Long-eared Owl, トラフズク

I nearly knocked you out of your tree, when I found you. Miraculously you didn't fly away!!!

It was great meeting you! 💖

Whooper Swan, オオハクチョウ and some more

 19 November surprise! A big white blob floating on dark water, filled with smaller ducks. After a few minutes it flew towards the tidal flats from were it moved on...

Later, at the river - Just for 1 day

Flying across the tidal flats, 2 Shelducks, ツクシガモ The first of the season

Other birds that day: Baikal Teal, トモエガモ Male and females

Another (small) surprise: The bright red eyes of a Black-necked Grebe, ハジロカイツブリ in the pond. Isn't it unusual here?

Great Crested Grebe, カンムリカイツブリ

Brown Booby, カツオドリ

November 19th, late afternoon. 2 Birds were flying north-west of Nokonoshima. They didn't come close, but the blue sky made them clearly visible.

There were 8 or 10 Red-breasted Mergansers, ウミアイサ

One scruffy looking male...

...and a similar female came close to the shore

Haven't seen that many gulls for a while

Kanatake walk, 2023-11-15

  We started off on a cold morning, wearing winter jackets, hats and mufflers. But as the sun rose the world warmed up and in the afternoon, it felt like summer again. 4 Seasons on 1 day. There were 20+ Mandarin ducks in the first pond, as well as some Pochards. We heard some other winter birds as well. In the morning, before the sun came out very few butterflies were seen, but afterwards they suddenly seemed everywhere. All in all, an exciting day

Many pretty Thunberg's Chives, ヤマラッキョウ were flowering

So was the Japanese wild mint variety Isodon, ヤマハッカ

Clusters of small コスミレ, Viola japonica made me feel like spring already

Near-perfect balls of Japanese Kadsura, サネカズラ

Just as colorful: Fruit of the Korean Sweetheart Tree, ゴンズイの実 

Why Korean? It's a Japanese plant..

Quite a number of dragonflies were hanging out in the warmer parts of the park

They all seemed to be Mayutate Akane, マユタテアカネ

Some of the birds: Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

Japanese Wagtail, セグロセキレイ

At my request, Japanese Yew, イヌマキ

The fruit tastes sweet!

We all know the caterpillars of this moth, but some people had never seen the real thing

Ramie moth, フクラスズメ Struggling to survive

Raptors were flying in the distance. For good measure I took this shot of Black Kite, トビ and Eurasian Sparrowhawk, ハイタカ 

S-san brought a caterpillar to show us and we all adored this cute lovely creature that didn't mind to be touched. Ringo Dokuga, リンゴドクガ

Showing the black spot that might indicate a sense of danger

After the meeting broke up, I went back to check on butterflies

Pea Blue, ウラナミシジミ

Small Copper, ベニシジミ

Kuromadara Sotetsu Shijimi, クロマダラソテツシジミ

Indian Fritillary, ツマグロヒョウモン♀ ♂

Indian Red Admiral, アカタテハ and Pale Grass Blue, ヤマトシジミ

Asian Comma, キタテハ

Insect Gal, ムシコブ on Mugwort, ヨモギ