Japanese Hawk Eagle, クマタカ

 A holiday at Mt Hiko, what can we expect?

The wind was strong and the temperatures low despite the sunshine, but out of the wind it felt like a Dutch summer. However, there were no birds to speak of. A detour in Mr. H's car brought me to new valleys and ridges. We were there to find an eagle and sure, there was one, soaring in the sky. A juvenile:

Followed be an adult female, the parent maybe, after a few minutes.

That was wonderful. First time to see it a little closer than a moving pinpoint in the sky.

Other things of interest were a female Copper Pheasant along the road. (I had just learned that they are the Hawk Eagles' prey, ouch!) a huge Japanese common toad, ニホンヒキガエル

And セリバオウレン, Coptis japonica var. dissecta

The next day the wind had died down an there was a little more wild life, but still a striking absence of small birds, other then Japanese Grosbeak, イカル

Japanese Sika deer, ニホンジカ

Greetings from Hiko-san!

Yellow-bellied Tit, キバラガラ in the city

On Saturday the 13th during a WBSJ gathering I finally got to see our Chinese immigrant: Yellow-bellied Tit, キバラガラ in the city's main park. It used to be so rare, but now it has been seen 3 winters in a row. I think there are more than just this 1 bird. Maybe 2 or 3

Fascinated by its own reflection, Great Cormorant, カワウ

As long as I've been in Fukuoka, there is always a Bull-headed Shrike, モズ in this particular part of the park. Except maybe in the heat of summer

Few of the many ducks in the pond, Tufted Duck, キンクロハジロ

One of the 2 or 3 resident Common Kingfishers, カワセミ

Small stuff at the fields and rivers

The days are getting longer, It's sunny, but the wind is cold. Birding is good.

Red-breasted Mrganser, ウミアイサ

Dunlin, ハマシギ and Northern Lapwing, タゲリ

Bull-headed Shrike, モズ ♂

Common Kingfisher, カワセミ ♀

Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

Common Goldeneye, ホオジロガモ display

On a windless morning in February, when the sun is still low, these ducks enjoy the start of spring with their display behaviour. The male shows off to the female, hoping she will choose him to be her partner.

females  ♀

chased by a Mew Gull, カモメ

They can stay submerged for quite some time and when they are feeding it's hard to keep track. But I think there were 15 birds in total

Imazu WBSJ meeting

 We started off with a flock of about 24 Northern Lapwings, タゲリ flying over our head.

A Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ flew as well. I didn't get a photo until later, at noon.

At the mudflat the tide was half out. Common Shelducks, ツクシガモ were huddled together at one dry spot. Among them 1 Baikal Teal, トモエガモ and a Mew Gull, カモメ. 2 male Falcated Ducks, ヨシガモ can be seen at the back

Common Greenshanks, アオアシシギ

A gift from heaven: The Upland Buzzard, オオノスリ at a high altitude

The local Oriental Magpies, カササギ started early again this year.

And here is the Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ that comes every day and often sits on the net or one of the tall lampposts at the sport field

Way out at towards the entrance of the river, 15 Common Goldeneyes, ホオジロガモ