Bird Watching in Japan & Asia: Water Rail

Showing posts with label Water Rail. Show all posts

2011-04-24

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (April 24, 2011)

Spring migration has started. A few Asian Stubtail were calling vocally while an Eastern Crowned Warbler was singing in the oak forest. A few Brown-headed Thrush has also arrived and was singing time to time. Although I wasn't able to focus, a male Blue-and-White Flycatcher's call was also heard.

Winter migrants have also singing in the forest. Beautiful songs of Black-faced Bunting and Dusky Thrush were heard while Siskin was calling, too.

Other interesting birds seen were a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a male Grey Bunting and a Water Rail.

1. Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 2. Chinese Bamboo Partridge 3. Water Rail 1 4. Oriental Turtle-Dove 5. Common Kingfisher 6. Japanese Woodpecker 7. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker 8. Barn Swallow 9. Olive-backed Pipit 10. Brown-eared Bulbul 11. Dusky Thrush 12. Brown-headed Thrush 2 13. Asian Stubtail 14. Eastern Crowned Warbler 15. Japanese Bush Warbler 16. Blue-and-White Flycatcher 1 17. Long-tailed Tit 18. Varied Tit 19. Great Tit 20. Japanese White-eye 21. Meadow Bunting 22. Black-faced Bunting 23. Grey Bunting 1 male 24. Siskin 25. Oriental Greenfinch 26. Hawfinch 27. Tree Sparrow 28. White-cheeked Starling 29. Large-billed Crow

Black-faced Bunting (female)

Brown-headed Thrush (female)

Siskin (male)

Olive-backed Pipit

Great Tit (female)

Great Tit (female) collecting nest's material

Great Tit (female)

Great Tit (female) bathing

Water Rail

Anthocharis scolymus (female): a typical spring butterfly

Viola grypoceras

Corydalis incisa

2011-02-13

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (February 13, 2011)

After raining/snowing for two days, it was finally fine. Despite the beautiful sky, birds tended to be less active. An Eurasian Sparrowhawk (female) attacked Brown-eared Bulbul, but it failed to hunt. A Water Rail was feeding in the marsh as usual while albino female Daurian Redstart is still in the park. Today's highlight was Eurasian Woodcock. Two birds came closer than usual.

Recorded Species
1. Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 (female) 2. Chinese Bamboo Partridge 3. Water Rail 1 4. Eurasian Woodcock 2 5. Oriental Turtle-Dove 6. Common Kingfisher 7. Japanese Woodpecker (call) 8. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker 9. White Wagtail 10. Brown-eared Bulbul 11. Bull-headed Shrike 12. Daurian Redstart 13. Brown-headed Thrush 14. Pale Thrush 15. Dusky Thrush 16. Long-tailed Tit 17. Great Tit 18. Varied Tit 19. Japanese White-eye 20. Meadow Bunting 21. Rustic Bunting 22. Black-faced Bunting 23. Hawfinch 24. Tree Sparrow 25. White-cheeked Starling 26. Large-billed Crow

Water Rail

Black-faced Bunting (male?)

Daurian Redstart (male)

Dusky Thrush (male)

Rustic Bunting (female)

Brown-headed Thrush (male)

Daurian Redstart (female, albino)

Eurasian Woodcock

2011-01-23

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (January 23, 2011)

Weather was bit cloudy but fortunately not windy. As I heard Solitary Snipe has been seen in the park, I decided to visit there shortly. According to local birdwatchers, it has not been seen yet this year. While I was in the park, I enjoyed watching Black-faced Bunting (very tame), Water Rail, Woodcock and Siskin. There have been three woodcocks, though only one was seen during my one hour stay.

Highlight of the day was fighting match between Brown-headed Thrush and Dusky Thrush. They were fighting each other at least three times. Finally, Brown-headed Thrush won. The poor Dusky Thrush was even attacked by a Pale Thrush later.