Nobitaki in Imazu

The first Stonechat of the season deserves a blog post. Here it is, in Imazu. A female-type bird that was very shy, but it briefly posed on a green flowering plant with Chinese Milkvetch, レンゲ in the background.

Stonechat, ノビタキ

There was a Buff-bellied Pipit nearby. Not so common here. When did I last see one in Tajiri?

Buff-bellied Pipit, タヒバリ

I was a bit worried when no Dunlins were reportedly seen for a while. Well, they are back! 31 of them.

There is also a Greenshank, アオアシシギ in there. Not very clear? See below:

Last, another Stonechat, ノビタキ,  also in Tajiri

And that was it.

Thrushes in the park

April 3rd, Sakura season. The park was crowded, as expected. But around the Camphor tree it was reasonably quiet. Nobody is interested in those berries, but the Thrushes are!

Eyebrowed Thrush, マミチャジナイ

Brown-headed Thrush, アカハラ

Aimlessly in Kumamoto

A short break between jobs in Kumamoto, at our favorite hot spring campsite. The sun was out, fruit trees bloomed, Swallows were chattering, what else would you want? I can think of a hundred things or more, apart from the White-eyes in the Sakura trees that were so very absent...

Barn Swallow, ツバメ

Papillons in the gardens! Chinese Windmill butterfly, ジャコウアゲハ on Wild Radish, ハマダイコン

Chocolate Vine, アケビ It's the name that makes me love this plant.

Things that you run into, when aimlessly walking around: An old house in the countryside with a remarkable entrance

On the way back, we stopped at the Ariake Sea side to look for waders at high tide. There were NONE! Fortunately, a few Green Pigeons called from the trees and came down for a quick sip. That was all.

White-bellied Green Pigeon, アオバト

Ohisashiburi no Imazu

End of March. Not much is happening as far as I can tell. My visits to Imazu are short, no chance to look carefully. This is what I found:

The American Wigeon, アメリカヒヨドリ with his girlfriend still sticking around at the usual location

A Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ gets mobbed by the crows

Common Sandpiper, イソシギ in the sun

It felt as if I was looking at a majestic statue on the top of a Japanese roof. Suddenly it took off

Eastern Buzzard, ノスリ

Great Crested Grebes, カンムリカイツブリ are showing summer colors now.

Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

The winter flock of Oriental Greenfinch, カワラヒワ is not very big this year. Where are the Bramblings?

Great Egrets, ダイサギ gathered with their heads in the wind

Little Egrets, コサギ are becoming real pretty

Then April came and on the first day new Egrets appeared!

3 Intermediate Egrets, チュウサギ

It's a start

High mountains 3

At a different location, a couple of Wrens (again), small Tits and some flowers. A woodpecker dropped down briefly. 

Eurasian Wren, ミソサザイ Calling out: It's nesting time!

Come on, I'm waiting!

Eurasian Nuthatch, ゴジュウカラ

??

That was me! Splashing like a flock of elephants 

Coal Tit, ヒガラ

Some flowers...   Haru Toranoo, ハルトラノオ  -  Bistorta tenuicaulis

Yukiwari Ichige, ユキワリイチゲ  -  Anemonastrum keiskeanum

And here was my first Longhorn beetle. Winter is over!

Oak Longicorn Beetle, ゴマフカミキリ

High mountains 2

The morning was cold, but even here it warmed up to about 16 °C midday. The summer visitors had not arrived yet, but pairs of nesting resident birds supplied enough entertainment.

Eurasian Nuthatch, ゴジュウカラ

Coal Tit, ヒガラ

While the resident Tits moved about in pairs, Thrushes and Bramblings made flocks of 10-20 birds. 

Brambling, アトリ

Once on the ground, they blended in with the leaves. How many birds are there?

Japanese Andromeda, アセビ in full bloom. 

I love the shape of the flowers. Like turned-up vases. I heard they are poisonous. Would deer not eat them?

To be continued