Waders in Yatsu, Sanbanze, Azuma-mura and Amada, August 28-29, 1999

Dear Kantorians, Last weekend we (Fer-Jan de Vries, Catrin & Mathias Jaschhof) spent much time together with our favoured birds, the waders. On Sunday night we could summarize records for 35 species, with 33 just on Saturday, what was much more than expected even in this time of year. The result by far breaks the personal record of Fer-Jan (25 on a single day), accompanying and guiding us on Saturday, and also my personal record of 27 (but this happened in Northeast Germany...). Not only the number of species but the selection of what we have seen was extremely fine for us, including the five species I have never seen before.

We visited Tokyo Bay (Sanbanze, Yatsu) in the morning, from the beginning of low tide on until noon, and continued to Azuma-machi to spend the afternoon there. Finally, we arrived in Amada just before darkness. The weather was optimal for birdwatching and well-feeling, fully cloudy but good light, around 27 degrees and more or less no wind. On Sunday morning we went to Azuma-machi again to enjoy the species of previous day, not thinking of additional species, but soon we were faced the next surprise...

Thanks to Fer-Jan for guiding us to sites we have never been before, even when his navigation system experienced some problems in locating Amada by the shortest way, and we have to thank an unknown birdwatcher in Azuma-machi for informations on where to find what. Thanks also to Asuka-san who told us about the presence of the Lesser Yellowlegs in Azuma on Sunday morning. Here is his beautiful photograph!

But, here is the list of species in detail (incl. approx. numbers):

  1. Oystercatcher (Sanbanze 9)
  2. Little Ringed Plover (Sanbanze 1, Yatsu 5, Azuma 50, Amada
  3. Snowy Plover (Sanbanze 50, Yatsu 50, Amada)
  4. Mongolian Plover (Sanbanze 20, Yatsu 5, Azuma 5, Amada)
  5. Pacific Golden Plover (Azuma 50)
  6. Black-bellied Plover (Sanbanze 15, Yatsu 10)
  7. Rufous-necked Stint (Sanbanze 1, Azuma 5, Amada)
  8. Temminck`s Stint (Azuma 2-3)
  9. Long-toed Stint (Azuma 3-4)
  10. Pectoral Sandpiper (Azuma 1) [picture by Asuka-san!]
  11. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Azuma 2-3)
  12. Broad-billed Sandpiper (Sanbanze 1-2, Yatsu 1, Azuma 1)
  13. Dunlin (Sanbanze 2-3, Yatsu 1-2, Azuma 1-2)
  14. Curlew Sandpiper (Sanbanze 1)
  15. Sanderling (Sanbanze 10)
  16. Great Knot (Sanbanze 5, Yatsu 5)
  17. Ruff (Sanbanze 1-2, Azuma 5, Amada 1)
  18. Indian Pratincole (Azuma 1)
  19. Wood Sandpiper (Azuma 30)
  20. Green Sandpiper (Azuma 2 just on Sunday)
  21. Marsh Sandpiper (Azuma 30)
  22. Common Sandpiper (Sanbanze 10, Yatsu 5, Azuma 2-3)
  23. Terek Sandpiper (Sanbanze 20, Yatsu 2-3, Azuma 2-3)
  24. Ruddy Turnstone (Sanbanze 100, Yatsu 10, Azuma 10)
  25. Lesser Yellowlegs (Azuma 1 just on Sunday) [picture by Asuka-san!] [small version]
  26. Greenshank (Sanbanze 5, Yatsu 5, Azuma 20, Amada 1)
  27. Gray-tailed Tattler (Sanbanze 50, Yatsu 20, Azuma 30)
  28. Black-tailed Godwit (Sanbanze 1, Azuma 1)
  29. Bar-tailed Godwit (Sanbanze 15, Yatsu 10)
  30. Long-billed Dowitcher (Azuma 1 just on Saturday)
  31. Curlew (Yatsu 5)
  32. Australian Curlew (Yatsu 1)
  33. Whimbrel (Sanbanze 5, Yatsu 1)
  34. Common Snipe (Azuma 15)
  35. Black-winged Stilt (Yatsu 4, Azuma 4-5).
Additionally, 1 female Garganey in Yatsu.

Good birding, Mathias Jaschhof

Ps,

I biked a bit north-east of Tsukuba in the Sunday afternoon: remarkable boring those ricefields compared with the Azuma-mura area:

  • Barnswallow,
  • Skylark,
  • Treesparrow,
  • Great Tit,
  • Cattle Egret,
  • Bull-headed Shrike,
  • Long-tailed Tit (juv),
  • Bamboo Partridge,
  • Jungle Crow,
  • Carrion Crow,
  • Gray Starling,
  • Fan-tailed Warbler,
  • Brown Bulbul...

    Fer-Jan de Vries

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