Day trip to Mt Gokase in Miyazaki
After 3-4 hrs driving, climbing to 1600m we got out of the car and found the landscape immersed in a grey pea soup-type matter. Shivering we waited, but soon the mist cleared and a snow-less ski slope stretched out in front of us.
The temperature rose a bit as the sun came through for a short while and we were quite comfortable with our woolies and jackets.
We split up along the slope, waiting for the calls of Nutcrackers.
There were few birds in the distant trees, some flycatchers, mainly Grey-streaked, Eurasian Jay and Eurasian Nuthatches. Occasionally a woodpecker could be heard.
The morning turned into afternoon and we gathered halfway to eat our bento’s. After that came a long period of silence, but at 4:00 pm, we were more or less about to head back, 3 of the birds we all wanted to see finally appeared, all the way down the slope.
ホシガラス, Nutcracker
Quickly gathering food, (nuts?) they literally stuffed their throats (see the bulge?) and moved on to higher trees. Every now and then one looked up at us, as we carefully got closer and closer, probably thinking we were a herd of weird looking deer.
Other birds in the distance:
scenery: view towards what I think was the southeast.
Other birds in the distance:
アオゲラ, Japanese Green Woodpecker
エゾビタキ, Grey-streaked Flycatcher
コジュウカラ, Eurasian Nuthatch
scenery: view towards what I think was the southeast.
