Wajima, Japan 7th October 2009

7/10/09 Walked to Wajima Park and into the river valley to the east in increasingly threatening weather conditions. Spent a while checking the Gulls in the Harbour area. Met Mari who advised us that her parents were closing Minshuku Hakuto-en due to the typhoon and that she would book us into a safe modern Hotel on the seafront.

Juvenile moulting into first-winter Black-headed Gull at Wajima. In first-winter plumage the larger and proportionately longer-winged form involved sibiricus generally has a paler and weaker carpal bar and a narrower and often less clear tail-bar than ridibundis (Olsen&Larsson).

First-winter (foreground and two in background) and second-winter (middle) Black-tailed Gulls at Wajima

First-winter Black-tailed Gull at Wajima

Second-winter Black-tailed Gulls at Wajima

Third-winter Black-tailed Gull at Wajima

Juvenile Slaty-backed Gull at Wajima

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 5

Japanese Cormorant 12

Black-eared Kite 50

Black-headed Gull 4

Slaty-backed Gull 1 juvenile

Rock Dove 10

Black-backed Wagtail 1

Japanese Wagtail 2

Brown-eared Bulbul 5

Blue Rock Thrush 2

Eastern Great Tit 4

Japanese White-eye 3

Bull-headed Shrike 1

Jay 2

Carrion Crow 20

Large-billed Crow 2

Tree Sparrow 20

Meadow Bunting 5