3rd October, 2012 Wednesday Heguara Day 5

Out by 5.30 am, another fine warm early morning but with a stiff NW wind which strengthened during the course of the day. We did our usual early morning work to the Central Track onto the Dragons Pool, School field and Harbour Park and then back for breakfast. Many of yesterdays migrants had departed although we still had 200 Dusky Thrushes before breakfast. We then covered much of the Island with the highlights being a fine Naumann's Thrush on the South beach, and several Olive Backed Pipits were seen to arrive in off the sea. Our first two Rustic Buntings were found on West beach with another two seen on the school field and a Bunting seen briefly behind the doctor's house finally gave itself up near the school field and proved to be my first Tristram's Bunting. Another new arrival was a White Cheeked Starling in the Harbour Park. Tsuaska fields were also visited but the wind made birding difficult.
With all the Japanese birders had now left the Island, we were now the only birders on the Island, but no further birds in the hand.


Streaked Shearwater 100
Japanese Cormorant 1
Grey Heron 5
Mandarin Duck 3S
Teal 3
Mallard 2
Pintail 4S
Shoveler 1
Black-eared Kite 1
Peregrine 1
Grey-tailed Tattler 2
Black-tailed Gull 150
Rufous Turtle Dove 5
Oriental Cuckoo 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Skylark 4
Olive-backed Pipit 5
Grey Wagtail 1
Black-backed Wagtail 20
Brown-eared Bulbul 4
Stejneger's Stonechat 2
Blue Rock Thrush 6
Pale Thrush 10
Eye-browed Thrush 30
Dusky Thrush 300
Naumann's Thrush 2
Japanese Bush Warbler 2+h
Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 10
Pacific Warbler 6
Radde's Warbler h
Goldcrest 10
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 8
Brown Flycatcher 2
Great Tit 1
Japanese White-eye 6
Bull-headed Shrike 2
Large-billed Crow 2
White-cheeked Starling 1
Brambling 40
Oriental Greenfinch 20
Siskin 200
Hawfinch 25
Masked Bunting 15
Lapland Bunting 2
Black-faced Bunting 2
Pine Bunting 4
Chestnut-eared Bunting 1
Tristram's Bunting 1
Rustic Bunting 4
Little Bunting 15
Chestnut Bunting 1
Yellow-breasted Bunting 1

View looking towards the North Cape Shrine

1st W Eye-browed Thrush on the school field

1st W. Female Naumann's Thrush at the South beach 

Two had arrived on the Island today.

Dusky Thrush on the earthed field - Still 300 left on the Island.

Arctic Warbler along the Central Track.

Asian Goldcrests were still arriving on the coast with some looking 

very tired.

Olive Backed Pipit in the West beach Enclosure -

Five had arrived on the Island today

 

Adult Little Bunting at the school field and it was also heard singing. 

Still 15 were present in this area.

 

Record shot of a Rustic Bunting on the school field - Four had arrived today

Masked Bunting were the commonest Bunting on the Island 

and has recently been split from Black-faced Bunting. It has

far more yellow on the underparts.

Record shots of a 1st W Tristram's Bunting feeding with Little

Buntings near the statue next to the school field. It was very shy

and elusive and never allowed close approach. More importantly

it was a lifer for me.

 

There were now four Pine Bunting at the Tsuaska fields although

only the male could be photographed.

Hawfinch along the Central Track - 25 were seen on the Island 

today including a party seen arriving in off the sea.

Still 200 Siskins were on the Island and most were very tame 

and feeding vigorously.

 

White Cheeked Starling in the Harbour Park was another new arrival

and showed well during the evening.