Inage Yacht Harbour

Chiba-city put up a rope-fence around the possible little tern breeding site to protect the birds again for this year.

I went to see if any little terns have arrived as I do volunteering for putting up the fence as well as monitoring the birds for the last couple of years.

A pair of Little Ringed Plovers (Kochidoriコチドリ) were looking good:)

Hope there'll be Little Ringed Plover chicks dashing around the beach later on!

A male Skylark (Hibariヒバリ) was busy singing as well.

There was no sign of little terns yet but it was still early and I was happy to see LR plovers and skylarks getting ready for the season:)

Sakura & Imba-numa

The weather is getting nicer and nicer and I just couldn't resist going out birding.

By Sakura Castle Park, a couple of male Green Pheasants (Kijiキジ) looked tense, occasionally calling and flapping their wings very aggressively to weigh each other up. I didn't want to disturb their 'conflict' so just managed to take a picture of one of them. I don't know who won in the end!

Beautiful plumage!

There's a heronry every year near the National History Museum and I could hear the herons before seeing them.

 already some nests had chicks!

 Mainly Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ) but some Great Egrets (Daisagiダイサギ) too.

By the lake, a male Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was calling very loudly.

Can you spot him?

He already had several fledglings in the bush near him and was busy feeding them.

There were quite a few shrikes in the vicinity, which was why the male was calling and patrolling his patch.

Another one calling...

The temperature went up and up and I cut my trip short in the end...
I'd never seen bull-headed shrike fledglings so it was a successful trip after all:)

Ecology Park

A Japanese Sparrowhawk (Tsumiツミ) was making a racket in the tree at the park.

I saw two of them chasing in the air later on so he probably didn't like the other one in his territory. I wonder if the J sparrowhawk breed in the park.

Hawfinches (Shimeシメ) were everywhere, fuelling up for their migration.

It was rather gory but that's nature for you.

The Bullfrog was trying not to be swallowed by the Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) by pumping itself up but it was no use against Heron's powerful spear-like beak after all... 

Chiba Koen

I decided to cycle to the park as I thought the park would become much quieter after the cherry blossoms had gone, and I was right.

Two Dusky Thrushes (Tsugumiツグミ) were fueling up before their migration for the north.

One of them started to have a bath in a puddle.

A lone Brambling (Atoriアトリ) was foraging under pine trees with Black-faced Buntings (Aojiアオジ).

Some Tufted Ducks (Kinkurohajiroキンクロハジロ) were still seen on the pond and all the resident birds such as Great Tits, White-eyes, White Wagtails and Brown-eared Bulbuls were busy singing all over the park. Spring has sprung! 

Azure-winged Magpies

Just after coming back from Europe, we heard a family of Azure-winged Magpies (Onagaオナガ) in our neighbour's garden.

I sent some of these pics to Vicent of Donana Wings and he said that the tail feathers of Azure-winged Magpies look longer than those of Iberian Magpies.
We think he's right.