Japanese Yellow Bunting, ノジコ

Only once before I saw this bird. It was in Imazu. Now I saw a few, in an area nearby. What a surprise. One bird perched in a small tree, while 2 others moved around. There could have been more, I could here them, but light was fading and dinner was waiting. The wind was from the south and quite strong. I went back the following morning, but there were none left.

April in the mountains

From several mountains, high and low, Fukuoka and beyond a compilation. Starting up high in Oita:

Japanese Thrush, クロツグミ Singing from the very top of the highest tree

Flying between those trees: Eurasian Jay, カケス

Briefly stopping in front of me: Willow Tit, コガラ

Near the river, also singing loud: Eurasian Wren, ミソサザエ

Mid April, a bit early for flycatchers, but I could here some and caught some glimpses of the usual ones

A brief stop at a field that had just been burned: Chestnut-eared Bunting, ホオアカ

It was raining, but a flock of 30+ Buff-bellied Pipits, タヒバリ didn't seem to notice. I had never seen these birds at an elevation of about 1000m

Lower mountains around Fukuoka:

2 Asian Brown Flycatchers, コサメビタキ preparing a nest so it seems

Looking happy!

The trees are thick with foliage already. Are there no caterpilars to eat the leafs? I could here the flycatchers, but saw nothing. Just these noisy buggers, Red-billed Leiothrix, ソウシチョウ

Finally after a week I got one: Narcissus Flycather, キビタキ

Alah, out of focus  :-(

Oriental Stork, コウノトリ in West Fukuoka

April 29. It was only my 2nd time to see this bird here in the west. 4 years ago there were 2 of them in Imazu, all ringed and geared up with GPS. But this single bird has nothing.

Where did you come from? Are you an (illegal) immigrant?

Waders in the west 2

We have had very few days with south wind. Are the birds moving at all? I was glad to see some visitors

Cattle Egret, アマサギ

With Great Egret, ダイサギ

The Pied Avocets オオソリハシセイタカシギ are taking their time. No hurry to move on.

In the same area, Far Eastern Curlew, ホウロクシギ playing boss over a number of Whimbrels, チュウシャクシギ

The heron colony is getting crowded

display

Still here: Common Teal, コガモ

 

Kanatake walk, 2021-04-21

We were welcomed by the warm sunshine and the sound of busy Barn swallows. It was a pleasant day.  Perfect if we would not have to worry about our health during this 4th wave of the Corona virus. (Don't you hate the face masks?) There was a first for many things, specially the Night Heron, who we had not met at this place before and the dragonflies, first of the year. Flowers seemed earlier than usual. 

Barn swallow, ツバメ

New in Kanatake: Black-crowned Night Heron, ゴイサギ

Broad-winged damselfly, カワトンボ

Some dragonflies are really big and when they fly they look like small helicopters. There are several kinds, mostly green and black. Which is this one? Maybe キイロサナエ

Wild Thistle, ノアザミ  with  コアオ?ハナムグリ, Flower chafer

Wild Thistle, ノアザミ  with キアゲハ, Old world swallowtail 

Japanese grass lizard, ニホンカナヘビ 

Japanese tree frog, ニホンアマガエル

コガクウツギ (Hydrangea luteovenosa)

Smilax China, サルトリイバラ

アリドオシ（Damnacanthus indicus）

An army of Silver Dragons, ギンリョウソウ (Monotropastrum humile ) shooting up from the ground

the Noble Orchid, シュンラン with a visitor

Marlberry, ヤブコウジ (Ardisia japonica)

Plenty of purple:  Alehoof, カキドウシ

コバノガマズミ  (Viburnum erosum)

Red Longhorn beetle, アカカミキリ

アメリカフウロ (Carolina geranium)

Burr medic, ウマゴヤシ 

seed of Burr medic, ウマゴヤシ 

Lesser trefoil, コメツブツメクサ 

ヤマキマダラヒカゲ?  サトキマダラヒカゲ?　Japanese Labyrinth or Goschkevitschi's Labyrinth

One very big killer wasp!!!   Asian Giant Hornet , オオスズメバチ Vespa mandarinia

コウホネ, East Asian yellow water-lily

Wide belly dragonfly, ハラビロトンボ

Wide belly dragonfly, ハラビロトンボ  corr:   Blue forehead tombo, アオビタイトンボ . It has a blue metallic luster on forehead

Soft rush, イグサ 

Bush cricket ヒメギス?

Four-spotted chaser (ヨツボシトンボ)

Lots of good luck today: Four-leaf clover, 4葉のクローバー

How many 4-leafed can you see?