Winter trip - part 6, Russet Sparrows

A visit to Izumi is not complete without the small Russet Sparrows, that usually come in tight flocks and look like the leaves of a bare tree. 

 Russet Sparrow, ニュウナイスズメ

A man with its cinnamon head.

Females look quite different from their male counterparts

Side by side on a wire against the blue blue sky.

See something down there?

One by one they land in the dry grassy weeds to get a few bits and pieces of seeds, then all together fly up again, towards the safety of the trees.

Pretty wing patterns!

Guess why?

Eurasian Kestrel, チョウゲンボウ

Hen Harriers, ハイイロチュウヒ and some more

 In the 3rd week of March went on a business trip in the south of our prefecture. After a long day of work, we drove a bit further south to a hot spring resort that we like for a well-earned rest. On the way, we stopped at the nearby reclaimed land area. There wasn't much light anymore, but I managed to capture a male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ♂ - Surprisingly it was still around

2 Great Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ in the sunset. I thought they were a pair and was hoping to see some amorous advances, but they quickly moved on when they spotted me. 

The following morning, we went back, but I only saw a female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ♀

Russet Sparrows, ニュナイスズメ were resting in the trees...

... occasionally dropping down for lunch

Izumi, Kagoshima 鹿児島県出水 part 2: Common Crane, グロヅル and some more

 Continued from part 1

The Common Crane, グロヅル is not so uncommon in Europe, but here we saw just a few. Less than 10 I would say. There was a hybrid as well, and a very young bird

Russet Sparrow, ニュウナイスズメ

Hundreds of Sparrows were either flying in sweeping flock or sitting in long rows on the electrical wires. To me they looked very different from our Eurasian Tree Sparrows, lacking that dark spot on their cheeks, as if something is amputated 😀 We don't see them in Fukuoka.

The male is the pretty bird, with its rufous-brown head.

Feeding en masse on a patch of dried grass.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ 

The raptor kept a keen eye on these small birds. It showed up several times. 

It caught a pigeon at the parking lot, right in front of Jaap, who captured it on his smartphone.

After sunset we saw a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, ゴイサギ in the ditch.

The Japanese have a very appropriate nick name for these youngsters: ホシゴイ meaning "starry" heron

Aneha 2

The following morning, watching the sunrise at the feeding grounds, spectacular when thousands of birds come flying in.

When the sun was high enough to shed some light we searched for the less common cranes. At the far back were 2 Common Cranes, クロヅル, more or less at the same place as last year.

Lifting its head up for a second and stretching its wings, Common Crane, クロヅル

Closer by a Sandhill Crane, カナダヅル guiding the family to a safe corner

They didn't seem to be bothered by us much

At the field in front of the observation centre. A mix of Hooded Crane, ナベヅル and White-naped Crane, マナヅル hurrying to get their share

That was MY bit!

You stood on my toes!

After a while the mass thins out. Some birds return to their possy with their families, others just wander off.

It seemed impossible to find Aneha. 

Scanning the extensive area I was just about to give up when... I found her! Demoiselle Crane, アネハヅル At the far far end.

Changing location to get a better look

With quite an accomplished feeling I started looking at other birds.

White-naped Crane, マナヅル

The most common crane in Izumi, Hooded Crane, ナベヅル considered a bit dull compared with the elegant White-naped Cranes, but look at that intricate pattern of feathers. Isn't that beautiful?

It's always such a pleasure  to find beauty in common birds. White-naped Crane, マナヅル again

Below a raptor probably a female Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ, flying low, scanning the field. The cranes don't seem to care. They are too big to be considered prey of course

Common Starlings, Common Starling, ホシムクドリ basking in the early morning sun

Thousands of Rooks, ミヤマカラス taking every inch of the electricity wires

♥ Sweethearts ♥

Between them 5 smaller sized crow-type birds: Daurian Jackdaw, コクマルガラス 

I was wondering about the bird on the far right. Did it have blue eyes?

Another common bird here, the Russet Sparrow, ニュウナイスズメ. I often wonder, when will they come to Fukuoka?