Curlews on a mission バッタの食べ放題!

When 4 Far Eastern Curlews, ホウロクシギ landed in a farm field I waited for them to come closer. They seemed very hungry. Just got in after a long flight maybe. Hoppers were on the menu and the got their fill!

They were too busy to pay much attention to me

October birds 1

The migration of waders coincides with the raptors and one usually gets left out: the raptors. Every year I tell myself to go to the mountains and see them off, but somehow it doesn't happen. I prefer the soft fluffiness of smaller birds I guess. However, the very day I did take that step and went to Kagamiyama there was not much wind and there were no birds to speak of. I was just a little disappointed. And more for my fellow birder then myself. On the way back we took a mountain route and T spotted a Grey-faced Buzzard, サシバ in a tree. よかった!

 Grey-faced Buzzard, サシバ

We stopped briefly at the usual locations and payed our respect to our Long-tailed Shrike, タカサゴモズ who looked pretty good that day

A few days later the weather got bad. It rained days on end and I couldn't go out in the weekend That always makes me kind of restless, so during a short break I went for a short visit. The fields that had been near dry had filled up again and some Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ were taking advantage of it.

Common Greenshank, アオアシシギ

Despite the strong wind Siberian Stonechats, ノビタキ were quite active, but the sweeping movement of the grasses made it hard to take photos.

October

A new month, new sightings

At the usual field a Red-necked Phalarope, アカエリヒレアシシギ had arrived.

  

A little bit of red still visible on the throat

A Temminck's Stint, オジロトウネン popped out of a bushy corner

At that moment a small flock of  Siberian Stonechats, ノビタキ stopped by.

Last days of September

Early morning i stopped at the river to check on a Striated Heron, ササゴイ that Mr. C had told me about. I could see it from afar and decided to come back for a better view sometime.

Common Kingfisher, カワセミ scenery

In the forest things had changed a bit. 2 Weeks before there had been all those pretty red flowers.  That was nice, but the Sakura trees were trembling and alive with clusters of ケムシ hairy caterpillars. Yuck! The rattling sound and vibration were rather unsettling. there were so many that their droppings were falling like dirty rain.

 

気持ち悪い　Creepy!

Now there were hardly any leaves left on the trees. No cuckoos were seen or heard. A Green Woodpecker took off before I could take its photo - as usual. But about 6 Grey Streaked Flycatchers, エゾビタキ were doing their flight thing, diving to catch insects in flight, returning to their post from where they could see it all, seemingly having a great time.

September waders 2

Closer to home about 80 Stint came to feed on a sandy beach. A nice change from all those grey and muddy images! Red-necked Stints, トウネン

Again no strangers from Europe or the like, but there was this one with a tag. I reported it to the Institute for Ornithology in Yamashina and was told the bird got flagged 2 weeks before in Watari-cho in Miyage-ken.

Snipes are also returning in groups. The harder I look for all the different markings, the more I get confused. but I guess these are all Common Snipes. 

Back to the mu: Another small wader, Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ 

And one single Common Greenshank, アオアシシギ  correction: (Thank you, T!) Marsh Sandpiper, コアオアシシギ

Goodnight.