24th October 2010: Heavily overcast skies that persisted all day with a S1 breeze and light rain from 3.30pm. The early morning produced our only Woodcock of our trip walking along a path near the NTT tower, a male Red-flanked Bluetail and a Yellow-browed Warbler. The morning revealed that the Naumann’s Thrush was still present and a flock of 11 Bewick’s Swans flew east past the south end of the island and 8 Japanese Grosbeaks and 2 Japanese Grey Thrushes proved our maximum daily count of those species. A Meadow Bunting was a surprise find at Tsukasa where we successfully twitched a first-winter Mugimaki Flycatcher performing alongside the Minshuku there. A Pine Bunting that was found near the harbour just prior to the ferry’s departure delighted departing birders including Kobutomashi. On the onset of rain the Observation Platform produced a pair of Grey Buntings, a Great and Coal Tit – all new species for our trip.
Red-flanked Bluetail along the Central Track
Goldcrest along Central Track
Daurian Redstart in the Southwest Enclosures
Mugimaki Flycatcher at Tsukasa
Yellow-browed Warbler at Tsukasa
Coal Tit at the Drinking Pool
Japanese Grey Thrush at the Drinking Pool
Pale Thrush at the Drinking PoolSpecies noted:
Streaked Shearwater 20
Cormorant 3
Eastern Reef Egret 1
Bewick's Swan 11
Mandarin Duck 4
Teal 2
Mallard 2
Spot-billed Duck 2
Pintail 1
Black-eared Kite 3
Japanese Sparrowhawk 1
Sparrowhawk 2
Merlin 1
Peregrine 2
Woodcock 1
Black-tailed Gull 50
Slaty-backed Gull 1
Rufous Turtle Dove 5
Japanese Green Pigeon 5
Skylark 5
Olive-backed Pipit 3
Red-throated Pipit 1
Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit 15
Yellow Wagtail 1
Black-backed Wagtail 2
Brown-eared Bulbul 3
Red-flanked Bluetail 1 male 3 female
Daurian Redstart 35
Siberian Stonechat 1
Blue Rock Thrush 4
Japanese Grey Thrush 2 female
Pale Thrush 40
Eye-browed Thrush 2
Dusky Thrush 20
Naumann's Thrush 1
Japanese Bush Warbler 10
Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 8
Yellow-browed Warbler 2
Goldcrest 30
Mugimaki Flycatcher 1
Coal Tit 1
Great Tit 1
Japanese White-eye 30
Eastern Rook 6
Large-billed Crow 4
Brambling 80
Oriental Greenfinch 10
Siskin 300
Japanese Grosbeak 8
Hawfinch 3
Grey Bunting 2
Black-faced Bunting 4
Pine Bunting 1
Meadow Bunting 1
Elegant Bunting 30
Rustic Bunting 15
Little Bunting 1
Reed Bunting 5
