Beach scenery with gulls

Little wind, warm sunshine. The best conditions for a walk on the beach in March. The ducks, the gulls and I, we all love it.

Mew Gulls, カモメ

Some ducks are playing in the gentle surf.

 Is the Scaup a bit upset?

More Gulls, Vega 2nd? winter youngsters and an adult.  

Gulls.

Whenever I watch gulls in the harbor or at the rivers, I feel a pang of gilt that I don't pay more attention and learn about them. Distuinguishing adult birds is ok, as long as they are among the common species. Now I look at younger birds and look out for a different type. It's hard...

Mew Gulls, カモメ at Muromi River

Adult Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ

From left: Vega, Vega, セグロカモメ -  Black-tailed, ウミネコ - Black-headed, ユリカモメ - Mew Gull, カモメ

Achi kochi Around Fuk

Acollection of accidental sightings around the prefecture

Bramblings, アトリ in a Chinese Tallow tree, ナンキンハゼ

A female Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ around Kanatake

A Japanese Great Tit,シジュウカラ, picking at a cicada husk that was still attached to a tree in January

Gulls at Muromi River. Every now and then, I get the urge to study them. I'm getting so bad at identifying them! The ones below are Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ, I'm most certain. They are easy, as long as they are not too young and have pink legs 😉

What about this lot? Some have small bills. Mew Gulls? カモメ?

Shikanoshima, 志賀島

December 10. Several small groups of Black-necked Grebes, ハジロカイツブリ were foraging among the rocks before they headed out to sea.

2 Brown Boobies カツドリwere cruising along the east coast. I didn't see them diving.

At the usual places Japanese Cormorants, ウミウ were perched on the rocks, with some Pelagic Cormorants, ヒメウ between them.

The unmistakable female Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ made an appearance as well.

At the north shore many gulls, Black-tailed, ウミネコ and Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ were circling around an area where lots of Red-breasted Mergansers, ウミアイサ could be seen 

Black-tailed Gulls, ウミネコ

In the meantime...

Many kinds of ducks have arrived. Mostly in eclipse, but some are easily distinguished. 

Northern Pintails, オナガガモ

The odd one out. One Tufted Duck, キンクロハジロウ among Common Pochards, ホシハジロウ

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, ゴイサギ

Little Grebe カイツブリin winter dress

The Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ can be seen feeding at the mudflats again

Lady Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ in the rain

The male on another day

Stejneger's Stonechats, ノビタキ come and go

The Wryneck, アリスイ doesn't show up much anymore. The raptors are here now and territorial issues have been delt with

At the harbor the Black-tailed Gulls have changed places with Vega Gulls, セグロカモメ

Slightly bigger than Vega, is it a Slaty-backed Gull, オオセグロカモメ?

Ito 1: Gulls

Outside the bay is a place where gulls come to rest. There were not as many as other years. However, having a teacher with me was good. We could see 1 Mongolian

Mongolian Gull, モンゴルセグロカモメ in the center

Temminck's Cormorants, ウミウ

A few days later I went back to see what I could find on my own among the juveniles. This young bird is a 1st winter Vega Gull, セグロカモメ 

The one below looked different. A Mongolian 2nd winter maybe, モンゴルセグロカモメ

Usually around, inspecting strangers and singing its beautiful song, Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ  male

Vega Gull, セグロカモメ

There are few birds in the woods. It's more rewarding to look around the coast, Below an adult Vega Gull, セグロカモメ in winter plumage with very pale legs, catching a Grunter, シマイサキ and landing right in front of me, as if he wanted to show off its prey. When the crows notied it he proudly took off.