Aisatsu

Aisatsu

This blog is for family and friends, to share my feelings and photos with and for myself, to support my fading memory. Readers who have my site translated automatically, please refer to the original if necessary. Especially when it comes to identification. Any comments, anonymous or by email name are always welcome!.

Sunday 31 October 2021

American Wigeon, アメリカヒド

There were 2 'different' ducks in the park among the Eurasian Wigeons. One was clearly a hybrid. The other...? I had not seen a male with these clear markings before. It kept a fair distance and did not fly. Maybe I should go and see him again one day















The other Wigeon was not so shy and came quite close while we watched him from the side of the pond







Other ducks that were seen included Pochards, Mallards, Spot-billed ducks, Gadwalls, a Falcated duck and these Tufted Ducks, キンクロハジロ



A Black-headed Gull, ユリカモメ was there as well.




Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ

October 30th, the last Saturday of the month and Imazu cleaning day. Before the appointed time I walked around the area and noticed many Japanese Bush Warblers, ウグイス and Daurian Redstarts, ジョウビタキ. 


A Wryneck, アリスイ was calling loudly and could be heard from afar.


The Peregrine Falcon, ハヤブサ flew in just before 9am 









In one of the 2 lakes was this Great Crested Grebe, カンムリカイツブリ




It was a fruitful morning 🌄🙂☺


Thursday 28 October 2021

Stonechats and Cosmos, コスノビ

Thanks to Ms M's info I got to see the Stejneger's Stonechats, ノビタキ perching on the yellow Cosmos flowers, キバナコスモス. 5 Birds were flying when I first got to the park. 2 Left soon, but 3 stayed for a little while, until more people arrived. Though the flowers looked rather messy it turned out pretty after all.

















Wednesday 27 October 2021

Imazu in the 3rd week of October

Early mornings in the Imazu area, where I tried to combine walking exercises with bird watching. One of which was sure to fail 😀. Many hawks were flying in the 3rd week of October.


Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ chasing sparrows



October 22nd:  At the only waterlogged field in the area that's left was one lonesome Temminck's Stint, オジロトウネン





The Daurian Redstarts, ジョウビタキ in Imazu are a real joy.









October 23. The strong wind of the previous days brought many ducks. 

Common Pochards, ホシハジロウ



Tufted Ducks, キンクロハジロウ





Common Starling, ホシムクドリ





Red-rumped  Swallow, コシアカツバメ





A Japanese Lined Snake, シマヘビ with its catch for the winter. 



After withdrawing in the reeds he turned around once more, as if to show me his prey




I saw the 1st Pale Thrush, シロハラ on the 27th, but not in Imazu. They should be coming soon

Shakadake, the misty mountain

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