Hikosan 1

My yearly visit to the mountain turned out a little different from what I expected. The Jays were not feeding on the cherries, as I had hoped, and neither were the Green Pigeons. I checked a few of my favorite locations, found very few butterflies and decided to go home early. At the usual place people had been waiting for the Ruddy Kingfisher all morning, apparently without success. Then when I drove by one of the last people still there told me: It's out, sitting there! By the time I had parked the car it was gone. Maybe it came back, but I don't have that much patience...

Japanese Green Woodpecker, アオゲラ

Eurasian Jay, カケス

Grey Wagtail, キセキレイ

Finally, at the bottom, a Fritillary

Palearctic Fritillary, クモガタヒョウモン

Short-tailed Blue, ツバメシジミ

Chinese Bushbrown, ヒメジャノメ

European Beak or Nettle-tree butterfly, テングチョウ

This flower appears to be a member of the Scutellaria genus, commonly known as Skullcaps

The color is so vivid blue, I love it!

Around the mountains

During the last week of February, I walked around the mountainous areas south of the city. There was very little to see, and whatever flew by disappeared immediately. A few birds caught my attention, but taking photos was quite a challenge. 

 Grey Wagtail, キセキレイ

Brown Dipper, カワガラス

Rustic Bunting, カシラダカ

Japanese Green Woodpecker, アオゲラ

Long-tailed Tits, エナガ

Ryukyu Minivet, リュウキュウサンショウクイ

There was a loud noise in the bush. Tracing it I stumbled on a small pool. All of a sudden, the place was silent. Here and there pairs of eyes floated on the surface.

Japanese Brown Frog, ニホンアカガエル

 Once I withdrew the noise started again. I carefully slid back, hiding behind a tree. Many frogs, maybe 100 or more jumped up, yelling like a bunch of hungry kittens! There seemed to be more frogs than water. A large blob of spawn floated on the edge of the pond. 

Central Kyushu, part 1

Mt. Kuju again. For the umpteenth time. It's so tempting to leave the heat of the city and wander in the coolness of the mountain forests...

The sky upon arrival on July 11th

Starting early - of course - after a good, cool night's sleep, I found very few birds at my regular check points. Near the bathing pool just this young one, I presume a Narcissus Flycatcher, that looked like it had just fallen out of the nest, but without any guarding parents, it seemed. 

キビタキ?

"My" Cuckoo flew over, but didn't land. Common Cuckoo, カッコウ

The Woodpeckers are always there, calling from the top of the trees. It's just a matter of finding that hole in the foliage...  Japanese Green Woodpecker, アオゲラ

At the wetlands the tall yellow Hankai flowers were coming out. Still fresh and unblamished, they would make a perfect picture once a bunting perched on top. But it wasn't like that at all. The birds preferred the sturdy flowerbuds. Plus, they looked scruffy. From the heat? From childraising?

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

Cisticolas were busy, flying back and forth with food for their fledgelings

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

In wetlands I found some orchids: Lobeless Platanthera, ミズチドリ

Kaki Lan, カキラン 

Nejibana, or Austral Ladies'-Tresses, ネジバナ

Several Tsuchi Akebi flowers, ツチアケビ in the woods

Everybody's favorite Lily: Morning Star Lily or Himeyuri, ヒメユリ

As expected there were butterflies. The biggest surprise was this Shijimi. I thought it was a worn Murasaki Shijimi, but had iNat look at it anyway and they came up with:

Kuroshijimi, クロシジミ  Niphanda fusca ssp. fusca

Small and cute: Ochracea Skipper, ヒメキマダラセセリ

Orange dots moving across the marsh, also in open spaces in the woods

High Brown Fritillary, ウラギンヒョウモン

No rare dragonflies, same as in the lowlands

Greater Blue Skimmer, オオシオカラトンボ

Noshime Tombo, ノシメトンボ 

This Firefly Moth looked slightly different from the ones I see here in Fukuoka. Just the shape, the white bands, Shiroshita Hotaruga, シロシタホタルガ 

So fluffy and soft looking, better not touch it though.

Ringo Dokuga, リンゴドクガ 

Oriental Monkey Beetles, コガネ love the flowers of Japanese Stewartia, ナツツバキ

Urabeni Edashaku, ウラベニエダシャク

Oohirata Carrion beetle, オオヒラタシデムシ

One more image of that spectacular sunset sky

To be continued

Central Kyushu, June 28-30 part 2, birds and others

Not many birds in this post. It was a butterfly weekend, remember? I worked hard on keeping my gaze down and concentrating on just that. However, once a birder... And there was nobody to tell me off about cheating on my self-inflicted rules.

Japanese Green Woodpecker, アオゲラ

Narcissus Flycatcher, キビタキ

Eurasian Jay, カケス

Chinese Hwamei, ガビチョウ 

The baby deer again!

And my heart turned soft like soft cream...

Many buffers (people who go for butterflies) don't like the looks of moths. Or so it seems. But they can be pretty, too! Look at this one: Kiberi Shironamishaku, キベリシロナミシャク

What about the fair and white colored Japanese Swallowtail Edashaku, ウスキツバメエダシャク?

Or is it コガタツバメエダシャク?  シロツバメエダシャク?

Ok, this one is a bit scruffy, but whoever designed the pattern on these wings had an artful sense 

Shiromonkuro Edashaku, シロモンクロエダシャク

Lichen moths or Footman moth Gomadara Kokega, ゴマダラキコケガ

On to safer topics. Banded Darter, ミヤマアカネ 

Some of my hairy friends are caterpillars that look inviting and pettable, but I dare not touch them.

Some kind of Dokuga, maybe Akahige Dokuga, アカヒゲドクガ?

I've seen many Longhorn beetles lately, but this weekend there was only one

 Oak Longicorn Beetle, ハラアカコブカミキリ

Tsuchi akebi, ツチアケビ Orchids were blooming. They are impressive, but I would hardly call them pretty, unless very fresh. Worth a picture or 2

What a tail! Braconid Wasp sp, コマユバチ科 ?

Something lost its skin?