This morning I decided to try again for Ryukyu Minivet at Shimabara Athletic Park. The western side of the sports park has a forested area with a couple of short trails which backs onto a mountainous area.
The deepest part of this forest has a small, usually dry, pond-like area. I have checked this location at other times of year and been disappointed, however this morning it was very active.
I only stayed at the pond area for about 20 minutes, but in that time I saw several species such as Pale Thrush, Brown-eared Bulbul, Eurasian Siskin, Brambling, Japanese White-eye, Red-flanked Bluetail, Meadow Bunting, Elegant Bunting and, to my surprise, Grey Bunting.
The Minivet did not appear, however, but I did glimpse something that may have been a hawfinch.
Anyway, this variety of species means the pond area is definitely worth dedicating an entire morning to in the near future!
John Wright
John Wright is an Australian wildlife photographer and bird guide based in Kyushu, Japan. John became seriously engaged in nature photography while living in Japan and then Thailand. He returned to Japan in 2008 and has since concentrated on wildlife photography, especially birds. John visits Southeast Asia and Australia regularly, but usually travels within the Japanese archipelago, where he also guides visiting birders and wildlife photography enthusiasts.
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