I can never seem to get good photos of this species…there were 2 pairs of them displaying on the river.
I decided to walk on to the cape to try and photograph something other than crossbills…
A tricky one
Tag: Blue Rock Thrush
Soft!
Mild warm sunny weather at midday and and photos of birds + water= soft photos…
A quiet week before the main event
We were in Esashi yesterday; pretty windy but a bit quiet birdwise. Some passage Red-flanked Bluetails, Brambling, Rustic Bunting and Daurian Redstart but nothing rare. Other stuff included Peregrine and lots of Ospreys.
In town last week there were lots of Dusky Thrush, more Bluetails, a lone Hawfinch, a surprise flushed Eurasian Woodcock, several Stejneger’s Stonechat and some singing Masked Bunting.
I didn’t have the big lens with me yesterday; these Blue Rock Thrush pics with the RF 600 f/11 just about survived the cull.
The peak spring migration season, the main event in the birding year for me, is just about on us. I have a dodgy right shoulder and a painful left calf but I also have a lot of days off so it’ll be no pain no gain I guess.
Grey July
Very dark and grey this July. So far at least. Not much west of town today: a lot of Osprey, a few stray ducks stuck here for summer, Pacific Swift and the above Blue Rock Thrush, one of many individuals west of hakodate.
Blue Rock Thrush
A male Blue Rock Thrush to the west of town yesterday. Summer is starting and just the breeders remain now. Other noteworthy species around included Kentish Plover and a few Rhinoceros Auklet close inshore chasing the sardines. Not quite close enough for any decent photos although one did pop very briefly nearby the port.
Otherwise just the regular summer stuff around: Reed and Chestnut-eared Buntings, Oriental Reed Warblers and lots of Siberian Stonechats.
