Personal checklist in Japan

Tsukuba-Tozaki, Februari 14, 1998

From Shishitsuka-ike via Tsuchiura to Tozaki coast of Kasumigaura, Februari 14, 1998

Morning and Early afternoon warm, about 12 degrees, Half way the afternoon a cold strong NE wind suddenly came up. This changed the distribution pattern of the ducks on the lake: many ducks sought shelter in the corner between Tsuchiura and Tozaki, especially Wigeon and Teal. Mallard and Spotbill are apparently less concerned by waves.

Three kinds of dead ducks:

disguised as scarecrows in the lotus fields (wigeon, mallard, spotbill, teal)
wigeon possibly killed by Itachi: vein in neck appeared to be sucked as well as the breast. Rest of the body intact. No plucked feathers.
teal possibly killed by Goshawk or Peregrine: wings intact but seperated, body completely eaten. Feathers plucked.
Highlights: Goldcrest, groups of Little grebe and Water rail.
I biked back partly along the road north of the lotus fields of the Tozaki-coast. This road at some point carves through the hill which forms the old embankement of the lake/former sea. At one such point the wall is vertical and barren. (This is on the right of a spot where they dig for sand in this embankement. It is really a pity how this wall has been damaged. It deserves to be protected as a geological monument!) Many shells are visible, up to 2 meter high in the wall, it seems. They resemble Kaki-shells to me. There are also holes dug in the wall, In the most eastern hole there is a small modern statue. These holes strongly remind me of the graves I have seen in a hill near Higashi-matsu-yama in Saitama-ken.
1. Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus [Kanmuri-kaitsuburi]
2. Eared grebe Podiceps nigricollis [Hajiro-kaitsuburi]
3. Little grebe Podiceps ruficollis [Kaitsuburi]
4. Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo [Kawa-u]
5. Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos [Ma-gamo]
6. Spot-billed duck Anas poecilorhyncha [Karu-gamo]
7. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca crecca [Ko-gamo]
8. Northern Pintail Anas acuta [Onaga-gamo]
9. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope [Hidori-gamo]
10. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula [Hojiro-gamo]
11. Tufted duck Aythya fuligula [Kinkuro-hajiro]
12. Smew Mergus albellus [Miko-aisa]
13. Herring gull Larus argentatus vega [Seguro-kamome]
14. Mew gull Larus canus [Kamome]
15. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus [Yuri-kamome]
16. Black-crowned night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax [Goi-sagi]
17. Little egret Egretta garzetta [Ko-sagi]
18. Intermediate egret Egretta intermedia [Chuu-sagi]
19. Great egret Egretta alba [Dai-sagi]
20. Coot Fulica atra [Ou-ban]
21. Common Gallinule Gallinula chloropus [Ban]
22. Water rail Rallus aquaticus [Kunia]
23. (Northern) Lapwing Vanellus vanellus [Tageri]
24. Common snipe Gallinago gallinago [Ta-shigi]
25. Black kite Milvus migrans [Tobi]
26. Common pheasant Phasianus colchicus [Kiji]
27. Rufous turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis [Kiji-bato]
28. Common kingfisher Alcedo atthis [Kawa-semi]
29. Japanese pygmy woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki [Ko-gera]
30. Skylark Alauda arvensis [Hibari]
31. White wagtail Motacilla alba [Haku-sekirei]
32. Japanese wagtail Motacilla grandis [Seguro-sekirei]
33. Indian tree pipit Anthus hodgsoni [Binzui]
34. Water pipit Anthus spinoletta [Tahibari]
35. Brown-eared bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis [Hiyodori]
36. Bull-headed shrike Lanius bucephalus [Mozu]
37. Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus [Joobitaki]
38. Pale thrush Turdus pallidus [Shirohara]
39. Dusky thrush Turdus naumanni eunomus [Tsugumi]
40. Bush warbler Cettia diphone [Uguisu]
41. Goldcrest Regulus regulus [Kikuitadaki]
42. Great tit Parus major [Shijuu-kara]
43. Long-tailed tit Aegithalos caudatus [Enaga]
44. Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonica [Mejiro]
45. Siberian meadow bunting Emberiza cioides [Hoojiro]
46. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica [Kashiradaka]
47. Reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus [Ou-jurin]
48. Oriental greenfinch Carduelis sinica [Kawarahiwa]
49. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes [Shime]
50. Tree sparrow Passer montanus [Suzume]
51. Gray starling Sturnus cineraceus [Mukudori]
52. Jay Garrulus glandarius brandtii [Kakesu]
53. Carrion crow Corvus corone [Hashiboso-garasu]
54. Jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchos [Hashibuto-garasu]
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Last modified: Februari 14, 1998.