Tidal flats of Saga in February

 The time was a bit off. High tide at 11am is not very high and a little late for good lighting. Many images were back-lit. It's just a recording of what was there and of what I wanted to see.

Saunders's Gulls, ズグロカモメ in flight

mixed with Dunlins, ハマシギ

The 2 Oystercatchers, ミヤコドリ that stayed for the winter

Many Curlews, mostly Eurasian, ダイシャクシギ and a Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ

One Far-Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ on the right

The 2 smaller birds are Long-billed Dowitchers, オオハシシギ

Then there was a Red Knot, コオバシギ in winter plumage, among all the Grey Plovers, ダイセン

Another Godwit: Black-tailed, オグロシギ

Eurasian Spoonbills, ヘラシギ in the creek

The mudflats of the Ariake Sea

I come here mainly to watch the birds flying in swooping flocks, rising and plummeting, twisting and turning, in tune with their calls. It never stops amazing me. I could watch it for hours. My mind relaxes and the worries about the declining bird population at home ease up a bit. Nature will survive!

The 1st of April was a cloudy day. High tide was not very high, but good enough to see the birds close to shore. A little sunshine every now and then would have been nice... The Little Terns made up for that in a big way. In this post I show some of the other birds.

オオソリハシシギ · Bar-tailed Godwit

Red Knot,コオバシギ 

 Great Knot, オバシギ 

Eurasian Curlew, ダイシャクシギ 

They look odd, standing in a line like this. As if they are practicing for a marching parade

Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ 

Other birds were Grey Plovers, Dunlins, Green Shanks, Kentish Plovers, Lesser or Siberian Plovers, 

Vega Gulls, Saunders's Gulls, Red-necked Stints, and some more maybe.

Stonechats and some more seasonable birds

Tuesday, October 8th. The rain was supposed to clear in the afternoon, but that didn't happen. However, we set out in search of Stonechats. When we finally found them, they were far away and hardly came close. That is usually the case when birds have just arrived.

Black-browed Reed Warbler, コヨシキリ

Stonechat, ノビタキ  First of the season

In another field we found a Zitting Cisticola, セッカ with an insect. Is it still nesting?

On the way back, one young Whiskered Tern, クロハラアジサシ

A few days later, when the weather was clear and sunny the Stonechats, ノビタキ were still shy, but the urge to perch on a pole is strong

A little closer

In one of the 2 ponds a Northern Shoveler, ハシビロガモ was all by itself

The lonesome Tern, クロハラアジサシ was there as well, looking much nicer against the blue sky.

One Black-browed Reed Warbler, コヨシキリ flew by and briefly showed itself.

And later just one Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ could be seen in one of the rice paddies.

Many single birds today. I feel sorry for them

The last 2 photos are from October 6th. A Great Knot, オバシギ and a Red Knot, コオバシギ on the concrete wall at high tide. 

Left the Red Knot, コオバシギ       Right the Great Knot, オバシギ

Left the Great Knot, オバシギ       Right the Red Knot, コオバシギ

Shigichi in Imazu 2

At the mudflats some Red Shanks hang out with the Terek Sandpipers, a Knot or 2 as well and a few Curlews. 

It's hard to see, but among the 10＋Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ there are 2 Common Redshanks, アカアシシギ on the right. In front of these is 1 Knot, the Red Knot, コオバシギ. 3 birds further to the left is the Great Knot, オバシギ

At the same time: 2 Far-Eastern Curlews, ホオロクシギ

Despite the typhoon in the beginning of this month some Garganeys, シマアジ are still around - as on September 10th. They are easily recognized by their size. All the other ducks, Spot-billed, Mallards and hybrids of some sorts are much bigger.

The Falcon is out!..

Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

... Lie low! Red-necked Stint,トウネン

... Lie low! Terek Sandpiper, ソリハシシギ