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Once again we roamed the premises of the Osaka Castle. Not long after we arrived, we were greeted by a male Narcissus Flycatcher greeting the morning with song.
Just like yesterday, the Tits seemed friendlier giving us good looks. both the Japanese Tit and the Long-tailed Tit.
Then came the challenge. Identifying a particular species of Leaf-Warbler is really a test. They all look and act alike, the only distinguishing characteristic being in the way they sing. When we got back to the hotel, I played the songs of some of the possible suspects. Thanks to my wife's excellent hearing abilities, we concluded that the bird we saw was a Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, a lifer!
While we were hanging around the rock with a tiny pool of water on it, a Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker came and waited until the Tits were finished bathing before taking its turn.
Happy that we got much better photos of the woodpecker, we were preparing to leave when one of the local bird photographers waved at me. Cynthia and I both hurried to where he was. He pointed at the bottom of the tree, and since he doesn't speak English, gestured indicating that there was a bird behind a small bush. He then showed me from his camera the image that he got. It was a thrush of some kind. Then all of a sudden the said thrush came out and walked towards the other side. It was at some distance and we dared not come closer to avoid spooking it. Thankfully, I got a few good enough shots that helped identify it when I searched the internet later that day. It was a Siberian Thrush and another lifer.
We said goodbye to Osaka Castle and donned our tourist caps again.
Without a lot of birding options, we decided to return to the Osaka Castle grounds since we were already getting familiar with using the local commuter train.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the Japanese Tits. One of them surprisingly even flew down to the ground.
As we roamed to the other side of the castle, a place we did not go to the last time we were here, we came upon a small pond. There swimming leisurely were a pair of Eastern Spotted Ducks. They were so close that we got full frame shots.
A little farther, the local bird photographers were again trying to get a picture of the Japanese Paradise Flycatcher. We of course joined them. This time the bird was in a more open branch but still quite a distance away.
When it disappeared again from view, we moved on. As we were walking, a Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker flew by and alighted on a tree trunk. It was carrying something in its beak which we presumed to be some nesting materials.
Then there were some movement in a nearby tree. Finding what caused that, I was so glad that it was our fifth lifer, the Long-tailed Tit.
Happy that we added another species to our life list, we rejoined the paradise flycatcher enthusiasts. They looked very excited, and sure enough, the male star bird showed up again, this time even closer.
On the way out a Warbling White-eye bade us goodbye.
Now it's time to put on our tourist cap.
