The Dunlins were poking around in the port again…
Weird to see them feeding on concrete.
Dunlins poking around
Tag: Dunlin
The Russians…
I often photograph Dunlins in winter: one flock visits the same general area every year. The flock had been declining in number sadly, only about 21 or so this year. One shows flags indicating it was ringed in the far northeast of Russia, in Kamchatka.
I hope the numbers recover.
A dark snowy late Sunday afternoon
The same (?) diver a couple of hours later as it was getting dark: R5 and DXO saved the shot…
The port was very quiet: just a few Scaup, a single Goldeneye, hardly any gulls even. The flock of Dunlin was poking around at least.
A pair of winter waders
Waders are scarce in Hokkaido in winter but one port near Oshamambe has a small overwintering flock of Sanderling and another port has a small flock of Dunlin…
A jogging Dunlin
More shots from earlier in the week.
In between jogs it fed.
A lone one
There were lots of stints but not many other wader species around. Just 1 Dunlin in fact…………..
More waders from the corner
The Dunlin and Red-necked Stints were in a corner of the beach picking food from the rotting flotsam and jetsam.
Am early morning on the beach
Some common waders on the beach this morning………….
And you don’t get much commoner than a Dunlin.
A lone Dunlin
The Sanderlings weren’t around but there was 1 lost looking Dunlin.
2X
Some shots with the 2X teleconverter from yesterday. I was trying to photograph distant Red-necked Grebes (in summer plumage), Stejneger’s Scoters and (another?) White-billed Diver.
Most of the shots were crap but the above diver wasn’t too bad and was actually handheld.
These shots were on the monopod…………..
One thing I’ve noticed about the R5 is a lot of the monopod/teleconverter shots are soft. I usually use the monopod when I attach a T/C and handhold without. Is it the image stablization ‘fighting’ with the monopod? I know my lens (the 500 f4M2) can sense it’s on a tripod but can it sense it’s on a monopod?
Some winter waders
Dunlin are regular wintering waders and there is a small flock of them every year in or near one of the ports in Oshamanbe.
I was very surprised to see a flock of Sanderling in a different port: I’d never seen them in winter here.
Winter Waders
Not many shorebirds in Hokkaido in winter. Oshamambe does have a regular wintering flock of Dunlin however.
They originate from Kamchatka in northeast Siberia. A ringed bird appeared for 6 consecutive winters but I couldn’t find it last weekend.
Only a handful of eagles left now. Stejneger’s Scoter and Red-necked Grebe were the most noteworthy other species around but they were miles away offshore……………