Small Stuff

 The other day I walked around the edge of the forest and looked for new flowers and butterflies. There are no interesting birds I thought, but then....

ルリシジミ　Holly blue

ハマダイコン

east Asian wild radish

Have you ever looked closely?

The first hopper of the year, about 1cm

female Short-tailed blue (ツバメシジミ)

Satsuma Inamori,　サツマイナモリ

Japanese Laurel, アオキ flower

Japanese Laurel, アオキ fruit

Japanese Red Elder, ニワトコ

Butterfly flower (シャガ)

???

Kanatake's Wren,  ミソサザエ

female Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ keeping a close eye on the wren

First, sorry second moth of the season

Thanks to Mr. A for helping me with the flowers 😇

Imazu area end of March

 The weather has been unseasonably unstable. Grey and cloudy days produce grey and cloudy images. My mood seems to become grey and cloudy as well.

On the 25th I was at the 2 ponds when 2 Curlews flew overhead, calling loudly. They circled around right above me, so identifying them as Far-Eastern was easy. An hour later they were still at it. Had they just come in and were looking for a place to land at the submerged mudflats? Or were they on their way out?

Far-Eastern Curlews, ホウロクシギ

Buff-bellied Pipits, タヒバリ

(Always looking for red heads and throats)

In the darkness of a rainy morning: Eurasian Wryneck, アリスイ

Further west: 3 Common Snipes, タシギ trying to stay unseen

Nothing special to report from this part of the country. 

Oriental or Grey-capped Greenfinches, カワラヒワ are everywhere.

Garganey, シマアジ

 A quick stop in Imazu to see if the Garganeys had arrived. Yes, 1 male! It was tired ofcourse and fast asleep, but it briefly woke up and moved around for a minute.

Asleep

Oh, something happened?

Asleep again

Also around: Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

The Teals, コガモwere making a big fuss today

At the city park

 After that grey experience in East Fukuoka, I headed for the city park down town on the 22nd, where I hoped to see Waxwings. They didn't show, probably left with the rain the day before. In a dark corner many Bramblings, アトリ had gathered. A Good chance to sharpen my low light photography skills。

I was surprised to see the Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ still there. 8 Of them!

Grossbeaks, イカル had taken the place of the Waxwings

Tits were moving around. Good place for a nest?　Japanese Tit, シジュウカラ

And there was Sakura of course. But I already posted that on March 7th

Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, コゲラ

I'm still looking for red...