Saturday, 4 July 2009

Hegura-jima, Japan 18th May 2009

18/5/09 Out at 4.30am in SW6 but only 50% cloud cover and no rain. The wind only moderated slightly during the day but the cloud disappeared leaving it bright and sunny. The early morning suggested few new arrivals with 2 Chestnut Buntings proving the highlight until we found an obliging male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher. During the afternoon we bumped into another Wryneck, a superb White’s Thrush and enjoyed excellent views of a male Siberian Thrush.


Presumed Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009
Pale-legged Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes is currently considered almost identical being best separated by song and breeding range. Unfortunately we didn't hear any singing whilst on Hegura-jima.

Japanese Grosbeak Eophona personata personata near Minshuku Tsuki on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Male Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius philippensis near Minshuku Tsuki on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009



Female Tristram's Bunting Emberiza tristrami along the Bamboo Trail on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica along the shore outside Minshuku Tsuki on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

White's Thrush Zoothera dauma aureus along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009


Male Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

First-summer male Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Adult breeding-plumaged Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus at the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Sand Martin Riparia riparia iijimae over the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris on the freshwater pool on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia on the western shores of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009
In breeding plumage this medium-sized Egret is black-billed, has black legs and feet and only has plumes on its breast and back.


Chestnut-eared Buntings Emberiza fucata along the western track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus telephonus along the western shore of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Wryneck Jynx torquilla japonica near the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus near the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis tschutschensis ‘simillima’ near the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus superciliosus near the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

White's Thrush Zoothera dauma aureus along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Female Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Female Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Male Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica davisoni along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 18th May 2009

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 50
Japanese Cormorant 10
Pelagic Cormorant 1
Cattle Egret 1
Eastern Reef Egret 1
Intermediate Egret 1
Grey Heron 2
Spot-billed Duck 2
Black-eared Kite 1
Peregrine 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Common Snipe 1
Latham’s Snipe 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Wood Sandpiper 1
Black-tailed Gull 100
Slaty-backed Gull 2
Oriental Turtle Dove 2
Common Cuckoo 2
Pacific Swift 2
Wryneck 1
Sand Martin 1
Swallow 15
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Olive-backed Pipit 2
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 4
Grey Wagtail 6
Black-backed Wagtail 15
Brown-eared Bulbul 1
Rufous-tailed Robin 1
Siberian Blue Robin 1
Siberian Stonechat 1
Blue Rock Thrush 1
White’s Thrush 1
Siberian Thrush 1
Pale Thrush 1
Dusky Thrush 2
Japanese Bush Warbler h
Oriental Great Reed Warbler h
Eastern Crowned Warbler 2
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 1
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 2
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 2
Brown Flycatcher 3
Taiga Flycatcher 2
Mugimaki Flycatcher 2
Narcissus Flycatcher 3
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 1
Eastern Great Tit h
Bull-headed Shrike 1
Brown Shrike 1
Large-billed Crow 4
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 3
Brambling 1
Oriental Greenfinch 20
Japanese Grosbeak 3
Hawfinch 1
Black-faced Bunting 5
Chestnut-eared Bunting 2
Tristram’s Bunting 2
Chestnut Bunting 2
Yellow-breasted Bunting 1