Kasori Shell Mounds Museum Park

Although the museum itself has been closed for refurbishment, some of the shell mounds and dwelling sites are outdoors and you can visit them any time.

acual layers of shells

different types of mollusks underground

a layer of clams

At the very bottom of the layers, there were no shells at all. It is presumed to have been a site for residents.

the actual dwelling site - the holes are thought to have been storage spaces for nuts and grains.

Most parts of the park have no undergrowth so I didn't see as many bird species as I'd expected.

Wagtails love this kind of habitat and there were plenty of them.

Japanese Wagtails (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ)

Reconstructions of prehistoric thatched houses are dotted around the site.

Quite a few Dusky Thrushes (Tsugumiツグミ) & Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ) were eating berries and seeds high up in the trees.

Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers (Kogeraコゲラ) were with other little birds.

A lone Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) was quietly standing at the very edge of the park.

An old samurai house from the mid-18 century was relocated and rebuilt in the park.

The house has a lovely thatched roof but it's got old and has started leaking when it rains, says the sign. Sadly, now the roof is covered with ugly metal plates. A volunteer told me that Chiba-city local government, who own and manage the museum, have little budget for repairs.

He also said (sarcastically) a foot-bridge over a little stream by the park has been rebuilt even though there seemed to be nothing wrong with it, which means there IS moneyfor something very dodgy and fishy!

Oh my...!

At Funadaike in the Ecology Park

a Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) with

a large carp in his beak

but he dropped it and looked as if he was thinking about what to do with it.

After 10 minutes...

Finally, he made up his mind.

What a bird!

Aoba no Mori Koen

Leaves have started changing colours in mild Chiba, at last!

 very much autumnal everywhere

It was relatively early in the morning and sunny so the park was full of bird calls.

A Dusky Thrush (Tsugumiツグミ)! but he perched right at the top of a tree above me! 

and a Hawfinch (Shimeシメ) too!!  He was eating some kind of seed.

Both Dusky Thrushes and Hawfinches will come down on the ground later in the season but there are plenty of seeds/berries to eat high up in trees at the moment.

A Bull-headed Shrike (Mozuモズ) was making a shrieking call

he (she?) was on top of a tree on the other side of the lake but their call is unmistakeable!

Quite a few White Wagtails (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) were foraging on the lawn and the paths in the park, which means there are still plenty of insects for them to eat.

Familiar calls by a Daurian Redstart (Jobitakiジョウビタキ) came from a tree nearby. A lovely female was eating seeds (or berries?).

She flew closer and

closer! 

Thick-billed Crows (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス) like to keep themselves clean:)

You can see their really thick bills!

After having a good wash, breakfast!

A great time for birdwatching has finally arrived in Chiba as we see more birds in parks and we don't have to wear long sleeves while sweating like crazy to avoid mosquitoes or other biting insects. I love autumn and winter here!

Tateyama Yacho no Mori

In the middle of the Minami Boso National Park, Tateyama Yacho no Mori covers about 55 acres of forest and has a couple of nature trails within its borders.

The climate in the Boso Peninsula is mild all year round so most trees are broad-leaved evergreens.

The leaflet shows quite a lot of birds in the forest but we saw more birds in the open area by the visitor centre than in the thick forest;)

The birds we saw/heard: Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), Oriental Turtle Doves (Kijibatoキジバト), Bull-headed Shrikes (Mozuモズ), Thick-billed Crows (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス), Carrion Crows (Hashibosogarasuハシボソガラス), Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers (Kogeraコゲラ), Black-eared Kites (Tobiトビ), a House Swift (Himeamatsubameヒメアマツバメ), Eastern Great Tits (Shijukaraシジュウカラ), Varied Tits (Yamagaraヤマガラ), Japanese White-eyes (Mejiroメジロ), Long-tailed Tits (Enagaエナガ), Japanese Bush Warblers (Uguisuウグイス), Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ), Brown-eared Bulbuls (Hiyodoriヒヨドリ), White Wagtails (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ), Japanese Wagtails (Segurosekireiセグロセキレイ), Daurian Redstarts (Jobitakiジョウビタキ), Black-faced Buntings (Aojiアオジ), Oriental Greenfinches (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ), Tree Sparrows (Suzumeスズメ)
& Peafowls in the enclosure (Kujakuクジャク)





an Oriental Greenfinch (Kawarahiwaカワラヒワ) by the visitor centre

a Praying Mantis (Kokamakiriコカマキリ)














　　　　

the common Puffball （Hokoritakeホコリタケ)?　　

the Sickener (Dokubenitakeドクベニタケ)?

A view from the hill - we spotted a house swift and a few black-eared kites from there.

Information about Tateyama Yacho no Mori (in Japanese)
http://www.chiba-forest.jp/yachou/info.html



After the walk in Yacho no Mori, we saw a Kestrel (Chogemboチョウゲンボウ) perching on a wire by a field.

and two female Greater Scaups (Suzugamoスズガモ) were floating on the choppy water, a bit far out in the sea. They were diving many times but it was too far for us to see if they caught anything at all.

Big flocks (sometimes as many as 50 birds) of Cormorants (Kawauカワウ) frequently flew over Tateyama. Wonder where they were heading to...