Happy new year eve

I saw Snow Bunting at 31th/Dec at Atuma, it was twice to see the bunting !
The first my finding was two years ago in Kiritappu, eastern Hokkaido, so I was very happy to see it at my normal observation area.

They made a flock with Lapland Bunting (Lapland 10 and Snow3).

 They ate seed of dead grass.

Laplands.

In the same day, I took photo of Falcon, Rough-legged, and Short-eared.
It was happy final day of 2011 for me.

Lapland Bunting

In this season, flock of Lapland Bunting containing ca. 40 individuals stays in Mukawa.
It is easy to approach when they eat tiny seed.

There are many Hen Harriers in this season.
They wander around grass land and aim flock of Lapland Bunting. So they can't bear to eat its food calmly.

male

female

Mukawa, Hokkaido. 12/2011.

Chinese Merganser and Goledn-crowned Sparrow

On my way going back to Sapporo via Tokyo, I had enough time of birding in Kanto (around Tokyo), I tried to seek three stray birds I got information.

At first I went to Sagami river, Kanagawa prefecture for Chinese Merganser which lived in north east Russia and Chinese.

A young male Chinese Marganser was in flock of Common Merganser.
I heard it is difficult to see because it flew away to up or downstream constantly, so I was lucky.
After observation its floating water they flew away to downstream.

Soon I moved to Edo river, Chiba prefecture to see Red-breasted Frycatcher and Goledn-crowned Sparrow.

I could see Red-breasted Frycatcher easily but Goledn-crowned Sparrow didn't appear easily.

Pygmy Woodpecker.

Common Coot.

"no-tail"Long-tailed Tit caught a bug.

I beared until appearing of it. It was seen before my deadline...

26/Jan/2011.

Three lifers per a day

During in Shimane, I counted three lifers in one day.

Upland Buzzard which breeds in Mongolia and wintering around there comes rarely to Japan.
This individual was disscused juvenile or adult, my power birder friends argued about that but conclusion was not decided yet. It was so shy to approach.

Shore Lark was in flock of Skylark.

Flock of Pallas's Reed Bunting consisting ca. 15 individuals feeding on grass land.
I recognized that it was different activity and habitat selection between Reed Bunting and Pallas's Reed Bunting.
Pallas's likes grass land and on ground feeding, the other likes reed habitat feeding on stem of it.

Before and after of the cruise

Before the cruise, I went to Atuma where there was grass small birds feeding it.

Fortunately, I could see interesting birds.

Pine Bunting fed on Elymus mollis. It was first time to see it at short range, I saw it at a glance several years ago.

A flock of Rosy Finch. How many is it in this photo?

Additionally, I saw flock of Lapland Bunting, they flew away above us.

After birding, I went to Mukawa to see Short-eared Owl.

Young American Wigeon was in flock of Eurasian Wigeon, my friend pointed me.

Short-eared Owl were there yet.

Onece more Sarobetu

Last Sunday, my friend said that wanted to see Red-necked Grebe's chick, I went to Sarobetu again with him.

At first, we were forward to Toyotomi to see Yellow-breasted Bunting etc., but we couldn't see the Bunting.

Chicks of Stonechat.

Tree Sparrow.

Barn Swallow.
Japanese subspecies of swallow has white belly, it seemed to be a Eurasian subspecies.

We moved to Horonobe for our main target.

Though there were over 20 birders to see the Grebes, we could see at short range.

According to a person stood by here before our arrival, a chick hatched in this morning.
We were lucky.

The grass impeded us to see chick, we could see chick on parent's (mother?) back, and observed feeding from father (?) to chick.

Reed Bunting.

Sarobetu2

Red-necked Grebe made its nest at short range from shore in Horonobe.

The parents change every about 30 minutes.

When they change role of incubating, they did display.

Reed Bunting had worm for its chicks.

The photos in Horonobe, Hokkaido. 3th/Jul/2010.

Sarobetu1

Last weekend, I went to Sarobetu moor, northern Hokkaido, to see famous birds in this place.
I left Sapporo at A.M. 0:00 and return to Sapporo at 22:30. It was very hard driving.

At 7:00, I arrived Toyotomi which is famous place for Yellow-breasted Bunting and Yellow Wagtail.

 Yellow Wagtail.

I could see Yellow-breasted Bunting which is known to be a endangered species.
It seemed growing its chicks because it had a worm.

It flew away.

Many Japanese Snipe sang around here.

Skylark.

Additionally, I saw Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler and Lanceolated Warbler.

All photos in Toyotomi, Hokkaido. 3th/Jul/2010.