A grey Monday in October

Common Kingfisher

A quiet day at Yakumo with a few slightly interesting species: 6 species of gull including Black-legged Kittiwake and Glaucous-winged Gull, several skuas way offshore (Pomarine I think), Great Egret, lots of Pintail and Wigeon, Stejneger’s Scoter………….

Among the gulls were lots of Vega Gull: a common passage migrant in Hokkaido.

Vega Gull

The Kingfishers posed for the camera………………

Common Kingfisher

At Onuma there was a big flock of swans in one corner of the lake but I couldn’t get a clear view from the car: they were probably Bewick’s on their way south.

A long one

Common Kingfisher

This Kingfisher at Yakumo caught an odd-looking fish.

Common Kingfisher

It took it a couple of minutes to swallow it………….

Common Kingfisher

It was a dark, wet humid day. The wader passage has started at least: 1 Mongolian Plover, 1 Kentish Plover, 6 Grey-tailed Tattler, 2 Terek Sandpiper and 2 Red-necked Stint. The first Black-headed Gulls are passing through too.