Kasai Rinkai Koen

It's been so hot (over 30 degrees every day, nearly 40 at some places inland!) that I'm wondering if anyone would really like to sit outside or in a hide to watch birds, or even to do anything at all.

BUT! I somehow decided to pop in at Kasai Rinkai Koen after a bird survey, in which I was lucky to be involved, and it was worth visiting. An Asian Dowitcher (ShiberiaOohashishigiシベリアオオハシシギ), which was a rare visitor and can be seen in Japan every 10 years or so, had been on the lake for the last couple of days. I couldn't get a photo but it looked like something between a snipe and a godwit. Beautiful wader, it was!

Cormorants (Kawauカワウ) looked hot too...

A huge flock of Cormorants were hunting in a group. There must have been nearly a hundred individuals!

A couple of Little Terns (Koajisashiコアジサシ) were elegantly flying above the water and sweeping down to get some fish.

The tide was really low at that time and lots of egrets and herons were making the most of it. A flying Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) and a Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ).

A young gull flew effortlessly. I was thinking about the gulls' absence from view at this time of year (because when we were in Wales, gulls were a part of our lives!) but there they were! I'm not good at identifying young gulls and I cannot tell which gull it is... I'll learn gradually.

A Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ) (the yellow feet one) and a Black-winged Stilt (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ) (the pinky legs one) were preening in strong winds:) Even the winds felt so warm...

A young Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) was hunting in the mud by the lake. He had a very short crest and yellow lower mandible and was greyish over all, which are the characteristics of juvenile Grey Herons.

and he posed for me:)

then, cat-walked right in front of me...

but went too close to another Grey Heron, who both started chasing each other...

I kind of forgot how hot it was while watching the birds but not completely. I headed off back home, staggering...