能古島, Noko Island in March

We are well into spring. The weather has been good with many sunny days and pleasant temperatures. It's great to walk outside, despite the bad air quality. Recently we're getting smog blown over from China. Many people wear masks, but I cannot get myself to do that. I love wandering in the hills, looking for birds and anything that’s alive. It makes me feel free. I don’t mind the cold, not even the rain very much. But the restriction of a face mask…  I wrap a scarf around my mouth. The masks aren't effective anyway.

The plum blossom is nearly over and sakura is on its way; something to look forward to. It’s a big thing in this country, you know and it grows on you.

A frequent encounter on the way to school on Noko:

Winter Wren,  みそさざい

Japanese White-eye,  メジロ

 The last plum flower

Pale Thrush,  シロハラ left and Black-faced Bunting,  アオジ right

Coltsfoot or butterbur,  フキ

An edible wild plant. I just managed a shot before my friend Chiaki arrested it for dinner.

今日の勉強  能古島 =  Nokonoshima

Summer birds

In Dutch we say “1 zwaluw maakt nog geen zomer”, something like 1 swallow doesn’t mean it’s summer yet. Well, 2 neither. I’m getting my winter jacket out again.

But it’s a start.

1 羽のツバメは夏にはしません。2羽もまだです。

明日もう一度冬のコートを着用します。

Barn Swallow,  ツバメ

Little Ringed Plover,  コチドリ

Snipes are here in winter.  Common Snipe,  タシギ

All together now

Japanese Plum and White-eyes 梅, メジロ

Plum blossom, 梅  and Japanese White-eye, メジロ

Egrets

Just a few  pretty pix taken this winter and early spring

Great Egret,  ダイサギ

Tufted Ducks and Mergansers

 Often seen in the river, on windy days sometimes in the harbor basin:

Red-breasted Merganser,  ウミアイサ

Late afternoon their red eyes seem brighter than ever

Seemingly such a slim bird, but.... There’s a big white belly below the surface.  大きな白い腹

below  Tufted Duck,  キンクロハジロ Male and female in Muromi River.

今日の勉強 　大きな白い腹  =  ookina shiroi hara,   big white belly

What is he eating?

 Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker,  コゲラ

A larvae of some sort? It stretches.  幼虫?

伸ばしています  Longer.  And longer

Looking doubtful; did it taste any good?  おいしかったかな

A little red on the head: It's a male

今日の勉強 　幼虫 =  yoochuu,   larvae

      伸びる = nobiru,  stretch, rise, gain, advance

February around Imazu

Not much time to write, so the photos have to tell the story:

Chestnut-eared Bunting,  ホオアカ

Reed Bunting,  オオジュリン

Dunlins in flight,  ハマシギ

Northern Lapwing,  タゲリ

Water Pipit,  タヒバリ

Hope to see some more in March