Sunday 17 November 2013

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

2 comments:

  1. Dear Bran Chan,

    How are you doing? This is shidekubo in UK・・・・・・
    と英語で続けたいところですがあまりにもボキャブラリーに乏しいため日本語で失礼します。
    実はこの11月日本に行っていました。ブランさんが新宿御苑にいらしたのとちょうど同じ頃です。
    日本の11月ってこんなに暖かかった? と驚くくらいポカポカしていて
    太陽の光をいっぱいっぱい浴びれたことが何より嬉しかったです。

    滞在中に新宿御苑には行かなかったのですが、代々木公園には行きました。
    以前カラスの写真を撮りに何度も通っていた公園ですが、今回そこで初めて
    シラサギを見ました。(サギ類には詳しくないので何サギかはわかりませんが)
    本当に都会のど真ん中であのような鳥を見れるなんてびっくりですよね。

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    Replies
    1. shidekuboさん、コメントありがとうございます!そしてお久しぶりです!
      日本に来ていたんですね。ほんと、今年の夏は長くてヘトヘトでした。。。

      代々木公園でもサギがいるんですか。今度足を運んでみますね。
      日本にはイギリスよりサギの種類が多くて私も覚えている途中です(^^)

      ときどきshidekuboさんのブログにも訪問していますよ。
      イギリスが懐かしくてたまりません。robinや騒がしいmagpieに会いたいです~

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