
I was accompanying a couple of researchers looking for the local Brent Geese today.
We found a few but it was a dark grey drizzly day……….
An Osprey at Kikonai yesterday. Not much around: Pacific Swift, Common Sandpiper, Black-throated Diver and Great Egret being the most interesting. Inland the first Eastern-crowned Warbler of the year and a few common species were present but that’s all.
Nearer Hakodate there were a few ducks still around including Pintail, Shoveler, Scaup and Wigeon as well as Great-crested Grebe offshore. 5 species of gull included summer plumaged Black-headed………..
There were also 11 Brent Geese………….
Beautiful spring weather as you can see but when the weather is so clear migrants just pass straight through.
In Yakumo/Oshamanbe yesterday there were 40 or so White-fronted Geese, Great and Little Egret, a dozen or so species of duck including at least 8 Garganey, Eastern Marsh Harrier, osprey, Buff-bellied Pipit, Little-ringed Plover, a lone Whimbrel, and 7 species of gull.
I just got back to Japan sfter a break in the UK with a short stop off in Hong Kong.
Yesterday we took a short drive out west. There were several flocks of Brent Goose on the coast as well as large numbers of Common Gull and various duck species including Wigeon, Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser and Harlequin Duck. Also around were Slavonian and Great-crested Grebes as well as some stuff that had arrived whilst I was away like Barn Swallow, Asian House Martin and Bullheaded Shrike.