Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (May 9, 2010)

I went to Maioka-koen for early birdwatching, again in this Sunday.

Although spring migration season, somehow, very little voice is heard in the park.  Howfinch is still heard, though it sits behind leaves.  A thrush was seeen along the trail but hid into the bush quickly.

A male Narcissus Flycatcher was calling loudly but is nervous and sit high near the canopy while Great Tit looks busy for taking care of the chicks.

Although several Chinese Bamboo Partridge were seen last week, there were only voices in this morning.

A male Japanese (Green) Woodpecker was seen well in a trail while I was waiting for the Narcissus Flycatcher.  It seems the woodpecker is nesting as the male was carrying worms to somewhere.

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (May 2, 2010)

A beautiful sunny day. 

I woke up at 5:00 AM and visited Maioka Koen park in the morning. 

Some Brown-headed Thrush, at least one Pale-legged Warbler and Eastern Crowned Warbler were singinng, though they did not show nice view. 

A male Narcissus Flycatcher was also singing in the dense forest.

Chinese Bamboo Partridge was very active and allowed to take some pictures.

Birdwatching in Yambaru, Okinawa Day 2 (April 18, 2010)

As I was able to see all three target species yesterday, I decided to spend most of my time to look for Okinawa Rail in the morning and photograph Ryukyu Robin afterward.

I woke up at 5:00 AM as yesterday and drove northword from Nago City.  Ryukyu Robin and Light-vented Bulbul sometimes crossed the road.  Although I was carefully watching roadside, I did not have good luck to see any rail.  Once I found a pair of rail, it was White-breasted Waterhen, which is common in Okinawa.

A Okinawa Rail was found in the forest edge in northern Kunigami Village.  Luckily, it did not run into the bush and kept feeding roadside.  The stripe body with red beak is so distinctive and more hundsome than my thought.

After the encounter, I drove into a forest trail.  Although I was able to hear some Okinawa Rail's call, there was no more luck to see the rare rail. 

Okinawa Woodpecker was sometimes seen along the trail though it was normally very shy and kept in the lower dense vegetation.

In the hill station of the forest, I heard a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher and Narcissus Flycatcher were singing.  Although I waited for a while, they kept in the dense bush.

As I needed to go back to the Naha International Airport by 3:30 PM, I needed to leave Kunigami Village around 11:00 AM..  I decided to drop off Hiji Waterfall once again.

When I arrived in the waterfall, there were already some tourists.  Although I did not expect good encounter of Ryukyu Robin and Okinawa Woodpecker, I saw the two species once again.

Ryukyu Robin is generally tame bird and often comes closer to people.  I was so happy to take some nice pictures of the robin in the end of my trip.

Birds seen during the two days are as below.

1. Grey-faced Buzzard 2. Little Eagret 3. Great Egret 4. Cattle Egret 5. Okinawa Rail 6. White-breasted Waterhen 7. Oriental Turtle Dove 8. Whistling Green Pigeon 9. Okinawa Woodpecker 10. Japanese Pygmy Woodpekcer 11. Light-vented Bulbul 12. Brown-eared Bulbul 13. Ryukyu Minivet 14. Pacific Swallow 15. Barn Swallow 16. Ryukyu Robin 17. Blue Rockthrush 18. Pale Thrush 19. Brown-headed Thrush 20. Japanese Bush Warbler 21. Zitting Cisticola 22. Narcissus Flycatcher 23. Japanese Paradise Flycatcher 24. Varied Tit 25. Great Tit 26. Japanese White-eye 27. Eurasian Tree Sparrow28. Nutmeg Mannikin 29. Large-billed Crow

Birdwatching in Yambaru, Okinawa Day 1 (April 17, 2010)

I hadn't been able to go birding due to too much work for a while.

As I had a mission in Naha, Okinawa on 16 April and free days in the weekend, I decided to go to Yambaru, where I had never been before.

I hired a car in Naha in the Friday evening and left Naha around 5:30 AM in the morning.  Driving to Nago City was confortable without heavy traffic.  After Nago City, I followed route 58 toward Kunigami Village.  Accordingly my friend, northern tip of Okinawa island is a good point to see 3 target species.

Before going to the northern end, I dropped off at Hiji Waterfall (Hiji-no-Otaki).  Immediately after getting off the car at the car park, I heard several calls of Ryukyu Robins.  Yes, the Robin was found at the camp site! 

In the camp site, I was also very lucky to see  a male Okinawa Woodpecker.  The woodpecker reminds me Maroon Woodpecker or Orange-backed Woodpecker of Southeast Asia.

Hiji Waterfall is a famous site for Ryukyu Robin.  I saw at least 10 individuals (both male and female) within 2 hours.

During day time, although I visited northern Kunigami Village, I did not have a chance to see anything noteworthy. 

In Cape Hedo, I enjoyed watching several Blue Rock Thrushes.  The rock thrush is very common in Okinawa and is found even in downtown. 

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker is common in forest in the village while Great and Varied Tits are frequently seen. 

In the late afternoon, I spent my time for looking for Okinawa Rail in northern parts of the village.  Around 5:30 p.m., I finally found an individual of rail nearby the road. 

Ryuku Robin (male)

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (February 14, 2010)

After raining for a few days, I visited the park again to take pictures of woodcock. 

There was no woodcock but a Solitary Snipe, though it was bit far away.....

Some good photos of common species likely Varied  Tits, Great Tits, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Hawfinch and Bull-headed Shrike were taken while a small flock of Chinese Bamboo Partridge was seen very well.

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen February 7, 2010)

A bit quiet day. 

There was no highlight of the day.

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (January 24, 2010)

Although a pair of Woodcock was seen likely a week before, they were too far to photograph.

Highlight of the day was a Water Rail.

A female Black-faced Bunting was so tame and allowed me to take photos within 2-3 meter.

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen (January 16, 2010)

Unlikely last time, there was no Solitary Snipe.

A pair of Eurasian Woodcock was doubtlessly highlight of the day.

While a Common Kingfisher was seen well.

Birdwatching in Maioka Koen

The first birding in 2010.  Although I knew arrival of Solitary Snipe and Eurasian Woodcocks through someone's web site a few days ago, I didn't want to go to the park.  The main reason why I don't like to go to the park is too many bird photographers.   Often, 30 or 40 people were just sitting in front of marsh to take a picture of Solitary Snipe or Wryneck....

Well, anyway, I left my house at 8:00 a.m. to go to the park.  It was bit hazy and less sunny comparing to the last few days.  Likely in this season, it was bit cold with some frost in the park.  Tits, such as Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit were seen together with Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker  on the way to go to the marsh. 

Yap, there was a Solitary Snipe in the marsh.  It was feeding just about 10 meter from me.  Although photographers were bit nuisance, probably, nowhere else Solitary Snipe is so tame and easily seen in Japan.  The snipe is never uncommon in middle of winter in Japan.  Actually, it is more often seen in western Japan in small streams in hill station.  However, it is normally quite wary.  So, we just see when it is flushed.

A Common Kingfisher was seen in a small pond while a Brown-headed Thrush (probably race orii) was feeding on the ground.  In this winter, number of small passerine, such as Daurian Redstart and Red-flanked Bluetail is less than usual winter.  Although I heard call of Red-flanked Bluetail, I wasn't able to focus in it in the bush.

Recently, number of  Hwamei, an introduced species, has been increasing.  Although it is ecologically not good to see the laughing thrush, I am bit curious how they establish well in Yokohama.