Hegura-jima, Japan 29th September 2009

29/9/09 Out at 5.15am to heavy low cloud and a NE3 wind being far better than the wet and windy forecast. It remained dry all day with the wind moderating to calm by dusk but still overcast. Highlights included our only Greenshank, our only 3 Brown Thrushes and finding a Whinchat being only the second record for Japan and East Asia. At times the Whinchat was within a few meters of the remaining Northern Wheatear. The Whinchat survived being forced down into the sea by a Black-backed Wagtail!

Divers off Hegura-jima

Our host out fishing for our supper!

Eclipse drake Mallard on the Dragon's Pool

Common Kingfisher along the western shore

Female Bramblings along the Southern Central Track

Juvenile Mandarin Ducks along the Southern Central Track

Female or first-winter Bull-headed Shrike at the School field

Grey Herons over Hegura-jima

Northern Wheatear at the south western beach

Juvenile Far Eastern Curlew at the south western beach

Adult dark morph Eastern Reef Egret along the western shore

Female Whinchat at the southern end of the Central Track - the second record for Japan and East Asia

Drake Mandarin at the Dragon's Pool

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 10

Japanese Cormorant 1

Eastern Reef Egret 1

Grey Heron 10

Mandarin Duck 3

Wigeon 1

Teal 13

Mallard 2

Pintail 6

Black-eared Kite 5

Peregrine 1

Pacific Golden Plover 1

Common Snipe 2

Far Eastern Curlew 1

Greenshank 1

Common Sandpiper 2

Grey-tailed Tattler 1

Black-tailed Gull 100

Japanese Woodpigeon 1

Rufous Turtle Dove 1

Common Cuckoo 1

Common Kingfisher 1

Richard's Pipit 1

Olive-backed Pipit 1

Grey Wagtail 1

Black-backed Wagtail 40

Brown-eared Bulbul 1

Siberian Stonechat 1

Northern Wheatear 1

Whinchat 1

Blue Rock Thrush 15

Brown Thrush 3

Pale Thrush 3

Eye-browed Thrush 28

Dusky Thrush 2

Japanese Bush Warbler 15

Middendorff's Warbler 3

Black-browed Reed Warbler 2

Arctic Warbler 8

xanthrodryas Arctic Warbler 1

Dusky Warbler 1

Grey-streaked Flycatcher 2

Brown Flycather 3

Narcissus Flycatcher 1

Bull-headed Shrike 4

Large-billed Crow 4

White-cheeked Starling 1

Brambling 8

Oriental Greenfinch 50

Black-faced Bunting 15

Little Bunting 8