4th October 2012 Hegura-jima N3 Clear

Dawn was accompanied by a N3 wind that quickly moderated to calm being clear and sunny and very hot! Our early morning walk along the Central Track showed that Pale Thrushes were in evidence. Onto the Dragon's Pool and back via the School Field where we found a Dusky Warbler, the first Yellow-browed Warbler of our trip and 2 Tristram's Buntings. Tsukasa Fields produced a Red-throated Pipit among an influx of Olive-backed Pipits. Finding a Varied Tit along the Central Track proved a considerable surprise considering its sedentary reputation. We then walked the SW beach and enclosures where there were more Olive-backed Pipits and Arctic Warblers feeding low in the vegetation. We then twitched a Mugimaki Flycatcher and found two present alongside a Narcissus Flycatcher. We then again toured the island finishing with further and improved views of the Dusky Warbler.

Streaked Shearwater 7
Grey Heron 5
Teal 1
Mallard 1
Pintail 1
Black-eared Kite 1
Peregrine 1
Black-tailed Gull 100
Rufous Turtle Dove 7
Oriental Cuckoo 1
Common Kingfisher 1
Wryneck 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Skylark 2
Olive-backed Pipit 10
Red-throated Pipit 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Black-backed Wagtail 20
Brown-eared Bulbul 4
Stegneger's Stonechat 5
Blue Rock Thrush 5
Pale Thrush 20
Eye-browed Thrush 15
Dusky Thrush 150
Japanese Bush Warbler h
Middendorff's Grasshopper Warbler 4
Black-browed Reed Warbler 1
Arctic Warbler 15
Pacific Warbler 20
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Dusky Warbler 1 ex.
Goldcrest 1
Blue-and-white Flycatcher 1
Grey-streaked Flycatcher 5
Brown Flycatcher 1
Mugimaki Flycatcher 2 ex.
Narcissus Flycatcher 1
Varied Tit 1
Japanese White-eye 10
Brown Shrike 1
Large-billed Crow 2
White-cheeked Starling 1
Brambling 40
Oriental Greenfinch 10
Siskin 50
Hawfinch 1
Masked Bunting 20
Black-faced Bunting 1
Pine Bunting 4
Chestnut-eared Bunting 2
Tristram's Bunting 2
Rustic Bunting 4
Little Bunting 10
Yellow-breasted Bunting 3
Reed Bunting 2

Peregrine over the Central Track

Japanese White-eye along the Central Track

Yellow-browed Warbler at the School Field

Two Tristram's Buntings at the School Field

Tristram's Bunting at the School Field

Yellow-breasted Bunting at the School Field

Varied Tit along the Central Track

Olive-backed Pipit in the SW enclosure

Eye-browed Thrush near the Lighthouse

Red-throated Pipit at Tsukasa Fields

Dusky Warbler at the School Field