The January Bird Report

Well, to spare all you avesphobes out there the uncomfortable feeling of reading a posting where I talk about birds and what not, in amongst the remainder of what else I got up to during the week, I have decided now to summarize the birding in a monthly post. Please be aware that this may change as the mood suits. Thank you.

So, January was a good month in notching up 8 Japanese ticks, including 5 lifers and a cat. C JP tick. The first weekend back after my break back home was exciting if not long. Despite being totally out of it from jetlag, Neil and I headed up to Kanazawa on the Japan Sea to look for the wintering Upland Buzzard, and if time permitted, a quick look at the geese flocks in Fukui. An overnight drive from Kyotanabe, a few hours kip in the car at the site of the buzzard, and by dawn we were ready to twitch. I didn't know where I was or what time it was but it was great nonetheless. A dozen or so Black Kites sitting in the now ploughed and dry rice paddie fields set the heart racing, and common buzzards gliding low over the ditches causing Neil to slam on the breaks, I quickly gathered my senses. A merlin bombing right over the car in pursuit of a buff-bellied pipit was incredible to see, while a couple of Marsh Harriers hunted along the grassy verges. After about 30 minutes of criss-crossing the roads that traverse the fields, I spotted a pale buzzard sitting on a ditch. We slowed down and got a better look...Upland Buzzard!! Magic. The bird gave us a stare and off it flew giving exceptional views. We spent the rest of the day driving around the fields but we never could relocate the bird. However, it wasn't over yet. As we were driving along, admiring the 6-7 Marsh Harriers hunting over the reedbeds that skirted the river and pond in the area, I was woken abruptly by Neil thumping my arm and applying the brakes...Azure-winged Magpies!!!!! 18 in all. Beautiful birds and an unexpected lifer for the trip. It had been so long since Neil had seen them they may as well have been a new species for him. I was thrilled as the only place that I know of where one is guaranteed to see them is Tokyo...sweet. A fitting end to a great day.

The following weekend was kept local with news of an overwintering Red-breasted Flycatcher and a pair of Chinese Grosbeaks. We met early enough and headed for the grosbeaks first. After finding the city park they were in, we quickly located the birds by the presence of the photographers. Stunning is all I will say really. The photo (above) does them some justice. When the birds flew off amongst the flock of Japanese Grosbeaks (below), we headed back to the train station and onto the next site. After 2 train changes and a taxi, we finally reached the park and once again, we were alerted to the bird's whereabouts by the click-click-click sound of camera shutters and the shouts of "sugoi" from the locals. Red-breasted Flycatchers are rare in Japan, with the more annually occuring Taiga Flycatcher being the more likely species to occur. Although we weren't too sure at the beginning if it was an RB Fly, we finally agreed that it was one. Many of the Japanese birders/photographers there were not aware that 2 species existed now which can be difficult to tell apart. Still, it constituted a JP tick as we had seen Taiga Fly on Hegura-jima a year earlier. After some stunning views (first photo above), we headed off and called it a day.

The following weekend was another local twitch. I dipped on the first morning there, even waiting in the one spot for 5 hours and looking at the reeds/scrub that the birds was last seen fly into. I returned the next morning and, after a 2 hour wait, was treated to spectacular views of Japan's 2nd Golden-Crowned Sparrow (see below). A birds common in the United States, but only the second time seen in Japan, the first being back in 1935 in Tokyo. Although some will say it is only a sparrow, it is actually a nice looking bird. I got some dodgy photos but it's enough for a record shot. The park where the bird was found is massive and so the area was packed with birds. Brambling, Siskin, Greenfinch, Black-faced Buntings (see final photo), White-cheeked Starlings, Pale and Dusky Thrushes aplenty. Despite a brief search, I could not find the reported Common Starling which would have been a JP tick for me, but the consolation came in stumbling across a few Red-flanked Bluetails, Daurian Redstarts and Hawfinches. Magical morning.

February is not yet over, but it has been exciting also...if my life gets as banal as it is looking like it could be, I may be posting the bird report a bit sooner than you think...

I have posted more photos on my Flikr page, including some more shots of birds from home...

Carmo's Diet: This week, I have mostly been buring the candles at both ends

Carmo's Birds: As mentioned above...with February ticks added on...295

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: I've given up for now