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……………
Coronavirus has decimated my work schedule. This is not a good thing but I have some time off and fuel for the car is very cheap at least.
We were up in Oshamanbe. Not much around: the Dunlin flock hasn’t headed north yet and there was an injured Black Scoter in the same port.
At Yakumo there were still lots of ducks around including Falcated Duck. A flock of 17 Red-necked Stint were at the rivermouth and there were also Kentish Plover and the Eurasian Spoonbill was still present in the morning at least. I think I saw the same individual again later in Oshamanbe, high in the sky. When we passed Yakumo again later in the day it wasn’t there anyway.
Most interesting bird of the day was an Eastern Yellow Wagtail of the macronyx subspecies at Yakumo.
Some common winter port birds from Oshamanbe today.
The ports at Oshamanbe were on holiday and there were almost no people anywhere to be seen.
Small numbers of Dunlin were poking around among all the fishing machinery……..
Not much else in the ports except a few common ducks.
The Dunlin flock north of Yakumo were still around on Monday and in summer plumage too.
Not many waders around this Golden Week though: 1 Mongolian Plover, and several small flocks of Grey-tailed Tattler were the only passage shorebirds around and there were the breeders: Latham’s Snipe, Common Sandpiper and Little-ringed Plover.
In Oshamanbe the Dunlins sometimes rest on the concrete side of the ports. A bit odd to see them there.
Mind you I did see one on a picnic table in the mountains one time. Now that was odd.
The flock of Dunlins in Oshamanbe were enjoying the spring sunshine…………..
Some were on the beach, some in the port…………
A footnote to the Dunlins………
The above individual was tagged in Kamchatka, Siberia and has been returning to Oshamanbe every winter for the last 5 or 6 years.
The flock stays until early May and this is s species that looks far better in breeding plumage.
The Dunlin flock moved along the coast to one of the beaches. I often check this beach in May and again in August/September for waders so it was odd to be there with lots of snow still on the ground.
This species is the only sandpiper around in winter (although Rock Sandpiper do occur in northeast Hokkaido).
A Dunlin in Oshamanbe today, one of a flock of 30-40 or so that quietly pokes around the corner of one of the ports there.