Sometimes I go
to this place in the east where farmers prefer natural products and practice
some kind of organic farming. The birds there are different. There is for
example the Greater Painted Snipe. Great indeed. Spectacularly painted. Not
rare, but not a bird that crosses your path regularly. They breed here. So I go
there and though I know where they are I don’t always see them. But sometimes
you get lucky. Like this early morning in June.
Greater Painted Snipe, タマシギ
Just woken up, a pair is leaving the thick
bush for a meal in the rice paddy.
The timing is right: the rice
plants are just the right size. Too small would make the birds feel too exposed
to venture out. A week later the tall plants will be covering everything up.
A crake intends to do the same
thing, hence a little confrontation. The crake leaves the field.
The female in front found a nice
big snail. Looks like she eats the whole thing.
The birds stay close together; do
I see a little display here?
He takes his chance
She bows her appreciation.
And on we go, happy as a box
of.... yes, birds.
Below another pair in an adjacent
paddy field. But no time to watch these two. We have to move on.
Other birds in that area but on
another day:
Little Ringed Plover, コチドリ
Grey-headed Lapwing, ケリ
and again the Ruddy-breasted Crake, ヒクイナ
PS: Not much time for Japanese kanji these days. Too busy.
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