Being a Sniper - Long Valley 28 AUG 2015

Aiming to see some snipes, especially the Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii, which is still not on the HK List but potential to be one day. Of course, no Latham's today but still saw many Swin/tail Snipe (Swinhoe's Snipe Gallinago megala and Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura). These two are extremely difficult to be separated unless you can see the outer tail, clearly.

Here is a picture from the book: Shorebirds of Japan. Thanks to a Taiwan birder for giving translation.

This is the Pintail Snipe, with no problem. Note the outer tail pattern.

And comes to a "Swinhoe's", which I think it is. I can't see the outertail clearly but the bird at least showing a longer tail, and different moulting-pattern than the Pintail above.

Besides snipes.. also some other common birds.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus

Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus, testing the ISO 1600

Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus

an odd one...

And Asian Swallowtail, a beautiful butterfly.

White-bellied Sea Eagle in SK pier 23 AUG 2015

Failed to see any Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel (where a first-year bird and a second-calendar year bird was seen 2 days ago), but again 2 adult White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster and Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana.

Sai Kung Pier is a good spot for this species, you can always get a 90% chance for seeing the sea eagle in afternoon. NOT for good photos always.

More terns... 16 AUG 2015

Again, going to Sai Kung for terns photos. At first we didn't see any except two Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana and at least 3 adult White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster. 1.5 hours later, we finally got a group of mixed terns, mainly Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii.

The sea eagle:

There were more roseate than black-naped today.

I wish to take some perching birds, which are easier for me, and also some juveniles.

Roseate tern has a more whitish plumage (or rosy), slender bill, longer tail, which is easy to be distinguished from Common Tern Sterna hirundo.

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii

Never forget the black-naped terns.

Some birds in Japan 30 JULY - 4 AUG 2015

Spent 5 days in Japan for a non-birding trip. I did went to Tateyama (立山) but no Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta could be seen that day. Tateyama is a nice place for birding and hiking and must go again for the ptarmigan, which is stable there.

I also visited Kamikochi (上高地), and saw some common forest birds.

The full bird list in 5 days as below:

Asian House Martin
Barn Swallow
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black Kite
Black-tailed Gull
Brown-eared Bulbul
Cattle Egret
Carrion Crow
Chinese Spotbill
Coal Tit
Eurasian Hobby
Eurasian Jay
Eurasian Kestrel
Eurasian Nuthatch
Eurasian Treecreeper - common in Kamikochi
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Great Cormorant
Great Egret
Green Pheasant - single female in rice paddy in Toyama (富山)
Grey-capped Greenfinch
Grey-headed Lapwing
Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail

Japanese Accentor - common in Tateyama

Japanese Bush Warbler - common in Tateyam and Kamikochi

Japanese Buzzard

Japanese Crow

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

Japanese Tit

Japanese Wagtail - immature male in Toyama

Japanese White-eye

Little Egret

Mandarin Duck

Masked Bunting - singing male in Kamikochi

Meadow Bunting - singing male in Kamikochi

Oriental Turtle Dove

Pacific Swift

Rock Dove

Varied Tit

White-bellied Green Pigeon

White-cheeked Starling

White-throated Needletail

White Wagtail

Willow Tit

- 44 species

Japanese Crow Corvus japonensis

Carrion Crow Corvus corone

Japanese Accentor Prunella rubida

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki

Varied TIt Parus varius

Willow Tit Parus montanus

Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides

Masked Bunting Emberiza personata

Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Japanese Wagtail Motacilla grandis

White Wagtail Motacilla alba