Crossbills aren’t the only birds on the pine trees…
3 species of heron about near my apartment including 8 Great Egret.
Also around were Dusky Thrush, Daurian Redstart, Nuthatch, 3 species of tit, Long-tailed Rosefinch, the injured Whooper Swan and 5 species of duck including 4 Goosander.
All 3 common heron species are in town at the moment…
The hot summer is over. It’s still pretty warm but the hottest ever summer in Japan is fading away…
The above Night Heron was on the river near my place as well as Asian Brown Flycatcher, Bull-headed Shrike, Eurasian Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kingfisher and various ‘unknowns’ flitting around in the still luxuriant undergrowth.
The Night Heron had moved to another section of the river yesterday.
This Night Heron was a nice find on the river near my apartment today.
I’d only been away for a few days and the amount of new greenery is astonishing.
No passage migrants (apart from a lone Dusky Thrush). Common birds only: Bull-headed Shrike, Asian House Martin, Masked Bunting and other even commoner stuff.
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.
A pretty quiet time in town…
A common sight in autumn: Black-crowned Night Herons hiding in the bushes next to the small river near my apartment.
Lots of Stonechat passing through on the same river. Also around recently have been Eurasian Teal, Northern Pintail, Masked Bunting, Grey Wagtail, Common Kingfisher, Hawfinch and Bull-headed Shrike….
Cool enough for a jacket today too.
The Night Herons are back at their usual late summer spot…………….
But I was concentrating on waders. The only place I could get near this Terek Sandpiper was literally the only shady place on the coast.
No car and my ongoing achilles issues meant not much birding this week: just a quick hobble along the river near my apartment. Most of the trees have gone so it isn’t that good for birds anymore. The above Night Heron was the only thing of note………….
Beautiful clear autumn weather the last few days and a clear change in some of the bird species. Harlequin Duck and Glaucous-winged Gulls gave reappeared on the coasts.
A flock of Whooper Swan were flying south yesterday as were lots of Eurasian Jay. Lots of common ducks on the rivers and Great Egrets are becoming more numerous. Northern Goshawk and Daurian Redstart were other noteworthy species near Esan.
Hakodate is pretty quiet: a flock of Rustic Bunting were in one of the local parks today and There are still some Night Herons on the river.
And the Esan area always seems to have a Peregrine…………..
I could only find 3 Night Herons on the local river yesterday.
They are quite good at hiding though.
