In
the Sea of Japan
Hegura Island
(Hegurajima)
some notes by Armas
Hill,
& a list of birds during 7 FONT tours on the island

It's an intriguing place, Hegurajima,
where during the spring and fall migrations, there's some of the most
fascinating birding anywhere. Hegura is a small island, actually tiny. It's less than
1 kilometer wide and less than 2 kilometers long. One can walk the path around the
entire coastline of the island in less than an hour.
Some people live on the island. But not many, about 50. There was a small store
(no longer), but there is an
inn (where fortunately, where one can overnight and have meals). Also on the
island: some homes, a school (just recently closed; there was an enrollment of 5), and 1
doctor. The most prominent
structure on the island is a lighthouse (the white tower in the photo above).
In the morning, the women of
Hegura dive for seaweed. Later in the day, if sunny, they put it out to dry. Men go out on
boats to fish.
There's a ferry once a day, in each direction, to and from the island. It's just
under a
two-hour ferry ride from mainland Honshu, during which there can be some good
seabirding. In the spring, the endemic Japanese Murrelet, the "Kanmuri-umisuzume"
(a wonderful bird with a wonderful name) can be seen from the
boat, along with Rhinoceros Auklets that breed nearby. Streaked
Shearwaters and Red-necked Phalaropes can be numerous.
But it's on the island itself where birding can really get interesting. At
night, when many landbirds in the spring are migrating north, they come upon the
small island in the sea. Given optimum conditions, in the morning, the island
can be bursting with birds. They're in the open on fields, in bushes, small
trees, under debris by the homes, and along the rocky coast. In short, they're
everywhere.
Birds that elsewhere can be notorious skulkers, are often more
out in the open. In that category, for example, are the shy Japanese Robin,
Siberian Blue Robin, and the White's Ground Thrush.
Routine migrants are enroute from where they've wintered in the Asian tropics to
where they'll breed as far north as Siberia. These include the Siberian
Rubythroat, Siberian Stonechat, and Yellow-breasted Bunting.
Birds migrating north, generally more common on the Asian mainland in China and
Korea, are readily seen. There are a number of birds in that
category that we've seen during our 6 previous FONT tours on Hegura Island.
These birds include: Chinese Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Purple Heron, Hoopoe, Richard's Pipit,
Tree Pipit, Pied Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, White-throated Rock Thrush, Swinhoe's (or Rufous-tailed) Robin,
Dusky Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Tricolored Flycatcher,
Taiga (formerly part of Red-breasted) Flycatcher, Purple-backed (or Daurian)
Starling, Black-naped Oriole, Black Drongo, Chinese Grosbeak, Chestnut Bunting,
Little Bunting, Yellow-browed Bunting, and Tristram's
Bunting.
A list of all the bird species (totaling 172) that have been seen during our 6 FONT Hegura Island
tours during the spring (in late-April & in early and mid-May) follows,
including those seen nearby from the ferry. In 2007, we
added 22 species to the list.
If you'd really like to go a place in this world, that's totally removed from
everything, from hustle, bustle, troubles, whatever, Hegura is it. And it's a
place that's fun to bird - a bit like a fantasy, where a birder can be completely immersed in birds.
There's another fascinating aspect of this "bird island" during
migration. It's the mingling that can be done with Japanese birders. They're
very helpful in sharing what's about. And the whole experience we would have with them is
one never to be forgotten.
During a good day in early or mid-May, with a fallout of landbirds, shorebirds,
and waterbirds, nearly a hundred species could be seen on the tiny island
of Hegura. That's more birds during a day than virtually anywhere else in Japan.
And every day can be different, each with a surprise or two, something totally
unexpected.
During our next Spring Birding Tour in Japan (May
10-27,
2008), we'll be spending parts of 3 days (2 nights) on
Hegura Island. The tour also includes other parts of the main
Japanese island of Honshu, including mudflats with an assortment of shorebirds
and marshes with singing Japanese Reed Buntings and displaying Japanese
Marsh Warblers.
As good as Hegura Island can be (and it can be very good),
it's just one part of our fascinating Japan birding tour in the
spring.
A COMPLETE LISTING OF THE BIRDS FOUND DURING OUR 6 TOURS ON HEGURA ISLAND
FOLLOWS.
Links:
Itineraries
for upcoming
FONT Japanese Birding Tours
(including
Spring 2008)
Complete list of Birds found during FONT Japanese
Birding Tours
Birds
found during FONT Japanese Birding Tours in the Spring



