11th October, 2012 Thursday Hegura Day 13

Very loud thunderstorm during the night. Generally a fine morning with just one heavy shower. Wind SW quite strong than going calm and veering to N and increasing again and becoming colder as a cold front passed over us. Usual early morning walk along the Central Track looking for Thrushes which was excellent with 2 Brown Thrushes showing very well out in the open on the track also 2 Japanese Grey Thrushes with both these thrushes were lifers for me, also a White'sThrush. We flushed a Gray's Grasshopper Warbler twice which gave good flight views near the lighthouse.
After breakfast we covered all the sites on the Island and although fewer migrants seen, there were several new gulls standing on the break-water including 4 adult Vega Gulls with a adult Mongolian Gull, which was another new lifer for me.Just to far to get some good pics.but we did our best.

Streaked Shearwater 5
Japanese Cormorant 3
Grey Heron 10
Teal 3
Mallard 1
Spot-billed Duck 1
Black-eared Kite 1
Peregrine 1
Coot 1
Snipe 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Grey-tailed Tattler 2
Black-tailed Gull 150
Vega Gull 4
Mongolian Gull 1 adult
Slaty-backed Gull 3
Rufous Turtle Dove 2
Pacific Swift 1
Wryneck 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Skylark 4
Swallow 1
Olive-backed Pipit 6
Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Black-backed Wagtail 20
Brown-eared Bulbul 6
Daurian Redstart 5
Stejneger's Stonechat 6
Blue Rock Thrush 6
White's Thrush 1
Japanese Grey Thrush 1 male, 2 females
Brown Thrush 2 males
Pale Thrush 10
Eye-browed Thrush 3
Dusky Thrush 70
Naumann's Thrush 1
Japanese Bush Warbler 5
Gray's Grasshopper Warbler 1 ex.
Arctic Warbler 6
Pacific Warbler 1
Goldcrest 10
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1
Narcissus Flycatcher 1
Varied Tit 1
Japanese White-eye 10
Large-billed Crow 2
Brambling 100
Oriental Greenfinch 50
Siskin 70
Japanese Grosbeak 4
Hawfinch 8
Masked Bunting 12
Grey Bunting 4
Black-faced Bunting 2
Pine Bunting 2
Elegant Bunting 1 male
Tristram's Bunting 1
Rustic Bunting 10
Little Bunting 2
Reed Bunting 1

The Drinking pool

West Shore

Juv. Slaty-backed Gull with Mongolian Gull  far left and Vega Gulls.

 

Adult Slaty-backed Gull on the harbour break-water.

The back contrasts with the primaries, similar to the Rainham bird.

 

Two adult Vega Gulls on the harbour wall.

 

Two adult Vega Gulls with an adult Mongolian Gull (left-hand bird)

on the harbour wall

Adult Mongolian Gull on the harbour wall.

Yellow legs can be seen.

Adult Mongolian Gull on right with adult Vega Gull.

Mongolian Gull on the left with 3 adult Vega Gulls and

adult Black-tailed Gull on the right

 

Eye-browed Thrush at the drinking pool.

Narcissus Flycatcher still holding court at the drinking pool.

Adult male Siberian Stonechat of the race stejnegeri in the enclosure.

 

Skylark on the Western shore.

Black-faced Bunting along the Central Track

 Japanese Grosbeak at Tsuaska

 Japanese Grosbeaks near the Lighthouse.

Returned to the drinking pool and the Eye-browed Thrush was
right in front of the viewing platform - Superb!!

 

Oriental Greenfinch at Tsuaska - Up to 20 seen most days.

 

 

Japanese Hummingbird Hawk Moth behind the School

Japanese Blue Butterfly

Japanese Longhorn Beetle

Snail which is endemic to Hegura as it is the only snail to grow its

shell anti-clockwise rather than clockwise.