Birding Diary Jan - June, 2007

Birding Diary (Top)

1-3 June : Suzaka, Okushiga and Togakushi (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High --, Low -- (F)

Birds we saw/confirmed were Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Gray-faced Buzzard-Eagle, Hobby, Rufous Turtle Dove, Horsfield's Hawk-Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, Little Cuckoo, Scops Owl, Ural Owl, Jungle Nightjar, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Gray Wagtail, Indian Tree Pipit, Ashy Minivet, Brown-eared Bulbul, Wren, Siberian Blue Robin, Siberian Thrush, Gray Thrush, Brown Thrush, Short-tailed Bush Warbler, Bush Warbler, Crowned Willow Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Brown Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Japanese Yellow Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Gray Bunting, Japanese Grosbeak, Russet Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Red-cheeked Myna, Gray Starling, Jay, Azure-winged Magpie, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

18-20 May : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High --, Low -- (F)

Birds we saw/confirmed were Spot-billed Duck, Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Rufous Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Gray Wagtail, White Wagtail, Indian Tree Pipit, Ashy Minivet, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Siberian Blue Robin, Gray Thrush, Brown Thrush, Bush Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Brown Flycatcher, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Japanese Yellow Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, Japanese Grosbeak, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow .

12-13 May : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High --, Low -- (F)

Birds we saw/confirmed were Black Kite, Pheasant, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Gray Wagtail, White Wagtail, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Siberian Blue Robin, Gray Thrush, Brown Thrush, Bush Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Crowned Willow Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Brown Flycatcher, Black Paradise Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Black-faced Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, Red-Crossbill, Japanese Grosbeak, Tree Sparrow, Red-cheeked Myna, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

27 April - 5 May : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High --, Low -- (F)

Birds we saw/confirmed during the Golden Week Holiday were Little Grebe, Spot-billed Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, Black Kite, Pheasant, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Green Pigeon, Oriental Cuckoo, Ural Owl, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Gray Wagtail, White Wagtail, Ashy Minivet, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Wren, Siberian Blue Robin, White's Ground Thrush, Gray Thrush, Brown Thrush, Short-tailed Bush Warbler, Bush Warbler, Crowned Willow Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Brown Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Japanese Yellow Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch, Japanese Grosbeak, Hawfinch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

20-22 April : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, Temp in Hara Village: High 64.4, Low 33.1 (F)
Welcome back, migrating birds! I was so happy to hear the cheerful voice of Gray Thrush, who is one of our most favorite, the cutest and the most attractive migrating birds songs! We could see more than 3 Gray Thrushes in the Ryujin-ike Area. Soon we are expecting to see the blue and yellow birds...maybe next weekend, the most exciting holiday in Japan, the Golden Week!
Birds we saw/confirmed were Spot-billed Duck, Black Kite, Pheasant, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Gray Wagtail, White Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Wren, Gray Thrush, Brown Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Short-tailed Bush Warbler, Bush Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Bullfinch, Japanese Grosbeak, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

6-8 April : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High 56.8, Low 29.5 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Black Kite, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Wren, Dusky Thrush, Bush Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Palla's Rosy Finch, Bullfinch, Japanese Grosbeak, Hawfinch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

29 March - 1 April : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High 67.3, Low 27.5 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Spot-billed Duck, Rufous Turtle Dove, Ural Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Wren, Dusky Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-throated Bunting, Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Palla's Rosy Finch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

17-19 March : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High 39.0, Low 15.4 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Gray Heron, Mallard, Black Kite, Rufous Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Dusky Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-throated Bunting, Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Palla's Rosy Finch, Red-Crossbill, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

9-11 March : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny, cloudy and rain, Temp in Hara Village: High 47.8, Low 20.7 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Mallard, Spot-billed Duck, Smew, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-throated Bunting, Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Palla's Rosy Finch, Red-Crossbill, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

2-4 March : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny and warm, Temp in Hara Village: High 64.4, Low 28.2 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Mandarin Duck, Mallard, Spot-billed Duck, Green-winged Teal, Smew, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Rufous Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Dusky Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-throated Bunting,Brambling, Oriental Greenfinch, Palla's Rosy Finch, Red-Crossbill, Hawfinch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling, Jay and Jungle Crow.

