Winter trip - Saga

We're in Saga, nearly back home. Our 11-day winter trip has come to an end. This is the first post of our trip report, covering Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Saga in 12 parts. It's a long read!

Early in the morning at Higashiyoka, a Short-eared Owl was keenly patrolling the reed-covered land plots behind the sea wall. 

Short-eared Owl, コミミズク

When the sun warmed us up, a few small birds poked their head out.

Common Reed Bunting, オオジュリン

Penduline Tit, ツリスガラ

Zitting Cisticola, セッカ

with each leg on a different leaf

Female Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ Puffed up her feathers to stay warm

Male Hen Harrier, ハイイロチュウヒ, chasing a flock of waterbirds over the mudflats

Sweeping flocks of mostly Dunlins across the mudflats

The last stop on the last day of our winter holiday. Billie took us safely a fair 1100 km around Kyushu in 11 days. Saga was the perfect end of what was a wonderful trip for the 2 of us.

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 ?

Wintertrip - Hitoyoshi

The day we left Kagoshima, we drove to Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto, to check the Kuma River. It used to be a good place to see Crested Kingfishers, but big floods of some years ago resulted in many changes. I was wondering...

A wintery view of the river

Ducks, Egrets, Cormorants as expected

The low rainclouds made for pretty photography scenes

And yes! At the other bank of the river. One Crested Kingfisher, ヤマセミ!

Just one bird. We arrived a bit late in the morning... Would there be more on another day? 

Among several types of ducks: Falcated Duck, ヨシガモ

Common Merganser or Goosander, カワアイサ

Downtown Hitoyoshi, the Aoi Aso Shrine

初も出 (Hatsumode) Traditional first visit of the year to a temple or shrine.

Last view of the Kuma River

Winter trip - Kagoshima Boobies

We had to drive to the harbors in the city in order to find some Boobies that were diving for food. There were only 2 birds active here. Had the rest gone north? The day started grey and I watched the birds against the white plumes of the volcano on Sakura Jima.

Brown Booby, カツオドリ

Later in the morning the sky turned blue. but the birds had had their fill.

My feeble attempt at a close-up with fish

Time to move on for Billie and us

Winter trip, Kaimondake

Fortunately, the cold spell didn't last long. It was funny to see bits of snow along the road in the very south of mainland Kyushu. When we stopped at Kaimon dake, it almost felt summer-ish again. Jaap hiked to the top, I hung around the park at the foot of the mountain. The flora looked so different, that kept me occupied, Birds were far and few. Except for one Hawk, that took it's time watching his or her surroundings. 

Eurasian Sparrowhawk, XXX

2 full minutes later - still there!

Some of the abundant berries, like these Beautyberries, オオムラサキ

Never seen before: Satsuma Sankirai. サツマサンキライ The Satsuma vine from Kagoshima

Wild Rose, ノバラ?

Flowers, stronger than the volcanic lava stone. Pink Knotweed, ヒメツルソバ?

A burst of red. Pyracantha, or Firethorn shrub, ピラカンタ