A very slow last 2 weeks. Not Covid19 related. I had a dodgy knee, a wisdom tooth extracted and the weather has not been great either. All my birding luck from the first 3 months of 2020 appears to have run out: very few interesting birds around in south Hokkaido at the moment.
The above Black-throated Diver was near town today. Yesterday at Yakumo a single Ruff was the most interesting bird and today out west there was nothing noteworthy anywhere. The Crossbills have all vanished too.
Various summer visitors have shown though……..Siberian Stonechat, Asian House Martin and Japanese Bush Warbler among them.
Sorry to hear About your medical issues Stuart. Prefer the crazy name of Loon (Collin’s Guide) for this bird with no sight of a black throat! Normally the same in the South of England we don’t get to see them in their magnificent summer plumage – though a few days ago, out of the blue, we had a superb Black-throated Grebe in full summer colours on our local reservoir…
Thanks Tony, nothing serious and you know how much I enjoy a good moan. You mean Black-necked Grebe? Very common here compared to England, I got my first UK ones last time I went back actually.
Sorry, yes Black-necked Grebe…
Though I suppose they do have black throats too!