Sarue Onshi Koen

There are a couple of small ponds in Sarue Koen, where some ducks come to winter every winter.

Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) and Pintails (Onagagamoオナガガモ) didn't seem to mind me getting close to them.

A male Kingfisher (Kawasemiカワセミ) came and started fishing.

He was diving in the water and perched in different places but we didn't see him catch anything...

During our stay there for 15 minutes or so, we saw Great Tits (Shijuukaraシジュウカラ), Japanese White-eyes (Mejiroメジロ), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Azure-winged Magpies (Onagaオナガ), White Wagtails (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) and Thick-billed Crows (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス).

Sagamigawa

Our first visit to the Sagami River was on a beautiful autumnal day.

The river and the Tanzawa mountains in the background. 

A Kestrel (Chougenbouチョウゲンボウ) was being mobbed by crows near the station.

The first photo would make you think this place is in the middle of nowhere but actually it's only 20 minutes by train from the big city, Yokohama.

Still, it was quite a wild place and a very good ground for bird-watching.

Cormorants(Kawauカワウ), Great Egrets (Daisagiダイサギ) and Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ) were enjoying the sun:)

Well done, you! A male Kingfisher (Kawasemiカワセミ) just caught a snack and started bashing the poor fish against the concrete embankment.

A mighty Osprey (Misagoミサゴ) was perching quietly until a couple of crows went close to him and began to tease him.

 He didn't seem to be bothered much but a crow flew towards him and...

kicked him!!

He was doing really well ignoring the naughty crows but flew off when two Black-eared Kites (Tobiトビ) were flying towards the tree.

bye!

Of course, crows started bothering the kites instead now... It was funny to watch them though.

Plenty of Meadow Buntings (Hoojiroホオジロ) must have been in the reeds but it was rather difficult to spot one.

A couple of Little Grebes (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ)

A Common Sandpiper (Isoshigiイソシギ) was flying upstream, making his distinct calls.

1 male and 4 or 5 female Gadwalls (Okayoshigamoオカヨシガモ) were foraging by a weir.

 A yellow flash!

A Grey Wagtail (Kisekireiキセキレイ) and...

a Japanese Wagtail (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ) were jumping and catching flying insects on the weir.

a (hideous looking) wier

Mallards (Magamoマガモ) were resting on the concrete.

Quite a few Coots (Oobanオオバン) and ducks (we managed to identify some pintails, wigeons and teals but it's impossible in the photos) were downstream of the wier.

A flock of Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) were flying downstream and we saw where they landed:)

there they are!

On our way back to the station through harvested rice fields, a couple Bull-headed Shrikes (Mozuモズ) were making shrill calls here and there.

It is hard to imagine those little birds actually hunt small birds isn't it!

Some more Kestrels were on the electric wires over the rice fields to finish our trip. It was a great morning walk and was worth a long journey from the other side of Tokyo Bay!

Shinjuku Gyoen

Shinjuku is one of the busiest areas in Tokyo, which makes you think there will be no green whatsoever, but here it is!

Shinjuku Gyoen Park used to be a garden for the imperial family but this area became a public park after WWII. It covers about 58ha of land and is just behind those skyscrapers.

Although I walked in the Japanese garden area with lots of pine trees and rocks, the park has some different types of gardens and green areas, such as an English garden, a French garden, a greenhouse and thick woods.

It was Sunday and sunny, which means loads of people in the park...
but I found some peace in the thick woods:)

A Grey-faced Bunting (Aojiアオジ) hopped really close to me while I was standing completely still. His 'shee' calls can be heard from a distance and I found his friend nearby too.

Lovely little things! They are wintering birds in and around Tokyo and I see them quite often in Chiba too.

There were lots of Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), Mallards (Magamoマガモ) and Little Grebes (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) on the lakes. I was expecting some Mandarin Ducks but no luck.

A Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) was hunting right on the edge of the lake on the path-side, where lots of people were walking past. He was used to people or was too hungry?

It was just a walk-through in the park on that day but it's worth coming back to spend a day birding.

More information about the park (in English)
https://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/english/index.html

Nihon Ike

It has finally become 'chilly' in Chiba and the leaves are getting more colourful day by day:)

Nihon Ike, which used to be a series of local reservoirs for the rice fields and can been seen on maps in the 19th century, was an ideal destination for walking and birding, especially on a sunny day like that day.

The stone bridge is still used to go into the woods behind the ponds.

Three pairs of Shovellers (Hashibirogamoハシビロガモ) were foraging around a little island but when they noticed me...

I'm sure they were thinking 'Hey! Food!'

I'm the first!

Oh...

Sorry to disappoint you, guys! I have nothing today...

While walking around the ponds, I heard familiar calls.

There she was:)

Dive!  (A female Kingfisher (Kawasemiカワセミ))

Can you see a bird?

A Black-crowned Night Heron (Goisagiゴイサギ) was sunbathing or hiding?

Where he was resting was actually near the road, although the whole area is a very quiet place away from the main street. Beautiful navy coloured back he has!

Two Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) were under a lovely maple tree next to the tree where the heron was.

The ponds and the woods were full of bird calls - Japanese Bush Warbler (Uguisuウグイス), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), Oriental Greenfinches (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ), Japanese White-eyes (Mejiroメジロ), Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ) and crows.

I think I ought to visit here more often as it is not far from home and a lovely place even for a short walk.

Watauchi Ike at Chiba Koen

Wintering birds, such as ducks and gulls, have arrived in Watauchi Ike, which is only 5 minute walk from Chiba station.

Black-headed Gulls (Yurikamomeユリカモメ) are wintering birds in Chiba. Great Egrets (Daisagiダイサギ) and Little Egrets (Kosagiコサギ), on the other hand, are resident.

very well behaved:)

or not...? lol

I noticed his leg. Poor thing...

Tufted Ducks (Kinkurohajiroキンクロハジロ) have a somewhat comical expression:)

Pochards (Hoshihajiroホシハジロ) must have thought I was going to give them some food but sorry!

Is it a competition?!

Don't look at me in that way! I feel guilty!

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was on the board-walk.

When I was about to head back,

she flew past just in front of me! Thanks, Mrs Kingfisher (Kawasemiカワセミ):) 

The birds I saw over half an hour were: 30 Tufties, 15 Pochards, 45 Black-headed Gulls, 30+Brown-eared Bulbuls, 5 Oriental Greenfinches, 2 Grey-faced Buntings, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Great Egret, 2 White Wagtails, 1 Kingfisher, 15 Tree Sparrows, 8 Thick-billed Crows, 3 Carrion Crows, 2 Domestic Geese and 30+ Feral Pigeons, which I don't think was bad at all.