The biggest problem making a day trip to the island is missing early morning and evening activity. Arriving at 10:30 and leaving at 15:00 means missing the times when some species are most vocal and easily located. I only heard one Kamchatka Leaf Warbler on the island yet they proved quite common in Wajima just across the water on the mainland the following early morning when many birds were calling and one even singing! They were also quite common further south at the base of the Noto Peninsula in Kanazawa that same afternoon, so what could have been missed on Hegura? The only other
phylloscs I had there were single Dusky and Radde's Warblers (I later heard there were two Radde's in the same spot earlier in the day) as well as hearing two Yellow-browed Warblers. There was also this fresh, bright looking Sakhalin Leaf Warbler...
Buntings weren't as well represented as usual at this time of year but again with more time more could have been found. I was very surprised not to run into any Elegant Buntings, another species that was fairly common the following afternoon in Kanazawa...
Pine Bunting is usually conspicuous around the harbour in mid-October and this male was no exception. Though I only saw one or two there were several present. This male is going to look great when the pale tips wear off the feathers...
Black-faced Bunting was common, no surprise there, but Chestnut-eared is never to be taken for granted. This first autumn is another smart looking bird...
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