Hegura-jima, Japan 22nd September 2009

Out at dawn at 5.15am. Heavily overcast with a few spots of rain. SSW4 moderating to SW2 by 3pm and calm by dusk with low cloud. Early morning spent along the sheltered central track area and a check of the dragon's pond. Later we tried Tsukasa returning to the central track. Highlights included our only Gray's Grasshopper Warbler of the trip seen near the helipad, 3 Middendorf's Grasshopper Warblers, a Dusky Warbler, the Wood Warbler and 3 Chinese Grosbeaks.

The newly-paved southern central track near the NTT tower

xanthrodryas Arctic Warbler along the Central track

Grey-streaked Flycatcher along the Central track

Wood Warbler near the NTT tower

The Tree Shrine copse

The Tsukasa fields

The western perimeter track looking north towards the lighthouse

Pampas grass along the western perimeter track

The Dragon's pond

Female Brambling at the freshwater pool

Arctic Warbler at the freshwater pool

Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler at the freshwater pool

Adult female Black-faced Bunting at the southern end of the Central track

Little Bunting at the southern end of the Central track

Arctic Warbler at the southern end of the Central track

The southern Central track

The freshwater pool from the Observation Platform

Species noted:

Streaked Shearwater 5
Grey Heron 2
Teal 3
Black-eared Kite 2
Peregrine 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Grey-tailed Tattler 1
Black-tailed Gull 100
Japanese Woodpigeon 1
Rufous Turtle Dove 3
Little Cuckoo 1
Grey Wagtail 3
Black-backed Wagtail 12
Blue Rock Thrush 6
Pale Thrush 1
Japanese Bush Warbler 14
Middendorff's Warbler 3
Gray's Grasshopper Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 10
xanthrodryas Arctic Warbler 1
Yellow-browed Warbler 2h
Dusky Warbler 1
Wood Warbler 1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 2
Brown Flycatcher 1
Large-billed Crow 2
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 3
Brambling 1
Oriental Greenfinch 20
Chinese Grosbeak 3
Black-faced Bunting 8
Little Bunting 6

Hegura-jima, Japan 21st September 2009

21/9/09 Awoke to a calm and clear dawn. Took a taxi to Wajima harbour and boarded the 9.00 ferry to Hegura-jima. A slight swell on the crossing with Streaked Shearwaters ever present alongside the ferry. Rob Edmunds kindly met us at the quay to tell us what was around! Pushed our barrow to Minshuku Tsuki where we dropped our bags being out in 15 minutes to see a Wood Warbler near the NTT tower joining friends from our Spring visit, Rob and Aki, amongst the gathered crowd. Walked a circuit of the island with Rob before saying farewell to him as he left for the mainland on the afternoon ferry. The wind was East 2-3 by 4pm. Walked another circuit of the island before dusk producing our only Brown Shrike of the trip near the Dragon's pond.

Wajima harbour

First-winter Black-tailed Gull at Wajima

Adult Osprey at Wajima

Juvenile Black-eared Kite at Wajima

Leaving Wajima aboard the ferry

Dolphin sp. off Wajima

Uninhabited islands half-way to Hegura-jima

Streaked Shearwaters between Wajima and Hegura-jima

First views of Hegura-jima

Entering the harbour at Hegura-jima

The Wood Warbler twitch

Beatle on Hegura-jima

Juvenile Brown Shrike photographed by Aki near the Dragon's pond

Species noted:
Streaked Shearwater 100 crossing
Grey Heron 8 Wajima
Osprey 2 Wajima
Black-eared Kite 50 Wajima, 2 Hegura
Peregrine 1 on islands during crossing, 1 Hegura
Common Sandpiper 1 Hegura
Black-tailed Gull 100 Wajima, 100 Hegura
Vega Gull 2 Hegura
Rufous Turtle Dove 2 Hegura
Pacific Swift 1 Hegura
Swallow 4 Wajima
Red-rumped Swallow 5 Wajima
Black-backed Wagtail 12 Hegura
Brown-eared Bulbul 1 Hegura
Blue Rock Thrush 10 Hegura
Arctic Warbler 3 Hegura
Yellow-browed Warbler 1 & 1h Hegura
Wood Warbler 1
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1 Hegura
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 4 Hegura
Brown Flycatcher 2 Hegura
Brown Shrike 1 juvenile Hegura
Carrion Crow 1 Wajima
Large-billed Crow 5 Wajima
Tree Sparrow 10 Wajima
Oriental Greenfinch 50 Hegura
Little Bunting 1 Hegura

Anamizu, Japan 20th September 2009

19/9/09 Departed Heathrow at 13.45 bound for Narita, Tokyo following the great circle route along the northern fringe of the Palearctic surely followed in reverse by far eastern vagrants to the UK.

20/9/09 Arrived at a windy Narita on the fringe of a typhoon at 9.25 and took a bus to Haneda. Departed Haneda at 14.20, passing Mt. Fuji before arriving at Noto at 15.20. A shared taxi to sunny, warm and calm Anamizu where stayed at Minshuku Sunayama. Walked into town to buy some food seeing 2 Red-rumped Swallows, 6 Japanese Wagtails and a Meadow Bunting.

Mt. Fuji photographed from the air

Species noted:
Grey Heron 10
Teal 3
Spot-billed Duck 3
Black-eared Kite 2
Common Kingfisher 1
Red-rumped Swallow 2
Japanese Wagtail 6
Blue Rock Thrush 1
Jay h
Carrion Crow 2
Large-billed Crow 3
Tree Sparrow 20
Meadow Bunting 1