More Birds (& some extras) in Karuizawa

  

A Meadow Bunting (Hoojiroホオジロ) was quietly foraging on his own in the garden of our B&B.

I'd never observed a meadow bunting so closely, as when we saw them before, they were always in the shrubs... He looks like a Kabuki actor around his eyes!

It'd snowed a bit during the night,

 which left someone's trace...

 The temperature plummeted to below zero and the lake by the station was frozen...

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was dancing on ice:) 

better than the people in the show, no doubt!

A big flock of Japanese Grosbeaks (Ikaruイカル) were moving busily from one tree top to another. 

A Varied Tit (Yamagaraヤマガラ) found a feeder full of fat in the garden of our B&B. 

So did the Great Tits (Shijuukaraシジュウカラ).

None of

Coal Tits 

(Higaraヒガラ),

Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Akageraアカゲラ),

or Nuthatches 

(Gojuukaraゴジュウカラ）

turned up near the feeders.

Our first Nathatch in Japan!

We really had a great holiday in Karuizawa, at the bottom of this awesome Asama-yama.

The birds we encountered during the stay were:
Spot-billed Duck (Karugamoカルガモ), Mallard (Magamoマガモ), Tufted Duck (Kinkurohajiroキンクロハジロ), Pochard (Hoshihajiroホシハジロ), Oriental Turtle Dove (Kijibatoキジバト), Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ), Coot (Oobanオオバン), Black-eared Kite (Tobiトビ), Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Kogeraコゲラ), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Akageraアカゲラ), Thick-billed Crow (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス), Carrion Crow (Hashibosogarasuハシボソガラス), Goldcrest (Kikuitadakiキクイタダキ), Willow Tit (Kogaraコガラ), Varied Tit (Yamagaraヤマガラ), Coal Tit (Higaraヒガラ), Eastern Great Tit (Shijuukaraシジュウカラ), Brown-eared Bulbul (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Long-tailed Tit (Enagaエナガ), Nuthatch (Gojuukaraゴジュウカラ), Wren (Misosazaiミソサザイ), Brown Dipper (Kawagarasuカワガラス), Dusky Thrush (Tsugumiツグミ), Japanese Accentor (Kayakuguriカヤクグリ), Grey Wagtail (Kisekireiキセキレイ), Japanese Wagtail (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ), White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ), Brambling (Atoriアトリ), Oriental Greenfinch (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ), Long-tailed Rosefinch (Benimashikoベニマシコ), Bullfinch (Usoウソ), Japanese Grosbeak (Ikaruイカル), Meadow Bunting (Hoojiroホオジロ), Rustic Bunting (Kashiradakaカシラダカ), Chinese Hwamei (Gabichoガビチョウ)

Kumoba Ike in Karuizawa

Kumoba Ike, which is a tiny dammed pond in Karuizawa town, is a popular destination for a walk, photo-taking, sketching and bird-watching.

A popular destination for wintering ducks too:)

Mallards (Magamoマガモ)

a Spot-billed Duck (Karugamoカルガモ), Tufted Duck (Kinkurohajiroキンクロハジロ) and Pochard (Hoshihajiroホシハジロ) from the left.

a very tranquil view of the pond

While walking under the conifirs by the pond, we heard bird calls unfamiliar to us.

Hmmm...
Who could that little one be...

It was him! Our first Rustic Bunting (Kashiradakaカシラダカ)!

He was with his friend and calling each other. A lovely fellow!

A Japanese Wagtail (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ) was restlessly walking past before us, foraging and

had a short break:)

 Another busy-buzy came along.

A Grey Wagtail (Kisekireiキセキレイ) looked even busier than the Japanese Wagtail.

No time to lose!

Other birds we encountered during our walk

Eastern Great Tits
(Shijuukaraシジュウカラ)

 

Willow Tits
(Kogaraコガラ)

                              
Varied Tits
(Yamagaraヤマガラ)



                                       

Goldcrests
(Kikuitadakiキクイタダキ)

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
(Kogeraコゲラ)

Jay
(Kakesuカケス)













Great Spotted Woodpecker
(Akageraアカゲラ)












and a lot more!

Local maps for walking/hiking/cycling are available in the tourist information centre or major hotels.












Information about Karuizawa (in Japanese)
http://kanko.town.karuizawa.nagano.jp/sightseeing/048.php

Karuizawa Bird Sanctuary

On Christmas day, we were heading for Karuizawa, which is a famous summer/ski resort town, northwest of Tokyo in the mountains, and is just 70 minutes from Tokyo on a bullet train.

Welcome to Karuizawa Yacho no Mori (Bird Sanctuary)

We went on a bird-watching walk three times during our stay, which took us around the sanctuary.

a natural ice-skating rink in the woods

They put a feeder in front of the little wooden house and we were able to see birds coming to the feeder from inside.

The leader of the walk (we were the only people on the walk though!) told us that they put out the feeder only a few weeks earlier so small birds had noticed but not bigger birds like woodpeckers. Still, we saw Willow Tits (Kogaraコガラ), Great Tits (Shijuukaraシジュウカラ), Varied Tits (Yamagaraヤマガラ), Nuthatches (Gojuukaraゴジュウカラ), our first Chinese Hwamei (Gabichouガビチョウ) and also our first Japanese Accentor (Kayakuguriカヤクグリ).


The windows of the cabin were tinted and the sun was in the wrong direction so unfortunately I didn't manage to get good pics of them but still we were chuffed to watch those birds picking sunflower seeds or millet grains very closeby, especially when the Hwamei and the Accentor popped up on the feeder from nowhere!

On one of the walks, we even spotted a Flying Squirrel (Musasabiムササビ) poking his head out of a nest box! We were told we were extremely lucky to see one during the day as they are nocturnal.

Four or five of Bullfinches (Usoウソ) were whistling shyly at the top of a tree, which still had plenty of wild vine grapes.

I was wondering what sort of bird had made that nest and the leader told us it was actually made by a Japanese Black Bear (Tsukinowagumaツキノワグマ). An adult bear is about 1.5m from its nose to its tail and they are agile enough to get to the top of a tree easily. When they have found their favourite nuts or fruits in a tree and somewhere cozy to sit on, they snap a twig, eat nuts/fruits and put the empty twig under their bum! That's how this bird-nest-looking-object-but-actually-bear's-chair was made. Amazing!

Karuizawa has about 20 odd bears around the town and in the nearby mountains, we were told. Most of them have been captured once, radio-collared and are being monitored. They are deep in sleep at the moment so we didn't have to be worried about them (Thank God!) but between spring and autumn, people are recommended to carry a bell or anything that makes some noise.

Our first Great Spotted Woodpecker (Akageraアカゲラ) in Japan. They are on higher grounds in Japan and we, living in Chiba, have very little chance to see one. 

Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ) are all over the Sanctuary and the town just like in Chiba:) 

A huge flock of Japanese Grosbeaks (Ikaruイカル) flew into the trees by the car park one morning. They usually don't stay in one place but thanks to this lot foraging in the same trees for a while, we managed to observe them very well:) They look similar to a bullfinch or a hawfinch but are a lot bigger and more chatty! 

Birding in the snow-capped woods was great (cold but at least dry!) and the view of Mt Asama (an active volcano) from the woods was just stunning.

More info about the Bird Sanctuary

http://picchio.co.jp/eng/ (in English)