First birds of he year part 2

 

When the meeting was over I went back to check on that Baikal Teal, トモエガモ. I found it asleep (as usual) but with the tide going out now other ducks started to move...

... and woke him up.

Pretty boy with its green head in the sunshine

Black-faced Spoonbills, クロツラヘラサギ were still sleeping when the Eurasians, ヘラサギ, 5 of them stopped by.

In the creek I found 1 single Shelduck, ツクシガモ. 

At the 2 ponds were the winter visitors: 11 Greater White-fronted Geese, マガン

The one Tundra Bean Goose, ヒシクイ still with them.

Then, in the warm sunshine the Pallas's Reed Buntings, シベリアジュリン were feeding on the ground among other buntings. (The Falcons were blissfully absent) 

A Water Rail, クイナ joined the party...

...but got itchy feet when he saw me.

In the distance a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ

And last an egret that I couldn't place at first. It didn't seem to be a Great, nor a Little Egret, our regular winter birds. 

Black feet... 黒いが足

So: Intermediate Egret, チュウサギ ...

...that forgot to migrate?

Buntings and a Teal

Winter is good for buntings. Before it got cold I took my time walking around. Slowly scanning the trees. Once the temperature dropped my speed picked up and my footsteps sound like: go home, go home 😆   

Rustic Bunting, カシラダカ

Black-faced Bunting, アオジ

2 Meadow Buntings, ホオジロ and a Black-faced Bunting, アオジ

Common Reed Bunting, オオジュリン

Pallas's Reed Bunting, シベリアジュリン

Common Teal, コガも. Where are all your mates? I hardly see you guys this year.

Hanabatake flower field

Every time I drive past there are some small birds. They hide between the flowers, or just sit on top. The fresh green and yellow make me think of spring.

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホウアカ

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

another Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホウアカ 

female Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

At the coast, 海岸で

It's a good place to see the sunrise and though we had many spectacular red mornings in December, this day it didn't happen.

The wind picked up and sent waves crashing

Who dares to swim here? Great Cormorant, カワウ (or Japanese Cormorant, ウミウ?)

Blue on the rocks; Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ male

No waders, but 1 Common Sandpiper, イソシギ

Pacific Reef Heron, クロサギ

Way out: Red-breasted Mergansers, ウミアイサ. There were about 8 birds but none came close

female

male

Views in the distance

The scene I prefer

ホオジロガモ, Common Goldeneye

2 Ducks came close to the shore and when the sun light broke through the clouds their heads turned GREEN!

Showing off some display to the Pintails, who are clearly not impressed

Ahh, sunshine!

Albi Po in the sun

Hi, it's me again. Marijke came to see me on a sunny day. She didn't bring me anything to eat, but the locals are feeding us here, so it's ok. My nearly white feathers look so nice and clean in the sunshine. Much better than the other day, in the rain. I have a lot of friends and cousins, so I'm happy to be here.

Don't we look alike?

Mata ne またね