Izumi Shizen Koen (Izumi Nature Park)

As we are not familiar with lots of birds in Japan, we decided to go on a birding walk in Izumi Shizen Koen organised by the Wild Bird Society of Japan this weekend to learn a bit more about Japanese birds. And we were right! Even before the walk had started, the WBSJ members spotted a Grey-faced Buzzard (Sashibaサシバ), which we would have easily mistaken for a Sparrowhawk or a Goshawk.

Later on, we saw a Goshawk (Ootakaオオタカ) and a Grey-faced Buzzard soaring very close to each other.

GF Buzzard is on the right.

A magnificent Goshawk

It's really good to have pics because they are helpful to identify birds even after the birds have gone. And we were able to ask the WBSJ members for some advice:)

The park is famous for Mandarin Ducks (Oshidoriオシドリ), so we were told. Most of them were resting on low branches under cover, which made it difficult to spot them (and to take pics of them).  

A Black-crowned Night Heron (Goisagiゴイサギ) was hunting upside down:)

He gave up, went up the hill and disappeared...

I couldn't get many photos today but we saw/heard quite a few birds during the walk:
Mandarin Ducks (Oshidoriオシドリ), Mallards (Magamoマガモ), Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), Little Grebes (Kaituburiカイツブリ), Black-crowned Night Heron (Goisagiゴイサギ), Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ), Goshawk (Oogakaオオタカ), Black-faced Buzzard (Sashibaサシバ), Kingfishers (Kawasemiカワセミ), Varied Tits (Yamagaraヤマガラ), Great Tits (Shiju-karaシジュウカラ), Swallows (Tsubameツバメ), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Long-tailed Tits (Enagaエナガ), Oriental Turtle Doves (Kijibatoキジバト), Pale Thrush (Shiroharaシロハラ), Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ), White Wagtails (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ), Black-faced Bunting (Aojiアオジ), Olive-backed Tree Pipit (Binzuiビンズイ), Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ),
(heard) Japanese Bush Warbler (Uguisuウグイス), Eastern Crowned Willow Warbler (Sendaimushikuiセンダイムシクイ), Oriental Greenfinch (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ), Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Kogeraコゲラ), Chinese Bamboo Partridge (Kojukeiコジュケイ)


There were lots of frogs, lizards, butterflies, beetles and spiders as well.

Japanese Tree Frog (Nihon Amagaeruニホンアマガエル) (at least, I think that's what it is!)

 American Bullfrog (Ushigaeruウシガエル)

Can you see me??

Japanese Grass Lizard (Nihon Kanahebiニホンカナヘビ)

About the park (in Japanese)

http://www.city.chiba.jp/toshi/koenryokuchi/kanri/wakaba/izumitop.html

Yatsuhigata Nature Observation Centre

The weather was just miserable but we decided to head for the Yatsuhigata Nature observation Centre again because it'd be nice and warm in the Centre and possibly not many people would be there in that horrible weather. When we got to the path, the tide was coming in and we could see some waders quite closely (in a downpour...).

A Bar-tailed Godwit (Oosorihashishigiオオソリハシシギ) looked at a loss... He was in a beautiful summer plumage.

A Grey Plover (Daizenダイゼン) flew even closer towards us:) We got excited because we thought he was a Great Knot (which we've never seen) but later we were told he was a Grey Plover in his winter plumage.

Daizen has got a black tail and a stubby beak, we now know!

Rain was dripping from a lone Black-winged Stilt (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ)... Poor soul. He looked so ridiculously unbalanced when his loooooong legs were exposed over the water:) but lovely birds!

A pair of Mongolian Plover (or Lesser Sandplover) (Medaichidoriメダイチドリ) were busy going back and forth on the mudflat near the path.

Looking-glass???

The Centre is about 15-20 min walk from the Minami-funabashi Station and we were absolutely soaked (happy birders though;) by the time we reached the Centre.

More than 10 Great Egrets (Daisagiダイサギ) and Little Egrets (Kosagiコサギ) in total were on the mudflat. Although people said they have seen the Intermediate Egrets there this season already, still no luck for us...

Young Black-headed Gulls (Yurikamomeユリカモメ) were squabbling over something... They have a black line on the very end of their tail feathers. We were told BH Gulls don't breed around the Chiba area and that almost all the the adults have gone to their breeding sites already. Only non-breeding young ones are around there in summer. 

We were glad we went there on that particular day as it turned out the 3rd Sunday of every month is a birding day organised by the members of the Wild Bird Society of Japan. Thanks to the helpful and knowledgeable members, we learnt a lot about some of the birds we didn't see in the UK. We would like to join some of their birding events in the near future:)

Matsugaoka Shimin no Mori

I happened to learn about the existence of these woods (which look so tempting for a birdwatcher to have a wander in) while cycling in our new neighbourhood the other day, and today I determined to drag my husband, who had been suffering from social pressure (i.e. a hangover;), out for some fresh air:)

Matsugaoka Shimin no Mori is a patch of woodland managed by the Matsugaoka local residents. It's really green at this time of year, which is wonderful, but not great for birdwatchers as you can hear birds but can't see them... but I feel really grateful for the people who give their time to keeping this wood so lovely.

A flock of fast-moving Japanese White-eys (Mejiroメジロ) were foraging amongst the fresh leaves. Gorgeous little things they are.

A hard time for newly hatched caterpillars...

