Ecology Park and Aoba no Mori Koen

The juvenile Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ), which was on the previous page, was clearly practicing hunting but...

ooops!
It's just a twig!lol

He couldn't stay still like grown-ups. He walked quite quickly alongside the edge of the lake, then flew to the other side, surprising a Spot-billed Duck (Karugamoカルガモ) having a rest on the little island. He flew again in a circle over the lake and landed deep in the reeds... How long did he stay there... we didn't know but not for long for sure:)

A juvenile Kingfisher (Kawasemiカワセミ) was seen too. 2 juveniles have been spotted recently around the lake. Presumably they will practice hunting just like the Grey Heron.

He dived down to the surface and splash!!! but no gain...

to another pole.

No fish was in his beak.

Off he went again!

He was skimming over the lake, zigzagging, then flew off into the woods...

There are not many seen in the ecology park at the moment, but it is so nice to see the young ones here and there.

In the main park, we saw another young Grey Heron.

Adult Grey Herons would fly off when they spot human beings coming closer towards them but this one was watching us but just walked 3 steps away from us.

The heads of American Bullfrogs (Ushigaeruウシガエル) were popping out and in along the shore of the lake. Some of them were making really loud noises.

A Reeve's Pond Turtle (Kusagameクサガメ) was warming himself up on the shore.

A Cho-tombo (チョウトンボ:no English name found) was resting for a moment on a blade of grass. So many dragonflies and damselflies were busy flying over the damp area but it is too hard to take photos of them flying...

Funada-ike in Ecology Park

A pair of Little Grebes (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) laid 5 eggs and 4 chicks have been growing rapidly. (one egg went missing...)

They followed their parent and ventured out at the other end of the lake.

When a parent dived to hunt, they looked lost! Where's mummy?

When one of the parents was with the chicks, the other had no time to waste, cleaning himself and preening.

They bumped each other when they reunited and called loudly.

Then, they went into the reedbed where their nest was.

The chicks were always staying close together and paddling back to the reedbed.

And disappeared among the reeds.

We wanted to catch a glimpse of the chicks sitting on their parent's back but they have grown far too big for that. Little Grebes breed in the lake every year, so we were told, but many of the eggs and chicks are usually taken by predators, mainly by snakes. These chicks have grown quite big now so hopefully they will survive at least till they become independent.

There were 2 Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ) in a dead tree by the lake, resting in the sun.

A juvenile was really active along the edge of the lake, trying to catch something but no success... keep at it!

Aoba no Mori Koen

On the edge of the reedbed in Funada-ike lake, Little Grebes (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) made a floating nest and now have 4 chicks and an egg.

It was hard to see through the reeds but an adult was sitting on the one egg which hadn't hatched yet and the other adult often came back to the nest bringing food for the hungry youngsters.

A Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ), which had been resting in a tree, jumped down into the lake. Woken up by hunger?

 Three Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) were busy preening by Aobaga-ike but...

they dashed to the shore when they spotted someone with food:)

Spot-billed Ducks are equivalent to Mallards in Britain. You can see them on almost every pond or lake, or even in rice fields!

A subtle tapping noise was heard near the lake:) A busy Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Kogeraコゲラ) went up and down the branches.

His head was a blur! How can they peck so quickly?!


At this time of year, parks and woods in Japan are deafening with the noise of Cicadas.

Min-Min-Semi（ミンミンゼミ) - no English name found...

Abura-semi (アブラゼミ) -no English name found either...

Their noises are so different to each other and so are their sizes and colours so it's quite easy to identify most of the common cicadas. When birds are not so active during the summer (when they are most likely to moult), spotting Cicadas is an interesting alternative:)

Barn Swallows (Tsubameツバメ)

Right next to our balcony, there were 14 Barn Swallows sitting and preening on the lines.

An adult has a dark orange throat and long tail-streamers.

 A juvenile has yellow all around his face, throat and breast.

This young one couldn't stay still... it was like he was saying 'hey!' to his friend.

but was ignored... so he was creeping towards him...

peck!

don't bother me!

He was doing the same to another 3 young ones... was he bored or was it a kind of affectionate behaviour?

ENOUGH!!

We have spotted a couple of swallows' nests around our place, some of which are lucky to have a board under them. Glad to know some people do care about those birds:)

Kasai Rinkai Koen 2

From the hides on the way back to the station around the lake, some lovely waders were seen.

Three Grey-tailed Tattlers (Kiashishigiキアシシギ) flew onto the lake just in front of the hide window.

Their Japanese name, Kiashishigi, means a yellow-legged wader and you can see why!

A couple of Little Ringed Plovers (Kochidoriコチドリ) and a Grey-tailed Tattler were wading in the shallows.

A lone Whimbrel (Chushakushigiチュウシャクシギ) was standing still, maybe saving energy?
When he moved a bit, I thought he was limping so I checked the photos when I got back home on the computer screen. He's got a fishing line or some kind of thread coming down from his leg.

On its right leg, a fishing lure or something of that kind seems stuck... This individual has been like that for more than a month now, so I was told. Could anything be done for him?

Are you taking my photo?
A young White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was practicing hunting in the shallows:)

Great Reed Warblers (Ooyoshikiriオオヨシキリ) were in a singing contest:) They sound quite similar to reed warblers.

It seems that the waders have started migration and it's going to be a good place here in Kasai Rinkai Koen for birds as well as birders for the next few months. If only the weather was more forgiving...

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A large part of this lovely park will be transformed into a venue for the canoe competition if Tokyo wins the Olympics bid. Many conservationists/nature loving people have been trying hard and asking Tokyo to change their plans, but Tokyo doesn't seem to be listening. Would the Olympics be worth holding even with massive destruction, I wonder.

Kasai Rinkai Koen

It's been so hot (over 30 degrees every day, nearly 40 at some places inland!) that I'm wondering if anyone would really like to sit outside or in a hide to watch birds, or even to do anything at all.

BUT! I somehow decided to pop in at Kasai Rinkai Koen after a bird survey, in which I was lucky to be involved, and it was worth visiting. An Asian Dowitcher (ShiberiaOohashishigiシベリアオオハシシギ), which was a rare visitor and can be seen in Japan every 10 years or so, had been on the lake for the last couple of days. I couldn't get a photo but it looked like something between a snipe and a godwit. Beautiful wader, it was!

Cormorants (Kawauカワウ) looked hot too...

A huge flock of Cormorants were hunting in a group. There must have been nearly a hundred individuals!

A couple of Little Terns (Koajisashiコアジサシ) were elegantly flying above the water and sweeping down to get some fish.

The tide was really low at that time and lots of egrets and herons were making the most of it. A flying Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) and a Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ).

A young gull flew effortlessly. I was thinking about the gulls' absence from view at this time of year (because when we were in Wales, gulls were a part of our lives!) but there they were! I'm not good at identifying young gulls and I cannot tell which gull it is... I'll learn gradually.

A Little Egret (Kosagiコサギ) (the yellow feet one) and a Black-winged Stilt (Seitakashigiセイタカシギ) (the pinky legs one) were preening in strong winds:) Even the winds felt so warm...

A young Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) was hunting in the mud by the lake. He had a very short crest and yellow lower mandible and was greyish over all, which are the characteristics of juvenile Grey Herons.

and he posed for me:)

then, cat-walked right in front of me...

but went too close to another Grey Heron, who both started chasing each other...

I kind of forgot how hot it was while watching the birds but not completely. I headed off back home, staggering...