Recent birds

When I stopped by the river, I hoped to see the Striated Herons. At the usual place Grey Herons, Great Egrets, Little Egrets and Cormorants were baking in the heat. At 7am it was already close to 30C. 

When I walked around, I found my target birds, Striated Heron, ササゴイ

There were 2 birds. A pair?

At the fields in the west my first encounter was a Ruddy-breasted Crake, ヒクイナ -  as usual

Some Spot-billed Ducks, カルガモ in the 2 lakes had a visitor: a young Black-tailed Gull, ウミネコ 幼鳥

There were few small birds, a raptor must be around. I expected a falcon, but instead an Osprey, ミサゴ was at that place. A family of obnoxious Magpies, カササギ checked him out.

He dares!

Sun sun sunflowers, looking brightly up to the sky. 

I want to go see you, but Fukuoka's summer is so hotttt

Small stuff in the neighborhood

A pleasant walk in Kanatake before breakfast, while it was still reasonably cool. It seemed a repetition of the week before.

A Yamato Jewel beetle, タマムシ flew down from the tree to a pile of wood where it disappeared. A few minutes later she(?) came out and returned to the top of the trees. Did she lay eggs?

Also recurrent: The Goishi Shijimi, Forest Pierrot, ゴイシシジミ. Not far from where I found the first one. This one seemed a little bigger. There are so many small Gossamer Butterflies around. They are easy to miss.

This year we see many Murasaki Shijimi butterflies, but the one below is a Powdered Oakblue, ムラサキツバメ

There are the plant or tree hoppers again, Aoba Hagoromo, アオバハゴロモ

I like the Latin name: Geisha distinctissima

Some interesting fungi

Spangle, クロアゲハ

ヤナギイチゴハマキモドキ Choreutis spec.

A tiny moth (9mm) belonging to the metalmark moths

Summer time, matsuri time

I didn't get to see the big Yamakasa festival in Fukuoka this year. Spectators were asked to stay home and watch it on TV. When I switched the tv on I was surprised by the big crowds sporting cameras, watching it all! Stupid me... ?

The other day driving back from a work trip (still not fully recovered) we ran into a small local version. 

That made me feel better!

Kanatake walk July 20th

It was hot. The danger of heatstroke lurked behind every shaded tree. And there was Covid 19 again. The increasing number of infections in Fukuoka was a real worry. Still, 14 people gathered. Armed with bottled water and salt tablets we set off at the usual time and place.

There were not many birds, as expected. But enough flowers and bugs to keep us alert. The high light was the Jewel Beetle, タマムシ. But for me the snakes: Japanese Pit Viper, マムシ and Tiger Keelback, ヤマカガシ scored high as well.

ホオノキの実

Forest Pierrot,ゴイシシジミ

Large Brown Cicada, アブラゼミ

Japanese tree frog, ニホンアマガエル

Japanese Angelica tree, タラノキ

Reishi mushroom, マンネンタケ

シュレーゲルアオガエル, Schlegel's Green Tree Frog 1

Same individual

カナヘビ, Japanese Grass Lizard

2nd Individual

Kurumabana, クルマバナ

Kokulan, コクランのたね

Aoba Hagoromo, アオバハゴロモ, アワフキのなかま, Froghopper spec

White-haired Leaf Chafer, アオドウガネ

Bekko Hagoromo , ベッコウハゴロモ Asian Planthopper

Chinese Elder, ソクズ

ハグロトンボ, Broad-winged Damselfly

Yamato Jewel Beetle, Tamamushi, タマムシ

Drone Beetle, アオカナブン

Tiger Keelback, ヤマカガシ

Mamushi, ニホンマムシ, Japanese Pit Viper

Same individual

Guttation on Causonis Japonica, ヤブガラシ

Daimio Seseri, ダイミョウセセリ

エゾスズメ、Ezosozume Hawk moth

ウスカワマイマイ

Eurasian Tree Sparrow, スズメ