Thursday 14 May 2009

14th May 2009 Hegura-jima

14/5/09 Out at 4.30am to see a large thunderstorm and lightning passing just to the north of the island. Wind SSW4 bearing NW5 by late afternoon when the temperature noticeably dropped. The early morning walk of the island produced a Red-throated Pipit, but that was soon eclipsed by seeing a few Tristram’s Buntings and a Red-flanked Bluetail late morning and a male Japanese Paradise Flycatcher during the afternoon. Again there were more migrants in evidence by late afternoon including 2 male Brown Shrikes of different forms and a male Rubythroat hopping around the fishing pots on the quay.
Presumed Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009. Unless singing this species is currently considered inseparable from Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus at the pool on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009



Olive-backed Pipits Anthus hodgsoni at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Female Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius philippensis near Minshuku Tsuki on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Male Black-backed Wagtail Motacilla lugens on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009



First-summer male Chestnut Bunting Emberiza rutila at the drinking pool on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009



Japanese Waxwings Bombycilla japonica at the Community Centre on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Male Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane near the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis orientalis in the Harbour Park on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

First-summer male Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Male Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus lucionensis along the northern Central Track on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

The north-eastern point of Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009


Female Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

First-summer male Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki along the Central Track on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Female Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus stejnegeri at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009


Female Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009. This female most-closely resembles the form E. s. spodocephala.

Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope around the fishing pots on the quay on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Male Eastern Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola ornata at the Tsukasa Fields on Hegura-jima, 14th May 2009

Species noted:
Streaked Shearwater 350
Japanese Cormorant 5
Pelagic Cormorant 1
Cattle Egret 1
Little Egret 1
Great Egret 1
Grey Heron 15
Black-eared Kite 2
Japanese Sparrowhawk 2
Peregrine 1
Moorhen 1
Black-winged Stilt 1
Wood Sandpiper 3
Common Sandpiper 4
Black-tailed Gull 250
Slaty-backed Gull 1
Oriental Turtle Dove 3
Oriental Cuckoo h
Sand Martin 2
Swallow 15
Olive-backed Pipit 10
Red-throated Pipit 1
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Black-backed Wagtail 10
Brown-eared Bulbul 3
Japanese Waxwing 3
Siberian Rubythroat 3
Siberian Blue Robin 1
Red-flanked Bluetail 1
Siberian Stonechat 1
Blue Rock Thrush 2
Eye-browed Thrush 1
Dusky Thrush 4
Japanese Bush Warbler 2
Oriental Great Reed Warbler 2
Eastern Crowned Warbler 5
Sakhalin Leaf Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 5
Yellow-browed Warbler 5
Dusky Warbler 1
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 3
Brown Flycatcher 6
Taiga Flycatcher 3
Mugimaki Flycatcher 3
Narcissus Flycatcher 8
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 1
Brown Shrike 2 (of two different forms)
Large-billed Crow 4
Chestnut-cheeked Starling 8
Brambling 8
Oriental Greenfinch 20
Japanese Grosbeak 9
Hawfinch 15
Black-faced Bunting 8
Chestnut-eared Bunting 3
Tristram's Bunting 3
Chestnut Bunting 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting 2