Higashiyoka, March 21

Arriving early is good. On March 21st is was essential. The birds that start flying when the tide runs in, and usually return to find a place to rest closer to the shore line, well, they didn't come back... All birds' pictures are either on the mud or at a distance.

Long-billed Dowitchers, オオハシシギ and Grey Plovers, ダイセン

Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ in front of the Spoonbills, who will feature in the next post.

Back-lit

Common Ringed Plover, ハジロコチドリ 

Only got to see a few Stints. This one seemed to be a Little Stint, ヨーロッパトウネン

With Saunders's Gulls, ズグロカモメ

Longer legs, different posture and way of feeding. A little more contrast...

Now, who is who?

Many Saunders's Gulls, ズグロカモメ were sporting black heads.

2 Flagged Dunlins, ハマシギ . Here is one:

Great Knot, オバシギ. Just one. But it's a start

Flying Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ

Eurasian Curlews, ダイシャクシギ

Look at the Spoonbills next!

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!

4 Stints: Little, Temminck's, Red-necked and Long-toed

 What a lucky day, seeing 4 kinds of Stints in one place!

Little Stint, ヨーロッパトウネン

A 2nd Little Stint, ヨーロッパトウネン in front of Red-necked Stint,トウネン???

Temminck's Stint, オジロトウネン

Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ

Red-necked Stint, トウネン

 Female Ruff, エリマキシギ

Ruff, Dunlin and Red-necked Stint

Just 1 single Dunlin, ハマシギ

At the far end 3 of the 5 Common Snipes, タシギ

East Siberian White Wagtail, タイワンハクセキレイ (M.a.ocularis)

Same bird?

Great Reed Warbler, オオヨシキリ among the  Eurasian Tree Sparrows, スズメ

Little Stint, ヨーロッパトウネン 2

A few days after the first sighting, still around. Tried to get some better images, but had to wait so long for the bird to come closer, the light was too bright again

Little Stint, ヨーロッパトウネン

Every year 1 or 2 birds stop by, but we hardly ever get the chance to see them up close. This was aslo at the far end of the field, but the bird stood out a bit from the other (Red-necked) Stiints and was easier to distinguish