Sunday 27 April 2014

Yatsuhigata

We went down to Yatsuhigata to see migrant birds on the mudflats.

When we got there, it was at low tide so all the waders were further out.

Lots of them were in their beautiful summer plumage - mainly Bar-tailed Godwit (Oosorihashishigiオオソリハシシギ), Turnstone (Kyoujoshigiキョウジシギ), Dunlin (Hamashigiハマシギ).

Some Whimbrels (Chushakushigiチュウシャクシギ) were on their own. One of them had a blue ring on his leg but it was too fat to read the number.

Lesser Sand Plovers (Medaichidoriメダイチドリ) and

Turnstones were foraging/resting on oyster shells. They were so well camouflaged it was hard to spot them at first.

Black-winged Stilts (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ) were ready to breed in the freshwater pond there.

Some wintering ducks were still there. Male Wigeons (Hidorigamoヒドリガモ)
and a female Wigeon.


Shovellers (Hashibirogamo
ハシビロガモ) were resting on the water.














A juvenile Grey Heron
(Aosagiアオサギ)















A Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ)
with a tiny fish in its beak















A pair of rays in the shallow water

Friday 25 April 2014

Birds in Phnom Penh (19-24 Feb)


Birds seen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 19-24th February, 2014

Common Mynah



Hoopoe





Oriental Magpie Robin


Yellow-vented Bulbul






House Sparrow


Mystery Bird




Chicken




Guinea Fowl

Lizard


from the window

on the Mekong


Monday 21 April 2014

Azure-winged Magpies (Onagaオナガ)

On a wet, dull morning, I heard familiar 'gyeeeeee' calls by Azure-winged Magpies coming from just outside our flat.


and gradually they built up their numbers...


In the end, there were more than 25 magpies flying into Aoba no Mori Koen. It was as if a party was about to start:) noisy but pretty birds they are!

Friday 11 April 2014

Ecology Park

A very quiet view of a Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) in the Ecology Park

or is it?

































He caught a Bullfrog (Ushigaeruウシガエル) and swallowed it whole...

In the reedbes, a Little Grebe (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) was caring for its eggs and nest attentively.

They have 3 eggs for now. I wonder if they will have more.

Only a few pairs of Teals (Kogamoコガモ) were around. The rest must have already left for their breeding grounds.

It was a peaceful afternoon in Funada-ike (except for the bullfrog, of course...).