White-throated Rock
Thrush, Monticola gularis,
during the FONT tour on Hegura Island, Japan, May 21, 2005.
This species is an
ultra-rarity in Japan.
It is normally on mainland Asia,
breeding mostly in Manchuria and eastern Siberia,
and wintering in southern
China, and further south in Southeast Asia.
Note in the top photo the white patch on the throat.
(top photograph by Iwasaki Shohgo,
other 2 photographs by
Katsuyuki
Genma)

This Isabelline Wheatear was seen
along the rocky coastline of Hegura Island
during the FONT tour in May 2007.
The species normally occurs in central and western Asia,
and winters in Africa.
(We've seen the bird during FONT tours in Turkey.)
Somehow, this bird made its way to Hegura Island in the Sea of Japan.
When "A Field Guide to the Birds of Japan" was published in 1982,
there was only one record of this species for Japan.
More bird photographs are
included the following bird list.
BIRDS
SEEN DURING FONT SPRING TOURS
ON HEGURA ISLAND
(and in nearby waters)
(in mid-April & early and mid-May)
mid-apr: April 11-20
early- may: May 1-10
mid-may: May 11-21
The dates of the FONT tours on Hegura have been:
01 - April 16-17, 2001
02 - May 6-7, 2002
04 - May 15-18, 2004
05 - May 19-21, 2005
06 - May 10-12, 2006
07 - May 9-12, 2007
Bird names given in both English
& Japanese.
- Pacific Loon (or Diver) ______
mid-apr, early-may 01, 06
Shiroeri-ohamu
- Little Grebe ______ early-may,
mid-may 07
Kaitsuburi
- Great Crested Grebe ______
mid-apr 01
Kanmuri-kaitsuburi
- Streaked Shearwater ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
O-mizunagidori
- Short-tailed Shearwater ______
mid-apr 01
Hashiboso-mizunagidori
- Temminck's (or Japanese) Cormorant ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Umi-u
- Pelagic Cormorant ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 04, 05, 06, 07
Hime-u
- Black-crowned Night-Heron ______
mid-apr, early may, mid-may 01, 04, 05, 07
Goi-sagi
- Striated Heron ______
early-may 07
Sasa-goi
- Cattle Egret ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ama-sagi
- Little Egret ______ mid-apr, early-may,
mid-may 01, 02, 04, 06, 07
Ko-sagi
- Chinese (or Swinhoe's) Egret
______ early-may, mid-may (rare in Japan) 06
Kara-shira-sagi
- Intermediate Egret ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Chu-sagi
- Great Egret ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Dai-sagi
- Grey Heron ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ao-sagi
- Purple Heron ______
early-may, mid-may (rare in Japan) 06, 07
Murasaki-sagi
- Pacific (or Eastern) Reef-Heron ______ mid-may
04
Kuro-sagi
- Chinese Pond Heron ______
early-may, mid-may (rare in Japan) 06, 07
Akagashira-sagi
- Eurasian Wigeon ______
early-may, mid-may 02, 04, 06
Hidori-gamo
- Mallard ______ early may, mid-may
04, 05, 07
Ma-gamo
- Eastern Spot-billed Duck ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Karu-gamo
- Red-breasted Merganser ______ mid-may
04
Umi-aisa
- Black (-eared) Kite ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Tobi
- Osprey ______ mid-may 04
Misago
- Crested (or
Oriental)
Honey-Buzzard ______ mid-may 05
Hachikuma
- Eastern (or Asian) Marsh-Harrier
(was considered conspecific with Western Marsh-Harrier of Europe, and
was then
