Saga part 1: Nordmann's Greenshank, カラフトアオアシシギ

 The day of the highest tide was Wednesday, October 8th. The weather forecast was cloudy, which is good in many ways, but the color of the water becomes so dull. Migrators in October are mostly in winter plumage, also not very colorful. When my TC broke down my mood was also rather grey. However, I got excited by the good views of waders who came to stop on the stones below the seawall, where we were all lined up with our scopes and cameras. Already 2 hours before high tide, birds started coming in from the mudflats. There were thousands of Grey Plovers, ダイセン and Dunlins, ハマシギ. Also many Great Knots, オバシギ and probably some Red Knots, but I didn't look for them. The reason was the Nordmann's Greenshank, カラフトアオアシシギ, who was giving us perfect views. The star of the day!

The view at 8:30 am, 1 and a half hour before high tide.

Below the first of 2 or 3 Nordmann's Greenshanks, カラフトアオアシシギ perched on the fence

A little later, another one among Grey Plovers, ダイセン

Bar-tailed Godwits, オオソリハシシギ coming close

Ah, time to fly

After that, a beautiful bird taking possession of a slab, right in front of me.

The bird looked white, with a nearly spotless breast and beautiful yellow legs

Defending its possy

Nibbling at something edible?

It was wonderful to watch this rare bird up close for 30 minutes

Other birds that we found in the huge crowd:

1 Pacific Golden Plover, ムナグロ

A juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, ウズラシギ

A flagged Grey Plover, ダイセン

To be continued

Early September update

 On the 6th I went to check on the fields again. Most birds were gone. Just 2 Stilts where there were 10 of them 2 days before. But some small waders were lurking at the back.

Black-winged Stilts, セイタカシギ

What are you looking at?

A Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ and....

Looks like a Terek Sandpiper, ソリハシシギ

The Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ  again

1 Dunlin, ハマシギ was there as well.

At another field the Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ were still there.

Plains Cupid, クロマダラソテツシジミ

Migrants in the west, part 2

It's midday now, September 3rd. I'm driving back from Itoshima to Imazu. The fields glitter in the bright sun shine. I should not take any photos anymore. But I finally meet some waders.

In just a second, before they all scutter to the back. No time to adjust camera settings.

A Dunlin, ハマシギ, Red-necked Stints,トウネン and a Common Snipe, タシギ

 2 Briefly appeared again

At the far side: 2 Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ. I cannot get close to them

Coincidence 😅

At the river bank, thousands of crabs, laughing at 2 Common Greenshanks, アオアシシギ

Grey-tailed Tattler,キアシシギ

The flock of Golden Plovers returned

Pacific Golden Plover, ムナグロ

And... my first ducks of the season:

Common Teal, ホシハジロ  and Tufted Duck, キンクロハジロ  Greater Scaup, スズガモ

But actually at least one them was here the whole summer...

At last a field with 10 Black-winged Stilts,セイタカシギ. I was worried, but they are here!

2 Bar-tailed Godwits, オオソリハシシギ joined the party.

More later

Autumn 2025

August 20th, We just came back to Fukuoka, after a break from the heat in the cooler mountains up north. The atmosphere has changed. The days are still hot and muggy, but mornings are a bit cooler and the occasional thunder and rain shower in the afternoon make life in the city more bearable. Autumn has come. A short ride through the fields in the west produced a few migrants. 

Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ. Just one bird in the field.

2 Wood Sandpipers, タカブシギ appeared after a few minutes

At another field some Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ and one more Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギwere feeding together. At ease, but a bit skitterish.

huddling together - sensing danger?

A little down the road some Greensanks, アオアシシギ. 

Then there were about 10 Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ in a dry field, that matches their plumage so well, they can easily be overlooked.

After the summer we can see you big eyes again. So pretty. 

Fluffy Gold

You look much better with a green background!

In the meantime in the rice fields 1

After the rain on September 21st, lots of small birds had come to the west. The rice fields that were drying out contained a bit of water again, though it didn'tlast long...

I spent some time with the Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ because I had missed them earlier in the season. 

Many Stints were scuttering among them, but the grass made them hard to see.

Another bird there, Long-toed Stint, ヒバリシギ?

Red-necked Stint, トウネン

Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ

Common Snipe, タシギ

Seen from the bridge: 3 Great Knots, オバシギ and a Terek Sandpiper, ソリハシシギ