Rainy Days

The weather has been changeable, one day extremely warm, the next day cold and wet. I chose (well, no choice, rather) 2 miserable spring days to pop in at Ecology Park & Aoba no Mori Park.

Everyone looked very WET!

2 male Gadwalls (Okayoshigamoオカヨシガモ)

a young Grey Heron (Aosagiアオサギ) looking grumpy

A parent Little Grebe (Kaitsuburiカイツブリ) had no time to waste as she/he was busy carrying materials to their nest, holding at least 3 eggs.

from the screen in the hide

Mandarin Ducks (Oshidoriオシドリ) were on the pond at Ecology Park on that day.

I'd never observed Mandarin Ducks so closely before so I was so chuffed to have this opportunity to see them right in front of me all day.
I noticed they seemed to prefer flying even for a short distance unlike other ducks which are more likely to paddle. The females occasionally did something like a courtship dance, bending their necks backwords. At one time, a female preened her partner's feathers on his neck. (but she pulled them very hard and his face became like 'ow!' lol)

Hope they will stay a bit longer to brighten up the pond which is more or less duck-less.


These guys must have been happy in the rain:)

Oyumi Ike

I took a detour on the way to a shop to see if any ducks have arrived in Oyumi Ike but there were only Spotbilled Ducks (Karugamoカルガモ), who are resident around here.

Grey Starlings (Mukudoriムクドリ) were eating berries in one particular tree. There must have been more than 50 individuals and they were really chatty!

Somebody was moving in the mud very busily.

Can you see who...?

A lone Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ)

A White Wagtail (Hakusekireiハクセキレイ) spotted me watching him:)

Two Japanese Wagtails were flying around but I couldn't get a pic of them.

Two Bull-headed Shrikes (Mozuモズ) started their distinct shrieking calls to claim their autumn territories on the both sides of the stream.

While one was still calling on an aerial, an Oriental Turtle Dove (Kijibatoキジバト) landed on the same aerial and he just started singing next to him! 

The shrike looked as if it were saying what the hell you are doing in my patch to the turtle dove but...

gave up in the end! The turtle dove didn't look bothered at all and kept singing all that time. Funny thing!


Insects were still around too.

This grasshopper looked like it was laying eggs, inserting her lower abdomen in the ground between the pebbles. Interesting!