and Aoji. Black-faced Bunting, アオジ

 

A for Atori. Brambling, アトリ

A blurry image of a bird in flight. My husband says I shouldn't publish this. But can you see its eyes?

  

Farewell Red-flanked Bluetail, ルリビタキ

Why is it that we like blue birds so much. This male Bluetail was my favorite. I wonder if we will see him back again next year at his usual hide-out. I think he is getting old...

Great Tit, シジュウカラ courtship

Offering food is a common part of courtship behavior. A male may give a morsel to a female, showing that he is can find food and share it.

Eurasian Hoopoe, ヤツガシラ

Only the second time I managed to capture this bird. And again, it took off before I could do any better.... :(    I have to make up for that sometime!

Feeding my frustration, a Pale Thrush, シロハラ  taken on the same day

while waiting for a Japanese Robin or Thrush...

Checking the bath water

Need some privacy...

You cannot have it all.

Oriental Pratincole, ツバメチドリ

Finally a chance to see this bird up close. It's a beauty!

  

  

In the maple trees: Goldcrest, キクイタダキ and some more

One day the もみじ trees are full with them, the next day they're gone...

Narcissus Flycatcher, キビタキ doing it's excercises

Brambling, アトリ male

 female

Brown-headed Thrush, アカハラ

Not a rare bird in Japan but quite unusual to see it in the park my neighborhood

 White-cheeked Starling, ムクドリ Anybody home?

 This is a more common sight,

And this last one almost daily:

Black Kite, トビ  with a stolen fish (グチ, guchi)

Ashy Minivet, サンショウクイ and its cousins

A sanshoukui is usually heard before seen. Their voice is clear and peppery, like sanshou, Japanese Pepper. They miss the bright colors of their SE Asian realives, but are pretty nevertheless. This week in Fukuoka:

Below the Short-billed Minivet in Thailand, 2013 the female is yellow, the male bright red

And a male Grey-chinned Minivet in Taiwan, 2012

To make my collection complete: The Ryukyu Ashy Minivet,　 リュウキュウ　サンショウクイ

in the hills around Fukuoka, May 2013