Smew, ミコアイサ

Just one bird this time. No other male, no female in sight. Have they left us already?

Black Scoters, クロガモ

The wind had been strong on the previous days, so though the horizon seemed flat, the surf was high and big rollers were breaking around the reef. A flock of 70 - 80 birds were bobbing up 'n down about 150m out. They moved back and forth, often in a tight pack, staying clear of the rough seas most of the time, though there was the occasional surprise. No worries, Scoters can handle that.

The closest I came to a close-up of an adult male

Other birds included 2 Black-throated Loons, オオハム and 7 female Red-breasted Mergansers, ウミアイサ 

Vega Gull, セグロカモメ; Black-tailed Gull, ウミネコ and Red-breasted Merganser, ウミアイサ 

Visit to Saga 2; Great Grey Shrike, オオモズ

Later that day we managed to see the bird that we had come for. It was in a dried-up pond, full of wild rose bushes, chittering with the sound of many small birds. The big Shrike flies in for breakfast and dinner and after waiting around in the morning at the wrong location :-( we were happy to finally see it. The bird dove right into the pit and emerged with its prey, a Warbling White-eye. Then took its time to eat it in a nearby tree. It was close to 6pm, nearly dark. Below some images

Various buntings in the dried-up pond included Rustic Bunting, カシラダカ

Visit to Saga 1; European Golden Plover, ヨーロッパムナグロ

The scene at the mudflats during low tide. All birds so far away from us. 2 determined birders from Osaka managed to locate the rare European Golden Plover with their scopes. I would never have found it by myself.

Between the Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ and the Common Shelduck,  ツクシガモ is the European Golden Plover, ヨーロッパムナグロ - sleeping soundly.

Waking up, trying a few steps

But staying around the same puddle - far away

Many Saunders's Gulls, ズグロカモメ; their heads turning black for summer plumage

At another field nearby: Female Merlin, コチョウゲンボウ

Winter in Kyushu

The weather is strange this year. (Don't we always say this - every year?) In Fukuoka we haven't seen any snow except for 1 day in February, but that day it was wet, sleet as we say in English. It didn't stay and the mountains didn't turn white. When frost was forecasted we headed to the mountains in central Kyushu, but even there the scenery was disappointing. The ground was cold, we could see hair ice, but that was all.

We turned to a park with steaming hot volcanic pools. No ice here of coarse. We opted for a boiled egg brunch.

A final walk in Choojabaru

Not yet in bloom, but already colorful: Japanese Andromeda, アセビ

Ligularia Japonica (aka Chinese Dragon), ハンカイソウ

Eurasian Jay, カケス

Varied Tit, ヤマガラ