Duck for Christmas

Hyoko, Niigata, Japan

December 27, 2017

It's nice to get some time off for winter. It seems to have been a long year. Being in Japan, Christmas Day was a work day but I took it off and headed to Hyoko. I found an adult Northern Goshawk hunting there then. Today I headed back with Luke and we found a young one doing the same. A number of raptors were about including Peregrine, Eurasian Buzzard, and milvus kites. Plenty of ducks included, Northern Pintail, Pochard, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Wigeon, Tuft and various mixes. Of course Tundra and Whooper Swans for which the place is famous. Coot, cormorants, sparrows, egrets, a Grey Heron, Carrion Crows. 

My weather app predicted 1C as the high for the day and hard ice under foot cracked with my steps. Love it but I don't want to fall.

Northern Goshawk

Eurasian Teal

Peregrine Falcon

Cormorants in the Rain

Great Cormorant

Fukushimagata, Niigata, Japan

December 20, 2017

I've learned living in Niigata, that if you don't go out in the rain, you just don't go out. 

I think there are three possible cormorants to see in Niigata, but I just call them all "Great Cormorants". I must study the ones by the sea more carefully.

Sunny at Sakata

Sakata

Niigata, Japan

December 3, 2017

Yesterday Keiko, Jonah, and Luke kindly took me to Sakata. It was sunny but very cool when we got there. It was nice to see plenty of waterfowl out on the water including Smew, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Northern Shovelers and maybe more. 

I mostly enjoyed seeing long legged birds such as egrets, Grey Herons and the very delightful Oriental Stork.

Raptors included Black-eared Kites, a very pale headed Eurasian Harrier, and several other normal harriers.

Later, we went to a farmers market and I bought some rice before we headed to a cafe for coffee and gelato. 

Wish we could do it again tomorrow!

Thanks guys!

Little Egret

Tundra Swans

Grey Heron

Oriental Stork

Great White Egret

Bull-headed Shrike