Kyushu's mountains 2

 A few dry spells were all we got, but spring rain is not bad and we have lots of dry clothes Here some birds:

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

Common Cuckoo, カッコウ

Perched at the same tree as the week before

Smallest frog I saw. Old World Toad spec, ヒキガエル属 

Egg shell on the mountain trail. Whose is it?

One brave ant and the audience

See them watching!

Blue Admiral, ルリタテハ again.

 Genji Firefly, ゲンジボタル on the windshield. Thirsty?

Finally found an English name for this fungus: Stinky Squid, サンコタケ · 

Kyushu's mountains 1

We both have the weekend off - A rare occasion. Guess what? It's raining cats and dogs. (My friends in Japan love that expression.) Blowing, too. What the x are we doing here in the "middle of nowhere"? I've never seen this place so quiet. Everything is wet. Green and wet. Alah...Sometimes we need a break from that everyday concrete harbor grey.

No birds, no butterflies, lots of flowers; however, most with their heads bent down. Suddenly, a short break, a dry spell. I grab my stuff and rush out. Enjoy!

This family was thinking the same thing. Japanese Sika deer, シカ

They took me by surprise. I froze, they froze. I hid my face behind the camera and stood very still. After a while they relaxed and continued.

It was wonderful to see the little fawn. 

Still so young!

A picture engraved in my memory - for ever

Very few Fritillary butterflies this time. But the only one around was a real price!

Female Black Fritillary ♀, メスグロヒョウモン

Japanese Labyrinth, ヤマキマダラヒカゲ  or  Goschkevitschi's Labyrinth, サトキマダラヒカゲ?

Blue Admiral, ルリタテハ

At a sap tree, where the rain started again

Little Stag Beetle, コクワガタ 

Photo bomb!

Once more, Little Stag Beetle, コクワガタ 

female

My favorite flower this weekend: Beech Viburnum, コバノガマズミ · 

June birds around home.

The rain started early. That's how it felt to me. On the days that are not too wet, I go out - for a short time usually. I don't always get what I hope for. But that keeps me hoping.

Picking at the flies on a Lotus leaf, Ruddy-breasted Crake, ヒクイナ

There were 2 birds. They probably have a nest here somewhere.

The nesting Oriental Magpies, カササギ at the same place are very busy now. Fledglings following the parents, constantly begging for food.

Just a few km west a Brown Hawk Owl or Boobook, アオバズク is waiting at its yearly post. I'm waiting, too.

First week of June, suddenly, the harbor was full of young gulls. I think they are all Vega Gulls, first summer. セグロカモメ

Some Barn swallows, ツバメ are later than others. This one is still building. Or is it rebuilding?

A Japanese Wagtail, セグロハクセキレイ sitting quietly at the edge of a field. Why?

Some days later I saw it again. Maybe the same bird. Then there was a young one nearby.

So, that was why...

At last, the Cattle Egret, アマサギ. 12 birds were feeding in a small field in a residential area near M. River. I had never seen them there before. It seemed they didn't belong there. The next day they were gone.

Mt. Hiko

 Despite my early start, I could not see the red bird. It was calling from far, but didn't come near.  

Pointing the camera at whatever flew by: Eurasian Nuthatch, ゴジュウカラ

Eurasian Wren, ミソサザイ

Eurasian Jay, カケス

At the usual tree: Japanese Stone Orchid, セッコクラン

Water Tabirako, ミズタビラコ

Epaulette tree or Fragrant Epaulette tree, オオバアサガラ

Scarce Tortoiseshell, ヒオヂシチョウ

Laceshrub, コゴメウツギ

Fairy moth spec, ヒゲナガガ