From Baikal Teals to a Water Rail

Ottonuma, Hinuma and Kasumigaura, Januari 10, 1998

Petite Histoire

Snow, lots of snow had surprised the southern Kanto area this week. The evergreen deciduous trees bent over, and overloaded branches broke off. Early in the Saturday morning I happen to pass Ottonuma. The pond was frozen, with only a few holes in the ice. There was the usual mixture of ducks, until I noticed rather surprised the yellow and green head of a Baikal Teal. After I had called Ikenaga-san a passing cormorant disturbed the ducks. When they eventually settled down again there happened to be two male Baikal teals. Ikenaga-san arrived, took pictures and suggested to have a look in Hinuma.

There we found instead of big crowds of ducks a gigantic flock of Rustic Bunting hunteded by a female Kestrel. The nearby seaside of Oarai was quiet, but for 20 Tobi over the dunes.

We went back to Tsukuba via the north eastern branch of Kasumigaura near Kamita-mari. Huge flocks of ducks and a rapidly setting sun. Finally at the lakebank south-east of Takahama we spotted a Water Rail.

Weather

Below zero in the early morning. No wind, and sunny. During the day pleasantly warm, perhaps 5, and half way the afternoon it got overcast with a cold wind. Sun plus extra sun. Sunset produced perfect pink and orange colors... Ottonuma was 90% frozen. In Tsukuba 10 cm snow, around Hinuma in the north snow was completely gone. Around more southern Kasumiguaru still lots of snow. Apparently the snow front had come from the south!

Participants

Ikenaga Hiroshi and Fer-Jan de Vries.

Observations

Larger numbers are only rough estimates.
  1. Great Crested grebe Podiceps cristatus [Kanmuri-kaitsuburi]

    2. Hinuma: 400 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 10.
  2. Eared grebe Podiceps nigricollis [Hajiro-kaitsuburi]

    3. Hinuma: at least 5 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama:
  3. Little grebe Podiceps ruficollis [Kaitsuburi]

    4. Hinuma: at least 2 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 30.
  4. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo [Kawa-u]

    5. Ottonuma: 2 ex.
    Hinuma: about 10 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 2 ex.
  5. Whistling (Bewick) Swan Cygnus columbianus jankowskii [Ko-hakuchou]

    6. Ottonuma: 15 ex.
  6. Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos [Ma-gamo]

    7. Ottonuma: a few.
    Hinuma: at least 500 in western part
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 2500.
  7. Spot-billed duck Anas poecilorhyncha [Karu-gamo]

    8. Ottonuma: 60 ex.
    Hinuma: at least 200 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: At least 2000.
  8. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata [Hashibiro-gamo]

    9. Ottonuma: 80 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 1000.
  9. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca crecca [Ko-gamo]

    10. Ottonuma: 8 ex.
    Hinuma: at least 50.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: At least 2000.
  10. Baikal Teal Anas formosa [Tomoe-gamo]

    11. Ottonuma: 2 ex.
    Comment: Two fully colored males, standing next to each other. One with grey legs, the other with yellow legs.
  11. Falcated Teal Anas falcata [Yoshi-gamo]

    12. Ottonuma: 40 males, and probably 30 females.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 150.
  12. Gadwall Anas strepera [Okayoshi-gamo]

    13. Ottonuma: at least 20 ex.
    Hinuma: at least 20 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 50.
  13. Northern Pintail Anas acuta [Onaga-gamo]

    14. Ottonuma: at least 10 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  14. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope [Hidori-gamo]

    15. Ottonuma: at least 40 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 1500.
  15. Eurasian x American Wigeon Anas penelope x americana [Hidori-gamo x Amerika-hidori-gamo]

    16. Ottonuma: one group of 5 individuals.
  16. Pochard Aythya ferina [Hoshi-hajiro]

    17. Ottonuma: 1 ex.
    Hinuma: 1 ex.
  17. Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula [Hojiro-gamo]

    18. Hinuma: 6 female
  18. Tufted duck Aythya fuligula [Kinkuro-hajiro]

    19. Hinuma: several 100's
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: several females.
  19. Greater scaup Aythya marila [Suzu-gamo]

