The resident Slaty-backed and Black-tailed Gulls have been joined by some others. Lots of Vega Gulls last weekend as well as these 2.
There were also Whooper and Bewick’s Swans, various ducks, lots of Great Egret and this lone wader.
Upstream there were a few salmon (but not many: hope this just means they’re late) and the first eagle of the season. Crappy pic but always nice to see the first one.
Some more low-key birding around town…
There were 7 species of duck including a small flock of Pintail and a couple of Shoveler…and the long-staying Whooper Swan too.
And 3 species of heron…
This Slaty-backed Gull had found a salmon-like fish to try and eat. I think its’ a salmon but not sure. I think there are 2 or 3 kinds in Hokkaido.
Saunders’s Gull is rare in Hokkaido, this was only the 5th time I’ve seen one (and the 3rd at Yakumo). 4 of them have been in the same fortnight over the years (the last week of April or the first week of May). And 4 of them have been immature birds like this one…
It was tiny and very easy to pick out due to it tern-like flight.
The port was pretty quiet in the morning, just a few gulls sitting around in the morning sun…
I was very surprised to see these 3 stilts on one of the nearby rivers: never seen them so early in the season before. They looked cold…
Back in the port there were some Glaucous Gulls…
And the eagles were still being a little frisky…
Winter gulls are still much in evidence in Hokkaido in March…
We went away for a week and just got back. These were some of the regular local winter birds we saw on the way there….
A very very quiet time at the moment: for various reasons I haven’t been out much and even when I do there aren’t many birds around. 2022 has been a bit of a slow year across the board.
Here are a few common local birds from the last few days.
Not many birds in the port at Oshamambe, only a few Scaup and Goldeneye and a small flock of Wigeon. And this Black-throated Diver, which I’ve seen several times this winter.
Gull numbers also seemed to be picking up slightly…
White birds look nice late in the afternoon…
A slightly darker but still pale winter visitor…
Most local birders seem to ignore the winter gulls but I love them.
Maybe because they are relatively scarce and ‘exotic’ in the UK…