called Northern Marsh-Harrier) ______ mid-may 04
Chuhi
- Hen Harrier (has been considered conspecific with
American Northern Harrier) ______ mid-may 04
Haiiro-chuhi
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk ______
mid-may 07
Hai-taka
- Japanese (or Lesser) Sparrowhawk ______
early may, mid-may 04, 06, 07
Tsumi
- Grey-faced Buzzard ______
mid-may
Sashiba
- Eurasian Hobby ______ early
may, mid-may 04, 06, 07
Chigo-hayabusa
- Peregrine Falcon ______ mid-may
04, 05, 06, 07
Hayabusa
- Ruddy (-breasted) Crake
______ mid-may 04
Hi-kuina
- Common Moorhen ______
early may, mid-may 04, 07
Ban
- Eurasian Coot ______
early-may, mid-may 06
O-ban
- Ringed Plover ______ early-may
07
Hajiro-ko-chidori
- Little Ringed Plover ______
mid-apr 01
Ko-chidori
- Lesser Sandplover (or
Mongolian Plover) ______ mid-may 04, 06
Medai-chidori
- Pacific Golden Plover ______
early may, mid-may 04
Munaguro
- (Red) Knot ______ mid-may
04
Ko-oba-shigi
- Sanderling ______ mid-may
04
Miyubi-shigi
- Red-necked Stint ______ mid-may
04, 06
Tonen
- Long-toed Stint ______
mid-may 07
Hibari-shigi
- Ruddy Turnstone ______ mid-may
04, 06
Kyojo-shigi
- Common Snipe ______ mid-apr,
early may, mid-may 01, 04, 06, 07
Ta-shigi
- Latham's Snipe ______ early
may, mid-may 04, 06, 07
Oji-shigi
- Jacksnipe ______ mid-apr
01
Ko-shigi
- Wood Sandpiper ______ early-may,
mid-may 07
Takabu-shigi
- Common Greenshank ______
early may, mid-may 04, 07
Aoashi-shigi
- Green Sandpiper ______ mid-apr,
early may, mid-may 01, 06, 07
Kusa-shigi
- Common Sandpiper ______ mid-apr,
early may, mid-may 01, 04, 05, 06, 07
Iso-shigi
- Grey-tailed (or Polynesian) Tattler ______
early may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Kiashi-shigi
- Terek Sandpiper ______ mid-may
07
Sorihashi-shigi
- Black-tailed Godwit ______
mid-may 06
Oguro-shigi
- "Eurasian" Whimbrel
______ mid-may 07
Chushaku-shigi
- Red-necked Phalarope ______
early-may, mid-may 02, 04, 06, 07
Akaeri-hireashi-shigi
- Red (or Grey) Phalarope ______
mid-may 04
Haiiro-hireashi-shigi
- Common Black-headed Gull ______ early-may
02
Yuri-kamone
- Black-tailed Gull ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Umineko
- Vega (Herring) Gull ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Seguro-kamone
- Slaty-backed Gull ______ mid-may
04, 06, 07
O-seguro-kamone
- Glaucous-winged Gull ______
early may, mid-may 06, 07
Washi-kamome
- Common Tern ______ early-may
06
Ajisashi
- Japanese Murrelet ______ mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 04, 06, 07
Kanmuri-umisuzume
- Rhinoceros Auklet ______ mid-apr,
early-may 01, 06
Utou
- Common (or Feral) Pigeon ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Dobato
- Rufous (or Oriental) Turtle Dove ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Kiji-bato
- Japanese (or Black) Wood-Pigeon ______ mid-may
04
Karasu-bato
- Common Cuckoo ______ early-may, mid-may
05, 06
Kakko
- Oriental (or Himalayan) Cuckoo ______
early may, mid-may 04, 06, 07
Tsutsudori
- Lesser Cuckoo ______ mid-may
04, 05, 06
Hototo-gisu
- Japanese Scops-Owl (formerly part of
Collared Scops-Owl) ______ early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06
O-konoha-zuku
- Brown Hawk-Owl ______ mid-may
Aoba-zuku
- Grey Nightjar
______ early-may 06
Yotaka

