21/10/10: Heavy low cloud that eventually lifted but never cleared and a North 5 wind that remained all day. Thrushes were again encountered pre-dawn and a Great White Egret had joined the Gull roost near our Minshuku although early morning numbers of other migrants appeared lower than in preceding days. However, soon after breakfast we saw a Naumann’s Thrush fly past us at the south-west of the island, a Bull-headed Shrike was the first of our trip and by afternoon it was clear that Rustic Buntings, Japanese White-eyes and Pale Thrushes were all present on the island in good numbers. A Goosander was a surprise find whilst we ate lunch at the northern shrine being only the second record for the island. In the late afternoon we briefly relocated the Naumann’s Thrush still near the south-west tip of the island and then found a Pine Bunting at Tsukasa.
Wild flower along the west coast
Rustic Bunting along the west shore
Great White Egret over the Lighthouse
Eastern Reef Egret along the south western shore
Siskins and Bramblings over Hegura-jima
Masked Bunting in the southwestern enclosures
Goosander on the Northern Shrine Rock Pools
Siskin at Tsukasa Fields
Red-throated Pipit at Tsukasa Fields
Species noted:
Streaked Shearwater 1,000
Cormorant 10
Eastern Reef Egret 2
Great Egret 1
Grey Heron 2
Goosander 1
Mandarin Duck 17
Wigeon 1
Teal 1
Mallard 3
Spot-billed Duck 10
Pintail 1
Black-eared Kite 2
Sparrowhawk 4
Peregrine 1
Black-headed Gull 1
Black-tailed Gull 75
Vega Gull 3
Slaty-backed Gull 1
Rufous Turtle Dove 3
Skylark 8
Olive-backed Pipit 2
Red-throated Pipit 1
Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit 12
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Amur Wagtail 1
Black-backed Wagtail 5
Brown-eared Bulbul 3
Red-flanked Bluetail 1 female
Daurian Redstart 30
Siberian Stonechat 2
Blue Rock Thrush 4
Pale Thrush 40
Dusky Thrush 80
Naumann's Thrush 1
Japanese Bush Warbler 6
Arctic Warbler 8
Goldcrest 20
Japanese White-eye 50
Bull-headed Shrike 1
Eastern Rook 6
Large-billed Crow 4
White-cheeked Starling 3
Brambling 50
Oriental Greenfinch 10
Siskin 200
Mealy Redpoll 1
Hawfinch 24
Masked Bunting 3
Pine Bunting 1
Chestnut-eared Bunting 1
Elegant Bunting 20
Rustic Bunting 30
Little Bunting 1
Reed Bunting 1
