Tuesday, April 29, 2008

First post

This is my inaugural post. For those of you who expect much in the future, my apologies. I do some birding in my free time so I will be posting what I have seen for the benefit of all who see it. Your bird related comments and questions are welcome.

Some birds that I have not heard in quite a while are starting to call. Japanese Bush Warbler, Japanese Grosbeak, and Gray Thrush. On 4/27 I went to Nopporo Shinrinkoen and walked the trails in the southern half of the park. There I saw:

Japanese Grosbeak 1
GrayThrush 2
White's Ground Thrush 1
Black-faced Bunting 30
Gray Bunting 4
Siskin 100+
Mandarin Duck 2
Japanese Bush Warbler 4
Siberian Bluechat 5

At Osatsunuma there was plenty of mud along the banks of the river area and a few shorebirds.
Birds I saw in this area included:

Wood Sandpiper 4
Latham's Snipe 6
Rufous-necked Stint 1
Little-ringed Plover 20
Water Pipit 6
Stonechat 5

Also, in the fields outside of the town of Kitahiroshima I saw my first Gray-headed Bunting of the year.