Sunday 29 April 2018

Migratory Birds in April

On the 13th of April when I did a survey in Ecology Park, I heard him singing in the thick trees and managed to spot him. A moment later, a Japanese Sparrowhawk flashed by everyone and silence fell...

An Asian Brown Flycatcher (Kosamebitakiコサメビタキ)



On the 28th April I heard him going 'zic zic zzzzzzeeeee....!'

An Eastern Crowned Warbler (Sendai-mushikuiセンダイムシクイ) - only his song

I was lucky to hear them both as they only stop over in and around Chiba-shi for a few hours - few days.

Saturday 21 April 2018

Inage Kaihin Park

Around the pond in the park, more than 25 Black-headed Gulls were peacefully preening and resting.

Some were lucky enough to be fed by passers-by with a piece of bread or something.


In a small stream between the ponds, a pair of Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) were foraging.

Above them, a family of Azure-winged Magpies (Onagaオナガ) were loudly calling each other, chasing insects and eating berries.



Is there going to be some sort of fun event here?

Many Thick-billed Crows (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス) and Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ) were actually hunting insects on the grass.


Barn Swallows were swooping in the sky - summer is coming!

Friday 20 April 2018

Inage Kaihin Beach

The Little Tern season has come again and I went to Inage Kaihin Park to help put up the ropes around the area where Little terns are likely to make their colony.


The project leader said he'd seen 2 little terns already, so, fingers crossed!

After the hard work, I walked in the park and looked for the signs of spring:)

Yes!

This Black-headed Gull (Yurikamomeユリカモメ) turned into summer plumage already.
BH gulls don't breed in the area so today could be the last day to see them on this beach for a while.

On the concrete breakwater were a Whimbrel (Chushakushigiチュウシャクシギ),
Sanderlings (Miyubishigiミユビシギ),
 and Wigeons (Hidorigamoヒドリガモ).

Whimbrels and Sanderlings are stopping on their way to their breeding grounds and Wigeons are wintering birds and most of them have left for their breeding grounds.

Some Greater Scaups (Suzugamoスズガモ) were still there with the Wigeons.

Another BH Gull was foraging on the shore, busy running up and down!

Thursday 5 April 2018

Other Birds in Kasai Rinkai Koen

In the pond at Kasai Rinkai Koen Bird Observatory, wintering ducks were still seen as well as the resident birds.

 female Pochard (Hoshihajiroホシハジロ)
 Male Tufted Ducks (Kinkurohajiroキンクロハジロ)
 male Tufted duck & male Teal (Kogamoコガモ)
 female Tufted duck & female Pochard
 male Teal
 Moorhen (Banバン)
 a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) flew in


a pair of Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ)

 

Spot-billed Ducks usually breed in this park and we will see cute ducklings in a month or so:)

Wednesday 4 April 2018

Kasai Rinkai Koen by the sea

Kasai Rinkai Koen, which is one of the best birding places in Tokyo, was my destination today to see a friend, who was in England when I was in Wales, and for her to see some Oystercatchers in the park.

We spotted an Oystercatcher (Miyakodoriミヤコドリ) within the first 10 minutes after we met each other!



At the seaside part of the park, we saw ...

Black-tailed Gull (Uminekoウミネコ)


Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ)

Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ)

a Great Crested Grebe (Kanmurikaitsuburiカンムリカイツブリ)
and Greater Scaups (Suzugamoスズガモ) resting & preening on the sand

Little Grebe (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ)

Red-necked Grebe (Hajirokaitsuburiハジロカイツブリ)



Many people with huge canon-like cameras were lining up on the spit and we later found out that a wintering Black-faced Spoonbill was their target.

Tuesday 3 April 2018

Chiba Port Park - the shore

By the harbour, a great number of the Great Scaups winter every year and now many of them have left for their breeding grounds in Siberia. A few dozen of them were still resting in the water quite close to the shore.




The males have a beautiful breeding plumage now with a bit of greenish sheen on their heads.

The three of them really got into foraging in the shallows, right by the human activities.


A lone Black-headed Gull (Yurikamomeユリカモメ) was near them, also picking something out of the shallows.


Cormorants (Kawauカワウ) were all out of water, drying and warming in the sun:)
 There were over 50 of them on the concrete blocks, some looked rather young and others were in breeding plumage.


On the little sandy area (I am not sure if I would call it a 'beach'...), people were clamming.