Hegura-jima, Japan 25th September 2009

Out at 5.15am N2 with some cloud so cooler than the previous day. A complex movement of Thrushes with some appearing to make landfall on the island at dawn but shortly after a flock of 50 were seen gaining height and leaving the isle. Quite a few new birds on the island with our first Common Snipe of the trip, our only Green Sandpiper of the trip, our first Slaty-backed Gulls, Common Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Bull-headed Shrikes, 3 Common Rosefinches and found a rarity in the form of a Lesser Whitethroat with a Common Starling a close second!! In addition the Tree Pipit remained and 3 White's Thrushes were seen.

A dawn encounter with a Great Spotted Woodpecker

Eye-browed Thrushes over Hegura-jima early morning

Adult Richard's Pipit at the southwestern beach on Hegura-jima

Kabutomushi having successfully twitched and photographed his first Richard's Pipit

The Northern Central Track far more overgrown than in the Spring

Lesser Whitethroat near the Northern Shrine - a rarity in Japan

Grass along the western perimeter track

Grey-streaked Flycatcher along the Southern Central Track

Brown Flycatcher along the Southern Central Track

Juvenile Common Rosefinch along the Southern Central Track

First-winter personata Black-faced Bunting along the Southern Central Track

Arctic Warbler along the Southern Central Track

Adult winter Common Starling at the southwestern end of Hegura-jima

Black-backed Wagtail along the Western Perimeter Track

Little Buntings near the south of Hegura-jima

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 5

Grey Heron 4

Teal 8

Black-eared Kite 4

Peregrine 1

Pacific Golden Plover 3

Common Snipe 1

Green Sandpiper 1

Common Sandpiper 2

Black-tailed Gull 100

Vega Gull 2

Slaty-backed Gull 2

Japanese Woodpigeon 2

Rufous Turtle Dove 2

Common Kingfisher 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Sand Martin 1

Swallow 1

Richard's Pipit 1

Tree Pipit 1

Grey Wagtail 10

Black-backed Wagtail 25

Brown-eared Bulbul 2

Siberian Stonechat 1

Blue Rock Thrush 15

White's Thrush 3

Eye-browed Thrush 78

Japanese Bush Warbler 15

Middendorff's Warbler 4

Black-browed Reed Warbler 1

Arctic Warbler 7

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Grey-streaked Flycatcher 5

Brown Flycatcher 4

Japanese White-eye 6

Bull-headed Shrike 2

Large-billed Crow 4

Chestnut-cheeked Starling 2

Common Starling 1

Brambling 2

Oriental Greenfinch 30

Common Rosefinch 3

Chinese Grosbeak 3

Black-faced Bunting 12

Little Bunting 14