GreyNightjar
- Fork-tailed (or Pacific, or
White-rumped) Swift ______ early may, mid-may 04, 05, 07
Amatsu-bame
- Common (or Eurasian) Kingfisher ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 07
Kawasemi
- Ruddy Kingfisher ______
early-may, mid-may 07
Aka-shobin
- Black-capped Kingfisher
______ mid-may (rare in Japan) 05
Yama-shobin

Black-capped
Kingfisher
- Eurasian Hoopoe ______ mid-apr,
mid-may (rare in Japan) 01, 05
Yatsugashira
- Oriental Dollarbird (closely
related to Broad-billed Roller of Africa) ______ mid-may 05, 06
Bupposo

Oriental
Dollarbird
- Greater Short-toed Lark ______
mid-apr
(rare in Japan) 01
Hime-kotenshi
- Eurasian
Skylark (on Hegura, not the "Japanese Skylark", but
rather Alauda arvensis pekinensis of the Asian mainland) ______ mid-apr
01
Hibari
- (Barn) Swallow ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Tsubame
- Sand Martin (or Bank
Swallow) ______
mid-apr, mid-may 01
Shodo-tsubame
- Red-rumped Swallow ______ early-may, mid-may
04
Koshiaka-tsubame
- Richard's Pipit ______
mid-may (rare in Japan) 05, 07
Mamijiro-tahibari
- Olive-backed Pipit (has also been called
Indian Tree Pipit) ______ mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 07
Binzui
- Tree Pipit ______ early-may
07
Yoroppa-binzui
- "Siberian"
Buff-bellied (or American) Pipit
(subspecies japonicus) (formerly part of
what was Water Pipit of the Holarctic, that species now
in Eurasia, Anthus
spinoletta) ______ mid-apr, mid-may 01, 06, 07
Tahibari
- Eastern Yellow Wagtail (subspecies
Motacilla flava simillima) ______ early may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 04, 05, 06, 07
Tsumenaga-sekirei
- Grey Wagtail ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 07
Ki-sekirei
- White (or Pied) Wagtail (mostly
the subspecies Motacilla alba lugens, that has been known as the Black-backed Wagtail; also
the subspecies M. a. ocularis) ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
Hojiro (or Haku-sekirei)
- Brown-eared Bulbul ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 07
Hiyodori
- Ashy Minivet ______ mid-may
04, 06, 07
Sanshokui
- Pied Wheatear ______
mid-may 07
Seguro-sabaku-hitaki
- Isabelline Wheatear ______
early-may, mid-may 07
Inaba-hitaki
- Japanese Robin ______ mid-apr
01
Komadori
- Swinhoe's (or Rufous-tailed) Robin ______ early-may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 02, 04, 06, 07
Shima-goma

Swinhoe's
Robin
- Siberian Blue Robin ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ko-ruri
- Siberian Rubythroat ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 04, 05, 06, 07
No-goma
Siberian
Rubythroat
- Bluethroat ______
07
Ogawa-komadori
- Daurian Redstart ______ mid-apr, mid-may
01, 04
Jo-bitaki
- Red-flanked Bluetail (also known as Siberian Bluechat
or Orange-flanked Bush-Robin) ______ mid-apr, early-may,
mid-may 01, 02, 06, 07
Ruri-bitaki

Red-flanked
Bluetail
- "Siberian" Stonechat ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 06, 07
No-bitaki
- Black Redstart ______ mid-apr
(rare in Japan) 01
Kuro-jo-bitaki
- Blue Rock Thrush (red-bellied form) ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Iso-hiyodori
- White-throated Rock Thrush
______ mid-may (very rare in Japan) 05
Hime-isohiyo
- White's (Ground) Thrush ______ late-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 06, 07
Tora-tsugumi
- Siberian (Ground) Thrush ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Mamijiro
- Brown (-headed) Thrush ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 07
Akahara
- Pale Thrush ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 07
Shirohara
- Eye-browed (or Grey-headed) Thrush ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Mamichajinai
- Dusky Thrush ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Tsugumi
Dusky Thrush
- Naumann's Thrush (was part of Dusky
Thrush) ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 07
Tsugumi

Naumann's
Thrush
- Japanese (Grey) Thrush ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 06
Kuro-tsugumi
- Asian Stubtail (was called
Short-tailed Bush-Warbler) ______ mid-apr 01
Yabusame
- Japanese Bush Warbler ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Uguisu
- Oriental (or Eastern) Great Reed Warbler ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06
O-yoshikiri
- Black-browed (or Schenk's) Reed Warbler ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Ko-yoshikiri
- Gray's Grasshopper-Warbler
______ mid-may 05, 07
Ezo-sennyu
- Eastern Crowned Warbler ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Sendai-mushikui
- Sakhalin (was Pale-legged)
Leaf-Warbler ______
mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ezo-mushikui
- Yellow-browed Warbler ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 07
Kimayu-mushikui
- Dusky Warbler ______ early-may
(rare in Japan) 02, 07
Muji-sekka
- Radde's Warbler
______ 07
Karafuto-muji-sekka
- Arctic Warbler (subspecies borealis) ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Meboso-mushikui
- Blue-and-white Flycatcher ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
O-ruri
- Asian Brown Flycatcher ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ko-same-bitaki
- Dark-sided (or Siberian) Flycatcher ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Same-bitaki
- Grey-streaked Flycatcher ______ mid-may
04, 05, 06, 07
Ezo-bitaki
- Mugimaki Flycatcher ______ early-may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Mugimaki
- Narcissus Flycatcher ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ki-bitaki
Narcissus Flycatcher
- Yellow-rumped (or Tricolored) Flycatcher ______
early-may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 04, 06, 07
Mamijiro-ki-bitaki

