Tuesday 31 January 2017

More Visitors to the Feeders



At least five Great tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ) come to my feeders!



Wednesday 25 January 2017

Saturday 14 January 2017

Sonnoh-no-Mori

The temperature dropped to sub-zero overnight and I went out to see how the birds were coping with the cold to Sonnoh-no-Mori Koen.

The marshy area was all frozen so there was no sign of ducks nor herons but 2 Kingfishers were fishing over the tiny stream which wasn't frozen. One of them caught a small crayfish, banging it on the tree branch and swallowed it!

All the seed-eaters were doing quite fine.saw. I saw a huge flock of Oriental Greenfinch (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ) of about 40 and at another location a small flock of Brambling (Atoriアトリ).

This lone Hawfinch (Shimeシメ) was my first in this season to observe very closely.
looking for hidden seeds


I heard quite a few Black-faced Bunting (Aojiアオジ) from the thicket and when a cat startled them out into the open, it was a great opportunity to see their beautiful bright yellow moustache and belly!

Usually, they are invisible like this:



















A female Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was hunting in the woodland area.

You can see her small but hooked beak.


When I was just leaving the park, a flock of Long-tailed Tits (Enagaエナガ) were at the edge of the woods.


Thursday 5 January 2017

Roppo Mizu-no-Michi

There is a path alongside a stream just outside the Chiba Zoo, which is quiet and good for birding, so I was told, and of course, off I went!

It was a beautiful morning and although I was worried about the winds, I didn't feel much on the path being protected by the trees.

Chiba Urban Monorail Line - not so urban around here though!



Brambling (Atoriアトリ)
They come to the southern part of Kanto every 3 or 4 years when the food is scarce in the mountain forests and this winter is one of them. They have been spotted almost anywhere in the region.



a female Daurian Redstart (Jobitakiジョウビタキ)

 Eastern Great Tit (Shijukaraシジュカラ)
 She caught a small caterpillar!

Pale Thrush (Shiroharaシロハラ)
S/he was busy digging for an insect or two among the leaves.


The stream itself has very little water and the banks on both sides are the utterly environmentally unfriendly, with vertical concrete sadly. There was no vegetation in the water and no sign of birds...But the green area above was full of bird calls and movements and I'm sure I'll come back soon to walk even further.