Miyakogawa Mizu no Sato Koen

In spite of the fact that it is right next to the really busy junction of the Chibatogane Motorway and the Keiyo Motorway, Miyakogawa Mizu no Sato Koen is quite a good place for watching birds.

Local people grow rice during the warmer seasons and after harvest stubble is left, which is a great place for sparrows and buntings.

Even with all the noise from the motorways, you can hear them chirruping!

100+ Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ) flew up into trees when people walked their dogs by the rice field.

 A Meadow Bunting (Hoojiroホオジロ) took refuge high up in a tree as well.

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was foraging on the field too, but this bold (or greedy?) one didn't fly away even when I walked right up to him!

A well is feeding water into the rice field and the stream running through the park.

The park looks rather wild when you look away from the motorways. It was a bit hard to hear the calls of the birds with the traffic so close by, but still, I was able to catch lots of them.

There is a marshy area beyond the park and a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) was the only bird there.

Dusky Thrushes (Tsugumiツグミ) were foraging here and there

and that one was making very loud calls, competing against the traffic.

2 Eastern Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ) were both singing. Spring is coming soon! ... hopefully.

A male Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was mimicking the songs of skylarks and starlings:)

a female Bull-headed Shrike
You can clearly see its hooked upper beak, which is similar to a raptor's. No wonder little birds start becoming agitated when shrikes are around.