Saturday, 4 July 2009

Hegura-jima, Japan 23rd May 2009

23/5/09 Out at 4.30am to heavy low cloud S3. The early morning tour produced a Night Heron stood on a pathway and a Chinese Egret accompanying a small flock of Intermediate Egrets stood on rocks at the northern tip of the island. The morning produced an assemblage of Waders and our first Northern Hawk Cuckoo. The afternoon produced 2 Japanese Paradise Flycatchers and a few new migrants including another Northern Hawk Cuckoo and several Arctic Warblers.


Chinese (Swinhoe's) Egret Egretta eulophotes found shortly after dawn at the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009
In breeding plumage this medium-sized Egret has a distinctive combination of a yellow bill, black legs and striking yellow feet.

Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica sibirica near the northern tip of Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Winter-plumaged Grey Plover on the south-western shore of Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009


Northern Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus hyperythrus in pines just south of the Community Centre on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

The lighthouse on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Female Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis borealis at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Northern Hawk Cuckoo Cuculus hyperythrus at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009


Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009


Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis borealis near the Tsukasa Tree Shrine on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Female Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 23rd May 2009

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 5
Japanese Cormorant 15
Pelagic Cormorant 5
Night Heron 1
Chinese Pond Heron 1
Cattle Egret 9
Chinese (Swinhoe's) Egret 1
Little Egret 2
Intermediate Egret 11
Great Egret 5
Grey Heron 5
Black-eared Kite 2
Japanese Sparrowhawk 2
Peregrine 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Pacific Golden Plover 1
Grey Plover 1
Red-necked Stint 1
Steppe Whimbrel 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Grey-tailed Tattler 3
Black-tailed Gull 150
Slaty-backed Gull 3
Japanese Woodpigeon 2
Oriental Turtle Dove 5
Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo 2
Common Cuckoo 2
Oriental Cuckoo 2
Little Cuckoo 1
Dollarbird 1
Sand Martin 1
Swallow 12
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Olive-backed Pipit 5
Grey Wagtail 2
Black-backed Wagtail 20
Ashy Minivet 1
Brown-eared Bulbul 8
Daurian Redstart 1
Blue Rock Thrush 2
Pale Thrush 1
Dusky Thrush 5
Japanese Bush Warbler 2
Black-browed Reed Warbler 3
Oriental Great Reed Warbler 5
Eastern Crowned Warbler 2
Arctic Warbler 5
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1
Dark-sided Flycatcher 5
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 5
Brown Flycatcher 5
Mugimaki Flycatcher 1
Narcissus Flycatcher 3
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 2
Large-billed Crow 4
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 5
Oriental Greenfinch 25
Japanese Grosbeak 2
Hawfinch 10
Black-faced Bunting 8
Chestnut-eared Bunting 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting 1