October WBSJ meeting

 The 1st Sunday of the month, I went to Imazu for the WBSJ meeting. A flock of small ducks flew by. We found them in the river. The first Wigeons, ヒドリガモ of the season had arrived. With them were 6 Garganeys, シマアジ

During high tide on the concrete wall was 1 Common Redshank, アカアシシギ among the usual Greenshanks, アオアシシギ. A Godwit was there as well, but I didn't get it on the picture.

Way up high: seems to be a Kestrel. チョウゲンボウ

One Whimbrel, チュウシャクシギ patrolling a large sports field all by itself

In the afternoon I went back to the river and found 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, オオソリハシシギ

The Wigeons, ヒドリガモ were there and the Garganeys, シマアジ as well

After talking about Snipes, I tried my luck and found one that might not be a common. Who knows??

ジシギ?

And then for the 3rd time, Curlews on the road

Far-Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ

Migrating birds

Please note: some correction on the image below. The bird in the photo is a Ztting Cisticola, セッカ, Not a Black-browed Reed Warbler, コヨシキリ. This bird was not singing.  Thanx to the expert!

I drove to Imazu a little late in the morning. It was hot and a little windy. When I heard the first birdI wondered what it was. Similar to the song of Oriental Reed warbler, but different. There were a few birds, I think 3 2 Black-browed Reed Warbler, コヨシキリ

The tide was in and I could see some waders in the distance, but what stroke me most were the Grey Herons, アオサギ.  There were so many!  You could see them literally everywhere!

One single bird in a ricefield in Imazu, 3 more further west: Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ

A number of Far Eastern Curlews, ホウロクシギ were roaming the fields in Taromaru

アラ! 足

Coming close - real close! - to check me out

Around the waterlogged field near the pig farm: Intermediate Egrets, チュウサギ

They don't seem to like the river much. Do they eat frogs and insects rather than fish?

The lucky bird that caught a big hopper

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

And then there were snipes. And again this year I cannot be sure: 

Common Snipe, タシギ ?  I don't think so.

Swinhoe's Snipe, チュウジシギ?

A fairly big bird, compared to the Curlew... Latham's Snipe, オオジシギ ?

Red-necked Stints, トウネン and again some Snipe....

Another remarkable fact: Where are the Wood Sandpipers, タカブシギ ???? After looking very hard for about 15 min I found just 2...

A rice farmer drying rice straw on the road. 

Thank you for your support, Mr. Hatano!