. First the scenery

Buff-bellied Pipit, タヒバリ

At the pond in the east: 2 of the Geese, the Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ on the left

From the left: Lesser White-fronted Goose. カリガネ;  Greater White-fronted Goose, マガン and Taiga Bean Geese, オオヒシクイ;

The smallest, the cutest: Lesser White-fronted Goose. カリガネ

Other birds in the pond included Black-faced Spoonbill, クロツラヘラサギ and Eurasian Spoonbill, ヘラサギ

Several Common Shelducks, ツクシガモ

And one single Pied Avocet, ソリハシセイタカシギ

Nostalgia; remembering my home country. Barnacle Geese in The Netherlands

Greylag Geese

Domestic Geese

Watchdog geese 😆

Back to Japan - Izumi in the morning

Lesser White-fronted Goose, カリガネ

All by itself, it seems to be moving around a lot. Looking for company? Where will it go next?

Not really happy among the Wigeons, ヒドリガモ? It left after a few minutes.

Common Starling, ホシムクドリ 1 of just 2 birds. Will we get some more this winter?

Northern Lapwing, タゲリ

In the Netherlands, when someone walks steady and fast we say he "loopt als een kievit", which translates to "walks like a lapwing"

Hooray for Japanese cabbages. They taste the best!