February birds around Fukuoka 2

A White-cheeked Starling, ムクドリ and 1 Common Starling, ホシムクドリ

The big flock of last month has moved on

An Eastern Buzzard, ノスリ checking his territory

The Reed Buntings オオジュリン kept me waiting a while. Too much wind recently

Away from the coast, at a little pond near the mountains: 

About 20 Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ

A single Tufted Duck, キンクロハジロ looking at me with that funny duck face.

And a female Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ posing in a bonsai

Odo sunset

February birds around Fukuoka 1

Muromi River. There were 2 Goldeneyes this winter. I think this was a first for Muromi!

Common Goldeneye, ホオジロガモ

In our harbor the Grey Herons, アオサギ are coloring nicely. They fight for the fish that fishermen throw at them

This one below must have been desperate. I don't think I have ever seen a Grey Heron going into the water like this.

How about some Octopus, タコ ?

Watching us from a safe corner: Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ

Imazu also has a nice male Blue Rock Thrush, イソヒヨドリ changing into summer wear

The Eurasian Spoonbills, ヘラサギ like to sleep. Their head feathers are dancing in the wind

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ. The green color of young wheat in the back makes it look like summer

Kanatake walk February 2020

A sunny day with little wind and temperatures from 3 -11° At arrival the wet fields were frozen and covered with a thin layer of ice. Frost on the ground made for interesting macro images

Ice, (Kōri)  氷

Frost, (Shimo)  霜,

Field Horsetail, (Tsukushi) ツクシ

Henbit Deadnettle, (Hotokenoza) ホトケノザ

Sticky Mouse-ear Chickweed, (Oranda miminagusa) オランダミミナグサ

Splitgill mushroom, (Suehirotake) スエヒロタケ

Apparently harmfull if inhaled and the cause of Lung disease

Japanese Ivy, (Kizuta) キズタ with Artaxa Subflava, (Dokuga)ドクガ

Earth star mushroom, ツチグリ

 Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

Eurasian Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ male

Left: Viola Mandshurica, (Kosumire) コスミレ  Right: Thistle, (Azami) アザミ

Persian Speedwell, (Ooinunofuguri) オオイヌフグリ

Some kind of Bagworm moth, (Minomushi) ミノムシ

Another Bagworm moth, (Minomushi) ミノムシ

The part sticking out tells it's a male

Black-jack, (Kosendangusa) コンセンダングサ

Raccoon dogs, タヌキ

These scruffy looking Raccoon dogs don't resemble at all those cute fluffy Tanuki's in picture books and on the web. It must be their time to shed hair, all 3 animals that came close looked like this. I hope to see the lot again some time in another season.

Just got the message that they are actually suffering from a skin disease.

How bad - they must be so cold!