Ohisashiburi no Imazu

End of March. Not much is happening as far as I can tell. My visits to Imazu are short, no chance to look carefully. This is what I found:

The American Wigeon, アメリカヒドリ with his girlfriend still sticking around at the usual location

A Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ gets mobbed by the crows

Common Sandpiper, イソシギ in the sun

It felt as if I was looking at a majestic statue on the top of a Japanese roof. Suddenly it took off

Eastern Buzzard, ノスリ

Great Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ are showing summer colors now.

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

The winter flock of Oriental Greenfinch, カワラヒワ is not very big this year. Where are the Bramblings?

Great Egrets, ダイサギ gathered with their heads in the wind

Little Egrets, コサギ are becoming real pretty

Then April came and on the first day new Egrets appeared!

3 Intermediate Egrets, チュウサギ

It's a start

Winter trip - Yokoshima reclamation land

From Hitoyoshi to Tamana, at the northern side of Kumamoto. Here we often visit the Kantaku, a reclamation area, as well as a campsite with hot spring. Known to be open during the holidays. Birding at the Kantaku was very slow. Except from a friendly Buzzard, everything was very far. Small birds, if present, could not be captured. As seems the case in most areas outside parks.

Eastern Buzzard, ノスリ

As other years, the male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ or ハイチュウ flew at the same field, far from the road.

Does this pattern strike you as funny, too?

Common Starlings, ホシムクドリ. Cheeky as always

While Jaap did "n bergie" I roamed the area around the Reigando Cave and Unganzenji temple.

Old statues in a poorly maintained set-up. 

Several Varied Tits, ヤマガラ were moving in a tree with black berries. Maybe 4 birds. Nowadays, that seems a crowd. One Daurian Redstart was fiercely guarding the tree, but didn't want to pose.

What are those berries? Cleyera japonica, サカキ ?

Isahaya December 2025

When I saw all those images of Short-eared Owls on SM, I thought I'd go and take a chance. It was surprisingly easy. Though I could never compete with the big-lens toting photographers, I was still happy with my results.

Short-eared Owl, コミミズク

What I was not happy about was my chances with the male Hen Harrier. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. This is all I got:

Male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

Female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ

Eastern Buzzard, ノスリ

Female Common Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

There were many Cranes, ツル flying in big V-s across the reclamation areas.

And at the end of the day the ducks, making loud noises with their wings, like a strong wind suddenly rushing in. They seemed to be Baikal Teals, トモエガモ

Animals included 5 Wild Pigs, 1 Weasel and this Raccoon dog, タヌキ

Oronoshima

The 1 night stay at Oronoshima resulted in 3 nights due to the weather. People ask: Why? It's sunny! It isn't even that windy... They can't see the waves here. So I filled in my time at school, but was allowed to come and go to walk around. The birds of 2 weeks before had nearly all left. What was still there?

Eurasian Wren, ミソサザイ I saw just once, after 4pm. 

A small flock of Yellow-throated Buntings, ミヤマホオジロ

Ms. Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

A number of Eastern Buzzards, ノスリ. Often chased by a very fast and loud Falcon

The Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ at the very top of the island. Overlooking everything

The plunge dive

The usual Blue Rock Thrushes, イソヒヨドリ at their favorite places

These moths were seen along the road to school. Euonymus leaf notcher, ミノウスバ

Cat feeding time in the village. A strange cat from the mountains came down for the first time. He didn't get a chance to eat with the others. The rules are strict!

Brown Boobies, カツオドリ behind Genkaishima