Hegura-jima, Japan 11th May 2009

11/5/09 We were out at dawn to walk through the park on the eastern outskirts of town. The owners of the Minshuku then kindly drove us to the harbour to catch the 9.00am ferry to Hegura-jima. Flat calm seas proved ideal for seeing Japanese Murrelets sat on the sea during the first half of the crossing, and large flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes during the second half. We passed some rocky islands supporting a large breeding colony of Black-tailed Gulls. We arrived on Hegura-jima at 10.30am and used a barrow to transfer our luggage to a warm welcome at the friendly Mishuku Tsuki. It was calm, hot and sunny walking around the island seeing our first migrants. After dark we tried for Owls hearing both Oriental Scops Owl and Brown Hawk Owl.

Adult (centre) Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus at Wajima, 11th May 2009

Departing from Wajima harbour, 11th May 2009

Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas from ferry between Wajima and Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Adult breeding-plumaged Japanese Murrelets Synthliboramphus wumizusume from ferry between Wajima and Hegura-jima, May 2009

Rocky island half-way between Wajima and Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Flock of Red-necked Phalaropes between Wajima and Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Arriving at Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Diving for seaweed remains and important local industry on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

The south-eastern shore of Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

The entrance to the Southern Shrine on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Southern Shrine on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica at the Southern Shrine on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus at the Southern Shrine on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Steppe Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus variegatus on the southern shore of Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis orientalis in the Harbour Park on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Male Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra near the Harbour Park on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Female Brambling Fringilla montifringilla near Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Male Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus at Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus at Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Seaweed drying on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

The largest and oldest tree at the Tsukasa Shrine on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Male Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes japonicus at Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Sunset over the north-western tip of Hegura-jima, 11th May 2009

Species noted:

Pacific Diver 1

Streaked Shearwater 25
Pelagic Cormorant 3

Night Heron 1 immature

Cattle Egret 1

Grey Heron 5

Wigeon 2

Spot-billed Duck 3

Osprey 2

Black-eared Kite 50

Peregrine 2

Black-winged Stilt 1

Steppe Whimbrel 1

Grey-tailed Tattler 1

Red-necked Phalarope 350

Black-tailed Gull 750

Vega Gull 1

Japanese Murrelet 10

Rock Dove 10

Oriental Turtle Dove 1

Oriental Cuckoo 1

Oriental Scops Owl h

Brown Hawk Owl h

Swallow 15

Asian House Martin 2

Olive-backed Pipit 5

Black-backed Wagtail 15

Brown-eared Bulbul 2

Siberian Rubythroat 2

Daurian Redstart 1

Blue Rock Thrush 3

Siberian Thrush 1

Brown Thrush 1

Dusky Thrush 2

Japanese Bush Warbler 10

Eastern Crowned Warbler 5

Sakalin Leaf Warbler 1

Yellow-browed Warbler 3

Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1

Brown Flycatcher 4

Narcissus Flycatcher 8

Eastern Great Tit 3

Japanese White-eye 5

Bull-headed Shrike 2

Carrion Crow 10

Large-billed Crow 20

Chestnut-cheeked Starling 1

White-cheeked Starling 2

Tree Sparrow 10

Brambling 7

Oriental Greenfinch 20

Siskin 1

Hawfinch 6

Crossbill 1

Black-faced Bunting 5

Meadow Bunting 3