Back in Hakodate last week the Crossbills and Redpolls were still around……….
Back
Category: Hakodate
Another Crossbill walk
The Crossbills were still on the local riverside. Not a vintage day for photos sadly: they weren’t so co-operative this morning.
The above one had a slight bill deformity.
Also around were Redpoll, Brambling, Great Egret, Goldeneye and the injured Whooper Swan.
A morning walk with a 1.4X #4
Some more photos with the R5/100-400LM1/1.4X combo.
Looks like 2021 is another Crossbill year. That’s 2 in a row………….
A morning walk with a 1.4X #3
Some more photos with the R5/100-400LM1/1.4X combo.
A male Daurian Redstart near my appartment today……..
A morning walk with a 1.4X #2
Some more photos with the R5/100-400LM1/1.4X combo.
In addition to the Crossbills there were quite a few other things around too. Best of all was an adult Steller’s Sea Eagle that briefly shot past (only the second one I’ve ever seen in Hakodate) and there were also Brambling. Siskin, Redpoll, Coal Tit, Wren, Peregrine and Common Goldeneye.
Lots of Dusky Thrush too…………
And this is a real ‘dirtbird’ in Japan……………
A morning walk with a 1.4X #1
I took a walk down the local river this morning with my new R5 and my very old 100-400L Mk1 coupled with a 1.4X teleconverter.
There were lots of birds about and I was surprised how reasonable the IQ was as i wasn’t expecting much. There were a lot of Crossbills around………..
If I pixel-peeped they were a little soft but, like I said, I was quite happy with these shots.
A dark Monday in town
I took a long walk today. Very dark and overcast but there were a few birds in town: a small flock of Redpoll, 50 or so Crossbills, a lone Brambling, an injured Whooper Swan, lots of Dusky Thrush, a single Great Egret and 3 Goldeneye.
Hakodate City have been chopping down more trees next to the river. Looking very grim near my apartment now. Once again they chopped down the trees but didn’t bother picking up the garbage.
A quiet week in late January
A couple of winter staple species from the last week: the grebe was in Esan and the egret in Hakodate.
Most of the usual species were in Esan the other day but no good photos were to be had and in Kamiiso today there were lots of ducks in the port but it was snowing too heavily for any pics.
In town
A few interesting birds in town today. The above Great Egret was fishing in the river and there were was also a flock of Japanese Waxwing around.
Lots of Dusky Thrush too. All these passerines attracted this male Goshawk.
That was 2020
Well thank god that year is over. 2021 has to be better, right?
Really cold and wintry here so not much birding done: the above Great Egret was near my apartment yesterday.
Autumn sunshine
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…………..
Only 3
I could only find 3 Night Herons on the local river yesterday.
They are quite good at hiding though.
