Izumi and Yatsushiro in Kyushu

Februari 3-5, 2000

The first two days we walked around the crane feeding sites in Izumi. This winter there are six crane species and all but the Siberian Crane and the Demoiselle Crane could be observed on the western feeding grounds near the minshuku of Matano-san. The Demoiselle Crane was observed on the eastern feeding grounds. The Siberian Crane was seen there once by us towards the end of the day, but seems to spend most of its time more inland on somewhat unpredictable sites. With help of Matano-san we could see it on an inland ricefield in the second morning. We did not see it during sunset or sunrise from the observation tower on the western grounds, unlike on my previous visits to Izumi. Hybrids of Common and Hooded Cranes we also found at the eastern feeding grounds. (The description of the area given by the booklet of Mark Brazil "A Birdwatchers Guide to Japan" is still accurate.)

Besides the cranes the wider area of the feeding grounds is excellent birding area. On the mudflats of the river separating the western and eastern grounds we found a crab hunting Saunders Gull, like on my previous visit in November 99. A little stream upwards on the other side of the bridge we saw two Greater Pied Kingfishers. South of the second more eastern bridge a Ruddy Crake could be seen. Baikal Teals and both Black-faced and Eurasian Spoonbill species could be seen among the roosting cranes just after sunrise on the western grounds. A handful of Red-throated pipits could be found on wetter rice fields of the eastern feeding grounds. In the mud on one paddy three Long-toed Stints were feeding.

The third day was spent in Yatsushiro some 90 km north of Izumi. The tidal flats around the Kumagawa river are rich in gulls: we could see the wintering Great Blackheaded Gull and a handfull of Saunders Gulls on the north flats (from the spot on the dike near the lonely Palm tree. No Great Grey Shrike for us, which supposedly is wintering on the west tip of the reclaimed land south of the Kumagawa. Instead we found a Waxwing (sp.).

Weather: good birding weather. Dry and sunny most of the time. Little wind and not too cold. Overcast when we visited the seaside of Yatsushiro enabling us good views of the Great Black-headed Gull. Rain on the day of our departure.

Participants: Catrin Jaschhof, Mathias Jaschhof, Paula Severi and Fer-Jan de Vries.

