Imazu update of the first week of July

The weather was rather unstable. Hot, humid, rainy, windy. We saw it all. Surprisingly many birds showed up in Imazu. I could not attend the monthly WBSJ meeting and went there a few days later. Early in the morning the Reed Buntings were as loud as usual. Crakes were scurrying in the rice paddies. I was hoping to see Painted Snipes and scanned every row of rice plants, but there were none. The Yellow Bitterns were flying frequently. I think there are 3 birds and 2 of them might be nesting. There were many starlings around and shrikes. Both the common kind. 1 Tern came flying in, soon followed by a Peregrine falcon. Thus, all small birds disappeared. Towards Tajiri bridge I was surprised by a couple of Mandarin ducks. How different they look in summer plumage! That was the first week of July.

Yellow Bittern, ヨシゴイ

Whiskered Tern, クロハラアジサシ

Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

Mandarin Ducks, オシドリ male and female

Great Reed Warbler, オオヨシキリ

Ruddy-breasted Crake, ヒクイナ

Butterfly Dragonfly - Chotombo, チョウトンボ 

Common Bluetail - Aomon Itotombo, アオモンイトトンボ

Gomadara Kamikiri Longhorn beetle, ゴマダラカミキリ

Common Centaury, ベニバナセンブリ is a medicinal herb in Europe

Our native Hibiscus Hamabo, ハマボウ

Finding relieve from the heat

The soaring temperatures send me to the mountains, where the breeze keeps me cool and the birds are active. On my way up (before 6am!) I saw 7 Japanese Thrushes scurrying on the ground, hopping from stone to stone, scratching through leaf-litter to find insects and earthworms. I had never seen so many in one day - one hour! before. I can't wait to go back

Male Japanese Thrush, クロツグミ

The female didn't come out well in the dark valley. But she was there

Later in the morning: 2 Chinese Bamboo Partridges, コジュケイ crossing my path

In a field with many yellow Sawa Oguruma, サワオグルマ flowers this Alpine Black Swallowtail, ミヤマカラスアゲハ looked electric blue

Indian Fritillary, ツマグロヒョウモン

Cynoglossum, オオルリソウ

Japanese Sparrowhawk, ツミ

I was invited to come and see a family of Japanese Sparrowhawks. I was very eager to go, since I had not seen any of these birds in Kyushu at all, except from an occasional small dot up in the sky that I could never have identified myself. When we got there in the morning, we found 3 chicks sitting in and around a nest in a tall Sugi tree, way up high. They were keenly watching their surroundings, obviously waiting for their parents to bring them food. 

We could hear the parents in the dark forest behind us, flying back and forth. They had been bringing them small birds to feed on. Among the trees M found these left-overs:

Would that be the bill of the Ruddy Kingfisher, アカショウビン that we saw there last month?

The parents were calling a lot, but didn't approach the nest. It seemed best for us to withdraw.

Later that day we visited again and found one chick missing. The biggest one had left the nest. We heard the call of 3 birds behind us now and sometimes saw them flying between the dark sugi trees. The other 2 chicks now also seemed eager to fly. I think this was the last and only chance I had to see them.

The smallest chick peeking out from the nest

From the edge of the forest a Mountain Hawk-eagle, クマタカ appeared, chased by a Japanese Sparrowhawk, ツミ

The Sparrowhawk looks so small here. Are you the father of the chicks?

Mountain Hawk-eagle, クマタカ

I had hoped very much to get a closer view of an adult bird, but didn't get the chance. Waiting around the tree with the nest did not seem to be right. We did what was right and gave them a break. 

So, I 'll suffice with 2 photos from the past: 

Japanese Sparrowhawk, リュウキュウツミ; seen in Okinawa in 2010

Female 

Male

It was a very special, watching the young raptors enter the world. It hurts to think of them eating a Japanese Thrush (ouch! 😩) and Ruddy Kingfisher (ouch!😩 😩). Possibly a Fairy Pitta??? 

That's life.

Yellow Bittern, ヨシゴイ and some more

One early morning I drove to this place outside the city, that's known for Yellow Bitterns. Between 7am and 10am, 3 long hot hours, 2 of the birds flew once. All the way on the other side of the pond one of them perched in the reeds for a few minutes and then they both flew towards the north-east. Away from me. I nearly missed them. I don't think I will be going there again anytime soon...😓😖

Farewell

Other birds included several Great Egrets, ダイサギ

Lots of Cattle Egrets, アマサギ

And this Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

Of course, there were many Great Reed Warblers, オオヨシキリ calling and flying constantly, as well as some Moorhens, バン and Tree Sparrows, スズメ

On the way back I ran into 3 Bull-headed Shrike fledglings, モズの 巣立ち　

busily catching leaves and chasing nothing

I leaned back and relaxed, while watching them from the airconditioned car

The Ruddy-breasted Crake, ヒクイナ seems to be my signature bird this summer