Komatsugawa Higata

I lived in the Shitamachi area for the whole of my childhood and only recently have I learnt that there is a mudflat in the Arakawa by the Toei Shinjuku Line, which appears when the tide is low.

Now all the shoreline has gone far away from this area because of the intensive reclamation in Tokyo Bay so I had never thought that there would be any mudflat so far from the sea. I'm so delighted to learn of the existence of this mudflat, thanks to a lovely local who loves and cares about the birds in this area and further afield:)

Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls
(Yurikamomeユリカモメ)

                            Cormorant (Kawauカワウ)

Spotbilled Ducks
(Karugamoカルガモ)

Grey Starling
(Mukudoriムクドリ)

 

a male Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ)

Reed Bunting
(Oojuringオオジュリン)

Vega Gull
(Segurokamomeセグロカモメ）

 

a male Pintail (Onagagamoオナガガモ)

a male Greater Scaup (Suzugamoスズガモ) & B-H Gulls

While I was searching for a Peregrine, which I was told would be likely to be perching somewhere on the railway bridge, I found him instead! 

The location of the mudflat is easy to get to. Get off a train at the Higashi-ojima Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line and just follow the railway towards the bridge, which is only a 5-minute walk from the station. 

A Reservoir in Oyumino

This reservoir doesn't seem to have a name on the map or on the internet but I just went there to see what it would be like.

There was no name even there! Whether it has a name or not, the place looked great for some birds. The whole area around the reservoir and the reedbeds was fenced so as the wildlife there is not disturbed.

Quite a few Teals (Kogamoコガモ) were in the water and the males were busy calling and dancing around the females.

Wonder if he was successful?

A Buzzard (Nosuriノスリ) was being mobbed by a Thick-billed Crow (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス) high in the sky. Eventually the Buzzard swooped down and disappeared in the woods.

An Oriental Turtle Dove (Kijibatoキジバト) and a pair of Oriental Greenfinches (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ) were foraging near the path.

A gorgeous male Daurian Redstart (Joubitakiジョウビタキ) perched on a low branch for a minute or so and flew into the thicket.

I'd say a scope is essential to see more birds here.   

After Snow

In Aoba no Mori Koen after record-breaking snow fall in Chiba and many other places in Japan

Aoba-ga-Ike, not quite frozen but covered with thick snow

Three male Teals (Kogamoコガモ), just flying in.

fallen trees blocking the paths everywhere in the park

A flock of Oriental Greenfinches (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ)

A small clearance was very important for ground feeding birds like those Grey-faced Buntings (Aojiアオジ).

a Grey-faced Bunting

A kind of cypress was very popular among the Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ).

quite acrobatic!

a Dusky Thrush (Tsugumiツグミ)

a White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ)

More snowfall is expected towards the weekend...

All in White

The view in Aoba no Mori Koen at 10.30 this morning

This was not taken in the mountains but in Chiba!

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was the only one seen on the path (apart from myself).

And he posed for me for a second with a small charge (a piece of bread)!














Spot-billed Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ) were foraging on the bank.

Nandina Berries (Nantenナンテン)












I startled a couple of Dusky Thrushes (Tsugumiツグミ), who were hopping around the berry tree. Sorry!

 

 Brrrr.....

Miyakogawa Mizu no Sato Koen

In spite of the fact that it is right next to the really busy junction of the Chibatogane Motorway and the Keiyo Motorway, Miyakogawa Mizu no Sato Koen is quite a good place for watching birds.

Local people grow rice during the warmer seasons and after harvest stubble is left, which is a great place for sparrows and buntings.

Even with all the noise from the motorways, you can hear them chirruping!

100+ Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ) flew up into trees when people walked their dogs by the rice field.

 A Meadow Bunting (Hoojiroホオジロ) took refuge high up in a tree as well.

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) was foraging on the field too, but this bold (or greedy?) one didn't fly away even when I walked right up to him!

A well is feeding water into the rice field and the stream running through the park.

The park looks rather wild when you look away from the motorways. It was a bit hard to hear the calls of the birds with the traffic so close by, but still, I was able to catch lots of them.

There is a marshy area beyond the park and a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) was the only bird there.

Dusky Thrushes (Tsugumiツグミ) were foraging here and there

and that one was making very loud calls, competing against the traffic.

2 Eastern Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ) were both singing. Spring is coming soon! ... hopefully.

A male Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was mimicking the songs of skylarks and starlings:)

a female Bull-headed Shrike
You can clearly see its hooked upper beak, which is similar to a raptor's. No wonder little birds start becoming agitated when shrikes are around.