muscicapa flycatchers

Asian Brown Flycatcher is Kansai's only widespread breeding muscicapa and it's quite common in broadleaf forests. I see many in the Ashyu area for example. They are quite common in and around Kyoto city during spring and autumn passage and will turn up in any area with trees, from those lining  riversides to city parks and the surrounding hills. Similarly Grey-streaked, which doesn't breed in Japan, is common on migration in the same places and at the same time, the early September to mid-October period is best.

Though Dark-sided Flycatcher breeds in Hokkaido and upland areas including the Kii Peninsular it is surprisingly uncommon, rare even, in the Kyoto area as a migrant and definitely can't be expected when visiting Kansai.

Ferruginous Flycatcher is the only other muscicapa occurring in Japan but it's a major rarity.

A typical Grey-streaked on a prominent perch in the Imperial Palace Park, 30 September 2012.

They can be very common in riverside parks, along with Asian Brown, this one on the Katsura River (Kyoto city) 7 October 2010.

First winter  Katsura River, 5 October 2010.

This Dark-sided almost slipped by unnoticed, front-on it could easily pass for a messy Grey-streaked. The poorly marked lores, dusky lower belly and streaked undertail coverts confirm the identity. Katura River 3 October 2010. 

Asian Brown Flycatcher nesting in Ashyu Forest, Kyoto.

First winter Asian Brown, Katsura River 6 October 2010.

Adult Asian Brown on Hegurajima, October 2006.

The bird below is a weird looking Asian Brown Flycatcher on Hegurajima. On a beautiful calm sunny day following a couple of dreadful days all the muscicapa flycatchers were perching on the tree tops while this thing was flitting through the lower skirts of a plantation, frequently dropping to the ground. I fully expected it to be ficedula however its appearance didn't match anything I've seen. Ferruginous was no more likely despite the warm underparts and partial grey upperparts being superficially suggestive. The aberrant colouration aside, the markings fit Asian Brown which is what it must be.
The upperparts were a warm, light brown, unlike the normal colder greyish-brown, but most surprising it had broad, grey lateral crown stripes, nape and mantle. The underparts were a pale golden colour which only shows slightly in the final shot. Apart from the aberrant colouration (and atypical behaviour compared to others on the day) the markings fit Asian Brown.

Ferruginous Flycatcher, Mishima 3 May 2010.

ficedula & cyanoptila

Narcissus Flycatcher is a common breeder in the more natural forests of the region's hills, though they can be difficult to find if not singing. During autumn migration many pass through the  larger parks, numbers peak in October. Mugimaki is sometimes seen in Kyoto and Osaka but it is irregular, I once saw a pair in Ashyu Forest in early summer. Yellow-rumped is rare here, the only time I saw it in Kyoto was at Fushimi Inari Shrine, and strangely, also a pair. Yellow-rumped and more often Mugimaki can be reasonably numerous on off-shore islands in spring but numbers vary from year to year. Mugimaki also occurs in autumn and I remember one year when Hegura was awash with them.

It seems both Red-throated and Taiga occur off-shore in autumn though I've only definitely seen Taiga. I don't know how many Red-throated might winter in Japan but I've seen three different birds in Osaka parks and another in a temple precinct in Kyoto. This suggests that Taiga is the commoner migrant but Red-throated is the rare over-wintering species.

Blue and White Flycatcher is another common breeder in the region and singing males are easy to see on exposed perches usually at the very tops of trees. In fact their song is one of the most pervading forest sounds of early summer. Though migrants aren't numerous in parks, seeing the odd one comes as no surprise.

There are good and bad years for Yellow-rumped on Mishima, this was one of half a dozen birds over Golden Week (May) 2010.

Female Yellow-rumped during the same period as the above male.

Male Narcissus , Mishima 30 April 2009.

2CY male, Mishima 2 May 2010.

Presumed 2CY female, Mishima 1 May 2009.

Presumed juvenile, Kyoto botanical gardens 27 September 2012.

Adult female, Kyoto botanical gardens 27 September 2012.

Two very blurred shots of Ryukyu Flycatcher, Iriomote 4 April 2013. This male was singing in a dark gully in deep forest on a rainy day, there wasn't much light to play with.

Male Mugimaki, Mishima 4 May 2009.

First winter male, Hegurajima 13 October 2011.

Female Mugimaki on Hegura, May 2014.

Red-breasted Flycatcher coming for a strategically placed photographer's worm in an Osaka park (I forget which one) 14 January 2007. 

As above.

First winter Red-breasted Flycatcher in a small nondescript park in central Osaka, 12 February 2012.

Most wintering Red-breasted Flycatchers seem to be first winters so a male like this (2014/15 in Hyogo) is a big draw with photographers.

Male Blue and White Flycatcher, May 2008. 

Possible intermedia Blue and White, Mishima (Yamaguchi) 1 May 2010. It was an eye-catching bird, the face and breast were strongly washed bluish.

The crown is a very light blue, the upperparts (mantle to uppertail coverts) and wing coverts are a pale greenish-blue. The bluish breast sides blend into greyish flanks.

Mishima 29 April 2015, a typical male Blue and White.

1CY male Blue and White missing its tail. Katsura River, Kyoto city 5 October 2010.

Female Blue and White, Hegurajima 13 October 2011. Almost like a giant Red-breasted Flycatcher in this view.

Another female, this with the typical upright stance and pale pear-shaped throat patch. Imperial Palace Park, Kyoto city 3 October 2013.