After the typhoon

 The typhoon nr 10 arrived on August 29th and it was the 31st that I went to Imazu to see migrating shorebirds etc. It was the first time in a few weeks and I had no idea where the potential fields were. At first, I could not find much, but in Taromaru it got better.

There was a Redshank on the concrete bank across the river. Too far to see clearly, but I guess it's a Common Redshank, アカアシシギ among 4 juvenile Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ

2 Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ in one field

2 Yellow Wagtails, ツメナガセキレイ in another field. Also far away and by now the sun stood high and the light was too harsh...

Lots of Little Ringed Plovers, コチドリ were more or less everywhere. One looked different and had the birders confused for a while. Until Mr. C. found out what it was.

Long-billed Plover, イカルチドリ

Still at this old place, 4 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, ウズラシギ

And a few Red-necked Stints. トウネン. All juveniles I think.

At the last field 4 more BW Stilts, セイタカシギ

There was so much water in the rice paddies. The Stilts had no legs 😂

Isahaya 2, small birds

It was cold. There was still snow in the fields. The first day the wind was too strong to look for small birds, but after that the sun broke through andthat  warmed us all up.

Northern Lapwing, タゲリ in the last bit of snow patches

I stopped at a field filled with heaps of dung. The sun brought out many small flies. A flock of Common Starlings, ホシムクドリ landed right in front of me

They sure love to argue!

Other small birds appeared as well. Many Buff-bellied Pipits and White Wagtails. Also 3 Yellow Wagtails, ツメナガセキレイ 1 with lots of yellow coloring, which made it easy to keep track

Buff-bellied Pipit, タヒバリ

Common Starlings, ホシムクドリ

Birding the 9th of the 9th in 90% rain

The rain didn't stop me from going out, though I changed my planned route. The mountains would be too dark plus I didn't want to walk much and get too wet with my 300 mm lens. So I returned to last week's location to see what was happening. Most of the birds were still there. But now I got to see the Long-toed Stints, ヒバリシギ a bit closer by. I stopped the car on the road leading to the farm. It was still before 7:30 am and it took only a few minutes, but the owner got angry and I had to make multiple excuses...

Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ

One of the Ruffs, エリマキシギ briefly stepped out

The group of Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ　had crossed the road to another field

At the water-logged field a few 100 m away a very fast moving small bird got my attention.

A migrating Yellow Wagtail, ツメナガセキレイ . I wonder, is this bird already in winter plumage or is it a young bird just born this year? 

Smaller then the White Wagtail, ハクセキレイ

Our single juvenile Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ 幼鳥 of last week left the protection of the high weeds for a moment and a Japanese Bush Warbler, ウグイス dropped by to take a peek

So many Common Snipes, タシギ around, are they increasing?

Where are the other Snipes?

And suddenly another pair of red legs landed in this field. Finally our baby Stilt got company!

Not that I noticed any reaction, but I felt happy for her.

Adult Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ成鳥

Last there was another Oriental Pratincole, ツバメチドリ the plover that looks like a huge swallow in flight. This time an adult in winter feathers. Lucky!

The 1st day of May, Meeting of Japanese Wild Bird Society in Imazu, 今津探鳥会 2

Early morning start, Cattle Egret, アマサギ 

 Still present, but not for long: Common Teal, コガモ

Cropped to the very limits and still not visible: Yellow Wagtail, ツメナガセキレイ

I better put a better image in here: Taken in Hong Kong, November 2014 subsp taivana

I think our Imazu visitor was a different subspecies, maybe macronyx

We had been on the look out for a Chinese Pond Heron, アカガシラサギ and couldn't find it. I went back after the meeting and there it was.

Although I was at the far end of the field it watched me closely and didn't appreciate me being there. So:

It chose a better spot. For just a few minutes. Then...

I better add some from that trip to Hong Kong again:

3 Different birds, all seen on the same day in the same small farming area north of the city AND at the very same field as the Yellow Wagtail. Would they like to travel together?