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………….
Still some Siskins and Crossbills around yesterday………………
Back in Hakodate last week the Crossbills and Redpolls were still around……….
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.
Some more photos with the R5/100-400LM1/1.4X combo.
Looks like 2021 is another Crossbill year. That’s 2 in a row………….
Some more photos with the R5/100-400LM1/1.4X combo.
A male Daurian Redstart near my appartment today……..
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……………
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.
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 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.
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.
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.