  1. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus [Kanmuri-kaitsuburi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  2. Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis [Hajiro-kaitsuburi]
    • Yatsushiro
  3. Little Grebe Podiceps ruficollis [Kaitsuburi]
    • Izumi
  4. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo [Kawa-u]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  5. Mute Swan Cygnus olor [Kobu-hakuchoo]
    • Izumi
  6. Common Shellduck Tadorna tadorna [Tsukushi-gamo]
    • Izumi
  7. Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos [Ma-gamo]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  8. Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha [Karu-gamo]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  9. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata [Hashibiro-gamo]
    • Izumi
  10. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca crecca [Ko-gamo]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  11. Baikal Teal Anas formosa [Tomoe-gamo]
    • Izumi
  12. Gadwall Anas strepera [Okayoshi-gamo]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  13. Northern Pintail Anas acuta [Onaga-gamo]
    • Izumi
  14. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope [Hidori-gamo]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  15. American Wigeon Anas americana [Amrika-hidori]
    • Izumi
  16. Pochard Aythya ferina [Hoshi-hajiro]
    • Yatsushiro
  17. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator [Umi-aisa]
    • Yatsushiro
  18. Slaty-backed Gull Larus schitisagus [Oo-seguro-kamome]
    • Yatsushiro
  19. Herring Gull Larus argentatus [Seguro-kamome]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  20. Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris [Umineko]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  21. Mew Gull Larus canus kamschatschensis [Kamome]
    • Yatsushiro
  22. Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus [Ou-zuguro-kamome]
    • Yatsushiro
  23. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus [Yuri-kamome]
    • Yatsushiro
  24. Saunders's Gull Larus saundersi [Zuguro-kamome]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  25. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax [Goi-sagi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  26. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis [Ama-sagi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  27. Little Egret Egretta garzetta [Ko-sagi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  28. Great Egret Egretta alba [Dai-sagi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  29. Gray Heron Ardea cinerea [Ao-sagi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  30. Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia [Herasagi]
    • Izumi
  31. Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor [Kurotsura-herasagi]
    • Izumi
  32. Common Crane Grus grus [Kuro-zuru]
    • Izumi
  33. Hooded Crane Grus monacha [Nabe-zuru]
    • Izumi
  34. Sandhill crane Grus candensis [Kanada-zuru]
    • Izumi
  35. Demoiselle crane Anthropoides virgo [Aneha-zuru]
    • Izumi
  36. Siberian White Crane Grus leucogeranus [Sodeguro-zuru]
    • Izumi
  37. White-naped Crane Grus vipio [Mana-zuru]
    • Izumi
  38. Common Coot Fulica atra [Oo-ban]
    • Yatsushiro
  39. Common Gallinule Gallinula chloropus [Ban]
    • Izumi
  40. ?? Water Rail Rallus aquaticus [Kunia]
    • Izumi
  41. Ruddy Crake Porzana fusca [Hi-kunia]
    • Izumi
  42. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius [Kochidori]
    • Izumi (eye rings were not very visible in those winter plumage birds)
  43. Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus [Shiro-chidori]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  44. Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola [Daizen]
    • Yatsushiro
  45. (Northern) Lapwing Vanellus vanellus [Tageri]
    • Izumi
  46. Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta [Hibari-shigi]
    • Izumi
  47. Dunlin Calidris alpina [Hama-shigi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  48. Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos [Iso-shigi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  49. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus [Oohashi-shigi]
    • Izumi
  50. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago [Ta-shigi]
    • Izumi
  51. ??Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis [Tama-shigi]
    • Izumi
  52. Osprey Pandion haliaetus [Misago]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  53. Black Kite Milvus lineatus [Tobi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  54. European Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus [Hai-taka]
    • Between Izumi and Yatsushiro
  55. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus [Haya-busa]
    • Izumi
  56. Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus [Choogenboo]
    • Izumi
  57. Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus [Kiji]
    • Izumi
  58. Rufous Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis [Kiji-bato]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  59. Rock Pigeon Columba livia [Do-bato]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  60. Greater Pied Kingfisher Ceryle lugubris [Yama-semi]
    • Izumi
  61. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis [Kawa-semi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  62. Japanese Skylark Alauda japonica [Hibari]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  63. Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus [Iwa-tsubame]
    • Between Izumi and Yatsushiro
  64. Gray Wagtail Motacilla cinerea [Ki-sekirei]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  65. White Wagtail Motacilla alba
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  66. Black-backed Wagtail Motacilla lugens
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  67. Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta [Tahibari]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  68. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus [Muneaka-tahibari]
    • Izumi
  69. Brown-eared Bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis [Hiyodori]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  70. Bull-headed Shrike Lanius bucephalus [Mozu]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  71. Waxwing (sp.) Bombycilla [Renjaku]
    • Yatsushiro
  72. Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus [Joobitaki]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  73. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius [Iso-hyodori]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  74. Brown Thrush Turdus chrysolaus [Akahara]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  75. Pale Thrush Turdus pallidus [Shirohara]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  76. Dusky Thrush Turdus naumanni [Tsugumi]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  77. Bush Warbler Cettia diphone [Uguisu]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  78. Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis [Sekka]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  79. Siberian Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides [Hoojiro]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  80. Gray-headed Bunting Emberiza fucata [Hoo-aka]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  81. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala [Aoji]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  82. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus [Oo-jurin]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  83. Oriental Greenfinch Carduelis sinica [Kawarahiwa]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  84. Tree Sparrow Passer montanus [Suzume]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  85. Russet Sparrow Passer rutilans [Nyuunai-uzume]
    • Izumi
  86. Gray Starling Sturnus cineraceus [Mukudori]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  87. Magpie Pica pica [Kasasagi]
    • The area south of Kurume has lots of breeding Magpies. They seem to use mainly the poles for cables of electricity and telephone for nesting. I could see at least 15 nests from the train. Only one of these nests was in a tree. The density of nests in that area seems in this superficial observation from the train.
  88. Daurian Jackdaw Corvus dauricus [Kokumaru-garasu]
    • Izumi
  89. Rook Corvus frugilegus [Miyama-garasu]
    • Izumi
  90. Carrion Crow Corvus corone [Hashiboso-garasu]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
  91. Jungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos [Hashibuto-garasu]
    • Izumi
    • Yatsushiro
    Birds in Japan and Asia
    Last modified: Februari 7, 2000.