Oriental Storks, コウノトリ

There were 4 Oriental Storks, コウノトリ around the breeding site in Saga when I went there on October 20th. I didn't realize they had not been seen there for a while. Are they the family that nested here?

Windy feathers

Parent and child?

Trying to chase them off was a Peregrine, ハヤブサ... without much success

Saga 2, The Lotus fields

After the salty and muddy encounters at the coast, I needed some fresh water with a bit of green. Most waders had left, I could not see the Pectoral Sandpiper, nor the Temminck's Stint. What was still left?

A few Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, ウズラシギ

And Red-necked Stints, トウネン

Portrait of a fearless Stint, トウネン

A few Dunlins, ハマシギ were there as well

And lucky! A Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ

And that was it...

Saga 1, Higashiyoka

One day in October I drove to Higashiyoka. It was after the monthly spring tide. The water didn't rise as much as the previous days, but the birds came close enough. The fun is not so much in taking beautiful pictures, but in trying to identify the wings. 

First the easy ones: Grey Plover, ダイセン . There are many, in various stages of summer - winter plumage. I love their big eyes

In flight

Next the Great Knots, オバシギ

There are Red Knots, コオバシギ among the Great Knots, オバシギ. Which one is which? I have an idea, but I'm not confident enough to point them out.

Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ

Long-billed Dowitcher, オオハシシギ

Common Redshank, アカアシシギ

And a Spotted Redshank, ツルシギ way out. It was running very fast with some Greenshanks

Curlews, Far-Eastern, ホオロクシギ in front, 1 Eurasian, ダイシャクシギ behind

Eurasian Curlew, ダイシャクシギ in the middle

Waders in the west

October has come to an end. Time flies when the weather is fine and walking around the fields is comfortable. The latest waders in the west include 2 Spotted Redshank, ツルシギ. It is nice to see them in the river among green water plants.

A couple of days later, 7 Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ and a few Greenshanks, アオアシシギ

A Black-faced Spoonbill, クロツラヘラサギ was there as well.

At the mudflats, a fair number was sleeping on the island (as usual)

2 of them were out for a stroll. I could see their pre orbital patch

I was told that the Eurasian Coot, オオバン was not a common sight in the past and people traveled from other parts of the country to Imazu to see them. Unbelievable

Most rice paddies are dry and the rice has been harvested. Here 3 Dunlins, ハマシギ are resting in one of the few left-over fields

Common Snipes, タシギ gather at various locations.

At sea

On the way to Oro again. I didn't expect to see Boobies yet. But 4 or 5 were flying near the Bay.

Brown Booby, カツオドリ

Suddenly a big flock rose from behind Genkaishima. At least 200 birds, as I could see. Part of the flock was obscured by rocks, so there were probably more.

I had never seen such a big flock of Boobies before

The usual Streaked Shearwaters, オオミズナギドリ were there, but this photo was taken from Shikanoshima, on an earlier day