It’s over

Black-crowned Night Heron

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.

Another walk on the river…

Great Egret

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.

Northern Shoveler

And 3 species of heron…

Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret

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.

Slaty-backed Gull

Autumn begins

Black-crowned Night Heron

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.

Autumn sunshine

Harlequin Duck

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.

Glaucous-winged Gull

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.

Black-crowned Night Heron

And the Esan area always seems to have a Peregrine…………..

Peregrine