Brown Shrike, シマアカモズ

In the park near my home, unexpected, and a first for many. It was just this afternoon, and watching it from a cafe, while drinking ice coffee with friends, that was the most luxurious kind of birding - ever!

Other birds at the same park were the White and Japanese Wagtails. One Japanese Wagtail, セグロセキレイ stayed on the ground, sitting still, for long periods of time. I first thought it had an injury, but then I saw the chicks. It was a parent, watching out for the kids.

At a pond towards the east, a Great Cormorant, カワウ was creating pretty patterns of reflection.

Small stuff around Fukuoka in June

In between rainy days, whenever I have a gap in my schedule, I take the camera for a walk.

The Common Map, イシガケチョウ was circling around me, seemingly interested in a nearby plant. When it stopped, I took some photos and saw it was a female, looking for a place to lay her eggs.

2 Small Coppers, ベニシジミ

After a period of many Asian Swallowtails, the Old World Swallowtails, キアゲハ came out.

Diana Treebrown, クロヒカゲ

Common Hedge Blue, ヤクシマルリシジミ

White Admiral, イチモンジチョウ

Pairing couples: 

L: Common Hedge Blue, ヤクシマルリシジミ      R: Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, モンキチョウ

Short-tailed Blue ツバメシジミ

Japanese Oakblue, ムラサキシジミ

Resting on Asian Lizard's Tail, ハンゲショウ, Lesser Emperor, ギンヤンマ

The shredded skin of a hairy caterpillar caught the morning dew

Egg capsules of Stink bugs on the underside of a tree leaf. Some are full, some empty. The little bugs that recently hatched are watching their siblings.

Yellow Spotted Stink bug, キマダラカメムシ

Japanese Firefly, ゲンジボタル

Caterpillar of Gypsy Moth, or Spongy moth, マイマイガ

Who is this?

Red Spotted Longhorn Beetle, ホシベニカミキリ

Crisp-banded Hawkmoth, ホシヒメホウジャク

Yellow Peach moth, モモノゴマダラノメイガ?

Little Stag Beetle, コクワガタ

Stick insect shedding it's skin, ナナフシの脱皮

Kokulan, コクラン

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 ·