There were no Siberian Blue Robins or Narcissus Flycatchers at the birdbath but there were a few Eastern Crowned Warblers…
Category: Shikotsuko
An early spring trip #1
We were in the Mukawa/Shikotsuko area for a few days this week.
Mukawa was not great for birds. All the winter stuff had gone and most of the interesting summer stuff hadn’t arrived yet. And no passage waders there either.
The well-known birdbath at Shikotsuko provided some photo opps at least.
More from the dark pool…
Only 5 species visited the forest pool but some of them were interesting…like the above Grey Bunting.
And this juvenile Japanese Robin.
As you can see lots of noise reduction in these images.
In addition to the dark it was raining and very very humid. And there were loads of mosquitoes too.
The Dark Pool
It was very very dark at the pool near Shikotsuko. Not so many birds around but there was this pair of Japanese Thrush.
More robins
Worth hanging around in the dark for…
A shy one
The forest pool allows us to photograph normally shy species. Like the above Grey Bunting. But also this one……………..
A male Japanese Robin. I only ever see them in autumn in this place for some reason.
Still at the pool
Admit it: they’re cute.
Another common bird demonstrating how white balance is sometimes important.
Another visit to the pool
We passed by the forest pool twice again this last weekend. And it was so dark……………..
The above male Grey Bunting put in an appearance at least.
This Olive-backed Pipit was not at the pool………….
The dark pool #3
Only 5 species turned up at the pool; the previously posted Japanese Thrush and Grey Bunting plus Varied tit, Eurasian Nuthatch and a pair of Japanese White-eyes.
The dark pool #2
Another forest specialty: Japanese Thrush. Very high ISO for these (6400 I think).
The dark pool #1
On the way back from east Hokkaido we stopped off at the well known forest pool near Shikotsuko. It was very dark but a couple of the local specialties put in an appearance including 2 Grey Buntings (not males as you can see).
A female
On the way home we checked the forest pool again. Sadly it was also the wrong time of day again.
Got some nice views of this female Japanese Thrush at least.