Spring ducks

Late March is usually a good time for wildfowl..............

Pit Stops

The local fields had some visitors taking a short rest...............

On this day (March 24th).............................

March 24th 2014.

A female Crossbill in one of the local parks 4 years ago today. Part of a huge invasion that year: they were everywhere. Usually I ran into them them when I was out and about with the 100-400. This time I was able to photograph them with my 500mm lens......................

Another lone Egret

Yesterday we went to a park in the east of town. Usually the park is full of birds at this time of year but it was very quiet this time. Maybe they'd all gone south (or perished) because of the nasty winter?

A Great Egret was there but not much else. A flock of 30 or so Common Crossbill was in the treetops for a few minutes before disappearing. a skein of White-fronted Geese flew overhead and I heard a lone Grey-headed Woodpecker.

On this day (March 23rd)...............................

March 23rd 2015.

2 White-fronted Geese in Hakodate 3 years ago today. Large numbers of this species passed through south Hokkaido that March and I saw them in many places. These were practically in a factory car park

A rainy Thursday

I have 5 days off so of course it started raining on the first of those..............

A lone Egret

Nice weather in Hakodate the last few days.................

A sunny springlike Monday

Monday was a sunny spring day.............

A quiet day up north

The ports to the north of Yakumo were a bit quiet on Sunday...............

On this day (March 19th)....................

March 19th 2015.

A Red-necked Grebe in the local park 3 years ago today.

This is the only time I've seen it inland in south Hokkaido, they are usually fairly common offshore in spring and occasionally visit the fishing ports too..................

A bit of spring in the air..........

A hint of spring at last...............

Ghost Town

Hardly any birds in town the last 10 days or so. Some birds have started appearing from the south: Oriental Greenfinches, White Wagtails and Black-tailed Gulls in breeding plumage (above).

Last week I saw just 1 Hawfinch and 1 Brown Dipper plus a brief flyover group of waxwings. This week saw even slimmer pickings: 1 male Daurian Redstart only. At Kamiiso the grebes weren't present but there were the usual ducks and gulls as well as 4 Great Egret.

The snow is melting fast. Spring is here, almost.

Some more Long-tailed Ducks........

Some more shots from the other day................

On this day (March 15th).............

March 15th 2015.

A male Merlin just outside Hakodate 3 years ago today. This is an annual winter visitor in small numbers but the usual sighting of one usually only lasts a couple of seconds as it flashes across the road and disappears into the fields.

A quiet Monday in mid March

Monday was a bit quiet...............

March in the ports............

The ports in SW Hokkaido can be productive in late winter.................

Some Long-tailed Ducks..............

We were north of town at the weekend.............

Winter starts to fade away...............

A White-tailed Eagle north of town today. There were quite a few of them still around (although all the Stellers seem to have departed). The weather has been milder the last few days, the main roads are clear in Hakodate and we can even see a bit of pavement (sidewalk) here and there too.............

Spring can't be far away. At long last. It's been a brutal winter in Hakodate.................

On this day (March 9th)............................

March 9th 2012.

A Red Fox at Onuma 6 years ago today..................

Another day with the Buntings..........

Both species of Bunting were still around on Monday...........