25 February : Yatsu Tideland, Funabashi-city, Chiba Prefecture Sunny and freezing wind, Temp in Funabashi: High 42.8, Low 29.3 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Gray Heron, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Moorhen, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Saunders's Gull, Rufous Turtle Dove, White Wagtail, Bull-headed Shrike, Brown Thrush, Japanese White-eye, Tree Sparrow and Gray Starling.

17 February : Akigase (Saitama) Sunny, Temp in Saitama: High 48.9, Low 30.4 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Gray Heron, Spot-billed Duck, Goshawk, Rufous Turtle Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Daurian Redstart, Brown Thrush, Pale Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Bush Warbler, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting Black-faced Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Hawfinch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling and Jungle Crow.

10-12 February : Tateshina and its vicinities (Nagano) Sunny and warm, Temp in Hara Village: High 48.9, Low 22.3 (F)
Birds we saw/confirmed were Great Cormorant, Mallard, Spot-billed Duck, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Rufous Turtle Dove, Japanese Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Japanese Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Daurian Redstart, White's Ground Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Varied Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Yellow-throated Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, Siskin, Palla's Rosy Finch, Red-Crossbill, Bullfinch, Tree Sparrow, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jungle Crow.

3 February : Watarase flood control basin (Tochigi) 11:10-17:00 Sunny and warm, Temp in Tatebayashi: High 52.5, Low 33.3 (F)
It is the annual event for us: to see Short-eared Owl in Watarase. But....
we couldn't see and couldn't so much as feel the presence of Short-eared Owl. Where are you now..(T_T) Instead of that, we could see many Long-tailed Rosefinch were gathering among the tree and the bush, eagerly eating!! My husband bought me a new digital camera, so I practiced to take photos for the next bird listening season. Practice makes perfect!! Anyway, I enjoyed seeing beautiful males of Long-tailed Rosefinch(^-^)v But...where are you now..."Komimi-chan(Short-eared Owl)"??
Birds we saw/confirmed were Great Cormorant, Gray Heron, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Smew, Osprey, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Skylark, White Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Daurian Redstart, Dusky Thrush, Fan-tailed Warbler, Great Tit, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Long-tailed Rose Finch, Tree Sparrow, Gray Starling and Carrion Crow.

27 January : Akigase Park (Saitama) Sunny and warm, Temp in Saitama: High 57.7, Low 31.6 (F)
Birdwatching in the city park.
To tell the truth, I have been in bad health since last fall and I woke up from stomachache this morning. Mmm, what a day. Anyway, the busiest season for my husband has come. We decided to stay in Tokyo, instead of going to frigid Tateshina. It was extraordinary warm today, and it was good for me. I care about to lose my voice for the work reasons. We didn't need warm clothing for winter yesterday, and we stayed Akigase from 10:20-15:10, most of the time was waiting for Wryneck. There were many birdwatchers there, more than 20 people for one bird, the usual sight of Akigase. It appeared to the top of dried grass, every 40 minutes. We enjoyed seeing its reptile-like pattern for three hours. After that, we went to see Waxwing, I still had stomachache though. There were also more than 20 people to see one bird. It came through, appeared on the scene: eating and dropping mistletoe (oops, sorry!).
Birds we saw/confirmed were Great Cormorant, Gray Heron, Spot-billed Duck, Goshawk, Common Buzzard, Rufous Turtle Dove, Wryneck, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, White Wagtail, Brown-eared Bulbul, Bull-headed Shrike, Japanese Waxwing, Brown Thrush, Pale Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Bush Warbler, Great Tit, Japanese White-eye, Siberian Meadow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Black-faced Bunting, Oriental Greenfinch, Hawfinch, Tree Sparrow, Azure-winged Magpie and Jungle Crow.