There was a flock of Hawfinches (Shimeシメ) flying through the trees, who started short sharp tick-tick calls almost like Robins' when they landed on top of the trees. As we are still not familiar with many of the Japanese birds' calls, we had to stop and investigate which bird was making a particular call. Not easy at all with all the thick leaves!

We think we now can recognise Hawfinches' calls, thanks to them showing themselves very well as they were making the calls.

Some mysterious birds were feeding on the ground but they flew up into the trees every time we came too close to them without knowing they were there. Finally, we spotted their distinct thick white eye brows through the binoculars so we are quite confident to say they were Olive-backed Tree Pipits (Binzuiビンズイ). Hope we can get their pics next time:)

We didn't see many birds today because of the unfriendly weather: chilly and showers. On the way back home, we went through Aoba no Mori Koen and saw more Hawfinches there.

There are still lots of blossoms in bloom in Aoba no Mori Koen and all the nector lovers and flower-eaters, such as Hawfinches and Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ) were having a feast.

Yatsuhigata Nature Observation Centre 3

A lone Little Grebe (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) in full breeding plumage.

A Grey Plover (Daizenダイゼン) was foraging on his own near the path.

When we were having lunch at the cafe in the Centre, from which we could see swallows swishing over a small pond, hundreds of waders filled the sky!

We were not sure what they were or where they came from but later on, a ranger in the Centre told us that most of them were Dunlins (Hamashigiハマシギ) and that there was a peregrine on the mudflat. 

In the Observation Centre, scopes are set by the window and anybody can use them for free. There were two rangers in the Centre, who were very helpful with bird identification.  It is very hard to identify any particular bird from this pic but they were mainly Dunlins (Hamashigiハマシギ), Grey Plovers (Daizenダイゼン) and Bar-tailed Godwits (Oosorihashishigiオオソリハシシギ).

Peregrine again! We couldn't spot him/her though. 

He didn't seem to care at all. Well, he was catching flying insects on the small pool by the cafe, a bit too far away from the chaos:) Lucky you!

What we saw that day:
Teals (Kogamoコガモ), Wigeons (Hidorigamoヒドリガモ), Shovellers (Hashibirogamoハシビロガモ), Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), Pintails (Onagagamoオナガガモ), Cormorants (Kawauカワウ), Coot (Oobahオオバン), Little Grebe (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ), Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ), Little Egrets (Kosagiコサギ), White Wagtails (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ), Grey Plover (Daizenダイゼン), Dunlins (Hamashigiハマシギ), Bar-tailed Godwits (Oosorihashishigiオオソリハシシギ), Black-winged Stilt (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ), Far Eastern Curlew (Hourokushigiホウロクシギ), Lesser Sand Plovers (Mongolian Plover)(Medaichidoriメダイチドリ), Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ), Oriental Turtle Doves (Kijibatoキジバト), Great Tits (Shiju-karaシジュウカラ), Long-tailed Tits (Enagaエナガ), Swallows (Tsubameツバメ)
25 species + possibly Intermediate Egrets (Chuusagiチュウサギ)

We encountered a Sparrowhawk (Haitakaハイタカ) on our way back home, which was a great bonus:)

Yatsuhigata Nature Observation Centre 2

From the path towards the centre, we spotted quite a few Black-winged Stilts (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ) feeding, bathing and preening:)

According to the Centre, a pair have started building their nests on an artificial raft made for them. Good luck!

Some have white heads, some black, some grey...

When they fly, their long, pinky legs stick out way away from their tails and they make distinct calls, which are similar to a dog's barking:)

Bathing in a group:)

A Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) was being patient near the path.

Another Grey Heron was off balance in the wind:)

Ooooops!

Phew!!!

There are three species of white egrets seen in Japan: Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ), Intermediate Egret (Chu-sagiチュウサギ) and Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ). It is easy to tell a Little Egret from a Great Egret but the Intermediate Egrets are somewhere in between... We have to see more individuals to know what exactly we should look at to tell them apart.

A Cormorant (Kawauカワウ) popped out from the water, saw us and quickly turned around!

A lone Coot (Oobanオオバン) was feeding as if he was admiring himself...

 Loads of little crabs on the mud. We don't know what sort of crabs they are. They must be having a tough time with hundreds of waders around them...

Tiny tiny tadpoles in a little pool by the Centre
They too are delicious meals for some birds, I'm sure...

Yatsuhigata Nature Observation Centre 1

On the 13th April, we visited Yatsuhigata, which is one of the best places for waders and ducks around Tokyo Bay.

It is really a bizzare place - in the middle of reclaimed land and connected to the sea only through two narrow streams. If you look round, you realise that you are surrounded by blocks of tall buildings and a raised motorway...  and yet there are so many birds in and around the mudflat.

A pair of Shovellers (Hashibirogamoハシビロガモ)

A male shoveller was too busy to mind me taking pictures of him:)

A pair of Teals (Kogamoコガモ)

He was too busy too...

We could see his beautiful feathers while he was munching away:)
Lovely bum!

A pair of Wigeons (Hidorigamoヒドリガモ)

Guys, bottoms up!!!

The observation centre is about half a mile away from the nearest station (Minami-funabashi) and once you are in Yatsuhigata Park, you can walk on a path running alongside the mudflat, which allows you to stop and observe birds through the gaps in the hedges.  Some of the ducks were feeding really close to where we were watching! 

About the Yatsuhigata Nature Observation Centre (in English) 
http://www.yatsuhigata.jp/english/index.html