15/5/09 Out by 4.30am to a full moon under clear skies. It was virtually calm at dawn but N3 by 10.30am and a cold N4 by the evening. An early morning flock of Thrushes feeding along a dirt track included a fine male Grey-backed Thrush and a Chinese Grosbeak finally gave itself up at the Minshuku Tsukasa feeding station. Quieter for migrant numbers but a Wryneck in the southern pines and a tired male Daurian Redstart showed-up at around midday and performed admirably.
Male Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala personata near the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia intermedia near the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Summer-plumaged adult male Chinese Grosbeak Eophona migratoria migratoria at Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
The freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Swallow Hirundo rustica gutturalis over the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Adult Peregrine Falco peregrinus japonensis hunting incoming passerines at the southern tip of Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Great White Egret Casmerodius albus on the south western shore of Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Sand Martin Riparia riparia iijimae over the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Grey-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta at the Harbour Park on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Adult male Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina along the southern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus superciliosus along the southern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii at the School field on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009A large, long-tailed Snipe that has a noticeable pale upperwing-covert panel in flight.
Male Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Eastern Spot-billed Duck Anas zonorhyncha at the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 15th May 2009
Species noted:
Streaked Shearwater 50
Japanese Cormorant 15
Pelagic Cormorant 1
Little Egret 2
Great Egret 1
Grey Heron 5
Spot-billed Duck 2
Black-eared Kite 2
Japanese Sparrowhawk 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Peregrine 1
Moorhen 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Latham’s Snipe 1
Wood Sandpiper 3
Common Sandpiper 4
Grey-tailed Tattler 2
Black-tailed Gull 250
Vega Gull 2
Slaty-backed Gull 1
Japanese Woodpigeon 2
Oriental Turtle Dove 5
Oriental Cuckoo h
Wryneck 1
Skylark 1
Sand Martin 1
Swallow 15
Olive-backed Pipit 10
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 2
Grey Wagtail 6
Black-backed Wagtail 15
Brown-eared Bulbul 3
Japanese Waxwing 6
Rufous-tailed Robin 1
Siberian Blue Robin 3
Daurian Redstart 1
Siberian Stonechat 3
Blue Rock Thrush 1
Siberian Thrush 1
Brown Thrush 1
Pale Thrush 1
Eye-browed Thrush 6
Dusky Thrush 10
Grey-backed Thrush 1
Japanese Bush Warbler 3
Oriental Great Reed Warbler 3
Eastern Crowned Warbler 5
Yellow-browed Warbler 8
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 3
Brown Flycatcher 3
Taiga Flycatcher 3
Narcissus Flycatcher 6
Eastern Great Tit 1
Brown Shrike 1
Large-billed Crow 4
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 8
White-cheeked Starling 1
Brambling 12
Oriental Greenfinch 30
Chinese Grosbeak 1
Japanese Grosbeak 8
Hawfinch 30
Black-faced Bunting 10
Chestnut-eared Bunting 3
Rustic Bunting 1
Chestnut Bunting 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting 1
