A failed Spoonbill chase

Black-browed Reed Warbler

2 Eurasian Spoonbills were seen at Yakumo so we went for a look. I saw one standing in the middle of the river, went back to the car to get my camera (with 2X T/C attached) but the bird flew off. I snapped the above warbler and then got the portable 600 f/11 and walked around trying to relocate the spoonbill but no joy.

Quite a lot of birds around though…

A lens I struggle with for BIFs.

Great Egret
Osprey

Other stuff around included Pacific Swift, Mandarin Duck, Garganey, White-fronted Goose, lots of singing Sakhalin Leaf Warblers, Common Cuckoo etc…

But no spoonbill pics.

Spring!

Great Egret

A common sight at this time of year is Great Egrets snaffling tiny fish in the local park…

Very springlike mild weather. Oriental Greenfinch and Eastern Great Tit singing everywhere, lots of Dusky Thrush hopping around. In Kamiiso a couple of days ago I had my first Osprey of the year as well 000’s of Common Gull, 3 species of grebe and various passage duck including Smew and Gadwall.

Another walk on the river…

Great Egret

Some more low-key birding around town…

There were 7 species of duck including a small flock of Pintail and a couple of Shoveler…and the long-staying Whooper Swan too.

Northern Shoveler

And 3 species of heron…

Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret

This Slaty-backed Gull had found a salmon-like fish to try and eat. I think its’ a salmon but not sure. I think there are 2 or 3 kinds in Hokkaido.

Slaty-backed Gull

Back home

Greater White-fronted Goose

I just can’t escape geese: this lone straggling White-front was in parkland atop a cape!

The Ospreys have returned…not great pics it has to be said.

Osprey
Osprey

And near my apartment all the snow has gone…

Great Egret

Other birds around on Monday in the Esan area were Glaucous-winged Gull, Harlequin Duck, lots of Brent Goose and a lone White-tailed Eagle.

A long sunny walk

Daurian Redstart

A very springlike day, I took a long walk down the river to the ocean. Still deathly quiet birdwise: a few Dusky Thrush, a surprise male Pheasant, an injured Whooper Swan, 5 species of duck including Goldeneye and Goosander.

And the male Daurian Redstart was in the same place as yesterday.

Daurian Redstart

And the Great Egret was back on the river too.

Great Egret

A quiet grey mild Monday in December

White-tailed Eagle

Not many eagles at Yakumo now sadly…

And not much else around to be honest. Some interesting ducks on the sea were too far off for photos. I also missed a couple of great photo opps (a bathing Peregrine, a feeding roadside Steller’s). Just one of those days.

Great Egret
Great Crested Grebe

A sunny walk in October

Great Egret

I took a walk down the river this morning. A very mild sunny autumnal day with a few birds around. 7 (!) Great Egret were the most interesting and there was also this lone injured Whooper Swan. It’s probably been there all summer: I saw it in the spring.

Whooper Swan

Other stuff around included 4 species of duck including Pintail, a few buntings in the bushes, a briefly glimpsed Pale Thrush.