Autumn visit to Saga 2

After a coffee break we moved south west to the Lotus fields and ricefields. Not many fields were suitable for waders, but we found a few.

One field held about 7 Ruffs, エリマキシギ male and female.

Nearby was an unkempt Lotusfield with some Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, ウズラシギ

A Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ

Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ

Temminck's Stint, オジロトウネン

The Stilts had moved to the lake. Was there no place for them in the fields anymore?

Would the lines that are stretched across the fields and the netting have anything to do with it?

Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ

Just before we left, a Goshawk, オオタカ crossed our path.

Lucky!

Oriental Honey Buzzard, ハチクマ

 A compilation of 2 days takami. On the first day on September the 23rd  about 400 birds flew in the morning. Mostly very far and up very high, I could not take any decent photos. The next time was on the 25th and several Honey Buzzards came by between 8 and 9 am. Yeah! I took my chances

Oriental Honey Buzzard, ハチクマ

For gender I look at the tail bands and the trailing edge to the wing.

 The bird below seems to be a male

This one female

 Same female

Is this a female? A juvenile bird?

Male above, female below

Here comes a male

Another bird, also male

This is clear. 2 Prominent tail bands and a dark trailing edge of the wing: A male

Please notify me in case I made any mistakes. I really would appreciate that. 🙏

Other raptors that we saw: Peregrine Flacon, ハヤブサ

Eurasian Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ

Northern Goshawk, オオタカ chased by a crow

There were many people on the observation platform on the national holiday and it was rather hot. I had a problem with my monopod and could not use it, but somebody kindly lend me one. 

It was nice to see other birders again.

Raptors around Imazu

The season has come. Hawks are flying high, Buzzards and Harriers are here, too. Below just a small collection

Northern Goshawk, オオタカ

Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

Comes to the 2 ponds regularly, where it gets chased away by the Magpies a lot

My favorite, a young male Eurasian Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

female Eurasian Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

The female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ flying low and very fast - hard to capture!

Osprey, ミサゴ One of many hunting around the river

Imazu update

Sunday the 7th was the WBSJ meeting. I had other commitments later that morning, but briefly dropped by to say hello. Before that I walked my usual route around the fields and the 2 ponds. 6 Chestnut-eared Buntings and 2 Stonechats were active before 9am. Reed Buntings and Pendulin Tits could be heard. The ponds however held very few ducks. Signs of a raptor nearby?

I found a Hawk perched low in a field about 25m from the road. I watched it for a few minutes, until it flew... right in front of me. At 2m distance the bird slid sideways in a small bush, too small to cover the wings. I didn't move and watched it for another 5 min. Then it left, flying low over the ground, passed some more bushes, out of sight. With the help of a veteran birder it could be identified as a young male Goshawk. However. someone else now says it is a Sparrowhawk. I don't know. It was a fairly big bird. bigger than the regular Sparrowhawk I often see I think... I'll call it just a hawk.

It flew up, trying for a small bird, missed it and landed 2m in front of me on the other side of the ditch.

It stayed until some people with a dog walked by. 

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホアカ - 1 of 5 birds

Stejneger's Stonechat, ノビタキ 1 of 2 birds