Summers are too hot. As soon as we had the chance we boarded Billie, our RV and drove to cooler places, like the mountains in Oita and Kumamoto. The weather was not always favorable, but it was cool and the nights were comfortable. At Makinoto we had 20C. I could stay there the whole month! We spent the days walking around. Climbing was not an option for me with this humidity. I saw very few birds, as expected. But also, few butterflies and beetles. Every year is different.
Warning! Long post with very few birds. Scroll down for names and info about flowers and bugs as the ones in the collages above.
The Forest Pierrots, ゴイシシジミ were seen at several locations. Not only at higher altitudes. They seem to like bamboo in wooded areas
High Brown Fritillary, ウラギンヒョウモン
Diana Treebrown, クロヒカゲ
コウライトモエソウ, Great St. Johnswort or giant St. John's Wort
Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ
Doing the Cisticola trick
Native flower Shimotsukeso, シモツケソウ and Japanese Water Iris, ノハナショウブ
In the woods where oak trees grow, I found 1 Stag beetle, クワガタ Just 1!
A cluster of Yotsuboshi Ookisui, ヨツボシオオキスイ
And 1 male Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle, (Kabuto Mushi) カブトムシ Just 1!
Early morning walks are the best.
Once the clouds descend the atmosphere becomes very wet and the light fades. I like these moody scenes. Even when birds are hard to identify. Below a Meadow Bunting, ホオジロ
2 birds feeding on the trail: Chinese Hwamei, ガビチョウ
Moths are easy to find
Hyoumon Edashaku, ヒョウモンエダシャク
Hawkmoth spec, スズメガ Very pretty moth with clear markings, yet I haven't found a name yet
I heard a mixed flock of birds flying overhead, but could not see anything in the darkness of leaves and branches. 2 Came down, a Coal Tit, ヒガラ and a Nuthatch, ゴジュウカラ
Later in the morning the sun burned off some of the mist and insects came to the flowers
Yotsusuji Hanakamikiri Longhorn beetle, ヨツスジハナカミキリ
More flowers: Himeyaburan, ヒメヤブラン
Nogiran, ノギラン
St. John's Wort, オトギリソウ
Nadeshiko, ナデシコ; in English known as Pink
Another day another walk. Around grassland and deciduous trees, Nantenhagi, ナンテンハギ
A native flower Honbashuroso, ホソバシュロソウ that just started to come out and Mamakona, ママコナ
As soon as the sun came through butterflies would appear, but we didn't see much sun. These big Dryads, ジャノメチョウ kept on flying in the grassy areas at the edge of the forest
Not a butterfly, but a moth. Probably a worn Ikarimonga, イカリモンガ
Chinese Bushbrown, ヒメジャノメ
Bekko Hagoromo , ベッコウハゴロモ. Asian Planthopper
Japanese Labyrinth, ヤマキマダラヒカゲ? Goschkevitschi's Labyrinth サトキマダラヒカゲ?
Oosenchikogane, オオセンチコガネ
At night, a Hornworm crossed my path. Who are you going to be?
And you?
Thanks to Mr. A for his help with the native flowers
