対馬、Tsushima 1

Tsushima Island is located halfway between Korea and Kyushu. Birding friends had organized a long weekend there and 6 of us left Thursday May 10th on the midnight ferry, arrived Friday early morning and spend 3 days driving around the island, looking for migrating birds that come to Japan in summer or stop for a feed and a rest at the island on their way further north.

マミジロツメナガセキレイ, Yellow Wagtail M f Simillima

The fields around Naiin, a small farming community in the south of Tsushima

ツバメ, Barn Swallow

The swallows had arrived and were busy building nests.

 Giving us a demonstration on how to do a proper job

Find a suitable piece of dried grass and take it to the edge of the field.

Dip it in some soft mud till it's all sticky.

And fly it to that sheltered place under the roof of a nearby farm.

キマユホオジロ, Yellow-browed Bunting.

female with brown face

male's head is black

アカガシラサギ, Chinese Pond Heron   at Azamon

We drove to the very north after getting a message from locals that a Black-capped Kingfisher was seen near Sago. On the way Kotaro-san spotted this pheasant pair on a river bank

コライキジ, Common or Ring-necked Pheasant

Just as well, the Kingfisher at Sago never showed up...

対馬 Tsushima 2

In Sago, while waiting for the Black-capped Kingfisher Junko Minami spotted a Dollarbird, high up in a tree..

    ブッポウソウ, Dollarbird

A pretty female Narcissus Flycatcher (not as colorful as the male, but still nice) dropped by to check me out.

キビタキ, Narcissus Flycatcher

The next morning we received notice of yet another Black-capped Kingfisher in the north, so we drove up again, stopping occasionally at fields and forests, but didn't find anything special. Just a common (river) Kingfisher and some Grey-tailed Tattlers in a river somewhere in the wobwobs (forgot the name)

カワセミ, Common Kingfisher

キアシシギ, Grey-tailed Tattler

Back in the south we found the Yellow Wagtails still present and the Chinese Pond Heron doing us a huge favor by sitting quietly just by the side of the road.

 

マミジロツメナガセキレイ, Yellow Wagtail M f Simillima

アカガシラサギ, Chinese Pond Heron

対馬 Tsushima 3

On our 3rd day we decided to leave the northern hunting grounds for what they were. The 2,5 hour drive had become a bit much. The night before we waited for the Black-capped Kingfisher till after sunset, (missing out on our hot meal in the ryokan) and heard later that it had been watching us from behind....

ウミネコ, Black-tailed Gull  on the poles

A local came to meet us here at this pretty bay, where uncommon shrikes have been seen in other years. This time they were very much absent, but the Barn Swallows were showing their variation on nest building, using seaweed instead of grass.

ツバメ, Barn Swallow

Edible seawead like Nori and Wakame (no, not our cats!) are a big source of nutrition in Japan.

Scenes of Tsutsu in the south of Tsushima. 

   

The Pond Heron doing us a last favor. ありがと!

アカガシラサギ, Chinese Pond Heron

In the wooded area deeper inland we could hear the call of Japanese Paradise Flycatchers.

They seemed quite close, but stayed hidden.

When there are no birds, we look for other bits of wildlife

colors and shapes

  

Beehives everywhere. More hives than bees

  

Tiger Beetle

The ferry ride back to Fukuoka was very calm and the seas were mostly flat. Flocks of birds could be seen that looked like Phalaropes

アカエリヒレアシシ, Red-necked Phalarope ?

below オオミズナギドリ, Streaked Shearwater

Streaked Shearwater flew by on their way north, staying clear of the rainy season (?)

Murrelets were noticed, but with my lens they are mere black dots on a sheet of grey.

Tsushima is a beatiful place .I hope to go back.