    20. Hinuma: 1 wounded ex.
  20. Smew Mergus albellus [Miko-aisa]

    21. Hinuma: at least 5 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 120.
  21. Common merganser Mergus merganser [Kawa-aisa]

    22. Hinuma: at least 30 ex.
  22. Herring gull Larus argentatus [Seguro-kamome]

    23. Hinuma: about 25 ex.
    Comment
    1. L. a. vega About 20 ex. 3 ex with pale yellow eyes and red ring around eye.
    2. L. a. taymirensis(?) 2 ad, 1 non-adult. Flattened angular head, yellowish leg, pink feet. Necks not heavily streaked, rather white. Yellow bills with red spot. Non-adult with black band. Slightly darker than L. a. vega. One adult with yellow eye, and dark blackish brown orbital ring.
  23. Kamchatka gull Larus canus kamchatsiensis [Kamome]

    24. Hinuma: 8 ex
  24. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus [Yuri-kamome]

    25. Hinuma: 3 ex.
  25. Black-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax [Goi-sagi]

    26. Kasumigaura near Takahama: at least 10.
  26. Little egret Egretta garzetta [Ko-sagi]

    27. Hinuma, 3 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 2 ex.
  27. Great egret Egretta alba [Dai-sagi]

    28. Hinuma, 6 ex.
  28. Gray heron Ardea cinerea [Ao-sagi]

    29. Hinuma, 12 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 15 ex.
  29. Coot Fulica atra [Ou-ban]

    30. Ottonuma: 102 ex.
  30. Common Gallinule Gallinula chloropus [Ban]

    31. Ottonuma: 1 ex.
    Hinuma: one calling.
  31. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus [Kunia]

    32. Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  32. (Northern) Lapwing Vanellus vanellus [Tageri]

    33. Hinuma: 5 ex.
  33. Black kite Milvus migrans [Tobi]

    34. Oarai: 20 ex
    Hinuma: 2 ex
  34. Common buzzard Buteo buteo [Nosuri]

    35. Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  35. Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus [Chougenbou]

    36. Hinuma: 1 female
  36. Rufous turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis [Kiji-bato]

    37. Hinuma: several.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 3 ex.
  37. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis [Kawa-semi]

    38. Ottonuma: 2 ex.
    Hinuma: 1 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  38. Skylark Alauda arvensis [Hibari]

    39. Hinuma: at least 6.
  39. Gray wagtail Motacilla cinerea[Ki-sekirei]
  40. White wagtail Haku-sekirei [Motacilla alba]

    41. Hinuma: 2 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 3 ex.
  41. Japanese wagtail Motacilla grandis [Seguro-sekirei]

    42. Hinuma: 1 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  42. Water pipit Anthus spinoletta [Tahibari]

    43. Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  43. Brown-eared bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis [Hiyodori]

    44. Hinuma: 2 ex.
  44. Bull-headed shrike Lanius bucephalus [Mozu]

    45. Hinuma: 2 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  45. Dusky thrush Turdus naumanni [Tsugumi]

    46. Hinuma: 2 ex.
  46. Great tit Parus major [Shijuu-kara]

    47. Ottonuma: 2 ex.
  47. Long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus [Enaga]

    48. Ottonuma: 2 ex.
  48. Siberian meadow bunting Emberiza cioides [Hoojiro]

    49. Hinuma: At least 20 ex.
  49. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica [Kashiradaka]

    50. Hinuma 2500 ex. feeding on rice fields.
  50. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus [Ou-jurin]

    51. Hinuma: 2 ex.
  51. Oriental greenfinch Carduelis sinica [Kawarahiwa]

    52. Hinuma: several.
  52. Tree sparrow Passer montanus [Suzume]

    53. Hinuma: at least 20 ex.
  53. Carrion crow Corvus corone [Hashiboso-garasu]

    54. Hinuma: 1 ex.
    Kasumigaura near Takahama: 1 ex.
  54. Jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos [Hashibuto-garasu]

    55. Hinuma: 2 ex.
Back to Birds in Japan and Asia Last modified: Januari 10, 1998. Fer-Jan de Vries, ferjan@etl.go.jp