One day at N-shima

I drove to N-shima on a cloudy but pleasant weekday. I don't remember what I expected, but certainly not this. It was quiet. There was nobody! No birders and no cameramen looking for their favorite Rosefinches. Ehh? I walked along the sealed road, and heard all sorts of birds, but saw little. Just Bramblings, Masked Buntings and Pale Thrushes. And they seemed to be all over the place. After an hour I realized why there were no others. No Rosefinches were coming out. I could hear them in the tall grass, and see them occasionally for a few seconds or so... No raptors either. 

Brambling, アトリ

Red-flanked Bluetail, ルリビタキ

Long-tailed Rose finch, ベニマシコ

No bright reddish pink colored feathers, just a pink hue. Young male?

A female, playing hide and seek.

Rustic Bunting, カシラダカ - Happy to see you. There aren't many around MF

Masked Bunting, アオジ

Overwhelmingly friendly

Oriental Greenfinch subsp, オオカワラヒワ

Weasel, イタチ, maybe Siberian

Isahaya last month

I'm having the day off, but the weather is bad. Time to clear out some old stuff. I went to Isahaya in November, but was a bit disappointed with the results. So, the folder was shoved to the back...

There was a Chinese Grey Shrike, オオカラモズ that showed up regularly. But not when I was around. When I finally got to see it, it was so far away

While waiting for this bird some animals came by. This weasel's tail seems longer than half the body, so it is probably a Korean Weasel, チョウセンイタチ

Raccoon dog, タヌキ

Harriers were flying, but not as many as usual

Female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

Male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

Eastern Marsh Harrier, チュウヒI think. Forgive me if I'm wrong

While looking for Pipits: Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

Common Starlings, ホシムクドリ were numerous

Northern Lapwings, タゲリ as well

Close encounter! A common Snipe, タシギ

with a ring

At the end of the day, Cranes, ツル stretching their wings

White-naped Crane, マナヅル