Saturday 25 October 2014

Mixed Flock

Finally, it's got rather cool here in Japan and the little birds have started moving around in the park in big flocks.

Eastern Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ)



Long-tailed Tits (Enagaエナガ)




























Varied Tits (Yamagaraヤマガラ)
Varied Tits are a common bird, almost the same size as the great tit, in Japan. They tend to stay in woods and mountains during the summer and spread in winter to join flocks of other small woodland birds. They look gorgeous don't they!

There were also Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers (Kogeraコゲラ) and Japanese White-eyes (Mejiroメジロ) in the flock.


In the Chinese Elm trees nearby, a flock of Oriental Greenfinches (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ) were feeding on the seeds. Another bird-watcher told me that there was a Brambling (Atoriアトリ) in the flock half an hour before I got there but he had gone. Pity... Still, the Greenfinches are as lovely.


Nector-loving Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ) & Japanese White-eyes (Mejiroメジロ) gathered in the autumn-blooming cherry trees.

New Arrival

A male Daurian Redstart (Jobitakiジョウビタキ) was by the pond in Aoba-no-mori Park on the 24 of October.  My first Redstart of the season:)

He seemed shy, disappearing into the thicket.

The next day, at the same spot, I saw a female eating berries.  There was no sign of the male though.

She was rather a brave one (or curious) and showed herself really well.

I have heard their 'pheee pheee pheee' calls every day by our flat since that day.
Winter is just around the corner.

Saturday 11 October 2014

Ohdo Ike Koen

Lovely Japanese Wagtails (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ) were foraging alongside the pond in the park.


Got something wriggly!

He stopped foraging and started singing!
The back of the Japanese Wagtail is much darker than that of the White Wagtail.
He posed for me nicely:)
2 of them (actually, another two were close to these two) were walking on the pebbles.

A White Wagtail(Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) flew up in the tree just in front of us.
a female or juvenile? very pale especially compared with the Japanese Wagtail.

We heard Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers (Kogeraコゲラ) pecking the trees.

Quite a few Moorhens (Banバン) were on the water.


Only one each of male and female Shovellers (Hashibirogamoハシビロガモ) showed themselves.


Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ)


We also saw a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ), Bull-headed Shrikes (Mozuモズ), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Oriental Turtle Doves (Kijibatoキジバト), Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ), Thick-billed Crows (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス), Carrion Crows (Hahibosogarasuハシボソガラス).

Thursday 9 October 2014

Ecology Park

In the Ecology Park on the 2nd and the 9th of October

Ducks arrived!

Mallards (Magamoマガモ) & resident Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ)

Teals (Kogamoコガモ)


4 female Falcated Ducks (Yoshigamoヨシガモ) were there on the 2/Oct before the typhoon but none on the 9/Oct after the typhoon.

All the male Mallards looked different as they are in eclipse plumage.

To see about the eclipse, go to the RSPB site:  http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/funfactsandarticles/watchingbirds/identify/eclipse_plumage.aspx


3 Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ) were seen by the pond, which was quite unusual. They seemed to keep some distance from one another.
 Oops!

A young Coot (Ohbanオオバン) came out from the reedbed and disappeared in there again.




Hikagecho (literally means a butterfly in the shadow, which sounds a bit sad, but they are found in shaded places:)
A Ladybird
Can you spot a well camouflaged Praying Mantis?
It's on the top of the pic in the middle:)


Another typhoon is coming towards Japan for the next weekend. Hope it's not going to cause much damage...

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Oyumi Ike

I took a detour on the way to a shop to see if any ducks have arrived in Oyumi Ike but there were only Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), who are resident around here.


Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ) were eating berries in one particular tree. There must have been more than 50 individuals and they were really chatty!

Somebody was moving in the mud very busily.

Can you see who...?
A lone Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ)

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) spotted me watching him:)
Two Japanese Wagtails were flying around but I couldn't get a pic of them.

Two Bull-headed Shrikes (Mozuモズ) started their distinct shrieking calls to claim their autumn territories on the both sides of the stream.

While one was still calling on an aerial, an Oriental Turtle Dove (Kijibatoキジバト) landed on the same aerial and he just started singing next to him! 
The shrike looked as if it were saying what the hell you are doing in my patch to the turtle dove but...
gave up in the end! The turtle dove didn't look bothered at all and kept singing all that time. Funny thing!


Insects were still around too.


This grasshopper looked like it was laying eggs, inserting her lower abdomen in the ground between the pebbles. Interesting!