20/5/09 Out at 4.30am to a clear and calmer morning SW2 that became hot and sunny by midday. The early morning was quieter than normal and the morning held few surprises. We said farewell to Nigel. Birds were then seen arriving at the northern tip of the island early afternoon with a Rubythroat seen flying in off the sea and 3 Large-billed Crows! Highlight of the day was flushing a Lanceolated Warbler from a small grass-fringed rock pool at the north-eastern-most point and likewise a Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler from the Tsukasa fields.
Black-eared Kite Milvus lineatus at the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 20th May 2009
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva at the south-western tip of Hegura-jima, 20th May 2009
Brown-eared Bulbul Microscelis amaurotis amaurotis on Hegura-jima, 20th May 2009
Female Siberian Rubythroat just north of Tsukasa on Hegura-jima, 20th May 2009
Oriental Cuckoo at the south-western shore of Hegura-jima, 20th May 2009Species noted:
Streaked Shearwater 75
Japanese Cormorant 15
Pelagic Cormorant 5
Night Heron 1
Cattle Egret 6
Intermediate Egret 4
Great Egret 1
Grey Heron 4
Spot-billed Duck 2
Black-eared Kite 2
Japanese Sparrowhawk 8
Hobby 1
Peregrine 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Pacific Golden Plover 4
Common Snipe 1
Latham’s Snipe 1
Green Sandpiper 1
Common Sandpiper 5
Grey-tailed Tattler 1
Black-tailed Gull 200
Slaty-backed Gull 2
Oriental Turtle Dove 8
Common Cuckoo 3
Oriental Cuckoo 1
Pacific Swift 1
Sand Martin 2
Swallow 10
Olive-backed Pipit 3
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Black-backed Wagtail 20
Ashy Minivet 1
Brown-eared Bulbul 8
Siberian Rubythroat 5
Daurian Redstart 1
Blue Rock Thrush 2
Brown Thrush 2
Dusky Thrush 6
Japanese Bush Warbler 4
Lanceolated Warbler 1
Black-browed Reed Warbler 1
Oriental Great Reed Warbler 3
Eastern Crowned Warbler 1
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 2
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1
Dark-sided Flycatcher 2
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 5
Brown Flycatcher 5
Coal Tit 1
Eastern Great Tit 2
Japanese White-eye 12
Bull-headed Shrike 2
Large-billed Crow 7
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 15
Brambling 2
Oriental Greenfinch 25
Hawfinch 10
Black-faced Bunting 6
Chestnut-eared Bunting 2
Reed Bunting 1
