Thursday 29 January 2015

Hakucho no Sato

Nearly 1000 swans are wintering on paddy fields in a village called Motono, Chiba.


Most of them were Bewick's Swans, or Tundra Swans (Kohakuchoコハクチョウ).





a Whooper Swan (Oohakuchoオオハクチョウ)

a young one





This area is now called 'Hakucho no Sato' (A Village with Swans). The sign says a man noticed a few swans land on the paddy fields, which happened to have water, even in the winter of 1992. He went out to feed them but the swans were too cautious and flew away. But he was determined and kept feeding them every morning and evening wearing the same clothes the next few consecutive winters and finally the swans seemed to decide to winter there in a big flock. The farmers, who own the fields, kindly agreed to keep water in the fields after harvest, then the locals and volunteers set up an organisation to manage the area suitable for swans.



I was spoken to by a local lady and she told me the swans are still fed every day with rice.
I feel so jealous of her life with those beautiful birds!

gorgeous!


Hakucho no Sato is about 1.5 miles from Kobayashi Station on the JR Narita Line. A primary school called Motono Daini Shogakkou is a landmark. You could either walk for half an hour through paddy fields or take a taxi as there is no public transport to get there.

Motono Daini Shogakkou update their blog about the swans every day. (in Japanese)
http://inzai.ed.jp/motononi-e/?page_id=70

Friday 23 January 2015

Kemigawa no Hama

A sunny wintery morning on the Kemigawa no Hama beach
(it is NOT a pretty sight when you see huge industrial plants on the other side of the water...!)

Hundreds of Greater Scaups (Suzugamoスズガモ) were floating in the bay.

a pair of Pintails (Onagagamoオナガガモ)

waders:  Dunlins (Hamashigiハマシギ) & a Kentish Plover (Shirochidoriシロチドリ)

 the sea was rather choppy

a large flock of Wigeons (Hidorigamoヒドリガモ) & some Coots (Oobanオオバン)

Vega Gulls (Segurokamomeセグロカモメ)

There were more birds than I had expected to see in the area. Possibly because it was sunny but really windy (not too bad inland), there was little disturbance for birds, which was great for me.

Monday 12 January 2015

Ecology Park

Large mixed flocks came many times to the reedbeds right in front of the hide in the Ecology Park.

Eastern Great Tit (Shijukaraシジュウカラ)

Long-tailed Tit (Enagaエナガ)

Japanese White-eye (Mejiroメジロ)


on the paths

a female Red-flanked Bluetail (Ruribitakiルリビタキ)

a White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ)

on Funada-ike

a pair of Mallards (Magamoマガモ)
teal (Kogamoコガモ)

a Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) eating a bullfrog (Ushigaeruウシガエル)






Friday 9 January 2015

Pale Thrush

There were at least 10 Pale Thrushes (Shiroharaシロハラ) foraging in the Keiryu-en area of Aoba no Mori Koen.





a lovely bird!


Thursday 8 January 2015

Oyumi-ike

A big chunk of the bank of Oyumi-ike was washed away by a strong typhoon last year and the re-construction work started, which has made the south-side of the pond more like mudflats.


I'd never seen so many egrets and herons in this place before.
 a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ)
 a Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ)
 
 a Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ)

A Common Sandpiper (Isoshigiイソシギ) was making the most of the muddy patch.
and so was a White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ).

In the north pond, quite a few ducks were resting.

Some were coming up to me, looking hopeful:) I didn't have anything on me though;

Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ)
a male Teal (Kogamoコガモ)
A female Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was hunting quietly and caught something in the stubble, then flew into the thicket.
A flock of Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ) looked cautious when the shrike was around.

It was a chilly but pleasant morning by the pond.