Young birds

It is May, and baby birds are everywhere. It's so much fun, wandering around the fields to see what's there.

Parent and child, Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

Another family, kids by themselves, practice hunting, still with little success. The parents will continue to feed them for a while.

Ever so ugly, ever so cute

Mama Lapwing, ケリ checking the sky for crows and raptors

She is protecting her 3 kids, who are hanging around in the back

Little time for preening

A call from above. Another parent?

A newborn Starling, ムクドリwaiting for Mum or Dad to come with food. 

Eh? Aren't you stopping?

Tsushima small stuff

I almost forgot to publish this post. It's over 3 weeks old. Sorry. The weather conditions during my time in Tsushima were very nice. Clear skies, no rain, temperatures in the 20Cs. It felt like summer. I took some time watching butterflies and found some real beauties.

Female Great Mormon, ナガサキアゲハ ·♀

 Common Jay, ミカドアゲハ  Not often seen in my area, so I was happy

Red Helen Swallowtail, モンキアゲハ 

Near a shrine some orchids were in full bloom

Siebold's Hardy Orchid, キエビネ

In the cherry blossom trees it we saw many caterpillars, often dangling on a thread, then clinging to our clothes, some ending up in the car. Most were those smooth green ones that birds like to feed to their young. This one below caught my eye with its fine hairs, lit up in the sunlight.

noctuid or "owlet"ヤガ上科

A moth that looked familiar, yet the colors were off. Is it a kind of Tomoe?

Macrauzata, スカシカギバ

Greater Painted-snipes, タマシギ

 I was told they hardly ever came out of hiding. I had just missed a chance. But with little else to do I walked around and... Got lucky. The male followed the lady wherever she went. So, I could see them together most of the time. When a worker came to cut the grass, the game was over.

Greater Painted-snipes, タマシギ

However, a few hours later I stopped by and found them at another field. Is this another pair?

There were 2 Grey-headed Lapwings, ケリ as well. 

I didn't notice any chicks here.

There were many other birds. Shrikes, Starlings, all with fledglings following them around.

See the next post

Blue-and-White Flycatcher, オオルリ in the west

It's dark in the forest. And humid. But that's where we meet. Every year. Please don't ever give up!

Blue-and-White Flycatcher, オオルリ

Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

The frogs are back again! 

ニホンアマガエル, Japanese Tree Frog

How I missed you last year.

But that also means we'll see more snakes again...

On a lighter note: the butterflies

Common Bluebottle, アオスジアゲハ

Daimio Skipper, ダイミョウセセリ

Common Mapwing, イシカケチョウ

Black-female Fritillary, メスグロヒョウモン？