Kashibaru Wetlands

Mid-June, the Dragonflies should be active. 

First one: Scarlet Dwarf, ハッチョウトンボ - male

Narrow-striped Bluet, セスジイトトンボ

Below in a mating wheel position. The male is blue, the female pale green

High brown Fritillary, ウラギンヒョウモン

Oriental Swallowtail Moth, アゲハモドキ

ツバメシジミ, Short-tailed Blue

Watershield, ジュンサイ

Arima umano suzukusa, アリマウマノスズクサ

Kakiran, カキラン Pretty as usual

Asian Pogonia,トキソウ Standing out proud by itself

Round-leaved Sundew, モウセンゴケ

This year I could not take any good pictures of it. Too much other stuff

Pygmy water-lily (ヒツジグサ)

Japanese Tree frog, 日本アマガエル

Just when I thought I didn't need to see another Tree Frog, my eye fell on this one: シュレーゲルアオガエル, Schlegel's Green Tree Frog. Look at the way his limbs fold into his body. He resembles a foetus

Then I saw another one, and another, and another... 5 or 6

Watching a firefly

At last some birds. Grey Heron's nest, アオサギ

Grey Wagtail, キセキレイ, adorning a roof ornament

Winter trip - Around the coast

After a big shopping spree in Akune we followed the coast line south. The weather had been good so far, with sunny periods and cloud times and pleasant temperatures over all. This day driving south started with blue skies. We stopped to watch Boobies heading north. Did they know about the wind and snow that was coming up?

Brown Boobies, カツオドリ

In a small harbor, I thought I would see some diving, but the rain had started, and I gave up.

Grey Herons, アオサギ in a city park, huddled together, waiting out the storm

Herons and Egrets

May 6th, the day after Childrens' Day. We stopped at the colony to see the first kids. It was raining on and off. What a wet world! I hoped the rain would stop. It got down to a drizzle, but lasted the rest of the day...  Ah well. Better this than too much brightness and too much sunshine. 

The Great Egrets, ダイサギ were all in some stage of nesting. Many showed their beautiful feathers in display. 

Some were still cuddling

Others had very small chicks

And some had eggs, blueish white, 3 or 4

Guarding the nest is a stressful job. Raising the kids even more so.

Black-crowned Night Herons, ゴイサギ look pretty in their breeding colors. Several had nests, other seemed to just roam around a bit, often annoying parents.

Grey Herons, アオサギ

Their offspring seems rather ugly...

Last beauty

I want to go there again. Maybe I can see Little and Intermediate Egrets and Cattle Egrets. Who knows!

Heron colony

Driving through Kumamoto's country side, I happened upon this place were many herons and egrets were nesting on top of each other on what looked like a small island-type bit of land. Mostly Great Egrets and some Grey herons, but also Nightherons and Little Grebes. Such a lively scene. I could just sit there and watch it all day long...

お久しぶりでした