Omonma birding with Asuka-san, Januari 25, 1998

Asuka-san had invited kantori birders to participate in his montly Omonma birding trip. Omonma is the peninsula enclosed by the confluence of Kokaigawa and Tonegawa. Asaku-san lives nearby on the other side of the Kokaigawa. Omonma is his favorite birding hotspot: he and his group have seen in total 106 species in the monthly counts since 1994. Here is his report of of Jan 25 in his own words.

After the noodles lunch Ikenaga-san joined by Stefan Gleissberg, Lars Hylander, Dirk Kunz and Fer-Jan de Vries visited Ukushima and Edosaki along Kasumigaura.

The whole day Fuji-san was visible: in the morning as an impressive white cone looming high on the horizon, around and after sunset with an remarkable visible upwards pointing darkgrey shadow in the orange evening sky.

Finally we tried our luck with the Fukoro near Tsukuba, without succes.


Weather: bright and sunny, yet the strong NW-wind made it rather cold, especially towards the end of the day. Temperature 5-0 degrees.
Participants: Organiser Haruhiko Asuka, four members of the Bird forum on Niftyserve , three members from Ryugasaki birdwatching club, and the Kantorians Stefan Gleissberg and friend, Hiroshi Ikenaga, Lars Hylander, Shuusaku Katayama, Dirk Kunz and Fer-Jan de Vries.
  1. Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus [Kanmuri-kaitsuburi]
  2. Little grebe Podiceps ruficollis [Kaitsuburi]
  3. Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo [Kawa-u]
  4. White-fronted goose Anser albifrons [Ma-gan]
  5. Bean goose Anser fabalis middendorffi [O-hishikui]
  6. Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos [Ma-gamo]
  7. Spot-billed duck Anas poecilorhyncha [Karu-gamo]
  8. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca crecca [Ko-gamo]
  9. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope [Hidori-gamo]
  10. Pochard Aythya ferina [Hoshi-hajiro]
  11. Tufted duck Aythya fuligula [Kinkuro-hajiro]
  12. Greater scaup Aythya marila [Suzu-gamo]
  13. Herring gull Larus argentatus [Seguro-kamome]
  14. Mew gull Larus canus [Kamome]
  15. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus [Yuri-kamome]
  16. Little egret Egretta garzetta [Ko-sagi]
  17. Great egret Egretta alba [Dai-sagi]
  18. Gray heron Ardea cinerea [Ao-sagi]
  19. Coot Fulica atra [Ou-ban]
  20. Common Gallinule Gallinula chloropus [Ban]
  21. (Northern) Lapwing Vanellus vanellus [Tageri]
  22. Black kite Milvus migrans [Tobi]
  23. Common buzzard Buteo buteo [Nosuri]
  24. Northern harrier Circus cyaneus [Haiiro-chuuhi]
  25. Eastern Marsh harrier Circus aeruginous [Chuuhi]
  26. Northern goshawk Accipter gentilis [Ou-taka]
  27. Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus [Haya-busa]
  28. Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus [Chougenbou]
  29. Common pheasant Phasianus colchicus [Kiji]
  30. Rufous turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis [Kiji-bato]
  31. Common kingfisher Alcedo atthis [Kawa-semi]
  32. Great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major [Akagera]
  33. Japanese pygmy woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki [Ko-gera]
  34. Skylark Alauda arvensis [Hibari]
  35. Gray wagtail Motacilla cinerea [Ki-sekirei]
  36. White wagtail Motacilla alba [Haku-sekirei]
  37. Japanese wagtail Motacilla grandis [Seguro-sekirei]
  38. Water pipit Anthus spinoletta [Tahibari]
  39. Brown-eared bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis [Hiyodori]
  40. Bull-headed shrike Lanius bucephalus [Mozu]
  41. Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus [Joobitaki]
  42. Dusky thrush Turdus naumanni [Tsugumi]
  43. Bush warbler Cettia diphone [Uguisu]
  44. Great tit Parus major [Shijuu-kara]
  45. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonica [Mejiro]
  46. Siberian meadow bunting Emberiza cioides [Hoojiro]
  47. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica [Kashiradaka]
  48. Black-faced bunting Emberiza spodocephala [Aoji]
  49. Reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus [Ou-jurin]
  50. Oriental greenfinch Carduelis sinica [Kawarahiwa]
  51. Long tailed rosefinch Uragus sibiricus [Beni-mashiko]
  52. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes [Shime]
  53. Tree sparrow Passer montanus [Suzume]
  54. Gray starling Sturnus cineraceus [Mukudori]
  55. Jay Garrulus glandarius brandtii [Kakesu]
  56. Azure winged magpie Cyanopica cyana [Onaga]
  57. Carrion crow Corvus corone [Hashiboso-garasu]
  58. Jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos [Hashibuto-garasu]

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