Yellow-rumped
(or Tricolored) Flycatcher
-
Taiga (was part
of Red-breasted) Flycatcher _____ mid-may (rare in Japan)
05
Ojiro-bitaki
- Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher
______ mid-may 05, 06
Sankocho
- Coal Tit ______ mid-apr
01
Hi-gara
- Varied Tit ______ 07
Yama-gara
- Japanese White-eye ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 07
Mejiro
- Bull-headed Shrike ______
mid-apr, mid-may 01, 04, 05, 07
Mozu
- Brown Shrike ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 06, 07
Aka-mozu
- Tiger (or Thick-billed) Shrike ______ mid-may
04, 05
Chigo-mozu
- Rook ______ mid-apr,
early-may 01, 06
Miyama-garasu
- Carrion Crow ______ mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 04, 06, 07
Hashiboso-garasu
- Large-billed Crow ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Hashibuto-garasu
- Chestnut-cheeked Starling ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ko-mukudori
- White-cheeked (or Grey) Starling ______
mid-apr, mid-may (actually during 2 of our tours in mid-May, this species was only
seen once, 1 bird, 1 day) 01, 02, 05, 07
Mukudori
- Purple-backed (or Daurian)
Starling (rare in Japan) ______ 07
Shiberia-mukudori
- Black-naped Oriole ______
early-may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 04, 05, 07
Korai-uguisu

Black-naped
Oriole
- Black Drongo (rare
in Japan) ______ 07
Ochu
- Russet (or Cinnamon) Sparrow ______
mid-apr 01
Nyunai-suzume
- Brambling ______ mid-apr, early-may,
mid-may 01, 02, 06, 07
Atori
Brambling
- Grey-capped Greenfinch ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Kawara-hiwa
- Eurasian Siskin ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Ma-hiwa
Eurasian Siskin
- Asian Rosy Finch ______ mid-apr
01
Hagi-mashiko
- Long-tailed Rosefinch ______
mid-apr 01
Beni-mashiko
- Eurasian (or Common) Bullfinch ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 04
Uso
- Japanese Grosbeak ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 05, 07
Ikaru
- Yellow-billed (or Chinese) Grosbeak
(rare in Japan) ______
07
Ko-ikaru

Yellow-billed
(or Chinese) Grosbeaks
- Hawfinch ______ mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 04, 05, 06, 07
Shime
- (Japanese) Grey Bunting ______ early-may, mid-may
02, 04, 05, 07
Kuroji
- Black-faced Bunting ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Aoji
- Japanese Yellow (or Siebold's) Bunting ______
early-may, mid-may 04, 06, 07
Nojiko
- Yellow-breasted Bunting ______ mid-may
04, 05
Shima-aoji
- Chestnut Bunting ______ mid-may
(rare in Japan) 04
Shima-nojiko
- Chestnut-eared (or
Grey-headed) Bunting ______ 07
Hoaka
- Meadow Bunting ______ 07
Hojiro
- Rustic Bunting ______ mid-apr, early-may, mid-may
01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07
Kashiradaka
- Yellow-throated Bunting ______
mid-apr, early-may, mid-may 01, 02, 05, 06, 07
Miyama-hojiro
- Yellow-browed Bunting ______
07
Kimayu-hojiro
- Little Bunting ______ 07
Ko-hoaka
- Tristram's Bunting ______ early-may, mid-may
(rare in Japan) 02, 04, 06, 07
Shirohara-hojiro

Tristram's
Bunting
- Common Reed Bunting ______ mid-apr,
early-may, mid-may 01, 06, 07
O-jurin