Broadbill - Birdwatcher's site
Autumn Migration
Summer in Japan is very hot and humid. During
July, most of birdwatchers do not go out
for birding so often. Autumn migration is
however started in the hot late summer.
In August, shorebirds have start arriving
at the Japanese coast and marsh. Red-necked Stint (refer to photo "Spring Migration) is again commonly seen in autumn. However,
during the autumn migration, their plumage
is not so bright as spring. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper(photo left) is less common in autumn migration
while more uncommon Pectoral Sandpiper is also sometimes seen. In autumn, there
are more opportunities to see rarities. Little
Stint, Western Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper,
Long-billed & Asiatic Dowitcher and Spoon-billed
Sandpiper are recorded time to time.
From September to October, raptor watchers
assemble at a cape or hill station. They
are attracted with hawk migration. There
are two major species which migrate from
Japan to south. 
They are Oriental Honey Buzzard (photo) and Grey-faced Buzzard-Eagle. During
September, Oriental Honey Buzzard is more
dominant species while October migration
is mostly Grey-faced Buzzard-Eagle. There
are also other raptors which migrate in the
season. These include Japanese and European
Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Hobby and Kestrel.
In Kyushu and Okinawa, Chinese Goshawk passes
through with a very large flock on September.
Migration of song birds are not visible as
spring migration. Accordingly banding records,
although their migration is started from
late summer, we do not have so many opportunities
to see them in autumn. However, even there
are less chances to see them, we still sometimes
encounter them.
Flycatchers, such as Grey-spotted, Dark-sided and Asian Brown (photo left), are often found in the forest
edge or the top of an exposed tree. They
wait for insects are coming into their view.
In October, in the islands of the Japan Sea,
twitchers again assemble for searching for
rarities. We are able to see Red-throated
and Pechora Pipit, Dusky, Raddes's and Pallas's
Warbler, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Pine, Tristram's (photo right), Little and Yellow-throated Buntings and Lapland Longspur time to time.
When temperature starts dropping day and
day, winter migrants, such as Brambling,
Daurian Redstart and ducks arrive in Japan. In the same timing,
autumn migration is finished.
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