October 13th was the first cool day after the long period of high temperatures. Rain was in the forecast for later in the day, so I set off early with my camera, rain gear, snacks and drinks. I'd never been to this mountain and I was eager to explore it, but visibility became very bad. Clouds descended one after the other and there was no view anywhere. I saw the outline of 3 female pheasants crossing the road ahead and I could hear a raptor nearby. What was it?
I followed a road of stones. Yamap sort of let me down, I could see trails running left and right, but could not see where they would lead to. Being all by myself in this small world I didn't want to take any risks, so I hung on to the partly sealed narrow mountain road. There was nobody. Except for 1 service car that probably had some business at the antenna on top I did not see any person at all. I had the place to myself!
The scenery was eerily beautiful with lots of small flowers veiled by the mist
A great number of Chestnut Tiger migratory butterflies アサギマダラ were fluttering from one side to the other. Some seemed bigger than others. On the way back I started counting them and came to 64. There could easily have been over a hundred
Other butterflies included Asian Comma, キタテハ
... and Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, ヒオドシチョウ aka Scarce Tortoiseshell
All the way I could hear many birds, but didn't see much. There was also an animal in the greyish bush.
2 Times I flushed a male pheasant that might have been a Copper Pheasant. Some birds came into view, like this Coal Tit, ヒガラ
At a Japanese Snowbell tree, エゴノキ Varied Tits, ヤマガラ were eating their favorite fruit.
A flock of 20 or 30 Long-tailed Tits, エナガ showed up as well.
I couldn't do anything but concentrate on the small stuff in my field of vision.
Burnt-spot Hummingbird Hawkmoth, ホシホウジャク
Pea soup at the top.
On the way back
