Migrating season.

Summer birds are getting ready to leave as winter birds are flying in.

Daurian Redstart, ジョウビタキ

  

Blue-and-white Flycatcher,  オオルリ 

Narcissus Flycatcher,  キビタキ

Always around, Varied Tit, ヤマガラ

Other wings:

Indian Red Admiral,  アカタテハ

Blue Admiral, ルリタテハ

  

Hanging around, waiting for birds to fly in, I decided to learn the names of these butterflies.

I might get some wrong, but I will stick to the common ones first, to stay on the safe side.

Mt Kuju 九重山

Autumn colors at Mt Kuju,   九重山の秋

On Friday the 19^th we drove to Oita pref to the Makoto pass from where we hiked towards Mt Kuju. I had not been hiking seriously for a number of years now and we intended to take it slowly. However, the clear sky hyped us up and we spend more than 4 hours up there. Luckily my knees behaved and going down was nearly a peace of cake.

Of course my camera slowed us down and Jaap waited patiently during my fiddling with the buttons to get it just right.

This was most important because I do not have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe the beauty of this place.

It was GORGEOUS!

That’s all I can say.

Jaap on the lower trail that is steep, but covered in concrete for the convenience of the thousands of people who come here in fall.

  リンドウ, Gentiana scabra var. buergeri

The main trail runs on top of the ridge, presenting us with views on both sides. 

    Shiranai Hana 

Other hikers in matching colors that needed some gray rocks to stand out

Afterwards we went to a hotspring at nearby Chojabaru swamp, but not after a quick patrol of the boardwalk there.

Chojabaru

ススキ, Japanese Pampas Grass

Mt Mimata in the last sunlight of the day, seen from the Chojabaru hotspring 

Having fun in Magaribuchi

曲渕 散歩

Th resident Brown Dipper, always pottering around the boulders in the river that runs through the village, the upper stream of Muromi gawa.  カワガラス

Not always present, but a regular visitor, the Eurasian Sparrowhawk.  ハイタ カ

A show of acrobatics performed by a snail that I put on a big slab after I nearly put my foot on his shell.

Is he or she upset?  カタツムリ

Watch out, giant hornet or yellow killer bee. オオスズメバチ  This one surely looks angry. Better move on.

Flashback 2, morning light

One early morning walk towards Muromi river. 

It's sometime between 5:00 and 6:00 am and the sun has yet to rise. 

No worms to catch...  would the fisherman be using them?

早起きは三文を徳します。

Today, October 18th

The first winter bird: Daurian Redstart or ジョウビタキ  fem

Flashback 1 Mushrooms in September

September had just a few wet days, but see what happened:

きのこ

  

Not a fungus, but the dried left-overs from Physalis alkekengi, Japanese Lantarn Flower; blown by the wind.

雲仙 Mt Unzen 3

The next day was quite different. The morning light was a bit harsh, creating strong shadows. Different birds came to visit. Besides the usual Tits and Pekin Robins there were White-eyes en Bulbuls. Even a Siskin dropped by. One of the lady Pheasants also had a quick drink, but disappeared after that. Jays hung around in the back.

         マヒワ,  Eurasian Siskin,                                           シジュウカラ,  Great Tit

ヤマガラ,  Varied Tit

I  love watching the Varied Tits bathing. 

 

On the parking lot clouds of insects hoovered amongst the Sakura trees. Several flycatchers were enjoying the banquet.

コサメビタキ, Asian Brown Flycatcher

キビタキ,  Narcissus Flycatcher, female

Early morning view from Nita