Another Sunday in the grasslands

We were up in the grasslands at Oshamanbe and Yakumo again yesterday, they really are wonderful places at this time of year.

I'd targeted 3 species to get a decent photo of (all 3 lacking from the 'album'. Wryneck, Long Tailed Rosefinch and Eastern Marsh Harrier. I saw the former in the distance only and didn't see a single harrier all day. I did get a nice-ish Rosefinch shot out of the car window, it even perched in front of a nice background for me too as you can see above.

Lots of birds singing. The above is an Oriental Cuckoo, there were also Common Cuckoo, all the common warblers (including loads of Black Browed Reed Warbler, they really seem common this year and also lots of Grays Grasshopper Warbler). The Lathams Snipes are still perching on roadside lights.

Another very common summer visitor today was Pacific Swift, they were everywhere..........

Other birds today included a Hobby at Oshamanbe, Osprey, Great Egret, Common Reed and Chestnut Eared Buntings, Narcissus Flycatcher (at Onuma), Black Crowned Night Heron (in Ono in the morning and evening) and lots and lots and lots of Siberian Stonechat which are very tame in mid June just before the young leave the nests.

It was rather warm yesterday, I got sunburn............

If you are bored (at home or better still at work) try game number 1941 on Freecell. It's f***ing impossible (there is a solution but I'm yet to find it).

No sport at the weekend to watch/listen to. That wasn't so good.

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Black Browed Reed Warblers

A Black Browed Reed Warbler, one of many at Shizukari Wetlands yesterday afternoon.

Here's a video of one singing.

Unfortunately f**kwit here forgot to switch the IS back on after taking the video and some of the pics suffered as a result...............

Cuter and perkier than the large and noisy Oriental Reed Warblers this species is my fave bird of summer.

Lots of Cuckoos around today, 3 species in all. Little Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo and Oriental Cuckoo. This crappy record shot is of the latter, they all look the same but their songs are totally different. I ID'ed it by call obviously.

This species apparently favours the nests of phylloscopus warblers. the Common Cuckoo prefers Reed Warblers and the Little Cuckoo goes for Bush warblers........

The wetlands (which actually seem to be bone dry) near Oshamanbe and the ricefields outside Hakoadte were full of summer birds. Aforementioned Cuckoos and Reed Warblers, Black faced and Reed Buntings, Lathams Snipe, Siberian Stonchat, Long Tailed Rosefinch, Bulheaded Shrike and Grays Grasshopper Warbler were everywhere.

One especially common one in summer is Chestnut Eared Bunting.

It's gotten pretty warm now and I got my first sunburn of the year yesterday...............I reckon this sumer will be a hot one, something we haven't had in south Hokkaido for a while.

Only 4 days to go to the World Cup.........I'm ashamed to see that'll blot out everything for the next 4 or so weeks. I wish it could blot out the sound of the construction outside my window though............

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