Looking for Wagtails, セキレイ in Imazu on a rainy day.

After reading about the foreign wagtails, I went out to search for them in the west. It was a rainy day; I found none. But... I saw a fox! And it was wagging its tail to me 😉

Japanese fox, キツネ

A big flock of Whimbrels, チュウシャクシギ was crossing the river. When they landed, they blended in with the concrete wall. From a distant, just the bills sticking out above the water could be seen. A closer look produced one different face. An up-turned bill, rather than downwards curved caught my eye.

Can you see it?

There is one Bar-tailed Godwit, オオソリハシシギ

Towards the south, a Grey-faced Buzzard, サシバ was crying out loud. Glad the rain had stopped

Then in the evening at a busy intersection, the noise of many wagtails! Maybe 50 birds. But no foreigners, I think

The one and only Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギ in the field, would he be glad　to have the place to himself?

Higashiyoka 1

I hadn't had my fill of waders yet this spring, so I went to Saga to see Stints. And whatever was still there. The forecasted sunshine didn't happen. Neither did the blue sky. Everything stayed kind of grey through the morning. Fortunately, there were still a fair number of reddish summer feathers.

Red-necked Stint, トウネン

  

The tide rolling in. No more big flocks. This made it easier to single something out. 

Bar-tailed Godwits, オオソリハシシギ in various stages of summer plumage, waiting to fly north

1 Oystercatcher, ミヤコドリ standing out firmly in the small crowd. 

I never realized how plump they were. And big compared to the Grey Plovers, ダイセン

Passing in front: 2 Black-tailed Godwits, オグロシギ

Joining the others

Lined up bills

Another line up, Bar-tail and Whimbrel, オオソリハシシギ - チュウシャクシギ

Of we are, 2 Bar-tails.  (オオソリハシシギ)

And a Black-tail   (オグロシギ)

To be continued

Spring migration at Higashiyoka

I went to the tidal flats and got there 2 hours before high tide. The majority of birds were still far frome the shoreline, but soon the waves started to roll in. I observed my first target birds, the Ruddy Turnstones through the binoculars, waiting with pictures until they had come closer. Nevertheless, I took a few shots. Just in case. And that was just as well. About 20 or 30 min before the highest water level all small birds started flying and they flew and flew in tight flocks, sweeping through the sky. It was beautiful. But they didn't come back to stop and land. 

Ruddy Turnstone, キョウジョシギ

Grey Plovers, ダイセン in summer plumage. They look so solemn in their black and white outfits

Dunlins, ハマシギ in front (out of focus)

Just before the big take-off, a flock of Red-necked Stints,トウネン landed right in front of me.

Suddenly, they all started to fly and the mudflats turned quiet. Only the Spoonbills stayed. And some gulls.

Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ

After a thick half hour, the first birds came back. Curlews, Whimbrels and Godwits

ホウロクシギ、ダイシャクシギ、チュウシャクシギ、オオソリハシシギ

Small birds came later, when the tide was way out. 

Waders and shorebirds in the west

Not many species and nothing exciting, but this is what I saw in the first week of May around the fields and the rivers in the west

May 5th: Following a Whimbrel, チュウシャクシギ was 1 Great Knot, オバシギ

Far away, but we don't see so many here, so I wanted to report it

Singing out loud; Oriental Reed Warbler, オオヨシキリ

The parents of Bull-headed Shrikes, モズ were very busy looking after their chicks

Feeding the kids? Meadow Bunting, ホオジロ

A White Wagtail with the facial markings of an Amur WW. But somehow I'm not sure

ホオジロハクセキレイ?

One of about 10  Little Ringed Plover, コチドリ busy defending its ground

Peeking out of the grass was a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, ウズラシギ

Suddenly stepping out in front of me  Common Sandpiper, イソシギ

And that was it.

Chinese Egrets, カラシラサギ

On May 3rd I found the 2 Chinese Egrets, カラシラサギ feeding together in the middle of the mudflats - far away. The tide was out and the birds didn't come any closer. I left to run some errands. 

When I returned it was after midday and the waterline had risen, so I could expect the birds to be closer to shore. I found one near the island...

...and the other one towards the east.

Before the tide was completely in one bird came to rest on the partly submerged concrete slab

Besides the Great Egret,ダイサギ there were Whimbrels, チュウシャクシギ as 1 Far-Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ flew in

  The 2nd Chinese Egret arrived soon

All in a row, from L to R: Chinese, Great, Chinese, Great and Little Egret

カラシラサギ、ダイサギ、カラシラサギ、ダイサギ、コサギ

In the meadows were a few Cattle Egrets, アマサギ

other birds included Grey-tailed Tattler, キアシシシギ

...and Common Greenshank, アオアシシギ